Chapter 28
The Northern Empire was quite different from the Holy Empire, which was in the middle of the continent.
"It's a bit chilly."
"Yeah, it's still summer in Vios."
Thanks to the system inside the Imperial City, I didn't feel cold, but people from the south were more susceptible to the weather. Not me! Most Koreans were good at dealing with heat and cold waves.
"Achoo!" Alas, my body wasn't Korean. I'm weak…
"How annoying. To think I'd be defeated by the cold…"
The temperature wasn't even below zero! My cheeks and nose were red, and I had my fists balled at my sides.
Luciana laughed, "That's why I told you to wear your coat properly." She put on the white marten coat that I said I wouldn't wear because it wasn't cold outside. How upsetting.
"But I used to play around even in this weather!"
"Yes, of course. But you're a precious person and you need to keep warm."
"Because I'm the saintess?" I asked, pouting a little.
Luciana laughed again, "No, because you're precious to me."
I giggled as Luciana petted my head. It was nice to receive attention from someone I liked.
"How about we end our walk here?" she asked.
I looked around the garden and nodded, "I want to see Daddy."
"His Majesty is quite busy."
"Hmph," I frowned.
"Do you like him that much?" asked Luciana.
I nodded.
"Aren't you scared of him?"
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"Not at all."
Luciana laughed.
"It's true!"
"Yes, yes," she said insincerely. It was clear that she didn't believe me.
There was normally no reason to be scared of Miltiades. But it would be a different story if he went crazy.
'…That won't happen.'
"Where's the sense in this? He's naming a child of unknown origin as the princess!" a loud voice rang out, and Luciana and I turned towards the direction where it came from. A man with dark blue hair was shouting, "I cannot accept this! Isn't this the same thing as letting the stooge of the Holy Empire take the throne?"
Shocked, Luciana tried to cover my ears. I grabbed her hands and kept listening to the man.
"I agree with Duke Ravenhook's claim! What was His Majesty thinking?"
"That's what I'm saying. He left his spot when the beasts were raging, and now he has brought the saintess."
"Do you think he made a deal with the Holy Empire…?" the half a dozen or so nobles fell into a surprised silence.
"Why are you so shocked? Think about it: We haven't seen a saintess in three thousand years, and suddenly one appears. There's something fishy going on here."
"So, what you're trying to say is…"
"Is she really the saintess?"
I really was the saintess. And I didn't get mad because it was easy to prove myself. I was just curious: Why were they having this conversation in a place where they would easily be overheard? Were they looking for attention? Did they actually want me to hear them?
"I feel like they just brought in some dumb child and started calling her the saintess."
Despite feeling embarrassed by the blasphemous claim, no one openly opposed it. Meanwhile, the real problem was next to me.
"Calm… calm down, Luci!" I grabbed hold of her legs quickly before she could do anything rash.
"Let go, Saintess. You're a good kid, right?" Luciana smiled brightly at me, but her eyes weren't smiling. It was clear that she couldn't take it anymore.
"Luci, are you mad?"
"Not mad; this is an appropriate amount of rage—not as a member of the Holy Empire, but as your servant."
"So you're mad."
Luciana smiled brightly at me, and I smiled back.
"You can't do this," I said.
"…"
"You should only be showing me what's good and kind."
At my words, Luciana deflated like a balloon.
"Saintess…" Luciana took a step back. I smiled in relief.
"Don't worry, I'll be the one to screw them over," I reassured her. Did she really think I would just let this go?
Our argument attracted the nobles' attention, and they were now looking at me. If I followed the rules of nobility, I should ignore what they said, as if it was just a funny story. But if I did that, I wouldn't be able to sleep at night.
I looked straight at the man who was talking rot about me. He made a face in response, "It seems that you haven't learned your manners, eavesdropping on other people's conversation like that."
"What? I only overheard it because my hearing is perfectly fine," I turned to look at Luciana. "Luci, did I do something wrong?"
"Absolutely not, Saintess."
"Did you hear that?" I beamed proudly, staring right at the man. His ugly face crumbled. Then I asked, "Did your father die when he was thirty?"
"What?" his face fell at the sudden change of topic.
