CHAPTER 68…………………………………….
Cassius let out a low sigh and gently lifted Sonia into his arms.
“Phew.”
Feeling the weight of Sonia, his irritation melted away, replaced by a sudden realization that struck him.
He needed Sonia.
Perhaps the reason he had been in a bad mood all along was simply anxiety. Thinking back, whenever he met her, his heart calmed—but the moment she was out of sight, unease took over.
It was as if he had become a dog, frantic at losing its master.
“If I were really a dog, I’d take care of her to the very end, wouldn’t I?”
She had adored Mikael, a cat.
Since she liked cute things, maybe she would cherish a small dog that fit perfectly in her arms for a lifetime. That silly thought softened the tight line of his mouth.
The paladin standing beside Cassius noticed this change and thought:
“His Highness is in love, isn’t he? Could it be that the object of his affection is Priestess Sonia?”
It wasn’t just the paladin who had heard of his unrequited love for Sonia.
Seeing him lift only Sonia into his arms, as if taking care of his own, anyone could have guessed the same.
Moreover, his expression spoke volumes: a face full of satisfaction, as if he had gained the whole world.
The paladins who had been staring blankly at Cassius snapped out of it.
“Ah, Your Highness! Are you alright?”
“I’m… fine.”
Thanks to Sonia’s embrace, the princess was unharmed. Only her spirit seemed a little subdued under Cassius’s gaze.
“Excuse me.”
A paladin sought permission and helped Sertina, who couldn’t stand on her own.
As Sertina stood with the paladin’s support, her eyes met Cassius’s. It was as if she was silently cursing and threatening him through her gaze.
Sonia, who had protected her, had been injured. She had even lost consciousness.
If they delayed further, the outcome might not be pleasant.
Alphas were possessive.
It was best to leave a possessive partner in his arms.
“…We suspect who might be behind this incident. I’ll inform you once we reach the Holy Empire, so don’t waste time investigating here—let’s depart.”
“Assign a priest to examine the princess, and provide an escort.”
With that, Cassius carried Sonia to his carriage. The paladins helped Sertina into a spare carriage and attached a priest skilled in medicine.
Once treatment was complete, the delegation resumed their journey.
“Lord, why are you doing this to me?”
I reflected on my faith.
Had I been praying solely out of desire for promotion?
Or had I committed blasphemy by thinking impure thoughts of Cassius, thereby incurring the displeasure of Lord Magnus?
I couldn’t understand why misfortune kept striking.
And now even a carriage accident…
“Ugh… so heavy.”
The oppressive weight suggested we were still at the accident site. At least I could still feel sensations, so I was alive.
“Sonia, are you conscious?”
At the familiar voice, my eyes fluttered open. I was in Cassius’s arms.
“That’s a relief.”
His slightly trembling voice carried a tinge of red around his eyes. He must have been extremely worried.
“…There was a carriage accident, wasn’t there?”
“Yes.”
“And the princess…”
He gently tugged my head, and I leaned on his shoulder.
“The princess is unharmed. Stop worrying about others and rest.”
He had shielded Sertina, who had trouble walking, from serious injury. It seemed his effort wasn’t wasted.
Relaxing slightly, my body ached in response, and I shifted a little.
“Are you hurt? I applied basic treatment with holy water since you weren’t seriously injured.”
“No, I’m fine.”
Cassius exhaled in relief and hugged my shoulders. In his embrace, I felt completely safe.
I’m alive.
Relief brought fatigue, and I closed my eyes. He murmured:
“For a moment, I thought something had happened to Sonia.”
“I’m fine… I’m sturdier than I look.”
“…I realized something. A world without Sonia has no value to me.”
Too drowsy to respond, I let his words drift in my half-conscious mind.
“If anything happened to Sonia, I would have sacrificed everyone around me to bring you back.”
I remembered similar words in the scriptures: if a baptized priest kills indiscriminately and spills countless lives’ blood, the god descends. If the manifested god is destroyed, the world becomes a chaotic place where life and death cannot be distinguished.
“Do not leave me.”
