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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: TushChen
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The kings who had arrived in the Valtarian Empire to attend the Alliance Council were bewildered by the Holy Kingdom’s procession, which flaunted an extravagant display of vanity.
Pope Boern was known as a humble and austere seeker of the Earth Mother.
Why would such a person indulge in such extravagance?
It was excessively worldly.
The chariots adorned with the finest platinum and ivory spoke volumes.
“Did you see the beautiful maidens riding in the chariots?”
“Don’t get your hopes up. They’re prospective saintesses chosen by the Holy Kingdom. If you dare flirt with them, you’ll be seized by the paladins and hanged.”
“Why would the Pope bring prospective saintesses along like concubines…?”
“Indeed.”
This was a gathering of all the kings who ruled the continent.
It was a crucial stage for assessing each other’s power and influence.
Perhaps the Pope had indulged in extravagance to flaunt the Holy Kingdom’s status and prestige.
However, the thirty prospective saintesses accompanying the Pope seemed strange no matter how much they thought about it.
Suddenly bringing saintesses along?
What reason could there be for the prospective saintesses from the sanctuary to accompany him to the Imperial Capital?
The presence of the beautiful maidens following the Pope raised numerous suspicions.
‘Damn it, the Earth Mother has possessed the body of a prospective saintess.’
The murderous intent and fear surged like an erupting volcano.
The nausea that twisted my insides.
There was no doubt.
The Earth Mother Gael’s divinity had entered the Imperial Capital.
I swallowed hard, recalling the prospective saintesses who had disembarked from the chariot alongside the Pope.
My head throbbed at the thought that it must be related to the oracle announced by the Holy Kingdom.
“Edanant!”
“Ah, Lady Elizaveta.”
What reason could the shabby one true god have for visiting the precious Imperial Palace?
As I was pondering the question that pierced my nerves, walking through the secluded rear garden,
The princess with flowing golden hair appeared.
Behind her, the adorable Luinongs followed in a line, like a toy train.
“I’m exhausted from constantly entertaining guests. They’re like beggars begging for handouts, why are there so many of them?”
“All the kings of the continent are attending.”
“I might collapse at this rate. If I faint, Edanant, you have to carry me.”
“Yes, understood.”
I sat on the bench alongside Elizaveta.
Elizaveta, weary from welcoming guests, leaned her head on my shoulder.
Had she sprayed perfume?
Or was it the scent emanating from her snow-white skin?
Every time her luscious golden hair brushed against me, a sweet fragrance stimulated my senses.
Her soft sighs that followed made my face flush.
“Pai is super tired too!”
“There are humans everywhere…! It’s so scary!”
The Luinongs who had accompanied the Platinum Princess also expressed their grievances.
Countless crowds must have flocked to see the Luinongs, famous as the mascot of the Saintess Party.
It was only natural for the Luinongs, who had become a spectacle like animals in a zoo, to feel exhausted.
“You’ve all worked hard.”
“Y-Yes…”
I reached out.
And gently stroked the head of the beautiful princess who was complaining of fatigue.
“Touching me while dating my older sister… Edanant, you’re truly a terrible womanizer. Are you going to flirt with my married sister Isabelle next?”
“……”
“Just kidding, just kidding. It feels a bit strange having my hair stroked. My older sisters used to brush my hair for me.”
“…It feels a bit strange for me too.”
I hadn’t stroked Ludmilla’s hair yet.
Elizaveta blushed at my words and smiled with satisfaction.
“It’s… not bad being stroked like this.”
Could it have been a small comfort to the exhausted princess?
I watched the Platinum Princess, her eyes closed as she accepted my touch, and thought to myself.
The Luinongs squealed and jumped around at the sight of Elizaveta and me.
Their excited reactions were like watching a child reading a romance novel for the first time.
“Lady Elizaveta.”
“Y-Yes? Why?! What are you going to do…? Mila sister must be working hard right now…”
“I hear multiple footsteps approaching. It seems outsiders have entered the rear garden.”
“……”
I turned my head and stood up.
Elizaveta glared in the direction of the voices with sharp eyes.
“They’re the Holy Kingdom’s… prospective saintesses.”
The rear garden of the Valtarian Imperial Palace was a space where outsiders were strictly prohibited.
However, those invited as guests by the Imperial Family were partially allowed entry.
The Holy Kingdom’s prospective saintesses would likely be allowed.
Perhaps they had received formal permission, which is why the guards allowed them entry.
Surely the noble prospective saintesses of the Holy Kingdom wouldn’t have climbed over the walls and snuck into the rear garden like stray cats.
“As expected of the rear garden managed by the Empire. They even have a botanical garden with rare flowers.”
“Wow! There are so many flowers I’ve never seen before!”
The beautiful maidens of the Holy Kingdom strolled through the flower garden, their skirts swaying gracefully.
Their movements as they explored the colorful garden resembled a vibrant watercolor painting.
