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‌‌

Violet's First Words - Episode 34 ‌‌‌
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* * *

I walked through the Garden. Ash, who had been standing among the railings in ‌‌the center of the Garden, ‌approached me.
"I thought this would be ‌‌‌a quick ‌‌‌matter."
"I'm sorry. The story got a bit... longer than expected."
Seeing Ash, a wave of sorrow washed over me. I closed my mouth for a moment to steady my ‌‌‌breathing.
"Violet, tell me. How did things ‌‌‌‌turn out?"
"Actually..."
I recounted what ‌‌‌‌had happened in brief.
Ash showed no surprise whatsoever. He nodded calmly, as if he had anticipated this. ‌
"There have been ongoing suspicions about proxy assignments for several ‌students ‌‌‌for some time now."
"But that's... not ‌‌right, is it?"
"Then would the world only contain righteous deeds?"
Knowing about it and experiencing it myself left a bitter taste ‌‌‌‌in my mouth.
"Let's get out of here for now."
Ash took my hand and led me away. I nodded in agreement.
Ash helped me into a carriage.
The carriage ‌began to move slowly. I opened the window and breathed in the fresh air.
"Are you feeling better now?"
"...Yes, I'm sorry. I always show you this side of me."
"It's fine. It's nothing."
Every time Ash said things like that, I thought he was remarkable. ‌‌‌‌He seemed like someone without trivial worries.
"You're right, it might be nothing after all."
I answered mechanically. Now that I said it aloud, I did ‌‌‌‌seem to feel a bit calmer.
"Let me ask you ‌‌‌something. Are you hurting right now?"
Ash spoke as if it were nothing.
"I suppose I am."
"Why?"
"It's because... I always took pride in being a righteous person. But they spoke to me about reputation and such, insisting unconditionally that I must be the perpetrator."
"Reputation ‌‌‌‌is ‌‌like that. It's something people use without hesitation to ‌‌harm one another."
"...That seems to be true."
Ash leaned his back against the carriage wall, putting some distance between ‌‌‌us.
"Then now that you've regained your reason, shall we think about this? You said Marigold's supervising professor attacked you particularly harshly?" ‌
"That's right—Sierra, ‌‌‌‌the Magic Department professor. Marigold has mentioned her several times, so I ‌‌know her ‌‌well."
Ash nodded as if he understood perfectly.
"Sierra, I see. And you mentioned your younger sister's dream is to become Crown Princess?" ‌‌
"That's right."
"Fascinating subject matter. In a rather vulgar and sordid direction, I might add."
"...What do you mean?"
"Piecing together what you've told me, it seems your younger sister and the Crown Prince are already in a secret relationship."
"That's not..."
Violet's eyes widened.
"I'll look into what's happened, so go home for ‌‌‌‌today."
"Ash..."
As she opened her mouth to speak, Ash shook his head.
"Wait. Once I learn more, I'll tell you."
"...Understood."
"Don't make that face. ‌Go read something pretty—something you enjoy."
Ash helped Violet down respectfully, then disappeared in his carriage.
Violet stared after the carriage for a long time.

* * *

Late that evening, Ash sent Violet a note asking her to come to Marin's House early the ‌‌next morning.
"Welcome! I've prepared a new dress ‌‌for you today!"
The moment Violet arrived, Marin, who seemed to have urgent matters, quickly ‌‌handed her the new outfit. ‌‍‌‌
'Is there some event today?'
The dress Marin had prepared was an elegant gown in black and gray with lace trim.
It hugged the curves of her ‌‌‌body, and atop it she wore a small-brimmed hat. Black netting descended from the hat, partially veiling her face.
In the Empire, such formal dark attire was worn when attending major ceremonies at the Capital Grand Temple.
"Once you're ready, let's go."
The moment Violet emerged from the room, Ash approached with long strides.
He too was dressed entirely ‌‌in black from head to toe.
'Goodness. Sometimes I'm startled by how large he is.'
Though we're both swordsmen, the difference in our builds is striking.
When he's always beside me, I don't notice it, but his solid arms and large hands are so different from mine that I'm occasionally taken aback. ‌‌
"This is Temple attire."
"You've matched it well."
Ash's eyes smiled.
"Are we going to our Temple? The Capital Grand Temple?"
"Yes."
Ash walked briskly. The carriage driver we'd ‌‌‌met yesterday on the way to school removed his hat in greeting.
"Speaking of which, who is that person, and why are we ‌‌‌suddenly going ‌to the Temple...?"
"His name is Jule. ‌‌‌He's someone I've trusted for a long time. Now then, let's depart."
The carriage began to move.
"Violet, do you like carriage rides?"
"Not particularly."
"What about those ‌thrilling scenes ‌‌‌from those Seda novels you enjoy?"
"That kind of excitement is always welcome."
"Then let me show you something intriguing from that ‌‌‌‌‌perspective. Trust me and follow along."
By now, I had no reason not to trust Ash. I nodded in agreement.

* * *
The Capital Grand Temple was among the most impressive structures in the entire Empire ‌‌‌by sheer scale.
Large-scale religious ceremonies were held there almost daily.
Carriages lined the street in a long queue.
Violet and Ash disembarked early and strode purposefully into the Grand Temple.
The hymns were already echoing through the corridors—the ceremony had begun.
'Aren't these ceremonies usually by reservation?'
Security was stringent. This indicated that only high-ranking nobility and above were attending. Without ‌‌‌prior reservation, one could easily be turned away.
"Ash, are we going to be alright?"
"We're fine."
Perhaps because they were well-dressed, no one stopped them. The two proceeded toward the chamber where the ceremony was taking place.
Ash climbed to the second floor.
One of the ‌‌‌priests noticed them, offered a respectful greeting, and guided them to one of the balcony seats overlooking the prayer hall.
Ash leaned casually against the railing.
"Look down there."
Below the balcony, in the very front row, sat several men and women surrounded by guards.
'Members of the Royal Family.'
Violet intuited immediately.
And behind the Royal Family, in the second row, sat Marigold alongside Paula.
Marigold wore no hat, so her chestnut-brown wavy hair was immediately striking.
It was the short bob hairstyle currently fashionable in the Capital.
Though it ‌‌‌was called a trend, the style was bold enough that few actually attempted it.
That was why Marigold's silhouette stood out so distinctly.
'Marigold and Mother both said they found temple visits tedious and disliked ‌them. Besides, one cannot simply sit behind the Royal ‌‌‌Family without reason.'
At the same time, I was puzzled.
"Sierra Muen. You said she was Marigold's supervising professor, right?"
Ash ‌whispered, gesturing subtly toward ‌‌them.
"That's correct."
"Sierra Muen is the Crown Prince's person. If she advocated for Marigold while staking her own career on it, the reason is obvious."
Just then, a man in the front row carefully rose, glancing nervously around.
It was prayer time, so no one noticed.
Moments later, Marigold also cautiously rose, following his lead.
Paula gazed at Marigold without uttering a word. Rather, she appeared to be smiling faintly.
"The Crown Prince and ‌‌‌Marigold exchanged glances and disappeared discreetly."
Violet whispered.
"No matter how grand one's dreams are, how could a woman like Marigold ever harbor aspirations of becoming the Crown Prince's consort? ‌‌‌‌‌Something felt off from the very beginning."
Ash straightened up from the railing and ‌‌adjusted his posture. Then he gestured with his eyes.
"Shall we go witness it ourselves?"

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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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