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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: TushChen
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Pope Boern eventually gave up on his invitation, facing strong opposition from the Valtarian Empire.
The Alliance Council meeting ended peacefully.
There was no reason to stir up unnecessary conflict in the current situation.
Edanant himself was reluctant to make a pilgrimage to the sanctuary.
Therefore, the Holy Kingdom, wanting to avoid conflict with the hero chosen by the one true god’s oracle, temporarily took a step back.
“Haha, as a humble servant of the Earth Mother, I’m deeply disappointed. Even the hero and the saintess refused to visit the sanctuary… To think Sir Edanant would also adamantly decline.”
“Who would want to visit a city filled with embers and ashes?”
The middle-aged man with a benevolent expression sighed and said.
The silver-haired girl responded with a sharp voice.
“It seems you’re quite close with Sir Edanant.”
“We’ve worked together to resolve various incidents in the Valtarian Empire.”
Zebeline shrugged and readily admitted it, responding to Boern’s question, which subtly hinted at their close relationship.
The Holy Kingdom’s hounds must have already completed their investigation.
A lie that would be easily exposed would only raise further suspicion.
Therefore, she countered the Pope with a composed demeanor.
“To refuse to visit the sanctuary despite receiving the glorious radiance of the one true god’s grace is undoubtedly an act of disrespect towards the Earth Mother’s divinity and the Holy Kingdom’s authority. I believe we should pressure the Valtarian Empire to bring Sir Edanant to the sanctuary as an honored guest.”
The cardinal, dressed in crimson robes, said, his monocle glinting.
There were no exceptions.
The Holy Kingdom’s new hero must visit the sanctuary.
His firm stance, refusing any compromise, highlighted his stubborn nature.
“Are you planning to stay in the Empire indefinitely, First Saintess? Your visit is lasting much longer than expected.”
“I haven’t found Beatrice yet.”
Several months had passed.
With both the Second Saintess missing and the First Saintess absent, a huge void had emerged.
When would they return?
Countless priests were awaiting Zebeline’s return.
Zebeline shrugged and expressed her difficulty in response to Boern’s question.
The saintess’s indifferent and cold expression clearly indicated that she had no intention of returning to the Holy Kingdom.
“I trust you wouldn’t ask me to arrange Sir Edanant’s visit, Your Holiness.”
“Of course not. How could I commit such a discourtesy to the First Saintess?”
Hahaha-
Boern chuckled heartily.
Zebeline looked at him suspiciously.
“The day when the Demon King of Death, resurrected from eternal slumber, descends upon the mortal realm is approaching. We intend to mobilize the Holy Kingdom’s forces to prepare for that day.”
“That won’t be easy. Now that the Saintess Party is gone…”
“It’s truly regrettable. A most unfortunate situation.”
“……”
The Demon King of Death would soon be resurrected.
The nightmare would return.
The nightmare of death that had once engulfed the continent was awaiting its moment of revival.
Boern sighed heavily and expressed his regret.
How many lives had been lost in vain?
The ruler of the Holy Kingdom lowered his gaze, filled with heavy remorse, and clutched his rosary. It was one of his habits whenever he was deeply troubled.
“To think that the Holy Kingdom’s Second Saintess is behind the return of Death’s nightmare…”
“…Your Holiness?”
He knew.
That the Saintess Party was planning the calamity’s resurrection.
But how,
How did he know?
How could Boern, who should have been peacefully attending to his duties and reciting scriptures in his office in the Holy Kingdom, have figured out that the Saintess Party was behind the calamity?
It was impossible.
Zebeline stared at the Pope with shock in her eyes.
“The Earth Mother revealed it to me through an oracle.”
“Yes? But the content of the oracle… was only a message about the new hero.”
Wasn’t it just a message about appointing Edanant as the Holy Kingdom’s new hero and the imminent resurrection of the Disaster God of Death?
There was nothing about the Saintess Party.
“There’s something I didn’t reveal at the Alliance Council meeting. It’s the second oracle delivered by the one true god. A special mission entrusted to a humble servant of the Holy Kingdom.”
“……”
A second oracle.
There was another oracle delivered by the Earth Mother.
The reason for keeping it secret must have been to use it as a trump card in the future.
It felt like she had been hit from behind.
