Chapter 120
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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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A villainess locked away in a desolate tower—I had possessed her body.
Chapter 120
The head maid tilted her head as she brought out a dress adorned with frills.
"April Salt, my lady? Hmm...."
"Until now, I found her so tiresome because things were difficult for me. But thinking about it again, I feel pity for April Salt, and I worry whether something unfortunate might have happened to her."
"Worry...my lady?"
At the head maid's suddenly grave tone, Lemeia puffed out her cheeks.
"What? Is it strange that I'm concerned about April Salt?"
"It's not that, but... it seemed you didn't pay much attention to April Salt, my lady."
"What are you talking about? Amber knows perfectly well that I've always treated April Salt kindly, doesn't she?"
"Ah, yes...."
The head maid nodded awkwardly.
Treated her kindly? Of course, one could see it that way. I had allowed April Salt to breathe within the same palace, and I had even bestowed upon her dresses and jewels I occasionally wore, as if dispensing charity.
But Lemeia's standard of kindness was somewhat divorced from the average person's understanding.
"Your Highness is absolutely right. You've always treated her with such affection."
"Isn't that so? Even I think so. Besides, I even specially yielded my office to her so she could focus on what she does well."
"...I suppose one could see it that way."
"Amber said it before. The women of Salt desire to see my hairstyles, my makeup methods, my dresses, and they wish to emulate them."
Lemeia spoke with a bright smile.
"I provided her with such an opportunity. Perhaps all the women of Salt envied her?"
"Yes, that must have been so. I've always felt envious myself."
As the head maid agreed, Lemeia's face grew even brighter.
In her improved mood, she spun once before the mirror in the frilled dress, speaking with cheerful innocence.
"Is that so? From now on, I'll take good care of Amber too. Since she's my half-sister, I've been so preoccupied with her that I've neglected to look after Amber..."
"Who is your half-sister?"
"Ah... Your, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Lemeia's flower-like face clouded with bewilderment.
But now Lyden's eyes were entirely blind to her beautiful appearance.
Only one thing—the words he had accidentally overheard at the very end—caught his attention.
"Lemeia."
He whispered in a threatening tone.
"You never told me you had a half-sister, did you?"
"Ah, that, well...."
Lemeia fell silent and averted her eyes from Lyden.
Because honestly, answering would amount to nothing but admitting that April Salt had been handling state affairs and writing letters in her stead.
Soon a thin voice escaped her lips.
"There was no need for Your Highness to concern yourself with her. She's merely a bastard, after all."
"Why do you get to decide that?"
Behind the bluntly spoken words came a forceful tone.
"Answer me directly. Lemeia, did you have a half-sister?"
What on earth had gone wrong? Lemeia squeezed her eyes shut, thoroughly intimidated.
"...Yes, but is that really so important?"
Lyden, who had been standing askew the entire time, suddenly straightened his posture.
"Then yes, it is important."
Having shifted his demeanor, he spoke to her in a tender voice, as though coaxing a child.
"Rather, I find it fascinating to hear a story I was previously unaware of."
Fascinating, he said....
Sensing something ominous in Lyden's seemingly delighted expression, Lemeia waved her hand dismissively.
"She doesn't even know how to adorn herself beautifully like I do, and she's not someone who receives welcome either. Everyone in the Salt Royal Palace regarded her as an impurity...."
"And?"
Though Lyden's manner toward her was undeniably kind and affectionate, she felt as though she were being interrogated, and fear seized her.
Despite falling short in certain respects, Lemeia had engaged in social activities since childhood and possessed unparalleled confidence in image management, making her quite adept at navigating the world.
Whenever she couldn't distinguish between what should and shouldn't be said, she would simply hold her tongue and feign ignorance, allowing others to form their own judgments thereafter.
And since judgments regarding the beautiful Lemeia tended to be favorable, she had always adhered to this method.
Yet standing before Lyden, Lemeia found herself unable to feign ignorance or deflect as she ordinarily would.
