The next morning.
Strange rumors were spreading throughout the Helios Empire.
The story, which had started as a leak, was now a gushing flood.
Rumors even flowed into the temple based in 'Nota', the capital of the Helios Empire.
Clad in pure white clerical uniforms, they stared at the newspaper on the table.
It was as though something was very troubling.
On the front page of the newspaper, there was an article written about what had happened in the imperial palace yesterday.
〈It is said that a strange phenomenon occurred in the sky during the day yesterday. It is said that it fell into the arms of His Majesty the Emperor and was emitting silver holy power. It must be a saint.>
“What if this is true?”
"Even if we’re not sure, I think the right thing to do would be to tell the Pope this news as soon as possible."
“Before that, wouldn't it be good for us to go and see the saint first?”
“What do you think, High Priest Conitel?”
The eyes of those who were talking turned to one person.
The blue-haired Conitel smiled with his sky-blue eyes which were as blue as his own hair.
He softly replied, “You guys are right. I will go to the imperial palace myself.”
Everyone crossed their arms and listened to Conitel.
“The saint is a member of the Holy Land. Even if she fell into the arms of the emperor, she cannot be taken away by the Helios Empire.”
"Yes! You're right!"
“A saint is a gift from God! We must keep them protected in the Holy Land.”
"We can't let Helios take away God’s gift to the Holy Land!"
The priests were reacting violently to Conitel's words.
They started preparing to head to the imperial palace even faster than Conitel.
“First of all, the carriage… … .”
“Shouldn’t we send a lower priest as well?”
“But wouldn’t a senior priest be a bit better… … .”
*
Sleepless, Estella pressed his temples hard as he walked.
Yesterday, it was late at night when he finally escorted Vivian home and he was overwhelmed.
Still, as soon as the next morning came, he returned to the Burinake Imperial Palace.
Last night, a letter was swiftly sent out that contained a "Central Noble Summons" and he was obligated to attend.
With this in mind, he arrived earlier than the meeting time.
“Duke Estella, I’ve been asked to bring you to another place today.”
At first, as if it were natural, he had expected to go to Theodore's bedroom or office.
But where he was guided was not in line with Theodore’s usual character.
The lady-in-waiting led me to the Western Castle, which was built to entertain distinguished guests when they arrived.
At the end of this mysterious navigation, the maid stopped in front of an unfamiliar room.
“You can enter here.”
“Is this the right place?”
"Yes."
‘I wouldn’t consider this a place where one would go to discuss sensitive things.’
‘Is Yura also here?’
After pondering this for a while, thinking that it would be easier to just check himself, he quickly opened the door and went inside.
The sight inside was not much different from what he expected.
Yura was lying on the bed. She looked like a silk doll resting on the flowing wind.
And Theodore was sitting by the bed with a blank face, quietly looking down at Yura.
Rosenta approached quietly and spoke.
“What are you so worried about?”
Uncharacteristically, Theodore slowly turned his head, as if he had only just noticed Rosenta’s presence at that moment.
Then he smiled at him weakly, curling the corner of his eye.
“Well, Your Majesty is also a man, and it appears that seeing a beautiful woman has shaken your heart.”
It was nothing more than a joke meant to relieve some of the fatigue in Theodore's tired eyes.
Rosenta thought that Theodore would take his usual playful words as a light joke.
But Theodore didn't respond at all. Rather, he slightly frowned as if he was in a bad mood.
He answered in a very firm tone, “If my heart could be swayed by a beautiful person, it would have gone to you or Vivian a long time ago.”
“Ah, I guess that’s true.”
Rosenta felt somewhat embarrassed.
To hide his embarrassment, he put on a light smile and lightly shrugged his shoulders.
'Am I included in the beauty category too?' The joke rose to his throat but never left his mouth.
He just sat quietly in the chair next to him, watching Theodore's keen eye.
Then Theodore released the faintest sigh.
"Ha."
Theodore seemed to notice that he wasn’t his usual self, so he apologized right away.
