The Reason Why the Forsaken Fake Returned Chapter 136

The preparations for the engagement ceremony were carried out more simply and solemnly than ever. Shailoh wore a wreath of yellow daffodils and pale pink cyclamens, along with a light sky-blue dress with an elegant lace collar. Rose had carefully braided Shailoh’s hair into a half-up style and straightened out the hem of her dress.

 

“The color of the dress suits your hair so well, Milady. It even resembles the color of the cyclamens.”

 

“Thank you, Rose.”

 

Standing before the full-length mirror, Shailoh stared at the unfamiliar reflection before her. It felt like only the day before that her hair had barely reached her collarbones, yet now it had grown long enough to fall all the way to her waist.

 

Rose gazed at her with an expression of dazzled admiration before murmuring somewhat wistfully. “Actually, you would look even more beautiful in a pure white dress. You’d probably wear your hair up then too. Though you’re more than beautiful enough as you are.”

 

“Is that so?” Shailoh answered briefly and looked away. There would never be a time when she dressed like that. This engagement had another purpose, after all. But she couldn’t tell Rose about it. It was a secret even from Declen.

 

Giving a faint smile, Shailoh changed the subject. “By the way, you must have been quite surprised by the sudden engagement, weren’t you?”

 

“A little,” Rose admitted honestly, then soon smiled. “But I know this is the best thing for you, Milady.”

 

“Rose.”

 

Knowing at least somewhat about what had happened with Caleb, Rose understood her.

 

Feeling both grateful and sorry, Shailoh suddenly thought of Doris. She had grown close to Rose as well, but she had spent years together with Doris. She and Doris had been more than merely master and maid. They were practically like sisters.

 

“Milady, is something wrong?” Seeing the dejected expression on Shailoh’s face, Rose brought over a console table and had her sit down. “This is a happy occasion, after all. Is there perhaps a friend you weren’t able to invite?” Perhaps Rose had only tossed out the question casually, but it was remarkably perceptive.

 

Shailoh let out a deep sigh and finally confessed. “That’s right. Actually, I have one very close friend. Her name is Doris.”

 

“Doris.”

 

“She was by my side when I was going through the hardest time of my life. We spent a long time together.”

 

“I see.” Rose pursed her lips sympathetically before offering her opinion. “You may not have been able to invite her to the engagement ceremony, but… how about calling her here someday?”

 

“Someday?” Shailoh lifted her eyes, which had been cast downward.

 

“Yes. Once things have settled down somewhat and peace has returned.” Rose smiled and nodded.

 

Shailoh’s expression brightened with hope for only a moment before she suddenly remembered something and squeezed her eyes shut. “She’ll probably refuse. I practically abandoned her and came here.”

 

“You didn’t intend to do that from the beginning. There must have been circumstances beyond your control.”

 

“That’s… true, still…”

 

“Then she’ll understand. Especially if she’s been by your side and watched over you for so many years.” Her voice was filled with certainty.

 

“Do you really think so?”

 

“Of course. So stop hunching your shoulders and cheer up your expression too. You look far too gloomy for someone who’s about to get engaged. If you keep making that face, happiness might take one look at you and run away.”

 

With that playful remark, Rose held out her hand. Shailoh took it and stood up, then drew a deep breath. It was time to go to the chapel.

 

* * *

Because everything had been prepared in such a hurry, the chapel was clean and orderly, but completely undecorated. There were not even any impressive tapestries. Only bare windows allowed the dim light of dawn to filter through.

 

Shailoh gathered up the hem of her dress so that it wouldn’t drag on the ground. As she drew almost all the way to the pulpit where Kianan was waiting, she saw Declen sitting in the very front seat among the long rows of pews. Rohan and Rose were seated there as witnesses as well.

After exchanging brief greetings with them one by one with eyes, Shailoh stood before the pulpit.

 

Kianan, dressed neatly, held out his hand. “I thought you were going to leave me hanging.”

 

“I’m usually good at keeping my promises.” Shailoh grinned, took his offered hand, stepped onto the platform, and faced him.

 

The ceremony itself was extremely simple. Once the two people being engaged clasped hands, the priest would dip his fingers into holy water, sprinkle a few drops over their heads, and recite words of blessing.

 

“Ahem.” The priest, dressed in white priestly robes, cleared his throat to signal the beginning.

 

The two stopped their small talk and clasped hands.

