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“Everyone was off guard. Who would have thought that those guys would cause trouble right at the moment when the new ruler of the nation was about to ascend?”

Since the beginning of recorded history in Hiberia, the coronation of Catalonia had traditionally taken place at the Girona Cathedral—or the Gerona Cathedral, as it was known in Hiberia. As the name suggests, this cathedral was located in the region called Girona in Catalan and Gerona in Hiberian.

Girona was adjacent to the northeast of Barcelona. Since it was about half a day’s journey by wagon, the soon-to-be-crowned king and queen had planned to arrive the day before and spend the night to ensure they were on schedule for the ceremony.

If the coronation proceeded smoothly, the newly crowned King Ramon Berenguer IV would gain undeniable, legitimate authority. This would mean that the noble lords of Catalonia could see their privileges threatened by even the slightest decision of the king.

Those who prided themselves on having a keen eye for politics shuddered. The powerful could be restrained by justification, and those with justification could be weakened by force. But… what could possibly resist a monarch who wielded both authority and power?

There was no clear way to prevent the prince’s ascension. The legitimate and rightful justification that the monarch carried like a halo transformed into authority itself. The prince’s succession, free from any flaws in justification, had become almost a natural law.

So, there was only one option left: to eliminate the prince—the soon-to-be king—or his queen, even if it required dirty and extreme methods. Those opposing the monarchy faced a situation where they might have to resort to poison or assassins, symbolized by wine, terraces, and wagons.

But even this was no easy task.

At that time, the prince and his wife rarely left the Alcazar de Barcelona, conducting most of their affairs within the palace. Given the strict management and surveillance of everyone entering and leaving the palace, even using poison was a daunting challenge.

For the anti-monarchist forces, the only remaining opportunity was when the prince and his wife were outside the palace, amidst the administrative chaos leading up to the coronation.

“They took advantage of that brief moment of carelessness and made their move.”

As a result, the new king managed to survive, but the queen, Maria, who was heavily pregnant at the time, was left in critical condition, facing a life-or-death decision.

If a healing elixir could have been used, she might have survived. However, the elixir, which maximizes regenerative abilities using refined and amplified main strength, would have been equally harmful to the unborn child.

If the elixir were used to save the mother, the safety of the unborn child would have to be sacrificed.

Would she save herself and abandon the child, or sacrifice herself to let the child see the light of the world? Most would hesitate, wasting time, or ultimately choose to save themselves.

But Queen Maria chose the latter.

“Yet, no one welcomed the life born from such a holy sacrifice.”

It was only natural that the noble faction, which had sought to prevent the union of Barcelona and Tarragona by eliminating either the king or the queen, would not welcome the child born to them.

In short, this new life was a living claim. Simply by existing, this small child held a strong claim to the throne of Barcelona, the surrounding royal territories, and Tarragona.

For the great nobles who feared the royal family’s growing power, this child was an undeniable threat.

Relatives were also a problem.

For those who could claim the throne if Ramon Berenguer IV left no heir, the existence of a legitimate heir—now Princess Maria Francesca Isabel Isa de Gloria Joana Antonia de Cruz—was a thorn in their side.

Moreover, since the heir was a princess and not a prince, there was a risk that her power might eventually pass to her husband. The question of whether the throne and authority of Cruz should fall into the hands of a man who did not bear the Cruz name was a topic of secret discussion among ambitious relatives.

In such a threatening situation, even the king, who had lost his beloved queen, was so grief-stricken that he could hardly bear to look at the child born to them.

Amid the king’s neglect and indifference, many nobles sought to eliminate the infant princess, while a small group of loyalists tried to protect her.

Thus, caught in the turbulent clash between the nobles who wanted to eliminate her and the loyalists who sought to protect her, Princess Maria eventually disappeared.

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“The rest of the story is as you all know.”

Silence fell over the office. The city administrator, having finished his tale, set down his teacup with a look of finality.

The sound of sipping tea broke the stillness.

“That was heavier than I expected.”

Even though they had already guessed that Maria was the missing princess of the Catalan royal family, the group couldn’t help but feel the weight of her family history.

