TFM 40

Chapter 40

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He retrieved the knight's cloak he had set aside, brushed off the dust, and draped it over his gleaming golden armor. The tabard, crafted by the elves themselves, bore an embroidered crest of an ancient language and a golden chalice filled with flames. A special enchantment had been cast upon it to withstand even powerful impacts. Only the wrinkles seemed beyond the reach of magic.

He tapped out the creases in the flowing folds of the garment, then thoroughly wiped the dirt and dust from his sabatons before rising from his seat.

Having roughly finished dressing, he stepped out of the tent to find a hazy, gray sky filling his vision. The wind had been unusually fierce since noon, and it seemed a sudden shower was imminent.

Frowning, Edric grabbed his raincoat and headed toward Talia's tent. Just then, the sound of the sacred bell signaling the start of the ceremony reached him from behind.

He hurriedly turned his head over his shoulder and saw the Crown Prince and the First Princess, already fully prepared, leading their retinue into the temple entrance.

He hurried across the camp. Passing between massive pillars that looked carved from stone, he entered the arched entrance. The interior of the sanctuary, bathed in a bluish light, came into view at a glance.

Edric paused briefly, scanning the attendants filling the congregation seats and the knights lined up along the walls.

The Crown Prince and First Princess stood before the altar. It seemed they were receiving a consecration prayer from the chief priest before the ceremony began.

Edric, who had been shifting his feet impatiently, spotted Sir Shiokan waiting at the crossing and crossed the nave in a single stride.

"Captain, Her Highness the Second Princess will be ready shortly. Would you mind waiting just a little longer?"

As he approached and cautiously spoke, a calm gaze met his.

Edric found himself holding his breath.

Instead of his knightly uniform, Varkas wore a black doublet over a breastplate bearing the Shiokan family crest, draped with a uniquely shaped cloak over one shoulder. Even to his own male eyes, the sight was breathtakingly handsome. Suddenly, the princess's words about him being ugly flashed through his mind. If she had grown up seeing men like this since childhood, it was certain that most ordinary men would seem unattractive to her.

Lost in such a strange thought, his superior, who had been silently watching him, let out a faint sigh and slowly walked toward the altar.

"It seems we must halt the ceremony. Her Imperial Highness the Second Princess intends to attend the consecration rites as well."

The priest, who had been reciting the prayer, looked flustered as he glanced back and forth between Varkas and Edric, who stood awkwardly.

As a member of the imperial family, Talia also had a duty to participate in the ceremony. Had she refused and stepped back, it might have been different, but since she had expressed her intention to attend, it was only proper to comply. Yet the chief priest hesitated to agree, instead seeking Gareth's approval.

"Are you telling me to wait for that bastard now?"

The Crown Prince glared at Varkas with a menacing look, his words coming out like chewed-up letters.

"Proceed with the ceremony immediately! I won't waste a single second because of that woman!"

Edric’s face hardened. He had witnessed firsthand just how intense the Crown Prince's hostility toward the Second Princess was. He had anticipated the priest might not readily agree. But he hadn't expected him to openly refuse in front of everyone. Was it not also His Majesty the Emperor's wish for the Second Princess to participate in the pilgrimage?

Edric hesitated before speaking.

"She too is a member of the imperial family, officially recognized by His Majesty the Emperor. According to custom, does she not also have the right to receive the blessing of the saints?"

The Crown Prince, who had been glaring at Varkas with blazing eyes, turned his gaze toward him.

Edric swallowed hard. The Crown Prince, his broad face twisted into a grimace, approached him like a prowling tiger.

"Do you even know who you're talking back to?"

"My apologies, Your Highness. I was merely……”

Edric, hastily bowing his head to offer excuses, gasped roughly as a tightening grip seized his throat. Gareth, who had grabbed his collar, yanked him back violently.

Edric forced himself not to flinch, meeting that menacing face directly. This seemed to irritate the Crown Prince, whose deep green eyes flashed as he growled like an enraged beast.

"How dare you, a mere knight, presume to lecture me?"

"I'm... I'm sorry..."

Edric clenched his fists tightly to keep from pulling away from the hand choking his throat, forcing the words out with effort.

Then, Varkas placed a hand on the Crown Prince's shoulder.

"Your Highness."

Gareth's shoulders stiffened at the low, resonant voice. Edric could see a faint flicker of tension pass over the Crown Prince's arrogant face.

Varkas spoke in a soft tone.

"Many eyes are watching."

A faint flush rose to Gareth's cheeks. For a moment, he seemed ashamed that he had been intimidated.

The Crown Prince released Edric's shirt and glared fiercely at Varkas.

"Didn't I warn you never to touch me again? Do you think I'll tolerate you forever?"

Gareth roughly shook off the hand resting on his shoulder, thrusting his face threateningly close to Varkas’s and snarled. With an air ready to pounce at any moment, not only the knights but even the First Princess rushed to restrain the Crown Prince.

Then, a cold, ice-like voice echoed through the main hall.

"Had I known such an entertaining spectacle awaited, I should have attended the last ceremony."

Edric flinched and turned his head, spotting Talia slowly crossing the aisle, led by three or four maids. He held his breath involuntarily.

The woman who had been itching to stir up trouble at every opportunity was now walking toward the altar, dressed in impeccable formal attire.

The faint sunlight streaming through the windows clearly revealed her face, the spitting image of the Empress, and her delicate form wrapped in a platinum-colored bliaud.

Staring blankly at this unreal sight, Edric blinked repeatedly. Realizing not only himself but everyone in the pews was staring at her in rapt attention, he glanced at the Crown Prince and the First Princess.

The Crown Prince glared at his sister with a demonic expression, while the First Princess maintained a calm face, though the knuckles of her tightly clenched hands were visibly white.

Sensing the taut tension flowing between the three royals, Edric quietly moved to stand beside the Second Princess. But no one seated there paid him any attention. Only Talia Roem Guirta rolled her eyes and gave him a fleeting glance.

Yet her focus quickly returned to Varkas and Gareth.

"What are you standing there for? Didn't you want to pick a fight?"

The Crown Prince, grinding his teeth as if to shatter his jaw, slowly pulled away from Varkas. He then scanned his sister from head to toe, curling his lips in a sneer.

"I don't know who you're trying to impress with all that finery, but you don't seriously think it'll hide your filthy origins, do you?"

"Didn't you scold me just days ago for dressing improperly? I paid special attention today because you nagged so much. It's disappointing to hear you say that."

The second princess, who had stiffened for a moment, approached him with a meaningful smile playing at the corners of her lips.

Edric stared at her, his eyes wide with shock. He was stunned beyond belief, even dumbfounded, by her actions—trying to provoke the Crown Prince again after suffering such a harsh lesson just yesterday.

Yet, regardless of his flustered state, the Second Princess pressed her face close to the Crown Prince's and added softly.

"I worked so hard to dress exactly to your taste, Brother..."