The Reason Why the Forsaken Fake Returned Chapter 141

“Ban…dits?” At the unexpected words, Shailoh stiffened in shock. “Are there still people like that left?”

 

“Just as there are still gypsies, they remain as well.” Declen calmly nodded and pointed to his left cheek. “They have the same tattoo carved here as a sign of solidarity.”

 

“…”

 

“But there’s no need to worry. They’re few in number, and I’ve assigned several hunters to Kianan.”

 

“Then that’s a relief.”

 

For some reason, Shailoh felt heavy-hearted, as though it were somehow her fault that Kianan had ended up going there. Perhaps reading her thoughts from her clouded expression, Declen smiled faintly.

 

“I was planning to send him to deal with them soon anyway. It just happened that the timing worked out this way.”

 

Kianan was already on Caleb’s bad side. Loitering around the castle repeatedly wasn’t good for him, either.

 

“Putting that aside, I came to give you this.” Casually changing the subject, Declen took something out from inside his coat. It was a small wooden box engraved with a beautiful pattern.

 

“What is this…?”

 

“Open it.”

 

Shailoh nodded and slowly opened the box. At the same time, she gasped in admiration. “It’s beautiful…”

 

What was inside the box was none other than a pair of earrings. Long, lily-of-the-valley-shaped earrings dangled beneath round platinum hoops.

 

“I’m glad you seem to like them. I had an artisan make them in advance for this day.”

 

“In advance?”

 

“Ever since I learned of your existence.”

 

His words were calm, but Shailoh’s nose tingled with emotion. She was a younger sister whose face he had never even seen before. And yet, despite being his half-sister with a different mother, Declen sincerely thought of her, cherished her, and cared for her dearly.

 

“Thank you… I never expected you to go this far for me.”

 

“You didn’t? Isn’t that only natural?”

 

Shailoh’s eyes grew moist as emotion welled up inside her.

 

Declen reached out and wiped away her tears with his index finger. “I was alone for a long time. Of course, Rohan was here, and Kianan was by my side as well. But I didn’t have a single family member related to me by blood. Father wasn’t a particularly affectionate man when he was alive either. And my mother died young.”

 

“Brother…”

 

“Though it was late, I was genuinely happy when I learned of your existence. I thought that, at last, I had someone with whom I could rely on each other from now on.” Declen spoke gently as he quietly looked down at Shailoh, who had lowered her eyes.

 

Although Declen didn’t welcome Caleb’s presence, there was one reason he somewhat liked having him around. At least with a man like that by Shailoh’s side, there would be no one who would dare think of proposing to her.

 

In Declen’s eyes, his delicate younger sister before him was beautiful and timid. Yet she also had a strong core, and when she truly felt something was unacceptable, she was capable of boldly expressing her own opinion. There were plenty of men anywhere who would desire such a woman. Even knowing that she was his noble younger sister.

 

Kianan was no different. Though he pretended otherwise, Declen had vaguely realized that the two of them had actually made a contract. That was also why he had left them alone. However, judging from the emotions that occasionally appeared in Kianan’s eyes, it was clear that he, too, basically had feelings of affection for Shailoh. Though, unfortunately, things had gone awry that very day, and Caleb had boldly taken his place at Shailoh’s side.

 

“Your Grace.”

 

While Declen was lost in thought, someone knocked on the door and called for him from outside. Turning around, Declen’s smile from moments before vanished, and he spoke coldly. “What is it? I told you not to disturb me.”

 

“It’s urgent.”

 

“…Haa.” Declen let out a low sigh and rose from his seat.

 

Shailoh quickly stood as well and thanked him. “Thank you for the gift. I’ll do my best on the day of the festival.”

 

“You’re welcome. Then I’ll look forward to it.”

 

Instead of answering, Shailoh simply nodded and saw her brother off from where she stood.

 

* * *

Time passed like flowing water, and before she knew it, the morning of the festival had arrived.

 

“You simply need to do as I told you, Milady.” The old woman, who had been in charge of the festival for decades, reminded her once again. “You will sprinkle holy water on those who pray for the Goddess’s blessing from the palanquin and receive the flowers and coins that are thrown toward you. But you must never be startled, nor should you attempt to stand up from the palanquin. It would not only be unbecoming of the Goddess, but it could also be dangerous for the workers carrying the palanquin. They even work with their faces covered by white robes, with only their eyes visible, because they are afraid that any impurity might befall the Goddess. So please be careful.”

 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Shailoh could not ruin a tradition that had continued for so long during her generation. Resolving herself to that, she nodded and climbed onto the palanquin with assistance.

