Episode 127: Spread the Word (IV)
‘This isn’t it.’
When the emperor didn’t go her way, Rabienne signaled to Lucas for help, tapping his foot with hers, both hidden under the table.
Lucas, who had been listening quietly because he thought it was no place for him to cut in, flinched and voiced out.
“I apologize for speaking out, Your Majesty, but this isn’t a disease that the imperial family can handle. Without the help of the temple, the number of people in the empire might be reduced by more than half.”
“Isn’t that your guess? I’ll know only when I’ve tried.”
Even after Lucas came forward, the emperor’s attitude did not change. After all, he already knew that the current temple was nothing special.
‘Why are you so confident?’
Rabienne’s hands holding the teacup began to tremble. She was very much agitated by the emperor’s changed attitude.
She put it back on the coaster because she feared it would expose her feelings, but it made a particularly loud clicking sound as it collided.
“If you don’t like tea, I’ll prepare another one right away.”
The emperor smiled and took another deep sip of the tea in front of him.
Poison filled Rabienne’s eyes when she saw him still feigning innocence, knowing full well the tea wasn’t the problem.
“…You will soon regret it.”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen because I’m a person with little regrets.”
The emperor’s stance remained unchanged even at the words that gave off a strong nuance of a last chance.
“From now on, our temple will not support the imperial family. Don’t forget that this is what Your Majesty has chosen.”
“I will definitely remember. Anything else?”
“Yes. The next time you want to see me, come to the temple. I don’t think I’ll be coming to the Imperial Palace anymore.”
Rabienne got up following a show of bravado to satisfy her last remaining pride.
“Let’s go, High Priest Lucas.”
“Your Majesty, we will be on our way.”
“Take care.”
The hem of Ravienne’s dress fluttered violently as she sped away, revealing her emotional agitation.
“Ha, until recently, he was like an old man in the back room.”
As soon as Rabienne came out into the hallway, she angrily gritted her teeth and spat out vulgarities in a low voice.
“Stop, Saint. We are still inside the Imperial Palace. There are many listening ears, so be careful what you say…”
“I know.”
With increasing nervousness, she nibbled on the nail of her index finger and continued talking.
“There’s an epidemic, but he’s not too surprised, and with such an arrogant attitude… Isn’t something strange?”
“Maybe he knew in advance?”
“Even so, there is no obvious solution other than relying on the temple.”
Unlike when they came to the Imperial Palace, both Lucas and Rabienne were at a loss and their smiles disappeared.
“What should I do now?”
“Well.”
Lucas tried to hide his bitter expression and glossed it over.
He had a lot of thoughts when he saw the emperor, who was always polite to the previous saint, treat Rabienne disrespectfully.
As it was, his mind was gradually opening. The status of the temple might fall to the floor if he only believed in Rabienne.
“It felt like we had lost, but he will bow down to us soon. The palace won’t be able to solve the disease on their own… Let’s wait.”
Even if many small temples were closed, there were still many more. A level of power that could never be ignored remained firmly.
After one last cold stare at the door to the closed reception room, Rabienne made her way out of the building completely.
But Noah appeared from the opposite side, perhaps on his way to the emperor.
At this moment, Rabienne became so lively that the difference was evident on his face.
“Is my hair okay now?”
“Yes. You are beautiful.”
Once Lucas gave his verification, Rabienne tried to approach Noah with a beaming smile.
“Noah…”
Although their eyes clearly met, Noah slid past Rabienne, treating her like air.
Rabienne let out a gasp, stunned by the humiliation she had just experienced. Then he turned around and shouted in a tearful voice.
“Your Highness!”
Noah slowly stopped. There was nothing he could do if Rabienne drew attention like that. But when he turned around, his gaze shifted from Rabienne to the escorts behind her.
‘Khalid.’
He immediately recognized Khalid, whom he had seen many times in his dreams.
(TL/N: It was briefly brought up more than 70 episodes ago, so here’s a reminder— Noah knew about Esther and all her regressions because he saw them in his dreams when he was ill and unconscious.)
Khalid was puzzled by the crown prince staring at him, but bowed his head deeply to avoid his eyes and be polite.
“Saint, did you call?”
“Why did you just walk past me?”
Rabienne asked, not hiding her disappointment.
“I didn’t see you because I was thinking about something else. Sorry.”
“It’s nothing to be sorry about. I was going to meet you, but I couldn’t make an appointment. I just want to chat.”
“I’ve been a bit busy.”
Rabienne was upset at Noah’s bluntness, but she held it in and smiled brightly once more.
“I see. I… Can’t we get along again? We go a long way back, and there is a long way to go in the future.”
Noah’s indifferent expression remained even as he received a brilliant smile full-on, one which anyone would say was beautiful.
“Saint.”
“Yes?”
“You won’t be forgiven, but it’s a way to not accumulate more sins.”
“…What do you mean?”
“I just want to say that one should never covet what belongs to others. Whether it be a thing or a position.”
Having given all the warnings he could give, Noah took one step closer towards Rabienne.
“Did you say let’s get along?”
As Noah smiled and closed the distance, for a moment, expectations filled Rabienne’s red eyes.
“There is someone I like.”
Almost instantaneously, those expectations fell. Her pride was hurt by that, so she pressed her lips together and stiffly raised her head.
