Chapter 8
— The Princess of the Temple (2)
Over the past few days, disturbing rumors had spread like wildfire throughout both the royal palace and the temple.
They claimed that I was the child of a Calyssa mercenary who had slaughtered countless citizens of Santora…
And that the royal family and the temple were hiding that horrifying truth while accepting me as royalty.
There was no need to ask who had started the rumors.
Aquila must be getting desperate now that I’m living at the temple.
In my previous lives…
Those rumors hadn’t surfaced until four years after I’d entered the royal palace.
Of course, even having lived through them before didn’t mean I had any special way to stop them.
Until my ninth life…
I had believed every word.
I fell into despair.
I hated the world.
I believed I was the royal family’s one and only stain.
Its greatest disgrace.
And for so many years…
I pitied the mother I’d never even met.
I convinced myself she’d never wanted to give birth to me.
That I was a child no one in the world had wished for.
A child who should never have existed.
It made perfect sense, then…
That she’d left newborn me with strangers.
But…
In this life…
I’d learned a new truth by chance.
A burden I’d carried for countless lifetimes had finally been lifted.
At the very least…
My mother hadn’t given birth to me against her will.
The same was true of Phaeon.
I still had no idea why he treated me the way he did…
But that single fact alone brought me tremendous comfort.
“How could such a ridiculous rumor even spread?”
“The royal family hasn’t officially announced anything about the princess yet!”
The three priestesses were furious.
Their voices rose without restraint.
The moment Sierra entered the room, she’d immediately explained everything.
They were so angry…
They’d forgotten I was sitting right there.
“Exactly!”
“It’s obviously someone’s attempt to slander Her Highness.”
“But do you know what Sir Parsiel said when he heard it?!”
Sierra rattled off the story without even stopping to breathe.
“What did he say?”
“Surely even he was angry.”
“No!”
“He just said, ‘It’s a false rumor.'”
“Five syllables!”
“And then he tried to leave!”
“So I grabbed him and asked whether he was seriously going to do nothing.”
“And do you know what he said?”
“‘I fail to see why I should dance to the tune of baseless rumors.'”
For a split second…
I almost burst out laughing.
Not because of what he’d said…
But because Sierra’s impression of his flat, emotionless voice sounded so absurd coming from her sweet, songbird-like voice.
“Rumors like these spread unbelievably fast.”
“The temple has to respond.”
“Sir Parsiel is one of the very few people who actually read Princess Beatrice’s will.”
“If anyone should step forward…”
“It ought to be him.”
Rosa sighed worriedly.
“He won’t.”
“He really…”
Sierra shook her head.
Then suddenly froze.
Only then did she remember the bed hidden behind its thin curtains.
“Oh no!”
“I completely forgot Her Highness was here.”
“What was I thinking?!”
She hurriedly covered her mouth and whispered to Rosa and Yuz.
It was far too late.
“What do we do…”
“This isn’t even Sierra’s fault.”
“I should’ve realized sooner.”
“Her Highness is so clever…”
“I’m sure she understood everything…”
Yuz and Rosa whispered hopelessly.
“…Maybe she’s asleep.”
“Go check.”
Yuz quietly tiptoed toward my bed.
She lifted the curtain.
Seeing my eyes tightly closed…
She let out a relieved sigh.
The instant she relaxed…
I opened my eyes.
“Ahh!”
“Y-Your Highness!”
“You’re awake?!”
I nodded quietly.
The other two priestesses hurried over and poked their heads through the curtains.
“D-Did you…”
“Hear everything?”
They fidgeted awkwardly, unable to decide what they should say.
I slowly sat up.
Then spoke softly.
“So…”
“Asha really is…”
“The daughter of a villain…”
The color drained from all three of their faces.
I felt guilty.
They were such kind-hearted people.
It hurt me to hurt them.
But I continued anyway.
“I’m sorry…”
“But…”
“Asha won’t go to the dining hall anymore.”
“Please…”
“Bring my meals here instead.”
“Your Highness!”
“You love eating in the dining hall!”
Rosa was right.
I did love it.
Even though I rarely got to see Phaeon there anymore…
Receiving freshly prepared food…
Eating together in such a lively place…
It made me genuinely happy.
The countless curious stares could be uncomfortable…
But for someone who had once been terrified of crowds…
It was good practice.
“Now…”
“Everyone knows…”
“Asha is a villain’s daughter…”
“I don’t…”
“Want to go anymore…”
I lowered my head sadly.
The three priestesses exchanged determined looks.
◇ ◆ ◇
“I can’t go to the dining hall!”
I cried out, pretending to be frightened.
But Rosa continued helping me change out of my nightclothes without stopping.
“Your Highness.”
“Sir Parsiel is coming today.”
“…Really?”
“Papa’s coming?”
“Yes.”
“You’ve missed him terribly, haven’t you?”
“Come on.”
“Let’s go see him.”
The three priestesses had apparently taken turns cornering him.
They’d bombarded him with arguments.
It will affect the princess’s emotional development.
She’s already smaller than children her age.
She needs proper nutrition.
Ever since she started eating alone in her room, she’s barely been able to swallow her food.
Faced with endless emotional blackmail that bordered on outright threats…
Even Phaeon had finally surrendered.
Still…
As we walked toward the dining hall…
I could clearly feel it.
The curiosity people once directed toward me…
Had become hostility.
Not a trace of kindness remained in their eyes.
It wasn’t surprising.
The three-year war had devastated Santora beyond recognition.
Countless people had lost loved ones to Calyssa.
The temple was no different.
Families.
Friends.
Teachers.
Students.
Nearly everyone had lost someone.
Hatred toward Calyssa ran incredibly deep.
“I’ll get Your Highness’s breakfast too.”
“You can wait here.”
Yuz offered as we entered the dining hall.
