If You Devour Poison / Doku wo Kurawaba Sara Made

Chapter 54: Nasha

Nasha Laturi was running.
She raced purposefully through the dark underground passage, searching for the exit with her lantern raised.
It wasn't supposed to turn out this way, she thought.
Nasha's mind had gone blank when, after being dragged to the capital from the village of her birth, the Head Priest told her that she would be sacrificed to the dragon. Before she could rage at his absurd statement, her legs trembled at her own helplessness.
The room prepared for the Sacrificial Priestess was in the middle of the Royal Castle, and to Nasha, who had been raised in a family that was not well-off, the gorgeous, lavishly decorated room was like a luxury straight from a dream. When Nasha realised it was a cell meant to cage her in, however, her heart sank again.
Beginning with the Crown Prince waiting for his enthronement and his Royal Guards, young men including knights from the Royal Knights Order, civil officials, and many others would regularly visit Nasha's room to ask after her. They claimed to be there to help teach Nasha, who would become the Sacrificial Priestess. She wasn't sure how education could be of any use, but staying silent and doing nothing would have been akin to accepting her fate.
Though Nasha was wary at first, everyone was friendly to her and she quickly became accustomed to these interactions.
As Nasha was born and raised in Palcemith, she knew that the country benefited from the Ancient Dragon Kharis' blessings. As she learnt more and more about its history and culture, she nevertheless began to feel that the role of the Sacrificial Priestess, chosen willfully by the Shrine for an arbitrary death, was extremely unreasonable.
Nasha expressed her opinion to the Crown Prince and others who visited her. She requested that she be allowed to visit not just the castle, but also the Shrine to the Ancient Dragon Kharis and the library full of wisdom. And after several days, with the condition that she be accompanied by someone, she was granted permission to leave the room to which she was confined.
When she headed to the Shrine, His Highness accompanied her.
The Crown Prince had beautiful golden hair, deep blue eyes, and a gentle demeanor. Despite his position at the top of the country's hierarchy, he was always supportive of Nasha, who was prone to crippling anxiety. She was charmed by him before she knew it.
The Shrine was where she first met the [Dragon Priestess], Julieta O'shayne Asbal. Frankly, Nasha harboured hostility towards Julieta's arrogant attitude from the moment she was introduced by the Crown Prince as his fiancée. The same could be said of Julieta. When His Highness spoke about his hope for them to get along as contemporaries, Julieta hid her face, which was stiff with caked-on made-up, with her fan and spat out a reply.

"I refuse. I do not think I can converse with such a plebian."
"...That's what I should say!"

Julieta laughed scornfully at Nasha's shout. His Highness covered for Nasha because of her frustration at her inability to retort.

"Julieta, you've said too much. Besides, Nasha is the Sacrificial Priestess. She may have been born in town, but her status now is equal to that of the King… She is not lowborn."

A large, warm hand tightly held a soft handkerchief...
Gently wiping away Nasha's involuntary tears.
Unsurprisingly, Julieta, the Crown Prince's fiancée, was infuriated by the romantic scene unfolding in front of her.
Nasha stayed a few days in a guestroom meant for visiting patricians in order to investigate the Shrine's internal affairs, but Julieta harassed her at every turn. The attempts to break Nasha down backfired; His Highness distanced himself from Julieta even more as a result.
Meanwhile, Nasha’s twin Melia, who was chasing her missing sister, arrived at the royal capital.
She was delighted at Nasha's safety but surprised at the role imposed onto her and offered to help look for a way to escape. Nasha was greatly relieved to learn of their family's current good fortune from Melia. Their current circumstances weren’t bad and it seemed like her brother would be able to undergo surgery thanks to a generous aristocrat. Having learnt of their family's status from Melia, Nasha was greatly relieved.
Nasha’s affection for the Crown Prince grew stronger as they spent more and more time together thereafter.
Even so, he had an established fiancée. Further, she was fated to be killed as a sacrifice. She could do nothing.
Her twin sister with an identical face was the one who consoled Nasha earnestly through her depression.
Just like Nasha, Melia was in love.
It was with the taciturn knight who had saved her from the kidnappers moments before she lost her chastity, and it had happened right before she entered the capital.

"Nasha, you're in love with His Highness, right?"
"...Love, huh. Is it that obvious?"
"Definitely. Even if we were not twins, I could tell. Especially since… I am also in love."

They swore to each other that they wouldn't give up on their love.
His Highness would visit Nasha's room everyday at that point, as if seeing her was part of his daily routine.
Nasha took the plunge one day and handed the Crown Prince a letter, asking him to come to her balcony at night.
That night.
His Highness snuck in to visit Nasha, who waited nervously.
The Crown Prince led Nasha by the hand, guiding her. The pair faced each other on the balcony at night.
Underneath the starry sky, they pledged their secret love to one another.
Resolute, the Crown Prince and his close aides acted quickly.
After gathering evidence of Julieta's attempts to harm Nasha, they uncovered the misconduct of her father, Prime Minister Anderheim, and his collusion with Head Priest Malacia. They successfully obtained the forbidden drug [Suimo] that had been smuggled to foreign countries.
Finally the fateful day arrived.
They denounced the Dragon Priestess Julieta in the middle of the audience hall with all the nobles and vassals gathered. Adding insult to injury, they freed Nasha by condemning the unconscious Julieta, victim of a broken engagement, to take over as Sacrificial Priestess.
His Highness' proclamation that he would protect her made Nasha ecstatic.
Moved to tears and embracing the Crown Prince before the throne, a clear voice entered Nasha's ears.