Chapter 66
“What kind?”
“What kind of life the Saintess wants.”
“Ah.”
I immediately remembered the situation from back then.
How could I ever forget?
“The life I want?”
“I—”
“Isn’t the Saintess the one who wants to date?”
The question flowed into whether the life I wanted was dating.
And then he asked if I liked Sir Slin, which somehow led to that situation where I accidentally confessed to Your Majesty…!
Urgh. If I had to rank all the disasters caused by my mouth, that would be number one.
It is still so embarrassing that I keep kicking my blankets in shame.
At this rate, my blanket is going to get holes.
“Let me say this again, Your Majesty. The life I want is not dating.”
“…Back then, I cut off your answer. My apologies.”
No, I did not say that just to get an apology…
Anyway. I spoke clearly, saying what I could not say back then.
“The life I want, Your Majesty, is a life where Your Majesty becomes happy.”
Your Majesty’s brow twitched slightly, as if he thought my words were some kind of joke.
“I mean it.”
“…I do not understand.”
His tone sounded as though he was denying his own happiness.
In that moment, I realized something.
If I ended things vaguely here, Your Majesty would never try to speak with me about this topic again.
So I decided to pour out my true feelings without any filter, leaving no regrets.
“Why do you think I stayed in this world without even considering returning to my original one? I have no home or family here.”
Well, I do have plenty of money. And many people who are like family.
And also someone I love…
No, stop. My breathing is getting strange again.
Trying my best to calm myself, I focused on Your Majesty’s brow.
His bangs resting over it trembled slightly, though I did not know why.
I did not have the luxury to look elsewhere to check his reaction.
I had to keep a composed expression.
“As I told you before, the only reason I am here is because of Your Majesty.”
“…Shin Ari.”
Your Majesty let out a strained voice, but unfortunately, I did not hear it properly.
“Your Majesty’s face! Your looks! Yes, at first, I stayed because I thought, ‘Where else would I ever meet someone this perfect?’ But wow… what do I do? Now I have completely fallen for you! How could I possibly leave Your Majesty behind…?! Someone this perfect!”
Unable to contain the heat rising inside me, I jumped up from the sofa.
“…”
“It is honestly unfair how handsome you are. Your Majesty, do you even realize your looks have improved lately? And yet you do not even let me praise you, and you even told me to stop coming to see you in the mornings for a few days…!”
These days, my mind is a mess because of love, but originally, just seeing Your Majesty’s face was enough to make me feel full and satisfied—
“…”
“I do not even need to date Your Majesty. Even without that, I am confident I could live happily just by seeing your face…! So Your Majesty absolutely must become happy. Only then will I, who stands beside you, be happy too!”
Your Majesty remained seated on the sofa, watching me the entire time.
Yet all I could see was still his brow.
I could not tell what expression he had.
But since he showed no reaction, perhaps he thought my words were absurd.
Still, as I kept talking, I felt a strange sense of relief.
Yes. Your Majesty must become happy.
What nonsense is this about being unhappy?
When I saw Your Majesty’s childhood group portrait, do you know how much it broke my heart?
If you have been unhappy since such a young age, then from now on you should live seeing only happiness!
Staring at Your Majesty’s smooth brow, flawless without even a visible pore, I declared as if making a proclamation.
“You understand, right? From now on, my happiness depends on Your Majesty’s happiness.”
“…”
“So Your Majesty must feel responsible and become happy. And if it seems difficult, I will help you.”
“Shin A—”
“Happiness… starts right now…!”
“…And so, in commemoration of the Saintess’s recent birthday, we have gathered here today to collect opinions on what gift would be appropriate.”
Edward, an executive of the Saintess Church and vice commander of the First Knight Order, stepped onto the platform.
It was a temporary meeting hall arranged by borrowing and decorating a training ground.
Although only those available on short notice had gathered, there were still dozens of people, making the place quite crowded.
“We are the Saintess Church in name! How could we possibly lose to other nobles? How about a sword decorated with holy stones?”
“Would the Saintess even need holy stones? What about jeweled accessories?”
“Rather than something so common, should we not choose something more meaningful?”
“How about building a school sponsored in the Saintess’s name?”
“Instead of that…”
With so many people, there were naturally many opinions.
Everyone participated enthusiastically, but the problem was that no particularly good ideas emerged.
Even as time passed, nothing decisive was suggested.
Eventually, as careless ideas began to dominate, Edward struck the platform.
All eyes turned toward him.
“It seems we have heard enough opinions. Let us proceed with a vote based on what has been proposed so far—”
“Th-this is terrible!”
A knight rushed into the hall in great urgency.
He hurried to Edward and delivered the news he had just received.
