Chapter 04
“Is the necromancer you went to catch now properly arrested and here?”
“Excellent Holy Knights are tracking him.”
So they had urgently recalled someone whose mission wasn’t even finished.
“That means you’ve returned while a dangerous criminal is still at large in the world. Because I left the temple?”
“I merely stand where God commands and fulfill my duties at all times.”
“Because Sir Knight stands here, innocent victims might increase, you know?”
“The Holy Knights pursuing the criminal are capable individuals; they will surely destroy the evil. You need not worry.”
I was silent for a moment. When I stopped speaking, Samuel also quietly closed his mouth and gazed at me.
Throughout the entire time since I’d opened the door, Samuel’s posture facing me remained unchanged from the start. I could tell just from his straight stance.
This man was incredibly patient and stubborn.
He stood as if prepared for an endless staring contest, but then he suddenly moved. Slowly lowering his gaze, he explained in a low voice.
“As I said, the temple understands that the Resurrected One needs time to adjust. I came only to protect your safety; I have no other intentions.”
Taken at face value, it was extraordinarily kind. Samuel’s impassive tone seemed to support that sentiment as well.
I smiled faintly at the corner of my mouth and took a step back.
“I do need time to think, as you said. However, I have no intention of letting you inside, so do as you will.”
Bang.
No footsteps came from beyond the firmly closed door. It seemed he intended to keep standing guard outside. I glared at the closed door and took a deep breath.
Another Holy Knight could catch the necromancer, but I couldn’t be caught by just any Holy Knight, so he came here. That meant only that man could find me.
A reason it must be him…
I felt around my neck. My fingertips caught the appearance-altering magical tool. This was a temple treasure, and that man possessed outstanding divine power.
And just now, where his eyes had flickered was my nape. If so, wasn’t it all too obvious?
I let out a hollow breath. Yes, I had been a bit careless. There was no way the temple would have left its treasures lying around carelessly. But now that I knew the cause, I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.
Knowing the cause put my mind at ease. As the tension released, a deep fatigue washed over me belatedly. I stretched and headed for the bed.
To escape, I needed to manage my energy, so how about I get some sleep first?
It seemed Samuel was still standing outside, but well, that wasn’t my concern.
—
“I’m truly sorry, my Lady…”
The imperial palace attendants could not raise their heads. It was only natural. Though I was merely a betrothed, I was practically the Crown Princess.
Everyone in the palace served me as a member of the Imperial Family. Except for one person—my betrothed, Maxel.
“His Highness has been unavoidably detained by urgent business…”
The attendant, sweating profusely, listed excuses for Maxel’s cancellation of our appointment. Plausible words about international situations and envoys from the main temple.
But I was a child of Roam, and from birth, I was meant to become Empress. All my education was for surviving in this palace, so Maxel’s deviations could not escape my sight.
They said that as Empress, there might come moments when I had to turn a blind eye to my husband’s indiscretions. That lesson certainly existed.
If I had been even a little more composed, I might have remembered and faithfully executed what I’d learned. But that day, I couldn’t. That day…
It was truly difficult to stand by and watch him frolic with another woman, and a daughter of a fallen house at that, on my birthday.
It was around the time that whispers began circulating in high society that Roam’s second daughter was being slighted by the Crown Prince, and Lilia’s extraordinary affability and kindness were starting to stand out.
“It seems His Highness has forgotten. You go and deliver my appointment to him. Loudly enough that everyone present can hear.”
I smiled, refusing the attendant’s plea to return.
“Whoever is with him, they all need to hear your voice. Understood?”
The attendant delivered my message to Maxel, who was with Lilia, just as I had instructed. Loudly enough for Lilia, who was beside him, to hear.
That day, I sat in the empty reception room of the Crown Prince’s palace for half a day before returning. My father scolded me, saying I would become Crown Princess even if I did nothing, but I was clinging without pride. My sister clicked her tongue and turned away.
My mother sighed and remained silent, and my younger brother stood behind her, fidgeting and watching nervously.
What truly wounded my pride were things like that. Those things.
The next day, I went to a party Lilia was attending and poured wine over her head. Then, as if it were only natural, I slapped Maxel across the face, who was standing beside Lilia.
Everyone saw it, they were shocked, and from that day on, my notoriety ignited in earnest.
