A murmur rippled through the courtyard:
— "What happened?"
— "Why was the vow broken?"
— "Is this… an omen?"
Koharu lifted her head. Her eyes were fixed on the darkness within the spear. Her voice did not tremble; she spoke with resolve:
> "I cannot do this. I cannot be like you!"
For a heartbeat the entire courtyard froze. Then the king's face turned crimson. The guards lunged forward, her siblings burst into laughter. The crowd's murmur swelled; prayers, whispers, and fear tangled together.
The king stepped forward with heavy strides. His face held not fury, but an icy contempt.
> "The power of the angelic bloodline is sealed with Michael's light. For a thousand years it has been so, and today it remains so. You… could not bear the seal."
The crowd growled. A few shouted, "Omen!"
The king raised his voice; his words were as sharp as a blade:
> "It means you are not of the angelic line. There is a stain in your blood. In our holy land there is no place for tainted blood!"
One of her siblings laughed aloud:
> "You were only ever a disgrace in the palace anyway!"
Another added:
> "Now you're going where you belong—beyond the gates."
Her sister narrowed her eyes, whispering in triumph:
> "I'm glad I came today. I wouldn't have missed this disgrace for the world."
The king lifted his hand, his voice shaking the stones of the courtyard:
> "Koharu! I exile you from the Land of Angels. Your name and your lineage shall no longer be spoken among us!"
The murmurs of the crowd rose. Some clapped, others shouted, "Tainted blood!"
As the guards advanced on Koharu, the princess raised her head. There were no tears in her eyes—only a deep determination.
> "Banish me. But the true darkness lies within your hearts."
The words echoed through the courtyard. For a moment, silence reigned. Then laughter, jeers, and clapping crashed together.
The soldiers chained Koharu's wrists. The cold metal bit into her skin.
The king commanded harshly:
> "Take her to the Void. She will never return!"
The courtyard drowned in noise. Some clapped, some shouted, "Omen!"
Koharu raised her head.
There was not a trace of regret in her eyes.
She would rather die than surrender herself to that curse.