Night Monarch's Cannon Fodder Bride-Chapter 52: Prayers

Praying was a precious thing.

It meant one still clung to the extravagant hope that some miracle would fix everything.

Severine had never been one for such extravagance.

Faith, to her, had always been a beautifully wrapped lie—something the weak clutched when reality proved too sharp to hold with bare hands.

And yet, she stood before the grand stone steps of the house of faith.

The white cathedral appeared strangely enchanting against the dark sky. Silver bells hung beneath the domed archway, fluttering in the fierce wind. It was almost as if the bell were welcoming her inside.

Traveling through the two open wooden doors, she witnessed the usual sight.

The stained-glass windows on both sides—depicting the benevolent smile of the God of Fate—glimmered faintly as dawn began to bleed across the horizon.

How ironic.

Of all deities, it was the God of Fate she noticed first. The silent architect of fortune and ruin.

Severine had never believed in him.

But after the nightmares began, something bitter had rooted itself inside her chest.

If fate existed, then it had a cruel sense of humor.

As she ascended the steps, her heels echoed softly against the polished floor of the aisle. Rows of pews were arranged in neat symmetry.

Was this pity?

Was this some belated mercy from the heavens?

She sat on the second-to-last pew, just like before. Countless thoughts surged through her mind.

For a long moment, she did nothing. Her gaze rested on the marble face of the goddess. The deity of life, known as the mother of all beings, was also said to embody fate.

Her mind drifted back to the message from earlier that morning.

[I am glad that you are getting along with Emmett. I’ll talk to his parents at our next meeting. I’ll call you when you need to show your face. Don’t disappoint me this time.]

She could almost hear her dear mother’s serene voice as she gave instructions.

Whatever Emmett had done had shaken Isabella’s belief in her ability to handle company matters alone.

Just like that, their agreement had shattered.

"No engagement until after her graduation... Was it so hard to follow?"

As if Severine were nothing more than a bargaining chip polished for display. Or to do what Isabella had predetermined for her. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚

She stared at the huge statue carved out of white marble. Her fingers pressed together slowly, unconsciously mimicking the posture of prayer.

Then, she hesitated.

After all, she wasn’t a devout believer—only a spectator. Or perhaps just a greedy human, hungry for the sliver of peace this place offered.

Forget it, she thought. Her hands fell on her lap, curling around the soft fabric.

Minutes ticked by until a faint ray of morning light pierced through the stained glass, casting fractured colors across her pale hands. Red. Gold. Blue. Green.

"I didn’t expect to see you here."

A familiar voice filled with a smile pulled her out of her void of thoughts.

She didn’t need to look to know who it was.

Emmett D’Arden—the third young master of the D’Arden family, a man who toyed with people as if they were puppets—stood inside the church.

How laughable.

Then again, I am equally laughable.

Emmett piously bowed to the statue before returning to her side.

Fractured light illuminated his tall frame as he stared at Severine with a pleasant smile.

"Good morning," he said, his eyes curving. "May the goddess be with you."

I hate the color green. Severineconcluded.

Instead of repeating the greetings as per the custom, she merely nodded.

Without asking, Emmett directly took a seat to her left. Much to her amusement, she found his sudden arrival suspiciously convenient.

Yet, no matter how she thought, it was too coincidental.

Almost as if...

"How are you? Your face looks more pale than usual. Didn’t sleep well?"

"Yes, I had a nightmare."

Emmett had expected to meet with silence. So this sudden reply delighted him further.

Nightmares... What kind? What is it that you fear so much? I’m so curious...

"Oh, my," he curbed his smile as he asked in all seriousness. "Is it often like this?"

"Yes."

"I used to dream about the time when I got lost in the theme park. What about you? Maybe I can share my methods to ease them?"

The more he said, the more his green eyes shimmered.

When Severine tilted her head to observe him, she caught a fleeting glimpse of his pupils narrowing into slits before rapidly snapping back to normal.

He is excited. Thrilled at prospectively breaching my defences.

Honestly, Severine found Emmett’s interest in her rather strange. They had never met before, nor did she have anything that could garner such attention.

"Oh... Go ahead."

Go ahead and tell me. Weave another tale to make me do something for you.

"It’s simple, actually." Emmett scratched the back of his head. A soft, almost shy smile appeared on his face.

He leaned forward as if sharing a secret. "I used to hug my mother all the time."

Severine listened to those soft words said in such a bashful way as if Emmett was sharing a secret he would never tell anyone.

But who knows how many people he had used this trick on?

"What kind of nightmare did you have? I was alone in the dream, so I was happy with the company of my mother. What about you?"

Severine stared at him for a long beat before her lips quirked up. "A green-eyed snake."

"Ah?" Emmett had no response to that.

Clearly, he hadn’t expected such a development.

"Don’t worry," Severine chuckled, shaking her head at his stunned expression.

She also leaned toward Emmett’s ear, copying him.

In a slow, gentle voice, she said, "I got an idea to get rid of it."

Emmett blinked rapidly, digesting the meaning behind those words. It took him a long while to come back to his senses.

By that time, Severine had already walked toward the exit of the cathedral.

"What—" he called after her.

Only when Severine turned to look at him did he continue, "What kind of idea? Maybe I can help?"

Help? Your words are failing you, third young master.

Severine sneered inwardly at the hypocrisy.

The fractured, colorful light made her eyes appear deeper. Her pale face seemed to be painted in aurora.

She smiled in the same polite yet distant way before finally parting her lips to utter one word.

"Guess?"