 

“We are gathered here today in this sacred place. If there is anyone who objects to the engagement of Lady Shailoh Declen and Sir Kianan, let them raise their hand now. If you do not raise your hand now, then remain silent forever.”

 

Naturally, the chapel remained silent.

 

The priest summoned an altar server with his eyes and carefully dipped his fingertips into the holy water in the silver chalice. “Do the two of you swear that, upon entering into this solemn and sacred engagement, you will respect and honor one another and preserve the bond of your souls?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Their answers came almost simultaneously.

 

The priest first sprinkled a few drops over Kianan’s head, then dipped his fingertips into the silver chalice again to sprinkle the holy water over Shailoh. “In the name of God, I celebrate the union of these—” But the blessing never finished.

 

Shailoh had closed her eyes, expecting the holy water to fall upon her. At the strange silence, she slowly lifted her eyelids. Everyone was staring toward the door. Sensing something wrong in the wide-eyed expression of the priest and the pallor that had spread across everyone’s faces, she turned around. The moment she did, she could only stagger and brace herself against the pulpit.

 

“An engagement.”

 

The sound of metal scraping against the stone floor rang eerily through the silent chapel. Declen shot to his feet and stepped in front of the uninvited guest. The intruder did not even look at him, keeping his gaze fixed solely on one person.

 

“Sasha.”

 

“…Your Majesty.” The pounding of her heart rang in her ears like tinnitus. Feeling as though her heart might burst through her chest at any moment, Shailoh unconsciously placed a hand over the left side of her chest.

 

Seeing how terrified she was, Caleb tilted up the corner of his mouth. “I see you’ve gotten up to something quite adorable while I was away for a little while.”

 

Perhaps Caleb had rushed there in haste, because his hair, usually neatly arranged, was disheveled and a complete mess. The eyes visible beneath his platinum-blond hair were ferocious, like those of a beast that had been starved for a long time.

 

Declen looked back and forth between Shailoh and Caleb, who stared intently at each other as though there were only the two of them left in the world, and intervened. “Let’s talk.”

 

“Move.”

 

“You cannot do this here. Please, come with me—”

 

“I said move.”

 

“Kyaa!” Rose let out a sharp scream at the same time and collapsed, trembling onto the floor.

 

In an instant, the sword flashed upward and pointed menacingly at Declen’s throat.

 

“I could kill everyone here. Have you become so stupid that you can no longer tell when to step in and when not to, Declen?” His voice was gentle, but it was so cold that the fine hairs all over Shailoh’s body stood on end.

 

Watching the situation unfold, Kianan whispered to Shailoh. “We need to leave immediately. Let’s hide for now.”

 

“I can’t do that.”

 

“Milady…”

 

“Let go of me.” Shailoh shook off Kianan, who was trying to stop her, and quickly stepped down from the platform. “Caleb.”

 

Caleb had been threatening Declen as though he might cut Declen’s throat at any moment. But the instant Shailoh called his name, he stopped as if he had received a signal and looked back at her over his shoulder.

 

Shailoh wiped the sweat that had seeped into her palm onto the hem of her dress and deliberately moved her lips as calmly as she could. “Talk to me… just the two of us. That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

 

“That’s right.”

 

At his unexpectedly compliant answer, Shailoh stroked her startled heart. Whenever he wore that bewitching smile of his, it meant he was truly beyond control with anger. But since he was willing to listen to reason, it seemed she might be able to resolve this situation. However, that hope was shattered by his next words.

 

“But I think you’ll have to wait, Sasha.”

 

“…Why?”

 

“Because before that, I have to kill every human being here.”

 

The terrified priest let out a shriek and stumbled backward.

 

At the acrid smell, Shailoh turned her head toward Rose. Rose, having wet herself, looked up at her with tearful eyes, pleading for help.

 

“You’re… going to kill them all?” At the sight, Shailoh clenched her fists. Instead of fear, anger took its place.

 

Caleb could kill these people without even blinking, just as a child might crush ants for amusement. So casually. As though it meant nothing at all. All her struggles to escape suddenly seemed laughable. She was angry at herself for being powerless, and angry at Caleb for possessing such overwhelming power and trying to use it to control her.

 

Raising her head, Shailoh declared. “I’m the one making the offer, Caleb. The balance of power between us has already changed.”

 

“What?”

 

He wanted her as a tool to consolidate his royal authority and establish his reign. Caleb had gained so much, yet his obsession with the one person who continued to slip from his grasp had never disappeared.

 

“Choose. Either you leave here with my corpse, or you let all these people go and talk to me privately.”