Chapter 07
“Ah. That expression.”
The term “grandmother” must have offended His Majesty, because his face crumpled instantly.
I quickly glanced at Captain Henkel.
Fortunately, he was looking elsewhere.
It was also lucky that everyone else in the hall could only see the back of His Majesty.
“Your Majesty, your expression.”
“Ah.”
I tapped my forehead with my index finger while looking at His Majesty.
He immediately understood, relaxed his expression, and sat down.
Well, even a perfectionist like His Majesty can fail at maintaining a poker face.
Love really does change people. Indeed.
“Was my request to be made godmother a bit too much?”
I whispered cautiously to His Majesty.
Well, if it’s His Majesty’s child, it would probably be a prince or princess.
If he were going to choose a godmother, he’d want someone more capable than me, who doesn’t have divine power!
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I just got carried away thinking about something practical rather than becoming Your Majesty’s dog.”
“…Dog?”
“Well, I thought, since I’m technically a saint, it might be okay as a symbolic gesture—”
“…”
“Ah, but first, the two of you need to be in a relationship, right? I got ahead of myself again. Then later, when you marry and have children—”
“Saint.”
His Majesty cut off my chattering and turned his head toward me.
Ugh, dazzling.
I wasn’t prepared.
Don’t protect your eyesight.
“You’ve been saying incomprehensible things since earlier. Who’s having children? Who’s dating whom? I’d like some explanation.”
There was a slight edge in His Majesty’s tone.
Strange. Why the sudden act of ignorance…?
“Ah.”
Could he be embarrassed?
What… His Majesty like this is completely new.
I want to tease him, but I have to restrain myself.
“Well, obviously you mean Your Majesty and the princess of the Bonia Kingdom.”
His Majesty’s eyes widened slightly more than usual, as if he hadn’t expected me to realize.
After a brief silence, he twisted the corners of his mouth in a smirk.
“The saint truly knows nothing.”
Whoa. First time I’ve seen him mock in a gentle tone.
I should capture this rare scene on video and keep it for myself!
The technological level of this world, still stuck in the Middle Ages, was seriously lamentable.
“Love really does…!”
A surge of emotion almost made me shout, so I covered my mouth with both hands.
His gaze seemed to say, What are you doing now?, but it didn’t really affect him.
So now the question:
From the choices below, select the one that correctly interprets the handsome speaker’s intention.
You (the saint) know nothing.
He just wanted to casually tease by showing a new side of himself.
He’s embarrassed, so mind your own business. He (His Majesty) will handle it, so pretend you don’t know.
Normally, 1 would have been the correct answer.
But today’s His Majesty was not just new, he was refreshing.
This could only be explained by love.
“The correct answer is 3!”
Right. No third party should interfere between a man and a woman.
I quickly accepted it and nodded toward His Majesty.
I may normally act silly and appear frivolous, but if I’m told not to, I won’t.
“Your Majesty, don’t worry. I won’t interfere and will cheer for your love from afar. I won’t approach the princess at all, so you can be at ease.”
“…Ha.”
I expected a comment, but only a short laugh came from His Majesty.
Seeing him smile, was he in a good mood?
Though his right eyebrow twitched slightly.
Hmm. Ambiguous.
Well, whatever.
“I support Your Majesty’s relationship!”
Two days later.
I was faced with a situation where I might have to break the promise I made to His Majesty.
“Incest?”
“Have you not heard the famous story? The Bonia royal family practices consanguineous marriages.”
“Why?”
“They dislike mixing bloodlines. The princess who came this time was born from the Bonia king and his half-sister.”
“Ugh. Is that possible? Sleeping in the same bed with your sister? I could never do that.”
“You wouldn’t do it with your sister, of course. You two don’t look alike. But the Bonia royals are all exceptionally beautiful—so it’s possible, isn’t it?”
“True. With someone as beautiful as Princess Charle, I could do it. If such a beauty is lying in bed, then what does being sisters matter?”
In a relatively secluded royal garden, two noblemen chuckled as if their ridiculous conversation were a joke.
“Are these people crazy?!”
On my way to see His Majesty at the main palace, I overheard this conversation that sounded like something only delinquents would say, so I stopped to listen.
This was not something to let slide.
“Isn’t this insulting the royal family?”
To commit such a crime in the sacred palace!
I glanced around to see if any passing knights were nearby, ready to report, but there were none.
I couldn’t go to the main palace either, because the nobles would no longer be there.
“Do I intervene myself?”
I grabbed my hair and brought it forward.
