Chapter 30
When Florencia entered the drawing room, Duke Mirren rose from his seat and bowed.
“I greet the Saintess.”
Even though they were father and daughter, Florencia was the Empire’s sole Saintess, chosen and blessed with divine power by the goddess Ipolito.
Even her father, Duke Mirren, had no choice but to bow to her.
“Welcome, Father. Have you been well?”
“Yes. Thanks to the grace of the goddess Ipolito, I have been safe.”
“I’m glad to hear it.”
When the servants finished setting down the tea and exited the room, the duke lifted his head and dropped onto his seat with a heavy thud.
It was somewhat disrespectful, but Florencia was used to it.
Whenever others were around, the duke treated her with utmost formality, but once no one was watching, he returned immediately to behaving like her father.
“This latest plan didn’t go as intended, and Her Majesty the Empress is greatly troubled.”
“Yes. I imagine she is.”
“‘You imagine she is’? Is that what you have to say?”
The duke raised his voice.
Florencia flinched, shoulders trembling, but quickly smoothed her expression and replied slowly.
“His Grace the Grand Duke says he discovered it by coincidence. How could I have stopped that?”
“A coincidence? That place? Is that even possible?”
Hah! The duke let out a disbelieving exhale.
Anger boiled in him, turning his face red.
Florencia’s heart shrank with tension.
She was now a grown adult, a saintess respected by the entire nation, yet before her father she always became the same timid girl.
Especially when he was angry.
While she clasped her trembling hands tightly, the duke asked in a voice edged with irritation:
“He just happened to get off his carriage in the middle of nowhere, walk around, and find it?”
“That’s what I was told.”
Seeing her nod calmly, the duke clicked his tongue sharply.
“Was it you? Did you help Grand Duke Klitzman?”
“How could I do that? This incident was something we’ve been planning for a long—”
“I know about your feelings for him.”
“…”
He cut her off, dropping the statement like a time bomb.
Florencia’s eyes shook violently at the claim that he knew of her feelings for Ellion.
Her feelings were something she could never allow anyone to discover.
If it was exposed, her father might harm Ellion.
She knew all too well her father’s nature—he would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
He might even forbid her from seeing Ellion ever again.
She couldn’t bear that. Not even in death.
Florencia forced her lips into a light, dismissive smile.
“Feelings? That’s nonsense. The Grand Duke and I are childhood friends. We’re simply each other’s only peers of similar age.”
“…”
“Nothing more. Nothing less. I do care for him as a friend, but I would never do something foolish enough to jeopardize our plan. Please trust me, Father.”
The duke narrowed his eyes as he stared into her face.
As if trying to determine whether she was telling the truth.
Finally he looked away, let out a shallow sigh, and spoke.
“If you say so, then I suppose I’ll accept it.”
A crooked smirk lifted one corner of his lips.
He didn’t believe her completely, but today he decided to let it pass.
“We must soothe Her Majesty the Empress. Prepare yourself.”
“Yes, Father.”
Without another word, he left.
Once his footsteps faded away, Florencia covered her face with both hands and let out a groan.
It was Ellion’s first visit to the imperial palace since the Founding Festival banquet.
Emperor Christopher welcomed him warmly.
Ellion began with his report about the magic circle discovered the previous day.
“The capital’s barrier has been fully restored, Your Majesty.”
“That is excellent news! You’ve worked hard, Ellion.”
“However, the culprit remains unidentified. We also do not know why they installed the magic circle there. I will cooperate closely with the High Temple to investigate thoroughly.”
“Good. I trust you. I leave it to you, Ellion.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Christopher then looked at Empress Miranda, seated quietly nearby.
“Empress, how about offering your praise as well? Ellion prevented a disaster that could have been catastrophic.”
Miranda’s crimson lips curved gracefully at his prompt.
Her mouth smiled, but her eyes did not.
“Grand Duke Klitzman, you have worked hard. Thank you for protecting the Empire once again. It seems the imperial family and the Empire are always indebted to you.”
“I simply did what I must. I will continue to do my best whenever I can, Your Majesty.”
Ellion’s response was just as formal as Miranda’s praise.
But Christopher apparently felt the need to correct something.
“What the Empress said is half right and half wrong. It is true that Ellion works hard for us, but since he is part of the imperial family, it is not correct to say the imperial family is indebted to him.”
Miranda’s lips twitched sharply.
She disliked Christopher’s unnecessary nitpicking.
She especially disliked his emphasis on Ellion being part of the imperial family.
But no one in the Empire could ignore the Emperor’s corrections—not even the Empress.
“Oh dear, I was trying to express my gratitude and misspoke. My apologies, Your Majesty. And my apologies to you as well, Grand Duke.”
“It’s quite all right.”
Ellion bowed slightly toward Miranda, who wore an awkward smile.
‘I want to leave as soon as possible.’
Fatigue washed over him, his head throbbing.
He had a feeling he would need to transfer a great deal of mana to Luviana today.
Christopher, who had been smiling at Ellion with sparkling eyes, finally spoke.
“Well now, to think that something like this would happen to you at last. I’m amazed, Ellion. And well done! Very well done!”
“What do you mean, Your Majesty?”
“Playing innocent, are you? Feeling shy?”
Christopher laughed knowingly.
Then he suddenly put on an exaggerated stern look.
“And how many times have I told you? When we’re in private, call me ‘Brother,’ not ‘Your Majesty.’”
He stared at Ellion with shining, persistent eyes.
There was only one way for Ellion to escape that gaze.
Clenching his jaw, he forced the word out.
“…Brother.”
“Yes. Good. That sounds wonderful.”
Miranda’s eyebrow twitched as she sipped her tea at the brothers’ ridiculous exchange.
“What is your relationship with Lady Luviana Fayson? Are you seeing her casually? Or is it with marriage in mind?”
“We are nothing.”
Ellion replied instantly, without a shred of hesitation.
Both Christopher and Miranda widened their eyes.
As if they couldn’t believe what they were hearing.
“Nothing? Don’t lie to your brother, Ellion.”
“I simply accepted a dinner invitation after rescuing her from a monster attack. That is all.”
Christopher looked at him with thinly veiled suspicion.
Ellion sighed and briefly explained.
“The reason I carried her into the hotel yesterday was because she was about to collapse when we happened to meet. I believe you’ve already heard about her recent decline in health.”
“Come to think of it… I did hear she collapsed at the last palace banquet.”
Christopher let out a deep sigh.
The smile he’d worn earlier disappeared completely.
He had been excited at the thought they might be romantically involved—disappointed once when they weren’t,
and disappointed again upon hearing that Luviana was ill.
‘No… It’s too early to give up. Perhaps Lady Fayson’s illness is what drew Ellion’s concern.’
Despite his fearsome reputation as a war maniac and killer, his giant little brother was actually softhearted and gentle.
Especially toward the wounded and the weak.
