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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: TushChen
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Zebeline had been displaying discomfort since witnessing a ‘truly unpleasant sight’.
It wasn’t just because she had seen an unpleasant sight.
It was because since that day, whenever Edanant and Ludmilla made eye contact, they showed embarrassed reactions like a couple fallen into puppy love.
“You’ve arrived, Your Highness.”
“Ahem…! Sorry Edan, I made you wait for a while.”
Ludmilla, who had been suffering from murderous overwork, sat down showing signs of fatigue.
Then she raised her hand to order her usual coffee from the waitress.
An open-air cafe located within the imperial palace.
The small-scale open-air cafe with only a few tables was famous as a landmark of the imperial palace.
This was because the barista’s skills were excellent enough to satisfy all the nobles with their extremely picky tastes.
“Your Highness, it seems you’ll continue to be busy for a while. An unprecedented situation occurred where the imperial palace of the Valtarian Empire was attacked by an Apostle of the Disaster God. It’s truly regrettable.”
“Dear Saintess, thanks to you taking care of the remnants who fled from the imperial capital, our worries have been lessened.”
The cult leader and priest knights who had escaped from the imperial capital, sensing their disadvantageous situation, had been annihilated by Zebeline who blocked their retreat.
Upon hearing the news, Ludmilla exhaled a sigh of relief and conveyed sincere gratitude to Zebeline, who was seated along with them.
The followers of the Disaster God were aiming for revenge.
If they had ultimately let them escape, it would have remained a long-term concern.
The Apostle of the Disaster God, who had directed the atrocity of manipulating nobles hostile to the empire and unleashing unidentified monsters in the imperial capital, was a villain she never wanted to face again.
Ludmilla furrowed her brow as she recalled the image of the old man who had emitted a dark divine status.
“His Holiness the Pope has sent a letter saying that, as a long-time ally, he will spare no support. The Valtarian Empire and the Gael Holy Kingdom have been in a relationship of shared destiny since the Demon King’s army ran rampant.”
“We are grateful for the Holy Kingdom’s support.”
Soon after, the waitress brought the coffee.
It was a batch brew, which Ludmilla often drank.
The princess, exhausted from overwork, emptied half the coffee in one gulp.
“I heard the Luinongs’ efforts were remarkable this time. They protected the nobles who attended the banquet.”
“Hehehe!”
Ludmilla spoke to the fairy who was scooping up ice cream from the cup with a spoon.
At that, the green-haired girl, greatly encouraged by the princess’s praise, showed a boastful appearance.
Hmm.
She should wipe off the residue on her mouth…
“The Valtarian Imperial Family plans to welcome the Luinongs as citizens of the empire. Following numerous races such as Elves, Dwarves, and Beastkin, the Luinongs will also become official members.”
“It’s quite a sudden decision… Didn’t it take hundreds of years for other races like Elves and Dwarves to be recognized as part of the human community?”
“That’s how great the Luinongs’ contributions were. Didn’t they save all the nobles from the horrors of the battlefield? It’s thanks to the nobles who received help at that time petitioning the imperial family.”
“……”
She recalled the burly nobles who had participated in the hunt with the emperor.
They seem to value loyalty quite a bit.
If it had been other nobles, they would have tried to cover up the humiliating situation somehow to hide their pitiful state of trembling at the rebels’ offensive.
She patted Rue’s head while praising her efforts.
At that, Rue broke into a broad smile.
‘Hmph! It’s so cringe-worthy!’
Zebeline made a sulky expression and blew into the straw she was holding in her mouth, watching Edanant and Ludmilla act like doting parents bragging about their daughter.
Bubble bubble…!
Bubbles rose in the fruit juice as if expressing her inner thoughts mixed with anger and jealousy.
“I’ll be leaving now. There’s a mountain of work I need to handle immediately.”
“If there’s anything I can help with, I’ll do so.”
“I’ll just accept your kind thoughts. Don’t you have many schedules ahead too?”
“I understand.”
Ludmilla, having finished her break while drinking coffee, stood up from her seat.
Had it been barely 10 minutes?
Despite suffering from excessive overwork, her break time was excessively short.
When Edanant expressed concern with his eyes, Ludmilla shrugged her shoulders and gave a faint smile.
“I have many schedules ahead too, you know? I need to attend the sacred feast hosted by the empire’s priests, and I need to preside over a prayer meeting at the cathedral to comfort citizens swept up in the disaster.”
“Oh dear. Saintess, you seem to be extremely busy.”
“Yes, so Edan should accompany me.”
“……”
If you refuse, I won’t let you off easy.
I’ll make you attend even if I have to force you.
Her blue eyes scattered a chilling heterochromia.
