Chapter 09
Everyone present—the Emperor, the Count, the captain of the guards, several attendants, and even Ariadne—had no choice but to be shocked by Canin’s words.
After all, a foreign prince who came to request the Saint was now asking for Ariadne instead. It made it seem as if she were on the same level as the Saint.
“Y-Your Highness… what do you mean?”
It was the Emperor who asked, clearly flustered.
“The Saint is unwell, so I am requesting the visit of another person.”
Canin’s face and tone were completely calm.
As if realizing the importance of the situation, his Rensha language suddenly became perfect. The contrast was strange.
“B-But she is not the Saint. They may look alike, but the Saint is Ariadne’s younger sister, Ashley.”
At the Emperor’s words, Canin nodded.
“I know. I understand. But the Saint has health problems. So I would like another person to be sent.”
“Even if that person is not the Saint?”
“It does not matter.”
At his sudden insistence on sending Ariadne, everyone naturally turned to look at her.
In the end, even the Emperor looked at Ariadne, silently asking for her opinion.
She had been sitting casually beside the Count, watching the situation, but now she straightened her posture and spoke.
“As His Majesty said, I am not the Saint. And as a mere noble, I cannot visit another country without Your Majesty’s permission.”
At her cold response, Canin’s expression changed slightly.
He looked at the Emperor again.
“Please allow it, Your Majesty.”
“I cannot. I don’t understand why you are being so stubborn all of a sudden. When the Saint fully recovers, I will send her. So—”
At those words, Canin’s eyes wavered. His speech became awkward again, as if he was upset.
“I cannot wait. I cannot wait until then. So send Lady Ariadne. Please send her.”
“She is not the Saint, so I cannot send her in that role.”
The tension between them grew sharp.
“Then send her with me as a diplomat. The reason will be friendship between our empires.”
Again, his Rensha language became perfect.
Ariadne quietly watched him, finding it strange.
“…?”
The Emperor was left speechless by Canin’s unreasonable suggestion.
He was already stressed because Ashley kept delaying her visit, and now even his head began to ache.
How could he send a delegation led by a woman—especially not even a princess, but merely a count’s daughter?
The Emperor shook his head.
“That is not possible, Your Highness.”
“….”
But Canin had already heard rumors that the Saint had been acting strangely.
He had been cautious about speaking of Ariadne’s power because he was a foreign prince.
But now, it seemed clear that the Emperor had no intention of sending her.
Canin realized this was not something he could force.
So he decided to step back for now.
“I understand.”
“…I’m glad you do.”
“We will discuss this again later… I hope.”
He made it clear he had not given up.
“….”
This time, the Emperor let out a sigh.
“That will be all for today. I will take my leave.”
“…Understood.”
Canin withdrew obediently.
He glanced once at Ariadne, then formally greeted the Emperor and left.
As soon as he exited the audience hall, the Emperor let out a loud sigh, as if for everyone to hear.
Then he looked at Ariadne.
“Lady Bliers, what exactly did you do to Prince Rodram?”
“Pardon? I don’t understand what you mean…”
Ariadne had no answer to such a sudden question. She had never done anything to the prince.
“Why is the prince so fixated on you? You are not even the Saint. And I heard he already has a fiancée. I hope you are not creating unnecessary rumors.”
“….”
Ariadne was stunned by the Emperor’s suspicious tone.
She had never even thought of him as a man, yet she was being misunderstood like this.
Trying not to seem disrespectful, she still showed her displeasure.
“Do you really think there is something between me and the prince?”
“I would rather not think so, but I heard he called you his lifesaver when he brought you here.”
“That part is true, Your Majesty. If I hadn’t found him, he would have become a cold corpse in Visen Forest.”
“But you were the one being carried in his arms.”
“That is because I was hit by a monster while protecting him.”
The Emperor had once promised to grant any wish to the person who found or protected the prince, but that promise had long been forgotten.
Even though Canin called her his savior, no one believed it.
The Emperor also fell silent.
“….”
Everyone in the audience hall looked at Ariadne strangely as she spoke so confidently to the Emperor.
She was completely different from before.
