The Devil's Cursed Witch

After that, the Crown Prince's family dispersed as they had to prepare for the worshiping ceremony that would mark the beginning of the festival.

That day, the High Priest who had been away from the kingdom, rumored to have gone to the mountains for cultivation, had returned to the temple in order to oversee the worship ceremony. The High Priest was a revered holy man, respected for his foresight, as he had shown countless miracles in his lifetime. Everyone believed in his prophecies as they never went wrong and the trust he had built up throughout the decades were so strong, the people of the Kingdom of Valor treated him like a prophet sent down by the ancient gods.

At the grand hall of the royal palace, the worship ceremony was arranged in a way that not just the members of the royal family, even the high-ranking  nobles attended it. The entire process was guided by the priests of the temple like every year.

After the initial part of the ritual where prayers of gratitude were offered, it was time to take the blessing from the symbolic images of the ancient gods arranged at the altar. The High Priest stood in front of the pedestal, and from there, he would facilitate another prayer to bless the royal family.

Meanwhile, Sephina had just arrived at the grand hall precisely for that part of the ceremony. Given her delicate situation, she could not participate in the ritual for long, and she was permitted by the temple to join only at the moment to get the blessings.

The heavily pregnant woman was helped by her servants, and she was brought towards the altar.

After getting the blessing from the altar, she went to the High Priest who was now sitting on the grand-looking chair next to the altar.

Gregor's father, King Tredor, was talking to the High Priest happily upon seeing his daughter-in-law approach. "Oh, here comes our lovely Sephina. The oracle has predicted that she is carrying a princess. A princess after all this time! Give this mother and child your blessing so they will always be protected from harm."

The High Priest looked at the pregnant lady in front of him who came to get his blessings but narrowed his eyes as soon as he felt the spiritual energy surrounding the woman.

"This child is cursed. It should not be born!"

The voice of the High Priest echoed in the entire grand hall, shocking everyone.

Sephina felt as if her entire world was crumbling down as her hand resting on her round stomach trembled.

"H-High Priest, this...what do you mean?" King Tredor asked with shaken eyes.

The High Priest looked firmly at the King of Valor.

"The soul of this child is surrounded by ominous energy from hell. It's tainted with rage, vengeance and the spirit of destruction. This child is meant to bring nothing but ruin to this land. You should not let her be born. It will bring disaster to this kingdom if she is born."

Sephina, who was already so pale in fright, could not stand these cruel remarks about her child and was about to collapse when her husband, Gregor, fortunately caught her trembling body. "Sephina!"

Shanel also got back to her senses and immediately hurried to support Sephina. "Gregor, we need to take her back to her chamber."

Gregor immediately carried her in his arms while Shanel and Sephina's servants followed them. Gregor put the crying Sephina on bed, and the moment he wiped her tears dry, she opened her reddened eyes to look at her husband.

"Y-Your Highness, our child, she...You don't trust what the High Priest said, do you? Our child..."

He held her hand gently and caressed it. "I don't trust it either. Don't worry. There must be some misunderstanding. You should rest first--"

"Tell me nothing will happen to our child," she insisted, as tears continued to roll down her eyes.

"I won't let anything happen to her," Gregor assured her and looked at his first wife. "Please take care of her. I need to talk to my father."

"Rest assured. You leave first."

Gregor stood up with a gloomy expression on his face. He needed to talk to his father before the older man could decide what action to take as per the High Priest's words.

Gregor returned to the grand hall but the King and the High Priest had already left after what happened. It worried Gregor even more. After he got to know that the two had gone to the King's study, the Crown Prince immediately hurried to see them.

When Gregor reached the study, the knights standing guard outside the door directly permitted him to enter without announcing his arrival. There was no need to get the King's permission. It was clear that the King was already expecting to see his son.

When he entered the study, the atmosphere inside was suffocating. His father was seated on an armchair in the lounge area  with the High Priest sitting opposite him, neither of them speaking and simply staring at him.

When Gregor approached to offer respects to the two individuals, only then did the King open his mouth.

"Gregor, we were waiting for you."

The Crown Prince didn't have a good feeling about it. "Father..."

"We have decided that the child should not be born."

The King of Valor said such cruel words without a change in his expression,  as if he was not speaking about executing one of his own descendants.

"Father, how can you do this to your own granddaughter--"

But even before Gregor could plead mercy for his child, the older man cut him off.

"Precisely because she is my granddaughter that I must do this!"

King Tredor slammed his hand against the armrest of his chair.

"I am the King of Valor, the royal blood runs in me, in you, and in your children. Our ancestors created this kingdom, and as descendants, it is our duty to protect it, even at the cost of our lives.

"Though we all were excited to finally have a princess in our family, it's not bigger than our duty towards this kingdom! If her death can ensure the safety of Valor, then as a member of the royal family, she should make that sacrifice."

"Father--"

"You and your wives are young and healthy. You can have more children in future so there is no need to feel bad about a single death of a child. The kingdom and our people come first."

"That I know, Father, but she is not even born yet and we are already deciding her fate. Just an unborn child, what problems can she cause? We will raise her well and if you want, we will do so secretly--"

"Unacceptable!" the High Priest cut him off, his aged face cold as if his benevolent face had been a facade all along. "Once that child is born, she will bring disaster to the land. She possesses something that no human should ever have."

"High Priest, I am not sure what you saw, but it is not right to harm a child. Once she is born, I give you my word that I will send her away--"

"Gregor Valor," the old priest called him out, his tone filled with unshakeable authority, "Your words are useless. Emotions cannot fight against fate.

"The point is: she should not be born.

"Once she is born, then nothing can stop the disaster."

"S-Should not be born?"

Gregor felt his entire body tremble as only then did the meaning of those words sink into his head. What the High Priest meant wasn't a simple death.

If they wouldn't allow his little princess to be born, then they would have to kill her while she was still inside her mother's womb...that meant they would kill his wife as well.