Chapter 76

“You already have a lot of wives!”

Phillip build up his political position by marrying numerous of noble daughter.

“I told you, I only love you.”

“I’d rather die than to marry you.”

“The day you die, the Bellacian family will perish.”

Phillip didn’t even allow me to die.

I was trapped in the tower like this.

I couldn’t even meet my family.

Only Phillip and a maid could meet me in the tower.

The maid was talkative so I could hear many news about the imperial palace and the world.

“His Majesty treated the orphans with Tancinol today. I can’t believe he even took care of them. I’m so proud of our emperor.”

The maid happily praised him, but I was devastated to hear that.

Everything was going as Phillip wished.

The noble who protested him became ill or disappeared.

Phillip who treated the Tancinol was not suspected at all, they admired him.

The people regarded him as the emperor sent by the goddess of light.

Phillip created another story and spread it all over the empire.

Phillip, who was chosen by the goddess, destroyed the corrupted Zelcan and became an emperor.

Of course, some nobles, intellectuals, merchants in the empire knew that the story is a lie.

But the people who tell the story died of Tancinol.

‘If you slander Emperor Phillip, the goddess will punish them.’

Such rumour spread through the empire, and those who knew of the truth was silent.

The nobles of Roum were purged, and Phillip gave the noble titles to those who were absolutely obedient to him.

Every status in the new empire was filled with his people.

His heroism spread and Rakshul quickly became the villain that everyone abhorred.

There was not much I could do under such circumstances.

“A Roum noble had just died from the Tancinol. I’m sure he must’ve talked bad about our emperor. He deserved to die.”

The maid continues to blabber innocently.

I had the urge to tell her the truth, but I couldn’t.

If she knew the truth, this little girl would be killed by Phillip.

***

“Ser, can you hear me? Serphania where are you now? You’re alive, aren’t you?”

I called for her and clasped the necklace she gave me. I searched for her traces.

Is Ser really dead?

I couldn’t believe it. I could hear Ser’s scream in my mind.

She obviously asked me to save her.

At the same time, Ser’s blessing came to me again. Part of her power came into me.

Although I haven’t heard Ser’s voice for a long time, I didn’t stop wishing.

The door was suddenly opened and Phillip came in.

It was a usual routine.

I turned my head and try to ignore him but he grabbed my face in a flash.

“How to solve that?”

“What?”

“How to solve that! How the hell do I get rid of it! What do I do!”

He screamed like a mad man.

It was the first time he ever lost his temper like this.

Something big must’ve happened.

“Why are you like this? What do you need to get rid of?”

Phillip looked at me in the eye.

Soon, his hand that holds my face loosen.

“Did you not know?”

“What’s going on?”

“No, if you don’t know, forget it.”

The next day, the maid whispered to me quietly instead of combing my hair like usual.

“The first prince is cursed.”

“The curse of the goddess?”

“Yes, there was a ball a few days ago and the first prince’s face was imprinted with black letters.”

Black letters?

Last night, Phillip was shouting at me and asking me how to get rid of it.

“What is it about?”

“I don’t know. As soon as the letter appeared, the emperor was surprised and hid him. But it must’ve been the goddess of light resentment towards him.”

“….the goddess resentment?”

“Yes, it’s strange isn’t it? Why did the goddess resent him?”

Word spread throughout the empire that the prince was cursed by the goddess.

The nobles who came to the party was unable to read the letters.

Phillip gave title to those who offered loyalty to him regardless of their origin, there are knights and mercenaries, and also commoner. That’s why most of them are unable to read.

In addition, Phillip hid his son’s face so quickly that only a few saw it.

Nevertheless, rumours about the goddess’ curse spread.

This is because the royal family also suffered from the curse.

A few days later, the prince died. The curse had been passed to another one of his children.

The next day the princess died, and another one was cursed.

Phillip came to see me from time to time when his children were dying.

“You know how to fix this! You’re screwing me! Tell me how to get rid of it. Say it!”

Phillip poured all of his anger to me.

He wouldn’t have done this if he were his usual self.

Even though he knew I didn’t know anything about the situation, he was too consumed with anger.

Phillip was out of his mind.

He completely lost his mind.

“Ser’s alive isn’t she? Where’s Ser?”

When I saw his reaction, it was clear that his children and wifes were cursed by Ser.

Ser didn’t die.

“She’s dead! Dead!”

Phillip screamed madly.

He was engulfed with fear and madness.

“You’re crazy.”

I wasn’t just saying it. He really was crazy.

8 of his children and wifes were killed.

No matter how cold-blooded he was, he must’ve cared about them.

It was weird to see Phillip going mad about the curse without even thinking of solving the rumour like usual.

He deserved this, but his children and wifes are innocent victims.

Did Ser really do it?

Did Ser really killed Phillip’s family?

Even if it’s revenge, Ser couldn’t kill innocent children.

While agonizing, another prince died and the curse was then transferred to the 6th prince.

“The 6th prince is the son of his 5th wife.”

My existence is both a secret yet people knew me.

His wife thought that they couldn’t become an empress because of me, they came to the tower sometimes and used violence against me.

Phillip only sat on the sideline even though he knew the situation.

If he had stopped them in the first place, they wouldn’t be able to go into the tower.

“Laontel, isn’t it unfair to be treated so by my wives? You just need to marry me and I’ll make you an empress. It’ll be worth it.”

He would always say so while looking at me, who was hit by the wives, had my hair disheveled and my clothes torn into sheds.

Among his wives, the 5th wife was very jealous of me, she frequently visited me, but now she was busy with the whole thing.

The 6th prince didn’t die until two months later.

After the 6th prince was cursed, Phillip didn’t come to see me.

According to the maid, he left the palace to find a way to solve the curse.

I grabbed my necklace that Ser had gave me and talked to her.

“Ser, what happened? Did you really do that? You’re alive aren’t you? Where are you, please tell me.”

But she didn’t answer me.

I tried to put down my necklace but suddenly, the whole tower shook.

Why is the barrier broken?

Phillip was afraid I would run away.

He poured his energy making the barrier.

But it was now broken, Phillip must have had a problem.

I got up from my seat.

This is an opportunity.

It may be the only chance I had to escape the tower.

But if I escape, what happens to my family…

The door opened and a woman came in.

“Lady Bellacian!”

She is the 5th wife who had been harassing me.

I hesitated to answer.

She often insulted me with vulgar words, yet she calls me by a proper title now.

“Lady Bellacian, please save my John!”

John is the 6th prince and was under the curse at this time.

“If it’s about the curse, there’s nothing I can do.”

I wanted to see the letters Ser left behind.

If I say I can help her, she’ll let me meet the prince.

But I couldn’t give a false hope to the desperate mother.

Phillip had more stronger powers than me anyway.

The chances of me lifting the curse were slim.

“The curse doesn’t matter! Lady Bellacian please help me to stop His Majesty from killing my John!”