She used to be timid and weak, but now she was not.
Smiling elegantly, she spoke again.
“But that’s all, Your Majesty.”
She made it clear.
“Ahem… I see. I hope I was not misunderstanding.”
“Of course. Your Majesty should focus on the Saint.”
At her last words, the Emperor’s expression turned unpleasant.
He had not been able to receive treatment from Ashley despite her being present.
Ariadne had struck exactly where it hurt.
She smiled slightly, feeling satisfied.
Annoyed, the Emperor spoke again.
“That will be all. You may leave.”
He dismissed everyone.
People in the hall whispered that Ariadne was truly a villain for not fearing the Emperor and speaking so boldly.
None of them dared say anything in front of her, but the rumors only made her reputation worse.
A few days passed.
Ashley could no longer delay her visit to the Emperor.
Not only was his condition worsening, but rumors were beginning to spread that something was wrong with her powers.
The Count, sensitive to such rumors, could not ignore it.
After persuading her, he finally arranged for her to visit the Emperor quietly that night.
When Ariadne heard this, she realized the time had come.
It was the perfect chance to confirm whether Ashley had really lost her power—and whether she herself had gained healing ability.
Ariadne lay in bed for a while, then suddenly stood up.
“Things need to be confirmed.”
She already felt something strange about the healing power appearing in her.
She knew exactly when Ashley would visit the Emperor—and who would accompany her.
She had gone along many times before.
But this time, they did not call her.
Probably because of what Canin had said.
“Then let’s go.”
Ariadne wanted to see the truth with her own eyes.
She put her carefully planned plan into action.
Whenever Ashley visited the Emperor, a skilled royal physician and several nurses accompanied her.
Because they were entering the Emperor’s presence, the nurses wore special clothing that covered them from head to toe.
The members allowed inside were always fixed.
Only the same palace staff could enter each time.
So Ariadne bribed one of the nurses she knew—Shannon—and disguised herself as her.
“Alright, let’s go in.”
She changed into Shannon’s prepared clothes and pretended to be her.
Their eye colors were similar, and everyone was too busy to notice.
Still, Ariadne acted carefully and avoided speaking to prevent being exposed.
“….”
The atmosphere before entering the Emperor’s bedroom was extremely tense.
Standing behind the physician, Ariadne glanced around.
She could see the Count and Ashley from behind.
Even from that, she could tell how stiff they were.
Soon, the head attendant came out and led them inside.
“….”
The physician and nurses stayed at a distance, only watching the Saint perform her task.
After the Saint treated the Emperor with her power, they would handle the rest.
“Do you feel better?”
“….”
At the Count’s question, the Emperor made a strange expression.
“Hmm…”
He clearly did not look satisfied.
Ashley bowed stiffly and stepped back.
“You should feel better after resting.”
Her voice was rigid.
The Emperor nodded, though he didn’t look pleased.
Ashley quickly left the room, as if escaping.
Now it was the physician and nurses’ turn.
They approached the Emperor with their preparations.
“It seems you will need a sleeping medicine.”
The Emperor frowned, holding his head.
“Yes, it has been prepared.”
The physician handed it to him.
The Emperor quickly took the medicine and lay down.
“That’s enough. Leave.”
“Are you sure you don’t need further examination?”
the physician asked carefully.
“It’s fine. One person stay and clean up, then leave.”
Normally, the cleanup was Shannon’s responsibility.
The physician assumed Ariadne was Shannon and signaled her to handle it.
The Emperor waved his hand impatiently and pulled the blanket over himself.
Ariadne did not miss the chance.
“I will…”
She stopped herself from speaking and simply acted like she was cleaning.
The others nodded and quickly left.
Ariadne carefully gathered the remaining medicine and cups.
Meanwhile, the Emperor quickly fell asleep under the effect of the strong drug.
She placed the items aside and quietly approached him.
Then she gently placed her hand on his forehead.
At that moment—
“…Hah!”
She felt something like light inside her body being pulled into the Emperor.
It was a completely new sensation.
“….”
At that moment, she became certain.
She had gained holy power—
No, healing power.
