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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: TushChen
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Zebeline’s family, the Russells, were from the Kingdom of Veruso.
The Kingdom of Veruso.
One of the many minor nations located in the central region of the continent.
It was slightly better off economically compared to the Pugh Kingdom, which was situated in the northern wastelands.
However, due to consecutive defeats in wars against neighboring nations, Veruso had fallen into ruin, becoming a desolate land plagued by countless deaths from starvation every year.
Starvation.
Born into an impoverished noble family, Zebeline had known the fear of hunger from the moment she was born.
Poverty meant hunger.
And prolonged hunger inevitably led to death.
Furthermore, starvation was always followed by a devastating plague.
It was only natural for the baron family, struggling to even afford their next meal, to sell their daughter, who was born with an innate affinity for the divine, for a few gold coins.
Sold to the Holy Kingdom, Zebeline received several years of education at a monastery before being dispatched as an apprentice priest to treat the wounded on the front lines.
“…How did they even find out and send me a letter?”
The girl with flowing silver hair frowned, massaging her temples.
It was because of the letter she had received this morning.
Had misfortune befallen her once more?
A letter with an impact comparable to the Pontiff’s personal letter had arrived.
Zebeline recalled the unpleasant memory of her shameless parents rejoicing over a few gold coins after selling their own daughter.
It had happened over ten years ago.
A lot had changed since then.
However, the unfortunate memory of being abandoned by her parents, who had colluded with the priests of the Holy Kingdom, haunted her dreams, making it impossible to forget.
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that she had nightmares every time she recalled the sound of her parents’ laughter as they clutched their bag of gold.
“…”
After being chosen as the First Saintess, she had been given the opportunity to reunite with her family in Veruso.
But Zebeline refused.
They were beasts who had sold their own daughter.
If they found out that she had become the First Saintess of the Holy Kingdom, they would undoubtedly try to leech off of her.
She had vowed to sever all ties with her family after being sent to the monastery. As proof of her resolve, Zebeline had lived her life concealing her origins.
But how…?
Were her family members, who should be in that godforsaken land ravaged by poverty and disease, actually in the “Sanctuary”?
The Sanctuary.
The letter was undoubtedly sent from there.
Zebeline glared at the letter, her mind filled with thoughts of the notoriously sinister cardinals of the Holy Kingdom.
‘Are they trying to use my family as hostages? How foolish… I wouldn’t bat an eye even if they executed them right before my very eyes. I severed all ties with them long ago.’
Hostage situation.
It was a typical tactic employed by those old geezers.
They had used family members as hostages before when they were hunting down heretics in hiding.
In the end, the Holy Kingdom executed the heretics who surrendered, along with their families.
“What do they hope to achieve with a letter at this point?”
We miss you.
We’re sorry for what we did.
We want to apologize and seek your forgiveness.
The letter, written in crooked handwriting, continued to draw her attention.
How clich.
They were trying to exploit their blood ties to squeeze everything they could out of her.
Zebeline scoffed and picked up the letter from the Sanctuary.
Despite her resolute refusal, she couldn’t bring herself to discard it, tucking it into her pocket instead.
???????
Ludmilla’s visits had become increasingly frequent lately.
It wasn’t just my imagination.
We had been having lunch and dinner together almost every day.
Perhaps, having received the proposal and the engagement ring, she wanted to act more like my fiance. Ludmilla sipped her tea elegantly, enjoying our afternoon tea time.
“As you requested, the Empire’s intelligence agency has investigated the Sanctuary. Here’s the report.”
“Thank you.”
Has Maximilian returned to the Sanctuary?
I had asked Ludmilla to mobilize the Empire’s intelligence agency to find out.
As expected of their renowned efficiency, they had quickly located Maximilian. I scanned the report, confirming that he had indeed been spotted at the Sanctuary, and let out a sigh.
That damn bastard.
Why did he show up at the Sanctuary?
Surely, the male lead of a romance fantasy novel wouldn’t join forces with those fanatics.
“Can you guess your brother’s intentions?”
“Not at all. How could I possibly understand the mind of that blockhead?”
I had managed to navigate countless precarious situations with my near-instinctual deduction skills.
However, even with my sharp mind, deciphering Maximilian’s true motives was beyond me.
That guy wasn’t human.
He was a cyborg created to defy the expectations of female readers who enjoyed romance fantasy.
How could I possibly know?
I shrugged in response to Ludmilla’s question.
“Of course, he wouldn’t just walk in willingly… but even if I go to the Sanctuary, there shouldn’t be any problems.”
“Because of Maximilian?”
“He might be the worst when it comes to human interaction, but he’s a decent brother.”
“Haha, this is the first time I’ve heard you compliment your brother.”
Maximilian was generally cold and cynical towards everyone except for Beatrice. However, even that cold-hearted man showed a softer side to his family.
