Reborn After Betrayal: The Frail True Princess Decides to Give Up

Chapter 271 : The Accident Suddenly Occurs

Even having talked to this extent, Ariel still found it hard to believe:"But when I went out to inquire, those maids said mother's due date isn't until next month."

"Then, Ariel, do you remember Sophia's birthday?" Celitia asked.

Ariel nodded matter-of-factly: "Of course I remember—it's March 22nd."

As soon as she spoke, Ariel understood what Celitia meant.

Seeing that Ariel had realized it, Celitia continued: "Meilenn mentioned just now that today is the spring equinox."

Each year's spring equinox might have a day or two of variation—it wouldn't necessarily be March 22nd.

But...

This time, it should be today.

"I understand." Ariel nodded seriously.

The two fell silent, rejoined the other two maids, and followed Marianne and Meilenn back to the carriage.

Charles and the guard unit he led also breathed sighs of relief seeing the two return safely.

The wheels creaked and groaned as the carriage swayed and slowly headed back.

Ariel thought for a moment, then stood up supporting herself against the carriage wall and said to Celitia:

"I'll go outside to keep watch. You stay here and keep Her Majesty company."

"No problem." Celitia agreed decisively.

"You two are really cautious—you've been tense since we left, haven't you?" Marianne smiled with pursed lips. "When we were in the peach blossom grove just now, did you properly enjoy the flowers?"

Celitia was stunned and answered somewhat perfunctorily: "Ah... yes."

"Really?" Marianne didn't seem to believe it.

She said gently:

"Actually, how the scenery looks isn't important. What's important is the person who enjoys the flowers with you, and the beautiful memories left in your heart."

The person who enjoyed the flowers together, and beautiful memories?

Yes, she had been so busy eavesdropping on Marianne and Meilenn's conversation that Celitia's memory of what had happened along the way was somewhat blurred.

Only one impression remained...

It seemed someone had very carefully taken her hand, then immediately let go.

Only a bit of warmth remained on her fingertips, like a beating heart.

Wait, what time was it for her to be thinking about this?

Celitia quickly shook her head, clearing all the distracting thoughts from her mind.

"Your Majesty is right—the people around us and the memories are both very important. I'll remember that."

"You," Marianne affectionately patted her head, "you're clearly not very old, but why are your thoughts so heavy?"

"If you have anything to say, speak up more often. Don't always keep things bottled up inside."

Whether it was past Marianne or future Marianne, they both seemed to particularly enjoy patting her head.

However, Celitia didn't find it annoying.

Rather... she was somewhat addicted to it.

She nuzzled the hand on her head, feeling that burning warmth from the palm, and comfortably narrowed her eyes.

Getting Celitia's response, Marianne became even more addicted to the patting, stroking her slightly curly long hair again and again.

"Strange—we've only just met, yet I inexplicably feel close to you."

Marianne said with a laugh:

"Could it be that you're actually my future daughter who secretly traveled back to the past to see me?"

The more she spoke, the more reasonable it seemed: "And that 'Ariel' who shares my daughter's name and even looks somewhat like her—could she be the future version?"

Celitia blinked very slowly: "What do you think?"

"You're actually making me guess—how mean," Marianne frowned in distress. "Then I'll guess yes?"

While the two chatted in the carriage, they had already traveled quite a distance.

Celitia calculated the time—they had covered about half the journey.

Lifting the carriage curtain, Celitia looked toward the other carriage traveling alongside them.

That was the carriage Meilenn was riding in, and for now everything seemed normal there too.

Were they just going to let them return to the villa like this, with those people planning to act when the opportunity arose?

After all, Lady Liana was still at the villa—other possibilities couldn't be ruled out.

Just as Celitia was considering other possibilities, as if triggering some intuition, she inexplicably sensed a strange fluctuation.

"Ariel!" Celitia suddenly called out toward the outside of the carriage.

At the same time, the two horses pulling the carriage both let out sharp neighing sounds.

The coachman's panicked shouts came from outside: "Goddess! Why did the horses suddenly get spooked?!"

Besides the coachman, four people were riding in this carriage, so when setting out, they had specifically chosen a larger carriage pulled by two carefully selected fine horses.

This now became a burden, as the coachman couldn't control the two frightened horses at all.

The carriage rushed forward at several times its previous speed, the cabin bouncing so violently that people felt dizzy and couldn't sit steady.

Dorothy's screams nearly pierced their eardrums: "Ahhhh—!!"

Celitia gripped the carriage window tightly with one hand while using her other hand to forcefully protect Marianne.

Her body was already frail with little strength, but at this moment she exerted all her effort, willing to break bones rather than let go.

"It's alright, Queen Marianne. We trust Ariel—she can definitely control the situation!"

At this point Ariel could no longer restrain herself and shouted at the coachman:

"You focus all your strength on holding that horse—let me handle this one!"

She pulled hard on the reins, and even though she yanked the horse's head until it bled, she couldn't stop the steed's mad galloping.

Ariel frowned deeply.

How strange.

This level of madness was quite unusual.

Without caring about much else, Ariel grabbed the rope, exerted force with both hands, and her fighting spirit exploded fiercely, instantly tearing the sturdy reins into two pieces.

The coachman beside her watched with eyes wide as saucers.

These were carriage reins—to be able to tear them apart bare-handed, how much strength did this maid have?

Having lost the burden behind it, the galloping horse ran off and disappeared in an instant.

Next, Ariel seized the reins from the coachman's hands and did the same thing, breaking the rope in two and releasing the other horse.

Having lost the pulling horses and unable to control direction, the carriage's speed didn't stop but continued rushing forward.

The wheels hit a rock, causing the entire carriage to shake violently and tilt to one side, nearly overturning.

Celitia still held Marianne tightly in the corner, her head banging against the carriage window several times, but she didn't make a sound.

The coachman was nearly thrown out and clung tightly to the carriage rail, pointing ahead and screaming: "It's the lake! We're going to fall into the lake!"

Ariel took a deep breath, stood up from the carriage, crouched with her body half-bent, pushed off with her legs, and shot out like a cannonball, landing steadily on the ground.

She stood directly in front of the carriage, facing the direction it was charging from, and resolutely raised both hands.

The coachman was nearly scared unconscious: "Young lady, are you crazy?! Get out of the way!!"