I deserved immediate execution for laying hands on a member of the Imperial Family, but my status as betrothed and the events of the previous day were taken into consideration. His Majesty commuted my punishment to three months of confinement.
“If only I had been executed then.”
If it had been then, I wouldn’t have been resurrected, would I?
Having such idle thoughts, I roused myself. The bed was so poor that I’d tossed and turned several times, but at least I’d gotten a few hours of sleep, so the fatigue had lessened a bit.
As I sat on the bed, pressing my throbbing forehead, my mind, which hadn’t been functioning properly due to sleepiness, gradually became clear.
I thought it was strange to have idle thoughts as soon as I woke up, but it turned out I’d had some trashy dream during the short night. Maxel appearing in it.
“The morning omen isn’t good.”
Muttering irritably, I opened the door without much thought to ask for wash water. Then I paused at the massive figure in front of the door.
“You’re awake early.”
Ah, right, this man was here.
“So, Sir Knight, you said your name was Samuel, was it?”
Unintentionally, an irritable tone slipped out. Samuel nodded without any particular change in expression.
“Yes, thank you for remembering.”
“Did you stand like this all night?”
“As I said, it is to protect the Resurrected One’s safety. Please don’t mind me.”
I don’t particularly like persistent men.
Folding my arms and leaning askew against the doorframe, I retorted cynically.
“I’m about to wash up now, so I can’t help but mind. It’s hard for me to feel at ease undressing with a man standing right outside the door.”
“You need not worry.”
“Is it really that easy for you?”
As I snapped back, Samuel paused. Frowning slightly, he declared without a moment’s hesitation.
“Even if the Resurrected One stood before me naked, it would not stir me.”
Oh, really? Look at this guy.
The pride and stubbornness faintly visible in his gray eyes gave me a sense of his character.
Yes, so he wasn’t the obedient type? Hearing such words, other young ladies might have wept in shame or fled the spot. Or at least been intimidated.
“What a fortunate confession. Then I’ll feel at ease undressing.”
But what can I do? I’m not like that.
“Keeping Sir Knight’s assurance in mind, if I get hot while bathing, I might trust you and open the door.”
Turning away without waiting for a reply, I felt his gaze on my back.
Ha, this is becoming troublesome. How can I shake him off and buy as much time as possible?
After confirming the door was closed, I dragged my feet back to the bed. Then I flopped down carelessly, burying my face in the blanket, and pondered.
He said even naked wouldn’t stir him?
As the arrogant voice came to mind, my fist clenched involuntarily.
“…”
I sprang up, opened the door again, and went out. Samuel, standing in the same posture as before, looked at me.
I passed him and found the innkeeper. I insisted on having bath water prepared first thing in the morning.
In the largest tub, and I made sure to stress that it must be filled to the brim with water.
—
Even though I deliberately splashed water sounds while washing, Samuel didn’t budge from outside the door. What a persistent bastard.
They say the first thing God’s servants cultivate upon entering the temple is patience, and that saying was certainly accurate.
Thanks to him, I unexpectedly got a bath, and despite having woken early, I wasted the entire morning.
If Samuel had intended this pointless delay, he’d succeeded splendidly.
“I will escort you as needed, so don’t mind me and go about your business.”
Samuel urged me with an air of generosity, as I hesitated to leave the room even after finishing my preparations to go out.
“What do you think I have to do?”
“It doesn’t matter what you do.”
“True. Since Sir Knight is someone who isn’t stirred even by bathing right next door, I suppose you won’t mind whatever I do.”
Is the reason Samuel’s words don’t sit well with me because my own nature is so twisted?
“That’s right. It seems fortunate that this morning’s incident has proven that.”
I’m starting to get confused whether he’s responding to the surface meaning or countering the sarcastic undertone.
If this continues, I might waste more precious time getting caught up in pointless bickering.
I decided to leave the lodging. Samuel followed at a distance.
As I walked, my mind calmed down, allowing me to rationally reassess the current situation.
And I finally concluded that, for now, it was better to tolerate him. When I considered it, there were more advantages to keeping this one close by.
This city saw thousands of pilgrims and tourists pass through daily, so no matter what excuse they gave, they couldn’t maintain a blockade for long.
The longer it was delayed, the more complaints would pour in, and eventually, they’d have no choice but to reveal the true reason for the blockade.
Naturally, the temple, which didn’t want that, would have summoned Samuel to secure custody of me as quickly as possible.