“I’m sorry. I couldn't sleep properly and I’ve become overly sensitive due to how tired I am.”
"It’s alright. It looks like your dark circles are down to your chin.”
"What? Are they that dark?”
Theodore burst out laughing.
At the same time, Rosenta felt the strange sharpness between them break.
In fact, Theodore's posture, which had been stiff like a piece of wood, began to ease little by little.
Theodore leaned back against the back of his chair. Then he brushed his hands over his shadowy face.
“What about Vivian?”
Theodore leaned back crookedly and their gazes crossed.
A thin strand of golden hair fell onto Theodore's cheek.
Rosenta slowly opened his mouth as he watched the movement of that golden thread.
“She seemed very surprised.”
“I guess so. Still, I'm glad you took her home.”
"Yes."
Rosenta was curious.
Was Theodore swayed by Yura as he was in the novel?
What if his sharp retort of Rosenta’s words were not because he was tired, but because he was confused?
Theodore looked at Yura... … .
“Rosenta.”
“… … Yes?"
“I’m glad I was with you this morning.”
Rosenta stared into Theodore's eyes as he spoke to him. They were a gold color that was clearly different from the day before.
His focus, which had been blurry before Rosenta left yesterday, was directed at him more clearly today.
He quite liked Theodore's calm golden eyes.
He replied to Theodore with a broad smile as if reciprocating.
“I’m glad.”
*
An elegant bell, announcing the start of the conference, rang throughout the meeting room.
Since no other dukes attended except Rosenta, he took the seat to His Majesty's right.
And when the bell announcing the meeting’s convening ended, voices began to speak out from all directions.
Even though Theodore didn't say anything.
“Your Majesty, is the rumor true?”
“My subordinate said he witnessed it firsthand.”
“According to my son… … !”
“Indeed. If that's true, the Holy Land will try to take the saint.”
“We can’t let that happen. If we have a saint in our empire, our country would be one everyone looks up to. We would be seen as a country blessed by God!”
“Even the arrogant Holy Land would be immobilized!”
The nobles scrambled to raise their voices. Even then, Theodore remained silent.
Instead of opening his mouth, he looked at Rosenta. His serious golden eyes seemed to be saying something.
He understood the meaning at once.
"Silence."
In an instant, a black aura overtook them. There was no more sound.
The wind blowing from outside made it so quiet that you could even hear the movement of the curtains on the windows.
As if everyone was embarrassed, they grabbed their necks and murmured.
Theodore looked at them and spoke sternly.
“It looks like everyone has a lot to say. It's something I'd never seen before when the previous emperor was alive.”
Theodore's cold expression was like a winter wind.
It was a completely different dignity than when he was the crown prince.
Seeing Theodore's expression, all the nobles shut their mouths. Rosenta felt that the atmosphere was unusual.
“I held this meeting because I thought it would be the right thing to do to inform you of the truth of the rumor.”
Theodore paused for a moment, perhaps to heighten the tension.
Then he spoke again, “But the decision is a load that will be shared. I will discuss whether or not we will send the saint to the Hold Land with Marquis Marigold and Duke Estella and decide from there.”
Finally he looked at Rosenta again and Rosenta lifted his curse.
"Release."
Everyone's voice was returned.
Still, no one dared to speak up.
As if satisfied with this, Theodore raised a corner of his mouth.
This time, he spoke in a friendlier voice than anyone else, as if he was admonishing the nobles.
“There is no way I would make a judgment that would harm the Helios Empire.”
Subsequently, Rosenta expressed his intention to abide by Theodore's decision.
“As Your Majesty wishes.”
Opposite him, Marquis Marigold also nodded agreement.
While the other dukes were absent, the two most prominent nobles supported Theodore.
So, as if it couldn’t be helped, the other nobles stuttered and also began to express their agreement.
“Well, of course.”
"That’s right! I am… … Your Majesty is wise... … .”
“I am grateful that you have told us this in advance.”
