Chapter 77

The people kneeling at the altar earlier as members of the "Wei" clan were actually Damon and his group, who had undergone disguise by Emory, as well as the shadow guards borrowed from Benedict. They had all cooperated to fake the identities.

Emory lived up to his reputation as a master of disguise. He could not only change his own appearance but also transform others so skillfully it was almost magical.

However, if only Damon and his people were sent, their inner strength, movements, and combat skills still couldn't fully match the real "Wei" clan. No matter how similar their appearance, they would be exposed if someone tested them. So Elara borrowed half of Benedict's shadow guards, whose abilities matched the Wei clan in every way, and mixed them into the team led by Damon. That way, if anyone probed, they could react instantly to cover and counterattack.

As soon as Elara finished speaking, "Tres," who had followed behind Damon, stepped forward and revealed his real face. He half-knelt before Elara and said,

"Princess, the Shi clan has cleaned up the back path. No one followed us." The one pretending to be Tres, who had killed one of Lord Gregory's guards at the altar, was actually Shi One: the leader of another secret guard force under the Plumera royal family, on par with Uno.

"Good. You've worked hard. After escorting them away, go back quickly."

"Yes."

The Shi clan's guards truly matched the Wei clan in strength and skill.

As soon as Shi One responded, all the other Shi members swiftly changed their clothes and began moving people down the mountain with remarkable efficiency.

Damon looked at Elara, relieved to see that her tone was steady and she showed no signs of serious injury or unconsciousness. He raised his hand to her and said,

"Princess, I'll take the team back now. Please stay safe..." Don't really get hurt.

He didn't finish that last sentence.

Given his current relationship with the princess, saying such a thing would be too personal.

Damon knelt briefly before Elara, then after she nodded, he looked at Uno who was holding Elara and the surrounding real Wei members. Without delay, he stood up, activated his light movement skills, and left down the back of the mountain.

In front of the altar,

Once the Wei clan brought Elara back, the imperial doctors summoned by Lord Gregory rushed forward to check her injuries.

But in such a public setting, with Uno refusing to let go of her no matter what, the doctors couldn't examine her wounds directly. They could only check her pulse and glance at her to confirm she was seriously injured. Then someone quietly reported the news to Lord Gregory.

Once he got the message and was sure she was badly hurt, he didn't press the matter further. He waved his hand and let the imperial doctors accompany the Wei guards to take Elara back to recover, while he stayed behind with Benedict, who was being forcibly restrained, to continue the unfinished ceremony.

Once Uno carried her into the carriage on the way back to the princess's residence, Elara finally let out a small breath. She knew the trouble caused by the ceremony was mostly resolved.

However, after pretending to be unconscious for a while longer, as the carriage left the royal temple and neared Plumera's capital, she actually passed out for real.

When she woke up again, the first thing she saw was the aged wooden beams of the ceiling in her bedroom at the princess's residence.

System 92's anxious voice and someone yelling outside the hall came at the same time.

[Master! You're finally awake! When you really passed out earlier, I was terrified!]

Elara could feel the heaviness and weakness in her limbs. As the yelling outside got louder, she said to the system,

[What happened to me?]

[Master, your body is too weak. It couldn't handle all the stress. You personally experienced two deadly fights since arriving at the royal temple. Then Captain Yang brought that incense. Even though you took the antidote Oswyn gave you ahead of time, your body couldn't adjust quickly like others. The battles and the poison pushed your body beyond its limits, and that's why you passed out.]

To reassure her, the system quickly added, [But don't worry. Your lifespan is tied to Plumera's national fate. I calculate it every second. Until the kingdom falls or the countdown ends, you won't die...]

But even if she wouldn't die, the pain wouldn't disappear. If she got seriously injured or poisoned, her weakened body would feel double the pain that normal people would.

That's why the system stayed nervous even though it knew she wouldn't die.

After coming to this world, Elara slowly gained control and prepared for everything. It seemed like nothing could overwhelm her. But she was still human. The system didn't want her to suffer more just because of a broken body and a chaotic, cruel situation. That would be too harsh.

Just as Elara finished hearing the system's explanation, the angry shouting outside reached her door.

She looked up and saw the tightly shut doors being pushed open from outside. Oswyn, furious, was dragged in by Uno, who was holding him by the neck.

"Let go of my neck!!! Uno!!! You dog following that horrible woman!! Let me go! Let go!!!"

"That woman never dies. She'd never end up hurt and unconscious. You expect me to believe that?! I'd rather change my surname to hers than believe it!"

Elara: "..."

Uno ignored Oswyn's shouting and quickly walked to her bedside. Seeing her awake, his always calm eyes flickered slightly, like a stone dropped into still water.

But before Elara could read the look in his eyes, Uno lowered his gaze and pushed Oswyn down to kneel in front of her. His voice was slightly hoarse.

"Princess, I failed. After you passed out, I made a decision on my own and went to the villa to bring back Master Oswyn."

"Bring?! You call that bringing?! Uno, how can you even say that?! I was treating a patient, and you didn't even ask—you just grabbed me! Kidnapped! Like a bandit! Look at me now! People would think I'm a prisoner!"

Uno ignored his angry shouting, still holding him steady, kneeling silently and waiting for Elara's punishment.

He didn't know why she fainted. He had held her the entire time, made sure nothing touched her, and the Wei contracts hadn't reacted either. But she collapsed right in his arms.

No matter what, as her shadow guard, it was his fault to let her faint in front of him.

He was ready to accept any punishment. But before that, he had to make sure she was awake and safe.

Elara once told him to always be alert toward Lord Gregory and anyone close to him. He kept those words in mind. So when the doctors sent by Lord Gregory arrived, Uno blocked them outside and ordered that no one was allowed in or out until she woke up. Only after that did he go to the villa and drag Oswyn back.

"You did well, Uno."

Elara smiled at him and didn't even look at Oswyn, who was still yelling. She pushed herself up.

But her face looked so pale that even with the system masking it, her weakness couldn't be hidden.

Oswyn, who had just been yelling again, suddenly went silent when he saw her condition. His brow furrowed. He shoved Uno's hand off, moved forward, pulled open the bed curtain, and grabbed Elara's wrist.

In the next second, the anger on his face vanished.

He stared at Elara, stunned and disbelieving. It was like he couldn't accept what her pulse was telling him.

He wanted to check again, but Elara weakly pulled her hand away. She didn't want him to keep checking.

Her body was unusual. If he noticed something wrong, it could be a problem.

But instead of giving up, Oswyn got even angrier when she pulled away.

He glared at her and raised his voice, "You! What the hell happened to you?! Your body... how could it be like this?!"

This woman! She always tormented others while living comfortably herself! How could she have such a terrible pulse?!

If he hadn't seen her sitting right there, Oswyn would have thought he was touching the pulse of someone about to die.

He had seen this kind of pulse many times since childhood, but never imagined this violent and ruthless woman—who always acted like a wild beast—would have such a dying pulse!

"What did you do recently?! Didn't you just get the antidote from me a few days ago?! How could you have ruined yourself like this in such a short time?!"

His voice was loud and sharp, so much so that it hurt Elara's ears.

She waited until he was done shouting, then lifted her hand to rub her ear. She leaned against the bed and looked at him with some confusion.

"I know my own body best. But what about you, Oswyn? I didn't hurt you. Why are you yelling like this?"

His mouth opened again, ready to curse at her like always. But when he heard her calm response, he suddenly froze. His face and body stiffened.

Right... this cruel woman had done this to herself. Shouldn't he be happy to see it?

Why... was he upset?