The eyes of the goddess statue made of golden amber glinted in the light. At the same time, the upper body of the woman kneeling and praying beneath it tilted sideways, collapsing.

“Priestess Alicia!”

Juul and Jael, who had been watching the situation with anxious faces, called out to the woman with worried voices. And they quickly ran over to support her.

“……I’m fine.”

“But you look so unwell.”

Alicia nodded that she was fine as she raised her upper body with Juul and Jael’s support. But sweat was pouring down her face, and her lips had turned bluish.

“Don’t worry and…… cough!”

Alicia, who had been breathing heavily with a pale face, finally coughed up blood. The red blood flowing across her lips left traces on the white marble floor. Alarmed by this sight, Juul quickly took out a medicine bottle from her pocket and poured it into Alicia’s mouth.

Fortunately, after taking the medicine, Alicia breathed a little more comfortably. As she wiped her lips with a cloth handed by Jael, Juul and Jael spoke with voices full of concern.

“You used too much holy power to save the princess.”

“Even though it was to save a life…… You must take care of yourself first. You are specially chosen by the goddess, Priestess Alicia.”

Juul and Jael’s concern was justified. Unknown to ordinary people as it was a secret of the temple, holy power was connected to life force. Excessive use of holy power not only harmed the body but could also take one’s life. However, Alicia had used a lot of holy power quickly for Yerena when she collapsed. And the side effects had been continuing for days.

“Everything is my choice, so it’s fine. More importantly, you two. Please help me up. It’s difficult on my own……”

Alicia asked for help while smiling faintly at Jael and Juul, as if telling them not to worry. Instead of saying anything more, Juul and Jael supported Alicia as she wished. Alicia managed to stand up, staggering and leaning on the two.

Supported by Juul and Jael, Alicia bowed her head once more to pray toward the goddess’s statue. And at that moment, an unforgettable voice echoed in Alicia’s ear.

‘Alicia.’

Red flames spread before Alicia’s unseeing eyes, and the hem of a black dress fluttered. A woman dancing in the flames laughed and spoke to Alicia.

‘Alicia. I am a witch. A witch! Look how fortunate this is.’

Alicia closed her unseeing eyes, hiding the woman within herself. She turned her head to look back and prayed silently to the goddess she believed in.

‘Goddess. This is the last wish of your chosen servant. Let me watch over the princess’s end, so that I may extinguish the fire within me.’

* * *

The snowy winter slowly retreated. The season was still cold, but the sun gradually extended its ruling.

‘It’s gotten a bit warmer. Will spring come soon?’

Yerena, whose health had improved significantly, sat by the window and focused on the sound of water droplets falling from the pointed ends of ice. After losing her sight, she had been sensing the weather and seasons through such trivial things.

“Lady Yerena. Would you like some snacks?”

Jane, who had been dusting the cupboard after a long time, finished her work and asked. Yerena gently patted her full stomach and shook her head.

“I’m still full.”

After the poisoning attempt, Yerena’s meals had noticeably improved. Not only were meals full of expensive ingredients like meat and cheese provided, but desserts were also delivered in a full basket every other day.

‘The attempted poisoning was due to my oversight. I’m sorry.’

‘I don’t blame you, Alicia. But has the culprit been caught?’

‘The temple is discreetly investigating. I’ll let you know as soon as results come in. And this…… From now on, please make sure to touch this spoon to your food before eating. It’s an object containing the goddess’s holy power and will change color when it touches harmful substances. Miss Jane, please check carefully at each meal.’

‘Yes, Priestess Alicia.’

Thanks to the item Alicia had given her, she could also worry less about poison. However, since neither the culprit nor the purpose of the attempted poisoning was known, Yerena often woke up from sleep due to anxiety.

“Then please eat later. There are many cookies left.”

“I will. By the way, Jane. What time is it now?”

“Almost 2 o’clock.”

At Jane’s words, expectation appeared on Yerena’s face. Yerena herself didn’t notice the change in her expression, but Jane had a dark look on her face at her clearly visible emotions.

‘You’re waiting for him.’

For several days, Yerena had been counting the hours until someone’s arrival. And that person was none other than the guard knight Kian, or rather, Roshan.

Yerena began greeting the guard knight, whom she had treated as if he didn’t exist, after the attempted poisoning. After hearing from Alicia that he played a major role in saving her, Yerena acknowledged him, albeit awkwardly. And a few days ago, following a small argument with Alicia, Yerena began waiting for Kian.

‘It’s not allowed.’

‘But……’

‘I understand your concern for the kingdom. However, Lady Yerena, you now belong to the Temple of Light and are studying faith. Taking an interest in politics is forbidden.’

‘Politics, Alicia? What could I possibly do in my current state? I’m just worried about my homeland……’

‘That’s precisely the problem I’m addressing. What if something happens in the kingdom? Your worries would prevent you from focusing on building your faith.’

