ITFFS 09

Chapter 9

Carnike blinked silently.

What did I just hear? Did this man just say he intends to seize the Imperial Throne? Did I hear him correctly?

“…You intend to seize the Imperial Throne.”

“That is correct.”

“But you are the Crown Prince, are you not?”

Theopista folded his arms and crooked one eyebrow upward.

“I am.”

Carnike blinked for a moment, then asked again with an expression that clearly showed she could not understand.

“The Crown Prince will eventually…”

“You want to ask why I would bother creating trouble when I will naturally inherit the throne someday, is that it?”

Carnike’s eyes shifted uneasily.

“I didn’t intend to be quite that rude.”

But Theopista crooked the corner of his mouth as if he could see right through her. His expression plainly showed that he did not think much of Carnike.

“Then receive an oracle about when I will inherit the throne. You never know. I may be a fake Saintess, but perhaps the God Elkiel will listen if I earnestly ask for help.”

“By ‘earnestly’…”

Theopista tilted his head as though to ask whether he really had to spell it out.

Ah. That’s what he means.

Carnike nodded to herself.

‘Will you obtain an oracle for me, or die? In other words, will you help me, or die?’ So that’s what he’s saying.

At that moment, Theopista smiled. It was a magnificent smile, enough to steal her attention even in this precarious situation.

But to Carnike, that smile seemed to say:

‘Good. You understand.’

How creepy.

Carnike thought so.

Those two really are alike in strange ways.

Theopista leaned back even more comfortably and spoke.

“If you help me, I will not treat you unfairly either.”

What a ridiculous thing to say.

Carnike knew well enough when those high and mighty nobles liked to use words like that.

‘I will not treat you unfairly’ basically meant ‘I will treat you poorly, but not quite poorly enough for you to openly complain about it.’

Her life was hanging by a thread with every breath she took, and he was telling her he would not treat her unfairly.

Carnike knew that vague promises like that could never guarantee her safety.

Then there was only one thing she could do.

Negotiate.

“…I more or less understand what Your Imperial Highness is saying.”

“You must not merely understand it ‘more or less.’ If you intend to help me, you must understand everything clearly.”

From the way he coldly picked apart even the words she had thrown in merely to make conversation, Carnike finally understood why he had earned the nickname Ice Cliff.

Wanting her attitude to appear as cautious and polite as possible, Carnike spoke.

“I understand one thing more clearly than anything else: Your Imperial Highness wishes to ascend the throne as soon as possible. I do not know whether this is an impertinent question, but if I were to assist Your Imperial Highness…”

Their cautious gazes met.

Carnike continued while calmly meeting Theopista’s piercing eyes.

“Could Your Imperial Highness guarantee my safety?”

Well, look at her.

Theopista let out a silent scoff inwardly.

She is already trying to negotiate.

During the silence that followed, Carnike’s gaze dropped toward the table.

Oh no. Did I mess up?

In case the Crown Prince decided to cut off her head on the spot, Carnike busily searched for an escape route with her eyes. If things went badly, perhaps she could use the table as a shield…

“I will guarantee both your safety and a comfortable life.”

Carnike, who had been looking down, stared at Theopista’s face again.

She did not show it, but she could feel her heart pounding wildly in her chest.

“Really?”

“Do I look like someone who needs to lie?”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

Theopista’s rigid shoulders rose slightly before slowly settling again. His deep breath sounded gentler than Carnike had expected.

Then he suddenly raised a fist in front of Carnike.

“Not only will I guarantee your safety, I will also help you while you remain in the Imperial Palace to assist me. And when everything is over, I will reward you and your entire hometown village enough for all of you to live comfortably for a hundred years.”

With each word he spoke, one of his fingers unfolded.

Carnike stared into Theopista’s unwavering eyes and swallowed hard.

Rather than constantly worrying about when the Emperor might have her head chopped off, perhaps it would be more advantageous to help this terrifying Crown Prince push his father aside as soon as possible.

‘At least he won’t simply demand that someone who isn’t even a Saintess produce an oracle.’

There was no need to calculate any further.

He must have at least that much influence and power if he could make such a confident promise.

Carnike bit her lip and nodded once.

“If that is the case, then I understand.”

“You mean you will help me?”

“Yes. If it is something I can do, I will help you with all my heart. But Your Imperial Highness must also keep your promise.”

Theopista smiled.

There was still something cold about it, but at least the murderous intent had disappeared. It was a genuine smile.

“I promise.”

Carnike’s day began before sunrise.

Before the first rooster announced the dawn, she washed herself thoroughly with Ria’s help.

Whether summer or winter, hot water required firewood, making it a precious commodity. Poor people could not bathe whenever they pleased, but the Imperial Palace was different.

Dozens of oils, herbs, and other things for Carnike—or, more precisely, for the Saintess—were always prepared.

‘I have to admit, when I’m washing myself, I don’t envy the nobles at all.’

After washing herself until her skin turned slightly red, she had to dress and go to the prayer room in the temple.

After morning prayers, she was supposed to meet the Archbishop and speak with him briefly about matters of faith before returning to her residence for breakfast.

This was the Saintess’s ordinary morning routine.

But in Carnike’s case, things were different.

“Saintess, I am terribly sorry. The Archbishop is unable to meet with you again today…”

The apprentice priest bowed his head repeatedly, apologizing so earnestly that it was almost embarrassing to watch.

Carnike quietly swallowed a sigh.

“It is all right, Priest. May the blessing of the God Elkiel be with you.”

“May the God Elkiel watch over every breath of the Saintess.”

Carnike hurried out of the temple, trying to shake off the complicated gaze of the apprentice priest following behind her.

‘What an utterly hopeless old man.’

She could not show her irritation in front of the apprentice priest, but as she walked alone through the chilly corridor that had yet to be touched by sunlight, anger slowly began to rise within her.

Ever since Carnike had entered the Imperial Palace temple as the Saintess, the Archbishop had never once allowed her to meet with him privately.

The reason he had boldly abandoned even the customary morning routine they both knew was unnecessary was because she possessed unmistakable golden hair and deep purple eyes.

‘He absolutely refuses to be alone with someone of low birth. And a man like that is the Archbishop! If the God truly watches over us, would He really let something like this happen?’

Ever since she was young, Carnike had been hardened by watching officials torment the villagers. She poured that well-practiced cynicism into the empty corridors before returning.

That was Carnike’s morning routine.

Just as usual, Carnike was following the corridor and heading straight back to her residence when an unfamiliar noise reached her ears.

“Run faster, Cullen!”

A whip-like object cracked through the air, followed by the violent pounding of hooves against the ground.

Without realizing it, Carnike began walking toward the source of the sound.

Following a narrow path between the buildings, she soon began to see part of the expansive rear garden.

‘Wasn’t that the Crown Prince’s voice just now?’