The Orphan Crown

Resonance Ritual (3)

Rebecca wanted to see more clearly, but her consciousness was beginning to grow heavy. The ritual seemed to be draining all the strength from her body. Her eyelids trembled slightly a few times, then slowly closed.

The moment Rebecca lost consciousness, a sudden white light surged from the thread connecting the two hearts. It spread at a speed visible to the naked eye, enveloping the entire space around them. Light enveloped them from all four sides, forming a transparent cage that trapped Franziska, Rebecca, and the black mist swirling around the Princess's heart.

The black mist thrashed wildly. It repeatedly lunged towards the thread connecting the two hearts, trying to sever the connection before being completely purified. But all escape routes were sealed. Amidst the pure white light, it could only convulse, struggle, and emit hoarse, guttural hisses, like a cornered beast.

"Swish!"

The sound of something being torn apart echoed. A small, bright spot appeared in the pitch-black, terrifying mist. It gradually expanded and then suddenly tore a corner of the mist.

The black mist seemed to be in pain. Franziska felt it struggling even more violently than before, frantically lunging towards the thread connecting the two hearts, wanting to sever the connection between her and Rebecca. But the luminous particles carrying Franziska's purifying power wouldn't allow it to do so.

Another corner of the mist continued to dissipate, so quickly that it was visible to the naked eye. It itself seemed to gradually calm down, as if it no longer had the strength to resist. Franziska opened her eyes, carefully observing the black mist. Compared to the first time, it had shrunk considerably. The color hadn't changed significantly, but that was enough to prove that the poison in Rebecca's body was being suppressed. She took a deep breath, slowly withdrawing her spiritual power. The connection with Rebecca's heart gradually disappeared.

Franziska reached to the side, gently pulling the string connected to the bell outside the door, signaling the end of the prayer ritual. Almost immediately, Rebecca's four close maids appeared. They silently bowed to Franziska according to protocol, then helped the unconscious Rebecca out of the Prayer Room.

“Haa…”

Franziska let out a long, labored sigh before collapsing onto the floor, exhausted. She was so weary that she could only lie still on the cold stone floor, letting the chill seep through her skin and penetrate to her very bones.

Rebecca was taken away for care. The Chapel returned to its usual quietness.

The same quiet and solitude prevailed, but strangely, Franziska didn't feel any discomfort. On the contrary, she preferred sitting before the statue of the Goddess, spending most of her day praying and pouring out her heart to her.

Of course, none of the servants wanted to stay and look after Franziska. Their only duty was to ensure that her body didn't deteriorate to the point of hindering Princess Rebecca's recovery.

When Franziska awoke again, the moon was already high in the sky.

She drowsily sat up. For a moment, her mind was blank; she couldn't remember what day it was. Only when the familiar pain radiated from her chest did she remember that today was the day of the healing ritual for Princess Rebecca.

"Ugh…"

Perhaps because her body had already been unstable since morning, the pain after this ritual was longger and more intense than usual.

Frandiska dug her fingernails into the skin around her heart, as if doing so could alleviate the pain. She bit her lip, forcing herself not to make any sound, then mustered all her strength to get up and return to her room.

She had prepared too hastily this morning. The maids…as usual, were nowhere to be seen, so it was not surprising that she had forgotten to bring her medicine.

This was just a side effect after the ritual, not life-threatening, but incredibly painful. Franziska could only cling to the wall, dragging herself step by step towards the annex.

A few maids and servants passed by along the way. They all walked quickly, their faces busy, and no one stopped to ask how she was. That attitude was impolite, but given her status, Franziska understood they didn't consider her pain a matter of concern.

She didn't blame them.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, Franziska finally saw the outbuildings. She felt like she couldn't take another step. Her legs felt heavy as lead, the pain intensifying, making her feel like she was about to collapse.

She could only grit her teeth and continue moving forward like a wooden puppet.

Upon reaching her room, Franziska used her last ounce of strength to stay conscious, swallowed two pills from the small bottle beside her bed, and immediately fell asleep.