The capital of the Holy Kingdom is known as a sacred place that believers of the Earth Mother must pilgrimage to at least once in their lives.
But for the followers of the Forgotten God, it was nothing short of a slaughterhouse.
A slaughterhouse.
It was literally what it meant.
Cultists caught by the Inquisition of the Holy Kingdom were transported to the Holy Kingdom and executed mercilessly.
There was no such thing as a humane execution method.
Burning at the stake.
They burn you to death without exception.
It was a strict method meant to leave not even small bones or flesh of the cultists in this world.
That’s why the saying, “The most common thing in the Holy Kingdom is firewood,” even exists.
“What does that even mean? Are they planning to turn me into charcoal?”
“Don’t worry. There’s no solid evidence against you.”
After the banquet,
I discussed the Holy King’s intents with Zebeline.
What if my identity was discovered?
Maybe the Earth Mother whispered something when she delivered a divine oracle.
I swallowed hard as I recalled the benevolent smile of Holy King Boerun.
If only the Holy King had shown open hostility, I wouldn’t be in such a dilemma. The old raccoon of the Holy Kingdom, hiding his true feelings behind a benevolent smile, was no easy opponent.
“Even if the Holy King received a revelation from the Earth Mother, it doesn’t matter. Edan is a hero who has saved the Valtarian Empire multiple times. How would the Emperor accept such a revelation, claiming he serves the Disaster God of War?”
“…”
Barbarossa had already trusted me enough to consider me as his son-in-law.
Overconfidence.
No, it was closer to blind faith.
With scandals involving the imperial princesses of the Valtarian Empire spreading, I had been treated like the worst thief. But once they realized I was genuinely in love with Ludmilla, my treatment dramatically changed.
“Hmph. It’s annoying. Being tightly held by a spinster.”
“…”
Being trusted by the man who would one day become my father-in-law was a positive thing.
But in front of Zebeline, I couldn’t feel happy.
I zipped my lips tight.
I maintained a neutral expression, pretending not to hear Zebeline’s words.
“So it’s fine as long as there’s no evidence?”
“As long as we don’t enter the capital of the Holy Kingdom. If our identities are revealed in the sanctuary, no matter how powerful the Emperor, he wouldn’t be able to save Edan.”
Even if I roughly estimated the number of demon races and cultists executed in the sanctuary, it would definitely exceed hundreds of thousands. It was said they operated like a large-scale factory, burning sinners day and night without rest.
With the end of the Racial War, executions would have decreased significantly.
Of course, they hadn’t vanished entirely.
Even at this very moment, burning at the stake was likely being carried out. The Holy Kingdom wielded its ruthless executions as a means to suppress cultist forces and utilized them to foster devout followers of the Earth Mother.
A mass slaughter of fanatics to reinforce faith in the Creator Deity.
That was the true nature of the massacre happening in the sanctuary.
“I’ve traveled across the continent, but… I’ve never been to the sanctuary. I’ve only briefly passed through the territory of the Holy Kingdom.”
Suddenly, the desperate efforts of Beatrice and Maximilian to avoid the sanctuary came to mind.
What would’ve happened if they hadn’t made those desperate efforts?
I shuddered just imagining it.
I shook my head and forced a smirk.
“Shall we elope?”
“…Isn’t elopement something the heroes have already done? Is elopement a tradition passed down through the Hohenberc Family?”
“I heard my father also left the family when he was young. I don’t know the reason, though.”
“Oh my.”
How has the Hohenberc family, experts in elopement, managed to survive this long?
It’s a mystery.
It wouldn’t be surprising if they had failed long ago.
Zebeline sighed at the history of the Hohenberc family, filled with many oddballs.
“Anyway, never accept the Holy King’s proposal.”
“Of course. Unless I’m insane… There’s no way I’d willingly walk into a slaughterhouse.”
The Saintess rose from her seat.
I stood up too and saw the Saintess off as she was about to leave the reception room.
“Oh, and…”
The Holy King mentioned a feast celebrating the divine teachings he’d imparted to the priests of the Valtarian Empire.
Just as Zebeline was about to exit, she suddenly stopped, as if recalling something.
“I’ll ask you in detail what happened last night with Princess Ludmilla! So don’t even think about giving me vague answers like before! Ugh, honestly, I want to call the Inquisition!”
“…”
I gulped at Zebeline’s intense enthusiasm, wanting to involve the Inquisition in a mere romantic affair.
What would happen if the fact that I kissed Ludmilla was discovered?
Hmm.
I had no choice but to elope.
When I thought of the jealous White Dragon, my vision went dark. I feared that Zebeline might drag me to the sanctuary in place of the Holy King.
*
Edanant definitely wouldn’t have recklessly surrendered to his desires.
He stole the princess’s lips.
