Note: The title of this novel on other platforms is BRIDE OF THE SEVEN GODS. You can read the edited version on leterie and novelair. Thank you.
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Some minutes later, the moving carriage suddenly halted.
I noticed this and turned to ask the maid who was guarding the door. "Have we arrived?"
"Yes, my lady." The maids pulled open the door coverage and stretched out a hand to assist me down the carriage.
Immediately I got down, my gaze drifted to the humongous gate before me. "Where are we?" I asked the maid. This can't be the seven realms that father of mine had spoken about, right? Although the gate looks imposing, it looks a bit lacking for an immortal palace.
"We're at the palace, young miss. All candidates listed on the lists are to gather at the palace before taking off to the seven realms." The maid explained.
"Oh, so that's how it is. Okay, bye. Thank you for your info." Since the maid had been very attentive to me during the journey, I bade her farewell as a bit of my goodwill towards her before heading in the direction of the palace gate.
The moment I stepped into the gate after completing the identity check at the checkpoint, my sight was greeted with tons of dazzling rainbow colors. Thousands of girls were gathered together on the big plaza ground. Their constant chattering filled the whole place. Looking at the bright color dresses each of them wore, I felt an ache went through my eyes. Damm, is this gathering meant to be a colorful parade or what? Also, the mixture of each of their fragrances sent a choking feeling into my nose. Right now, I was very scared to walk towards them for fear that I'd be choked to death by those varieties of fragrance.
Perhaps one of them sighted me, she immediately called out.
"Everyone, look. It's Zanillia."
"Oh, it's her."
"I heard she went to steal from a market stall owner again."
"Really? That's so embarrassing."
"My maidservant told me she saw her being dragged by the mobs towards the Zhao's manor. She was only let go after the minister paid for the goods she stole."
"What a shame. Bringing such a huge disgrace to her family. How does she still have the courage to show her face to the public."
"Who can tell? She has always been a thick-skinned face. I hope she's not here to steal our stuff this time around."
"Everyone, hide your stuff. Zanillia is here!"
There were lots of head turn towards me and their constant whispers fell into my ears.
'Hey, do I look like a thief? And besides, why would I steal any of your stuff?' However, recalling that my identity was different from whom I was, I kept my grievance to myself
"Hello." The slight grin on my face seemed a little bit more constrained as I waved at them.
"Get away from here, you thief." One of them spat, with an obvious disdain from me.
Oh, aren't noble girls supposed to be gentle and shy? Just take a look at the written disgust on their faces. They must hate me so much. Since my greeting was met with an unwelcoming stance, I put down my hand.
Suddenly, a cry erupted from the crowd.
"My hairpin! I can't find my hairpin!" One of the ladies cried after she saw that her precious gold hairpin was missing from her hair.
"Where did you hide her hairpin?" The young girl who had announced my arrival earlier glared at me fiercely as she asked.
"Hairpin?" I almost felt like laughing out loud the moment I heard her accusation. Are people so delusional that they could just put a crime on anyone? I stood not far away from them, my expression cold as I replied. "Why would I steal her hairpin? And besides, I haven't moved an inch from where I stand so how would I have the ability to make her hairpin disappear? Unless I've some magical power which even I'm unaware of."
"Why should we believe whatever words come from your mouth? Everyone here is of pure noble blood family while you who is born from a lowly commoner is the only one who can perform such a heinous act. Who here doesn't know your reputation? Give back her hairpin or else, we'll beat you to a pulp right now."
"…" I felt dumbstruck and also found the situation funny at the same time. Are young people so scheming these days? No, it should be the people of this world who have no morality instead. I was about to retort when a voice suddenly came from the crowd.
"She wasn't the one who stole this young lady's hairpin." A beautiful girl, dressed in a pure white gown stepped out from the crowd. Her face was pure and delicate, the type that could make men's hearts swoon. Her small pink lips parted as she continued, "Besides, you were the one who stole the hairpin."
"What are you saying? How dare you accuse me of stealing her hairpin?" The girl raged, but if one looked closely at her they could her expression faltered at the end.
I turned to look at the beautiful girl in surprise, wondering why she had stepped out to defend me.
"Wrong accusation? Tch." The beautiful girl sneered. "Why don't you take off your waist pouch and show us the content inside? Of course, if I'm wrong, I don't mind kowtowing to you in front of the crowd in apology. But what if I'm right?" There was a smile in her eyes as she deliberately dragged out the last sentence.
"You…" The noble lady was tongue-tied because she knew the other party was right. She had indeed taken the hairpin to accuse Zanillia of stealing. But she would never agree that she stole the hairpin. She gnashed her teeth together and took out the hairpin hidden in her waist pouch. "Take your hairpin. I saw it by chance on the floor and decided to keep it until I found the owner. Don't be careless next time." She threw the hairpin at the girl and dashed angrily into the midst of the crowd.