Author-nim: This is a long story, so I will divide it into two parts, before and after.
—-

We returned to the royal garden with Charlotte, who had fainted.

"Do you think the people in the hall are all right?"

"Don't worry. The Prime Minister is taking care of it."

When Leon and I ran out into the gardens after Charlotte, my uncle was already working to control the situation.

"Your Royal Highness, Princess. I am glad to see you are safe. We will take custody of Charlotte Campbell."

Before I knew it, Sir Will was waiting in the garden.

"Sir Will. How are things in the ballroom?"

"The Prime Minister is in command and has already taken control of the situation."

"I see. That's good."

Sir Will took Charlotte, who was lying on the ground, in his arms and stood up.

And under the leadership of my uncle, the participants of the ball were moved from the hall to a different location.

He made arrangements to lease rooms in the royal palace for those who needed medical attention and to allow those who wished to return home to do so in order.

As there were not enough people working at the palace, they asked for volunteers, and many students from the Magic Academy came forward.

"The only ones remaining at the venue are His Majesty the King, Her Royal Highness the Queen, the Marquis and Marchioness de Grandeur, and His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. I have been instructed that when Her Royal Highness returns, she should come to the venue."

"Is this about my brother's fate?"

Sir Will nodded his head with a gloomy look on his face.

"Siegfried-sama and Katariona-sama as well, your parents are waiting for you."

"'Um.....Sir Will. I hope you don't mind if I take my sister with me? She is too young to be left in the gardens."

I'm sure Ron-sama and Sylphy-sama will take care of her if I ask them to, but I'd like May to see how everything plays out.

"Is that your youngest sister? How did she get here? No. I don't mean to pry into your affairs. You are siblings. It would not be surprising if something were to occur. I've already been advised to bring anyone who is involved, so please, come in."

Sir Will looked at May and shook his head.

He had not yet been told that May was the god of creation.

But he doesn't seem to have the inclination to pry too deeply.

Led by Sir Will, we rejoined in the ballroom.

His Majesty the King and Her Royal Highness the Queen were seated on their thrones. They looked somewhat tired.

The Crown Prince was sitting on the stairs leading to the throne, his head drooping.

Has he been freed from Charlotte's skill?

He took a look at Charlotte's figure held by Sir Will but did not react in any way.

Our parents looked stern under the throne, but when they recognized us, they greeted us with smiles.

"Sieg, Rio, May. My dear children. Oh, thank God. You're safe, I trust?"

Our father said, hugging us in his arms.

"It's over, isn't it?"

Mother hugged us from the other side.

"Father. Mother. It's all over."

I breathed a sigh of relief that it was really over, wrapped in the warmth of my parents' embrace.

"All right! Let's go home."

Father began to lead us toward the exit of the hall.

"Wait! Marquis de Grandeur. Will you not be present for Richard's sentencing?"

His Majesty the King tried to stop him.

"We have no wish to meddle in your family's affairs, Your Majesty."

My father is telling His Majesty the King to do whatever he wants with the Crown Prince.

Charlotte was the one who pulled the trigger on this disturbance.

If His Majesty the King announces that the Crown Prince was merely being beguiled by her skill, it would probably be accepted.

However, it is no mean feat to restore honor.

People will talk about it, and slander him behind his back, but it is up to him to make the effort to do so.

Or, alternatively of course, Chris could take the place of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and become Crown Princess.

It is up to His Majesty the King to decide.

In any case, it is not for us nobles to interfere.

"......sorry."

After uttering a single word, His Majesty the King bowed his head.

"Is this all right? Rio."

"Yes. Father."

I have no feelings for His Highness the Crown Prince at the moment.

I don't know what path he will take from now on, but I think he should walk as he likes.

I will walk with my beloved from now on.

I walked briskly toward Leon, who was waiting for me at the exit with his hand outstretched.

But something unexpected happened.

"Die! Katariona!"

Charlotte, looking fiendish, approached me. In her hand was a small knife.

She had concealed it, evidently.

How could she have done that when she was supposed to have been captured by Sir Will?

There seemed to be no time to check.

My upper body lurched as I tried to assume a defensive posture.

"Oh, no!"