Edanant had to break out in a cold sweat at the saintess’ blatant obsession.
‘Beatrice and Zebeline… As expected, all saintesses are troublesome.’
He had no choice but to promise to accompany her, as Zebeline leaned forward to the point where their lips could almost touch while giving him meaningful looks.
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Zebeline striding forward with firm steps like a tomboy.
Looking at her back, he let out a heavy sigh.
“Why are you suddenly angry?”
“Who knows!”
He asked with a bewildered voice.
A sharp, thorny answer flew back.
She’s incredibly vicious.
For the voice of the saintess, a symbol of benevolence, it’s too fierce.
Beatrice had been equally difficult to coax and soothe.
He thought that from now on, when the Holy Kingdom selects saintesses, they should focus on evaluating personality above all else.
“Then how about some candy for now…”
“Do you think I’m some stupid Luinong?!”
Hmm.
This is perplexing.
To think the all-purpose cheat of jelly candies wouldn’t work.
When you give jelly candies to Luinongs, they jump around and cling to you like puppies.
“Me! Give it to me!”
“Alright.”
He gave the jelly candy he had offered to the saintess to the fairy who was jumping up and down and begging.
At that, the “stupid Luinong” the saintess had mentioned put the jelly candy in her mouth and fell into ecstasy.
‘Could it be because I showed such a close appearance with Ludmilla… That’s understandable enough. Although it’s said to have improved a lot now, religious people are strict about male-female relationships. They might think an unmarried man and woman are enjoying a messy tryst.’
It’s easy to overlook due to her pure appearance, but Zebeline is the saintess representing the Holy Kingdom.
It’s natural for her to show a somewhat strict appearance.
Hmm.
She’s rigid to the point of being inflexible.
Anyway, all the people from the Holy Kingdom are such sticklers.
Ludmilla and I are in a position where my brother and her sister were engaged until just a month ago.
Of course, the saintess of the Holy Kingdom would feel uncomfortable about the messy relationship between the Valtarian Imperial Family and the Hohenberc family.
“If you don’t like candy… I also have chocolate.”
“Why are your pockets full of sweets? You don’t even like sweets, like an old person.”
“Of course, it’s because of the Luinongs.”
“…Sigh. Give me the chocolate then.”
He unwrapped the packaging and handed over the chocolate.
At that, Zebeline leaned forward and put the chocolate in her mouth.
She doesn’t like candy but likes chocolate.
He burst into laughter at the sight of the saintess eating chocolate like a rabbit munching on a carrot.
“What’s that laugh? I’m still in a bad mood.”
“I’m sorry. Seeing the Saintess like this… reminded me of someone I used to know. Whenever she was bored, she always took out chocolate from her pocket. She was an apprentice priestess I met by chance.”
“…Hmm. She must have been as beautiful as me, I’m sure.”
“She was incredibly beautiful.”
The mischievous and prim expression of Zebeline reminded him of the bold apprentice priestess he had met on the battlefield.
It was the same back then too.
What was the reason for their argument?
Strangely, the scenes from that time were hazy like fog.
He was still completely in the dark about the apprentice priestess girl.
But he clearly remembered that she was a bold tomboy just like Zebeline.
“Pfft, liar.”
“Pardon?”
The girl with flowing silver hair turned her head away with a prim reaction.
Liar?
What on earth does she mean…
Have I now become a pitch-black liar in addition to being a shameless person who enjoys promiscuous relationships?
He felt uneasy at Zebeline’s meaningful response.
“It’s not a lie. To my eyes, she was incredibly dazzling.”
“A-Ahem!”
“She was lively and bold, and had a caring personality that cared for others more than anyone.”
“……”
Such a girl should have been chosen as a saintess.
It’s lamentable.
How did fraudulent saintesses come to run rampant in the Holy Kingdom?
Perhaps it was the result of the Holy Kingdom’s misjudgment in pursuing pure meritocracy to counter the Demon King’s army.
He recalled the image of the apprentice priestess girl who had cared for the wounded with utmost devotion like a white-clad angel.
“Saintess? Saintess!”
Zebeline walked with her head bowed deeply.
What on earth is the matter?
He scratched the back of his head at Zebeline’s reaction, who seemed to be increasing her pace as if running away.
The Saintess, who had been advancing without looking forward, eventually collided face-first into a signpost.
And she fell backward, landing on her bottom.
“I’m fine. Don’t make such a fuss over something so minor.”
“……”
Zebeline, feeling embarrassed, spoke while waving her hands.
In response, he silently handed her a handkerchief.
This was because fresh blood was trickling down from Zebeline’s nose.
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She do need to say the truth and just jump him
Aw man, she jelly…