The Destiny of the Rainbow

She had never seen Cadere like this before. Too stunned and scared to the point her body couldn’t move. The only part she could move was her eyelids, trembling out of fear as she lost in Cadere’s vast black eyes. A thought crossed her mind.

‘All the eyes I’ve ever seen so far were all lies. I got tricked.’

Cadere’s eyes drooped slightly as her red lips pursued. Her eyes seemed like a night sky filled with stars as a timid smile adorned her red face. She, who was always modest and yielded toward Iris.

Iris shut her eyes. She didn’t want to see Cadere anymore. She was angry at herself for forgetting that Cadere was the Princess of Parviz. ‘No, I shouldn’t be angry.’ The memory of her slapped the Princess played on her mind. Her fine teeth bit the lower lip. Although Iris convinced herself that Cadere got what she deserved, she couldn’t stop an incomprehensible sense of betrayal surge in. It felt like she got a peculiar opposition saying, “You shouldn’t do that to me.”

Despite closing her eyes in the hope of not being consumed by her emotions, her measurement ended in vain. Cadere’s eyes were glued on Iris, who still closed her eyes. Cadere’s eyes blinked as she stared at the trembling petite figure while feeling her warm palm.

‘How can someone be so beautiful? How can you be so captivating?’ Cadere still found it hard to believe that Iris was in her hands. ‘Yes, I can’t believe this is real. Why don’t I check it out, if this is fantasy or not. Or some kind of prank a fairy pulled on me. I’ll rip that fairy if that’s true.’ Her black eyes darkened at her thought.

One hand on Iris’ cheek while her other hand on her slender shoulder. The soft and smooth skin squeezed between her fingers. Slowly, her upper body hunched down as her lips rested on Iris’ shoulder. She opened her mouth then carefully nibbled it. Cadere ran her tongue over the spot. It tasted awfully sweet, it made her worry that her tongue might melt.

Spontaneously, Cadere gulped her saliva and stroked Iris’ cheek with her thumb to soothe Iris, who had stiffened. This time, she brought her lips to Iris’ neck. Her lips pressed to where the pulse was. She opened her mouth slightly and bit it without hurting her. ‘Ah, why does she look like a small animal?’ A grin formed on Cadere’s face as she started a conversation without taking her lips off from the place.

“Your blood must be sweet too.”

“…”

Iris looked pathetic. Her body was stiff with her eyes closed tightly, enduring embarrassment and fright. Even so, Iris looked too lovely without trying while trapped in a tough situation. However, Cadere was aware that if she went further, ‘Her Iris’ would jump to death, so she withdrew her lips. She then removed her hands from Iris’ shoulder and cheek, backing off from Iris.

Even after that, Iris couldn’t easily open her eyes as she was in turmoil. She wanted to regard all of this as a dream. She didn’t want to recollect how she was being treated by Cadere before. She wanted to kill herself because of humiliation, but couldn’t. Because she remembered her family struggling in the Eckebrecht Kingdom. Iris didn’t want to see her glorious homeland collapse because of her.

Above all, she didn’t want to show Cadere how she fell apart. It was the right time to act more solemn and vicious. Her eyes fluttered open as her fist clenched so firmly that her fingers pricked her palm, drawing some blood. Iris was greeted by the figure of Cadere who was laid flat on her face.

“Sigh, Princess. What are you doing now?”

“Please give me a punishment, mother.”

Cadere sounded like she was on the verge of tears. Iris didn’t believe that sound. It only reminded her how shallow and ridiculous Cadere was for doing so. Her suspicion filled with negative feelings blocked Iris’ eyes and ears, turning her rationality into numbness.

“I’m aware how much you think of me as a joke. Even so, did you want to humiliate me? Did you want to crush me? Did you find it interesting? The woman who was about to kill herself is still alive? Is that why you did this?”

Iris’ voice was as neutral as ever. She was throwing questions calmly. It was rare for her to talk in this manner. Whenever with Cadere, she always snapped and used a snarky tone at her. Cadere realized the consequences of her greed once she noticed it. Though, she had no regret over it.

“Mother, please punish me.”

That’s why all Cadere could say was pathetic things. Iris slowly closed her eyes, took a good breath, and opened her eyes again. She loosened her fist and put her hands on her thighs. Her back and shoulders were straightened as her chin was held high slightly to give off a supremacy aura.

“Did you mention punishment? Very well then, Princess. I’ll give you a punishment. Never… ever again set your foot in this palace. Do you understand? This is the punishment for you.”

“No, I can’t do that, I hate it. Mother… Rather than that, kill me instead.”

“You want me to kill you? The Princess truly has a scary word to speak. Don’t say that. I thought it was a light punishment at first, but thank you. For considering coming this place is more valuable than life. What kind of punishment would be worse than death if not this?”

Cadere raised her head to show Iris her shaking pupils. Alas, Iris only flashed a sympathetic smile with firm and stern eyes at the sight. Unlike usual, there was no room to waver. Cadere knew that, so her head hung low as she chewed her tongue.

“I’ll leave for today. I’ll see you again tomorrow, mother.”

No answer was given. She wanted to hear Iris’ cold voice and left, but she couldn’t press it further. In the end, Cadere gave up and retreated in disappointment.

Iris narrowed her eyes and wiped her shoulder and neck where Cadere kissed. Her hand trembled. It felt like she finally faced what she had been ignored. The straightforward truths were forced into her face as if it stripped her naked and left her in an open space.

Pessimist doubts began to scramble in. ‘Did she really do that?’ she asked herself. The answer immediately came. The subtle excitement Cadere emanated, the trembling out of shyness, didn’t go unnoticed by Iris. The fact that Cadere felt that way made her unforgivable. And Cadere had to be responsible for the consequences entirely.

“There’s no way the Princess would back down so easily.”

Even without peeking into the future, she understood Cadere enough to know that she wouldn’t stop easily. She was someone who’d be satisfied once she got what she wanted in her hand. It was a given that she had everything she wanted the next day, living her whole life without any worries.

She grabbed a cloth hanging over the basin, wiped off her shoulders and neck, then put up her pajamas that had been rolling down. She shook the bell near the bed and called in a maid to bring a piece of paper and a quill pen.

“I’ll have her banished into the woods.”

Iris wrote a letter to the King, believing she’d get an answer from him. Thinking it would be the first and last time she did this, she swallowed her nausea.

Hey everyone! It’s been a while. I’ve noticed that the author put this work to draft, which means I can’t access that. However, I’ve translated the chapter up to chapter 11 so I’ll upload it bit by bit and give the spoiler about the ending at the end of chapter 11. It’s such a shame to end it like this, but I hope you still enjoy it! Thanks