The Curse Is Not Over

Translator: Wyvern

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Chapter 4

Both the imperial family and its subjects were cruel. The Helsdante Empire itself, favoring the strong and shunning the weak, was cruel. And at the top of it all was the emperor.

Kyreid Alpen Helsdante. The current emperor and Carnephelia’s father, a man who had been violent since before he ascended the throne.

It was said that blood was the only thing that ever pleased him.

***

Carnephelia was not nervous at all even though the emperor was in front of her. His gaze remained on her, an unusual phenomenon. It appeared that she had left quite the impression on a tyrant who notoriously never showed interest in anything but carnage.

“What’s going on?”

She straightened her back and made eye contact with the emperor. Within his eyes—a deeper and darker red than Ianfried’s—was her reflection.

Before answering, Carnephelia looked at the emperor for a moment and slowly walked closer. By the time the emperor’s eyebrows were slightly raised at her silent approach, she reached out her hand.

The attendant’s expression shifted, wondering if the small princess was asking for a hug. Though it looked a little different from…

Carnephelia’s small mouth opened. “I’m being poisoned.”

Only the attendant jolted in surprise. There was no change in the emperor’s countenance.

With an indifferent look, she stared at the emperor. “Did Your Majesty order it?”

The emperor’s expression changed subtly after being asked such a bold question. “What if that’s the case?” he asked, his tone revealing his piqued interest.

“So that’s it.” Carnephelia nodded, lowering her hand and bowing as if she had only come to sate her curiosity.

Despite the emperor giving her a strange look, she turned around to leave.

Seeing her cold assessment that there was no need to spend more time inquiring, the emperor unconsciously lowered the hand on which his chin had been resting.

“You haven’t answered yet.”

She stopped.

Carnephelia turned and looked up at the emperor.

As dark purple eyes returned his gaze, the emperor, who finally recognized the young princess, smiled. It was neither warm nor welcoming, but rather like the grin of a person who had found their forgotten entertainment.

“Sit down.”

Now, this was a surprise, even to Carnephelia. The fact that she would be sitting in his office meant that he would give her some time.

She nodded meekly and walked towards a sofa in the room. A bead of cold sweat rolled down her forehead, which she wiped off with her sleeve. Thankfully, all the resulting perspiration from her physical exertion was not noticeable due to the dark color of her dress. As tired as she was, she would likely fall deeply asleep as soon as she went back to her room, but now she had to be fully awake.

“What if I was the one who had poisoned you?” The emperor sat away from his work-filled desk, sipping a cup of hastily prepared tea. “Do you intend to live like that, addicted to poison?

Carnephelia knew what sort of answers those red eyes wanted. Exhaustion made her focus and calm down better, an effect of getting used to harsh situations.

“I heard that Your Majesty is the sort of person to obtain everything he wants.”

The emperor stopped drinking at her quiet answer.

“I thought that if Your Majesty wanted me to end my life by poisoning me, then I should just do it myself.”

It was very strange. Even though her words were submissive and resigned, what was that heavy emotion within them? He set down his teacup and took a close look at her.

Her outward appearance made her lineage questionable, but while she did not have the Helsdantes’ golden hair and red eyes, her own features were equally intimidating.

“Hmm.” The emperor stroked his beard, thinking that it might be amusing to see blood splashing on the princess’ pale face.

Carnephelia, who could not have known what was going on inside the head of the man in front of her, bit the inside of her cheek at the sight of his gleaming, crazed eyes. If she didn’t, the feeling of his gaze crawling on her skin might make her curse. She had to persevere; whatever morbid thing her father was imagining shouldn’t become her reality.

“Then, it means that if I tell you to die, you will bite your tongue and die right here.”

She remained silent. The attendant bowed his head silently. This always happened.

But at that moment, the emperor’s roar came along with the sound of something hitting the table.

“What are you doing?”

“Your Majesty, what’s wrong…?!”

Carnephelia blinked and loosened her jaw.

The attendant hurriedly asked for permission and looked into her mouth—it was oozing with blood.

