I'm Terminal Anyway, No Regrets - Chapter 34

The place where I discovered how to use my flower was the temple.

With the flower, I could go anywhere, and Beltoa was also unnecessary.

I had to create flowers while listening to the priest’s prayers.

At first, it was gentle persuasion, but soon it turned into coercion and violence.

“This was the meaning of Lagras sending the princess to earth. Complete independence for Duke Haiman and the temple.”

“Now, repay the grace of God. Quickly manifest the blessed flowers.”

“No……”

What used to be effortless became painful after being forced to make them dozens and hundreds of times.

The ugly greed knew no bounds, and even mountains of flowers were not enough to satisfy.

“Pain disappears when you concentrate. Feeling pain means the princess is not praying sincerely. Surrender yourself to Lagras. Everything about the princess is God’s will.”

Except for sleeping, eating, and brief rest periods, I had to create flowers while listening to hymns and priests’ prayers.

They wouldn’t listen when I said no. As Duke Haiman’s reign began, the temple’s power grew, and refusing the priest’s words meant being branded a heretic and punished.

It was a time too terrible to be described as just horrible.

“More, even more!”

“Ormia! More!”

I could feel myself breaking. The priests and duke knew, but they made me create even more flowers.

“Ah! The flowers!”

“Ormia! What are you doing on this holy day!”

“Stop it right now!”

Startled by the sporadic murmurs, I raised my head. White flowers were falling all around me.

The flowers scattered in the wind.

The people of Glisia stepped back in unison, lest they touch the flowers. Even the attendants retreated in shock, creating an empty space around me.

The hymn stopped, and even the high priest forgot his blessing and moved away from me.

“Princess.”

Only then did I see the pale faces of the people as a large hand gripped my arm.

My flowers.

The small, beautiful flowers used by Duke Haiman’s power. Pitifully exploited.

“No.”

I reached out toward the falling petals.

“I don’t want this.”

The flowers disappeared in my clenched hand.

And all the flowers in my sight. Perhaps even my flowers somewhere in Glisia.

“Huh?”

“The princess’s flowers?”

May no trace of me remain in this land, in this country.

It’s the fourth life, but in terms of time, it’s a memory from just a few years ago. Even if worn and dulled, it suddenly came back to life.

I opened my eyes while cradling my clenched hand in front of my chest.

The murmuring voices of people brought me back to reality.

“Princess, are you alright? You look pale.”

“Princess?”

‘Let’s leave quickly.’

I bowed, holding the hem of my dress, towards the people who had come to see me off.

I bid farewell to this land I would never return to.

‘Goodbye, country that abandoned me.’

“Depart!”

And so, I finally left the capital of Glisia, escorted by the imperial delegation.

* * *

The carriage carrying Ormia in the imperial delegation set off. Soldiers were stationed along the main road to the city gate.

They protected Leticia and sent off Ormia. But the expressions of the royals and dukes returning to the royal palace were not bright.

With a serious expression, Duke Haiman asked Caland.

“Could the Princess Ormia make the flowers disappear?”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen it.”

Duke Bersi, who was listening, interjected.

“There were no such reports.”

“Are you saying the princess has been hiding it all this time?”

“The princess rarely revealed her flowers in front of others.”

“What’s the use of seeing it? It’s just ominous.”

Alian dismissed their conversation lightly.

Just then, Duke Bersi’s aide approached with hurried steps.

“I apologize. We received an urgent message from the mansion.”

There shouldn’t be such urgent contact from the mansion. Thinking it was an exaggeration, Duke Bersi stepped away from the group.

At the aide’s quiet report, the cold duke’s eyes widened.

“Sir Edward was researching Princess Ormia’s flowers when they suddenly disappeared. But at that moment, the blessing seeped into Sir Edward.”

Edward is Duke Bersi’s youngest brother.

He didn’t get along well with the second prince Alian, and out of pride, he refused to receive the blessing, enduring the pain intact.

So he was very interested in the Wilboyer family who went to the empire and led the research on alternatives to replace the blessing.

The aide emphasized again.

“Princess Ormia’s flowers turned into a blessing. According to Sir Edward, it’s quite strong.”

At that moment, Duke Bersi recalled the moment when Ormia’s scattered flowers disappeared.

He had moved away from the flower petals in sync with others, so there was quite a distance.

They disappeared with a dim light, and he didn’t feel any change in his body.

“No way.”

The hair all over his body stood on end. A chill ran through him.

Just then, a priest rushed to the king.

“Your Majesty, the princess’s flowers kept in the temple have disappeared.”

When he turned his head, Duke Balman was reading an urgent message from the messenger bird.

Duke Balman showed the urgent message to Duke Haiman. Duke Haiman turned to look at Duke Bersi in surprise.

