“She was almost beaten to death by you!”
Mita was no longer lying on the bed; instead, he paced back and forth across the room like an irritable lion, constantly roaring: “I admit that Fiona’s behavior was somewhat inappropriate, but look at what you have done!”
He pointed at Fiona, who was lying unconscious on the bed, this being the aftereffect of healing magic where the more severe the injury, the longer the sleep, and accused Cynthia: “Fiona’s bones were broken in several places by your beating, and she suffered internal bleeding! If the healer had arrived even a little later, she would have lost her life!”
Cynthia calmly replied: “It should be said that if you had stood by and watched for a moment longer, she would have lost her life, Your Highness. You watched with your own eyes as a girl who adores you stood on the brink of death and remained completely indifferent. Everyone knows that this girl gave up all marriage invitations because she loved you too much, yet you watched as she lost her life, and you truly are heartless.”
“What are you talking about?!” Mita abruptly stopped in his tracks, glared at Cynthia, and said in disbelief: “How dare you accuse me?”
“I am merely stating facts,” Cynthia said, sipping her tea with a straight back. “You must know that I invited my good friend Antcana to come with me to visit you, which is why she was able to save Fiona at a critical moment, while you simply stared at Fiona, completely paralyzed by fear.”
“Because I didn’t expect you to dare do such a thing!” Mita screamed. “Cynthia, you are committing murder!”
“I think anyone would forgive me in this matter,” Cynthia smiled. “After all, my fiancé was forcibly seized by her, and I was attacked. Gods above, the situation at the time could entirely be regarded as an assault. If you want to save face, you can also say it was a duel she initiated against me.”
Mita was about to be angered to death by these words: “Cynthia, you are so shameless, I will tell the King.”
“Enough! Both of you shut up!” The servants throughout the room did not dare to speak, but Antcana, who had just worked herself to the bone saving someone’s life, simply could not bear to listen to this one-sided, oppressive argument anymore. “If you still have a shred of conscience left, you should be notifying Fiona’s family to take her back to recuperate right now, instead of arguing back and forth here!”
Cynthia very wisely refrained from provoking Antcana and simply lowered her head to drink her tea.
Mita had just been rebuffed by Cynthia and was so angry he was ready to run home and complain. How could he tolerate Antcana yelling at him as well? He immediately retorted: “Remember your status, Antcana. Who do you think you are giving orders to?!”
“I am scolding my nephew!” Antcana pulled the pillow out from under Fiona’s head and threw it right at him. “Your Royal Highness the Crown Prince, may I ask if you remember that you still have an aunt?”
Mita honestly let himself get hit, evidently having forgotten that Antcana was not only an able pillar of the Royal Healer Corps but also his aunt, who held the third right of succession to the throne.
He thought to himself: It is all Antcana’s fault! If she did not always act with commoner airs and constantly talk about the Royal Healer Corps… Good grief, the worst thing she ever did was hang out with Cynthia! Why did Grandfather have to have a child this young?!
Despite his many inner complaints, Mita still summoned his attendant and told him to go report the news to the Marquis of Sernan.
Cynthia coolly remarked: “If the Marquis asks for the reason, you must remember to tell him everything that happened before and after.”
Mita glared at her. “Does that even need you to say?!”
He looked at Antcana again, deeply feeling his isolation, and thus said to another person: “Go call Carlo and tell him I have something to discuss.”
Cynthia was noncommittal about this, but Antcana sneered: “Let us congratulate Carlo on his early appointment as regent.”
“Enough is enough, Antcana!” Mita said irritably. “As long as Uncle Eisen and I are still alive, you are only third in line. Stop trying to lecture me.”
Cynthia smiled. “That is truly unfortunate.”
Carlo arrived very quickly, but he not only came by himself, he also brought Lilica along.
Lilica still had lead powder painted on her face, wore a heavy coat, and sported a large hat on her head. As soon as she entered the door, she rushed to Cynthia’s side and asked anxiously: “Sister Cynthia, are you hurt?”
“What could possibly happen to her?” Mita sat on the sofa and said acidly: “She is doing exceptionally well.”
Lilica turned around with an unkind look on her face, evidently wanting to do something that would require a healer to clean up the mess afterward.
Carlo was quick-eyed and fast-handed, pressing Lilica down to smooth things over. “I already understand the situation. Today’s incident was purely an accident. I just heard that someone has already gone to fetch the Marquis of Sernan, so why don’t I accompany His Highness to receive the Marquis, and you ladies head back to rest first? How does that sound?”
“Who said they could leave?!” Mita shouted. “Cynthia beat someone into this state and actually wants to leave? She is damaging my majesty like this.”
Carlo looked at Mita with the gaze of a man looking at his own incompetent, foolish son who insisted on courting death.
Antcana sneered, full of ridicule.
“I can certainly stay if you wish,” Cynthia said mildly. “After all, since you have compromised Fiona’s good reputation, I have a responsibility to make my thoughts clear to the Marquis so he can prepare early for your marriage.”
