The empress and Prince Daichi had managed to convince the crowd and it seemed it wouldn't take long for the words to reach everyone's ears. So, it was decided unintentionally that I would have to give the trial.

Prince Daichi and the other family members decided to stay until the trial while the guests were hoping to hear the news of our marriage.

Akio and her mother were grinning at me and I could see that they knew about the secret of the trial.

After that Arashi and I couldn't eat our meals and I saw it was the same for the crown prince and the emperor. I knew the crown prince was worried because Arashi knew his secrets and his motive, and the emperor was worried because Arashi would leave if anything like this happened. He had warned them both but the empress didn't know about Arashi's warning.

That day, I came to know no matter how much I tried, the empress had no intention of approving me. Her rigorous trainings were as useless as this trial. She just wanted to get rid of me fast so she could make Akio Arashi's wife.

I fisted my palms as I looked down. I felt helpless and more than that I was scared.

My heart fell to my stomach as it felt like everyone was against us getting married and I felt so restless that I wanted go back to Godoyama.

It was better than here. Arashi was right his family members were sick to the stomach apart from Rei. Everyone was just conspiring against everyone under their own family.

I felt sick of it...

"I don't think, I want my wife to go through the trial," Arashi said all of a sudden, catching everyone's attention.

Whispers spread among the crowd as the empress looked at him quizzically. However, Daichi wasn't going to let this pass as he asked, "That's surprising, brother Rian. Do you not want to get married with princess Bianka or are you afraid that she would fail in this task?"

Although his voice was smooth and soft, the mock in it was clearly visible. He added in a low voice enough for us to hear, "Or perhaps, you already know that she is unworthy for our family..."

Arashi looked at him, his eyes sharp and cold. Under the table, his hands were balled in fists but he said with a straight voice, "No. I have faith that she would be successful in this trial but I am not really trusting the cave."

"Whatever do you mean by that, brother Rian but it is considered as our holy rituals for two hundred years..." He said and with that he tried to get the audience's minds into his perspective so they would have to agree.

"Yes, and it would certainly be the fastest way for sister Bianka to get approval." Akio added innocently.

However, both of the brother didn't really pay much attention to her.

"Well, my dear brother might have forgotten but I don't need any rituals to get married to my already married wife..." Arashi said and the crowd looked between me and Arashi with wide eyes.

"What do you mean, Prince Rian?" One of the guests asked. "Isn't Princess Bianka your fiance...?"

Arashi said, "I am already married to her in her homeland thus not approving even when we are married means, you all are disrespecting my decision." He looked at both Akio and to Daichi, "And I hope you know the consequences of being disrespectful to your peers..."

They froze...and so did the audience.

Prince Daichi let out a nervous chuckle and said as he tried to arrange his words, "I had no intention of disrespecting brother Rian. I was just..."

"But doesn't that mean you are disrespecting us, Prince Rian, by not following the rituals of our family?" The empress asked, directing her gaze as if she had caught Arashi in a trap.

But Arashi gave her a smile and said, "I certainly am not, grandmother empress... To get your approval, my wife is already getting her training under you, isn't she?"

The empress for a moment was speechless as she got caught in her own web of words. It was true that I was already following their ways of getting a genuine approval. This way we weren't being disrespectful to them or to their family. A relieved smile was about to get plastered on my lips but I held it

"But—" the empress was about to tell something but Arashi cut her through, "And besides the ritual is too old and is too dangerous. You might have still remember how badly my dear cousin brother, Prince Daichi's wife, Princess Rose was wounded..."

The crowd nodded in agreement as they all looked between Prince Daichi and Princess Rose.

While Princess Rose was rigid with the attention she was getting, Daichi's eyes were on me with a displeased cease on his forehead.

It seemed his plans backfired him...

But then my eyes went to Princess Rose who was a looking down at her hands. Her skin looked too pale and it felt weird to know Princess Rose had to do the trial as well.

It was odd...

I didn't want to pry into Prince Daichi's issues, not that I could ever help her but from what I could see, it felt like he didn't like his wife at all. Yet, she had managed to get back alive through the trial...

