"I don't want to serve her."
"She brings bad luck."
"Yes, I heard she will turn into a psychopath when she grows up. Have you seen those red burning eyes?"
"She looks like a demoness when she becomes angry."
"The air around her reeks of blood."
The maids working at her palace whispered and talked about her behind her back. Every time she passed through the hallway, people would flinch and stay away from her.
Everyone avoided her except her sweet loving nanny who always stayed with her and assured her that everything she heard was false, asking her to ignore all this.
As far as Julian can remember, she was the closest person to her.
For the five-year-old Julian, the nanny's place was above her parents whom she rarely sees around.
Julian thought that her nanny would always be with her to take care of her. She will be with her irrespective of the situation and never abandon her.
However...
"Ahhhhhhhh!"
"Please save me."
"You should just die. You are a cursed child. Because of you, the children of servants are suffering from fever and my precious child died."
A maid sobbing pitifully pushed Julian into the lake wanting to kill her by drowning.
A rumour that she brings misfortune to those around her had been spread everywhere.No, one knew the authenticity of the rumour but one day, the children and servants working there felt sick and out of those one maid who lost her son, pushed Julian into lake in an attempt to kill her and avenge her son.
Julian tried to swim and get out of the pool but she wasn't able to. She didn't know how to swim and for her, the little water was too deep.
She wept and begged the maid to save her. She even apologised for hurting someone mistakenly but the bloodthirsty maid didn't listen to her.
The maids who were around the place just turned a blind eye to her and even prayed for her to die.
In their opinion, she is just an unfavourable Princess whose death wouldn't impact them in any way.
Julian thought she would die that day however his Third brother who visited her saw this and rushed forward to save her.
After that, Julian passed out for three days and suffered from a high fever.
On getting up, the first person she looked for was her nanny but contrary to her expectations, she found her missing.
After searching around frantically, she found that she was imprisoned and from her Third brother, she came to know that it was her who spread all the rumours.
"I can't believe this."
"She can't do this. She is innocent, you all are framing her."Julian screamed and refuted the claims but no matter how much she refuted, the truth was before her.
The nanny spread rumours so that she can use this opportunity to get closer to Julian by coaxing and supporting her. However, as the rumours went on, they became uncontrolled and way exaggerated.
Since Julian never spoke out nor the nanny reprimanded anyone, it went on.
During that time, her Father and elder brother were busy with matters regarding the war while her mother was away taking care of foreign diplomats so none of them were even aware of this.
According to the investigation, the reason why everyone fell sick was also due to the nanny. She cut the food budget and purchased cheap expired and rotten food that causes stomach aches.
The maids sometimes take the leftover food home and due to this, their family members feel sick. Unfortunately, the son of the maid had already been suffering from a disease and passed out due to food poisoning.
In order to cover up her fault she tried to shift the attention towards Julian by painting her as a cursed child who brings around misfortune.
Moreover, she and her family had been embezzling funds and filling their chest in the name of Julian's needs.
This betrayal broke her heart and she cried for days, unable to overcome her grief. Seeing her sorry state, her parents were also guilty as it was also their fault for ignoring her.
In fact, out of the people, the gardener of the place feeling something amiss, informed the Third Prince guards otherwise that day she might have died for real.
The Emperor and Empress were furious, learning all this and immediately executed the evildoers and imprisoned those who dared to spread rumours washing the entire capital in blood.
After that, her parents tried to repent by mending their relationship.
But it was too late.
Julian blamed herself for being too naive. It was her fault for trusting a person naively and from then on,she hardened her head.
Expectations hurt.
Just because of some mere rumours, people isolated her and refused to save her. This was ridiculous and unbelievable but that's how the human heart works.
People don't spread rumours to warn others, rather they enjoy themselves while speaking about other misfortunes.
In spite of this,she suffered another betrayal from one of her maid who was in cahoots with Silver Knight Empire that tried to pass her information and created an opportunity for Second Prince of Silverknight to force her to agree to the engagement
After that incident, she completely closed her heart and started hating the people who try to take benefit of her.
She promised herself that until she can make sure that the person is worthy of her trust she wouldn't place her trust in that person.
Till now, except for his parents, she only trusts his third brother and Ami.
She didn't even trust her other two brothers because she knows that people who run for power are often blinded by it and she didn't want to suffer that stabbing feeling of betrayal, especially from someone belonging to her family.
