Hohenberc faced strong opposition from the Valtarian Empire and ultimately gave up on his proposal.
The Alliance Conference ended peacefully. There was no reason to stir up unnecessary trouble in the current situation.
Edanant, the person involved, was also reluctant to visit the Holy Sanctuary. Thus, the Holy Kingdom showed a momentary retreat to avoid conflict with the hero chosen by the Creator Deity.
“Haha, as a humble servant of the Earth Mother, I find this quite lamentable. Both the hero and the Saintess have chosen not to visit the Sanctuary after all… and Edanant would outright refuse.”
“Who would enjoy a city filled with embers and ashes?”
A middle-aged man with a kind demeanor let out a deep sigh.
At that, a girl with silver hair opened her mouth in a sharp voice.
“It seems you have a close relationship with Lord Edanant.”
“We’ve solved several incidents together in the Valtarian Empire.”
Boern’s question about their relationship led Zebeline to shrug and sheepishly admit it.
The wild dogs of the Holy Kingdom probably finished their investigation already.
A blatant lie would raise deeper suspicions.
So, with a calm demeanor, Zebeline shot back at the Holy King.
“To have received such glorious radiance from the Creator Deity yet refuse to visit the Sanctuary is undoubtedly an act of disrespect towards the sanctity of the Earth Mother and the dignity of the Holy Kingdom. I believe we must pressure the Valtarian Empire to accept Lord Edanant as a distinguished guest of the Sanctuary.”
A cardinal clad in crimson vestments gleamed through his eyeglasses.
There could be no exceptions. The new hero of the Holy Kingdom must visit the Sanctuary.
His stubborn character shone through with a firmness that showed no sign of compromise.
“Is the First Saintess planning to stay in the Empire indefinitely? It seems to be taking much longer than expected.”
“I still haven’t found Beatrice.”
Months had passed since then.
The disappearance of the Second Saintess and now the First Saintess too left a massive void.
When would they return?
Numerous priests were waiting for Zebeline’s return.
In response to Boern’s question, Zebeline shrugged and showed discomfort. The Saintess’s indifferent and cold expression blatantly indicated she had no intention of returning to the Holy Kingdom.
“I hope you’re not asking me to request a visit from Lord Edanant, Your Majesty.”
“Of course not. How could I commit such rudeness to the First Saintess?”
Hahaha-.
Boern burst into hearty laughter.
Zebeline, however, wore a look of suspicion.
“The day the resurrected Demon King of Death approaches this world is drawing nearer. We plan to mobilize the full might of the Holy Kingdom in preparation for that time.”
“That won’t be easy. The Saintess Party is no more…”
“Truly lamentable. It is indeed a pity.”
“……”
The Demon King of Death will soon be resurrected.
Nightmares are set to reemerge.
The nightmare of death that had once blanketed the continent awaited only the moment of its resurrection.
Boern sighed heavily, expressing his regrets.
How many lives had been lost in vain until now? The ruler of the Holy Kingdom lowered his gaze with a heavy heart, clutching the rosary. It was one of those habits that surfaced every time he reflected on his worries.
“Could it be that the Second Saintess of the Holy Kingdom seeks to bring about the reappearance of the nightmare of death…?”
“…Your Majesty?”
He knew.
He was aware that the Saintess Party was planning the resurrection of disasters.
How, though?
How could he know?
How could Boern, peacefully engaged in his duties in the Holy Kingdom’s office while reading the scriptures, discern that the Saintess Party was behind the disasters? It was utterly unimaginable.
Zebeline gazed at the Holy King with a look of shock.
“The Earth Mother informed me through the oracle.”
“Excuse me? The oracle only conveyed messages regarding the new hero.”
Wasn’t the oracle merely informative about appointing Edanant as the new hero of the Holy Kingdom and the impending resurrection of the Disaster God of Death?
There was no mention of anything related to the Saintess Party at all.
“There’s something I didn’t reveal during the Alliance Conference. It is the second oracle delivered by the Creator Deity. A special mission given to the humble servant of the Holy Kingdom by the Creator.”
“……”
The second oracle.
There exists yet another oracle given by the Earth Mother.
It had likely been concealed from the world as a trump card to be revealed at a later time.
It felt as though he’d been hit on the back of the head.
