Chapter 58
The day after returning from the Nisephorel Temple.
I sat at my desk, greeting the rising sun.
On the bed beside me, my master and Fyu were fast asleep.
Early at dawn, my master had suddenly come to see me, and we spent a blissful time together.
Fyu used to act like my rival, but now we’d grown close enough to share the bed like that.
Anyway.
“Hehe….”
With hollow eyes, I set down my quill.
I was tired, but looking at the proposal I had completed overnight, a smile forced its way onto my lips.
[Plan to Support His Majesty’s Happy Life]
I clenched my fist.
This plan—I will definitely make it succeed…!
“Oh, right.”
In the midst of my resolve, I remembered something I had forgotten and quickly picked up the pen.
Then, pouring my emotions into it, I pressed down hard as I wrote beneath the title:
[Subtitle: May Derarchi Be Ruined.]
I sat on the floor of the underground laboratory in the Imperial Palace Research Institute, deep in thought.
Learning the name Derarchi had been by chance.
I had accidentally overheard a conversation between His Majesty and Prime Minister Ebon mentioning Derarchi something-or-other.
And beneath the floor of the underground prison I had slipped into to hide for a moment, I accidentally heard someone whisper, “Lord Derarchi….”
Several times after that.
As those coincidences repeated, I was left only with the question, ‘What kind of person is Derarchi?’
But during my conversation with Hazel yesterday, I had a feeling.
Fortunately, my instincts weren’t wrong, and I was able to obtain some information from Hazel.
First, the person named ‘Derarchi’ is the king of the principality and was granted the title of Grand Duke by His Majesty.
Second, in Zendal, aside from the Imperial Palace, there is no place untouched by his influence.
Even the noble faction, who watch His Majesty’s mood carefully, would run wild if Derarchi merely promised to lend them his support.
Third, that damned Derarchi is plotting treason to seize Zendal.
‘His Majesty’s enemy is my enemy. So that man called Derarchi is my enemy too.’
I burned with fighting spirit toward Derarchi, whose face I had never even seen.
If someone appeared right now claiming to be Derarchi, I’d glare at them with full force—one hundred percent willing.
Whether or not I’d grab them by the hair afterward would depend on whether it would put His Majesty in a difficult position.
And though this is a different matter entirely, lastly.
His Majesty…
“Then, Saintess, I’ll be counting on you. His Majesty the Emperor has never really had any luck in that area.”
“Pardon?”
Just before releasing the soundproof barrier, Hazel had said that while expressing support for my romance with His Majesty.
Cheering for romance—I could think of that as a common joke from an elder.
But I couldn’t understand what she meant by His Majesty having no luck in that area.
So when I brought up the net story, she burst out laughing.
She even shed tears, leaving both Captain Henkel and me flustered.
“…So, as far as I know, His Majesty the Emperor has never dated anyone.”
“What about the possibility that he did so somewhere even you don’t know about? After becoming Emperor, I doubt people around him would’ve left him alone.”
“If he had been living such a promiscuous life as you suggest, surely at least one rumor would have reached my ears….”
Hazel shook her head.
“And even if those around him didn’t leave him alone, wouldn’t he have to give his heart himself? He’s as impenetrable as an iron fortress.”
So the final piece of information.
His Majesty… was single since birth.
With that face! With that ability!
He’s never even dated once!
‘This is too good….’
It seemed my heart wasn’t as magnanimous as I thought—I wholeheartedly welcomed His Majesty’s serious view of romance.
A shallow and broad dating history would have been fine too, but still, love is one and only—!
So that means I… I…!
What do I do…!!
‘Gasp. I’m hyperventilating again.’
This topic is still too much for me.
Just thinking about it makes my heart run wild beyond control.
For now, I shoved that issue into a corner of my mind.
“This isn’t the time to be like this.”
I took out the items Hazel had given me from a wooden box and spread them on the floor.
One introductory book on divine power, five small flowerpots, and five differently colored seeds.
“Fyu?”
Fyu made a sound as if asking what this was.
“Curious? Well, this is….”
What I’ve named the ‘Beginner’s Three-Item Set’ for novice users of divine power!
To roughly summarize Hazel’s explanation, divine power in this world is divided into five major categories.
When children first manifest divine power, they use this beginner’s set to determine their category.
“You plant the seeds infused with divine power into each of the pots. The reason they’re different colors is that each seed can detect a different category.”
Then, whichever pot sprouts indicates the category.
Normally, people handle one category. Those called geniuses handle two.
As for our His Majesty…
“As far as I know, three. Offensive, mental, and guardian.”
“…That’s amazing, right?”
“It was something scholars deemed impossible. When His Majesty appeared, they struggled quite a bit. Though, to you, Saintess, it might seem trivial—to be impressed by something like that.”
“Haha….”
I might’ve preferred not hearing that last part.
‘The Director also knows I’m a Saintess with immense divine power….’
The more connections I gained, the more my anxiety grew.
But I couldn’t just live as I did before.
