CH 131

As Kyle swung his sword, a wooden doll tens of meters away broke into pieces and scattered on the floor.

Leaning against the hedge around the training ground, Shane looked at Kyle and opened his mouth.

“Do you really mind letting her away like this?”

At that, Kyle’s eyebrows twitched.

“I mean, I’m wondering if you won’t have any regrets.”

Kyle silently swung his sword without answering.

A small explosion occurred in front.

Explosion of the statue of the First Emperor at his birthday banquet. And Ariel’s eyes were still vivid as she bravely defended him.

There was a time when he thought this when she began to stand out more and more in his eyes.

‘Should I just kidnap her?’

If he tied her up where he could see her, he wouldn’t be curious about her all day long.

Always she walked upright. She knew how to keep herself from falling into malice. As if she had been learning it for a long time.

Was she the defenseless and dazed Ariel he knew?

Kyle felt that the person Ariel was had changed. The important thing about her was that seeing her made his heart pound. And heat rises in his body.

When he thought of her soft hands and trembling eyes that wrapped around him during the Hunting Festival, like a baby…

‘Damn it.’

“Your Highness, holding onto her even now and confessing your honest feelings..”

“I have no such thoughts.”

Kyle said, thrusting his sword into the scabbard with wild movements. And he turned to Shane.

With a dark energy in his red eyes, Shane blankly stared at Kyle with his lips open as he was about to speak.

“I will become a stronger emperor than anyone else.”

A heavy aura descended upon the training ground.

“Before that, there are many things that need to be reestablished and corrected in the Empire.”

Although the Imperialists were all purged, tax problems and messed up systems caused by them still remained.

The same was true of the military. Even after hearing the news that there was a gate to the Demon Realm, it took several days because they weren’t ready to leave immediately.

Many systems were lax and incomplete, but Kyle didn’t have the time to care.

Although he has political power and practical ability, he didn’t touch anything other than what was absolutely necessary. He only prepared thoroughly to increase his power and take revenge on the Empress.

And now that everything was sorted out, Kyle had to fulfill his real duty as the Crown Prince of the Empire.

“I’m carrying a rock on my back, and asking her to hold hands would be like saying let’s hold a rock together.”

At Kyle’s words, Shane made a complicated expression.

“Isn’t it just a matter for the Saintess to take care of the public sentiment as the Crown Princess?”

“Well. Her ability to look behind is too good. She pretends to be annoyed and indifferent, yet sincere when helping others.”

Thus, she was a woman whose eyes could go more. Ariel.

“..That’s why, now I can’t.”

The Emperor is very weak, and although he has recovered, no one knows when he will be able to return to normal affairs.

It was probably because his aging accelerated and his abilities fell off after the dead Empress gave him poison.

“It seems that you think of the Saintess a lot. Our Crown Prince isn’t this type of person, though.”

Shane had known Kyle since he was little, and he knew him well.

Kyle was a man who would do anything he set out to do. He gets his hands on whatever he wants.

He isn’t greedy for trivial things, but he’s a man of tenacity who must achieve what he wants once.

So if he came to like a woman, he thought, the same might be true of her.

‘He will push forward whether there is a response or not.’

Only who would dare to reject the Crown Prince of the Empire.

However, now, Kyle was clearly in a state of panic. Like a dog that wants attention from his owner and hangs around, yet can’t get close to her.

Shane let out a small sigh as he looked at the Crown Prince, who has changed.

“Why do you wear such a pure-hearted man look in front of the Saintess, I wonder”

At that, Kyle’s eyebrows twitched.

“I wasn’t dumped, I only temporarily gave up the forced marriage for Ariel’s sake. Didn’t I just tell you the reason why?”

Shane nodded his head with a pitiful expression.

“Well… What I saw in the corridor earlier, I’ll pretend I didn’t see it. That’s right. Our Crown Prince has never been dumped. Indeed, it’s Your Highness’s choice.”

“Shane.”

Red blood boiled in Kyle’s eyes.

“Gasp.”

