Chapter 32
About an hour later, beds were hurriedly brought into the temple’s lobby.
Soldiers and civilians from the north were carried in one after another, while priests and physicians rushed about busily.
Elise slowly came to a stop as she approached the center of the commotion.
The hem of her pure white dress brushed against the floor.
Standing before the tall platform, she slowly looked down at the patients.
Those poisoned by monster venom had turned ashen.
It was immediately obvious that they were in critical condition and would be in real danger if they were not treated in time.
There really are people in serious danger. Then again, Esit has always been skilled at cleverly mixing lies with the truth.
Elise remained silent for a moment.
A maid carrying a silver tray approached her.
It was an unspoken demand for her to prepare to have her blood drawn.
“Everyone, step back.”
But Elise merely raised one hand.
“Saint?”
“There’s no need to draw my blood.”
With a smile on her lips, Elise spoke clearly.
“I’ll heal them myself.”
The lobby immediately erupted in murmurs.
The power Elise could use herself was certainly formidable, but it could not compare to the power contained in holy water.
That was why they had always taken her blood.
But today, Elise was different.
A pure white light began to emerge from her fingertips.
A sacred power as clear as moonlight filled the room.
The suffocating stench of poison faded, and a faint flush of color gradually returned to the patients’ ashen faces.
“Gasp…”
“What is that…?”
Unlike the dazzling golden light they were accustomed to seeing, this light was soft like moonlight, yet filled with an overwhelming sense of holiness.
Everyone instinctively held their breath.
Without even blinking, Elise extended her power.
The wounds of those lying on the beds slowly healed.
The dark-blue traces of poison spreading through their bodies also gradually faded.
Of course, it was not easy.
Healing this many people at once inevitably placed a tremendous strain on her body.
Yet even as she gritted her teeth, Elise forced herself to maintain her smile.
Who knows where my blood would end up if I let them take it.
She no longer wanted to allow her blood to fall into their hands.
The white radiance of her holy power grew increasingly intense.
In an instant, several patients who had been unconscious opened their eyes. They began coughing and shifting weakly on their beds.
“I… I’m alive…”
“The Saint’s power…”
“Saint!”
The voices of family members crying tears of joy erupted throughout the lobby.
And everyone who witnessed the scene realized one thing with absolute clarity.
The Saint’s power had become even stronger.
Strong enough that there was no longer any need to use holy water.
When Elise lowered her hand, complete silence fell over the lobby.
She took a moment to catch her breath, her face pale, before slowly turning around.
Standing directly in front of her were Esit, Ian, and Leonhardt.
Elise looked at the three of them before gently lifting the corners of her lips.
“Did you see?”
Her voice was slightly hoarse, but that only made it sound clearer.
“I don’t actually need to give my blood to save people, do I?”
Esit could not say a word.
Elise took another step toward him.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. Actually, my holy power has recently become much stronger than before.”
She smiled brightly.
It was not a lie. Ever since she had begun having prophetic dreams, her power had gradually grown stronger.
There had simply been no reason for her to tell them.
“Isn’t this wonderful? I don’t think I’ll have to overwork my body and shed my blood anymore, Esit.”
At the sound of his name, everyone in the temple turned their eyes toward the Emperor.
“Right?”
Yet Esit found it difficult to answer.
The fact that her holy power had grown stronger was undoubtedly good news.
But if they could no longer sell her holy water, what an enormous blow would that be to him?
“Why can’t you answer, Esit?”
At the subtle mockery in her words, his shoulders twitched.
“Surely you weren’t simply planning to sell my blood however you pleased.”
Her eyes gleamed coldly.
As a suffocating silence descended upon the room, Esit’s face hardened visibly.
For the first time, Ian seemed genuinely interested. His eyes narrowed.
And Leonhardt stood there as though someone had struck him hard in the back of the head.
Only now did he think he understood.
Why Elise had become so cold.
And why she had said she no longer trusted him.
He had always believed that he was acting for the sake of the Empire.
But in the end, he had never once stood on her side.
Then—
Elise turned her head and looked at Leonhardt.
“Leon.”
“…Yes.”
“May I ask something of the knight who is both my fiancé and the man responsible for protecting me?”
At those words, his throat bobbed nervously.
“From today onward…”
The corners of Elise’s lips curved elegantly.
“Make sure no one speaks of taking my blood without my permission.”
Leonhardt remained silent for a moment.
He understood better than anyone what those words meant.
She was telling him to refuse.
Even if the person asking was the Emperor.
But Leonhardt eventually lowered his head.
“…I will keep that in mind.”
“Words alone won’t be enough.”
Elise pointed toward the knife on the silver tray.
“Get rid of that knife first.”
“…Yes.”
Leonhardt immediately picked up the silver tray.
Then, without the slightest hesitation, he threw away the very knife that had moments ago been intended for Elise’s wrist.
Clang!
The knife skidded across the marble floor, the sharp metallic sound echoing loudly throughout the hall.
The noise sounded almost like a warning, and everyone instinctively held their breath.
That feels so satisfying.
She was probably the only one who felt relieved by that sound.
“Good.”
She smiled lazily.
“You finally look a little more like my knight.”
Leonhardt’s expression shifted subtly.
He looked as though he could not decide whether he should be happy or miserable.
But he still had to keep being trampled down.
Because that was exactly how they had treated her.
She intended to keep crushing and suppressing him until he could never stand back up again, manipulating his heart until she was certain she had him under her control.
“Well, that’s good.”
After remaining silent for quite some time, Esit finally managed to speak.
“Very good indeed.”
“Thank you.”
Elise could almost hear the sound of his teeth grinding together, but she immediately responded without concern.
“Putting that aside, I hope nothing like what happened this morning happens again.”
Esit’s eyes slowly shifted.
“If the Emperor came to me carrying a knife first thing in the morning, wouldn’t anyone be frightened?”
As he looked at her smiling brightly, his jaw tightened.
Yet in the end, Esit said nothing.
He simply turned around and left the room.
Ian continued looking at Elise with the corners of his lips raised.
“Things have gotten interesting. I’ll be looking forward to what happens next, Elise.”
He too leisurely turned and walked away.
And the last person remaining was Leonhardt.
Elise completely ignored him and smiled gently at the people remaining in the lobby.
“Everyone, get some rest today. You don’t need to worry anymore.”
“Thank you, Saint!”
“Thank you so much!”
The patients and their families, overwhelmed with emotion, expressed their gratitude through tears before gradually leaving.
Eventually, once the room had grown quiet, Elise slowly let her expression fall.
With her back turned toward Leonhardt, she spoke quietly.
“What do you think?”
“…What do you mean?”
“The knight who has a duty to protect me…”
Elise slowly turned around.
“Never once bothered to find out how often I’ve actually stood before a knife like that.”
Leonhardt was ultimately unable to say anything.
Seeing his silence, Elise’s eyes turned cold.
“It’s all right.”
Unlike her icy gaze, she smiled beautifully.
“From now on, I’ll teach you one thing at a time.”
The moment those words fell, Leonhardt instinctively realized something.
He was only standing at the starting point.
