Chapter 3

“Is that true?”

“Yes, Your Imperial Highness.”

The furrow between Theophista’s brows deepened.

“Duke Reinach brought in the next Saintess, you say…”

“Isn’t he someone who would be unlikely to resort to such a scheme?”

Cullen asked. Theophista did not answer. Instead, he flicked the reins again, and the clopping of the horse’s hooves resumed.

Theophista, who was riding ahead of Cullen, muttered under his breath.

“He isn’t the sort to do something like that.”

“Indeed, he isn’t. I’ll have to find out for myself what on earth has gotten into him.”

While the Crown Prince and his entourage were drawing closer to the Imperial Palace with every passing moment…

“Saintess, please raise your arm just a little higher. If I don’t fasten the harness chain properly, His Majesty the Emperor will be furious.”

“How am I supposed to raise it any higher…?”

“Just a little more. Yes, that’s perfect.”

Good grief, how can putting on a single outfit be this complicated?!

Thin chains that sparkled brilliantly wherever the light touched them hung from Carnike’s shoulders all the way down to her ankles.

After having several—no, several dozen—fine gold chains draped over her entire body, she began to wonder whether she would even be able to walk properly.

“I have something I want to ask.”

“Yes, Saintess. Please ask.”

“I’ve never worn clothes like this before. Why do I have to wear something like this today?”

Even Carnike thought it was a rather foolish question, but Lia, the maid who was always at her side, answered in an extremely polite and obedient manner.

“When the Saintess enters Chellis to receive an oracle, she must present herself before the God Elkiel in a modest and pure appearance. That is why these ornaments are not used.”

“Then does that mean I’m not going into Chellis today?”

“That’s right, Saintess. Today, you only need to deliver words of blessing to His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince and his entourage, who have returned from their tour.”

Lia, the maid whom Duke Reinach had specially assigned to Carnike, was quick-witted and eloquent.

Having been informed of Carnike’s circumstances by the Duke, she knew what Carnike was dealing with, and because of that, she usually made sure not to attract attention.

Even when she happened to encounter other maids, she never joined in their chatter. She simply kept her head quietly bowed as she went about her duties.

Yet whenever Carnike needed her, Lia would appear out of nowhere as if by magic and smooth over whatever situation had arisen.

If it hadn’t been for Lia, Carnike would have made a hundred mistakes by now whenever she met priests, other people, or even the palace servants.

“Words of blessing…”

When Carnike trailed off, Lia comforted her as though telling her not to worry.

“The journey through the northern territories is long and arduous. Even so, His Imperial Highness has returned safely. What else could it be but the protection of the God Elkiel?”

“I see.”

Carnike quietly nodded.

In other words, she did not need to fabricate a lie today as she normally did.

All she had to do was congratulate the heir to the Imperial throne for returning safely under the protection of the divine.

“Saintess, His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince has arrived in front of the main palace.”

“Understood, Priest Fellis.”

With Lia’s assistance, Carnike carefully began walking, making sure not to tangle the long, dangling chains.

To get from the temple within the Imperial Palace to the main palace, they had to pass through a long corridor.

As Carnike walked alongside Lia and Priest Fellis, her face concealed behind the lace of her white robe, she heard several nobles snickering.

They were not exactly pleasant things to hear.

“That woman is the Saintess? Just look at that vulgar hair color.”

“And what about her eyes? I hear they’re a disgusting shade of purple, like poison.”

“All those descendants of the Zervizan bloodline look like that. Just looking at them makes me uncomfortable. His Majesty the Emperor certainly is generous.”

“No kidding!”

The loud, boisterous laughter continued.

Just as Carnike was about to turn her head and glare at them, Priest Fellis whispered from behind her.

“Saintess, they are not worth your attention. Please keep walking.”

“…Hearing people say things like that makes my blood boil.”

“I’ve memorized their faces. I will give them a proper reprimand later.”

Fellis said it like that, but Priest Fellis was a gentle man.

Ever since Carnike had gotten to know him, she had never once seen him say anything unpleasant to anyone in public.