She was stunned by the unexpected twist.
Zebeline felt a heavy anxiety constricting her chest. The fear that the Earth Mother’s oracle, which she thought had finally ended, was still ongoing, pierced her lungs like a sharp blade.
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The Valtarian Empire’s Imperial Capital, which had been devastated by the cultists’ raid and the rebels’ attack, began to recover smoothly.
The Imperial Palace regained its dazzling grandeur.
And the city, which had been swept up in the disaster, was also being restored, allowing citizens to move freely once again.
Perhaps in two months, all traces of the incident would be completely erased.
Barbarossa, pleased with the report that the restoration was nearing completion, immediately set out for the hunting grounds to flaunt the Empire’s resilience.
“Hahaha! It feels so refreshing to be out here! I was getting restless, dealing with those cunning bastards at the table!”
The Emperor, mounted on a black steed with a black mane, said with a hearty laugh.
His expression and voice were filled with sincerity.
It was the liberating feeling of freedom, now that the Alliance Council meeting, which had gathered the kings of each nation, had successfully concluded.
“When are you planning to hold the wedding?”
“Perhaps… sometime next spring or summer.”
The Emperor always asked about my wedding with Ludmilla whenever he summoned me.
He seemed desperate.
He was determined to get a definite answer this time.
It was only natural for him to be serious, as he was trying to marry off his second daughter, who was well past twenty-seven.
Barbarossa’s expression was more serious than ever when he asked about the wedding.
‘He wasn’t even this serious when we were discussing the Third Racial War… How sincere is he?’
Ta-da! You got me!
Actually, it was all a lie…
There’s no way I would marry an old bachelorette four years older than me.
-If I said that, I would be hunted for the rest of my life.
It was too late to back out.
Fate had been sealed the moment the scandal involving the beautiful princesses spread throughout the Imperial Capital.
“Mila is finally getting married! I wish the Empress could have seen Mila in her wedding dress…”
“……”
I looked at the Emperor, who chuckled bitterly, recalling his late wife.
Hmm.
There was no turning back now.
If I dared to mention breaking off the engagement, the Hohenberc family would face annihilation.
The marquisate would be reduced to ashes without any leniency.
“Let’s head back.”
“Yes, understood.”
Was hunting his true objective?
Or was it to get a definite answer about the marriage?
The sun began to set.
The large-scale hunt, which had mobilized a significant workforce, finally ended at dusk.
As we returned to the Imperial Palace with the Emperor, the princess with flowing golden hair appeared.
Elizaveta, who had been waiting for her father’s return, approached with a wet towel in hand.
“You must be sweating a lot. Here you go.”
“…Yes.”
It was a cold towel.
She must have rushed over as soon as she heard we had arrived.
I cautiously accepted the towel from Elizaveta, glancing at the Emperor.
As expected, the Emperor reacted stiffly to his youngest daughter’s blatant display of favoritism.
His displeasure was evident, feeling neglected after being overshadowed by his beloved daughter.
“Did you catch a lot of game? You were out in the hunting grounds for hours.”
“We caught a decent amount…”
“Show me how much you caught!”
“Yes.”
She was unusually proactive today.
Had something happened?
The mischievous princess showed a keen interest in the wild beasts we had hunted.
She kept clinging to me, completely ignoring her father who had just returned from the hunting grounds.
“You must be sweating a lot. Here’s a wet towel.”
“Ahem! I’m fine!”
I handed the towel I had received from Elizaveta to the Emperor. The Emperor responded curtly, his displeasure evident.
He was already sulking.
Judging by his prickly demeanor, he seemed to have reached the “great wrath” stage.
“Just lower your head for a moment. I’ll wipe it for you.”
“It’s alright.”
“I said lower your head.”
“……”
Elizaveta snatched the towel from my hand and began to gently wipe my face and neck.
I felt a chill.
Was it because of the cold towel?
Or was it because of the Emperor’s sharp gaze?
Despite the precarious situation, Elizaveta smiled and focused on her task.
Even though I was receiving a generous skinship from the villainess, who was as charming as the heroine, the timing couldn’t have been worse.
Click-
The Emperor, who had been holding his hunting rifle, gripped the barrel.
He seemed to be contemplating whether to pull the trigger.
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