Ugh…!
As I was observing the prospective saintesses who had entered the rear garden,
I felt a sharp pain in my side.
Elizaveta, her face flushed red, had pinched my side.
She must have thought I was captivated by the beauty of the maidens from the Holy Kingdom.
Elizaveta glared at me with murderous intent, as if she were about to gouge out my eyes with her fingers.
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
To think I would be subjected to such an absurd misunderstanding by the villainess.
“It’s a misunderstanding. I was simply curious. I assure you, I have no ulterior motives.”
“Edanant always goes crazy for saintesses… He’s always fawning over the First Saintess.”
Perhaps it was because her fian… had been stolen by a saintess.
Our princess seemed particularly sensitive to saintesses.
I even wondered if “saintess” was the profession Elizaveta hated the most in the world.
“Hello!”
A girl with flowing orange hair approached with a cheerful greeting.
She was a prospective saintess from the Holy Kingdom.
I could tell immediately because she was wearing the same tacky Holy Kingdom uniform (robes) as Zebeline.
“…Lady Elizaveta.”
“Alright, alright.”
It was only proper for the princess of the Empire to acknowledge the greeting from the prospective saintess.
I nudged Elizaveta, who still seemed displeased.
Elizaveta nodded and stepped forward.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Elizaveta von Valtarian, the third princess of the Empire.”
“As expected of the Platinum Princess! You’re incredibly beautiful, just like the rumors! I’m Lefrie Brete, a prospective saintess from the Holy Kingdom!”
Even though she was known for her sharp tongue and villainess persona, she responded to the Holy Kingdom’s prospective saintess with such arrogance…
As expected of Elizaveta, who possessed a strong will and pride.
Lefrie, the girl who had been greeted by Elizaveta’s haughty introduction, jumped up and down, showering her with compliments.
‘She’s not the Earth Mother’s possessed body… A deity who claims to be the one true god wouldn’t be so frivolous. Is she simply an ardent admirer of Elizaveta?’
I could only sense a faint amount of divinity from the girl before me.
It was significantly less compared to Zebeline.
It was even less than the amount of divinity I had stored within me from the holy sword Aldebaran.
But I couldn’t let my guard down.
I hadn’t yet identified which of the prospective saintesses who had arrived from the Holy Kingdom was the Earth Mother’s possessed body.
“If it’s alright with you, could I request to accompany you? It would be a once-in-a-lifetime honor to stroll through the rear garden with Lady Elizaveta!”
“That’s an unreasonable request.”
I intervened, blocking the prospective saintess who was about to cling to Elizaveta’s arm.
The prospective saintess’s face momentarily contorted.
Perhaps it was due to the tense atmosphere.
The paladins who had been observing from afar began to approach.
“The holy sword Aldebaran… You’re quite skilled.”
The Earth Mother Gael.
The girl before me was undoubtedly the Earth Mother’s possessed body.
Or perhaps she was one of the many possessed bodies the Earth Mother had prepared.
However, I could still only sense a faint amount of divinity from her.
If she was intentionally concealing her divinity, it was truly a remarkable feat.
“I’ll formally request a meeting next time, beautiful princess.”
The conflict didn’t escalate further.
Perhaps she was concerned about the potential damage and repercussions.
The prospective saintess curtsied slightly, bidding farewell to Elizaveta, and turned away.
“Why did you do that? She seemed like a friendly and bold girl.”
“She was being overly familiar.”
“Hmm… Coming from Edanant, who mocks Mila sister behind her back, calling her an old woman, that’s quite hypocritical.”
“……”
Unlike me, who had instinctively sensed something amiss, Elizaveta seemed to have a positive impression of the prospective saintess we had just encountered.
Was it because she had showered her with flattery?
Or did she accept her without any suspicion because she was the Earth Mother’s possessed body?
“What’s wrong, Edanant? Are you jealous of the Holy Kingdom’s prospective saintess? Because she tried to hold my hand?”
“…Ah.”
Elizaveta chuckled and looked at me playfully.
I hesitated, unsure how to respond to her teasing question.
“Yes, it seems I’m jealous.”
I accepted Elizaveta’s playful banter and grasped her soft hand.
And just like when I danced the waltz with Ludmilla, I pulled Elizaveta’s slender waist close, embracing her.
“This is scandalous!”
“Kyaa! This is what adults do!”
The Luinongs jumped up and down like crayfish in a boiling pot at the sight of the breathtaking scene unfolding before them.
“U-Um… I-I’ll be careful next time…”
Elizaveta muttered softly, her head bowed.
I had simply responded to her teasing with more teasing.
But Elizaveta seemed to have misunderstood, her plump lips trembling as she glanced at me from the corner of her eye.
Perhaps it was because we were so close, our bodies pressed together without any space between us.
Elizaveta’s lips, painted a luscious crimson, seemed even more alluring.
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