Chapter 30
He leaned against the doorway, openly taking in the scene inside the room.
The sight of the commander of the knights kneeling on one knee before her was certainly surprising, but what shocked Ian most of all was Elise sitting on the edge of the bed and looking down at him.
The corners of Ian’s lips twisted upward.
“Now this is even more entertaining than I expected.”
“Perhaps it’s because you’re the Master of the Magic Tower.”
Elise continued coldly.
“You weren’t born into nobility either, were you, Ian?”
“…What?”
“No, it’s just something I’ve always wondered about. You and I are rather similar in that regard.”
Talking about one’s origins meant little when addressing the Master of the Magic Tower.
Yet Ian’s shoulders flinched.
In the Ariaaton Empire, where discrimination based on status was severe, Ian had endured discrimination because of his origins for as long as he could remember.
“I only came in a hurry because His Majesty summoned me.”
But he soon replied as though it meant nothing.
“What do you mean, summoned?”
As though covering up Ian’s words, Esit entered the room behind him.
He was dressed with an unusually cold precision today.
A black uniform embroidered with gold thread, perfectly arranged hair, and an impeccable smile on his face.
But Elise’s gaze moved past him.
A priest carrying a silver tray followed Esit inside.
Her eyes slowly scanned the thin, sharp silver knife, the crystal bottle, and the red thread placed on the tray.
The moment she saw them, Elise’s eyes turned cold.
As I thought.
Of course, Esit was not the sort of person who would simply let this pass.
Their methods had always been the same.
Punishment always followed deviation. That was practically Esit’s ironclad rule.
“I thought you had come to congratulate me first.”
Elise spoke slowly.
“But I suppose that isn’t why you’re here?”
“I believe I’ve already offered sufficient congratulations.”
Esit smiled gently.
“I came today because there is something rather urgent.”
“Something urgent?”
“We need holy water.”
Those words instantly changed the atmosphere in the room.
Leonhardt slowly raised his head.
Ian twisted his lips as though he were watching an entertaining play.
Seria quietly held her breath.
And Elise merely smiled faintly.
“Holy water.”
She slowly rose from her seat.
“On the morning after my engagement, you’ve come looking for my blood instead of offering me a blessing.”
“Don’t misunderstand.”
Esit glanced once at the silver tray before continuing.
“We need it. There have been more casualties than expected since the first day of the festival, and wounded soldiers from the north have also arrived. Moreover, the Glinis delegation is expected to move again this evening, so we need more holy water to keep in the imperial palace.”
“Oh.”
Elise gave a brief exclamation.
Of course, he was not the sort of man to act without preparing some excuse.
“You really are busy. You’re making very efficient use of my body, dividing it up for everyone.”
“Elise?”
“Did I say something wrong?”
Her violet eyes curved coldly.
“The injured citizens of the Empire, foreign envoys, and the imperial reserves. My blood isn’t some universal cure-all.”
The corners of Esit’s mouth stiffened slightly.
“A Saint has things she should say, and things she should not.”
“That’s exactly what I’m trying to say.”
Elise looked down at the knife on the silver tray and gave a low laugh.
“I was wondering whether holy water is really necessary for all those things you mentioned.”
“We don’t have time for emotional behavior.”
“That’s right.”
She nodded.
“You’ve always been like that. Whether I was in pain or not, my feelings were always treated as a luxury.”
Esit’s gaze turned cold.
“Elise.”
“What?”
“The lives of the Empire’s citizens are at stake.”
“So?”
She asked with astonishing calm.
“When will my suffering start to matter?”
At those words, the room fell completely silent.
Leonhardt’s fingertips trembled slightly.
Ian blinked once.
Even Esit was momentarily at a loss for words.
But Elise did not stop there.
“Holy water.”
She repeated the words as though savoring them.
“Such a pretty name. Holy water… It makes it sound as though I’m willingly bestowing blessings myself, doesn’t it?”
Her gaze shifted to the tip of the knife.
“But in reality, you make it by cutting my body and making me suffer.”
The priest’s hand trembled.
Seria deliberately pressed her lips together and lowered her head.
Elise smiled at Esit.
“By this point, isn’t there a name that would suit it better than ‘holy water’?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well…”
The corner of her mouth lifted crookedly.
“Something like the Saint’s sacrifice?”
Ian finally let out a hollow laugh.
“Hah.”
“What’s so funny, Ian?”
“No.”
He stroked his chin as he looked at Elise.
“You just seem a little more honest all of a sudden.”
“That’s thanks to all of you.”
Elise answered casually.
