The Witch of Paitan — Chapter 2

PRINCESS!

YOU'RE FINALLY AWAKE. DID YOU HAVE ANOTHER NIGHTMARE?

YEAH... YOU'RE NOT FEELING WELL AT ALL.

YOUR FEVER KEEPS GOING UP... YOU SHOULD AT LEAST TAKE SOME MEDICINE-

HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE THE CEREMONY TIME?

...IT'S BEEN TWO HOURS.

WHAT'S THE ATMOSPHERE LIKE IN THE GRAND CATHEDRAL?

THE GROOM, THE GRAND DUKE, HAS BEEN OUT OF CONTACT FOR TWO HOURS... SO IT'S NOT GREAT.

THE CROWN PRINCE AND THE CARDINAL ARE REMAINING IN THE GRAND CATHEDRAL, BUT HIS MAJESTY THE KING HAS LEFT...

CROW?

HELLO- 'PEPE'.

WHAT'S WITH THIS CROW ON A GOOD DAY!

COULD IT BE BECAUSE OF THAT RUMOR?

WHAT RUMOR?

THAT THE CROWN PRINCE AND I-

ARE MORE THAN JUST SIBLINGS...

PRINCESS...

ANYWAY! RUMORS ARE NEVER ANYTHING GOOD!

THE GRAND DUKE IS FULL OF BAD RUMORS JUST LIKE THAT, TOO!

ONE PROTECTED BY A WITCH.

WAR MANIAC.

THEY SAY HE HAS A HOBBY OF IMPALING AND KILLING ENEMY SOLDIERS WITH A LONGSWORD!

THERE ARE EVEN RUMORS THAT HE ONLY LIKES WOMEN WITH BLACK HAIR!

PRINCESS! PRINCESS!

WHAT IS IT?

R-RIGHT NOW!

THE GRAND DUKE HAS ARRIVED!

ABOUT THAT RUMOR, PRINCESS.

SINCE THEY SAY THE GRAND DUKE IS NO ORDINARY MAN, HE SURELY KNOWS.

BUT IF HE HAS EARS...

HE MUST HAVE ALSO HEARD THE RUMOR THAT YOU ARE THE KINGDOM'S GREATEST BEAUTY WITH A KIND NATURE!

I GUARANTEE IT!

ELISE...

SO LETTING THIS MARRIAGE-

GR-GRAND DUKE CARLOS!

MY APOLOGIES FOR THE LATE GREETING, PRINCESS.

I CAN'T SEE HIS FACE WELL BECAUSE OF THE VEIL...

PLEASE FORGIVE MY RUDENESS...

PRINCESS!!

GRAND-

DON'T BLAME ME FOR BEING LATE.

JUST COMING THIS FAR IS... A RELIEF.

WE HAVE ARRIVED, YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS THE CROWN PRINCE.

YOU'RE LATE.

FROM HERE, AS HER BROTHER, I HAVE TO TAKE MARGARITA'S HAND AND ENTER, SO...

GR-GRAND DUKE CARLOS HAS COME.

A GROOM WHO IS TWO HOURS LATE TO HIS OWN WEDDING CEREMONY, DOES THIS MAKE ANY SENSE?

THEN- WHY ISN'T THE PRINCESS ENTERING HAND-IN-HAND WITH THE CROWN PRINCE?

IT MUST BE SOMETHING THE GRAND DUKE DID!

SAVAGE NORTHERNER!

IT'S SUFFOCATING...

I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MY MEDICINE...

MY BODY IS-WAY TOO HOT...

YOU LOOK SICK.

DON'T LET GO OF MY ARM, HOLD ON TIGHT.

I JUST HAVE TO HOLD ON UNTIL THE OATH.

PLACE YOUR HAND ON THE BIBLE...

DOES GRAND DUKE CARLOS HANNIBAL TAKE PRINCESS MARGARITA EMANUEL FELIPE AS HIS WIFE,

AND SWEAR BEFORE GOD TO LOVE AND DEVOTE HIMSELF TO HER?

I DO.

DOES PRINCESS MARGARITA EMANUEL FELIPE-

TAKE GRAND DUKE CARLOS HANNIBAL AS HER HUSBAND...

AND SWEAR TO LOVE AND DEVOTE HERSELF TO HIM?

MARGARITA, MY DAUGHTER-

THE POLITICAL MARRIAGE BETWEEN YOU AND THE HANNIBAL LORD... WAS A CONDITION I PERSONALLY PUT FORWARD.

YOU ARE NOT MARRYING FOR THE RECONCILIATION OF THE TWO COUNTRIES.

YOU, FOR THE KINGDOM...

ARE MARRYING CARLOS.

YES.

WITH THIS, THE TWO OF YOU!

HAVE SWORN LOVE AND DEVOTION!

NOW, FACE EACH OTHER—!

DEEPLY SUNKEN EYES BENEATH GLOWING SILVER HAIR—

GLEAMING BLUE-GRAY PUPILS...

AND—

THE SMELL OF BLOOD AND IRON BRUSHING AGAINST THE TIP OF THE NOSE.

THIS MAN... IS NOW BECOMING MY HUSBAND—

YOU MAY KISS-

BREATH,

MY BREATH!

I WANT TO DANCE...

FROM LONG AGO—

LIKE THAT DAY...

FREELY...