Chapter 71: The Wedding Day Reset
Seraphel
"The royal carriage has arrived!" Durin announced, his voice echoing through the grand corridors as I stepped out into the open courtyard.
Waiting for us was a magnificent, pure white carriage, intricately carved from celestial wood and lined with sweeping silver accents. It looked exactly like the extravagant royal transports I used to read about in historical danmei novels. Back then, I had always imagined what it would feel like to ride in one. Now, I was experiencing it firsthand.
It was completely surreal. Even the impossible seemed to happen effortlessly in this place.
"Please, Your Grace," Analisse said softly, taking my hand to guide me up the steps. Once I was safely settled onto the plush silk cushions inside, she called out to the driver, "To the Royal Hall!"
The Royal Hall was Azriel’s main residence. I had only woken up there once before, and I couldn’t even remember the route because Azriel always used high-level teleportation magic to move us back and forth.
When I had asked Analisse earlier why we couldn’t just teleport today, she explained that tradition demanded the future princess ride through the capital gates in a formal carriage. So there I was, sitting entirely alone in the quiet enclosure, wondering how my life had spiraled into this chaotic reality.
I closed my eyes as the carriage lurched forward, trying to plan exactly what I would say to Azriel. I needed to make him understand that what I was experiencing was real, but I could already picture his reaction. ’Are you seeing things again? It must be your delusional thoughts.’ I groaned aloud, mimicking his arrogant tone.
It was frustrating; no matter how I phrased it, I had no idea how to make him believe me.
A sharp, grating caw shattered the silence right in front of me.
My eyes snapped open. Sitting on the empty bench directly opposite me was a large, pitch-black raven. Its dark, glassy eyes were locked onto mine, unblinking.
I blinked back, attempting a small, uneasy smile, but a sudden rustle of feathers cut it short. Another raven materialized out of thin air beside the first. Then three more.
Within seconds, a black wave of feathers swarmed the interior, the small space filling with a deafening chorus of chaotic cawing.
Before I could even reach for the door, the flock rushed toward me all at once.
I screamed, throwing my arms up to shield my face, but the birds didn’t care. Through the small window, I could see hundreds more swarming the exterior of the carriage, completely blocking out the sun. Amidst the terrifying din of flapping wings, a faint, chilling laughter began to echo directly in my ears.
I tried to shout for help, but one of the heavy birds slammed straight against my mouth, forcing its way in. The scream died in my throat, leaving me choking and gagging as the suffocating pressure built in my chest.
Why weren’t they stopping the carriage? With a massive swarm of omens tearing the interior apart, I expected the guards outside to at least halt the horses, but the carriage just kept rolling forward at a steady pace.
Then, a harsh whisper sounded through the noise inside my mind.
Khronos.
My eyes widened in terror. The realization hit me like a physical blow—the guards weren’t stopping because they couldn’t hear a single thing.
I was the only one trapped in this nightmare.
Why was this happening to me? I thrashed violently against the plush seats, desperately trying to break free from the invisible assault.
Suddenly, the carriage ground to a halt. Outside, Analisse’s voice sounded perfectly calm.
"We have arrived at the Royal Hall, Your Grace."
The moment her voice sounded, the entire nightmare vanished into thin air. The ravens, the suffocating pressure, the laughter—everything disappeared in the blink of an eye.
I gasped for air, clutching my chest as I tried to steady my wildly racing heart. The carriage door clicked open, and Analisse stood there, stretching her hand out toward me with her usual wide, sweet grin.
"Please, Your Grace, we are here," she murmured.
I cautiously leaned my head out first, scanning the pristine courtyard before taking her hand. I stared hard at her face, waiting for her to mention the birds, the noise, or the feathers. But she just kept smiling, entirely unbothered. None of them had noticed a thing.
Deciding it was useless to explain myself to someone who clearly thought I was just losing my mind, I remained silent and let her lead the way.
My only goal now was to find Azriel. He was the only one who could actually parse through whatever curse was twisting my reality.
As we climbed the massive white stone steps leading into the grand palace, the heavy thrum of traditional court music filled the air. The entire venue was built to reflect a classic danmei aesthetic—crimson silks draped from towering pillars, golden lanterns casting a warm glow over the white jade floors, and heavy incense curling toward the high ceilings.
We walked through the crowded aisles, and I immediately noticed the high concubines seated near the front. Lioren, kaevian, Eiren, Slyven, and the others were actually smiling and waving at me as if we were close friends.
The sight was incredibly unsettling.
Further down the hall sat a row of six unfamiliar figures. I tried to count them, realizing they must be the remaining Deadly Sins who had arrived for the ceremony.
But every time I tried to look directly at them, their features blurred into a hazy, indistinguishable fog. It was as if a spell was intentionally blocking me from seeing their faces.
Azriel stood at the end of the altar, looking impossibly regal in sweeping crimson robes that perfectly matched my own.
Standing just behind him was Anomas, acting as the high priest for the ceremony.
When I finally reached the altar, I looked up into Azriel’s eyes.
As our gazes met, a soft, incredibly gentle smile broke across his face.
"Hi," he said softly.
My breath hitched. Hi? There was no way this was real. The arrogant, cold Prince of Lust was standing in front of the entire imperial court saying a casual, sweet ’hi’ to me. What happened to his usual sharp remarks?
The sheer bizarreness of his behavior took me completely by surprise.
Before I could even attempt a reply, Anomas stepped forward to begin the vows. But as his lips moved, no sound came out.
The entire hall fell into a terrifying, absolute silence.
I looked around frantically; the hundreds of guests were nodding and smiling, but their faces were rapidly losing clarity, turning into smooth, featureless masks. Only the faces I already recognized remained sharp.
Suddenly, a figure detached itself from the faceless crowd, moving with impossible, flashing speed. Before I could even register the movement, a sharp blade plunged deep into my stomach.
The attacker violently twisted the dagger, ripping through my abdomen.
I coughed up a thick spray of blood, my eyes widening in pure shock as I looked up at my assailant. The man had no face at all—just a blank, terrifying void where his features should have been. In the next second, he dissolved into mist.
I collapsed onto the jade floor, gasping for breath as blood pooled rapidly beneath my crimson robes. The pain was blinding.
I instinctively looked up at Azriel, expecting him to draw his sword, to tear the room apart, to save me—but he just stood there. He stared down at my bleeding form, completely motionless, until his sharp features bled away, leaving him entirely faceless too.
"Az... Azriel!" I choked out, clutching my stomach as hot tears spilled down my cheeks. "The baby... protect the baby..."
Khronos.
The dark voice from the carriage echoed through the high rafters of the hall. The moment the word left the shadows, the entire faceless assembly began to chant it in unison.
"Khronos! Khronos! Khronos!"
The deafening chant filled the room, vibrating through the floorboards.
I tried to speak, to call out one last time, but the blood choked the words in my throat. I lay there on the cold stone, watching my vision blur as my life rapidly faded away.
Was this really how it ended? Was I actually going to die on the floor of the palace?
I blinked once, letting a final tear slip down my face, and let the darkness take over as I closed my eyes.
The void lasted for only a fraction of a second. Suddenly, a blinding flash of white light pierced through my eyelids. I blinked rapidly, gasping for air as my surroundings shifted instantly.
The jade floors, the blood, and the faceless crowd were gone. I was sitting right back on the edge of my own bed, the familiar obsidian walls surrounding me, and Analisse was staring down at me with a wide, sweet grin.
"Your Grace, it is time to prepare for the wedding!"
What the hell? I was supposed to be dead.