“E-executive! His Imperial Majesty’s order has just been issued throughout the Empire! It is an emergency!”
“What has happened?”
“Well, that is…”
At the knight’s next words, the church members gathered in the hall fell into deep despair.
“The Saintess…”
“…has declared that she will no longer accept birthday gifts…”
Some knights had even sold land deeds they possessed, planning to contribute to the gift expenses.
They had the money, yet now there was no gift to give…!
Amid the frustrated cries of the knights, two individuals watched calmly.
“Did you give yours?”
“Yes. Did you as well, Lord Kadian?”
“I did.”
Kadian, who had stubbornly presented something other than a sword, and Hupperson, who had held a formal gift ceremony at the chapel.
Indeed, for matters like this, one must act swiftly when the opportunity arises.
‘Heh heh heh.’
The two men smiled victoriously as they observed the suffering of the others.
Later, upon hearing that even received gifts would be returned, they would run to Ari and desperately beg her to accept them — but that was a story for another time.
Grand Duchy of Derachi.
Located in the northwestern region of the Zendal Empire, it was a land without fertile soil but possessed a vast desert.
When Allend ascended the imperial throne, Derachi, newly appointed as Grand Duke, personally chose that land.
At the time, most people mocked his judgment, wondering why he would select what was essentially worthless territory.
Beside the desert, Derachi began constructing buildings known as “factories.”
Handkerchiefs, quill pens, paper, toothbrushes…
None were extraordinary items, but all were practical goods with wide consumer demand.
Mass production with consistent quality.
People marveled at this unprecedented method, and the “factory” quickly became a powerful brand that dominated the market.
Factory products crushed the existing market and monopolized it.
Traditional craftsmanship, producing small quantities by hand, simply could not compete with factories producing similar-quality goods in massive volumes.
The “factory” that controlled the Empire’s markets.
That was the source of the power feared and respected in Grand Duke Derachi.
‘What a bleak place.’
Delkan leaned against the wall, gazing at the sky beyond the opposite window.
The gray sky was a color rarely seen in Bonia.
“Are you not hungry? Shall I bring you something to eat?”
Turning his head, he saw a man in his thirties.
The Grand Duke of Derachi’s spokesman looked so thin and pale that he seemed as though he might collapse at any moment.
“I do not eat anything while on guard duty.”
Delkan faced forward again.
His eyes settled on the tightly closed door.
The meeting with Grand Duke Derachi requested by Charle through Marquess Rangdet.
Derachi had invited Charle to his residence, which was why Delkan and Charle were now at the Grand Duke’s estate.
“I see. Then, excuse me.”
After knocking, the spokesman entered the room.
Inside, Charle and the Grand Duke were in discussion.
Through the briefly opened door, Delkan heard the spokesman’s shallow cough.
‘Both of them are unwell.’
The Grand Duke and his spokesman alike.
Neither seemed particularly healthy.
With bodies like those, how did they intend to strike against Zendal?
“Delkan, doesn’t the Bonia Kingdom have records of the First Saintess?”
“They are in the royal treasury.”
“Those are merely fabricated novels mixing several accounts. I mean the real records of the First Saintess.”
Charle recounted part of what she had read in a history book.
It was difficult to believe.
Delkan asked for proof, but Charle simply replied, “It is your choice whether to believe,” and said no more.
Several days later, Charle announced she would go to meet Grand Duke Derachi.
Delkan could not decide whether to stop her or help her.
But unable to send her alone, he followed her here.
Staring at the closed door, Delkan recalled Charle’s words.
‘If what Charle said is true…’
If so, the Saintess could not remain in Zendal.
Not only Zendal.
‘Other places would be dangerous as well.’
The only one who could protect her…
Delkan clenched his fist tightly.
He had to suppress the turbulent emotions rising within him before they clouded his mind again.
Once his boiling blood consumed his reason, even he could not restrain himself.
Tap. Tap.
As his nails dug into his palm, thick crimson blood welled between his fingers.
The trembling drops soon yielded to gravity and fell to the floor.
Meanwhile, inside the room.
Charle and Derachi sat at opposite ends of a long rectangular table, large enough for ten people.
Only a few lit candles illuminated the vast, dark chamber.
Cold air rose from the marble floor.
A stale, unpleasant odor filled Charle’s senses.
‘What a disgusting place.’
Yet she could not leave.
“Take a look.”
At Derachi’s gesture, the spokesman wheeled in a cart.
It was large enough to hold a person.
When the cloth covering it was removed, a cage for a wild beast was revealed.
The stench intensified.
Unable to endure it, Charle quickly covered her nose with a handkerchief.
“Light it.”
“Yes.”
At the command, the spokesman lifted a candle toward the cage.
Charle recoiled at the sight within.
“Ugh…”