“Marriage? Me and Fiona?” Mita furrowed his brow deeply. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
Cynthia also frowned. “You and Fiona have created such a fait accompli, causing Fiona and me to exchange blows, and now the Marquis has been informed as well. I am now proposing to break off my engagement with you; do you mean to tell me you aren’t planning to marry Fiona?”
“Me? With her?!” Mita pointed at Fiona, who was still unconscious on the bed, and said with absolute certainty: “That’s impossible!”
Lilica turned her head and asked Carlo: “Can I hit him?”
“Obviously not.” Carlo held Lilica down again and advised: “At least while Cynthia is still here.”
Lilica pouted, holding back her frustration with extreme reluctance.
Seeing that expression, Carlo felt a chill run down his back, thinking that he must quickly find something to keep her busy to pass the time, or else the crown prince of Gogolos would sooner or later be beaten to death by her.
Cynthia continued drinking her tea and said calmly: “Then let’s wait until the Marquis arrives to discuss it.”
Lilica turned to Tina and said: “I remember you made some pastries; go grab some quickly.”
Then she said to Cynthia: “Sister Cynthia, since you’ve suffered such a fright, you should eat something to calm your nerves, right? Tina’s cooking is very good, and she excels at making meat pastries.”
“There’s no need.” Cynthia spoke coldly and harshly to Mita, but was remarkably gentle toward Lilica. “You weren’t feeling well today and skipped class, so you must have fallen behind on the coursework. Have her bring the textbooks over, and I’ll go through them with you.”
Lilica: “…”
Fortunately, the Marquis of Sernan arrived at the Royal Academy just before Lilica completely blew her cover.
He was an old-school noble. Although he was not heavily favored by the royal family, he lived quite comfortably thanks to his bountiful ancestral estate. Just like Fiona, even for this kind of private outing, he wore exquisite and gorgeous formal attire and held a cane inlaid with gold and large gemstones.
Upon entering, the Marquis first greeted Mita and Antcana before going over to check on his daughter. Upon confirming that Fiona was now out of danger, the Marquis stroked his neatly groomed mustache and said: “I have already heard a rough account of what happened. Fiona was in the wrong here, but I must also ask Your Highness to be understanding of her true and sincere feelings.”
Mita replied with considerable displeasure: “Fiona is a good girl, the responsibility for this incident should lie with…”
“How wonderful that you think so!” the Marquis of Sernan said loudly. “Since you are already in an intimate relationship with my daughter and think so highly of her, I believe our marriage can be put on the agenda!”
Mita was momentarily stunned by the Marquis’s suddenly amplified volume, then struggled to defend himself: “No, Marquis, you misunderstood, Fiona and I don’t…”
“You don’t need to cover it up anymore!” The Marquis of Sernan grasped Mita’s hand and said with deep emotion: “You and Fiona have already proven with your lives just how magnificent your love is!”
Mita: “…”
Carlo, who stood beside Mita, showed restraint for the Crown Prince’s dignity, but Antcana, who was on bad terms with Mita, unreservedly burst into a fit of laughter.
Having grown up in the countryside, Lilica had never witnessed this kind of brazen ability of nobles to talk nonsense with their eyes open, and she could not help whispering to Cynthia: “Sister Cynthia, what are they talking about? Weren’t you the one engaged to the Prince?”
Seeing her bewildered look, Cynthia found it quite endearing and explained in a low voice: “Fiona has a terrible reputation and is unwilling to enter a proper engagement. After this incident, she probably won’t be able to marry out at all. Therefore, her father intends to completely cement the affair between her and Mita, ideally making her the Crown Princess. Even if that fails, becoming a mistress and considering other options later isn’t entirely out of the question.”
Lilica was even more bewildered: “Why? Isn’t he Fiona’s father?”
Cynthia couldn’t help smiling either: “Precisely because he is a good father.”
The conversation between the Marquis and the Prince had already progressed to a new stage. Ignoring Mita’s objections, the Marquis of Sernan had unilaterally confirmed the engagement. He then requested the healer to wake his daughter up so they could immediately swear an oath before the gods.
Although the Marquis of Sernan wasn’t very polite, Antcana was more than happy to help and immediately cast an unconventional awakening spell.
The moment the patient opened her eyes, she saw her father grasping her hand and saying: “Fiona, Prince Mita is going to marry you! Hurry up and get up to take your oath!”
“!!!” Unknowing where she summoned the strength from, Fiona leaped straight out of bed and looked at Mita with deep affection: “Your Highness, I knew it! You are the one who loves me most!”
Antcana had already begun applauding for the new couple. Suppressing her laughter, she solemnly declared: “Blessings to the two of you in the name of the gods! I am honored to be a witness.”
Lilica was dumbfounded. Cynthia patted her shoulder: “You’ll get used to this sort of thing in the future.”
With a swiftness she had never displayed before, Fiona knelt properly before the witness and said: “I am willing to marry His Highness Mita.”
Mita broke down and screamed: “I am not willing!”