Chapter 64 …
“Joy, excitement that had lost its calm.”
The emotions of the Grand Chancellor, her conversation with me, Agatha’s strange behavior—everything confirmed my suspicion.
“It’s certain. It’s related to the spirits.”
Whether the forbidden book exists or not, something in the Grand Chancellor’s heart… something she’s targeting is deeply connected with the spirits.
This will be a key piece of the puzzle.
“By the way, Grand Chancellor… I suppose the mining work will be suspended for now? There was an accident, and… the Spirit is angered.”
I asked subtly, since there was the promise with the Spirit King.
“That should be done, indeed.”
The Grand Chancellor answered obediently, fortunately. Of course, it didn’t seem sincere, so I asked Agatha.
[The Grand Chancellor seems to have no thoughts.]
From her response, it seemed that even Agatha couldn’t properly read her at the moment.
Of course, the obedient answer was false; she must be thinking something.
“Now, Captain of the Knights. Escort the Saintess.”
“Yes, Grand Chancellor.”
The captain of the temple knights approached me with a hand extended, a polite gesture to escort me.
I placed my hand on his.
“Saintess, rest today. Once you’ve recovered, we’ll depart for the capital.”
“Ah… yes, that’s fine—ah. I feel dizzy… Grand Chancellor.”
At the same time, I leaned on the Grand Chancellor, overacting to appear weak. I wanted to make it clear that I couldn’t remember things and was not in a normal state.
“Oh my. Lean on me, Saintess.”
The Grand Chancellor’s strength holding me was quite firm.
“As expected, strong bones.”
Leaning on her solid frame, I glanced at Theodore.
He was staring at me.
Or rather, it seemed he was watching the Grand Chancellor supporting me—or the knight holding my hand.
“Where are you looking?”
Curious, I continued looking at him. Theodore slowly shifted his gaze and then our eyes met.
“See you later. I’ve discovered something very suspicious.”
I wasn’t sure if he understood, but I rolled my eyes and tried to signal that I had something to say.
Theodore observed me quietly and then suddenly walked toward me.
“Uh, w-wait? Why… why are you coming?”
I hadn’t called him over. He must have misunderstood.
“Don’t come, don’t come!”
I blinked urgently, but he didn’t stop. Instead, he approached in an instant and…
“Saintess.”
“Y-Your Majesty.”
“Your Majesty? What is the matter?”
He stepped between me and the Grand Chancellor, flustered.
“I wanted to help since it seems the Saintess cannot walk properly.”
“Yes? No, I just feel a bit weak.”
“Excuse me for a moment.”
“Ah—Your Majesty…!”
Theodore suddenly picked me up. The famous princess lift, I realized…!
I was significantly smaller than him, but even so, lifting a human isn’t light work.
Yet Theodore’s arms didn’t tremble at all. He simply held me with solid strength, effortlessly.
I felt the warmth of his body and a refreshing yet sweet fragrance.
“I wish to escort you myself. Where is your room, Saintess?”
The audacity of that line left me in shock.
“Has this man gone mad…!”
I must refuse and step down. Everyone is watching.
Frozen in panic, I couldn’t react.
“Your Majesty… you truly cherish the Saintess.”
At that moment, the Grand Chancellor spoke.
“Such a rare existence in the Empire. Naturally.”
“…I shall guide you.”
From Theodore’s perspective, the Grand Chancellor appeared with a satisfied smile as she looked at me in his arms.
“Oh… this is acting!”
I finally realized, distracted as I had been by the matter of the spirits and the Grand Chancellor.
He had seized the perfect opportunity to show the Grand Chancellor his interest in me!
Nothing beats making your appeal in person.
“Smart.”
Turning a crisis into an opportunity. Unlike me, who had forgotten everything, he was clever and sharp-minded.
So I decided to stay still. Struggling now would ruin the acting Theodore was doing at the risk of embarrassment.
Thus, the Grand Chancellor, the Emperor, and the knights of the two accompanying units walked in a grand procession to my room. It was an incredibly overwhelming march.
It was fortunate that they didn’t all enter the room.
Upon arrival, Theodore placed me on the bed, and I lay quietly, like a patient under a blanket.
“Rest, Saintess.”
The Grand Chancellor brushed my hair back kindly, which gave me goosebumps.
“May I… stay for a moment?”
And there was one more person giving me goosebumps.
“Today, your acting is amazing.”
Theodore, whose acting deserved an award, asked with a pitiful expression, as if he were worried about me. Watching the Grand Chancellor’s reaction, she seemed very pleased.
“Your Majesty… aren’t you busy?”
