Chapter 50
“It was quite a surprise to suddenly get a message from you after so long, brother. Escorting the Saint out of nowhere? Isn’t that originally your responsibility?”
“I’m in charge of overseeing the situation, so I couldn’t do it.”
“Ahh… Mother did express her apologies. She said it was wrong to trouble someone so busy.”
“I’ll make time to visit her soon.”
“Please do. But look who we have here! Isn’t it the lovely Lady Louisa?”
A sly whisper reached Louisa, who was gritting her teeth and pretending not to notice. Fortunately, it didn’t seem like the Duke of Blake had heard, but Damian definitely had.
His eyes widened as if asking, “What’s going on?” Louisa gave a slight shrug and reluctantly turned her head.
“Your Highness, the Second Prince…”
“Oh, let’s skip the formalities. And that goes for the young duke as well. Seeing such familiar faces lifts my spirits.”
At first glance, he seemed like just another handsome young man, but every time they met, he managed to leave her feeling increasingly uneasy. Now, even his smiling face looked outright unpleasant.
“Seint, that was rude. What kind of inappropriate nickname was that for Louisa?”
“Haha, sorry, sorry. I spoke out of turn because I felt so close to her. If I offended you, I sincerely apologize.”
“It’s fine…”
Louisa wanted to tell him to get lost if he’d offended her, but she swallowed the words for fear of being charged with insulting royalty.
“You should head to the Saint now. The ceremony is about to begin.”
“Oh no, already? How disappointing…”
He genuinely looked disappointed. Probably because he couldn’t waste any more time chattering. Unlike the ever-smiling Seint, Raphael’s expression was rapidly hardening.
Worse than when he was dealing with Bella. His jaw was clenched so tightly you could see the muscles tense. Then, he spoke in a clipped tone.
“I’m headed that way too. Let’s go together.”
“Hm? We’ve got time. Can’t we take it slow?”
“Not at all.”
With that, Raphael gave Seint a subtle push on the back.
“There’s plenty we should check ahead of time.”
“That serious?”
“Yes.”
Seint shrugged, giving in to Raphael’s firm tone, and walked ahead without another word.
But even then, he waved one hand in a frivolous manner. Louisa desperately wished he weren’t royalty so she could scowl at him without restraint.
She avoided eye contact, silently willing him to move on.
“…I’ve only met the Saint once, briefly, during a banquet.”
Then came a low whisper, barely audible, from Raphael as he passed closely by her side. It seemed only she had heard it—no one else reacted.
Louisa stared after him as he walked toward the side doors, her expression caught between disbelief and frustration.
…What does he want from me?
She bit her tongue to keep from saying it aloud.
The Saint’s appointment ceremony was as grand as it was long.
So many steps—washing in holy water, prayers, blessings. Simple words, but the process took over two hours.
Throughout it all, everyone remained in place. No monsters had ever appeared in the capital, but the fear of “when” lingered like a shadow over the people.
“…By the name of ‘Eanna,’ our temple affirms that the Saint Bella shall bring divine grace upon the world.”
The high priest solemnly ended the declaration and sprinkled holy water upon Bella.
The cold drops made her shoulders flinch briefly, but she never let the fresh smile leave her face.
Then she turned and bowed toward the crowd with a radiant smile. She looked like sunlight itself, bright enough to drive away all darkness—and the cheers that followed nearly shook the skies.
Louisa joined in, giving a brief round of applause like the other nobles and stood up.
‘Ugh, my joints. Sitting this long is exhausting.’
Was it finally time to go home? Though even getting to the carriage would be an ordeal…
“Tired?”
Damian gave Louisa a sympathetic smile as she sighed softly.
She shook her head slightly at his comforting hand patting her back, then glanced toward the Duke of Blake.
“Are we leaving?”
Noticing her gaze, the Duke asked nonchalantly. Louisa was about to nod, but paused when she noticed no one else was moving.
“Looks like everyone’s waiting. Why?”
“They said the Saint would share her joy with us at the end. I think that’s why everyone’s still here.”
Louisa blinked. Had they said that? She’d been too bored to pay attention, so she couldn’t remember.
“How exactly is she sharing her joy?”
“Normally, it would involve offering food to the commoners. But for nobles, it’s more about getting a chance to meet the Saint’s eyes.”
Ah, so the nobles were just eager to make a good impression on the new rising power.
Still… was it okay to leave first? Even if she couldn’t fake enthusiasm like the others, she should at least remain in place.
“If you want to leave, you can. We’re Blakes.”
The Duke of Blake spoke arrogantly, as if reading her thoughts.
But the hand he extended to her was far from arrogant. It was cautious—tender, even. Louisa hesitated, like someone staring at something unfamiliar.
“Let’s go, Louisa.”
Damian looked at her with warm eyes and a gentle voice.
As she hesitated, her small, delicate hand slowly rested atop the Duke’s rough, calloused one.
Their distance closed slightly with that touch of contrasting skin.
Just as she began to follow the Duke, a voice called out from behind.
“L-Lady Louisa!”
“Hm? Oh.”
Louisa didn’t hide her delight as she turned with a smile. Baron Albert Rose, panting as if he had rushed over, greeted her with a smile of his own.
“Baron, you’re looking much better than before. How is your health?”
Everyone nearby turned to look. Their expressions were full of disbelief, as if unsure they were seeing things correctly.
The infamous Louisa Blake… speaking so gently? And asking after someone’s well-being?
Was it sarcasm? Did she mean to humiliate him with backhanded concern?
Suspicion filled their faces.
“Thanks to your kind care, I’m doing much better. I can’t thank you enough for all you’ve done for me.”
What?
Shock and horror spread through the crowd. Was he being threatened? Did he mistake her for someone else?
Louisa Blake, showing “kind care”? If she was ever thanked, it would surely be at her funeral, or so people had sworn—yet here they were, being proven completely wrong.
“Isn’t that Baron Albert Rose? What’s he doing here…?”
“He seems oddly close to Lady Blake. Is it just me, or is there something going on?”
Even those standing farther away began to turn their attention to the pair. Bella, smiling amongst the nobles, was drawn by the atmosphere and also looked in their direction.
Albert Rose—a name few had known before—was now one every noble recognized.
Why? Because when people talked about the most talked-about figures in the capital these days, two names came up: Saint Bella, and the man behind the wildly popular Rose wine—Albert Rose.
His wine initially gained attention out of curiosity, but it had clearly become more than a passing trend. People from even distant nations now sought it.
And perhaps its limited supply added to the demand.
Even though he produced as much as he could, it still fell far short compared to other wines. Recently, he’d even declared he wouldn’t increase production further, fearing it would compromise quality. That only made demand skyrocket.
At first, people were just curious. But after tasting it at a banquet, nobles became desperate to get more. The buzz only grew from there.
And unbeknownst to them, the mastermind behind the wine’s controlled production and promotional success… was Louisa.
So naturally, everyone was desperate to form a connection with Albert Rose.
And now—Louisa Blake? With him? That was a twist no one expected.
“Father, this is Baron Albert Rose. He’s been helping me greatly with a personal matter.”
“Oh, you mean that business of yours.”
“H-honor to meet you, Duke Blake! I-I’m so grateful for this chance to greet you. But, Lady Louisa—please don’t say I’ve helped you. It’s I who am deeply indebted to you. I could never repay all you’ve done for me, even in a lifetime!”
Business? Indebted?
The crowd’s faces turned to confusion.
Even the iron-blooded Duke of Blake was smiling subtly. Damian looked proud, as if everything was just as it should be.
Everyone else? They were left wondering—
“What on earth is going on?! Am I the only one who doesn’t understand this?”