The early morning meeting seemed to be over.
That was until someone urgently knocked on the conference room door.
“Your Majesty, I have something urgent to tell you.”
It was a knight.
“The high priest of Helios Temple has arrived!”
Book 4
Just like that, the meeting was adjourned.
First, Marquis Marigold decided to have a little more conversation with the other nobles while Theodore hurriedly left the conference room with Rosenta.
The place they headed to was the western castle where Yura was sleeping, which they had visited earlier.
When they opened the door, the first thing they saw was restless attendants and some priests surrounding the white bed.
One of them was kneeling in front of the bed and loudly chanting continuous prayers.
It was a familiar face.
"Ah!"
It was Conitel, the High Priest of Nota, the capital of Helios.
His azure blue eyes were full of tears and he kept drawing the holy symbol with his necklace. He gave off a light that indicated the presence of holy power.
"A godsend! Ah, thank Luz!”
Without even noticing that the emperor had entered the room, he exclaimed and gasped as if he were experiencing the highest honor.
His hands even dropped and shook as he waited.
Theodore, who was taking in this scene, spat out a small curse as if he was mashing next to Rosenta.
"Damn."
Theodore's gaze was just as ferocious as that harsh curse.
No matter how high-ranking the High Priest, no matter how high the reputation of the Holy Kingdom, it was treacherous to act so freely and enter the imperial palace without permission from the emperor in advance.
“Doing as he pleases… … .”
Theodore hated to see unauthorized people cross that line.
Rosenta was also very offended.
But if it escalated into a heated dispute, it wouldn’t be good for Theodore, who had just ascended the throne.
Knowing that, Rosenta was measuring the appropriate time to intervene in and stop Theodore.
But it was too late by the time he called him.
"Your majesty."
Theodore was already striding forward.
Anxiously, he took Yura's hand from Conitel.
It was done in the blink of an eye.
A halo of light burst out. It was a very intense, flash of light.
Exclamations of admiration exploded forth from those watching the scene.
"Oh my god!"
"Oh! Oh my god!"
Contrary to their reaction, swear words came out of Rosenta’s mouth.
“This damn book.”
When High Priestess Conitel touched her hand, nothing had changed.
But, as soon as Theodore made contact with her, light burst forth.
Didn't it seem like the purpose was to provide a dramatic effect for the main characters?
Of course, this was also mentioned in the book.
<In front of everyone, an intense light broke out. The moment his hand touched her, as if it were for Theodore, the saint opened her eyes.>
As Rosenta recalled the sentences one by one, an empty smile crept onto his lips.
<It was then that everyone recognized it. Before she was a saint of the Holy Land, the one who fell from the sky was someone who would save Emperor Theodore.>
But now, there was no need to save Theodore as described in the prologue.
Leaving that aside, for now, Rosenta wasn’t sure that mere side characters could change the plot of the book.
It’s so eye-catching.
"This is… … .”
“Holy Lady!”
Two priests, including Conitel, bowed flat on the floor. As if in awe of Yura.
As soon as she opened her eyes, Yura, who was truly in awe, looked at only one person.
As if only Theodore had caught her eye.
However, Theodore's expression, upon receiving those eyes, looked disturbed. He was panicked and distanced himself from Yura.
The halo of light disappeared all at once.
It was proven once again that holy power was generated when the two made contact.
Theodore looked back and forth between his hand and Yura, then turned his head in confusion.
He was staring at Rosenta.
It was strange. ‘Why are you looking at me with those eyes?’
Theodore's eyes were unsteady, like those of someone with a guilty conscience. It was definitely a different feeling than when he usually looked at Rosenta.
Uncomfortable silence and tumult coexisted in that moment.
Yura finally opened her mouth.
"I… … .”
Naturally, everyone's eyes turned to Yura.
Yura looked around as if she was afraid or confused, like a child who’d fallen on an uninhabited island.
And with a trembling voice, she spoke like a heroine in a novel.
"Where am I… … . And you... … who… … are you?”