Alicia spoke to Yerena with a face she had never seen before as Yerena asked questions out of concern for the Sedas Kingdom. Her demeanor was so resolute that Yerena couldn’t properly respond. Jane also watched the two while holding her breath.

‘Right now, religious studies take priority. You need to break the curse quickly through the goddess’s mercy. That’s how you’ll achieve what you want, isn’t it?’

Alicia said this even as she was leaving that day. And just as Jane was worriedly examining Yerena’s sorrowful face, the man spoke up.

‘I heard the first tribute from the Sedas Kingdom arrived safely.’

‘What……’

‘The kingdom’s name hasn’t been mentioned in any troublesome matters. However, there are some unfavorable rumors circulating about the new king of Sedas.’

Yerena, who had been looking perplexed, perked up her ears when she realized the information the man was providing was about her homeland. The guard spoke in a not-too-loud voice, as if talking to himself, slowly telling Yerena what she wanted to know.

‘Is it all right to tell me like this……’

‘It’s fine. As long as Lady Yerena and Miss Jane keep it secret, no one will know I’m talking to myself.’

‘……Thank you.’

After that, the relationship between Yerena and the guard knight grew noticeably closer. Jane suspected this situation might also have been orchestrated by Roshan and Alicia, but she couldn’t say a word to Yerena.

‘If she ever learns the truth later……’

Jane looked worriedly at the princess who knew nothing, then shook her head. It wasn’t her place to interfere. No, if she valued her life, she needed to pretend not to know.

* * *

The leaves of the Rubeo sacred tree, filled with the red dragon’s hatred, gave deadly poison to the Sedas royal family, while the sap of the tree, which retained affection for its children and later generations, provided the power to purify the poison.

‘It’s an illusion. The curse disappears thinking you’ve died.’

The radiant princess, Helena, broke the blind mage’s curse by crushing and swallowing the leaves of the Rubeo sacred tree, thus facing death. However, the young elven heir used the tree’s sap, which he had obtained in advance, to restart her heart just before it stopped, allowing the princess to regain her eyes and throne.

‘Am I free now? Am I liberated from that disgusting, insufferable thing?’

‘……No. As I just explained, this is merely an illusion, and the blind mage’s curse will return once it realizes you’re alive. So you must undergo this procedure once a month without fail.’

‘Once a month? That means I have to keep coming to see you.’

‘Yes. This process is too delicate for human ears and hands to handle. You must come to me once a month, without fail.’

The princess shuddered at the inconvenience. Though she had driven out her younger brother who had taken the position of heir while she was blind, enemies still surrounded her. Every day, no, every minute and second was precious, yet she had to come here once a month for a ritual that took several hours. It was frustrating. But for now, this was the only solution to the curse.

‘I’ll only rely on you for a while.’

The radiant princess decided to seek the elf of the Rubeo sacred tree only until she found a way to permanently banish the curse. However, finding a method to permanently remove the curse wasn’t easy, and before she knew it, the princess had been visiting Raul, the young elven heir who performed the ritual at the Rubeo sacred tree, for five years.

‘You used to find coming once a month bothersome, but now you visit almost every week.’

‘……I’ve reclaimed my position, and there’s time before I ascend to the throne.’

Raul, with his blue hair reaching the end of his waist, was particularly mysterious and beautiful among the elves living near the Rubeo sacred tree. The princess had begun visiting the Rubeo sacred tree almost every day to see him. Raul’s father, the leader of the elves, frowned when he saw the radiant princess, but Raul welcomed her with a bright smile.

‘I’ve learned that a leader shouldn’t be frequently absent from their position.’

‘Hmph! What would you know when you’re living only at the Rubeo sacred tree?’

‘I made a mistake. Please don’t be angry.’

‘I’m not angry. By the way, Raul.’

‘Yes. Please speak.’

‘……When I first came here, it was you who told me how to deceive the curse, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes.’

‘When I only heard your voice, I thought you were just a child…… I was surprised when I could see again. There was a grown man.’

‘I’m over 200 years old. That’s young for an elf, but not for humans.’

‘I’m glad. That you’re not young.’

‘Pardon?’

‘I like you, Raul. I want to keep seeing you.’

Helena was as beautiful as a goddess, befitting her epithet—the radiant princess. So Raul and Helena falling in love was, in a way, inevitable.

‘So stay by my side. Sit with me on the golden throne, share my happiness and glory, and double it.’

The princess confessed her love to the elf and asked him to sit beside her as she became queen.

‘No! That woman! The princess! She will bring disaster upon us. Haven’t you seen it? The princess’s eyes overflow with greed. Like her first ancestor who slew the red dragon, she seethes with avarice.’

All the elves near the Rubeo sacred tree, including Raul’s father, shouted their disapproval, but the elf, already blinded by the princess’s light, nodded and took Helena’s hand, just as the blind mage had done in the past.

‘Yes. My princess. No, my queen.’

And between the radiant princess and the blue-haired elf, four lovely daughters were born.