“Confirming your health is urgent, I think.”
“Ah… well.”
“I have summoned a doctor. Stay until then. I wish to know the results of the examination.”
“Hmm… yes. I’d be grateful if you stayed.”
I smiled weakly.
I may have lost in acting, but I cannot lose further…!
“Very well. Then, Saintess, Your Majesty. Enjoy your time. This old woman shall not disturb you.”
The Grand Chancellor smiled and left the room. She would probably return to sort her thoughts and feelings.
“Although she seems flustered, now is not the time to press her… better to question her after learning about the forbidden book,” I thought.
The temple still couldn’t fully utilize its power, and with so little information, discussing it now might risk revealing more than I know.
“How’s your body?”
Theodore placed a chair next to the bed.
I rolled my eyes, uneasy. The Grand Chancellor’s quarters were elsewhere, but the temple knights could be nearby.
Feeling like someone might overhear made me anxious.
“For now, there seems to be no suspicious figure around. I’ll check quickly.”
Sensing my unease, Theodore got up and opened the door.
Lying there under the blanket, I felt a bit sleepy. Soon, Theodore returned.
“The area is safe. Speak, Saintess.”
“Well… honestly, I feel so fine it’s strange. I feel almost overpowered with energy.”
“Didn’t you say you were dizzy?”
“When? Me?”
“You leaned on the Grand Chancellor earlier.”
“Oh, that was acting!”
My lively answer made Theodore sigh deeply.
“So it wasn’t real pain?”
“Yes. You didn’t notice, Your Majesty? I must be good at acting.”
“Seems I was fooled.”
“Oh? Really? But Your Majesty, you were excellent at acting too, seizing the opportunity. Amazing.”
“Acting…”
He muttered softly.
“Since the Grand Chancellor was in front, it was the perfect moment to show your interest in me. Brilliant improvisation.”
At my praise, Theodore nodded slowly.
“Yes. I excel at improvisation…”
He muttered, then continued.
“Yes. I’ve partnered with a master of acting. Lucky me.”
I joked as I got up. Lying down in front of someone felt improper.
“Why get up? Lie down.”
“I feel fine. How can I lie down when Your Majesty is here?”
“Just lie down, Saintess. No matter how fine you feel, you’ve been missing for five days. Something could be wrong with your body.”
“I really am fine…”
“If you don’t lie down, you’ll have to stay here even after the doctor leaves, with him attending to you.”
Being cared for by the Emperor? That was unbearably overwhelming.
Reluctantly, I lay back down. Seeing this, Theodore smiled faintly, a satisfied expression.
“Anyway. The spirit… meeting it… was it real?”
He got to the point.
“Yes. I actually have something to tell you because of that.”
I told him about the Grand Chancellor, the spirits, the guardian, and ‘that person.’ I speculated that all of it might be related to the forbidden book, though I didn’t know the details.
Theodore responded.
“While you were missing, I contacted those sent to confirm the forbidden book.”
“Really?! Did they find it?”
“For now… they haven’t found it.”
“Oh…”
“But there is progress. There’s an underground warehouse. Inside, there was a large altar and a chest.”
“An underground warehouse and an altar? You heard about this, Your Majesty!”
“Yes. But there was nothing inside. Judging by the chains and locks scattered around, someone must have opened it.”
“But the underground warehouse really exists in the temple,”
“Yes. They barely found it. Ironically, your disappearance bought them time.”
Theodore smiled wryly.
“In the end, it worked out. Sorry for causing worry these five days.”
I responded with an awkward smile.
“So, the forbidden book probably exists, not just a legend.”
“Yes. The Grand Chancellor has likely already stolen it.”
“Then I have something to do.”
“…I’m afraid so.”
“Oh, you’re sorry? I said to make use of me.”
“Stop saying ‘make use of’—”
“Ah, but the gods couldn’t learn anything about the forbidden book… we need another method.”
The Grand Chancellor’s intentions are clear now, but this is about uncovering completely unknown information.
Unless, like today, she gets emotional and says something foolish…
Wait.
“If I make her emotional, she’ll be impatient and make a mistake!”
A bright idea flashed through my mind. I smiled slyly.
“I oppose it. It’s too dangerous for you to infiltrate the Grand Hall alone… Why are you smiling so ominously, Saintess?”
Theodore suddenly frowned and asked, continuing his concern.
“Your Majesty… hehe. I have a request.”
“…This is really ominous.”
And in front of me was the perfect person to provoke her.
The Grand Chancellor’s natural adversary.
Theodore Elliott.
He seemed alarmed by my unusual smile, slightly leaning back as he observed me.
