The Debt Of Fate
Chapter 116: The replacement 2

Chapter 116: The replacement 2

The seer frowned, but this forbidden ritual could not be stopped halfway. If he did, death would claim everyone in that moment. He was unwilling to die while performing this ritual. Although he still could not clearly see the face of the woman on the table, he had no choice but to continue the ritual.

"The lady is willing to lose her life to save the King," the seer declared.

"I, Elfrida Ashcombe, am willing to lose my life to save the King," the woman repeated.

"The lady is willing to use her blood to pay the debt of the King," the seer continued.

"I, Elfrida Ashcombe, am willing to use my blood to pay the King’s debt," she repeated.

"The lady gives her fortune to her husband in life or death," the seer said.

"I, Elfrida Ashcombe, give my fortune to my husband in life or death," she said, no longer appearing afraid.

After repeating these words, the seer swiftly cut the woman’s throat. There was no cry of pain. The moment was brief, and before she could utter another word, she was dead. The seer then dropped the knife and continued chanting. After several minutes, he stopped.

The assistant also took the blood from the King.

Finally, the seer looked at the face of the woman on the table. She was not Anastasia. His gaze turned cold, then burned with fury.

"What does Your Majesty mean by this?" he demanded, stepping down from the altar and advancing toward the King.

"I don’t understand the great one’s question," King George replied with a frown. He felt the seer was growing too self-important, daring to question him in such a tone.

"The woman on the table is not Anastasia Thompson! Do you think any random woman can complete the ritual?" the seer snapped. His anger flared. He had risk his life to perform this ritual but the king dared to deceive him. If the man before him were not the King, he would have killed him on the spot. However, if he did, all his work over the past twenty years would be for nothing.

"What?" The King was stunned. He had hired trusted men to abduct Anastasia Thompson. He could not believe they had made a mistake. He had avoided using his own men to reduce the risk of exposure. Anastasia was not in the palace, and even if she had been, he could not simply kill her outright.

The kingdom was unstable, and he did not wish to give greedy nobles a reason to rebel. He had thought his plan flawless and had not expected an error. Even the news the Queen received matched the reports he had been given. He truly could not fathom what had gone wrong.

Seeing the King’s shock, the seer realized he was unaware of the mistake.

"What do we do now?" the King asked after regaining his composure. Though he had resigned himself to his fate before, he did not wish to die now.

"What can be done? The ritual is complete. This maiden also has a good fortune, but it cannot grant you ten years of life. At most, you will live another ten days," the seer said grimly. He, too, felt despair; for he would die one or two days after the King’s passing.

"Can we perform the ritual again?" King George asked after a moment of silence. Whether it was today or ten days from now, it made little difference to him. He wanted ten years.

The seer did not answer immediately. Instead, he began an incantation. After a few moments, he sighed.

"We can, but her blood will no longer be able to save your life. At best, we can transfer her fortune to the prince," the seer explained. He had not anticipated such an outcome. It seemed Elfrida Ashcombe had met Anastasia Thompson before. Anastasia must have helped her with something, and in gratitude, Elfrida had made a vow.

The seer did not fully understand the circumstances, but he knew one thing: Elfrida had been willing to die for Anastasia. That was how such a mistake had been made. Those men had kidnapped the wrong person, and she had been sacrificed in Anastasia’s place.

"Why?" the King demanded, frowning. Though he did not understand how the mistake had occurred, he believed that since he still had up to ten days, he could properly investigate, find Anastasia, and conduct the ritual again.

"Your Majesty, you have already accepted her blood," the seer said, pointing to the woman on the stone table. "She was willing to die for Anastasia. If you attempt the ritual again, it will have a countereffect. The only reason your son can still benefit is that this woman and Anastasia do not share the same husband."

This explanation enraged the King further. He wished he could turn back time and confirm Anastasia’s identity before the ritual. He felt that he had been careful for many years but one little mistake ruined everything.

"What about my debt?" the King asked after a long silence. His voice was strained.

"Just as she managed to prolong your life for a few days, her blood will suppress your debt for a few months. Perhaps a little over a year. It depends," the seer replied.

"Ahh! I want that girl dead!" The King roared in fury. He despised Anastasia. Why could she not obediently die? Why did she always manage to escape disaster while he, a king, was doomed?

"Your Highness, if she dies, your son will lose the throne as soon as the wrath of heaven is no longer suppressed by this woman’s blood. She must not die," the seer warned.

"Did you not say her fortune could be transferred to my son? We will do that and then kill her!" King George declared, unwilling to let Anastasia live.

"Your Majesty, I have used my own life to sustain yours until now. My fate is tied to yours, and I can only live one day after your death. Once I am gone, no one will be able to perform the ritual to transfer her fortune. My assistants are not skilled enough, nor have they cultivated the power to carry out such a ritual," the seer explained. Anastasia had a golden star it was not easy to steal or transfer. This is why even if he knew this forbidden ritual could be done from the beginning, he had used marriage instead. It was easier and safe to tie her fate to that of the royal family.

King George scowled. "Don’t worry. I will have her brought back in a few days," he declared.