Chapter 65
Surely not, he thought, but the Emperor was watching the chaotic conference hall with his usual fresh smile.
Even His Majesty the Emperor. He’s so gentle like that.
The former Emperor had been a warlike man, so he would never have just sat by and watched something like this.
Back then, the imperial faction nobles held strong power as well, so those from the noble faction lived as quiet as mice.
Now, the current Emperor overlooks a lot, so they run wild.
Still, Marquis Pradan didn’t think the current Emperor was bad.
Even though he shows such leniency, he has a decisive strike when it counts.
In any case, it seemed he had been mistaken about the killing intent he’d sensed earlier.
“Marquis, is something the matter?”
“It’s nothing. It seems I was mistaken.”
Marquis Pradan resumed chatting idly with the noble beside him, reminiscing about yesterday’s glory.
And then—
“We must invite distinguished guests from neighboring countries and hold a grand banquet!”
“Do you want to bring shame upon the nation?! We must let this pass quietly!”
Once again, it fell to the Emperor to calm the conference hall that had turned into a mess.
“That’s enough.”
The ministers gradually lowered the heated atmosphere, cautiously watching the Emperor’s reaction.
In the now-quiet hall, the Emperor’s calm voice rang out.
“I have heard your opinions well. As for the birthday banquet, we shall ask the Saintess for her wishes and proceed accordingly.”
After the meeting ended, Allend entered his office.
Henkel and Ebon followed as well, to discuss matters moving forward.
It was Ebon who spoke first.
“Your Majesty, Marquis Randet—”
“Wait.”
Allend cut him off.
His sharp gaze turned toward the corner of the office wall.
More precisely, behind the curtain covering the window beside the corner.
Henkel, having sensed the unfamiliar presence as well, moved his hand to the hilt of the sword at his waist.
Beneath the still curtain, a person’s foot was visible.
The three exchanged glances.
‘A careless intruder.’
There was no need for the Emperor himself to step forward, so Henkel moved.
In an instant, he dashed forward, pulled back the curtain, and immediately drew his sword to subdue the intruder.
But his sword wandered aimlessly, finding no target.
“……!”
The intruder who should have been behind the curtain was nowhere to be seen.
An unidentified intruder.
Henkel swiftly moved to stand before the Emperor to guard him, while Ebon stepped back to avoid being in the way.
Under the watch of three pairs of eyes, a pair of boots clicked forward.
The boots stopped at a distance where Henkel’s blade, aimed warily at them, could not reach.
With a heel at the back and small in size, they were women’s boots.
Am I seeing things in broad daylight?
“……I know who it is.”
A brief silence passed.
Ebon spoke in a tone full of certainty.
Then he strode forward and stopped in front of the motionless boots.
“You come all the way to His Majesty’s office—what kind of prank is this?”
Surely you don’t still think the Imperial Palace is the academy.
Suppressing his anger, Ebon reached toward the boots.
When his hand grasped an invisible fabric in the air, he pulled it firmly.
“Chobi.”
“Ah…….”
“……!”
Ebon’s violet eyes flashed with surprise at the identity of the revealed intruder.
As if switching places with Ebon, who had retreated behind Henkel, the Emperor stepped forward before the intruder.
“……What brings you here?”
“Haha. Your Majesty, hello.”
It was only natural that Allend’s gaze was momentarily captured by the black hair shimmering in the sunlight.
The intruder’s appearance, suddenly revealed from beneath Chobi’s cloak,
was so mysterious that it could make one mistake her for the incarnation of the God Seikan descending upon the earth.
It’s been a while.
About ten days had passed since he had sent her away like that last time.
He knew the Saintess had been watching him from afar, as before.
He himself had occasionally spotted the Saintess roaming the Imperial Palace as well.
But seeing her this close had been a while.
An unconscious warmth seeped into the Emperor’s eyes.
“Saintess.”
“Your Majesty! Help! Help me just once!”
At my plea for help, His Majesty sent Prime Minister Ebon and Captain Henkel outside, then sat on the sofa opposite where I was seated.
“What is it?”
“I think I might’ve caused trouble…….”
No matter how much I thought about it, this wasn’t something I could handle on my own.
I had left the Prodinta Palace, deliberately ignoring the growing pile of gifts.
But the journey afterward was no easy matter either.
Every person I met kept pressing something into my hands, calling it a gift.
Even after arriving at the chapel, there was a problem.
Priest Raul, Huperson, Chobi, Heli, and others whose names I didn’t even know…….
Gifts kept pouring in, and when I fled outside like I was escaping—
there was a long line formed in front of the chapel building, like something you’d only see at famous restaurants across the country.
“S-Stop……!”
But even when I said stop, nothing changed.
I can’t handle this.
I need to escape.
So I requested to leave work early and returned to the Prodinta Palace.
Then, buying myself time by saying, “I want to be alone in my room,” I put on a cloak and came straight to His Majesty’s office.
“Trouble?”
“Yes. I think you’ve probably heard, but my birthday…….”