She believed that her method of testing others was correct, however remembering that pained gaze, her heart wrenched.
Julian felt terrible and sickening.
Those gazes looked as if he had trusted her but she betrayed his trust by testing her.
Julian had many tricks under her sleeve and was always prepared for any plausible danger. She had a barrier that could shield the attack of 9-Star and high-level golems to defend herself in her helpless state.
She first relayed some information to Lucas and dropped some hints.
If he was a traitor, he would have disclosed Saintess location and passed it to them.
There was also a plan to see how he acted when sent to help her.
Everything went on until she succumbed to her inner fear and Lucas found out about all of this.
For her who tests another person, she should act like a person capable of carrying out the trust placed in her.
'I pushed him too much. I let my insecurities blind me. I should have just kept my guard around him instead of testing him in such a drastic way that almost put his life in danger.'
It wouldn't matter if this was a small issue but the situation was quite precarious that he might have lost his life.
It may not look like a big thing from her side but the person who was tested might feel hurt and helplessly think that he can gain the other party's trust only by risking his life.
From the vision, she saw that when she lost everything, the guy who looked like an older version of Lucas stayed with her.
If it was really Lucas,then she might have made a mistake.
Moreover, Lucas was the first person who eased her pain and showed her a way to relieve her pain.
'I should apologise.'
"Your Highness, I think you should also take part in the blessing ceremony."
Julian snapped out of her thought, and looked at the Priest who asked her to partake with others.
"I shouldn't. It's a reward for them and as for me, I have already gone through many."Julian refused politely and veered her gaze towards the platform where 10 individuals climbed up.
Walking up, Lucas felt a pair of eyes from behind. On turning around, his eyes met with Julian who was staring at him with an indiscernible expression.
Lucas averted his gaze immediately, feeling a bit uncomfortable.
'Haaa!'
It was just an act. An act to force Julian to trust her easily. In fact, she didn't do anything wrong.
Lucas wanted her unconditional trust where she would stand with him even if the world blames him as who knows when someone acts against him and frames him.
Since Julian was in her weakest state, Lucas decided to strike the nail and make her feel that he didn't like it.
In this way, Julian would start trusting her more.
However, things became way more serious than he imagined.
Which superior doesn't mistrust his subordinate loyalty? And if compared, he was way worse as he forced his people to sign a mana contract so that they couldn't betray him.
But he failed to note that people who have problems trusting others, can do everything once they trust the person as they fear losing that person's trust.
And in a way, Julian's orders helped him to stay alive and get out safely. If he was a traitor, then it would be another matter but he wasn't.
He understands that, still he wasn't able to sway this uncomfortable feeling stabbing his heart.
He didn't know the reason but the moment he saw Julian about to commit self-harm, something inside him cracked.
It was an odd feeling. He felt really angry.
Angry at her, for stupidly acting as bait to test him.Anything bad might have happened if he didn't have that Cross.
Lucas sighed at his predicament.
'Either I am a great actor that had been too immersed in the roleplay of acting hurt or staying with Julian, had already started affecting me.'
Lucas's thoughts didn't linger as they were asked to kneel before Luna to receive the blessing who stood before them, joining her hands and closing her eyes.
After a brief silence, Luna opened her lips.
A warm melodious voice emerged from her lips and a sweet melodious song rang in everyone's ears.
A gentle beam from the weary eyes,
Piercing the dark valley unfolds its radiant wings.
The stone falling from the gnawed wall of life becomes rubble of yesterday paving the way for the glorious tomorrow made on your beliefs.
At the end of this never-ending sunlight.
Blessed are the ones who will sprout in the bitter winter night.
May the sun, lit the path you take and honour you so that you don't wither when it sets.
"Immanuel!"
A warm fuzzy bright light emerged from Luna's body. A golden halo appeared over the head and the luminous wave spread around covering the entire prayer hall.
Sonorous chimes of angelic melody whispered in everyone's ears as if suggesting that heaven was witnessing the ceremony.
When the light receded, a small orb of Golden light hovered above everyone's head. Rotating in the circular path for a few moments, it burst and then entered into their body.
"This ends the blessing ceremony. May peace be with all of you as you forge your way, leaving a mark in the History of the world."
"Amen!''
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