I approached Killian as closely as possible.

Killian, with a build similar to Edan. When he lowered his eyes with a sneer, he looked even more like Edan.

“Looks like you’ve made your decision?”

“Your Highness.”

I threw the oath and pen on the floor. The smile instantly vanished from Killian’s eyes.

“What are you doing?”

A low voice filled with displeasure. Normally, I would have wanted to turn away in fear, but having resolved myself for everything, I felt no fear now.

I opened my hand to reveal the powdered butterfly leaf.

“Whether you believe it or not is up to you, Your Highness, but I think you should know the truth. This is a leaf called butterfly leaf. As you can see, ordinary people like me have no reaction when touched.”

“So what? If you’re trying to buy time with useless things…”

“However.”

I cut him off and raised my head to meet Killian’s red eyes.

“When it touches a witch, it causes a rash.”

Killian’s eyes narrowed.

“I don’t understand what you’re trying to do. What do you want me to do with this? Are you trying to say you’re not a witch?”

It seems the position of Crown Prince isn’t for just anyone. Though his gaze only sharpened slightly, I felt pressured to confess everything honestly.

Just then, I heard Ivy’s impatient voice and hurried footsteps from behind me.

“Latieana! What are you doing?”

Killian’s gaze shifted to Ivy approaching from behind, then fixed back on me.

“A conversation without intention or amusement. Let’s stop wasting time.”

“No. Watch carefully.”

I turned away from Killian.

“Who the witch is.”

Ivy, who had quickly approached, was right behind me. I threw what I had been tightly gripping in my fist at Ivy’s face.

“What are you…”

Ivy’s eyes widened in surprise, but it was already too late.

The shattered butterfly leaf turned into fine powder and stuck to Ivy like a magnet.

On her cheeks, neck, and shoulders. The butterfly leaf turned into a sticky liquid upon touching Ivy’s skin.

Ivy tried to brush it off, but no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn’t come off. And soon.

“Kyaaaah!”

Ivy, who screamed sharply, collapsed to the ground.

White smoke began to rise from the skin where the butterfly leaf had touched, and a red rash started to appear.

“Aaaagh!”

Screaming irritably, Ivy began to scratch her face and neck mercilessly with her nails.

“Aaaagh! Agh! Aagh!”

“Holy Maiden!”

As Ivy thrashed about on the grass, ruining her white dress and clawing at herself like a madwoman, the holy knights rushed towards her, and I stepped back a few paces.

“Aaaagh! Aaaagh!”

Damn. Was the butterfly leaf this powerful?

The book only mentioned it causing a rash, so I didn’t know the effect would be this strong.

In this situation, it’s rather advantageous for me.

Red spots were rapidly covering Ivy’s entire body as if she had touched a toxic substance.

Her once beautiful skin changed hideously in an instant, as if contaminated, even creating swollen blisters.

Then pop! One of the largest blisters on her cheek burst like a soap bubble. And bright yellow liquid oozed from the wound.

Ugh. It’s beyond disgusting, it’s hideous.

I covered my mouth and stepped back further.

“Kuh, kuheeogh! Aaaagh!”

Ivy let out screams close to howls, losing her senses and scratching her body frantically.

That’s when a heavy bass voice pierced my ears.

“Latieana Merigold.”

Though the tone was monotonous, it was a chilling voice filled with anger. I looked up and met Killian’s eyes.

Killian, with veins popping on his forehead, approached me in just two steps despite the considerable distance and grabbed my throat.

“Ugh…!”

“You dare to touch the Empire’s Holy Maiden?”

This is really annoying. Killian, I already explained everything!

Don’t you find it strange that the leaf was fine in my hand but caused this when it touched Ivy?

I didn’t expect him to believe me easily, but even after showing this, Killian was still on Ivy’s side.

Overwhelmed by sadness, tears filled my tightly shut eyes.

“Lady Latieana!”

As my feet slowly lifted off the ground, Maxium, who was being held by knights in the distance, called out to me in a trembling voice.

I grabbed Killian’s wrist that was choking my neck with both my shaking hands.

And quickly manifested my healing power.

The pinkish healing power that manifested glowed brightly like condensed small stars.

“Ha.”

Killian, who seemed to wince at the strong light intensity, let out a mocking laugh.

“Trying some petty trick? Did you think this would work on me, who’s receiving the Holy Maiden’s healing?”

Killian tightened his grip even more, and at that moment, I let my healing power flow directly into his body.

Edan said my healing power completely eliminated his headache. With Killian, who has fewer side effects from his ability, even a small amount of healing power should be effective.

The pink light quickly seeped through his hand.

Then, as if surprised, I felt Killian’s hand loosen.

“…!”

The healing power traveled up his arm and completely disappeared into his chest. Then Killian’s hand choking my neck released.

“Cough!”

With my feet touching the ground, I took a deep breath and coughed, slowly raising my head.

“How on earth…?”

In an instant, Killian’s eyes had changed. Just like Dante and Hillstain had before. But his gaze was much more confused than those two.

As Killian was about to open his mouth, Ivy’s ear-piercing voice echoed all around.