Surely, upon seeing my unmistakably ordinary black hair, they would immediately recognize me and say, S-Saint.
“I don’t want to speak with these ignorant nobles… But I can’t let these maniacs insult the princess. Last time I stayed put, so do I call His Majesty? Ah, what do I do?!”
Meanwhile, the gossip about the Bonia royal family continued.
“Eventually, the princess might marry one of the two princes. Thinking that, incest is still… questionable.”
“Have you heard about Baron Quinte tying up his lover in bed and beating them? He seems to have such a bizarre taste. Pretending to have noble blood but secretly sleeping with relatives. Tsk tsk.”
Grr, ggrr, ggrr!
I desperately wanted to jump out and slap their mouths and backs, but…
“Don’t act rashly. If I lose control in front of strangers, they’ll discover my lack of power. No, no….”
“Patience. This is the Zendal royal palace. No trouble must be caused.”
“But I must… no…”
“There’s no way. Hey, you two.”
I was startled.
Using my patience naturally increased my focus and hearing, and I clearly heard the voice of the enraged princess restraining herself.
“The princess was listening.”
I didn’t know when she had started listening, but the angry voices of Bonia’s maids followed.
At least now, those nobles must have realized what topic they were discussing.
No time to hesitate.
I jumped out from my hiding place and stood before the two men.
“S-Saint?”
I knew they’d say that.
I heard the princess’s group gasp behind a nearby tree.
As I stepped forward, the two men retreated as if guilty.
I rolled up my sleeves.
“You two mouths open, let’s pretend I’m not a saint for now. Forget the divine power. Let’s settle this here.”
“Why help the barbarians?! They are ungrateful!”
“It’s a perfect opportunity to create leverage on the Bate Peninsula!”
The meeting room was in chaos.
Marquis Landet slammed the table and shouted, countered by Count Dotempan.
The nobles in the palace joined in, taking sides.
Sitting calmly, Allend watched with a gentle smile.
“What a mess.”
Though inwardly annoyed.
They had requested military support from the Bate Peninsula, citing past connections with the former emperor.
A single unit sent as a token would have sufficed.
The reason for the heated argument was the peninsula’s exports: furs and pipe tobacco.
Some wanted to secure this high-priced luxury trade route, others wanted to block them.
A ridiculous power struggle wasting precious time.
“Hmph. When will you ever build friendly ties with them? It’d be faster to give the saint military command and make the Bate Peninsula a vassal state.”
At the sarcastic remark from Marquis Landet, Allend looked at him.
No one in the chaos was paying attention to the emperor’s gaze—except Henkel and Evon.
“That’s not what I meant!”
Count Dotempan snapped.
Having lost important clients due to Landet, he instinctively raised his voice when opposing the marquis.
Other nobles, baited, split into factions and argued fiercely.
Blasphemy? Following Barbarnon Kingdom’s path? Summoning the saint only to hide like cowards?
Finally:
“Then bring the saint here and ask for her opinion!”
Not a shop owner calling out a customer.
The gathering of Zendal’s ministers was worse than a market square.
Unable to bear it, Chancellor Evon Hyben stepped in to mediate.
“Everyone…”
“Enough.”
The emperor’s voice instantly quieted the room.
Whether a market or the palace council, this is Zendal.
It is not the loudest who wins, but the one with the greatest divine power.
“Calm yourselves.”
The ministers sat quietly.
Their racing hearts couldn’t be helped, but it was better than before.
“I understand your opinions.”
“But don’t forget the main point. This meeting’s agenda is deciding whether to send troops to the Bate Peninsula, not focusing on the saint.”
The emperor spoke gently.
The discussion returned to its original purpose.
Having been chastised, the meeting proceeded calmly.
By the time consensus was forming to temporarily send troops to the Bate Peninsula, there was commotion at the door.
Seeing a servant’s pale face in the hallway, it seemed urgent, though the meeting wasn’t over.
A knight quietly closed the door.
Then he reported to Henkel Levarthen, who silently guarded the emperor.
Henkel’s expression darkened as he received the report.
He approached the emperor, covering his mouth with his hand, and whispered quietly:
“There is a disturbance in the western palace garden. The saint has grabbed the hair of two nobles and refuses to let go.”
“….”
I have no idea what’s going on.
Allend stood.
“…Let’s end the meeting here.”
“Y-Your Majesty? What…”
Before the ministers could react, the emperor left the chamber with his guard.
Thanks to the competent ministers who remained, the meeting concluded without major issues.
