The Witch of Paitan — Chapter 3

I'M THIRSTY...

WATER...

MARGARITA...

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO DIE...

YOU'D BETTER FOLLOW RIGHT ALONG.

...A DREAM?

ARE YOU FEELING A BIT BETTER, PRINCESS?

NO... YOUR HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUCHESS, THIS IS HERBAL TEA TO SOOTHE HEADACHES.

...YEAH, THANKS, ELISE.

THE CROWN PRINCE IS LOOKING FOR YOU.

...OKAY.

...AND THE GRAND DUKE?

AH-HE LEFT IN A RUSH FOR PAITAN LAST NIGHT, THEY SAY A BATTLE BROKE OUT AT THE NORTHERN BORDER...

HA... I RUINED EVERYTHING...

PARDON? WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

I RUINED THE WEDDING, TOO... AND GOT ABANDONED BY MY GROOM ON OUR VERY FIRST NIGHT...!

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT...? I DON'T THINK YOU WERE ABANDONED, THOUGH?

WHAT?

THE GRAND DUKE STOPPED BY BRIEFLY LAST NIGHT.

HE TOLD ME TO POUR A GLASS OF WATER AND BRING IT FOR YOU TO DRINK.

IT WASN’T... A DREAM.

MARTA, MY LOVELY SISTER!

I WAS SO WORRIED-I'M RELIEVED TO SEE YOUR FACE LIKE THIS!

FOR CAUSING YOU WORRY... I APOLOGIZE, YOUR HIGHNESS.

WORRY? NONSENSE, YOU HAVE NOTHING TO APOLOGIZE FOR!

A FEVER...

IS SOMETHING BEYOND ONE'S CONTROL...

WAIT, IT SEEMS YOU STILL HAVE A FEVER.

YOUR HEART, TOO... IS BEATING FASTER THAN USUAL-.

WHY THE LOOK? COULD IT BE...

DOES MY TOUCH MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE?

N-NO, YOUR HIGHNESS-BECAUSE OF THE GRAND DUKE...

HAHA-DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND.

THERE WON'T BE ANY PROBLEMS. A MESSAGE CAME FROM THE GRAND DUKE A MOMENT AGO.

SINCE IT'S A HARSH SEASON RIGHT NOW...

...HE SAID TO COME WHEN SPRING ARRIVES-.

YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS THE CROWN PRINCE, ASLA HAS ARRIVED.

HAVE HIM COME IN.

I GREET YOUR ROYAL HIGHNESS THE CROWN PRINCE AND HER ROYAL HIGHNESS THE GRAND DUCHESS.

ASLA.

I'M SORRY, BECAUSE OF ME THE WEDDING... I WAS FEELING SO SICK THAT DAY...

YOU STILL SHOULD HAVE HELD OUT. HAVEN'T I ALWAYS EMPHASIZED THAT MENTAL STRENGTH IS IMPORTANT?

WATCH YOUR TONGUE. CUT IT OUT AND GET TO THE POINT.

I DREW THE DIVINATION LOTS AND CHECKED THE DATE; IT SHOWED THAT BEFORE THE MOON IS FULL IS MOST SUITABLE.

WHAT? IS THERE ANY NEED TO RUSH LIKE THAT? THE GRAND DUKE ALSO GAVE WORD TO COME IN THE SPRING...

THE GRAND DUKE IS NOT A RELIABLE MAN.

IF THE TIME SPENT APART GROWS LONGER, THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT CHOICE HE MIGHT MAKE.

ALSO, SINCE THE WEDDING CEREMONY WASN'T PROPERLY COMPLETED...

THERE IS ALSO ROOM FOR CRITICISM.

HMM, THAT MAY BE TRUE, BUT...

I WILL GO.

IF THE DIVINATION SAYS SO... I THINK THAT'S RIGHT, SINCE ASLA'S PROPHECIES HAVE NEVER BEEN WRONG ONCE.

IT'S A JOURNEY WE HAVE TO MAKE ANYWAY, YOUR HIGHNESS.

HIS MAJESTY THE KING WOULD HAVE COMMANDED IT AS WELL.

IT CAN'T BE HELPED. THEN, SET OUT AS SOON AS YOUR BODY RECOVERS.

I SHALL OBEY YOUR HIGHNESS'S COMMAND.

WE ALMOST RUINED A MARRIAGE THAT WAS BARELY BROUGHT TO FRUITION.

INDEED.

WHY ON EARTH DID YOU DO THAT?

WHY ON EARTH... ON THE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING, DID YOU POISON THE GRAND DUKE'S FOOD?

AS IF IT WASN'T ENOUGH TO INFLICT INJURY ON HIM...!

DID YOU EVEN UNLEASH ASSASSINS?!

IS IT BECAUSE OF MARTA?!

AS EXPECTED... I CAN'T FOOL YOU.

ISN'T IT SUSPICIOUS THE MORE YOU THINK ABOUT IT? THAT SAVAGE BASTARD WHO WANTED TO CALL OFF THE WEDDING SO BADLY...

...SINCE HE GOT THE EXCUSE OF A SURPRISE ATTACK, HE COULD HAVE CALLED IT OFF, BUT...

WHY DID HE SUDDENLY STEP UP AND INSIST ON GOING THROUGH WITH THIS MARRIAGE...

WHY...

DIDN'T HE TURN BACK...?