“Hah.” The emperor sat back down, seemingly amazed.

There was a considerable amount of blood; the attendant stepped back and exited the room even as he felt pity.

“Is it because you’re still young or because you don’t understand what you’re saying?”

Whether he was surprised or offended by the unexpected situation, the emperor did not say, although he did click his tongue.

“Is it because you’re still young or because you don’t understand what you’re saying?”

Whether he was surprised or offended by the unexpected situation, the emperor did not say, although he did click his tongue.

“I’m sorry.”

The emperor hated sycophants and upstarts, no matter if they were his servants, the empress, or even his children. However, the behavior of the little princess just then was strange. Aside from her rigid etiquette, she also kept a good distance. Many others from the imperial family would have tried to lower themselves and highlight their blood ties, but Carnephelia only had walls and boundaries.

“It doesn’t matter to me whether you live or die.”

“…”

“In other words, I would not have bothered myself with poisoning you.”

‘Ah, a warning not to do nonsensical things.’

“Do you want me to recognize you? The one who poisoned you?”

Carnephelia’s purple eyes were wide-open. She responded, “Please do something else.”

“What?”

Carnephelia smiled slightly. “Give me a chance, Your Majesty.”

***

The princess emerged from the central palace, where the nanny was waiting with the attendant.

“Princess! Are you alright?” She checked the condition of the princess’ dress, face, hands, and everywhere else.

“I’ll see you soon, Princess.”

The nanny had a look of confusion at the attendant’s polite farewell, but Carnephelia ignored it. As soon as they returned to the Second Palace, the questions immediately poured out. Mostly, they were about what had been discussed in the private meeting.

“Nanny…”

“Yes, Princess, go ahead.”

“Don’t wake me up in the morning.”

After returning to her room, Carnephelia collapsed onto the bed.

The nanny glanced at the sweat-soaked dress, biting her lower lip and stomping her feet anxiously. It didn’t seem likely that the princess would wake up even if she was roused

“There must be rumors already…”

A young princess who never came out of her palace suddenly headed outside. Remembering that there was someone who would be waiting for a detailed explanation of the situation, the nanny left the Second Palace in a hurry.

The moment she heard the sound of the door closing, Carnephelia forced her heavy eyelids to open.

Feeling unnaturally warm, she spat out blood and took off the black dress to at least give her the illusion of a cool breeze

“It doesn’t even heal.”

When she poked her cheek with a finger, she felt a sharp pain.

Carnephelia had been biting the inside of her mouth so she wouldn’t faint. Both the emperor and the attendant misunderstood her intentions.

“I’m still young, but at this rate…”

She wasn’t being treated as harshly as expected.

To others, Carnephelia was just an obscure, insignificant princess who didn’t know anything; the impression they would have of her now would be that of a weak, useless girl who was addicted to poison.

She stared blankly at the ceiling.

White.

Looked around at the walls.

White.

At the furniture.

White.

“Gah!” Carnephelia threw one of her—obviously, white—pillows as hard as she could and closed her eyes. Each exhale made her feel overheated, but her mind became clear.

She gradually recounted her private meeting with the emperor. It had gone the way she wanted it to, but she wasn’t happy at all. She didn’t even feel relieved.

“This is the curse.”

***

On the other hand, the emperor was looking at the sunset, reflecting on recent events.

“Carnephelia…”

A princess named after a fiercely poisonous flower. It was the perfect name.

The corner of his mouth went up

“Did you say that only the nanny remained by her side?”

“Yes, Your Majesty. And she…”

“It’s fine.”

The attendant promptly shut his mouth.

“She probably won’t die right away. It’s also clear where the poison came from, so you don’t have to dig anymore.”

“The princess…”

The emperor was lost in other thoughts, in Carnephelia’s bold yet interesting words.

[Give me a chance, Your Majesty. For the right to succeed the throne, my opportunity to live.]

A poisonous flower, a Helsdante who looked nothing like one, had spoken of the right of succession so brazenly.

“That woman gave birth to something useful.”

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