Married To The Enemy Kingdom's Illegitimate Prince-Chapter 86 — Do as You Please

"Demons don’t attack temples..." Lucian paused, inhaling deeply before looking at her.

"You seem to know how to fight demons, wield a sword like a knight, yet you don’t know this? It’s quite basic."

Cynthia looked up at him, but no answer came to her. Whatever she said would sound suspicious. Having lived years in Selvarys in her past life, she knew better than anyone how women were treated in the country. Although Eldoria wasn’t open to women’s independence, it wasn’t uncommon for women to do as they pleased. That was another reason she had always been a subject of criticism from the nobles in Selvarys.

Hearing no reply from the young lady, Lucian turned away.

"Let’s head to the temple, then we’ll return to the estate with Princess Arisia."

"I won’t go," Cynthia said, not following him.

Lucian didn’t turn to look at her.

"Do as you please."

With that, his figure slowly disappeared into the dark alley.

Cynthia stood there, looking at the monster who was attacking all the area just a while ago. She knelt to the ground, staring at it as if scanning its appearance however her mind was focused elsewhere.

"Temple," she mumbled.

Gods and their wishes...

As she pondered, she recalled the last time she had stepped into a temple— on her parents’ death to attend the funeral. She had bawled her eyes out yet the gods, who had supposedly given her a second chance, didn’t let her save her parents. Although she could use magic now, she didn’t want to depend on it. It was a constant reminder of a ’gift’ the gods might have given her and it only boiled her blood. They could have done so in her past life too! They shouldn’t have turned her brother against her, thirsty for her blood.

To Lucian, she might have seemed an unfaithful person as Selvarians valued religion greatly but she didn’t care. Not for this. She couldn’t step inside a temple and she knew that no matter how much she tried to pretend, it was one thing she couldn’t act about.

As she sat there, a drop of water fell on her skin. Then, another fell and soon, it started pouring down.

The blue blood of the demon began flowing on the ground, staining her dress which was already stained with red human blood when they were tossed around by the monster’s magic.

Standing up, she let out a soft laughter as she looked at her dress.

Will my hands be stained like this once I finish my revenge? Filled with demon and human blood...

She wondered, a smirk on her face, amusement in her amethyst eyes.

"You should be happy!" Lucian shouted, rushing toward her.

Confused, Cynthia narrowed her eyes, the corner of her lips dropped as she tried to understand what he meant.

Seeing she was clueless, Lucian clenched his jaw.

"She isn’t in the temple!"

"She..." Cynthia whispered, only to understand he was talking about the princess. "Then she must be somewhere else..." she spoke, trying to reason him. ƒreewebɳovel.com

Lucian shook his head, the water dripping from his hair fell on the ground with plop on the pond of demon blood mixed with rain water. His emerald green eyes darkened, his fury evident.

"You shouldn’t have asked her to come here," he spoke, his words cut through his teeth. He was trying his best to contain his anger; however, he could barely keep composure when the woman because of who the princess was missing was laughing just a few seconds ago with no worry or guilt!

"What do you mean?" Cynthia grimaced at him. His words made no sense to her. How was it her fault that the princess didn’t go to the temple? She was fighting the demon right before his eyes! How could he bluntly blame her?

"I mean what I said."

Hearing his cold, distant reply, Cynthia didn’t bother to speak to him. She clenched her fist, tip toeing, careful to avoid her injured ankle from getting in contact with the cold water on the ground which could cause an infection, she began walking away.

"Where are you going?" Lucian demanded, as loudly as possible although his voice barely cut through the loud pouring noise.

Despite hearing him, Cynthia turned deaf to his question. He had decided to blame her and she didn’t think it would make a difference to him either she tried to explain herself or tried to argue with him about it to prove her innocence. She simply needed to find the princess, and return to the mansion for now.

While pacing through the marketplace, she heard numerous sounds. Some groaned in pain while others cried, searching for their loved ones in the chaotic scene. However, Cynthia couldn’t relate to them. At least, this time, she wasn’t a victim who had lost her loved ones.

