The Princess' Harem
Chapter 40: The Miracle

Chapter 40: The Miracle

Lady Lindsay’s face turned pale. The plan she had carefully crafted had completely failed.

Instead of trapping Princess Viana and sabotaging the ceremony, now all eyes were on her with suspicion. Her maid, who was supposed to guard her chalice, had been seen wandering in the right wing of the temple, the area where Viana’s chalice was kept, during the fire.

Whispers among the priests and paladins grew louder. The looks of distrust directed at her were undeniable, making Lindsay struggle to hide her unease.

But before she could offer any defense, the High Priest struck his staff against the floor again.

"We have no time for further debate. We can deal with this matter later," the High Priest declared firmly. "The ceremony must continue."

As the tension inside the temple settled, preparations resumed. The citizens had gathered around the temple, especially in the main courtyard, to witness the ceremony.

The sky was shifting toward dusk, its golden hues casting a warm glow over the temple. Everyone held their breath as the two chalices were placed on the altar, one belonging to Princess Viana and the other to Lady Lindsay.

The soft light of sacred candles illuminated the open ceremonial space, creating a solemn and peaceful atmosphere.

The nobles sat in their designated section, directly facing the altar, while the King and Queen were in a place of honor, their expressions filled with pride as they watched their daughter take part in the sacred ritual.

In the noble’s section, some watched the chalices with great interest. News of what had happened inside the temple had already reached their ears. They had heard that Viana’s chalice had been found shattered.

Yet, now another chalice was placed on the altar. Though they were puzzled, they chose to remain silent and observe the proceedings.

The King and Queen exchanged glances, but upon seeing their daughter’s composed demeanor, they gave her a slight nod. Viana noticed the gesture from her parents and exhaled slowly before stepping forward.

The moment she touched her chalice, a miracle occurred.

A golden light began to radiate from within the chalice, and then, as if guided by unseen hands, red wine magically filled the vessel.

The priests immediately fell to their knees in reverence, including the High Priest and Kaley, chanting praises to the gods.

The crowd watching the ceremony erupted into cheers. Many dropped to their knees and prayed in gratitude.

The miracle that occurred when Princess Viana touched the chalice was a sign that the kingdom of Elysia would be blessed and its prosperity secured, especially with her playing a role in governance.

In the nobles’ section, many were astonished by the unexpected event. Even the King and Queen, typically composed, appeared visibly moved.

The King nodded slightly, his gaze filled with admiration and recognition for his daughter.

He rose to his feet and proclaimed, "We have received the gods’ answer. The ceremony has been a success."

The nobles stood and applauded, praising the gods’ favor toward Elysia and its future leader, Crown Princess Viana Yanis.

Meanwhile, Lady Lindsay remained frozen, her expression filled with disbelief. She had also held a chalice alongside the Princess, yet hers remained empty, void of any blessing.

She stood there, looking like she was on the verge of tears. The priests, especially the women whom Lindsay had worked hard to sway to her side in recent days, now realized who truly deserved to stand as Elysia’s protector.

After the ceremony concluded, Viana confidently walked toward the King and Queen, who awaited her at the entrance of the temple. A small smile graced her lips, and it widened as Sina, Joel, and Reyes joined her to return to the palace together.

Among the crowd, Kaley stood watching her with admiration. Above his head, his love percentage bar appeared again, now showing 30%.

***

Upon arriving back in her chambers, Viana immediately removed her ceremonial cloak and collapsed onto the sofa with a long sigh. The exhaustion she had been holding back for the past week was finally catching up to her, making her want to rest without interruptions.

Sina entered, carrying a tray of warm tea and some snacks.

"Your Highness, I hope this helps restore your energy," she said softly, full of concern.

Viana smiled wearily and took the tea cup from the tray. She sipped it slowly, feeling its warmth spread through her body.

"Thank you, Sina. I really needed this," she said gratefully to her personal maid.

"Oh, let Joel and Reyes rest too. They must be tired since they secretly helped out at the temple, even though they didn’t want to admit it to me," she added with a chuckle.

Sina nodded with a small smile and stood nearby. Her face brightened as she eagerly continued, "Today was truly incredible. Everyone is talking about how your chalice was blessed by the gods."

Viana exhaled and rested her head against the sofa. "Honestly, I just want to sleep for an entire day after this," she said jokingly.

Before she could say anything else, a knock at the door interrupted her. A palace servant entered respectfully and handed an elegantly sealed letter to Sina, who read its details.

"Would you like to rest first or read this letter, Your Highness?" Sina asked with slight concern, worried that she was too exhausted.

Viana took a deep breath before replying, "It’s fine, I’ll read it now."

Sina handed the letter to her. Viana lazily accepted it and examined the seal.

She immediately recognized it, noting that it bore the emblem of House Daelis. A small smile formed on her lips as she broke the seal and prepared to read its contents when suddenly, Joel and Reyes entered.

Both of them bowed in unison, greeting her formally, which made Viana laugh.

"What are you two doing? Just go and rest. I’ll be resting too after reading this letter," she said lightheartedly.

The two men nodded once again, this time with smiles on their faces. They bid farewell and headed to their respective rooms to rest.