My foot got caught in the hem of my dress.

It was a mistake to put on my skirt and shoes again for my appearance before His Majesty the King.

"Rio!"

I thought I heard the sound of a blade tearing flesh, and blood splattered in front of my eyes.

No, this was not my blood.

Charlotte's knife was about to reach me when someone intervened.

"Leon!"

It was Leon.

Leon was protecting me.

"Leon! Leon! No!"

Charlotte's knife pierced Leon's shoulder.

"Pft---! Kukku ....... How stupid of you to protect your lover. You'll die. That knife is laced with the poison of the Blue Snow Rose."

What?

"CHARLOTTE!"

I glared at Charlotte, who snickered.

"I'm not going to let you be the only one happy after you took away my happiness!"

"What are you talking about after the sacrifice Therese-san made for you!"

Charlotte's shoulders trembled.

"She sacrificed her soul to save yours, and yet you don't feel a thing!"

She still hates me, even though she was touched by Therese-san's kindness.

"Shut up!"

Charlotte held her head and cried tears of blood.

"Shut up, shut up, shut up ......"

Charlotte shrieked as brother pinned her arms behind her back.

"Rio! Hurry up and heal Leon!"

Returning to my senses, I pulled out the knife that was stuck in Leon's shoulder.

"Ugh--!"

I quickly stopped the bleeding of the wound on his shoulder.

"Leon, wait for me. I'll heal you right now."

"...... Rio. I'm ...... glad,.... you're ...... okay."

Leon's odd-eyed eyes gently shook with perspiration dripping.

Tears welled up at the tenderness with which he still cared for me even though he himself was injured.

Leon is always like that.

''Sacred magic: regeneration!"

Regenerate the wound with every bit of blood lost.

"Leon!"

Leon raised his upper body and hugged me.

"You used 'sacred magic' in public? You said you would never reveal this knowledge in public."

"Leon is more important than that!"

"I am the god of the earth. No flower, no matter how toxic, can take my life."

The poison of the Blue Snow Rose would not have worked even on me, who possessed the Sacred Magic.

"I don't care! I just don't want you to get hurt! Leon, you idiot!"

I put my hands on Leon's back and hugged him, and cried like a child.

"What do you mean, "idiot?" Rio is not speaking very well these days."

Leon patted me gently on the back as if he was soothing a child.

"What shall I do with her? Can I break her neck like this?"

My parents and Marie surrounded my brother who was about to break Charlotte's neck, whom he had pinned down while laughing.

"No. Don't kill her right away. Sieg."

Father lit a fire at his fingertips. Is he going to burn her to death?

"Yes. Let her suffer slowly."

Mother, who was holding up a pillar of ice in the shape of icicles, looked as if she was about to hurl it down on Charlotte.

"I will give you tenfold repayment for the suffering you have endured, milady."

Marie had a dark weapon in both hands. She must have used quite a few dark weapons in the fight just now, but it seems she still has some hidden away.

I stopped crying as I heard a hushed conversation behind me.

"What are you doing to my best friend! You wench! I'll pull your eyeballs out!"

Chris, holding up a knife, seems to have become even more foul-mouthed again.

"You've got a bad mouth, too. Chris."

Chris looked at Tojurou-san, who was watching with amusement not stopping her.
"Oh, my? You must have been under the bad influence of your master."

Kikuno-sama, standing elegantly next to the two of them, also seemed to have no intention of trying to stop them.

Slipping out of Leon's arms in a hurry, I stepped in front of the people who were about to kill Charlotte at any moment.

"Rio?"

I walked over to Charlotte who was being pinned down with her arms behind her.

"..... Charlotte."

"......"

Charlotte's eyes were vacant.

Her eyes no longer reflected anything. Only tears of blood continued to flow.

I exhaled softly and whispered.

"Goodbye, may we never see each other again."

And then Charlotte was handed over to the Royal Guard who had rushed in.

—---

TL: Aiyo…smh. I tried so hard not to cuss throughout this entire novel…but this time I had no choice because there was literally no other translation. Oof. Anyway, it was quite appropriate given the situation, (which got heated real fast as usual).

Anyway, hope you enjoyed and happy reading everyone <3!

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