Carnike did not expect Priest Fellis to exact some satisfying revenge on her behalf, so she merely let out an irritated sigh and continued toward the main palace.

Good heavens, what is going on with all these people?

The Emperor’s throne room itself was no different from usual, but the circumstances surrounding it certainly were.

With her head lowered, Carnike furtively glanced around and swallowed nervously.

Until now, whenever she delivered an oracle, the only people in the throne room had been the Emperor and around twenty bureaucratic nobles.

There were sometimes a few more or a few fewer people, but this was the first time she had ever seen the area packed with people all the way outside the throne room.

“Saintess, you must walk carefully. It would be disastrous if one of the chains broke.”

Lia straightened Carnike’s clothing one more time, whispered quickly, and stepped back.

At the same time, the Emperor’s attendant called out from inside the throne room.

“The Saintess shall come forward before His Majesty the Emperor and His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince!”

The chains kept catching on the tips of Carnike’s feet, but fortunately she managed to enter the throne room without stepping on one and breaking it.

Through the veil, Carnike quickly examined the Emperor and the unfamiliar young man standing beside him.

He was a striking man with hair as black as polished ebony, a sturdy build, and an impeccably straight posture.

There was no doubt about it.

He was the Crown Prince.

For some reason, I feel like he’s glaring at me…

She was certain of it.

She could not see his face clearly, but she could feel his piercing gaze.

He was staring at her so intensely that her shoulders prickled as though she were being stung by bees.

Ironically, the person who rescued Carnike from this uncomfortable situation was the Emperor.

“My son has returned from his arduous tour of the northern territories. This is surely proof of the God Elkiel’s protection.”

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Long live His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince!”

The bureaucratic nobles and knights shouted in unison.

Carnike flinched at the sudden, thunderous noise, and the Emperor spoke again.

“Give the Crown Prince a blessing for his safe return to the Imperial Palace.”

At that moment, Duke Reinach gave a small cough.

Carnike immediately understood what he meant, quickly bent her knees, and bowed.

Then she turned toward the Crown Prince and spoke politely.

“Long live His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince, who shall become the foundation and light of the Empire. His Imperial Highness has personally traveled to the northern lands and returned after tending to their soil without regard for the hardships of the journey. This is the joy of the God Elkiel and likewise the joy of His Majesty’s subjects.”

Carnike had memorized the blessing word for word the previous day with Priest Fellis’s help, and she had not made a single mistake.

She felt secretly proud of herself as she delivered the final words.

“May the great and benevolent hand of the God Elkiel caress the wings of His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince.”

“Long live His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince! Long live His Majesty the Emperor!”

The moment she finished speaking, a knight standing close to the Crown Prince led the chant.

Only after everyone else followed him in shouting “Long live!” several times did the commotion finally die down.

The Emperor, wearing a broad smile, gestured for Carnike to leave.

The day after Carnike had delivered the oracle about the color of his tack, the Emperor had brought down a huge sable with a single arrow.

That evening, the Emperor had bestowed countless precious ornaments upon Carnike as gifts.

Furthermore, simply because he was in a good mood, he had held banquets for two full days, eating and drinking until the Crown Prince arrived today.

His son looks exhausted from his tour, while His Majesty has enough grease shining on his face to light a lamp… Well, what does that have to do with me?

Carnike obediently bowed at the waist and carefully backed out of the throne room.

After escaping both the eyes of all the people watching her and the Crown Prince’s razor-sharp gaze, even the countless thin chains wrapped around her body no longer felt bothersome.

The Crown Prince never took his eyes off Carnike as she walked away.

Only after she had completely disappeared from sight did he turn toward Duke Reinach and speak.

“I heard that the person who recommended the new Saintess this time was Duke Reinach.”

The Duke lowered his head with an inscrutable smile.

“Recommended her, Your Highness? That is far too generous a description. The Saintess is chosen by the God Elkiel. How could a mere human possibly decide whether someone is worthy of such a position?”