That, too, the first kiss, which is an important experience and ceremony for a woman.
This was no trivial event that would end as a mere happening.
Surely, Edanant executed the kiss with the meaning of “I want to marry you.”
Misinterpreting the intention of the kiss, Ludmilla rolled around on her bed decorated with soft velvet, hugging the pillow roughly. The pillow got crushed as if it would die any moment.
“If we’re to get married, the Yustinia Cathedral is definitely the right place! The royal family of the Valtarian Empire has held grand weddings there, except for special exceptions!”
Pollen drifting everywhere.
The sound of the cathedral bells celebrating the wedding.
And the bride in a wedding dress standing on crimson velvet.
Ludmilla was already daydreaming about the wedding as if she were an engagee, filled with excitement. She had been waiting for the moment to be with the man she loved ever since she turned twenty, so her obsession was especially apparent.
“This is a once-in-a-lifetime wedding, so I need to prepare carefully without any regrets.”
She blushed, openly expressing her anticipation.
Then, Elizaveta and Rue, who were beside her, began to whisper in small voices.
“The officiant will be shocked! A bride over twenty-seven having her first wedding! They’ll surely think she’s a divorcee.”
“We’ll have to inform all the guests individually.”
Usually, she would have reacted lightly to such mischievous jokes.
But it was different now.
With Edanant’s intense kiss, she’d even received a proposal. Ludmilla giggled, recalling the romantic moment spent on the terrace of the imperial palace.
Let them talk as they please.
Soon, Edanant would propose with a beautiful silver ring.
“…Sister, I’m so envious.”
“Huh?”
Elizaveta, leaving the bedroom, mumbled about her sister.
Rue tilted her head in question.
“This is the first time I’ve seen my sister so happy. Honestly, I’m jealous to the point of feeling envious.”
“But the pretty princess has Rue, right? Ahem, just trust us!”
Rue patted her flat chest confidently.
At that, Elizaveta smiled broadly.
“The fairies in storybooks grant wishes… so is it possible for Luinong too?”
“Of course! If it’s the beautiful princess’s wish, we’ll welcome it anytime!”
Using the Goddess’s mystery, who created the Fairies’ Paradise, anything was possible, even if it was a wish that seemed impossible.
Mystery is omnipotent.
And Luinong, who possesses that mystery, was like a moving all-purpose machine.
Elizaveta, who had once used even the divine status of Broyan to quell the disasters engulfing the imperial city, understood this better than anyone. So, she nodded with a faint smile at Rue’s bold declaration.
“No, wait, I’ll take that back.”
“Huh?”
The bride, beautifully dressed in attire, turned and spoke.
Then she confidently declared in a voice brimming with enthusiasm.
“I will make Edanant fall in love with me. Without anyone’s help… solely with my own strength.”
The wedding wasn’t confirmed yet.
Despite trailing behind among other rivals, the chance still existed.
She had already hinted at her sister.
She might secretly steal Edanant away like a thieving cat.
Having declared a preemptive strike, all that was left was to join the struggle. Though she felt truly sorry for her sister, who dreamed of a sweet newlywed life with Edanant, she was serious this time.
‘…It’s okay to just sneak a bite, right? I’m not saying I’ll take him all for myself.’
If she simultaneously established a factual situation with her sister, the adamant father, who would be strongly opposed to polygamy, would have to surrender eventually.
The hero who saved the empire.
The newly chosen hero from the Holy Kingdom.
With Edanant’s standing akin to the Seven Heroes of the Warring States, wouldn’t it be permissible for him to welcome several princesses of the Valtarian Empire as legitimate wives? Elizaveta expressed her desires with a bashful smile.
‘Broyan.’
-Why do you call? You’ll take the gloomy guy with your strength.
As if sending a message, she whispered the Goddess’s name softly.
Then the divine being, observing the impudent fairy, spoke in an indifferent tone.
-You’re of course separate. Since you took control of your body, you are me. I am you. Also, did you forget our promise to lend divine status occasionally in exchange for taking care of the Luinong?
-What nonsense is that… Has our princess perhaps hurt her head?
The Disaster God of War.
How shocked was I when I saw the calamity lurking beyond the grim shadow?
A disaster spreading war.
A beast that feasts on power through conflict.
Could I really leave cute children to someone like that? Broyan showed his distrust, visibly dissatisfied.
-Hah… So how do you plan to take him?
‘Of course, I’ll pounce! If the most beautiful in the empire, I launch a full-on assault, would Edanant dare stand up to it?’
What is this?
Such a confident response.
Is it a world where it’s normalized for women to pounce on men?
Who knows.
There’s no way such a world could exist.
Elizaveta began to unfold her lustful imaginations vividly, recalling Edanant. The extravagant thoughts were shared with Broyan, who let out a scream resembling a dying cry.
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