“Wouldn’t anyone hurt if they were deliberately wounded?”
“Can’t you just be healed immediately afterward?”
“Even if I can, it still hurts. Why don’t you try being wounded as much as I am, and then I’ll heal you right away?”
“…Ha, Elise.”
Esit seemed to have no intention of dragging the conversation out any longer. He lightly tapped the tray with his fingertip.
“Enough wordplay. Just give us the amount we need.”
“The amount you need.”
This time, Elise did not bother holding back her laughter.
“That’s absolutely hilarious.”
She slowly approached Esit.
Then, standing very close to him, she looked directly into his eyes.
“How long are you going to keep thinking of me as livestock you can draw blood from whenever you please?”
“Your words are going too far.”
“Too far…”
Elise’s voice dropped even lower.
“Then let me ask you just one thing, Esit.”
Her eyes gleamed like poison.
“Why did you give that precious holy water to Her Highness Princess Elizabeth?”
For a moment, the air in the room froze completely.
Leonhardt’s gaze shot toward Esit like lightning.
Ian’s pupils trembled ever so slightly.
Seria swallowed hard, while the priest nearly dropped the tray.
The smile disappeared completely from Esit’s face.
“…What did you say?”
“Didn’t you hear me?”
Elise smiled with extraordinary sweetness.
“You gave the holy water to the princess so that she could become younger.”
Ian clicked his tongue quietly. He already knew about it, but Leonhardt had been completely unaware.
Naturally.
Esit had always pretended in front of him that everything he did was for the sake of the Empire and its people.
All so that he could make the most use of both Leonhardt and Elise.
“Were the lives of the Empire’s citizens at stake then, too?”
Elise’s question was both sweet and cruel.
“Or does the Empire only remain at peace when the skin of a woman favored by the Emperor stays smooth and youthful?”
“Elise!”
Esit finally lost his temper and raised his voice.
At that moment, Leonhardt’s face slowly hardened.
Shock, betrayal, confusion—
All of it swirled together in his eyes.
Seeing his expression, Elise felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
Yes. Are you finally beginning to see what’s really happening?
Esit exhaled through clenched teeth and barely managed to regain his composure.
“Fine. Let us put your inappropriate remarks aside.”
“Inappropriate remarks?”
“If you intend to resist like this, then I suppose I’ll have to change my methods.”
His voice sank into a cold tone.
“A report arrived from the northern region this morning. Thirteen wounded soldiers have been poisoned by monster venom, along with twenty-seven civilians.”
“…”
“If we do not have holy water by the end of today, some of them will die.”
Elise’s eyes slowly narrowed.
Leonhardt immediately spoke.
“Your Majesty, then we should have the physicians and—”
“Silence, Lord Gelina.”
Esit cut him off coldly.
“The quickest solution in this situation is holy water.”
His gaze returned to Elise.
“Now, choose.”
“Choose?”
“Whether you will stubbornly stand by and allow dozens of people to die because of your obstinacy.”
As always, it was an utterly despicable tactic.
Elise knew it all too well—the method they always used whenever they wanted to corner her.
If you refuse to sacrifice yourself, it’s your fault.
If you don’t die, if you don’t shed your blood, someone else will die.
Wasn’t it absolutely disgusting?
“Haa…”
She slowly exhaled.
Then, unexpectedly, she reached down and picked up the knife from the silver tray herself.
“Saint!”
“Lady Elise!”
Seria and Leonhardt’s voices rang out almost simultaneously.
But Elise did not put the blade against her wrist.
Instead, she turned the knife around and held it out toward Leonhardt, handle first.
“All right.”
“…What?”
“If holy water is truly necessary, I’ll provide it.”
Elise smiled as sweetly as possible.
“But I have a condition.”
She looked straight into Leonhardt’s eyes.
“You do it yourself.”
The room fell into complete silence.
The color instantly drained from Leonhardt’s face.
“Lady Elise, what are you—”
“Why?”
She slowly raised her wrist.
The faint blue veins beneath her pale, slender skin were visible.
“Didn’t you say so yesterday?”
“…”
“That even if I weren’t a Saint, even if I had no power…”
She extended the hand holding the knife a little closer to him.
“You would still want me.”
Leonhardt’s throat bobbed.
Elise’s smile deepened.
“Then prove it, Leon.”
Her voice was astonishingly sweet.
“On the day after our engagement, what will you choose between the Empire and me?”
Ian’s eyes gleamed with interest.
Esit frowned deeply as he glared at Leonhardt.
And Leonhardt could do nothing but freeze in place, his trembling fingers unable either to accept the knife or push it away.
