Will You Cry for Me If I Die? - Chapter 42

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 42

 

His steps were light.

 

He waved his hand as he spoke.

 

His hand went up.

 

“I’m used to this kind of thing!”

 

His words bounced lightly.

 

The High Priest lifted the cup and let a drop fall onto Vladimir’s hand.

 

The droplet landed precisely.

 

It stopped on his skin.

 

Vladimir raised his eyebrows briefly.

 

His expression changed very briefly.

 

He smiled and said.

 

His mouth opened again.

 

“Refreshing.”

 

That smile was so skillful that I felt uneasy inside.

 

Too natural.

 

Too much was hidden.

 

Next was Spring.

 

Yurahel came forward.

 

His steps were quiet.

 

He extended his hand without a word.

 

His hand didn’t shake.

 

When the droplet touched the back of his hand, his fingertips trembled very slightly.

 

It was a very brief tremor, but I saw it clearly.

 

Yurahel didn’t change his expression.

 

His eyes didn’t waver.

 

But that made him look even more anxious.

 

Next was Autumn.

 

Nina stood in front of the dais.

 

Her steps stopped briefly then continued.

 

Just as the High Priest was about to drop the water, Nina spoke very quietly.

 

Only her lips moved.

 

“It smells.”

 

The High Priest’s hand stopped briefly.

 

It seemed to freeze in mid-air.

 

But then it moved again immediately.

 

The hesitation wasn’t long.

 

The droplet fell onto Nina’s hand.

 

The transparent liquid touched her skin.

 

Nina narrowed her eyes.

 

Her eyelids lowered.

 

Those eyes gleamed coldly.

 

The temperature dropped from within.

 

Now Winter.

 

Millayen’s gaze turned toward us.

 

His eyes stopped once.

 

I drew in a breath.

 

My chest rose.

 

The heir is Demian.

 

An order everyone knew without being told.

 

So Demian would go.

 

Step forward.

 

I didn’t like that fact.

 

Something tugged inside me.

 

Last night the Black-Clad Person had been holding my blood.

 

It was in their hands.

 

That story wasn’t over yet.

 

Yesterday was still connected.

 

Demian stood in front of the dais.

 

His steps stopped.

 

The High Priest lifted the cup.

 

His wrist tilted.

 

In that moment, my body moved first.

 

My thoughts didn’t follow.

 

I shook off Theodor’s hand and stepped forward.

 

His hand slipped away.

 

My legs were short, so I was out of breath in just two or three steps.

 

My chest moved rapidly.

 

But I didn’t stop.

 

I kept putting one foot forward.

 

People murmured.

 

Voices overlapped.

 

“A child?”

 

“Why from over there.”

 

I shouted from below the dais.

 

I pushed out my breath.

 

“Don’t do it!”

 

My voice was thin because I was a child.

 

The sound trembled thinly.

 

But in the quiet ritual chamber, it echoed.

 

It hit the wall and came back.

 

The Emperor’s eyes fixed on me.

 

His gaze came down.

 

The High Priest’s lips curved up very slightly.

 

A thin line formed.

 

Demian turned to look at me.

 

His head moved quickly.

 

His eyes widened.

 

His pupils shook.

 

“Rumel.”

 

He called out low.

 

His voice was pressed down.

 

I spoke while gasping for breath.

 

I strung the words together so they wouldn’t break.

 

“That water is strange.”

 

People murmured more.

 

The sound grew louder then scattered.

 

The Empress laughed.

 

The corners of her mouth rose gently.

 

“A child’s whim.”

 

I looked straight at the Empress.

 

I didn’t avoid her eyes.

 

“Not a whim.”

 

I continued speaking.

 

I didn’t cut it short.

 

“It’s the smell!”

 

The High Priest spoke gently.

 

His voice spread low.

 

“Children are sensitive, so that could be it.”

 

Those words annoyed me.

 

Something inside scratched slightly.

 

With the word sensitive, he made my words small.

 

Reduced their weight.

 

I clenched my teeth tight.

 

My jaw hardened.

 

And like a four-year-old, I spoke more directly.

 

I didn’t beat around the bush.

 

“I’m No. 1! I can distinguish smells!”

 

The words came out all at once.

 

People held their breath.

 

The air stopped for a moment.

 

Theodor shouted from behind.

 

His voice was loud.

 

“Rumel is right!”

 

Vladimir muttered while swallowing his laughter.

 

His mouth was half open.

 

“That kid is really something.”

 

Nina stepped forward.

 

Her foot moved closer to the dais.

 

“Something else was mixed in the water.”

 

Her words were clear.

 

Yurahel quietly added.

 

His voice continued low.

 

“We need to check.”