Those were the obsessive words of a fictional alpha male in the original story.
Cassius wouldn’t have said something so violent… I hoped. Exhausted, I surrendered everything to sleep.
Shane’s subordinates arrived at the imperial palace.
“Report.”
“The horse struck by the poisoned needle bolted and fell down the hill along with the carriage. The coachman died on the spot, but the princess was safely rescued.”
Shane had instructed his subordinates to ambush the Holy Empire delegation along the route, targeting the rear carriage with a poisoned needle.
He assumed the princess would be badly hurt from the hill, but she was unharmed.
“And the priest?”
“Also rescued.”
Shane clicked his tongue in annoyance.
Sertina, now out of his sight, might still cause trouble. He had tried to deal with her before she could escape completely, but failed.
That priest is a nuisance too.
Even surviving as an Omega was troublesome, and with the recent progress in translating the ancient sacred texts, the day might come when the healing priest achieves full awakening.
If Sonia were to heal Sertina’s leg, it would be a serious problem.
I need to contact him.
Shane wrote a letter to the tower master who sometimes aided him, explaining that Sertina had left for the Holy Empire and that the healing priest might soon awaken fully. He handed the sealed letter to his subordinate.
“Deliver it to the tower master tonight.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Once the subordinate departed, Shane picked up the newspaper he had been reading.
The Holy Empire delegation had departed, and the Sanctuary of Healing was now open to the public.
Consequently, most news was about the sanctuary and the translation of ancient sacred texts.
“Many ancient sacred texts, preserved in pristine condition, were discovered within the newly unearthed Healing Temple. Scholars studying the texts stated that the entrance bears the inscription: ‘When the healing priest achieves final awakening, the Lord will send forth the morning star.’ They pledged to expedite translation so the priest may awaken soon.”
Morning star?
“There are countless stars in the sky—how is one supposed to distinguish a tiny star!”
Frustrated, Shane tossed the newspaper aside. He wished he could arrest the scholars to prevent the translation.
Using the warp activated by the Wind Priests, the Holy Empire was quickly reached.
The white and blue buildings visible through the window looked welcoming.
The carriage slowed as it approached familiar landmarks.
Soon, the Holy Headquarters came into view. Excited to be home, I pressed myself against the window like a child.
“We’ve arrived, Your Highness!”
Cassius, who had dozed briefly, groggily muttered:
“We should get ready.”
He drew back the carriage curtain, took my hand, and gently pulled me closer.
W-what’s happening?
My head bent forward under his touch. I recognized that familiar hand in my hair—it was that hand, the one that always stirred my thoughts.
I pressed against his chest, trying to pull away.
“Wait, Your Highness. We’re in the Holy Empire. Alpha pheromones aren’t necessary here.”
“I see.”
Our eyes met.
“I forgot. We’re in the Holy Empire.”
His voice sounded a little wistful. I stopped mid-movement, feeling awkward.
I turned to sit beside him.
Cassius spoke:
“It seems habitual. I apologize.”
It was understandable. Back in the Empire, I had been constantly exposed to his Alpha pheromones.
Thinking of it, I recalled his lips and firm teeth against my nape. His pheromones always left me feeling complete. Now, deprived of them, I felt a strange emptiness and slight embarrassment.
I rubbed my nape.
“Hmm… yes, we did it so often it became a habit.”
“Even the Empire trip, which I thought was full of bad things, had good memories.”
“You disliked the trip to the Empire, Your Highness?”
“Yes.”
“Me too!”
The memories with Shane were truly the worst—if I could, I would erase them completely!
Seeing me sulk, he tilted his head lazily and asked:
“What did you particularly dislike?”
“Prince Shane.”
“I should remember that.”
“And you? Or rather, tell me something you liked to lift my spirits.”
“I liked the mornings.”
Mornings? Unlike the Holy Empire, the Empire was humid and foggy. Perhaps he enjoyed the ethereal atmosphere.
“The mornings in the Empire were especially beautiful.”
“No. I could meet Sonia in the mornings. Especially when I bit Sonia’s nape—it made me happy.”
