BXBX NOVEL Chapter 160
She grinned like a mischievous child when her eyes met the bystanders.
“Look at that! The sky——”
Monsters following her screeched in the sky.
The one-eyed crow, which symbolized death, and the white-eyed bats, which brought misfortune, led the aerial group.
Glancing at the heavens, the woman muttered something as if she was greeting them.
“What kind of woman is that?”
“The empire is full of evil things. I wouldn’t be surprised if I saw little winged monkeys around.”
“Looking at the size of her horse, it must be true that she had defeated the crown prince.”
Unlike Paris, who gritted his teeth at the people’s musings, the woman seemed to enjoy all of this.
* * *
“Come forward.” The emperor commanded as he sat on his high throne.
Apollonia came forward a bit farther from him and stood there in silence.
She also greeted Seta, who sat next to the emperor, with her eyes.
Petra, who had always taken the seat next to the emperor until a few years ago, was surprisingly standing next to Seta.
The emperor’s trust in his younger sister remained unchanged, but all his affection seemed to be pouring into his new maid.
It was time to praise Paris, Caelion, Uriel, and others who contributed significantly during the war.
Of course, Paris was given the most excellent credit, but the people’s attention was unknowingly directed at Caelion and Uriel.
As the three main characters walked together in front of the emperor, Apollonia’s eyes swept through the Caelion.
In five years, he had grown about the same height as Uriel.
His once gentle and clear gaze was now sharp, overwhelming the crowd.
Unlike Uriel, who looked more like an angel than a knight at first glance due to his delicate and beautiful image, Caelion appeared more like a solid warrior.
Although he didn’t resemble his appearance, Caelion’s energy was strangely similar to Pascal III.
His archery skills also played a part in his presence.
If he was one of the best noble swordsmen alive, he was also a monster, as Pascal III once did.
With the help of Uriel, Caelion endured countless battles, wars, and assassination attempts, which only made him stronger every time.
As a result, Caelion still survived even if the Emperor and Petra tried to kill them.
Now, he was given the nickname ‘The Immortal.’
He moved like a shadow and created a strange pair with Uriel, who was called ‘The Assasin’ for slaying his assassins and enemies in an instant.
“The Empire will remember you.”
The Emperor praised them in a few words.
“Bring the prisoners.”
A massive door opened across the throne, and Rajan’s royal daughter got dragged out.
She showed some displeasure, shaking off the soldiers holding her arms, but she seemed relaxed for a prisoner.
Apollonia saw her for the first time.
Her dark chocolate hair, healthy copper skin, so unlike the pale aristocrats in the Capital, long limbs, and imposing countenance reminded her of wild leopards.
“She is Princess Evangeline Riette of Rajan Kingdom.”
The servant next to the emperor whispered the prisoner’s name.
Apollonia heard her name for the first time.
The holy name didn’t suit her at all.
“Witch of the East. Raise your head.” The Emperor commanded.
Evangeline raised her eyes and looked straight at him.
“Is it true that you can tame a ‘prionix’?”
The giant winged horse she brought here was called a ‘prionix’.
It was hard to find one on this continent, so people assumed it was just a legend.
Now, its existence had caught everyone’s attention.
“Well, I befriended Priya rather than taming it,”
Evangeline answered in jest as she looked the emperor straight in the eye.
She was utterly undeterred by the chains that kept her bound.
“You don’t need to play with words. To approach that kind of beast, overwhelming him with your control is the same as taming him.”
The emperor answered flatly as if that would encourage her to be more serious.
Evangeline merely shrugged her shoulders and replied.
“Do you think so?”
“It’s not a matter of thought.”
“Then…”
One corner of Evangeline’s mouth curled up, her reddish-brown eyes twinkling.
“Then, Priya must have tamed the Crown Prince. He bumped into Priya and fell out of his mind.” She said, her chin pointing at the horse she had ridden.
That one word brought a momentary silence.
Various emotions, such as anger, surprise, and tension, filled the people who surrounded her.
The Witch of the East must be insane.
Eyes widening in surprise, Apollonia examined the Emperor’s reaction.
“It appeared you still haven’t learned manners after becoming a chained spectacle at the victory march.”
“If that’s how you teach, then I understand it from your manners alone, Your Majesty.”
She didn’t lose an argument.
Instead, she tried her best always to have the last word as if this was her only opportunity to talk back to the Emperor.