Chapter 185

Chapter 185

“Of course not.” Judy looked flustered. She bit her lower lip until that poor bit of flesh had almost completely lost its color. After hesitating several times, she finally went on. “She is actually a Witch.”

Eugene’s pupils contracted. His lips trembled a few times, and the emotions in his eyes shifted again and again before he finally said with absolute certainty, “Impossible! She is the kingdom’s princess. How could she possibly be a Witch?”

“Nothing is impossible.” Judy had finally broken through the barrier in her own mind. Now that the greatest secret had been spoken aloud, the rest became much easier.

“Maria’s mother was a Witch. The King met her on the street, didn’t he? No one knew where she came from, and no one knew why she died after giving birth to Maria.”

“She… she died in childbirth.” Dennis looked somewhat dazed, but still refuted it instinctively.

“No, she did not die in childbirth.” Judy’s tone was so firm that he accepted her words before he even realized it. “It was because the children of Witches are born draining their mothers’ energy.”

“So that means, that means-” Dennis’s eyes widened. “She intends to kill Father, then kill me, and then she will be the only heir left in this country. She’ll be able to ascend the Throne in perfect legitimacy.”

“That’s right. Your guess is the truth.”

“Then why would you-” Dennis looked at her suspiciously. “Why would you tell me all of this?”

“I had no choice. She threatened me, forced me. I truly couldn’t bear it anymore.” Judy wept bitterly, her face pale as paper, her eyes brimming with fear. “Please, Your Highness Dennis, you must save me. I can tell you all of her plans, but… I have one request.”

A person who only knew how to sacrifice, without the slightest selfish desire, was not someone to be trusted.

Dennis gazed at her gently. “Of course. Anything you ask.”

“I hope…” She hesitated, a suspicious blush spreading over her face. “I hope I can be with you.”

Dennis was not surprised.

He looked at the shy girl before him. For some reason, the moment she said those words, the attraction she had once held for him suddenly faded by quite a bit.

Compared with this bashful manner, he found her bold, composed self in the forest and at the ball far more pleasing.

He kept feeling that she shouldn’t have-shouldn’t have revealed everything so easily.

And yet it was all so reasonable. Judy Carter was merely a young girl. It was perfectly normal for her to be terrified of a notorious Witch.

As for her request, it was very simple. She only wanted to be together with him. That was no difficult matter.

However, what he understood by being together and what Judy understood by being together would probably differ somewhat.

“Poor girl. Of course you can.” Dennis rose and walked to her side, drawing her into his arms. His voice was very gentle. “I will stop her evil plan. A Witch, a Witch-” His voice held undisguised contempt. “How could a Witch be worthy of ascending the Throne?”

Tu Nan clutched his clothes as if she were crying. She made soft, choking sobs, but there was not the slightest trace of fear in her eyes.
The plan had hit a small snag. Fortunately, she still had time to patch things up.
—
The next day dawned clear and bright.

The King was in an excellent mood. He took it as an omen-proof that today, his wish would surely be granted.

Only a day had passed since the banquet, yet he had visibly aged. His hair had gone almost completely white, and the wrinkles on his face seemed to have deepened by several degrees.

With the Queen supporting him, the King boarded the Carriage, and the procession set off for the Church in grand formation.

The Church was more crowded today than it had ever been.

It was the first time the Church had ever held a sacrificial ritual, and they had even allowed Commoner spectators. People packed the Church inside and out until there was barely room to move; Soldier had to be brought in just to maintain order.

Everyone wanted to witness this rare sight with their own eyes. For years to come, it would be a story they never tired of telling.

The King’s Carriage procession entered the Church grounds.

Tu Nan lifted the curtain and looked outside the Carriage. Heads crowded together as far as she could see, every face shining with anticipation, all of them waiting for the god to truly manifest.

Maria sat across from her. Her outfit today was not excessively extravagant, but it was clear she had put thought into it. There was a quiet elegance to her, making her look exceptionally dignified and graceful.

Ever since getting into the Carriage, she had not said a word.

-Perhaps because they had already said far too much last night.

At last, the Carriage came to a stop.

Xu Duoyi was not riding with them. As the “noble” Saintess, she had been placed alone in a separate Carriage, surrounded by plenty of Soldier to ensure her safety.

Though in Tu Nan’s opinion, it looked more like a disguised form of house arrest.

She was the first to step down from the Carriage. From a distance, she saw Xu Duoyi surrounded by the crowd.

Xu Duoyi was dressed very differently today. She wore a long white lace gown that covered almost her entire body, and a veil of the same color hid her face, leaving only a pair of beautiful eyes exposed.

As if sensing Tu Nan’s gaze, Xu Duoyi happened to look over as well.

Across the sea of people, their eyes met from afar. Tu Nan gave her the faintest nod.

“Let’s go.” Maria stepped down from the Carriage. She had also seen Xu Duoyi, and she asked softly by Tu Nan’s ear, “She’ll be all right, won’t she?”

Tu Nan took a deep breath. At a time like this, she did not dare guarantee anything.

The altar had already been arranged. The seats in the very front were naturally reserved for the royal family, and thanks to Maria, Tu Nan was able to stand in the front row and watch the ritual up close.

This place was not much different from when she had come before. But Tu Nan noticed that the Faceless Divine Statue that had originally been inside the church had been moved onto the altar.

Right behind the wooden stake, the Divine Statue stood in silence. The enormous Divine Statue loomed high above them, looking down on them from on high.

The moment Xu Duoyi saw the massive Divine Statue, panic became visible on her face.

There were too many people gathered around. The packed, noisy, bustling crowd had no idea what was about to happen. They were simply excited-excited for a sacrificial ritual rarely seen in a hundred years.

Xu Duoyi stepped onto the altar. Her figure looked thin and frail on that vast platform. Soldier tied her to the wooden stake, then began piling pieces of wood soaked in tung oil around the outside.

All it would take was a single spark, and they would blaze violently to life.