 

The beautifully decorated palanquin was adorned with white and yellow daffodils, pale pink cyclamens, poinsettias, and other flowers. It consisted of nothing more than a soft seat large enough for one person, a canopy hanging above it, and four long poles extending outward.

 

“Then we’ll depart.”

 

The workers who had been waiting while carrying the palanquin poles rose one after another simultaneously at the shouted command. Startled by the palanquin’s swaying, Shailoh gripped the chair’s armrest tightly.

 

After exchanging a glance with Declen, who was seeing her off beyond the gathered castle residents, Shailoh straightened her back and lifted her chest. At the signal, the workers began to move. As she passed the people of the territory, their eyes filled with anticipation.

 

Shailoh found herself looking around without realizing it. Someone who should definitely have been beside her was nowhere to be seen. Just as she began to find it strange, the palanquin suddenly stopped. Before she could ask what had happened, one of the palanquin bearers explained.

 

“There’s a large stone in front of us.”

 

“Ah.”

 

Just as she was about to ask someone to move it, a person on horseback came from behind the palanquin and moved toward the front. It was Caleb. He dismounted silently and diligently moved the stone out of the way.

 

Shailoh quietly looked down at him. It was nothing more than moving a stone, yet strangely, his profile looked careful and reverent. It was as if he were truly a follower who had come to clear an obstacle from the Goddess’s procession. However, she remained frozen like that only for a moment. The instant Caleb sensed her gaze and turned his head, Shailoh hurriedly looked away with a stiff expression.

 

“Let’s depart again.”

 

Caleb mounted his horse once more and moved aside. The lead palanquin bearer gave the command, and they set off again. As they began making their long circuit around the inner castle, the people of the territory who had been waiting along the way shouted every few paces.

 

“Please look this way!”

 

“Please bless me as well!”

 

“Please let me stay healthy throughout this year!”

 

Shailoh dipped her hands into the holy water she had prepared and began sprinkling it over the people’s heads. Eventually, after completing a circuit of the inner castle, the palanquin moved outside the outer castle. Since the outer castle was much larger than the inner castle, people were already lined up along the road, waiting for the procession just as they had when Shailoh first entered the territory.

 

“There it comes!”

 

The moment the massive gates opened, someone who had been anxiously waiting for the palanquin shouted. At the same time, cheers and cries loud enough to make her ears ring poured forth.

 

“Please bless us!”

 

“Us too! Please sprinkle us with holy water!”

 

Throwing the flowers and coins they had prepared, the people of the territory all shouted in unison. Just as she had in the inner castle, Shailoh dipped her hands in holy water and sprinkled it toward them. By the time they had made half a circuit, her lap was already filled with flowers.

 

Shailoh quietly swept her gaze over the people of the territory she had come to cherish. Had about an hour passed? Sitting on the swaying palanquin, endlessly waving her hand and sprinkling holy water was exhausting, but seeing the people themselves becoming happy because of it made her feel not the slightest bit tired. She was more worried about the palanquin bearers, who had been working continuously without rest.

 

When the people’s cheers died down a little, Shailoh called out loudly. “Aren’t you tired?”

 

“We’re fine. It’s rewarding work.”

 

“We’re fine!”

 

“You’re quite light.”

 

The palanquin bearers answered with hearty laughter the moment she asked, as though it were nothing at all. Relieved, Shailoh smiled faintly.

 

The palanquin completed the final half of the circuit and began heading back toward the inner castle, passing once more through the people who had come to see her off. The massive gates opened, and the people of the castle waiting inside smiled as they welcomed Shailoh back after she had safely fulfilled her role.

 

“Uugh!”

 

Along with a palanquin bearer’s groan, the palanquin tilted to one side. At the same time, Shailoh stumbled and instinctively barely managed to grab the armrest of the chair.

 

“Sasha!”

 

Just as the tilted palanquin was about to collapse completely, Shailoh instinctively grasped the hand that reached out to her and entrusted her body to it. Caleb effortlessly pulled Shailoh up and seated her in front of his saddle. Almost simultaneously, the palanquin, which had tilted and lost its balance, crashed down with a heavy thud and shattered. Startled, Shailoh took a few shocked breaths. Before anyone could even draw another breath, the people who had frozen while watching the accident rushed forward after confirming Shailoh was safe, then went to check on the injured palanquin bearers.

 

That was when it happened. Several men threw off their robes and charged at Caleb and Shailoh. With a shout, killing intent came flying toward them. Caleb quickly dismounted, drew the weapon he had concealed, and confronted the attackers rushing toward them. Every one of the intruders had the same tattoo engraved on their cheeks.

 

“Die!”