She even tried to smile, but she couldn’t quite raise the corners of her mouth.
“Who?”
“It’s a secret. I can’t tell anyone.”
With that, Noah leisurely went into the emperor’s reception room.
“Ha, it’s amazing.”
Rabienne, who had been ignored by both the emperor and Noah, was fuming. She fanned hard at her red, angry face.
“Are you okay?”
“Sure. Of course I’m fine.”
Her nails, which she began to bite from the time she left the reception room, were now bleeding from the skin.
“It can’t go on like this. Let’s get the same medicine that we used on Saint Cespia.”
“You mean…”
“Yes. I’d rather hand the poison to Prince Damon.”
Since the imperial family was no longer with the temple, only the friendly Damon was needed.
“But it’s the crown prince, is it really going to be okay?”
“It’s Prince Damon who will be using it anyway. If something goes wrong, we can cut him off.”
Rabienne’s blood-red eyes sparkled dangerously. They were filled with madness.
A few days later…
Esther rode alone in a carriage and arrived at the Imperial Palace. His face was tense at the thought of meeting the emperor.
“He wasn’t a scary person.”
The emperor, whom she briefly met during her first visit to the Imperial Palace, seemed much more affectionate than her father.
While she was mulling over this and that, the carriage door opened. Victor carried the gifts that were stored inside with both hands.
“It’s heavy. May I carry some?”
“Oh no, don’t say that. If I make you bear a burden, His Grace will have my head cut off.”
Victor shook his head as he looked at the cute Esther who was only half his size expressing her desire to help him.
While they were walking with the guidance of a servant, and a person who looked shiny even from afar ran over.
“Ah.”
It’s Noah.
In an instant, Esther’s lips formed an upward arc.
Perhaps because he had become the crown prince, Noah was wearing stylish clothes embroidered with gold.
Facing Esther, Noah couldn’t hide how happy he was and smiled brighter than the sunshine.
“You’re here? Do you know how long I have waited?”
“Didn’t I come on time?”
“You’re late. I’ve been waiting for this hour since yesterday evening.”
Esther giggled as she listened to Noah’s mischievous words.
The two of them walked together to the indoor garden where the emperor was waiting.
“Esther, are you nervous?”
“Hmm… I am a little nervous.”
“Then I’ll hold your hand. The warmth will calm you and you will be fine.”
Noah naturally wrapped his hand around Esther’s to relieve tension.
Feeling that Noah’s hands were bigger than when she had held them before, Esther glanced to the side. Now that she looked at him, the level of his eyes had also changed.
“Have you grown taller?”
“It isn’t just taller? Look, look. My shoulders have become much broader too. I’ve been working out hard these days, can you tell?”
“It seems like that… But I don’t know.”
It was funny to see him putting strength into his shoulders on purpose, but his body did really look stronger than before.
“Not like that… Take a closer look.”
Noah’s eyes drooped like a sad puppy, disappointed that Esther turned away after a glance.
The light conversation made the walk fly by. Before long, they reached the door leading to the indoor garden.
Esther let go of Noah’s hand and took a deep breath.
“May I enter?”
“Yes.”
When Esther opened the door, she was greeted with a huge space covered with dirt. Plants of various sizes were growing, so the air was fresh.
The open-ceiling structure of the indoor garden was amazing, and sunlight shone down into the center without any shortage.
In the middle lies a table, and the emperor was sitting leisurely, waiting for the two.
Hearing the door open, the emperor turned around and paused for a moment in surprise when he saw Esther.
“Hello, Your Majesty.”
“This… I never thought I would meet a familiar face.”
Seeing Esther, who had become more skillful in etiquette than the last time, the wrinkles around his mouth deepened.
“Noah didn’t tell me anything.”
The emperor stared at Noah, his eyes asking him why he did not tell him beforehand, but the latter pretended to not notice.
“Aren’t you the daughter of Grand Duke Deheen?”
“Yes. that’s right.”
Esther was so happy hearing her father’s name that she unconsciously smiled, her eyes folding in half.
“You look prettier when you smile.”
The emperor did not miss that. He complimented her in a soft, friendly voice.
“Thank you.”
Esther’s white cheeks turned pale pink at the sudden praise.
‘He looks like Noah.’
She had wondered where Noah’s cheeky side came from, and now it was clear that he took it from his father.
“Noah, would you mind stepping aside for a while?”
“You can’t bully Esther.”
“There is no way. She is a very precious child.”
“All right.”
Having fulfilled his duty as a guide, Noah was dismissed. He winked at Esther, saying he would be at the door, and left.
“Would you please take a seat?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Esther sat down cautiously on a chair bathed in sunlight, but she could only blink. She felt awkward to face the emperor alone.
Noticing that, the emperor opened the lid of the silverware that was placed on the table.
Inside, various fruits were skewered and arranged beautifully.
Each skewer was covered with something like a transparent membrane. It was strange, but interesting.
“…What’s this?”
Esther sniffed at the unbearably sweet smell.
“It’s a dessert made by covering fruit with plenty of sugar. It’s newly developed by the imperial chef, this is also my first time seeing it.”
(TL/N: candied fruit.)
The emperor put the most appetizing-looking stick of strawberry into Esther’s hand, and her eyes sparkled in response.
“Now, let’s talk while eating.”
