‘Thus, Queen Delphina, who has sold her soul to an evil demon, shall be put to death.”

The image of her mother approaching execution was so tragic that it was difficult to visualize, even in her memories. With one of her sockets bruised, she couldn’t open her eyes properly and blood kept dripping into her mouth. Her body, which was always warm and soft, had shriveled up. It didn’t seem like she would live, even without the death penalty.

She made eye contact with her mother. Her dignified mother sent Llewelyn a desperate look with dried tears in her eyes as if begging for her life. Llewelyn cried and begged, trying to convince her father to let her live. However, he just smiled and whispered into her ear.

“Look, Llewelyn. This is your mother’s end!’

Her father, who had orchestrated her mother’s death, spoke in the softest and most loving tone she had ever heard in her life.

*

After the death of her mother, Llewelyn’s friendly world became cold. Her father, who often stroked her hair and doted on her when others were present, treated Llewelyn as if she had killed his entire family. His hatred for her seemed never ending. He took away and destroyed all the precious things he had given her.

Her friend Alman? He left after helping orchestrate her mother’s death. It was the same with the women of other families she was close with. The daughter of the Earl of Sundblen, whom she had opened her heart to, also cut off all contact. If her life had been spring, it now had turned into winter. A winter that was freezing cold, and would rattle your bones with no warmth in sight.

Couldn’t everyone just leave her alone?

The monastery was Llewelyn’s last hope. She knew could die, but it was her only glimmer of hope.

Llewelyn down the hallway guarded by the knights. Escorts always had to follow after passing this point, but Llewelyn was not interested in protecting herself. If she was going to die, then she would.

It didn’t matter how long she had anymore!

If they wanted to kill her, they would have killed her along with her mother! Why did they keep her alive? Just for her to live and see this hell?

Or, did Pamela give her mercy?

Mercy? Llewelyn laughed at the thought.

The horrors of the past were dredged up. While severing the throat of her beloved maid, Pamela raised the corners of her red lips.

A boy, who was a friendly servant, was castrated on the charge of ‘having inappropriate feelings for the princess’. If Llewelyn valued something, Pamela found it and destroyed it.

If they were animals she liked? Because she was wasting treasury on useless things, her father slaughtered those animals in front of her. Watching her cry, Pamela chuckled and laughed.

Her cry was an upbeat song.

And her scream was the thrilling climax of a play.

How could she wish for warmth from Pamela? Besides, what about her curse? If caught, she would be called an apostle of a demon god and killed painfully.

She didn’t want to think about having no chances of escape. The rest of her life would be a tragedy. And Almondite, that b*stard, made sure of it.

Even though she didn’t run that far, she was out of breath. Cold sweat drenched her body. Llewelyn knelt down in the hallway to catch her breath.

She wanted to get out of here.

She wanted to run away from here.

She didn’t want to ask anyone for help.

She just wanted everyone to leave her alone!

Llewelyn clenched her teeth and bit her lip. She took off the jewelry that she had been wearing and threw it away. However, as it was torn off, it left a deep wound on Llewelyn’s palm and cheek.

She didn’t feel any pain. She couldn’t. She was frustrated, and the blood pouring out of her hand didn’t help. 

At that moment, Llewelyn saw a long shadow standing in front of her. Her heart started pounding. Who was it? Could it be that Pamela sent them to kill her? Again?

She was afraid to raise her head.

“Why are you in a place like this?”

She heard a soft voice. Llewelyn shook her head, tears running down her face. The light from the chandelier was behind him, making him look like he was a messenger of God. The young man smiled brightly.

“Are you hurt?”

It was Ernel. He came back!

“Ernel…why are you here?”

“No matter where the princess is, I will always find you.”

Llewelyn hesitated, took Ernel’s hand and stood up. Ernel clicked his tongue when he saw the deep cut on Llewelyn’s palm.

“You’re hurt!”

“Well… I ripped my jewelry off because of my temper. You know my personality is not good.”

When Llewelyn pointed at the jewelry she had torn off, Ernel nodded his head. His purple eyes were shining, glued to her face.

Objectively speaking, she was bright and beautiful, but was that enough to make him feel like this? He frowned. That didn’t mean Ernel wasn’t attracted to her, though.

Ernell looked at Llewelyn, who had collapsed and had been crying. Everyone had a weakness. Ernel hated those weaknesses. But why didn’t he hate Llewelyn’s? Was it because he was curious about her? Why did he wish Llewelyn would laugh a little?

“Come on, give me your hand.”

“Huh?”

“Hand.”

When Llewelyn reached out her hand, Ernell started to place his palm on hers, but stopped and smiled as if he had suddenly thought of something.

“Ernel!”

He pulled her hand close to his face as if he wanted to bury his nose in it. Something tickly and wet touched the wounds on her hand and started to rub. Like an animal licking the wounds of its companion, he carefully licked the palm of her hand. Her bitter pain had ceased and the blood flow had stopped.

Red blood was smeared on his clenched lips. Llewelyn got goosebumps.

The chaste priest had acted immorally without any hesitation. The strange thing was that he didn’t look uncomfortable,  even when he did this. Holding her hand tightly, Ernell grinned.

“You have been cured. I tried not to affect your stigma as much as possible.”

Even so, the heat on the back of her neck was sizzling. Llewelyn struggled to suppress it.

“Don’t do this in front of anyone.”

“Wait. I have to clean it.”

Llewelyn tried to hide her hand behind her back, but was caught up in Ernel’s swift movements. Ernell took a handkerchief and started wiping his saliva off of her palm.

“Don’t do this outside ever again.”

“Then can I do it inside?”

“…”

Watching Llewelyn’s expression, Ernel smiled. There was a subtle chill in his purple eyes.

“What happened to your cheek injury?”

“…”

Llewelyn’s eyes widened. The number of people interested in her had increased.

Although Pamela didn’t kill her outright, the bullying continued.

This was nothing compared to when Pamela “accidentally” stepped on her knee and broke her finger. No, it was much better than watching others die just to torment Llewelyn. Why was he interested in the scar on her cheek?

“I just got hurt while getting dressed.”

Although he was interested in her and kind to her, she couldn’t be honest about everything. Because out of Tristan, Almondite, and Ernel, someone was bound to be against her. That’s what she learned after living, abandoned, in the royal palace for five years.

“You are lying.”

“…”

Ernel raised one corner of his mouth. Somehow, the gentle priest’s face looked dark.

“It makes me so sad.”

“Why?”

“You don’t tell the truth. Do you think I don’t know that your stepmother, Pamela, did this?”

Llewelyn was silent.

“Can I help you?”

“What?”

“Just… with anything, everything.”

He was obviously a holy Patron of God, but he felt more seductive than the devil.

Llewellyn smiled. She said desperately.

“Then will you protect me?”

“Yes?”

“If I go to the monastery, would it be possible for me to not die?”

At Llewelyn’s words, Ernell was puzzled.

“What?”

The illegitimate child scandal had just happened. It was natural that Ernel, who had just arrived in the capital, did not know.

“Let’s go to my room and talk.”

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