Translated by Tam
A sudden change of air swept past us.
I just blinked my eyes, holding my head still.
âTell me the truth.â
Largo said.
âWhat kind of person is inside this body?â
I was determined to answer well here. So I pulled Largoâs hand out and backed away.
âI donât know what youâre talking about.â
I deliberately looked Largo in the eye and said.
âYou know, Iâve changed a lot.â
âYou suddenly changed.â
âNo, there was a sign. Your Highness just didnât know because you were gone.â
Largoâs eyes widened. I didnât miss the opportunity.
âIsnât it too absurd to speculate that my soul would have changed just because I suddenly changed?â
Thatâs right. Largo is guessing right now. I was thinking that there must be other reasons because I donât fit in with his own thoughts.
I lifted my chin and looking at Largo, who was a little embarrassed.
âYouâre going to bring this to the temple trial? Okay, go ahead. But if it turns out itâs not true, I wonât stay still. I want you to know that.â
âY, youâ!â
âWeâll have to pretend we donât have a deal either.â
I didnât miss this opportunity to say.
âI donât want to be held by the back of my neck anymore.â
Unlike me, who smiled brightly, Largoâs face was hardened. The same goes for Fleur, who is standing next to him. I looked at their faces, and tightened my strength around my eyes.
âI wonât let it go about what happened today.â
What happened today.
Fleur and Largo had a secret meeting, and in the meantime, they threatened me.
Ophelia canât stand it. I was going to make this public somehow.
âYou can look forward to it.â
So I said with a smile again, and Largo and Fleurâs faces turned white.
Oh, I feel refreshed.
I left the place, rubbing the back of my still sore neck.
******
âDamn it.â
Largo clenched his fist and spoke in a ferocious voice.
Fleur, who was standing next to him, looked nervous and bit her nails.
âWhat if the Duchess says we were together?â
âWho are you talking to?â
âHis Highness Crown Prince.â
âDo you still care about that bastard?â
Largo spoke in a harsh tone, as if to show off his anger, and looked at Fleur.
âHeâs not an emperor anyway. Youâre going to be thrown away! You donât have to worry about him!â
âB, butâ!â
Her love for Callian was sincere in her own way, so she couldnât say that she was comfortable with betraying him. So she was so nervous.
Largo, on the other hand, was annoyed by Fleurâs appearance.
What a stupid woman. Why is she sitting there while sheâs only going to see his face?
Largo had no intention of making Fleur the Empress after he became emperor. He was just saying that.
Isnât it natural? Who would put a woman from a commoner family, even a divorced woman, to sit as Empress?
Callian was trying to do something stupid. But he never intended to do that.
Heâll just use it and throw it away. Largo thought Fleur just that muchâ.
âIt doesnât seem worth using.â
Largo looked at Fleurâs pale face and thought.
âIt doesnât matter whether she tell Callian or not. The victory will be mine anyway.â
Largo said, clicked his tongue. And he proudly folded his arms.
âIâm going to bring Ophelia Ryzen to the temple trial.â
âBut what if the soul hasnât changed?â
âIt doesnât matter.â
He twisted his lips.
âBecause I can make it look like itâs changed.â
*******
âJasmine!â
I waved at Jasmine waiting for me in the cafeteria. Jasmine quickly put down the teacup and welcomed me.
âOh really, where have you been? Iâve been waiting for a long time.â
Jasmine whined at me. I smiled awkwardly and scratched my cheek.
âIâm sorry. I forgot something.â
âWell, it canât be helped. Thanks to you, I was enjoying my leisure time.â
âIâm glad you did.â
I breathed a sigh of relief and patted Jasmine on the shoulder.
And I slowly looked into her eyes.
âBy the way, Jasmine. Let me ask you something.â
âYes, please tell me.â
âAbout temple trial.â
I opened my mouth slowly.
âWhat about that?â
Literally I wasnât quite sure what a temple trial was.
