Episode(29): Anger(3)
SOVEREIGN OF DEATH~(29)
It was the truth, if she killed the hero then humanity was doomed. Even if she got her revenge nothing good would come of it.
[ I'll do it damn it all!]
She clenched her fists tightly with the sword grasped in her hand. However she didn't take a step forward. She just stood there shaking with anger while biting her pink cherry lips.
What to do?
Maria was definitely angry. Her sister had a bright future ahead of her and was even smarter and cuter than her. But, she didn't hate the fact that her sister had high standards because she knew what a sweet girl her sister was.
Once she let someone in her heart they would be dear to her and she would treat them well as if they had been there for her since her birth.
[I know that bastard doesn't care about her….he's probably even with some woman rolling around in their bed right now]
[...that's...]
Karian couldn't reply. Before she came, after reading the report she wanted to check the situation with the hero but after hearing the ruckus in his quarters she retreated with a pale expression and was slightly disgusted.
That was because both the princess's sister Elaine and the heroes childhood friend were in their respective quarters so who was he with?
She didn't want to know so she left quickly leaving the guards in confusion.
[See, I'm right, aren't I?!]
Seeing Karian's expression, Maria knew she was correct.
She felt even more now than ever that she had to split that guy's skull in two or else how could she call herself an older sister? She definitely wouldn't be a good one. What older sister lets her little sister get involved with such scum?
Renji was really unlike any other hero she had ever seen before. He desecrated the image of a hero and she even wondered whether the god of swords made a mistake acknowledging him as the hero?
Maria moved and reached out to grab the handle of the door ready to go 'Hero Hunting' but stopped in her tracks.
That was because a thought struck her hard in the back of her head.
Assassins were quiet a big deal in these times. Demons and even sometimes other human nations would send assassins to kill others and weed out their competition.
Because of this, there was an official background check and procedures to go through before meeting a princess. Even if you worked with the royal family or were a cousin or distant relative it didn't matter.
Naturally, even a hero or the saint would need to go through such procedures unless it was something very important then the rules wouldn't change.
So, in a way the request should have been read and confirmed by her. And yet-
'I didn't receive such a request'
She thought for a moment and came to a conclusion. Maria closed her eyes and released a breath calming her anger.
'No wonder…'
She turned and looked directly at Karian.
[The one who authorized his meeting with the princess...was it the king?]
Karian saw that the princess calmed down and heaved a sigh before replying immediately after.
She nodded.
[I heard the king had something to do with it, though I'm not aware of the exact details]
[I see...]
Maria didn't need to know the details to know that the king cooperated with the hero.
No, it might have even been the king who instigated the hero to make a move on her sister. She wasn't surprise that her sister was fooled since to begin with, the hero had a strange power to gain affection of women even if he didn't do much.
All he had to do was stand before a woman and she would fall for him without much resistance.
'So, I should just kill the king and get it over with'
The thought really enticed Maria and she really wanted to see the guy bleed. However Karian hurriedly brought back her rationality.
[Maria-sama, you're thinking something bad, aren't you?]
Cold sweat ran down Karian's back as she saw Maria's expression turn frigidly cold like a statue.
Knowing that once Maria made up her mind she would definitely follow through, Karian had to bring Maria back to her senses before it was too late.
If the only one capable of sitting on the throne were to commit treason by killing the hero and become the enemy of the world, just what would become of the Floren Empire and its long standing foundation? It would probably, no it was definitely crumble to dust.
To that, Maria calmly smiled and replied.
[Am not....]
.....
[Have you calmed down...here water]
Maria shrugged. She still had a calm smile but to Karian that smile just oozed and ominous pressure. She hoped her premonition was wrong and so she didn't dwell on it.
[Yes, thank you very much]
Maria took the glass of water then drank it with the poise of a princess. Her pink lips kissed the glass and she gently swallowed all the liquid slightly cooling her anger.
However only she knew whether she was truly calm.
While she still wanted to go 'Hero Hunting', Maria knew when to act and when not to. Now was not the time.
[So, what will you do about this issue your majesty?]
Rip them apart!
Maria wanted to scream, but she held back with a calm expression and thought.
If Elaine truly fell for that person, then as an older sister she could only give a fake smile and wish them a happy future. But Maria didn't believe for a second that the 'love' her sister felt was real.
She herself had experienced the weird sensation when she got close to Renji so she was suspicious.
[Something's definitely not right, that's why please set aside some time for me to have tea with my dear sister]
Maria had to know. Whether this love was genuine or not and there was only one way to test it.
[Yes, princess]
Karian bowed slightly. Maria nodded in satisfaction and continued.
[As for the tea, I think something from the east will do, something with a healthy aroma for the baby and mind okay]
At the same time Maria winked hoping for Karian to get the signal.
Regular tea wouldn't do.
In this situation where they needed to find out whether or not it was an abnormal status she needed a rare herb that only grew in the east. 'Golden Heart Cleansing' tea. Heroes that just came to this world wouldn't know, and even some people that lived in this world wouldn't know unless they specifically visited the east.
Only royalty or those in high positions would know about this particular herb that would instantly clear any abnormal status a person was afflicted with.
[I really hope that sickening hero didn't do anything strange to my sister]
Her expression turned cold. For Maria, her sister was her world. When her mother left the castle unwilling to put up with her father she was left all alone to deal with the concubines and the envy and hatred of the other royal sisters and brother.
Only Elaine, she was the only one that stuck by her side throughout it all and she wasn't going to be kind to anyone that harmed her little sister.
Karian nodded. She, as the princess's longtime friend knew the position that her sister held in her heart. The bond between the two wasn't one to be trifled with at all. There was once a prince from a smaller country that tried to use his superior status and trading rights to his countries resources,
In the end not only did Princess Maria cancel all trading transactions with said country, she even increased the taxes for all citizens of the country when they wanted to travel through the safety lines of Floren Empire to get where they needed to go.
Thanks to this many of the countries good's had passed their expiration date before the workers could even get through and this caused their economic situation to plummet. Not to mention Floren even aided their enemies.
Maria continued this for a year before the king of the kingdom had no choice but to bring his stupid son along with him to apologize for his stupidity.
Karian hoped the princess wouldn't go overboard but at the same time she prayed that the hero could survive this trial.