Multiverse's Holy Right

The daughter of the Duke Goddodin, Princess Alice Louise, was now filled with regret.

As Roy had pointed out, she had indeed been using her maid to test the new King, thinking her actions were well concealed. By observing in her astral form from close proximity, she could study the King's personality and behavior firsthand rather than relying on cold, detached intelligence reports.

Yet she never expected Roy to see through her little scheme at a glance, turning the tables on her and leaving her in an awkward predicament.

Perhaps I've spent too much time with Alexander and forgotten that Campiones are true Demon Kings after all.

Alice smiled wryly at her own folly. She was no stranger to Campiones—in fact, she had encountered nearly all of them in this era. But with the others, her interactions had been fleeting. Only with Alexander Gascoigne had she maintained a years-long acquaintance. As a result, she had grown accustomed to treating Alexander's temperament as the standard for Campiones, completely forgetting that Demon Kings could be utterly ruthless when the situation called for it.

Now, Alice had only one thought on her mind—how to save her maid, the woman who had served her with unwavering loyalty but now faced death due to her own miscalculation.

But before she could humble herself and plead for mercy, Roy's Eyes of Sodom had already locked onto her.

"King?!"

This time, even Erica and Liliana gasped in shock. They hadn't expected Roy to unleash his Authority against Princess Alice. Hadn't the King said he needed her witch powers for the ritual? Why would he suddenly resort to lethal force? Had Princess Alice's actions provoked him to the point where he no longer cared about the consequences?

In the brief moment Erica and Liliana were frozen in surprise, a surge of immense curse power descended upon Alice in the form of the eye's Authority. But contrary to their expectations, her body did not turn into a pillar of salt—instead, it dissipated like smoke.

"An astral projection! The Princess Alice here was just her astral form!"

As a fellow witch, Liliana recognized the technique. For witches, the highest-tier of witchcraft was the Art of Crossing the Netherworld—a method allowing a human to traverse the boundary between the material world and the Netherworld, the very source of a witch's clairvoyance. Mastering this art naturally amplified a witch's power.

The Art of Crossing the Netherworld was a spell even Liliana could not yet perform, but Alice's ability to create an astral body was even more advanced. She could freely move between the material world and the Netherworld with her astral form, barely expending any magical energy in the process.

"To greet the King with an astral body—Princess Alice has gone too far!"

This time, even Erica was visibly angered. Instead of appearing in person to welcome the King, Alice had hidden nearby in her astral form to spy on him. This was nothing short of a blatant disregard for Roy's dignity, an affront to the majesty of a King.

Liliana, too, felt indignant. Both she and Erica were now Roy's knights, and an insult to their lord was an insult to them—and by extension, to the Copper Black Cross and the Bronze Black Cross. When it came to matters of honor, people instinctively took such slights to heart.

"Go on up. Our princess is waiting for you on the fourth floor."

Roy stepped over the maid who had completely turned into a pillar of salt and ascended the stairs.

The maid wasn't dead, but if Roy didn't lift this authority or if the salt pillar she had become shattered, it would be equivalent to death.

Alice's residence was extraordinarily luxurious, located in Hampstead—one of London's most prestigious high-end residential districts. It could be said that such a garden estate wasn't something one could acquire with mere wealth.

Within this four-story residence, apart from Alice and her maid, the rest were maids—all ordinary people. Having witnessed the head maid's eerie transformation into a pillar of salt, they trembled in fear, none daring to stand in Roy's way as they watched him climb the stairs toward Alice's bedroom.

The solid wooden door was pushed open by Erica and Liliana. The fourth-floor room was strictly off-limits to anyone except the head maid and a select few personal maids. Yet now, a man and two women entered the princess's private chambers.

Alice's bedroom was decorated with classical elegance, the most striking feature being the princess bed adorned with sheer curtains. A graceful figure was faintly visible behind the drapes, lying on the bed like a sleeping beauty awaiting her prince's kiss.

"King Roy, please forgive Alice for not being able to rise and greet you. The reason I met you in my astral form was not out of disrespect, but because my physical condition prevents me from receiving you in person. However, committing such a cruel act in a lady's chambers is most ungentlemanly of you."

A light, melodious voice came from behind the curtains, though compared to the voice Roy had heard at the entrance earlier, this one sounded far weaker.

Her tone was refined, yet beneath that refinement lay a hint of anger—directed at Roy, an unwelcome and discourteous guest.

Roy remained silent, merely signaling with his eyes to Erica and Liliana. Erica swiftly stepped forward and drew back the curtains of the princess bed, while Liliana fetched a chair from the room and placed it beside the bed for Roy to sit.

Lying on the princess bed was a frail young girl. Just as Roy had seen at the entrance, Alice possessed stunning beauty, her delicate form beneath the blankets forming a gentle curve. But unlike the astral version of Alice he had encountered earlier, her true body was much thinner, her face pale and bloodless—easily reminiscent of a postoperative patient.

"So, are you satisfied now that you've seen me like this, King Roy? As you can see, my physical condition is very poor—so much so that I can barely leave my bed. I require specialized massages just to maintain basic bodily health."

Alice's pale little hands clutched the blanket, her breathing labored, as if even this simple action exhausted her.

Only now did Erica realize that the renowned Princess Alice was actually a girl seemingly on the brink of death. She quickly stepped forward to help prop up the princess, placing a soft cushion behind her back so she could lean comfortably against the headboard.

"Thank you."

Alice thanked Erica with an elegant and moving tone, exuding even more nobility than the Italian girl Erica herself—like a noblewoman long accustomed to the ballroom.

She wore a frilly nightgown, with only a glimpse of her fair wrist visible. Her platinum-blonde hair wasn't as radiant as one might imagine, instead carrying a heavy, lifeless dullness.

"You won't live long, Princess Alice! Right now, you're only twenty, and your body's functions can barely sustain your life. But in at most another ten years, your life will wither—fading just as the flower is at its most vibrant."

Roy swept a glance over Alice's body and declared this with certainty.

"This is probably what they call 'beauty doomed to an early grave.'"

***

Hey readers!

Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.

🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