“Latieana! How dare you do this to me! Aaaagh! Aagh!”

In just a moment, Ivy’s appearance had completely changed, and she was now standing up, swaying and covering her face.

Even the holy knights couldn’t bring themselves to touch her, transformed into a monster-like state.

“Sob, sniff. Ugh sob. Lord Killian…”

Ivy reached out her red and swollen hand towards Killian.

But Killian was more interested in me than Ivy. The moment Killian’s gaze, which had briefly turned to Ivy, persistently returned to me.

“Holy Maiden!”

An old man with a long white beard was striding towards the center of the garden.

Belatedly appearing, he wore a long hat with golden patterns, clearly identifiable as the High Priest to anyone who saw him.

As he appeared, Ivy began to cry even more pitifully.

“Hi, High Priest. Please help me… Sob!”

The High Priest, with a darkened expression, shouted at the holy knights.

“What are you all doing! Quickly attend to the Holy Maiden!”

“Yes!”

The knights, who had been in a daze, hurriedly supported Ivy.

As Ivy moved a little away from me, the High Priest, without even greeting Killian, immediately asked about the situation.

“Your Highness. What is this commotion at dawn!”

I stared at the High Priest with skin so white it was almost pale.

The one who finds and manages the healing power of Holy Maiden candidates.

In the Empire where ability users are essential, he was one of the most powerful figures. After all, without Holy Maidens, ability users would constantly suffer from side effects. But he’s facing the Crown Prince. Is he crazy? Killian is the future Emperor, isn’t he?

“That’s what I want to ask.”

“What do you mean!”

Killian’s gaze, which had been fixed on me, shifted to the High Priest.

“Ivy, the Holy Maiden, is suspected of being a witch. Do you know anything about this?”

“Wh… What nonsense is this! The Holy Maiden, a witch! Who would dare to conspire…”

The High Priest’s gaze naturally turned to me, and at that moment, Killian spoke to him again.

“Answer me. Depending on your response, you may be charged with insulting the Imperial Family.”

“Charged? How can the Holy Maiden be a witch? I don’t know what this woman did, but it’s not true. When the Holy Maiden was appointed, twelve priests gathered to confirm her power!”

“Then how would you explain that?”

The High Priest’s gaze turned to Ivy. The itching seemed to have subsided, but Ivy’s skin continued to form blisters and burst with yellow pus.

“She became like that from something called butterfly leaf, which is said to discern witches.”

“Bu, butterfly leaf?”

Apparently, the High Priest knew about butterfly leaf.

For a moment, the High Priest furrowed his brow and glared at me fiercely as he continued.

“Are you certain that’s butterfly leaf! She’s been the Holy Maiden protecting the temple for ability users for a year! How can you trust the words of this woman of unknown background!”

He was completely on Ivy’s side. I recalled Maxium’s words that I had overheard briefly before. He said the High Priest benefited the most from Ivy becoming the Holy Maiden, and it seems that wasn’t wrong. He clearly knows about butterfly leaf, yet he still protects Ivy like this… He must be rotten to the core.

“I saw it!”

Killian, the High Priest, and I all turned our heads simultaneously towards the owner of the voice. It was Maxium.

“High Priest! I saw it! The Holy Maiden, no, that witch absorbed the healing power of the Holy Maiden candidates and turned them into mummies!”

At those words, the High Priest’s face contorted as he shouted loudly at Maxium.

“What nonsense is this! Priest! You, who should protect the Holy Maiden more than anyone as a member of the temple, how dare you!”

“But I saw it with my own eyes!”

“Priest! Watch your tongue!”

Listening to their conversation, Killian ordered his subordinates, the imperial knights standing by the temple wall.

“Bring the Holy Maiden before me.”

“Your Highness!”

The High Priest’s surprised voice grew louder, but Killian ignored him. Killian’s subordinates, their capes emblazoned with the imperial emblem fluttering, approached Ivy.

“No… No! Don’t touch me, any of you! You can’t!”

Black mist erupted from Ivy’s body.

Whoosh! The black energy that burst out like spilling sand pushed away the holy knights who were supporting her and even struck the approaching imperial knights.

“Don’t anyone touch my body. No one dares to touch me!”

Contrary to her clear shouting voice, Ivy’s skin was collapsing, oozing pus. The High Priest flinched at the shocking sight.

Ivy made the black mist even thicker and larger.

“Damn you, Latieanaaa! Die, die, die, die, die! How dare you! How dare you do this to me! How dare you!”

Ivy’s true nature, which only I had seen before, was being revealed.

With the whites of her eyes turning completely black and her voice becoming thick and splitting into three or four, she momentarily looked like a monster rather than a human.

Everything about her was unlike her usual self.

Ivy’s black mist grew so large that it covered the entire garden, which had been bright with light.

Then Ivy rushed straight towards me.

“I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you! Die! You trash of a girl! Die! Die right now before my eyes!”

That’s when it happened. The air between Ivy and me split vertically. In an instant, a portal opened, and a long, well-sharpened sword shot out, flying towards Ivy.