CH 5

It wasn’t long before I woke up from my seat at the sight of the man visible as the door opened. It was Reihausd.

Reihausd in a clean white uniform looked bright today.

‘But, originally, can a High Priest enter the Saintess’ room at any time like this?’

I tilted my head and thought.

“May the High Priest be blessed by the Nine Gods.”

Hiding my doubts, I greeted him with the recently learned formal greeting of the Saintess.

“Thank you, Ariel.”

Fortunately, he greeted me with a smile as he saw this greeting was correct. He asked as he strode towards me as if he noticed that I was writing something.

“Are you studying?”

It was then that I remembered the formula I had written and shrugged my shoulders. Looking at it, he might have noticed my escape plan.

‘If that was the case… ’

Suddenly, the cold light in his dark eyes flashed in my mind, and my back shivered. I quickly turned the note over and shoved him the other paper with something else written on it..

“You came just in time, High Priest.”

“What is it?”

A small sense of relief filled me at the sight of him who was puzzled but willingly accepted it. He took the paper I had given him and leaned against the window.

Even if it wasn’t for the sunlight pouring in from the window behind him, he was a handsome man whose halo could be seen. It was a man’s line, but the word ‘beautiful’ suited him. It was hard to believe that he had killed Annie even when I saw him again.

“I would like to have the congratulatory speech that’ll be read at His Majesty Kyle’s birthday banquet tomorrow to be reviewed.”

Soon it was a chance to see the second male protagonist of this novel. The man Ariel had an unrequited love for.

Of course, I have no intention of following the original, but I was still curious about Kyle’s real life. 

By the way, the congratulatory message I gave to Reihausd now wasn’t written by me, but by Ariel before I joined the body.

I’ve never read it properly other than the title [Congratulations on His Highness’ Birthday].

He leaned over and began to read it.

“Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to His Highness’ Crown Prince Kyle, happy birthday to you. The Crown Prince was born to be loved. He’s loved in the life of His Highness the Crown Prince. The love of the Nine Gods that started from the beginning… ”

After a while, his lips closed.

My face got hot.

‘Ariel… I knew she had a pure brain, but how could that be this serious?’

I thought I was going to die of embarrassment.

I was afraid that the calculation formula would be found out, so I made excuses by choosing roughly, but I think it was the wrong choice.

“I think it’s too low for the High Priest to review, so I will write it again… ”

I spoke hurriedly.

“To say ‘love’… ”

But Reihausd cut off my flustered words. I blinked at the words that came out of his slightly twisted lips.

“Do you love Prince Kyle?”

Instead of pointing out the ridiculously childish sentencing of the congratulatory speech, he suddenly asked about my heart for Kyle.

I looked at him with a blank expression.

He had a halo with his back to the window, that’s why I couldn’t see his expression very well, but I could guess that it wouldn’t be very pleasant.

“So, that love… Uh, it’s not necessarily that kind of love… ”

It was understandable that he was displeased.

It seems pathetic that a fake saintess who cannot even perform the duties of a saintess is in unrequited love with the Crown Prince.

“Just as God loves humans, I used the idiomatic expression of love as a blessing.”

However, I grew up in a very difficult environment, so I had a knack for escaping crises and changing words. I quickly wrapped it in idiomatic phrases.

“If Prince Kyle doesn’t take it in a tolerant sense.”

But he continued to speak with a dissatisfied expression on his face.

“What would you like to do?”

My image was reflected in his gold eyes, which seemed unusually dark today.

‘…Why are you so serious all of a sudden?’

I was bewildered because I didn’t know the literature.

Ariel’s congratulatory remarks may not be tolerant, but rather a statement that pours out all of her sincerity. But the chance that Prince Kyle would take it seriously was close to zero. Considering the character of Prince Kyle in the original story.

“Well. If there is room for misunderstanding by the listener, it should be corrected.”

I didn’t want to haggle anyway, so I answered neatly. In fact, even if he hadn’t pointed it out, of course, I was going to fix it. Congratulatory speeches are definitely meant to be read in front of others, but I couldn’t be ashamed to read this.

“I thought it was an illusion.”

At my words, he softened his eyes and smiled.

“I feel like you have grown a lot these days.”

If it was Ariel who originally wrote a congratulatory message like this, she would have tears in her eyes at his advice on corrections, indicating that she didn’t want to change it.

But I wasn’t Ariel.

“I will rewrite the congratulatory message and review it.”

Reihausd handed the paper back to me with his white-gloved hands.

“Yes. I will be happy to review it again.”

I tried to take the paper, thinking I’d rip it off right away as soon as he went.

But the moment I accepted it, the paper was slippery and I lost it. The fluttering, upside-down paper landed on the border between the hem of the dress I was wearing and the floor.

I hurriedly bent down to pick up the paper when I heard Reihausd’s soft voice.

“Stay still.”

I shuddered at the firm and low voice like a command. Then he slowly bent his knees and waist. As his upper body, which was at least one head taller than me, went down below my chest, I felt a strange feeling.

His white-gloved hand quickly reached out to a piece of paper. As his hand touched the paper, the movement of the hem of the dress was felt through the clothes.

I stared at his head that was leaning under me, feeling eerie for nothing.

He slowly grabbed the paper and lifted his knees and back up again. The shape of his slightly messy hair felt strange.

“Thank you.”

Taking it back, I looked at him for a long time, then Annie’s incident came to mind and I looked away.

Soon his voice was heard. Somehow, there was a smile in his voice.

“Then, I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

***

After an early dinner, I headed to the temple library with the maids.

I needed to find a suitable expression or honorific for the Crown Prince’s congratulatory speech, so I was thinking of borrowing some books about the royal family’s rituals and events.

“Saintess, it is said that books related to royal events are located at the corner of the third row in the southeast section of the first floor.”

At the words of the maid who came after checking the way with the librarian, I went straight there.

All priests, paladins, including saintesses and saints registered in the Temple of Elium are permitted to borrow books.

Since Elium was no different than the central temple of the empire, there were many who wanted to become the saints of Elium, and the number of seats didn’t meet the demand.

So, in the end, the saints of Elium were selected only by those who were famous among the nobles, and there were some ridiculous situations in which Elium’s saints were a measure of fame.

And there are bound to be people who condescend with it.

“I am… an apprentice priestess who worships God.”

“Just because you worship a God doesn’t mean you can’t eat a meal outside, doesn’t it? Besides, you’re not a formal priestess, but an apprentice priestess. I am a saint of Elium.”

I stopped walking at the sound I heard. It was the voice of a young woman and the voice of a young man. It was easy to guess what was going on beyond the bookshelf.

“I have already eaten. And whether apprenticeship or formal… Reverence for God is the same.”

“How about a drink or a meal? Don’t refuse too much when I tell you to leave the temple behind for a while and take a look at the world.”

“Saint. If you keep insulting me, I’ll have no choice but to officially tell the temple.”

I let out a small sigh at the unwelcome situation.

To be honest, I was bothered to meddle in the injustice of strangers.

If it wasn’t for the fact that the situation was happening in front of the bookshelf where the books I was borrowing were stocked, and that I had to pick up books as soon as possible to make a congratulatory speech by tomorrow morning.

In front of me was a blue-haired apprentice bride with her pale face, and a man in his mid-thirties or so, showing off her power by sticking close to her.

And behind him was a book called [A Collection of Congratulatory Messages for the Imperial Banquet].

I said with a small sigh.

“Would you mind getting out of the way?”