Throughout the novel, despite facing numerous dangers, Maximilian had always prioritized his father’s safety.
He was the same with his younger brother, Edanant.
I had heard that he had taken on the responsibility of disciplining his younger brother in place of their overworked father and their mother, who had passed away at an early age.
Of course, this was before I possessed Edanant’s body, so I couldn’t be sure of the details.
Surely, a reliable older brother wouldn’t abandon his younger brother in a time of need.
That was why I felt a sense of relief upon hearing that Maximilian was at the Sanctuary.
‘If I do go to the Sanctuary… I’ll have to go alone.’
The second princess of the Valtarian Empire and the First Saintess of the Holy Kingdom couldn’t simply move freely.
If someone had to go,
If someone had to willingly enter the lion’s den,
It would be easier for the war maniac of the Saintess Party to make a move.
“It’s about time I pay the First Saintess a visit.”
“Hmph… You’re a busy man, aren’t you? I’m sure you’ll go see Liza after meeting with the First Saintess.”
“How did you know? You’re amazing, Ludmilla.”
“You sly dog.”
The princess with flowing blonde hair pouted and turned away. To appease her ruffled feathers, I kissed her cheek playfully.
Ludmilla gasped in surprise.
Fortunately, she seemed to have calmed down quickly.
I had just kissed her in front of all the maids attending our tea time. As a maiden who had never experienced love, Ludmilla was naturally flustered by my sudden display of affection.
“You know what? You’re the cutest when you’re jealous, Ludmilla.”
“C-Cute?! I’m four years older than you…!”
Ludmilla exclaimed, her face as red as a ripe apple.
Her annoyance towards the womanizer had melted away like cotton candy in water.
???????
The moment I saw Zebeline waiting at the guest palace, I could tell that she was burdened with worry.
Her blue eyes were clouded with concern.
A strained smile graced her lips, as if she was trying to suppress her true feelings.
There was no mistaking it.
Something troublesome had happened, something she couldn’t bring herself to share with the First Saintess.
Sensing her distress, I cautiously approached Zebeline. She had always been there for me in times of need, so I wanted to offer my support, no matter what the problem was.
“Shall we take a walk?”
“Yes? I suppose…”
She usually had a cheerful and playful personality, but she could be as stubborn as Ludmilla when the situation called for it.
So, to encourage her to open up, I suggested a walk.
She seemed surprised by my sudden invitation but quickly rose from her seat. I offered her my hand, and the saintess, her face flushed a delicate shade of pink, accepted.
“Actually, there’s something I wanted to tell you.”
“D-Don’t tell me… it’s a confession?”
You already confessed last time.
And you even received the engagement ring.
How many more proposals do you want?
“I promised I wouldn’t hide anything from you. I don’t quite remember when I made that promise, though.”
“Three years ago… before we parted ways, you promised me, Edan.”
Zebeline replied, her head bowed as if weighed down by an invisible burden.
I nodded.
“Maximilian has actually appeared at the Sanctuary. The Empire’s intelligence agency confirmed it. So, I’m thinking of going to the Sanctuary to meet him.”
“You’re going to the Sanctuary?! I told you countless times not to fall for those old geezers’ tricks!”
As soon as I hinted at my intentions, I was met with fierce opposition.
It was an understandable reaction.
I had just told her that I was planning to walk straight into the lion’s den.
Why did Maximilian join forces with the fanatics of the Holy Kingdom?
I desperately wanted to know, but since the situation was unfolding at the Sanctuary, a place infamous for being a slaughterhouse for heretics, I had to tread carefully.
“Don’t worry too much. I wouldn’t just stick my head into the lion’s den without a plan, would I?”
“…You’ve done it countless times before.”
Zebeline pouted.
She nudged me playfully with her elbow, her anxiety evident.
“I was honest with you. Now it’s your turn.”
“What do you mean?”
“Your face is full of worry. Who are you trying to fool?”
“H-Hey! Stop it!”
I pinched her soft cheek.
Zebeline squirmed like a child throwing a tantrum, her voice laced with annoyance.
“Don’t tell me it’s a serious enough problem to warrant the silent treatment?”
“It’s not exactly like that. I just… wanted to keep it to myself.”
The saintess, clad in her pure white robes, walked ahead in silence. It was only after we had passed through the imperial garden that she finally spoke, her voice hesitant.
It must be a difficult subject for her to broach.
Perhaps she still didn’t want to tell me.
Zebeline’s face, a mixture of conflicting emotions, spoke volumes.
“What if… you start to hate me? What if you’re disappointed in me…? That’s what scares me the most. If you knew the truth, you would think of me as a wicked witch.”
“Let me be clear. I would never hate you, nor would I be disappointed in you. Ever.”
I squeezed her hand reassuringly.
Zebeline offered a sad smile at my heartfelt declaration.
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