The expression disappeared from Duke Haiman’s face, which had never lost its composure.

“Princess Ormia, could she……”

The dukes who needed the blessing the most realized first.

‘Princess Ormia has the blessing?’

* * *

The delegation formed a line, mounted their horses, and took the lead.

Next was the carriage carrying Ormia, followed by the entourage and baggage carts, and finally the knights escorting them to the city gate.

Liam glanced back to check on the Glisian knights.

Ormia’s flowers had disappeared.

Liam, who was close by at that time, felt the blessing seeping into his body.

At that moment, he watched the dukes.

There was no change other than the surprise that the flowers had disappeared, but it wasn’t a situation to be relieved about.

Liam rode his horse next to the carriage.

Ormia was waiting for him without closing the window. She looked dejected, like a child who had done something wrong.

“I’m sorry.”

Liam wasn’t angry. When the high priest’s blessing began, Ormia turned pale as if drained of blood.

While he was contemplating whether to stop the prayer, suddenly white flowers scattered.

It was like a scream.

To him, it felt like Ormia’s signal for help.

“Did they feel it too?”

“There was distance, so there was no effect. But all the flowers in Glisia might have disappeared. The temple was keeping flowers, and they probably disappeared. A report will come in soon.”

“Is it a matter of how quickly they acknowledge the princess’s blessing?”

“I’ve been a denial of God all this time. They won’t easily accept it.”

“No, we need to hurry.”

Ormia’s eyes widened, and Liam’s lips curled up despite the tense situation. She who had acted like she knew everything about the world now looked her age.

‘She’s only twenty now.’

“Because the princess is heading to the empire.”

“Ah.”

“Even the possibility of having a blessing would make them want to catch the princess.”

Ormia’s eyes trembled as she swallowed.

The abyss like a deep sea shook. Liam’s neck stiffened at her flustered expression.

Something in his chest felt uncomfortable.

It was a different feeling from when he first learned that Ormia had the blessing.

She wavered at his words.

Liam caught Ormia’s fallen hair.

The well-textured, lovely colored hair tickled his fingertips. He quickly withdrew his hand.

“Don’t worry. I never let go of what’s in my hands.”

His reflection showed in Ormia’s large eyes.

Liam rode his horse towards Marx at the front. Marx had been watching and smiled meaningfully.

“You said you’d go along with the act willingly, but were you serious?”

“The knights will be waiting at the fortress.”

“Yes, the cowards said they absolutely couldn’t let us in, so we agreed to meet outside the city gate.”

“Hurry. Increase the speed.”

“What?”

As Liam moved close to Marx to talk, Benjamin approached.

“Be careful not to look suspicious. Benjamin, send a message to depart immediately upon arrival.”

“Sir Liam?”

“Glisia might not let the princess go.”

Marx didn’t know the details of the situation but sensed the urgency.

“Is it because of the princess’s flowers? The ability to make flowers disappear wasn’t in the report. Benjamin.”

“Understood.”

Benjamin left his position to give orders to his subordinates. Led by the vanguard, the party’s speed increased.

Although Glisian soldiers were clearing the way for the imperial delegation to safely leave the capital, they could turn hostile and attack at any moment.

Liam stuck close behind Ormia’s carriage. His keen senses didn’t detect any killing intent yet.

His muscles tensed, not knowing when the situation might change.

‘I’ll run with just Princess Ormia if I have to.’

* * *

The carriage’s speed increased. The scenery rushed by quickly, but the carriage remained stable.

I clasped my hands together anxiously.

“Even the possibility of having a blessing would make them want to catch the princess.”

Just as Liam said.

In my second life, when the dukes learned of my power, they staged a rebellion to take the throne and monopolize me.

In my third life, the king confined me.

Suddenly overwhelmed by memories of the past, I unknowingly revealed my flowers and made them disappear in front of everyone. It was a mistake, but I had prepared for if they caught me.

‘How far will it work?’

As I watched the buildings quickly passing by outside the window, my anxious unease gradually faded.

The city walls began to appear beyond the building rooftops.

Beyond them stretched endless sky and land.

The forests, farmlands, and roads branching out in all directions that I had only seen from the high tower of the castle.

As the buildings lining the main road ended, a square appeared in front of the city walls. I unconsciously gripped the window frame.

The freedom that had been denied to me was there.

Numerous people were busily moving about to pass through the city gate. The faces of those coming and going overflowed with emotion.

I don’t know why I keep returning to life like this, but this will be the last time.

Suddenly the carriage stopped, and Liam looked back. Tension and wariness clouded his face.

At that moment, the atmosphere changed abruptly.

“Quickly to the city gate!”