A fear as though she were a mouse before a serpent. And an overwhelming sense of helplessness washing over her.
Lemeia felt compelled to obey his words.
"Well, it was like this...."
As she hesitated under the silent pressure to confess everything, an impatient Lyden shook her once more.
"So what is this task you've been allowing her to do, even going so far as to yield your own office?"
"That is...!"
Had he heard that much?
Lemeia's jaw went slack, and she bit down hard on her lower lip.
She wanted nothing more than to bolt from her seat and flee, just as she had whenever faced with awkward situations.
But who stood before her at this very moment? None other than the Crown Prince of the great Empire itself.
Moreover, the subtle dread that Lyden's demeanor inspired only amplified her bewilderment.
Unable to bear the pressure any longer, Lemeia trembled as she opened her mouth.
"That girl's mother came from humble origins, so she was never meant to receive bride training in the first place... I simply felt sorry for her and pitied her, so I merely gave her tasks she could handle..."
As Lemeia's words tumbled forth incoherently, Lyden cut her off with a displeased expression.
"State only the essential point."
Unfortunately, what Lemeia was worst at was summarizing concisely.
Watching Lemeia flounder, unable to continue, her lips moving soundlessly, Lyden let out a sharp, derisive laugh.
"So the conclusion of this long story is that it was that illegitimate child who has been handling the Princess's duties all this time?"
"She didn't handle them—!!! She merely provided some assistance."
Yet even Lemeia's conscience pricked her at claiming such a thing.
The reality was that Lemeia had virtually no hand in any of the work April Salt had undertaken.
Naturally, a shadow of defeat settled across Lemeia's face.
'He must be disappointed in me. Oh, what should I do? Will he never seek me out again?'
Anxiety made her heart tremble.
Yet in truth, Lyden was not disappointed in Lemeia at all.
Rather, it was only then that all the circumstances he had found puzzling from the beginning fell into perfect alignment.
As he looked down at Lemeia, fragmented memories of the recent past flickered through his mind.
"Crown Prince Lyden Cletan, the Demon God has spoken. Whoever takes the Princess of Salt as their consort shall obtain all that they desire..."
It was a prophecy he had encountered not long after Lyden began secretly supporting the Dark Mages.
Lyden's sudden intense interest in Lemeia had also begun from that moment.
However, Lemeia, being merely a princess of one kingdom, presented numerous complications in taking her as Crown Princess.
First, Lemeia was the sole heir of Salt with succession rights. Therefore, barring unforeseen circumstances, her ascension to the throne was highly probable.
Moreover, with her stunningly beautiful appearance renowned throughout the entire Continent, Lemeia—possessing wealth, power, and beauty all at once—was naturally the bride coveted by all.
Furthermore, considering the political situation, the King of Salt would never welcome their marriage. The moment Lemeia married Lyden, Salt becoming a vassal state of the Empire would be a natural consequence.
Thus, no matter how much Lyden was the Crown Prince of Kletan, it was difficult to guarantee he could easily obtain Lemeia.
Yet the temptation offered by the Demon God's prophecy was sweet.
Lyden had to possess Lemeia. Only then could he grasp the absolute power he had always desired.
That was why he had invested such considerable effort over a long time—investigating Lemeia's background and filling her surroundings with his own people.
Now, with both Salt and Lemeia within his grasp, Lyden was ultimately satisfied.
Had it not been for the unexpected truth he learned today, he would have remained so.
But.
"Kh, khkhkh!"
A low laugh erupted from Lyden's lips.
Even with tainted bloodline, royalty was royalty. There was more than one "Princess of Salt"?
And if the other Princess of Salt had been the one to participate in Lemeia's reckless deception....
"Ha, khkh, khkhkh, khkhkhkh...!"
"...Your, Your Majesty?"
At Lemeia's call, Lyden's laughter vanished as though it had never been, and he asked coldly.
"So where is that bastard child now?"
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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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