Why does power make people so cold, and what is it about affection that blinds and fools them? Maria smiled bitterly as she saw the group swallowing such questions.

“Honestly, even if you talk about it like this, I don’t remember any of it.”

Her late mother, her father who was reportedly on the brink of death—none of it felt real to Maria. It was like someone else’s story, with no memories or emotions attached.

In truth, the most significant figures in her life were Conra, who had saved her from the back alleys of Valencia, and her mentor Sophia, who had taken her in as a disciple. To suddenly feel joy or sorrow over the news of relatives she had never known was alien to her, someone who had always been detached from worldly affairs.

Yet, the reason she had come to Catalonia was not for herself. She believed that this matter could help her mentor Sophia and her senior Conra. That was why she had come, not out of any personal expectations or desires.

However, now that they were in a position where they needed the other party’s help, there was no need to upset them by dredging up painful memories.

After remaining silent, Maria slowly spoke.

“I’ve heard what you said. So, what should I call you?”

A seemingly abrupt question. But upon hearing Maria’s words, Barcelona’s city administrator, Juan Argones Samaranch, smiled slightly.

“Although I have risen to the position of an elected civil official, my identity remains unchanged from when I was the queen’s guard knight. Please call me Sir Juan, Your Highness.”

“Calling you by your name out of the blue like that?”

From the city administrator’s statement, Maria could read both political and personal messages.

Politically, he was acknowledging her as the princess and offering formal support and convenience, suggesting they join forces.

Personally…

“This man sees someone else in me.”

From the moment they first met, the city administrator had been subtly revealing a different psychological state whenever he looked at Maria. A mix of joy, longing, goodwill, anger, sorrow, guilt, and more, all tangled together in a complex web.

Though his expression, tempered by years of experience, mostly hid it, emotions inevitably reveal themselves through body language. Maria, who had mastered the subtleties of Wu Xin Dong, could catch even the slightest tremors.

Through some contextual clues, Maria could even guess who the administrator was seeing in her. Thus, she could decide how to respond to his message.

“A young girl suddenly calling you by your name wouldn’t do justice to your reputation. I’ll call you Sir Samaranch.”

A response that accepted the political alliance while subtly distancing herself from the personal request.

The city administrator’s eyebrows raised slightly at the wise response from a young girl who had never received proper treatment in her life.

He couldn’t have known that Maria, having accompanied her mentor Sophia, had met many high-ranking figures. The experience of observing the exchanges between her mentor, a high-ranking church official, and various powerful individuals had already become an irreplaceable part of her.

“Regardless, it’s good that Her Highness has political acumen. I’ll need to adjust my plans a bit.”

Having indirectly glimpsed Maria’s capabilities, the city administrator began to formulate his next moves.

“Understood. For now, let’s proceed with that. By the way…”

It was time to get to the main point.

“I heard the story from ‘the crow.’ So, I’d like to share the plan I’ve come up with. Would you like to hear it?”

“I’ll listen. Please, go ahead.”

Maria didn’t need to respond; her companions were already prepared to listen intently. Seeing this, the city administrator began to speak with a determined smile.

“Good. If Your Highness wishes to reclaim your rightful position, there is one task that must be addressed first.”

The room’s attention focused on him. Confirming that all eyes were on him, he slowly delivered his prepared words.

“If Your Highness wishes to reclaim your innate, rightful position, there is one prerequisite.”

“What is it?”

“It’s not difficult.”

When a princess who had been missing and presumed dead suddenly reappeared to reclaim her position, how many would accept her as she was? Most would likely suspect her of being an imposter and react with hostility.

Even if her existence didn’t threaten their interests, the dignity of royalty demanded strict scrutiny.

Thus, Maria needed a guarantor who could clearly testify to her identity.

And in Catalonia, there was no one better suited to testify to Maria’s identity than one person.

The mystery of the powerful spells passed down through the royal bloodline of the small kingdom of Hiberia. At least in Catalonia, no one was more adept at sensing and wielding that power.

“Your Highness, you must first have an audience with His Majesty the King.”

King Ramon Berenguer IV of Catalonia. Maria’s biological father. No one else could match his qualifications.

 

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