Episode 28
“The soldiers and knights looking for the Saint are still searching around the capital. Luckily, they haven’t found anything yet.”
“They haven’t found anything… well, of course not.”
Because the real Saint was right here — it was her.
“Sometimes, people come forward and say they’re the Saint, but… how could they have any divine power? Not even a speck of it.”
Amy glanced carefully at Raina. She still remembered that moment — when lightning-like light had surrounded her. That image was burned into Amy’s memory.
“They say the High Priest is checking each one of those fake Saints personally. But so far, he’s kicked all of them out.”
“Fake Saints, huh…”
Raina had heard about imposters before.
“They really have no idea. Why would anyone want to be the Saint?”
If she could, she’d gladly give this power to those wannabe Saints. Clicking her tongue, Raina asked, “Anything else?”
“Nothing major. But people are talking about how strange it is that Flontine Island is a prize for the hunting competition…”
Then Amy’s eyes lit up. “Oh right! That serious priest who came looking for you before?”
“What about him?”
“I think he was transferred far away. I tried asking around, but no one seems to know where he went.”
“He disappeared?”
Raina looked serious.
‘That priest was a key witness… where did he go?’
She wasn’t sure if this was a good thing or a bad thing. It was nice that he was gone for now, but what if he suddenly popped back up later?
‘Could it be Carlhail’s doing?’
But she wasn’t sure. She had never asked him about it.
“Come to think of it, I haven’t seen His Highness lately either.”
Amy said it casually, but Raina leaned back and crossed her arms.
“Don’t know. Maybe he’s just busy.”
Amy blinked in surprise. Raina’s face looked grumpy.
“Why don’t you go see him?” Amy suggested.
“Me?”
“You seem curious about him.”
“Me? No way! I’m not curious at all. And what good would it do to see that guy?”
Amy wasn’t wrong — there was no rule saying Carlhail had to come find her. She could go to him. But for some reason, she really didn’t want to. Maybe it was because Blair was at the palace, or maybe she didn’t want to “serve” a kiss like a delivery. And honestly, Carlhail saying he wouldn’t even try in the hunting competition still bothered her.
‘So we’re just keeping this strictly transactional, huh?’
She already knew this was a contract relationship, but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.
“Ugh, whatever. I’m just going to rest today. I have to wake up super early for the hunting contest tomorrow anyway.”
Raina flopped onto the sofa like she had given up on everything. Amy sighed, watching her noble lady act like that.
“Miss, the competition’s tomorrow. Are you ready?”
“Ready?”
She had a feeling there was something she was supposed to ask Amy… but she couldn’t remember.
“You haven’t prepared anything. You should start now.”
Amy brought something over to Raina.
“…What’s that?”
“An embroidery hoop, of course!”
“And what am I supposed to do with that?”
Raina tilted her head without sitting up. Amy jumped up.
“What? Were you not planning to give His Highness anything?!”
Raina sat up in shock. “Wait, I’m supposed to make something?!”
“Of course! It’s a tradition! Women give embroidered charms for the men’s sword handles to wish them a safe hunt!”
“What? Sword handle? That’s a tradition?”
This empire had so many weird traditions! First, it was wedding gifts, and now this…
“Oh right, the emperor mentioned something about an empty sword handle…” Raina had meant to ask Amy about it later but had totally forgotten.
“And you’re his fiancée! If you don’t give him anything, people will mock him. His Highness might even get teased!”
‘Carlhail… being teased? That just doesn’t fit him at all.’
“Hurry, Miss! If you go empty-handed, I’m the one Lady Grace will scold!”
Amy practically dragged her off the sofa. Raina was forced to get up.
She looked hopelessly at the embroidery hoop with the white cloth stretched across it. She had never done this in her life. Not even a simple cross-stitch.
‘Why now, of all times?’
After staring at it for a while, she dove under her blankets and hid.
“I don’t care! I can’t do this! I don’t care about your traditions!!”
Besides, Carlhail wasn’t even going to the competition, right? He’d be fine without a charm.
Amy followed her under the blankets, trying to talk her out of it.
“You’re his fiancée! You should do these things! It’s how you build your rights in the relationship! What if he’s waiting for it?!”
Raina remembered something… either the emperor or empress had said Carlhail’s sword handle was always empty. She imagined him with nothing — looking kind of sad. Of course, that was just her own fantasy. But the image tugged at her heart a little.
Finally, Raina peeked her head out of the blanket.
“…How do you even make it?”
“You just embroider a small design on a handkerchief. I’ll show you!”
She followed Amy to the sofa.
“See, you go in and out like this…”
Amy’s fingers moved quickly, and soon a small yellow butterfly appeared on the handkerchief.
“Looks easy, right?”
Actually, it didn’t look too hard.
‘I’m pretty good with my hands. If I copy her carefully, I should be okay.’
Raina gave it a try. She threaded the needle and started stitching. After a while, she had something on the cloth… a strange blob that could maybe be a flower… or a tangled ball of thread.
There was an awkward silence.
Amy clapped, half-heartedly. “Wow— you did it, Miss!”
‘…Was that a compliment?’
“I just need to fix it a little…”
“Then why are you switching to a new cloth?”
“…To start fresh, of course!”
“…Fine. Let’s try again.”
Now she was determined. Raina went at it with a mix of pride and stubbornness.
She failed a few more times, but after a while, she managed to embroider a small face in the corner of the handkerchief.
“What do you think? Kinda cute, right?”
She felt proud. Even Amy nodded.
“Orange round face… with eyes and a mouth. Ah! It’s a cat?”
“…It’s a tiger.”
“Oh… you mean, you want him to catch a tiger?”
Actually, it was supposed to look like Carlhail, who reminded her of a tiger. But Amy’s guess wasn’t bad either.
“…Yeah, catch a tiger.”
“It’s a sweet, meaningful gift.”
Amy smiled.
“It’s a bit small, but it’s good enough.”
Raina sighed, rubbing her sore shoulders. It was already sunset. While she was done, Amy was still stitching something.
“…What are you doing, Amy?”
“Huh? Oh… nothing!”
Amy quickly hid her embroidery.
Raina narrowed her eyes and smirked. “You making it for that guy?”
“That… guy?”
“You know, the one you prayed for at the Saint statue. Your lover, right?”
“What?! No, Miss!”
Her blushing face said otherwise.
“If he’s not your lover, why are you making him a charm?”
Raina giggled, watching Amy get flustered. She wanted to tease her more, but Amy looked like she might cry if it continued.
So Raina waited quietly, softly stroking her clumsy little tiger.
‘Carlhail said he never got a handkerchief before? For someone so popular?’
He always claimed he was the kingdom’s top bachelor. Raina snorted.
‘Liar.’
Still… it was a good thing he had a fiancée like her now. She smiled proudly.
“Hehe.”
She folded the cloth neatly and placed it on the table. Tomorrow, she’d finally meet her strange, silent fiancé again.
Her chest felt tight, but she looked at Amy working hard and felt a little calmer.
The Next Morning
Raina’s carriage sped toward the outskirts of the capital. She had woken up at dawn and barely slept last night, so she kept dozing off during the ride.
Amy woke her up after three hours.
“We’re here!”
“Already?”
“It’s been three hours, Miss.”
Embarrassed, Raina wiped her mouth to check for drool and stepped out of the carriage.
But what she saw was not what she expected.
She thought the event would be quiet since it was outside the city — but no. Men in hunting gear, ladies in fancy dresses, noise everywhere.
“The hunting contest… is this big of an event?”
Raina asked, staring at the crowd.
Amy gave her a look like, obviously.
What kind of Rofan reader was she to not know about the obligatory hunting competition? XD