There were many who held deep resentment toward the Bariesa Royal Family because of the war.
Naturally, Cynthia became a target of contempt.
Behind her back, people called her nothing more than ‘Masera’s war trophy,’ as he was a former war orphan who had clawed his way to the top.
“I’ll turn around and cover my eyes. Draw something simple, and I’ll guess what it is.”
Cynthia set her champagne glass down and handed a pen and paper to the politician.
He chuckled and took it, clearly amused.
“Hah… What is this, a children’s game?”
“You were the one who asked to see the royal family’s special ability, weren’t you?”
Cynthia spoke slowly, deliberately, with a wistful look in her eyes.
“Guessing what someone’s thinking outright feels like an invasion of privacy. I’ve caused trouble before by revealing secrets people were trying to hide—affairs, crimes, things like that.”
The lawmaker’s face stiffened just slightly.
Cynthia noticed it, and her lips curved into a subtle smile.
No such thing as a spotless politician, especially one who’s climbed this far. Opportunist, most likely.
Not giving him a chance to cut in, she continued.
“I don’t remember my childhood. Maybe I was traumatized by the deaths in my family when the royal household was dismantled. Whatever the cause, at some point, I started sensing things—just knowing what others were thinking by reading their expressions, tone, and gestures.”
A soft murmur of sympathy rippled through the crowd. Some guests averted their eyes, suddenly uncomfortable.
Then Cynthia turned around and covered her eyes with both hands.
“But now, I don’t even need to watch. It’s like I can just… sense it. Isn’t that curious?”
She spoke like she was born to tell stories.
People were fully drawn into her calm, even tone.
“Alright then. Go ahead and draw.”
All eyes shifted from Cynthia to the politician.
He set his champagne glass down and, under the audience’s gaze, began sketching on the paper.
“Finished?”
Her voice cut through the air the moment his pen left the page, making him blink in surprise.
Still turned away, Cynthia spoke.
“A snowman. Right? At first, I thought it was a standing caterpillar, but you drew a carrot for the nose.”
A stir ran through the crowd.
Gasps and whispers followed as they confirmed the drawing: it was indeed a snowman.
“Th-that’s correct.”
The lawmaker broke into a cold sweat. Goosebumps crept up his neck.
“How… how did you do that? That wasn’t a trick? You actually read my mind…?”
Cynthia smiled faintly at his bewildered voice. Hidden in her palm was a small, round hand mirror.
‘I just said all that to make you believe me.’
It was a simple trick she’d seen before on magic shows: pretending to cover her eyes while using the mirror to see his sketch.
She remembered the long legacy of deception the Bariesa Royal Family had upheld.
Cult-like deification and indoctrination— That was the so-called ‘special power’ of the royal bloodline.
The politician dabbed sweat from his face, eyes flitting nervously. He couldn’t meet Cynthia’s gaze anymore.
“Incredible. It’s almost like a superpower.”
He raised his champagne glass and forced a grin.
“It’s nothing special. Everyone has something they’re good at, right? This is just mine. Oh, and there’s one more thing…”
Cynthia grinned.
“I’m pretty lucky.”
“Ah yes, wasn’t the legendary Frost Queen of Bariesa once called the Goddess of Fortune?”
The politician laughed awkwardly and gulped down his drink.
Cynthia’s eyes widened as she watched him.
“Wait, that’s my glass…”
CRASH—!
“Urgh, ghh!”
The lawmaker dropped the glass and clutched at his throat, groaning in agony.
His bloodshot eyes narrowed, locking onto Cynthia.
“You wretched witch… How did you know to switch the glasses?!”
“Excuse me? You’re the one who grabbed that glass. Was I supposed to drink it instead?”
He had spoken down to her first, so she gave it right back.
Poisoned? Cynthia looked confused as the man screamed one last time with what strength he had.
“You filthy Bariesa trash, scum of the old monarchy! Did you think we wouldn’t see through your plans to restore the throne—ugh, ughh…!”
With blood spilling from his lips, he collapsed, surrounded by horrified screams.
Meanwhile, a man with chestnut-brown hair, hidden among the crowd, narrowed his eyes at the fallen politician.
‘I told them it’s impossible to kill her! And here you try to poison her only to drink it himself?!’
He stared at Cynthia, who looked genuinely clueless.
‘Dammit. Who the hell is this woman? It’s like she saw right through all of our plans!’
They were members of the People’s Liberation Front, an anti-monarchist faction.
Their target today was Cynthia.
Their plan was to kidnap her and use her as a hostage to blackmail House Queensguard and Masera.
Her residence was always heavily guarded, so the engagement party, full of outside guests, had been their only real chance.
Cynthia didn’t know it, but they’d spent the whole evening trying different schemes.
They tried spilling a drink on her dress to get her outside—but she turned at the last second, and it landed on someone else.
They tried tripping her, pretending it was an accident, then offering to help her out—but she turned suddenly and the would-be saboteur fell instead.
Eventually, they had to change their plan.
“That’s it. We’ll just have to send her to the hospital.”
They crawled through the ceiling ducts and dropped a chandelier—but she dodged it by mere inches.
And now, the lone assassin’s poisoning attempt had failed too.
“Seal the exits. Search everyone.”
At Masera’s signal, the soldiers in the hall moved instantly.
Within moments, the entire venue was locked down.
Then, one of the People’s Liberation Front members—rattled by panic—shouted at the top of his lungs.
“Royalty must be erased from the face of the earth! We will fight to the end!”
‘What the hell, now this idiot! Are you trying to get caught and tortured to death? How can we be so disorganized!’
The brown-haired man ducked back into the crowd in frustration.
Their opponent was none other than Brigadier General Vicente.
If he got caught, it was obvious that he and three generations of his family would be wiped out.
BANG—!
Just then, the young man fired a hidden pistol at Cynthia.
Screams rang out from every corner.
Cynthia flinched instinctively and ducked. At the same moment, she felt someone throw their body over hers.
Ting!
“AAARGH!”
The bullet ricocheted off something sharp— and a man’s scream rang out nearby.
The brown-haired man clutched his side in pain.
In a freak twist of fate, the bullet meant for Cynthia had missed and struck the hidden would-be kidnapper.
Still trembling, Cynthia opened her eyes and met Masera’s gaze.
He had shielded her.
“Why……”
‘I thought you hated me? Sure, my death would be inconvenient, but not enough to risk his own life for it.’
Then Masera, still holding her close with one arm, raised his gun.
“What the, that woman… is she actually a devil? How can she even dodge bullets?”
The would-be assassin stared at her in disbelief, while faced with Masera’s gun.
BANG!
The young man dropped right where he stood.
“The Bariesa Dynasty’s Goddess of Fortune… she must bear the Goddess’ blessing.”
Someone murmured, face pale with awe.
It was a scene no one could explain—how every misfortune had somehow missed her.
Reporters hiding under the tables began frantically scribbling.
「The Royal Family’s Secret Power—A Reincarnation of the Frost Queen Who can Evade Tens of Thousands of Arrows?
Coincidence, or the Rebirth of a Legend?」
This is the first event in which Cynthia deceived the entire world– and the beginning of the greatest scam in history.
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