“No.”
“Asha will do it.”
I’d worked hard to be treated the same as everyone else.
If I suddenly started acting like royalty now…
The rumors would only grow worse.
Ignoring the burning stares on my back…
I stood in line for breakfast.
The server carelessly ladled soup onto my tray.
Hot broth splashed onto my hand.
“Ah!”
“It’s hot!”
He didn’t apologize.
Instead…
He simply looked at me with annoyance.
Just a few days ago…
He’d returned my greetings with a warm smile.
Now he’d completely changed.
At that moment…
Phaeon’s cold voice rang out beside us.
“What exactly are you doing?”
The server jumped in surprise.
But honestly…
I was even more shocked.
“I asked what you think you’re doing.”
“C-Commander…”
“I’m terribly sorry.”
“It was an accident.”
His voice barely came out.
“You should apologize to the princess.”
“Not to me.”
His icy tone seemed capable of freezing the very air around us.
The server’s face instantly turned deathly pale.
He threw aside the ladle…
Rushed forward…
And collapsed at my feet.
“I-I’ve committed an unforgivable offense, Your Highness!”
“It’s okay.”
I answered hurriedly, flustered.
But he made no move to stand.
Because…
Phaeon was still staring at him.
I tugged gently on Phaeon’s sleeve and whispered,
“Papa…”
“Let’s go…”
“Asha’s hungry.”
Only then…
Still looking dissatisfied…
Phaeon finally told the server to get up.
The poor man was too shaken to continue serving.
Someone else hurried over to replace him.
The three priestesses had been standing frozen beside the table, mouths hanging open.
When Phaeon approached…
They all thanked him at once.
“I merely did what was necessary.”
He answered matter-of-factly.
Then sat down.
Silently…
He began saying grace.
I sat beside him and imitated a silent prayer.
But my thoughts refused to settle.
My heart pounded wildly.
He had openly taken my side.
I couldn’t believe it.
The corners of my mouth kept trying to rise.
I had to hide them behind my folded hands.
The three priestesses visibly relaxed.
Soon…
The gloomy atmosphere that had filled the dining hall disappeared.
I seized the opportunity.
“Papa!”
“Sierra brought me the royal family genealogy the other day.”
“Asha memorized all of it!”
“You have no idea how brilliant Her Highness is.”
Sierra beamed proudly.
“I honestly think she’s a genius.”
“In only two days…”
“She memorized every king from the First to the Sixteenth.”
“And the names of countless members of the royal family too.”
“Most adults couldn’t do that.”
Phaeon looked mildly surprised.
But…
As usual…
He offered no praise.
“But…”
“Asha has a question.”
“What is it, Your Highness?”
“Everyone in the family tree…”
“Has a middle name…”
“So…”
“Why doesn’t Asha have one?”
The instant Rosa heard that…
She sprayed her juice across the table.
Every royal child normally received a middle name during a grand ceremony at the temple within one month of birth.
It was essentially an official investiture.
But…
Since I’d been born in secret…
I’d never received one.
Even in my previous lives…
Not until I was twelve…
And even then…
It never happened.
Every time the temple proposed it…
The royal family always answered,
“The time isn’t right yet.”
“…Is it…”
“Because Asha is a villain’s daughter…”
“That I can’t have a middle name?”
Phaeon stopped moving his spoon.
He looked troubled.
If only I could see what was going on inside that head of yours…
“We’ll submit a formal request.”
Sierra declared, eyes blazing.
“We’ll make sure Your Highness receives one immediately.”
She turned toward Phaeon.
“Sir Parsiel.”
“You’ll support us too…”
“Won’t you?”
“…”
“You.”
“Will.”
“Support.”
“Us.”
She repeated every word slowly.
After hesitating…
Phaeon finally answered quietly.
“…I don’t know whether my opinion will carry any weight.”
“But…”
“I’ll try.”
I’d fully expected him to refuse.
Compared to before…
This was incredible progress.
For the first time…
I almost felt grateful for those hateful rumors.
◇ ◆ ◇
After breakfast…
Just before we parted outside the back entrance of the dining hall…
I stopped him.
“Papa.”
“Can you sit down for just a moment?”
“…?”
He knelt in front of me.
Without hesitation…
I wrapped both arms tightly around his neck.
He stiffened violently.
For a brief moment…
It seemed he was about to pull away.
Then…
He became completely still.
“Thank you…”
“For today.”
“Asha…”
“Thought Papa hated her.”
I wanted to see his face.
But…
Since I was hugging him so tightly…
I couldn’t.
“…I do not hate anyone.”
“To harbor personal feelings toward others…”
“…is not something a servant of God should do.”
Was it just my imagination?
His usually emotionless voice…
Sounded strangely painful.
The brief embrace ended.
As I watched him walk away with his usual brisk steps…
I made myself a promise.
Don’t become attached to him.
Even if he eventually stood on my side…
I could never forgive him.
Don’t get carried away just because he defended you once.
◇ ◆ ◇
I wasn’t sure how strongly Phaeon had argued on my behalf…
But the proposal to grant me a middle name was accepted.
Even so…
King Ferdinand worried about the rumors surrounding me.
He spent a long time considering how the ceremony should be conducted.
In the end…
Rather than holding a separate ceremony…
He decided it would take place during the upcoming year-end Grand Prayer Assembly, when all members of the royal family and nobility gathered together.
That alone was more than enough for me.
I wrote the king a heartfelt letter of thanks.
When he received it…
He spent several days praising me through misty eyes.
He marveled at how flawless my writing was…
How elegant my handwriting looked…
And how perfectly it resembled Princess Beatrice’s.
Time passed quickly.
At last…
The final day of the year arrived.
The day of Oratio Fidelium—
the Grand Year-End Prayer Assembly.
