Chapter – 77
Dee mouthed a big “Thank you” and took the paper. While she read, Kyle bent slightly and read over her shoulder.
“I believe it was about twenty years ago. His Highness Prince Sian was around seven or eight years old at the time. I was born into an insignificant family and was serving as the prince’s attendant then.
One dawn, His Highness woke and suddenly shook me awake, telling me we had to go northeast. So I followed him, not knowing why. When we arrived, there was a cave there.
Then His Highness asked me to draw someone inside it. He said there was a person he wanted to remember, but that the memory kept fading away. So I painted exactly as he described on the cave wall.
At that time, I realized I was painting Lady Diana, the priestess with golden hair and light green eyes.
As soon as I finished the painting, His Highness tried to kill me. But I knelt and begged for my life, and he spared me—though I lost my ability to hear and speak. Since then, I returned to my family and made a living painting portraits for other nobles.”
Unable to hold back, Dee muttered,
“Long.”
“You told me off earlier.”
“It’s fine, I can’t hear you.”
“Sometimes you’re really mean.”
“Summarize it.”
“If I do that, it’ll become a habit.”
“Then do it every time.”
“Ugh, how annoying.”
The two bickered back and forth, taking quite a while to finish reading. Meanwhile, Bran busily wrote on another sheet and handed it to them.
“When I heard that Lady Diana would be coming, I saved money and attended this banquet because I desperately wished to see her with my own eyes. She looks exactly as in the painting I drew. My heart is filled with wonder.
The reason I am telling you this is because of the feather of the red-winged bird. That day, in that place, Prince Sian obtained a massive red feather.”
As Dee and Kyle read the next line, their mouths fell open.
“The feather of the red-winged bird is said to possess countless powers, even the ability to revive the dead. So I believe there is a possibility that Prince Sian Clayes may return to life.”
The two were stunned.
Dee muttered blankly, “Well… if they say he was revived with that feather, these naïve people would probably cheer and believe it.”
Bran looked at them with sparkling eyes, curious whether his precious information had been helpful. Kyle patted his shoulder.
“Good work. Come to think of it, I remember seeing you when you were a child, Bran.”
Bran beamed.
Kyle wrote something on a paper, stamped it with a seal like the one Jason had used, and handed it to him before saying to Dee,
“Let’s go out for now. Bran, stay here tonight.”
Bran blinked in shock at the document he received. But the two had already left the room.
He checked it again.
It was the same no matter how many times he looked—a letter of recommendation offering him employment at Phaeton Royal Castle if he wished.
His Highness… placing someone like me in the royal castle… Won’t I get ostracized…?
He worried for a moment, but compared to the mountain of concerns about survival, this was bearable.
I thought he was going to kill me with that glare… and instead he gave me a job…
The two stepped outside the banquet hall for a moment. Dee shivered in the cold, and Kyle removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.
“Why did you come dressed so thin?”
“Dresses are thin by default. Did I expect to come outside? What about you? Aren’t you cold?”
“This much is nothing.”
They had a lot to discuss, so they had come out to avoid people. They were also waiting for Jeddar to return.
Clutching the jacket tightly around herself, Dee muttered,
“What does that bastard Sian have against me? Why did he paint my mural? Was it to embarrass me?”
“Who knows.”
“He must’ve been anxious. Anyway, I didn’t push you to become emperor for his sake.”
“You’re still helping me now.”
“That’s because you said you’d give me Quildsak Castle.”
“I’m not giving it to you. I’m letting you live there for free.”
“Don’t nitpick the small stuff, Kyle.”
Kyle said nothing. But he thought he was beginning to understand why Sian had been acting so out of character toward Dee—showing his feelings.
Kyle asked firmly, “Is that all?”
“Huh?”
“The legend says you loved me. But now… are you only helping me because of Quildsak Castle?”
“Why are you suddenly asking that?”
“Do you have absolutely no interest in me right now?”
At his calm question, Dee’s eyes widened.
She didn’t know how to answer and quietly let go of his sleeve.
Fortunately, at that moment, Jeddar leapt down from a tree. Seeing Dee’s startled expression, he glared resentfully at Kyle, apparently assuming he had been bullying her.
He reported openly to Dee,
“I’ve looked into His Highness Jason’s seal.”
Thanks to the interruption, Dee didn’t have to answer immediately—but she was still thinking.
What does he mean? Was it just a question?