I couldn’t keep running around in the flower garden of my mind shouting, ‘His Majesty’s face is the greatest welfare benefit of my life!’
“A war, of all things.”
Even so, I was a Saintess in name.
When war begins, I can’t just stay quietly inside the palace.
When that time comes, I refuse to be dragged around like useless baggage…!
I can’t leave His Majesty to clean up after me.
That’s why I devised the Support His Majesty’s Life Plan overnight!
“Fyu, the first plan is for me to become stronger.”
“Fyu?”
“So I won’t be something for His Majesty to worry about!”
The underground laboratory I borrowed from Chobi was wide and empty, like a training ground with nothing in it.
They said it was a place to test inventions for combat or those with explosion risks, which made it even better.
‘I should be careful, considering what happened before.’
I glanced at the ring still on my index finger.
I couldn’t ignore the power of the ring that had turned Wolfman’s ship into a wreck.
It would be a problem if I practiced divine power just anywhere and ended up destroying the Imperial Palace.
‘But this ring feels like it’ll never come off. Should I at least ask His Majesty how much it costs…?’
I have a bottomless fangirl savings account, but it might still be far from enough to cover the price of the ring.
So I should at least prepare myself mentally…!
Zing.
“Ah, no.”
I hurriedly soothed the yellow-glowing ring.
The ring, which reacts sensitively to my emotions, was still difficult to control.
It only calms down if I coax and soothe it.
His Majesty said I just need to think about not activating it.
How exactly am I supposed to do that?
This is why geniuses…!
‘He’s so cool.’
It’d be nice if later he looked at me with disdain and said something like, ‘You can’t even do this?’
Kgh. Just imagining it makes my heart ache…
Anyway.
When Hazel handed me the beginner’s set, she said something similar to what Siana had once said.
“If it’s difficult for you to use divine power, try using that ring. The holy stone in the ring will help you operate it.”
So last night, I practiced the training method written in the introductory book whenever I had the chance.
Just before falling asleep, divine power shimmering like opal flickered faintly over the ring.
The first time I faced my divine power since coming to this world.
I covered my mouth.
‘I’m finally a Saintess with divine power too…!’
I nearly cried from emotion.
The Idemanta measuring device still wasn’t repaired, so measuring it was impossible, but that didn’t matter.
What’s important is that I have divine power, right?
It’s absolutely not because I think my divine power level might be low.
“Well then….”
I opened the introductory book, picked up a seed, and placed it on the ring.
Following the instructions in the book, I infused divine power into the five seeds and planted them in their respective pots.
And shortly after.
“…Whoa.”
“Fyu! Fyu, fyuu!”
Unlike usual, Fyu bounced on the floor, making highly excited sounds.
With trembling eyes, I stared at the flowerpots.
“What kind of balance is this…?”
“D-Director!”
Rondeiman, a researcher at the Imperial Palace Research Institute, flung open the door to the director’s office.
He was afraid, but there was no one else to deliver the news.
He was now the only one who hadn’t been told by the director, ‘Don’t stand out.’
“What.”
In the center of the office, which resembled a junkyard,
Chobi, who had collapsed asleep after consecutive all-nighters of research, staggered to his feet.
“Director, the thing is…!”
“Why are you making such a racket? Didn’t I say we should each mind our own research?”
Chobi, frowning deeply, walked toward him.
Rondeiman’s past flashed before his eyes like a panorama.
“Hello! Starting today, I’ve been assigned—cough.”
A year ago, on his first day at the Imperial Palace Research Institute.
While greeting everyone, Rondeiman was seated in a chair and surrounded by his seniors.
Under a grave and heavy atmosphere meant to instill intimidation, his ‘new recruit training’ began.
“First.”
His mentor opened his mouth.
“Do not disturb the director when he’s sleeping.”
“Why…?”
Rondeiman trembled like a newborn deer.
It felt like only yesterday that he’d held a celebratory party for getting hired at ‘that’ Imperial Palace Research Institute.
He hadn’t known the Institute, known as a gathering place for elites,
would be such a frightening and gloomy place.
He heard someone mutter, “Poor kid. Tsk tsk.”
His mentor, face pale as if seeing Rondeiman’s future, replied,
“Because that’ll be your last day.”
Other warnings followed endlessly, like, ‘Do not make eye contact with the director for more than three seconds.’
Though he had lived quietly like a dead mouse, carefully avoiding trouble ever since that dreadful memory.
The day had finally come.
The day he would disturb the director’s mood.
Looking at the dark shadows under Chobi’s eyes, Rondeiman instinctively knew today would be the day of his own funeral.
“If it’s something pointless, I won’t let you off. You hatchling.”
Chobi stopped in front of Rondeiman.
Because of their over 30-centimeter height difference, Chobi’s face was positioned in front of Rondeiman’s chest.
But regardless of build, the director terrified him.
“Say it in ten characters or less.”
Is that even possible?
Rondeiman wailed inwardly.
He spread his fingers, preparing to count the letters, and opened his mouth.
“Under-ground, lab—”
That was when it happened.
As if an earthquake had struck, the research building shook.