 

The Emperor spoke with a smile.

 

His lips moved smoothly.

 

“A check.”

 

His voice was gentle.

 

Gentle things are always dangerous.

 

The surface is smooth.

 

“Then let’s check.”

 

The Emperor looked at the High Priest.

 

His gaze moved sideways.

 

The High Priest held out the cup.

 

His hand didn’t shake.

 

“Your Majesty, personally.”

 

The Emperor took the cup.

 

His hand wrapped around it.

 

At that moment I held my breath.

 

My chest stopped while raised.

 

There was a small ring on the Emperor’s fingertip.

 

When that ring touched the water, the light trembled very faintly.

 

The trembling light caught my eye.

 

I disliked that trembling.

 

Unstable things can’t be trusted.

 

The Emperor looked down at the cup and spoke.

 

His gaze stayed on the water.

 

“Special blessed water.”

 

He smiled.

 

His lips moved smoothly.

 

“It will bind the Empire more firmly.”

 

My body flinched at those words.

 

My shoulders rose slightly.

 

Binding.

 

Binding again.

 

I know binding too well.

 

I remember the feeling of suffocation.

 

Demian came to my side and lifted me up.

 

My view became higher.

 

This time I couldn’t resist.

 

No strength went into my arms.

 

I was out of breath and lost strength.

 

My chest moved rapidly.

 

I spoke with my chin resting on his shoulder.

 

“I don’t want to.”

 

Demian answered low.

 

His voice was close.

 

“Me neither.”

 

Those words stuck in my ear.

 

Being short made them linger more.

 

The High Priest held up the cup again.

 

His hand rose to the same height.

 

This time Demian didn’t extend his hand.

 

He didn’t move.

 

He spoke elegantly.

 

His words flowed slowly.

 

“Winter does things Winter’s way.”

 

The High Priest maintained his smile.

 

His mouth stayed the same.

 

“The ritual’s rules belong to the Empire.”

 

The words were placed firmly.

 

Demian tilted his head.

 

His gaze twisted slightly.

 

“Can the Empire rule Winter?”

 

The words spread quietly.

 

The High Priest’s smile cracked just a little.

 

His mouth trembled faintly.

 

The Emperor raised his hand and pressed down again.

 

It became quiet as if the air was pressed down.

 

“Good.”

 

He spoke.

 

Cut it short.

 

“I’ll allow Winter’s way as well.”

 

Those words weren’t permission, but observation.

 

The feeling of being watched remained.

 

When Demian opened his palm, cold energy condensed from the air.

 

The air froze thinly.

 

Frost settled thinly on his fingertips.

 

White lines appeared.

 

That frost became small crystals and sparkled.

 

The light split clearly.

 

I steadied my breathing while watching that light.

 

My breathing slowed a little.

 

This light is less unpleasant.

 

My eyes hurt less.

 

This isn’t light that captures, but light that blocks.

 

It pushes outward.

 

Demian gently rubbed that frost on the back of his hand.

 

It spread thinly over his skin.

 

Even though the High Priest’s water hadn’t touched it, the pattern reacted once.

 

Light flashed briefly.

 

The High Priest stopped even while holding the cup.

 

His hand stopped in mid-air.

 

The Emperor’s eyes deepened slightly.

 

His gaze sank downward.

 

People murmured.

 

The sound spread again.

 

“Winter is bending the rules.”

 

“No, Winter is rewriting the rules.”

 

I didn’t listen to all those words.

 

Too much noise makes my head heavy.

 

My head felt dizzy.

 

The inside spun around.

 

Too much noise makes me dizzy quickly.

 

I rubbed my eyes on Demian’s shoulder.

 

The back of my hand touched my eyes.

 

Tears came out slightly.

 

My vision blurred.

 

I felt annoyed.

 

I hate when my eyes hurt.

 

“Eyes hurt.”

 

When I muttered, Demian covered my head with his palm.

 

His hand came down from above.

 

Warm shade formed.

 

The light was partially blocked.

 

I liked that shade a little.

 

My eyes stung less.

 

The ritual chamber was still moving.

 

People hadn’t stopped.

 

The Emperor smiled, the High Priest smiled, the nobles breathed, and the Seasons looked at each other.

 

Gazes continued to exchange.

 

I was very small in the middle of it all.

 

I was below their line of sight.

 

Being small means seeing more.

 

Lower places are wider.

 

Big people only look up.

 

They only look toward where there’s light.

 

I look down.

 

I see the floor and feet.

 

There’s always truth below.

 

The things that were spilled remain.

 

I made a resolution to myself again.

 

I tied my words short.

 

‘Today I have to follow the scent of the mark to the very end!’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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