Chapter 74
“S, Saintess. Where did you get this flower?”
Heli’s pupils shook as she asked that.
“It was blooming near the auxiliary kitchen building……?”
“I see. It’s a common flower……. I should pull it out immediately…….”
“Yes?”
“Ah, I’m sorry. I was talking to myself. Th, then perhaps……. Did you give what you showed me to someone else? Or did you receive it from someone?”
Heli’s expression was stiff as she said that.
If I so much as nodded my head, it looked as though that other person would be in serious trouble right away.
‘As I thought…….’
Something’s wrong.
I instinctively realized that I shouldn’t answer honestly.
I shook my head.
“I didn’t give it to anyone, and I didn’t receive it either.”
Only then did Heli sigh in relief and open his mouth haltingly.
“This flower……. is, um, a flower young people use to entice someone they have feelings for, and its meaning is…….”
A chill ran down my spine.
I thought the problem was the chocolate, but was it the flower?
When he said it was a flower used for making a move, my back stiffened, and Heli’s next words were even more horrifying.
“It means that you want to spend tonight together with that person…….”
Ha. Does that mean doing that kind of thing I know about?
I tried to regain my composure with Priest Raul’s smile, but.
…….
“Th, th, that! It’s not ‘Let’s just hold hands and sleep.’……right?”
“Th, that’s right?”
Heli and I, having shared such an embarrassing topic, quickly avoided each other’s gaze.
We were both like fully ripened tomatoes.
Spend the night together…….
That flower, and next to it, chocolate with His Majesty’s face engraved on it…….
“S, Saintess!”
I was so stunned that the strength left my legs.
I placed my hand on the counter and collapsed right there.
The maximum level of physical contact I can imagine with His Majesty is, at best, holding hands and walking around together……!
The night? Just how many steps does that skip……!
If it were anyone else, maybe—but with His Majesty! With His Majesty!
My mind went pitch-black, as if the power had gone out.
“Th, that’s…….”
“S, Saintess? Saintess!”
I kept muttering the same words.
My mind, having received a shock that I couldn’t easily recover from, couldn’t form a proper sentence.
‘As if that’s even possible—!’
I did think it was strange for flowers to bloom in the middle of winter…….
Heh. More than whether it’s possible or not.
“Yes, of course I know!”
My voice, which had confidently shouted earlier, echoed in my ears.
‘What on earth did I do to His Majesty……!’
Self-reproach surged over me like a wave.
I can’t face His Majesty anymoreeee…….
“Is there something worth looking at outside the window?”
The reception room of the Derachi estate.
Delkan, who had been standing by the window looking outside, turned his head at the sound of a voice.
The pale-faced spokesperson was entering, pushing a tea trolley.
“Would you like a cup of tea?”
“……Very well.”
When Delkan sat on the sofa in front of the tea table, the spokesperson took a seat opposite him.
“……So we planned to plant a contact in the bakery, but since there were no customers, it fizzled out.”
It was a story he had heard before.
They said they had opened a bakery in the imperial capital.
But it seemed that the pastry shops in the imperial capital had already secured their positions well, so it wasn’t easy to draw customers away.
“If there are no customers, it becomes easy to identify who goes in and out. If the Emperor so much as catches a whiff, we’ll be exposed at once.”
“I see.”
Delkan responded perfunctorily.
Perhaps because he looked pitiful staying in the estate for weeks without doing anything, the spokesperson occasionally told him about the things Derachi was plotting.
It seemed they thought he was now in the same boat as them.
But it was Charles who had made the decision, and he was here only because of her choice.
Delkan had no will in it.
“How long must I remain here?”
“That is a difficult question to answer precisely.”
The spokesperson said this while pouring hot water into the teapot he had brought.
“Princess has left Lord Mondria here as proof that she stands with us. Perhaps when matters with the Princess conclude, you may return?”
In other words, they were keeping him as a hostage until Charles provided military support.
To take part in treason.
He still thought it was absurd.
‘If it comes to it, before Charles does anything foolish, I…….’
Delkan looked at the back of the spokesperson’s neck.
A pale, thin neck without a trace of color.
Even without the sword they had taken from him, it seemed he could easily snap it with just his grip.
“You must be bored until then.”
The spokesperson continued speaking, unaware of the killing intent aimed at his neck.
“I wish there were some pastime you could enjoy, Lord Mondria. This is such a lonely place, after all.”
Just as the spokesperson said, the inside of the estate was as bleak as the surrounding scenery.
For weeks, the only people Delkan had encountered were four or five servants whose presence was faint.
And one spokesperson who looked as though he might collapse at any moment.
Grand Duke Derachi never came out of his room, so Delkan could not see his face.
A place like this, without even a single knight guarding the estate.
If Delkan truly wished, he could leave easily.
If he exerted a bit more skill, even assassinating Derachi would be possible.
And yet.
“Why don’t you spend the time having tea with me from time to time?”
Why did he feel like doing nothing at all?