The unexpected twist left him reeling.
Zebeline felt a heavy anxiety closing in on her throat. The fear that the oracle from the Earth Mother, which she’d thought had ended, had not yet concluded pierced her gut like a sharp blade.
*
The Imperial City of the Valtarian Empire, once ravaged by the cultist attack and the rebellion, began to be restored smoothly.
The Imperial Palace regained its resplendent solemnity.
And the city, swept away by disaster, was also being restored, allowing citizens to enter and exit freely.
Perhaps within two months, the traces of the events could be thoroughly erased.
Upon receiving a highly satisfying report about the imminent restoration, Barbarossa set out immediately to showcase the Empire’s resilience through a hunt.
“Hahaha! It’s so refreshing to be out here! I thought I’d wither away dealing with those cunning ones at the table!”
The Emperor, riding on a black stallion with a glorious mane, laughed heartily.
His expression and voice conveyed genuine delight. The sense of liberation from the successful conclusion of the Alliance Conference with the kings of various nations overwhelmed him.
“When do you plan to hold the wedding ceremony?”
“Probably… in the spring or summer of next year.”
The Emperor asked about the wedding with Ludmilla each time he called for me.
Desperation was evident.
This time, he seemed determined to get a clear answer.
Given that his second daughter had already turned twenty-seven, it was reasonable to assume he was sincere. The Emperor’s demeanor when asking about the wedding was more serious than ever.
‘He surely wasn’t this serious when discussing the Third Racial War… How sincere can he be?’
Ta-da!
Actually, that was a lie!
There’s no way he would marry a thirty-one-year-old spinster with a four-year age gap.
If I were to say that out loud, I’d be hunted for life.
It was already too late to back out.
Fate was sealed once the scandals involving the beautiful princesses spread throughout the Imperial City.
“Finally, Mila will be getting married! It would have been wonderful if the empress had seen Mila in her wedding dress…”
“……”
I watched the Emperor, who let out a bitter smile as he recalled the late empress.
Hmm.
The engagement can no longer be delayed.
If he dared mutter annulment now, the Hohenberc Family would face utter destruction. There would be no extenuating circumstances; the marquisate would be reduced to ashes.
“Time to return now.”
“Yes, understood.”
Was the hunt really the goal?
Or was it merely an effort to nail down the wedding?
The sun began to set slowly.
The large-scale hunt came to a close only as dusk arrived.
As the Emperor returned to the palace, the beautiful blonde princess appeared. It seemed Elizaveta had been waiting eagerly for her father’s return, rushing over with a towel in hand.
“You must be sweaty! Here, take this.”
“…Yes.”
It was a cold, damp towel.
She probably ran over as soon as she heard the news of his arrival.
I cautiously accepted the towel that Elizaveta handed me while sneakily checking to see if it was okay to. The Emperor’s stiff reaction revealed his displeasure at being brushed aside by his beloved daughter, who he’d raised like a treasure.
“Did you catch a lot of game? You were hunting for hours.”
“We caught quite a bit, but…”
“Show me how much you got right now!”
“Yes.”
She seemed unusually proactive today.
Was there some kind of event?
The mischievous princess showed deep interest in the wild game I had caught. It seemed she had completely forgotten about her father’s return, focusing entirely on me.
“You must have worked up a sweat. Here’s a towel.”
Cleek!
I handed the towel I received from Elizaveta straight to the Emperor. The Emperor, however, displayed open displeasure and replied curtly.
He must be thoroughly upset now.
Judging by his prickly attitude, it felt like he’d reached the level of massive rage.
“Just lower your head for a moment. I’ll wipe it for you.”
“No, it’s alright.”
“Hurry up and lower it.”
“……”
Elizaveta snatched the towel out of my hands and began to slowly swipe it across my face and neck.
A chilling sensation washed over me.
Perhaps it was the cold, damp towel.
Or maybe it was the Emperor’s piercing gaze from behind.
The situation was on the verge of exploding, yet Elizaveta continued to smile bashfully, fully engrossed in her role. I was receiving affectionate attention from a villainous princess as charming as the heroine, but unfortunately, the timing couldn’t have been worse.
Click-.
The Emperor, who was gripping the shotgun, tightened his hold on the barrel, pondering whether to pull the trigger or not.
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