96. Engagement Ceremony (3)
Thanks to those words, the banquet hall turned into chaos.
Someone screamed, and someone trembled in fear.
In an era of peace without war, dark magic was sheer terror.
“Please proceed with the engagement ceremony quickly.”
Amidst the confusion, Bella spoke up.
“Marquis Verdin, please hurry!”
At her urging, Owen looked at Bella doubtfully before standing up.
Owen pulled Lucia close, embracing her.
Then, he turned back to the dais.
“Skip the formalities and just exchange rings and vows.”
As he instructed Logan, Logan quickly nodded and proceeded with the process.
“Oh, was this maid not so precious to you after all? Well… Owen Verdine must have been more precious than a maid, right?”
As the order was hastily modified and carried out, Edward, disguised as Mari, muttered.
Then, he picked up a knife from the table.
“Things might change if I do this.”
With the knife in hand, he immediately cut Mari’s wrist, causing a shallow cut and making blood trickle.
“That bastard.”
As Edward began his madness, Kyle spat curses and released a blue aura.
The azure aura formed a leash as it was, representing the mana.
The leash bound Mari’s wrists together.
“I warned you to leave peacefully.”
The crimson aura surged roughly.
It was a scene where the transcendental’s anger was clearly evident.
“Do you want me to force you out? Do you want your mind to be shattered like that?”
The reason Kyle did not expel Edward despite the warning was one.
If he forcibly severed the Marionette connection, not only Edward but Mari’s mind would also suffer.
“Can you do that?”
Edward seemed to know that fact well, as he let out a mocking laugh.
“This maid’s mind will break more easily than mine. After all, she’s just a body without knowledge of dark magic.”
“I am here.”
Bella approached him with his laughter.
“I hope you understand that all external wounds caused can be healed.”
“Your Highness.”
Edward’s eyes narrowed at Bella’s warning.
It was a daring one.
Since Edward was on the same boat as Bella.
Of course, it was-.
“I cannot stand by and watch someone die.”
It was a promise and a deal with Bella.
Not ‘Bella’.
“I don’t know how she’ll react.”
The whisper was so faint that only those nearby could hear it.
But not many fully understood its meaning.
Owen and Kyle.
Just the two of them.
But it was enough.
“Your Highness. So, a true Highness.”
Kyle murmured softly, then proceeded to tie Mari’s ankles as if reassured.
“If the situation worsens, I will truly sever the connection. Please, can I ask you to keep this maiden safe?”
“Of course.”
‘Bella’ nodded.
Her determined expression showed her sincerity.
“Bella, it seems.”
Owen muttered the realization quietly and urged Logan again.
Logan signaled for the ring to be brought out.
The attendant brought a box containing the engagement ring.
Upon opening the box made of blue velvet, a ring with a small black pearl was revealed.
Owen took the smaller one and placed it on Lucia’s left ring finger.
Lucia, in turn, took the remaining ring and slid it onto Owen’s left ring finger.
Despite Edward causing a commotion in the background, the engagement ceremony continued.
“Will you both vow to be each other’s one and only?”
“We vow.”
“I do swear.”
“This is the public announcement of the engagement between Duke Verdin and Lady Edette.”
After the vow ceremony concluded, the signing of the engagement document followed.
The magically sealed document was not to be tampered with.
“I hope you consider it an honor.”
After all the engagement procedures were completed, Owen turned around.
Walking steadily, he stood in front of Mari and coldly spoke.
“Having witnessed Lucia’s engagement ceremony firsthand. Consider the final moments glorious. Only ruin awaits now.”
The piercing black gaze hinted at a chilling truth.
It wasn’t just Owen’s gaze.
Kyle, who was restraining movements, ‘Bella,’ who temporarily regained control of her body, the enraged Duke Edette who dared to touch Edette.
All were staring down at Edward, who had taken over Mari’s body as if ready to kill.
“Young man.”
And finally, there was Lucia.
“I remember warning you before. If you dare to touch my people, there must be a reason.”
She smiled.
More radiant than ever.
Yet, within it, a clear venom lurked.
“You will pay the price. Disturbing my people and attempting to harm me will not come without consequences.”
“…I have nothing left.”
Despite hearing warnings from many, Edward, who had engulfed Mari’s body, instead raised his face defiantly with a venomous voice.
“Since I have nothing to lose, it doesn’t matter what I do.”
“…You will regret this.”
“Regret is a belated emotion. You must do what you can.”
With a twisted grin, Edward, with bound hands as if broken, brought them to Mari’s neck.
“Lucia. I will leave you with an eternal scar. So that you can remember me forever.”