“I heard. It was last month, wasn’t it?”
Ugh. The rumor really spread everywhere.
It seemed even the exact date had circulated all over.
From now on, I’ll practice silence training……! Sob.
“Then you know that gifts are flooding in for me right now……?”
His Majesty nodded, looking slightly displeased about something.
Well, the palace had become noisy because of it.
If it were me, I wouldn’t like it either!
As I cautiously watched his expression, His Majesty spoke casually.
“That.”
“Yes?”
“It’s a birthday gift.”
“……?”
I followed the direction of his pointing finger.
What I saw were my two hands clasped together anxiously…….
“……My hands originally belong to me, though……?”
Surely he isn’t saying, ‘You’ve caused this situation, so even cutting off both your wrists wouldn’t be enough for forgiveness—but since it’s your birthday, I’ll overlook it this once. Therefore, my birthday gift to you is your two hands.’
Is that what he means……?!
I quietly grabbed a cushion beside me and hid my hands.
“Thank you. For allowing me to live with both hands intact.”
“What are you talking about?”
His Majesty slightly furrowed his brow as he continued.
“The ring I gave you last time. That was my birthday gift to the Saintess.”
“Gasp. I’m not accepting it.”
“What?”
“I—I can’t accept something this expensive!”
Since His Majesty refused to tell me the price, I asked Siana.
“The Ring of Protection is a national treasure, so it’s difficult to put a value on its historical worth. However, if we only consider the gemstone…….”
And I let out a hollow laugh.
I never thought my fangirl savings account would look so small and precious.
Does His Majesty even know how much this costs……!
Do you know what you’ve done to my finger……!
Of course, thanks to it, I survived a life-threatening crisis and can now use divine power, but still……!
“It’s too much……. Or how about lending it to me instead? Since it’s a gift……. Maybe lend it to me interest-free for a year……!”
“That’s enough. A gift is up to the giver, isn’t it? I’ve given it, so do as you please. If you don’t like it, throw it away.”
“Ugh. As if I could throw it away. It doesn’t even come off in the first place……!”
“Then you’ve accepted it. My gift.”
I’d heard from Chobi that His Majesty was generous, but I didn’t know he was this generous.
What am I supposed to do with this……?
While my head spun from calculating its value, His Majesty didn’t seem to care at all about having given me the ring.
Instead, for some reason, his voice brightened as he asked me,
“Does that make me the first person to congratulate the Saintess on her birthday?”
“……?”
“Siana gave hers yesterday. I gave mine months ago.”
I had no idea what he was talking about…….
But since His Majesty seemed to be in a good mood, I decided to play along.
The ring aside, I came here to ask for help with the trouble I caused.
I raised my thumb enthusiastically.
“That’s right. Your Majesty gave it first!”
“Hmm.”
“Wow. The one who stole my heart really is different. So cool. As expected, you know how to look ahead! I almost fell for you all over again just now.”
“……Stop.”
Even as he said that, I clearly saw the corner of his lips curl upward.
“Thank you for the gift. I’ll use it well.”
I said with a smile, pointing at the ring.
It’s more than I deserve,
but for now, I need it to use divine power, so I suppose it’s better to keep it.
But just you wait. I’ll repay you with something else someday……!
“……Is there anything else you need?”
“Huh? Are you giving me another gift?”
“I couldn’t hold a banquet for you. If there’s something you want, say it. I’ll grant anything.”
My goodness. I never thought His Majesty would say something like that first.
Seizing the moment, my eyes sparkled.
“Your Majesty, then could you help me with an acrostic poem?”
“……An acrostic?”
“It’s a game where you make a poem on the spot using a two-syllable word. I’ll compose it, so please say the first syllable one by one.”
“The Saintess will compose a poem?”
“Yes!”
“……Alright.”
His Majesty nodded with a dubious expression.
Imagining the possibly moving situation we might soon face made my nose sting.
I’m already overwhelmed—what do I do……!
Focusing my hearing and sight, heart pounding, I spoke.
“Let’s use the word ‘noona.’ Now please say one syllable at a time!”
“……No.”
“Who in this world is the most handsome, do you kno—”
“Don’t.”
“Yes.”
That was chilling.
I might’ve even sensed killing intent just now.
As expected, reality doesn’t match imagination.
Honestly, this was one of the reactions I had anticipated, so I wasn’t too shaken.
“Then I’ll set aside my ulterior motives……. About this situation, I wanted to ask for Your Majesty’s advice—.”
Gasp. Our eyes met.
Lately, I’ve gotten better at speaking while staring at His Majesty’s furrowed brow, so I could pretend to be calm even while facing him.
But when our eyes really meet like this, my heart still goes crazy.
Wh-Wh-What am I supposed to do about that face……!
“D-Do you have something to say?”
Ugh. My heart is trembling, and even my voice is shaking.
Since he was staring at me so intently, I asked if he had something to say, and His Majesty opened his mouth as if he’d been waiting.
“The question I asked last time—I don’t think I received a proper answer. May I ask it again?”
