Chapter 78
“Say something!”
And with a face completely filled with melancholy at that!
“Uh…? Say….”
It wasn’t a life-sized cutout—it was truly His Majesty.
‘Why is His Majesty in front of my door…?’ This wasn’t the time to be thinking about that.
I quickly turned my head this way and that, on guard in all directions.
A-a-are there people nearby? Witnesses! Firewood!
Thankfully, the corridor was empty.
After exchanging a glance with Kadiyan in the hallway, I grabbed the hem of His Majesty’s sleeve.
“……Ahh, I suddenly want some ice cream. In the middle of winter.”
Then, as if I had never screamed, I naturally pulled His Majesty into the room.
As I closed the door with my back to him, my eyes met Kadiyan’s.
Kadiyan, that pleased smile. Please. You know the rumors aren’t true. Sob.
“What are you doing?”
“We can’t let anyone see Your Majesty and me together. Don’t worry about Kadiyan. He’s on our side.”
“Side?”
“It’s just a—….”
I turned around, then fixed my gaze on the floor.
After that, I let go of his sleeve and hurriedly put distance between myself and His Majesty.
‘Why is there even a halo shining from between his brows?!’
It was backlash. The backlash had definitely arrived.
‘Dangerous!’
From my experience so far,
when the backlash came, His Majesty was someone I couldn’t handle no matter how much inner power I had built up.
So in other words, the best policy was not to get close…!
“Shinari.”
“Uwaaa! Don’t come any closer—!”
I crossed my arms in an X toward His Majesty in defense.
The approaching footsteps stopped, and instead, a heavy voice flowed out.
“……Are you hurt?”
What is he talking about?
I rolled my eyes while staring at the marble floor.
Is he asking whether my corneas were injured by his halo…?!
“……It’s my fault.”
Not only did His Majesty ask after my corneas, he even blamed himself.
Khngh. Worrying about my corneas to this extent…!
“I’m sorry.”
Huh?
Up to that point, I sensed something strange.
Our His Majesty is not someone who would apologize just because he slightly injured my corneas.
If anything, he would have said, ‘It’s my (overwhelmingly handsome) fault. The Saintess should be more careful next time.’
…Ah, wait.
“Your Majesty, did you hear the rumor too?”
Thinking about it calmly, something came to mind.
What else could there be between us that would make His Majesty create such a serious atmosphere?
He must have heard that embarrassing rumor as well.
“I heard.”
After those words from His Majesty, silence settled.
Heh. This is embarrassing.
He must feel the same.
‘To end up in the same space as the person you’re rumored with like that…!’
Thinking that way, I couldn’t help but feel responsible.
After all, I was the one who dragged His Majesty into the room.
Our His Majesty must not be left feeling awkward….
So I chatted away diligently so he wouldn’t feel embarrassed—only to end up talking too much.
“……They’re all saying weird things. Like that Your Majesty is incredible in bed or something….”
Gasp. Startled by what I had just blurted out, I hurriedly shut my mouth.
Why did I have to remember what Chobi said of all things…?!
Since I was staring at the floor, I couldn’t see His Majesty’s expression.
But the air that was flowing right now was unmistakably awkward.
This won’t do.
I opened my mouth again, trying to salvage what I’d said.
“Th-that said! Isn’t that a good thing? That you’re healthy and—….”
“Saintess.”
“Y-yes, sir.”
Babbling incoherently, I reflexively lifted my head at His Majesty’s voice cutting in sharply.
He had covered his face with his left hand, while raising his right palm toward me.
“Stop.”
Thanks to His Majesty’s large hand covering all his features, I was able to look at him properly.
The tendons in his neck were standing out, dyed red.
“Your Majesty, why are you—….”
“……That bed talk….”
His Majesty slightly lowered his hand from his face.
Silky golden hair scattering softly, flushed cheeks, and blue eyes clearly filled with embarrassment.
“I’d like you to stop.”
Saying so, His Majesty avoided my eyes for the first time since coming to this world.
Ahh…….
I will close my eyes here today.
Faint smoke drifted out the window of the moving carriage.
It was the smoke of the cigar being smoked by Marquess Rangdet inside.
“…….”
The rumor of a romance between the Saintess and the Emperor had spread beyond the Imperial Palace to the nobles just last night.
It began when a certain noble claimed to have heard something remarkable at Madame Leder’s reading club.
The rumor spread rapidly.
Marquess Rangdet learned of it quickly as well.
A noble who shared his intentions had attended that reading club and, in a state of panic, rushed to him.
‘To possess the Saintess.’
It felt as if the sky had collapsed.
The meaning of ‘the Saintess of Zendal’ and ‘the Saintess who is the Emperor’s lover’ were clearly different.
According to Grand Duke Derachi’s plan, once everything was finished, the Emperor would die.
‘A lover’s revenge….’
Marquess Rangdet himself knew better than anyone how terrifying that could be.
Moreover,
he could no longer speak only of the plan’s success.
If the Saintess had become the Emperor’s lover, she would surely take the Emperor’s side.
Had his confidence in victory all this time been mere arrogance?
“Grandfather.”
If something were to happen to him, what would become of his grandson in the temple?
As he drew deeply on his cigar, his lips trembled.
“Trusting the Grand Duke’s words was….”