He pressed his neck as if to suffocate her, with a look of intent to kill.
But then, Kyle, gritting his teeth, channeled his magic into Mari’s body.
“The lunatic.”
After cursing under his breath, Kyle eventually managed to forcibly sever the puppet connection.
When the connection was severed, Mari’s body slumped.
Kyle released the magic that bound Mari and then carried her in his arms toward ‘Bella’.
‘Bella’ skillfully channeled her energy into Mari’s body.
The aftermath of dark magic was strong, so ‘Bella’ poured a significant amount of energy.
After a while, as if finishing up, ‘Bella’ withdrew her energy.
Yet, Mari still hadn’t opened her eyes.
“It will take some time for her to recover. But there’s no need to worry; she will be fine when she wakes up.”
‘Bella’ spoke calmly and then rose from her seat.
Kyle handed over Mari, whom he had been holding, to a nearby knight.
Perhaps he chose a female knight.
The knight carried Mari as if heading towards the rest area.
It seemed like they planned to send her back with Lucia once everything was settled.
“Thanks to you, the evidence is clear.”
As the situation settled down, Duke Edelt cleared his throat and spoke.
“Everyone present here witnessed it.”
Within the banquet hall, dozens of nobles, including Prince Richard, were present.
“With such a grand scheme, there must be clear evidence, and Lord Celleid Yongsik will be punished.”
Owen nodded at Duke Edelt’s words.
“He will at least be stripped of his noble status. Dark magic is a serious crime.”
“That alone is not enough.”
Lucia added to Owen’s words.
“It would be better to banish him from the empire altogether.”
Owen agreed with her suggestion.
It was best to ensure that the perpetrator of such deeds could never set foot on this land again.
That way, a repeat of the same incident could be prevented.
“We can make sure he never uses dark magic again.”
This time, Kyle spoke up.
“We may need to alter his body structure to prevent him from using magic.”
Although the energies of dark magic and regular magic belonged to different schools, they still shared the commonality of being energies.
If one’s body couldn’t absorb energy, then they wouldn’t be able to use magic.
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“Even if magic doesn’t work, it will be much safer that way.”
Everyone nodded at Kyle’s suggestion.
It seemed like the course of action for the future was roughly decided.
Nobles began to leave one by one, escaping the fear of dark magic.
It seemed they didn’t want to stay where a major incident had occurred.
Since Richard would report the incident immediately, the rest could focus on paperwork.
There was no need to stay and discuss further or rush to make a report.
One by one, nobles left, and Duke Edelt’s party, Kyle, and Bella all departed.
Even Lucia, who remained until the end, had to leave as it was getting late.
Having witnessed the events of the day, Owen watched as Mari and Lucia departed safely before returning to the banquet hall.
Owen scanned the banquet hall as if reflecting on the day’s events.
The once lavishly decorated hall was now empty, with the space devoid of people.
As Owen gazed at the quiet and chilling place, he suddenly recalled the earlier events.
“Come to think of it, Bella did return. How did she come back?”
The Bella he faced today was undoubtedly the original ‘Bella’.
It was said that the one with a strong will and desire would prevail.
And that was always Bella.
Bella had an excessive amount of will and desire towards Owen.
“…Could it be she wanted to save someone?”
Deep in thought, Owen soon found the reason.
If Bella was aware of today’s events.
If she had heard the story.
If so, Bella would undoubtedly have ignited the will to save the person.
Because that was the kind of person she was.
Owen had no feelings towards Bella, but he couldn’t deny that she was a good person.
“Begging your pardon.”
As everyone had left and the banquet hall was empty, a servant entered.
“I was asked to deliver this.”
Without saying who the message was from, the servant handed over a note.
“Who sent this?”
In response to Owen’s question, Sijong added briefly,
“Lady sent it.”
It meant a note from ‘Bella.’
Owen couldn’t understand why she had sent a note, but he accepted it willingly.
There must have been something to discuss.
Perhaps it was related to Bella.
As he unfolded the note, he noticed the neat handwriting.
It was a different style from Bella’s.
[Hello, Lord Verdin.
I dare to contact you despite the rudeness.
I have regained control of my body for a short while, but I am not fully recovered.
So, I wanted to ask for a bit of help.
The person in my body still believes they can meet the original owner of your body.
They must have thought they could have you through this incident.
So please assure them.
By conveying the owner’s intentions, you may be able to make that person give up.
Because they wanted to see the original owner.
So please allow them to have a conversation just once.
Then that person will probably have no choice but to give up.
They will realize that things will not go their way no matter what.]