Chapter 26
Kanin was almost the only person who knew that Ariadne had Saint’s power—or rather, healing power.
From the beginning, he had wanted to take her back to his homeland rather than Ashley. More importantly, he had personally seen her healing power with his own eyes.
It was a coincidence, but Kanin had suspected from the start that Ariadne had healing power.
That was why he had requested the Emperor to send Ariadne.
He remembered clearly that the Emperor had shown no interest in her and had given her no chance whatsoever.
“But…”
Kanin hesitated mid-sentence while talking about the Saint, and the Emperor spoke.
“Why… why is that?”
“Really, is the Saint necessary?”
The Emperor nodded at this.
“Then, isn’t there a great debt owed to my Saint?”
Only then did Kanin notice the subtle tension between the Emperor and the Saint.
The Emperor always said he was grateful, but it was just words.
While the Saint’s healing had naturally brought glory to the Count’s family, the Emperor had subtly kept them in check.
After all, what Emperor would simply watch a noble family grow in power? They were naturally a thorn in his side.
But beyond that, the Emperor seemed to see the Saint merely as a means to cure his illness.
Realizing this, Kanin recalled Ariadne’s face from their earlier meeting.
He remembered how she had approached him with a proposal for a deal.
She had a strange expression, as if she were truly some kind of villain.
Yet Kanin didn’t find it unpleasant. On the contrary, he found her confident and even charming, shaking his head slightly.
She was a strangely captivating woman.
[Please tell the Emperor that I have healing power… but…]
[But…?]
[They will try to find me.]
[…….]
Ariadne had a very amused expression.
Kanin found himself staring at her face without realizing it.
[When they realize I ran away, please give them false information. I want my destination to be reported differently to them.]
[…….]
Ariadne handed over her Blierus family identification badge and continued speaking.
[By the time they realize I’ve disappeared, I hope they cannot follow me.]
[Then what do I gain?]
[If I escape safely from them, I’ll heal the person Your Highness has wanted cured for so long. I’ll do it in the country of Iliad.]
After that, there was nothing left to argue or reconsider.
The advantage was clearly hers now. Somehow, Kanin felt he had to agree with her.
Unable to ask anything further, he simply agreed to her proposal.
‘How did I…’
Kanin had never deceived anyone before. He had never done any secret deals like this. He had always walked a righteous path his entire life.
He had been first in the Northern Empire’s swordsmanship competition, graduated the academy faster than any prince or princess, and always prided himself on choosing the right path. No one ever scolded him—parents, siblings, nobles—they all admired him.
He had been one of the most outstanding people in the Northern Empire’s palace and a role model for all nobles.
So this was unfamiliar to him.
In the past, he would have naturally refused, but now he had been swept away by Ariadne without realizing it.
He didn’t yet understand why.
He felt oddly frustrated.
Seeing Kanin lost in thought, the Emperor finally urged him impatiently.
“No, that’s not what I meant. Who on earth is she?”
Suddenly, Kanin wanted to keep the fact that Ariadne had healing power to himself. These people didn’t understand her value. Even if they knew, they would only try to use her.
So he resolved to treat her with the utmost care, give her a good home, surround her with good people…
And keep her close to himself.
The idea that he could monopolize the truth about her thrilled him.
He wanted Ariadne by his side as soon as possible, to do as she wished, and to claim her…!
Looking at Bachelier and the Emperor, he slowly spoke.
“Can you trust my words?”
He deliberately delayed, hoping Ariadne could quickly leave the palace. The Emperor brightened at that.
“Of course!”
The Emperor replied quickly. If Kanin had not been a foreign prince, he might have already been ordered to stop.
The Emperor wanted him to speak no matter what, as he felt his illness worsening. If Ashley had truly lost her power, a replacement was urgently needed.
So he could not remain calm.
“Hurry, speak!”
Not only the Emperor, but Bachelier also looked very curious. He had given up meeting the Saint once, but now he thought she should not go alone.
“Tell us quickly!”
Even Bachelier’s urging made Kanin slowly open his mouth.
“The new Saint—”
“Your Majesty!”
Suddenly, the audience hall door swung open. Without knocking, none other than Count Blierus entered.
He rarely behaved rudely in the palace, so everyone looked surprised.
“Huff… huff…”
He looked as if he had run very quickly and was breathing hard.
“Ha… so even the Count can be like this. What happened?”
The Count had hurried to the hall after hearing about the bard. Bachelier’s claim that Ashley had no healing power had caused a big problem.
“Your… Your Majesty!”
“Ha… something urgent, I see. But we should first hear what Prince Rodram has to say.”
The Emperor was annoyed that the Count had interrupted just as he was about to name the new Saint.
“Your Majesty, the Saint’s power has not disappeared—”
“Ha… we will hear that later.”
“But Your Majesty, long ago—”
The Count, looking desperate, tried to say more but stopped. The Emperor’s face changed slightly in response.
“Ah… so according to you, Ashley as a Saint… Anyway, it’s best not to speak of that.”
“I apologize.”
The Count lowered his head, looking troubled.
The Emperor had already given up on Ashley. Since the bard Bachelier said she had no healing power, she was considered useless.
It was a harsh decision, ignoring all the years Ashley had served as a Saint.
But for the Emperor, the future was far more important. He was not the kind of person to remember past favors. He would take what he wanted and discard what he didn’t.
So if a new Saint appeared, he was ready to give her all honor and power. That was why he pressed Kanin again.
“Hurry, tell us!”
Kanin hesitated at the Count’s unexpected arrival, but he now thought it was impossible for them to capture Ariadne anyway.
“The new Saint… she is… Ariadne, Ariadne Blierus.”
“……!”
“What nonsense is this!”
The Count suddenly flushed and shouted angrily.
“Hm.”
The Emperor also looked serious at the unexpected name. Ariadne was Ashley’s sister, of all people. The situation seemed strange.
“Ariadne, Ariadne does not have that ability! No matter what, Your Highness, you must not make baseless claims!”
The Count protested, veins in his neck bulging.
Kanin calmly responded, showing no disturbance.
“The Vischen Forest. She healed me. Do you want to call that a lie too?”
“…Ugh!”
The Count was silenced, clenching his teeth. The Emperor stepped forward.
“Is that so? So she used healing power in that forest.”
Now it made sense that she had saved Kanin. Normally, a woman alone could not save a man in the monster-infested dark forest. But with healing power, it was possible.
Seeing the Emperor convinced, the Count could no longer hold back and spoke again.
“If Ariadne showed Saint’s power, then she must have taken it from Ashley!”
“……?”
At those words, the Emperor, Bachelier, and Kanin froze.
Take someone else’s healing power?
Could such a thing even happen?
