You Died –
CHAPTER 80/………………………………………..
I couldn’t remember how I got into the imperial palace after arriving at the empire.
My heart was racing uncontrollably from anxiety, and my mind was a tangled mess.
The only thing I could recall was that when I stepped out of the carriage, the knight Jace wasn’t watching me.
His eerie gaze had already been wiped clean. Even so, it was already clear that he was one of Fabian’s men.
Did Amy know he was Fabian’s man? Or did she just like him?
I wasn’t sure, but my heart wanted it to be the latter.
“Holy Maiden, you’re not in trouble, are you?”
Amy, who had been helping me get ready, looked into my eyes in the mirror and asked.
Only then did I notice the room inside the palace that had been assigned to me.
“I’m fine. I’m just a bit nervous.”
“Ah, but you did so well on the first pilgrimage. You’ll do well this time, too.”
“Your words give me strength, Amy.”
“By the way, have you been in contact with Archduke Ferdian?”
She always asked with more excitement than I did. But now, her question felt almost probing—was I being overly suspicious?
“As I said before, I have no connection with His Highness, the Archduke.”
I drew the line firmly, and she smiled faintly.
“Is that so? You two looked so good together, I kept hoping.”
When I didn’t answer, Amy continued, powdering my face gently.
“I just want our Holy Maiden to meet a good person.”
Her words, though playful, carried a weight of sincerity.
Looking into her eyes, I could feel that sincerity, which only made my heart more complicated.
“Amy.”
“Yes?”
“Do you want to keep living in Melissa?”
“Well, I was born and raised in Melissa. And I’d be by the Holy Maiden’s side.”
“The position of Holy Maiden isn’t forever. I mean, if I step down, will you still want to stay in Melissa?”
If she was being used as well… if she had even the slightest thought of leaving Melissa, I would have asked her to come with me.
But Amy spoke as if the answer had long been decided, without a moment’s hesitation.
“Even if the Holy Maiden steps down like Lady Aria, I will always stay in Melissa with you.”
“……”
“Even if you step down from being Holy Maiden, you mustn’t abandon me. Understand?”
“If you ever want to leave, tell me. We’ll go together.”
She nodded with a fresh smile.
“I will.”
After finishing the makeup, Amy walked to the dresses, and I watched her back in the mirror.
I wanted to stop the feelings for him from forming—if only to prevent her from getting hurt.
I realized I cared for this girl more than I thought.
But explaining it would take too long.
I would first have to explain why it was a problem that he was Fabian’s man.
Then, would Amy believe me?
I couldn’t be certain, even though I’d already decided he was “my person.”
Looking back, it wasn’t strange. The situation could have gone any way.
I only hoped she wasn’t like the first person in Melissa I had called “mine.”
She returned, carefully carrying a dress in both hands.
I got up and changed into the dress she brought.
“Wow. It’s so beautiful.”
Amy’s eyes curved as she looked at me in the white dress, tight beneath the chest and gradually flowing loose.
Through the mirror, I saw her face, putting a leaf-shaped hairpin over my long braided hair.
I should be thinking about the banquet coming soon, but my mind kept overlaying Jace and Amy.
“What do you think, Holy Maiden?”
I lifted the corners of my lips.
“Amy, your skills are always excellent.”
She wriggled happily at my words, but jumped at the sound of a knock at the door.
“It looks like it’s time!”
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Yes! Don’t be nervous!”
Leaving her behind, I walked toward the door. Yes, right now, it’s best to tell Alec what I’ve learned.
I expected Alec to be the one who came for me. I opened the door.
But my fingertips twitched at the person bowing to me.
“Holy Maiden, I have come to escort you.”
It wasn’t Alec. It was Jace.
I was considerably taken aback. I hurried outside and closed the door.
Jace glanced at the tightly closed door behind me and raised an eyebrow.
“So, the Captain has arrived.”
“The Archbishop said he would meet us directly at the banquet hall.”
“……I see.”
On the way to the banquet hall, I had planned to talk to Alec about Jace.
But we kept missing each other.
And now, the one who came for me was Jace.
My neck stiffened.
“Does my coming in place of the Captain make you uncomfortable?”
“Ah. No.”
“That’s a relief. Then, I will escort you to the banquet hall.”
At his words, I realized I was gripping the door handle tightly.
I mustn’t show it.
He mustn’t notice.
Steeling myself, I followed behind him. Then I remembered the real reason I had come here.
The relic.
To see the reward for the pilgrimage.
For now, I would think of nothing else.
We were supposed to deliver the relics we received as payment to the temple first, including from this pilgrimage.
Alec had heard this at the temple office while I was still in Melissa.
I looked up at him—if not Alec, would this person deliver them to the temple?
“Will the knight accompany you throughout this pilgrimage?”
Jace raised an eyebrow, as if trying to read my intention.
“I wondered if he’d stay since it’s a long journey.”
“I didn’t expect you to be curious about that.”
When I didn’t answer, he softened his previously stern expression into a small, gentle smile.
He didn’t answer my question, only shrugged.
In front of the banquet hall, other people from Melissa were waiting.
The doorman hesitated when he saw me, as if unsure how to announce my entrance.
The Archbishop, noticing me, widened his eyes in welcome.
“Hoho. Holy Maiden, you’ve arrived.”
“I didn’t realize you hadn’t entered yet.”
“I was just about to. By the way, I think our Holy Maiden will shine brightest in this hall today.”
I smiled faintly at the Archbishop’s words.
“I will follow behind.”
When I finished speaking, the doorman announced our entry for the Melissa temple.
I stepped aside briefly to let them enter first.
I looked at Jace, still standing beside me, and asked,
“Aren’t you going in, Sir?”
“My role was to escort the Holy Maiden. Captain will be by your side inside the hall.”
“I see. Thank you for bringing me.”
After letting him go, I stood in front of the banquet hall door. Jace, who was about to leave, stopped suddenly and looked at me.
“I came to speak with you about the next pilgrimage yesterday.”
At the mention of yesterday, his eyes hardened.
Before I could answer, he walked back to me.
Getting close, he whispered into my ear.
“…There are reports of a plague in ——.”
Before Jace could finish, the doorman, who had gone ahead to check how far inside people had gotten, loudly announced:
“Holy Maiden of Melissa is entering!”
The doors to the banquet hall opened wide on both sides.