As the spokesperson said, perhaps simply drinking tea and sitting quietly wasn’t so bad.
Delkan lifted the teacup placed before him.
The hot steam rising from the freshly poured tea clung to Delkan’s skin.
“Hasn’t your life been exhausting until now, Lord Mondria?”
As if seeing through Delkan’s past days, the spokesperson spoke.
‘That’s right. My life has been exhausting.’
Delkan’s once-straight back was now deeply reclined against the soft backrest of the sofa.
In his mind, where a faint haze had begun to gather, a bright black color flickered.
Longing and intense yearning surged up.
The thought that he must not lose the afterimage, whose shape was not yet fully formed, flashed only for a moment.
Soon, in Delkan’s consciousness that drifted away helplessly, the black color turned to smoke like a mirage and disappeared.
In Delkan’s unfocused eyes as he brought the teacup to his lips, an empty rest settled.
The sound of the spokesperson’s cough echoed in the quiet reception room.
“I hope that in this estate, you may forget everything and rest.”
“……A flower’s meaning is just a flower’s meaning. Let’s not misunderstand it.”
After running dozens of laps in Chobi’s underground laboratory.
After returning to my room and carving dozens of stones.
And only after bursting a cushion did I choose to face it head-on.
What’s the point of running from reality a hundred times.
“I have to explain it.”
Judging by His Majesty’s reaction, he must have thought that I deliberately tried to se, se, seduce him.
He probably couldn’t even tell anyone about such an embarrassing matter.
No one would hear it and say to His Majesty, ‘The Saintess would never do such a thing.’—!
I had to clear up the misunderstanding.
There was not even a spoonful of such ulterior motive in my chocolate.
Maybe at other times, but this time I’m truly innocent……!
“My tears are blurring my sight……. Sob.”
“Pyu?”
With my cloak pulled over me, I trudged through the imperial palace.
Although the sun had set, it was only late evening.
Besides those on night patrol, quite a few people were still walking around inside the imperial palace.
‘I have to be careful. What if a rumor starts about brown boots that walk around by themselves.’
That couldn’t happen, so I focused my hearing as much as possible and walked along places where there were no people.
Before long, raindrops began to fall.
Rain in winter.
Today I saw flowers, and now rain.
It was definitely a strange day.
“Pyu, stay in my pocket.”
As the rain grew heavier, I put Pyu into my pocket.
Since I had taken a roundabout route to avoid people, there was still some distance left before reaching the main palace.
“Let’s take shelter from the rain first.”
There happened to be a roofed outdoor corridor nearby.
I quickly ran into it.
Rumble. Boom.
“Ahhh. There’s even thunder.”
Swaaaaa—.
Then, as if the earlier drizzle had only been a preview, the rain poured down mercilessly.
A downpour. A downpour.
If it rains like this in the middle of winter, is God Seikan doing some kind of water cleaning?
‘Ugh. It seems impossible to move until the rain stops.’
It seemed better to go to His Majesty tomorrow at dawn in the study instead.
By the way.
“Where am I?”
“Pyu?”
It was night, so it was dark all around, and it was a path I didn’t usually take.
The buildings were unfamiliar too.
“……It’s a bit scary. Should I light up the surroundings at least.”
After confirming there was no one around, I raised my holy power over the ring.
The opal-colored holy power that seeped out through the gaps in my cloak shone enough to make out the surroundings.
“It’s not very bright, but it’s better than nothing, right?”
“Pyuu.”
“Ha…….”
D, didn’t I just hear another sound?
With a chill running up to the top of my head, I looked around, but there was nothing.
……Was my hearing heightened because I was tense?
That must be it.
So I must have unknowingly heard someone’s voice from a peaceful building far away—!
Not near me……!
“Yeah, I must have misheard—.”
“Ugh……g…….”
“……Ong.”
Flinch.
Wh, what was that—! That groan!
I stiffened like a mouse in front of a cat.
“Pyu, what should I do.”
I really didn’t want to know, but I realized where it was coming from.
This building right behind me…….
It was coming from somewhere beyond the closed door connected to the outdoor corridor.
A rusty iron door, overgrown weeds, spider webs…….
At a glance, it clearly looked like an abandoned building.
I really hate occult stuff—!
“……Huff……ugh……g…….”
It was such a pained groan that it made me think perhaps a deeply resentful spirit was sealed inside.
……It’s a palace that’s hundreds of years old; there might be at least one such spirit.
‘Run.’
Yes, let’s run from here. Just run.
If I stay nearby and get cursed……!
The rain was still falling, but thankfully, aside from that painful groan, there were no other signs of people.
‘I should put up a barrier to use as an umbrella.’
With less worry about witnesses.
Just as I cast the barrier,
[Saintess…… ha……s……come.]
“Ahhh—g!”
Startled by the sudden voice calling the Saintess from beyond the door, I unconsciously thrust my ring forward.
Ziiiing—.
When the ring, sensitive to my emotions, emitted a yellow light, the tightly shut iron door flew apart like rags.
And that was my last memory.