It hadn’t been the right choice.
Marquess Rangdet swallowed the rest of his words along with the harsh smoke.
Clatter.
“Marquess. We’ve arrived.”
The carriage stopped in front of Grand Duke Derachi’s estate.
With a half-lost expression, Marquess Rangdet hurriedly got down.
Guided by a servant to the reception room, he waited when Derachi’s spokesperson entered.
“You’ve arrived.”
“L-look here!”
Unable even to sit still, Marquess Rangdet rushed at the spokesperson.
“The Saintess has become the Emperor’s lover!”
“…….”
“What are we to do? Is there a solution?”
The force of him made the spokesperson’s thin body stagger.
Grabbing onto a nearby cabinet, he spoke to Marquess Rangdet.
“Oh dear. That’s unfortunate.”
For a moment, Marquess Rangdet doubted his eyes.
Did this man just smile?
“Are you smiling at a time like this? Do you know how many people trusted the Grand Duke’s words and joined this?”
A shout burst from the increasingly anxious Marquess Rangdet.
“I must see the Grand Duke.”
He shoved past the spokesperson.
He tried to leave the reception room to find the Grand Duke’s chambers, but his arm was seized.
“What do you intend to do by going to the Grand Duke?”
“We must talk! Ask for a solution…! And if there is none, we must call the whole thing off—…!”
Nothing had progressed in earnest yet, so if they turned everything to nothing, it would be fine.
If they lived on as though nothing had happened, wouldn’t their conspiracy become as though it never existed?
That was what Marquess Rangdet thought.
“Call it off, you say. Do you truly wish that, Marquess?”
“If there is no better option, then we must. If the Saintess stands with the Emperor, we have no chance of victory.”
“Marquess Rangdet….”
Cough. Cough.
Perhaps unwell again today, the spokesperson began coughing.
Amid the sound of coughing echoing through the reception room, voices were mixed in.
[Shall we eat him?]
[No, wait.]
[I want to eat him.]
It was far too clear to have been a mishearing.
Eat whom? Surely they didn’t mean to eat him?
“Y-you… what is this right now….”
An unknown fear washed over him.
Marquess Rangdet staggered back.
“Everyone shut up.”
As harsh words flowed from the spokesperson’s mouth, the voices fell silent.
He stopped coughing and lifted his hollowed face.
He looked no different than before, yet Marquess Rangdet found it utterly chilling.
Did he not look like someone who was dying?
“Marquess, shall I guide you to the Grand Duke?”
“……N-no.”
I need to get away.
Marquess Rangdet answered calmly.
He must have been bewitched.
To have joined hands with such a monster.
“I’ll be taking my leave. The Grand Duke isn’t in good health, is he? I’ll come again another time.”
Was the carriage still outside?
He would order the coachman to depart at once and get inside.
Once he reached his own estate. And then.
After that…….
What should he do?
As if reading his thoughts, the spokesperson smiled.
“What do you intend to do if you simply return like this?”
The spokesperson extended a hand toward Marquess Rangdet.
I’ll be devoured.
Seeing the hand coming toward his face, Marquess Rangdet was terrified.
But what the spokesperson aimed for was the monocle he wore.
The one the Marquess had brought to the negotiation site with Charles last time.
“Wouldn’t it be better if you simply forgot?”
“Forgot—what?!”
A divine stone of mental manipulation.
Marquess Rangdet’s face turned deathly pale.
His survival instinct burst out in a dying scream.
“Don’t worry. We won’t eat you. You still have many uses, Marquess.”
As the spokesperson spoke, laughter mocking the Marquess mingled with his cough.
After talking about the rumor, both His Majesty and I needed time to calm down.
I sat at the desk, and His Majesty sat on the sofa, each taking time to compose ourselves.
In the silence, it was His Majesty who moved first.
“……I’ll take care of it.”
“Ah. Your Majesty, wait a moment.”
I stopped the rising His Majesty with my words.
“How do you plan to take care of it?”
“I’ll announce it. That it’s a false rumor.”
A resolute voice flowed from His Majesty’s lips.
Seeing that expression, it seemed he had already made up his mind, but—
“Your Majesty, even so, the rumor won’t die down.”
After a romance rumor breaks out, even if the parties involved say a few days later, ‘Actually, we weren’t in a relationship.’
“Those who want to believe will believe.”
The water has already been spilled.
Making an announcement might only stir the rumor further.
“Then I’ll order them to forget.”
“Is that as easy as it sounds? Unless you erase the memory from people’s heads.”
“…….”
At that, His Majesty fell into thoughtful contemplation.
“……Gasp. You were actually thinking of trying that just now, weren’t you?”
“The Saintess does occasionally come up with good ideas.”
“N-no—!”
Is he serious?
He looked ready to go outside and erase the memories of everyone he met at once.
I hurriedly stopped him.
“Rather than that, I’ve thought of a good method.”
“What method?”
Well, that method is…….
My head naturally lowered. I pressed my forehead against the backrest of the stiff chair and hesitated for a moment.
‘Ugh, should I say it?! Is it okay to say it!?’
Yes, I’ll say it. I’ll just go for it.
Shinari. Close your eyes and……!
I fumbled my words as I continued.
“Would you…… try…… a fake relationship…… with me?”