If he was asking about possibility… of course there was one.
They were a man and a woman, and Kyle was decent in every way. His impression was scary at first, but she’d gotten used to it. He was stingy, but he had once generously sent her to Whirlisom Island.
The problem was, he didn’t seem to like her romantically. He was a king, after all. She’d had to beg just to get him to call her pretty. He always teased her, calling her a swindler…
Though, to be fair, she had occasionally scammed a little—but mostly for survival, and usually for his benefit.
Even the legend said so.
What kind of legend makes it one-sided? The priestess alone in love? That’s unfair.
…Wait. Was he testing her? Like, You don’t still like me this time, do you?
No, that was too self-centered.
Then why ask?
As Dee cycled through frowning, zoning out, and scowling, Jeddar whispered to Kyle,
“Is… is the priestess communing with a deity right now?”
“…What do you take her for? And what kind of culture does that even come from?”
“I heard that in Publinta, priests can do something similar…”
Suddenly Dee lifted her head.
“Ah, I get it now.”
“W-What have you realized, Lady Priestess?!”
“Huh? Nothing big, Jeddar. Sorry. Kyle asked something weird, so I drifted off.”
“Ah… Anyway, the seal! It’s not forged.”
Dee jumped. “It’s not forged?”
“Yes. It is undoubtedly the seal of a royal—His Highness Jason Depp, King of the South.”
Kyle frowned. “So that really was Jason?”
“In theory, yes.”
“That’s impossible. Jason is pathetically weak. He couldn’t have dodged my sword. He would’ve died on the spot.”
Jeddar’s expression soured slightly.
Jason wasn’t weak. He had inherited the blood of the Clayes family—tall and strong. Just… childlike compared to Kyle.
Dee chimed in, “Right. It can’t be Jason. When Sian kidnapped me, he clearly showed me. Blue eyes.”
She remembered vividly how he had asked with those beautiful blue eyes,
Even if you’re certain I’m Sian Clayes… how will you prove it?
Dee murmured, “His eyes were really beautiful.”
Kyle whipped his head toward her.
Startled, Jeddar instinctively pulled Dee slightly behind him.
“L-Lady Priestess! It’s cold—please go inside!”
“I’m fine. I’ve got the jacket.”
But His Highness’s expression is terrifying…!
As Jeddar trembled beside them, Kyle snapped at Dee,
“See? If it were Sian, it wouldn’t be strange for him to be carrying Jason’s severed hand around.”
“Ugh, that’s horrible…”
Seeing her frightened, Kyle dropped the argument and asked Jeddar,
“Is there any other way to use that seal?”
“If Your Highness doesn’t know, I wouldn’t.”
“I suppose so.”
With the discussion wrapped up, Dee extended both hands.
“Then give me back my glass.”
Jeddar flinched. If he didn’t comply, it looked like Kyle wouldn’t let him off easily.
He had always been quick-witted and had never seriously angered Kyle before. But if he fumbled now, he might learn firsthand what a true devil of a superior looked like.
With a pitiful expression, he said,
“Well… Lady Priestess, I’m sorry. I accidentally dropped it…”
He had never felt such injustice in his life.
But seeing his miserable face, Dee looked almost tearful herself.
“It’s okay, Jeddar! Honestly, I think it was cursed anyway. I can feel it with my divine power. Something that belonged to Sian? That kind of ominous thing should just sink to the bottom of the sea!”
“I-Is that so?”
“Yes!”
“That’s a relief…”
Jeddar sighed in relief.
Kyle decided it was best to send him away quickly before this perceptive priestess noticed the lie.
“Recently, we hired someone named Helena at the Phaeton Royal Castle library. Go right now and see if there’s any method she might know.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Jeddar nodded and fled.
The two headed back toward the banquet hall.
As they walked, Dee unconsciously turned her head toward the glass ornaments hanging from the trees. Bathed in moonlight, they shimmered softly, and she stopped without realizing it.
People in elegant attire wandered between them, admiring the decorations from up close.
Dee gazed at them blankly.
Kyle grabbed her arm and tugged lightly.
“When we return to Phaeton, I’ll buy you one. Stop staring.”
“You won’t. Those are really expensive, aren’t they?”
“Even if they are, I’ll buy it.”
When Kyle declared it firmly, abandoning his miserly nature, Dee looked at him in surprise.
Is this what salaried workers call a performance bonus?