"As a child, you lived apart from your parents, and you fell from a tree when you were seven. Did your grandmother raise you?"
The atmosphere became tense. At last, realizing what I was talking about, the man's eyes grew wide.
"Ah, it's unfortunate that your mother passed away like that."
He turned pale and froze, "How, how did you…?" It must've been terrifying that a child whom he had just met could know so much about his past.
'Count Douglas.' Duke Ravenhook's subordinate, and one of the men who had tried to woo Priscilla. He had tried to convince her to marry him using the fact that she was being abused. I was repeating the exact words he had said to Priscilla to make her sympathize with him.
I made no attempt to hide my contempt as I looked straight at him, "How unfortunate for a young man like yourself." The fear in his eyes was plain to see. I smiled again, "Let's go back, Luci." I took her hand and turned around, but Count Douglas grabbed my arm.
"Saintess!" Luciana rushed over to protect me.
"You… you…!"
I glanced down at the arm that Count Douglas was clutching onto. It hurt slightly, but I only had one thought: 'What a shame!' If only this was the Holy Empire! I could send him away for simply touching me because I was a messenger of God!
Grabbing my arm, he glared at me in silence. "What? Do you have something to say to me?" I asked. Luciana pushed him away and pulled me into her embrace.
At that moment, a stern voice cut through the air. Miltiades appeared before us, "What's going on here?"
"Your… Your Majesty," everyone but me went down on one knee as he approached. I remained standing and gazed at him. His emotionless, golden eyes scanned around before resting on me.
"Does anyone care to explain why my daughter is here?"
No one was brave enough to offer a reply.
"That man insulted the saintess!" one of the nobles who had gossiped about me suddenly shouted.
"Count Claven!"
"And he even grabbed her arm!"
Panicking, Count Douglas quickly got down on both knees, "That's… that's not true, Your Majesty. I didn't mean to…"
"Insult her?" Miltiades asked coldly.
"He was trying to delude us into thinking that the saintess is an imposter."
A beautiful smile spread across Miltiades's face. That usually meant something big was about to unfold.
"How funny. Keep going," said the emperor, his voice full of malice.
"That… that's not it. I was just worried for Your Majesty."
"Worried?"
"I thought the Holy Empire was playing a trick on you…"
"That's your excuse?"
Count Douglas quickly bit his tongue. Miltiades looked at me once and said decisively, "I don't think he needs a tongue that spouts nonsense."
No way.
"Callian, pull out Count Douglas's tongue."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Callian approached Count Douglas, preparing to take him away.
"Your Majesty… Your Majesty!" Count Douglas pleaded, his voice becoming desperate.
I didn't like him, but I thought this was a bit too much. He was stupid enough to be useful, but I wouldn't be able to use him if his tongue was cut off!
"Daddy!" I smiled widely, running over to Miltiades's side. He picked me up. "I'm fine," I said.
I could tell he was worried that I was hurt. I smiled again, and his mouth loosened.
"But Daddy, are you really going to pull out his tongue?"
"…"
That's right, my dad never changed his mind once he made a decision. I gazed into his eyes.
"Don't you like my punishment?" he asked me.
"Can't you just make him write a reflection that he'll never do it again?"
At my words, Callian laughed, and so did the other nobles. They thought my punishment was more suitable for a child. But I was being sincere.
"Is a reflection enough?"
"Hm, isn't it?" I blinked, and Miltiades studied me for a while with a displeased expression.
"How about three thousand reflections?" I offered. His wrist and back would be burning after writing three thousand reflections.
I smiled again, but Miltiades retorted in a stern voice, "Thirty thousand reflections."
"…"
"Write your reflections by hand, and make sure nothing is repeated."
Relief washed over Count Douglas's face. Miltiades looked down at him as if he was a bug, "Tell Enoch to watch over him."
"Yes, Your Majesty," Callian dragged Count Douglas out of the room.
"You're the only one I have!" Satisfied, I hugged Miltiades tightly, but he seemed upset for some reason.
After that day, none of the nobles objected to me as the princess. Rumors also began circulating that touching me would bring bad luck—that Miltiades would do anything in his power to bring misfortune to anyone who did so.
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