Iâve heard it many times before, when ladies gossip about it, and today, too, but in fact, I didnât know exactly what the temple trial meant.
Thatâs why I asked, Jasmineâs expression changed strangely.
âWhatâs wrong?â
I wondered and looked away. Then Jasmine replied.
âNo. Youâre asking something too obvious. Ah, you know everything, but youâre asking to test me, right? Youâre deliberately trying to confirm whether I know or not!â
It wasnât like that, but I felt like I had to say yes for now. So I nodded.
âYes, thatâs right. I asked if you knew, so answer me.â
Jasmine lifted her shoulder with a sound of âThem.â
âThe temple trial is literally a trial. However, the difference is that the temple uses divine power to make a judgment. The divine power is used to examine whether evil spirits exist in the soul of the accused, and to determine whether the accused has acted wrong.â
Using divine power to make a judgementâ. Then, of course, they could see that my soul was different.
âThen what if that was true? What if there was an evil spirit?â
âAh, then itâs simple.â
Jasmine replied casually.
âItâs the death penalty.â
Oh my.
I buried my face in my hands, realizing that everything Largo said was right.
What should I do?
It was difficult to find a corner to break through.
âBut itâs not something you should worry about, is it? Youâve never done anything wrong.â
Jasmine, who doesnât know what Iâm thinking, says this.
Haa.
I sighed and lowered my hand.
âShall we go back now?â
âYes?â
âI have a headache.â
âOh, my. Are you okay?â
Jasmine looked at me with a really worried face. I said with a frown, feeling more sorry.
âYes, Iâm sorry. I came out to feel better, but I couldnât.â
âIâm fine. I hope Madam doesnât get sick.â
âThank you for your concern.â
In fact, it was a time when I had to worry about my neck being cut off rather than being sick.
I grabbed my forehead and left the cafeteria, and went straight home.
******
âHoney!â
As soon as I got home, I found Sylvester.
Sylvester, who was working in the office, glanced at me over his glasses.
âWhatâs going on?â
He took off his glasses and said.
âI heard you went to the palace, why are you coming back so early?â
âI went to the palace and went out.â
âThen you should come back in the evening.â
âI came in first because I had something to do. Now, sit here.â
At my words, Sylvester was puzzled, but calmly got up and walked over to the sofa where I was sitting. I opened my mouth as soon as he came.
âWhat I saw today isâ¦â
âWait.â
But Sylvester cut off my words.
âDid you go to the palace like that today?â
âYes?â
I looked down at my body and looked over my head.
âYeah. I did.â
âDid you meet the damn Callian?â
âWe met by chance.â
Sylvesterâs face crumpled up. Whatâs wrong with him?
âWhy?â
Sylvester clicked his tongue.
âNo, because youâre so pretty. Iâm worried that damn Callian will fall in love with you again.â
ââ¦.â
Oh my.
I closed my mouth and blinked my eyes.
âWhatâs wrong?â
Sylvester tilted his head. I answered in a hurry.
âI was shocked to hear you say that so casually.â
âI would say my wife is pretty when sheâs pretty, what else should I say?â
Oh, goosebumps.
But I feel better.
I glanced at Sylvester as I struggled to lower the corners of my mouth.
âAnyways, what did you see today?â
Ah, right.
I had something to say.
I came to my senses in a hurry.
âI saw the 2nd Prince and Countess Fleur together.â
âWhat?â
âThe two of them were having secret conversations.â
Sylvesterâs eyes narrowed.
âThere would be no reason for Largo to lure Fleurââ
âNo, there is.â
I said firmly.
âThe medicine that Countess Fleur gave me. Thatâs what the 2nd Prince told her.â
ââ¦.â
Sylvester clenched his fist instead of answering.
âThat bastard.â
His eyes shone brightly.
âItâs definitely not going to work.â
His head must be full of the imagination of killing Largo. I swallowed dry saliva, feeling a little creepy.
âYes. Andââ
I brought up what I really wanted to say.
âHe wants to put me on trial. What should I do?â