My attention went to some of the men from the crowd who said, "Yes! She had to go through three months recovery due to that..."

"Yes, I think it is too cruel for the foreign princesses..."

"Yes! And I remember some of the princesses being never be able to come out of the cave! It is dangerous!"

The people started to remember all sort of the bad memories and rumours they had heard of the trial. Soon, there were more people who clearly disagreed with the idea of the trial.

"What Prince Rian has said is true. The trial is too old and too cruel for the foreign princesses... And if Princess Bianka is already following the standard training under the empress, I think she would get everyone's approval..." It was a female and she was one of Arashi's cousin sister.

Up until now, Rei had no idea of the incidents of trials and now that she knew, she looked at me worriedly.

"Besides, isn't the empress clearly praised Princess Bianka's progress?" One of the guests asked all of a sudden and the empress became shocked.

They all nodded and the empress had no other words to say but Prince Daichi began, "Then wouldn't it be really unjust for the foreign princesses that, Princess Bianka didn't go through the trial but all of them had to."

His eyes moved to his wife as Princess Rose froze. He said, "Even my wife had to go through it regardless of the power her father held over the western. I believe," his eyes met with me and he added, "Princess Bianka's father's status is not superior than my wife's father..."

The whole hall gasped as they looked at me and I had no words to say. Now they all were curious about my identity and the position my father held. What would I say?

Arashi beside me was mad by now as I sensed the anger sipping from his skin. Things were going to get bad... Too bad...

My heart pumped through my ears as I knew Prince Daichi wanted to disclose everything about me in front of the whole guests but it would be like insulting Arashi and how could I let it happen with my husband?

I felt enraged all of a sudden.

I looked at the empress and saw her winning grin. So this was their plan? Were they aware that by insulting me they were hindering their own family's name?

The empress was certainly very stupid if she thought with this she would manage to make Arashi stay.

I put a smile on my face and said, "So, because of the status difference, you want me to take the trial?"

"Isn't that only fair?" He asked back, not backing off. "If you can't even prove yourself then how will you prove that you are worthy for my brother? How will you prove that you are indeed qualified to stand next to the Prince of Wansai?" He added, "How will you prove that you are worthy of the same respect, brother Rian gets?"

Everyone's eyes were on me as if they want me to answer his questions. For them, Prince Rian was their respected and admirable Prince who defeated the enemy with his own strength. When everyone was about to loose hope, he was there to stand before them and give them a ray of hope. No wonder they would expect something out of the ordinary from his wife as well.

I couldn't blame them. Even I was doubting myself if I was really worthy or not. I knew he didn't want me to prove to him anything. He loved me the way I am. He didn't need anyone's approval either and he had clearly told me so but...

As his wife, I needed to make sure his respect and name would never be tarnished because of me.

I wasn't doubting myself anymore because Arashi had taught me to love myself. So, I was just going to make them see I wasn't his wife for name only.

I released a breath and smiled at them. "Fine. I will take the trial."

Everyone in the hall looked at me with me with wide eyes including Arashi, the emperor and the crown prince. They couldn't believe what I said.

Prince Daichi and the empress along with Akio and her mother were too happy because they won it.

But they didn't know what they were doing.

They didn't know they were only angering one person they shouldn't.

I was avoiding looking at Arashi since I knew he was offended at me and was so angry that I felt a shiver ran toward my spine.

I looked at Prince Daichi and to others and asked my question. It wasn't only for Prince Daichi but to everyone who were present in that hall.

"But are you willing to face the consequences after my trial?"

----
13th November, 22
1735
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A/n: Hey, Minna!

Me ish back! However I still can't promise about my updating schedule. Currently, I am updating whenever I find the chance... I am so sorry about this. :'(

I had plans to end the book in December but it seems it wouldn't be going to finish in December because there are two reasons...

No! Three reasons!

One, I don't know my updating schedule (I swear I am so busy that I could not even watch any anime!)

Two, I had plans to have 5-6 Vols in the book but it seems...err... It got added three more Vols ehehehe *nervous smile

Blame my head!

And three, the previous two all over again...lol

Okay, enjoy!