Chapter 89

The next day I sat in the parlor and waited for Stella.

‘…Would she be surprised to see me?’

She was sure to be surprised to see that I looked exactly like Chloe’s doll.

“The Princess has come.”

Eventually, Hans came in with a knock. As I nodded, Stella entered the parlor with her head down low before opening her mouth slowly.

“Ni-nice to see you. I’m Stella Este.”

Her delicate voice was trembling a little, probably because she was nervous.

“You may raise your head.”

After hesitating for a while, she slowly raised her head.

“Ho, how…”

“Nice to meet you. I’m so glad to see you again.”

Her eyes fluttered as I smiled in delight.

“You must be very surprised.”

“Oh! I’m sorry. I was rude.”

Stella hurriedly bowed her head.

“No. Everyone who saw me for the first time was surprised.”

Even if she didn’t look carefully, she felt confused about how to react.

“I am Erica Luhandel. Would you recognize that I am the savior mentioned in the revelation?”

Stella’s eyes widened as I mentioned the Savior.

“I’m glad to be able to meet you like this.”

Her body trembled as I took her hand carefully.

“You are a benefactor to me. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have found Perseum.”

While my words persisted, Stella blinked her eyes in a daze as she was pretty much in shock. I continued.

“The other people from the Bairn Desert also came, would you like to meet them?”

Stella’s gaze slowly turned toward where I pointed to the Kefienas standing around.

“Sister, Sister Nikki…?”

“It’s been a long time, Stella.”

Nikki greeted her with a face mixed with pleasure and longing.

“I thought I’d never see you again, but you’ve grown up so beautifully.”

“Mo-mother, mother is…”

“It’s okay. I heard the news.”

Nikki rubbed Stella’s back as her shoulders were shaking from the overwhelming emotions. I became deeply immersed in the Kefiena’s devotion, who lived solely according to God’s command. Especially when I thought about how Stella and her mother lived, I couldn’t help but feel sad.

‘…Can I be like them?’

No one was as dedicated as them, but my heart was heavy as I became the savior and was served.

“I have to live by helping many people in the future.”

When her weeping stopped, Nikki wiped her tears away. Stella gazed at me with a puzzled face and knelt down on her knees in front of me.

“Don’t do that.”

Embarrassed, I tried to get Stella up, but she shook her head.

“Stella, Kefiana, the servant of God, greets you.”

Her eyes were wet again.

“What my mother said was true… All my efforts were not in vain.”

Saying so, she bent down on her knees and wiped her tears with her handkerchief and opened her mouth again, “She would have been really happy if she had been with us at this moment…”

“Your mother is with Rohim, so she will be watching this.”

“Ah.”

Stella smiled brightly with her tear-soaked face. It was a relaxed smile that I saw for the first time after meeting her.

“Rohim has blessed the Kefienas. I’ll pass it on to you, too.”

Stella’s eyes widened as white light grew vivid from my hand that was holding her.

“This, this… the divine power.”

She couldn’t continue her words and stared blankly at the light.

“Now, there will be no one who can harm you. You’ve been through a lot.”

“…Can I hug you once?”

Stella asked cautiously.

“Of course.”

After hesitating for a moment, she hugged me tightly.

“…It’s like a dream.”

I could hear Stella whispering in my ear.

“Well then, you can talk. We’ll go outside.”

Nicky spoke politely and withdrew the Kefienas.

“Princess, please sit here.”

I led Stella to the sofa and sat facing her.

“Actually, I was nervous because His Majesty’s fiancée was looking for me.” As she said so, Stella shivered slightly, showing she was apprehensive.

“At the same time, I wondered who she was.”

“Why?”

“Because His Majesty said that the Savior was precious.”

At that moment, when I heard Declan’s words that I was a precious person, I felt my heart sink.

“If she had been anyone other than the Savior, I would have been disappointed in His Majesty.”

If he did, I would have left this world as well because there would be no reason for me to stay here any longer. As I thought about it, I felt empty. Still, because I didn’t want my mind to sink with that kind of thought, I quickly brushed it off.

“I was really grateful back then. You believed in me even though I was an invisible soul.”

“I was confused at first, too. I thought I might have misunderstood because I was waiting too long.”

So, she thought hard about it until she asked Declan.

“But, I had to believe it because the necklace did not react once, but many times.”

…Could it have been like that if I were Stella? No matter how sacred the necklace was, it would not have been easy to believe.

“I really wondered what the Savior would be like. So, I was just waiting for you to come back.”

Her sparkling golden eyes were truly beautiful.

“Are you surprised to see me?”

“Well, to be honest, I was very surprised. You look exactly like the doll.”

Stella looked me in the eye, and I answered cautiously.

“I’ve been nesting in the doll all this time. I didn’t know why until I met Rohim.”

This was the best way to tell the whole truth.

“You must have been really frustrated.”

She sighed and took my hand. The words that comforted me for the past time gave me strength through our joined hands.

“His Majesty was by my side, so I was able to hold on.”

Yes, I endured because he could see me and talk with me. Realizing that again, I suddenly wanted to see Declan.

Stella smiled softly as if my thoughts were revealed.

“Now that the divine power has returned to all the priests, the temple will also work in earnest.”

In addition to spreading Rohim’s will, relief activities would also be carried out.

“What do you want to do in the future?”

“I…I want to be with the Savior.”

Even though I expected it to some extent, after checking the meaning from her words myself, I felt the weight differently.

“If you want to be with me in the future, your status as a hostage will be limited.”

Stella nodded her head as if she had already expected it when she heard that I was engaged to Declan.

“Then, what to do? If I go back to Ielro…”

Her face darkened.

“So, by the way, may I ask you a favor?”

“Yes, please feel free to speak.”

After a moment’s hesitation at Stella’s pure gaze, I parted my lips.

“…Will you be my handmaid?”

Stella’s eyes widened. It must have been unexpected.

“I know this is an apologetic request. But at present, there’s no place that guarantees your identity and status as much as this.”

“I never thought of such a good place…”

“Yes?”

I was rather embarrassed by the reaction, which was different from what I expected.

“If I could stay here, I was thinking that I would be grateful just by being a mere maid.”

As she recalled the past, her expression faded for a moment.

“From now on, please treat me as Kefiena, not as a princess.”

“That—”

“I am proud to be Kefiena. Like Sister Nikki, I want to live as a Kefiena.”

Her golden eyes contained her will and shone like the sun. Right now, she had more lively and beautiful eyes than ever.

“If I become the Savior’s handmaid, I’ll be able to take care of you up close.”

“Thank you. It must be a difficult decision.”

“It’s an honor for me. I’m already looking forward to the things I will do with the Savior.”

I smiled brightly at the reddened look.

“Please, call my name from now on.”

“How can I call your name…”

As Stella drooped her eyebrows, I couldn’t resist her pleas.

“Okay, Stella.”

Seeing her as happy as a child put my heart at ease.

“I think it would be better to move your place of residence soon because I don’t know what Princess Medicis will do.”

With Medicis mentioned, she meekly nodded her head.

“It’s not enough, though I’ll do my best to help you. I think I’ll be able to live my life properly now.”

“I wish you all the best in the future.”

When I held out my hand to Stella, who smiled lightly, she grabbed tightly it.