Not in this lifetime.

She swore to herself, searching for the princess.

After almost having walked through the whole place, Cynthia returned once again to the alley in which the monster lay lifeless.

"Did she go elsewhere? I have no idea where else to look..." She mumbled, letting out a soft sigh. She barely visited Erion in her past life because everyone there was thirsty for her blood. And it wasn’t rare for people to throw pebbles at her, causing her to bleed. Yet, no one cared to stop them. They acted as if they cared, however the smirk on their faces were obvious.

Hearing a familiar high pitched voice, she snapped out of her memories. The sound seemed to come from the building against which Adrian was thrown against by the demon.

The silver-haired young woman slowly approached the building, carefully examining it, making sure there was nothing dangerous around it.

Once she opened the door, slightly torn, her eyes widened at the sight of Princess Arisia on the ground. Her dress was slightly torn and her left arm was bleeding.

"Your Highness! What happened?!" Cynthia, panicked, rushed toward the young woman.

"Ah... I didn’t want to go to the temple so I hid here... uhm... I also lied to Suyou and..." she forced a smile, although her face was pale.

Right. She was apparently always sick. What was her sickness again?

Cynthia pondered, kneeling down to look at Arisia’s injury carefully.

"I haven’t..." she paused. She almost told her about her being unable to use healing magic yet. She shouldn’t let more people know of her powers— not someone from the royal family. It could cause more danger to her. Mostly, when the assassination attempts had just decreased recently.

"Yes?"

"I mean... I have been looking for you everywhere. Your brother is looking for you too."

Arisia nodded, lowering her head softly.

"I caused you trouble, haven I?.. I just.. don’t like the temple," Arisia whispered softly before letting out a gasp.

People would look at her as if she were crazy!

However, the grand duchess merely nodded in agreement, a smile on her face, confusing the princess.

"You... you don’t think I am crazy for not liking to go there?..." Arisia looked up at the lady who simply smiled at her like she had said nothing outrageous.

"Perhaps, I also feel the same. Makes two of us," Cynthia lifted her upper body and extended her hand towards the lady sitting on the ground. "Let’s head back home, Your Highness."

More than shock, Arisia was relieved. It was the first time she had told anyone about this apart from Suyou who was always by her side.

The real grand duchess is so different from the rumours...

Her eyes warmed up, tears forming in her eyes. She was glad Princess Cynthia was the one who had married her brother. The brother who was mistreated all his childhood, always tossed around as if he were a mere object. Despite being of royal blood, his words never mattered to anyone in the palace. She knew all about it however she had to turn a blind eye to it most of the time. She was a child with no power. And she was no different even now.

At least the grand duchess will understand him like she understood me...

She thought to herself, a grin forming on her lips.

"Right, it’s raining so let’s hurry and look for your brother and your bodyguard."

Arisia nodded, gently clenching the grand duchess’ hand.

After walking for a while, they crossed paths with Suyou and Lucian whose faces’ frown disappeared at the sight of Arisia.

"You..." Lucian, who seemed to have noticed Cynthia’s presence mumbled.

"Let’s head back, Your Highness," Cynthia turned to Arisia, ignoring the eye contact she made with Lucian as if she didn’t notice he wanted to speak to her.

***

Once the carriage stopped, Cynthia stepped out without waiting for anyone to escort her outside of the carriage. The princess and her bodyguard entered the mansion in a rush, sensing that the young couple could use some time alone.

During their trip back to the mansion, none of the glanced at each other. No matter how hard Arisia tried to make a warm conversation to easen up the atmosphere, only Suyou would try to respond. Cynthia would simply smile at her while Lucian would give her a polite nod to not ’ignore her.’

Once Arisia and Suyou had entered the mansion, Lucian quickly stepped to catch up with Cynthia.

"Your Highness," he spoke, breaking the silence that had been hoavering around them for a while.

"Do you need something?" She asked. "I’ll send Philip or your favourite Elise to you," her voice filled with sarcasm.

"My what?" Lucian scoffed, baffled by her words.

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