“Even so, I was thinking of calling someone and having a sparring, and it just worked out.”

As Kyle drew his sword again, he began to see Shane run away.

“Ah, Your Highness. It’s a slip of my tongue! It’s a mistake.”

He will pay the price today for hurting Kyle’s pride.

“Your Highneeess! You know I can’t use a sword!!”

***

After an audience with the Emperor, I saw a familiar face.

“Huh?”

Noah appeared in front of me as he opened his eyes wide and knelt down on his knees quite convincingly.

I smiled and held out my hand to Noah. He kissed the back of my hand.

“So you’ve been doing well?”

Noah stood up with a bright face.

“Yes, thanks to the Saintess.”

Noah’s body was still small in his apprentice knight’s uniform, but he seemed much stronger than when I first met him.

“How is life in the Imperial Palace? Isn’t His Highness the Crown Prince harassing you?”

Noah smiled and shook his head.

“Everyone is very nice to me. It feels like I’m in another world.”

Noah looked very satisfied with his life, which was different from the past when he wandered the streets as a member of the Thief Guild.

“Isn’t training difficult?”

“It’s a bit difficult, but… I have to be strong to be a great knight.”

The look in his eyes made it seem like I didn’t have to worry.

“By the way… have you met His Imperial Majesty the Emperor?”

“Ah, yes…”

“There are rumors in the Imperial Palace that the Saintess is marrying the Crown Prince, but the Saintess… perhaps?”

Noah slurred his words.

He was a child of the Thief Guild. For he was so quick with notice and information, he would have noticed that the rumors were false information.

I shook my head and Noah smiled.

“I thought so.”

Kyle was definitely a great man with the greatest power and influence in the Empire.

As I had read and imagined in Raid’s prophecy, he wasn’t a homicidal maniac who swung his sword when he wasn’t satisfied.

However, marriage or dating is a different matter from evaluating him objectively.

“Saintess. I respect the Saintess’ decision. but…”

As I thought about Kyle for a moment, Noah opened his mouth.

“I want you to know that His Highness the Crown Prince always wants to be considerate of the Saintess.”

Noah continued.

“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor tried to call the Saintess several times before, yet His Highness the Crown Prince stopped it, and he also put to rest the public rumors himself. Also, he pays attention to things related to the temple as much as possible.”

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, asks you to reconsider your decision.]

[The God of Benevolence, Oman, convinces you that he will be worthy as your concubine, even if he’s not necessarily your true husband.]

“He’s a good person even for a man to see.”

After thinking for a moment, I nodded.

“That’s right.”

Somehow, I remembered what Kyle said earlier.

[What if I like you enough to marry you?]

‘Was it… for real…’

After a while, I glanced at Noah and said.

“But didn’t you fall for the Crown Prince too easily, Noah?”

At my words, Noah laughed and scratched his head.

“Do you see that?”

“Anyway, I’m glad to see you again today. I’m more than happy to see you doing well.”

I looked at Noah and said.

“Training is good, but don’t overdo it and always take good care of your body.”

Noah smiled and nodded his head.

The garnet necklace that Cass had once tried to buy for 10,000 gold went back to where it should have been.

It was a stolen item, so it was difficult to deal with, thus it was useful to use it to buy the Emperor’s favor and strengthen the relationship.

Upon arriving at the temple, a carriage followed at high speed from behind.

“Saintess! Sainteeeess!”

As I was getting off with Dwayne’s escort, the carriage pulled up behind mine. And the knight of the royal guard who came with the carriage greeted me politely and opened his mouth.

“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has bestowed gifts to the Saintess as a reward for your gift.”

“Pardon?”

When the door of the carriage opened, I saw a lot of gold coins again.

At least 30,000 or 40,000 gold.

Looking at the dazzling pile of gold coins, I pretended to cover my mouth with my hand. And said to the knight of the royal guard.

“Please convey my gratitude to His Imperial Majesty the Emperor.”

“Yes, Saintess.”

The carriage sent by the Imperial Family returned again. Dwayne and two Paladins followed me, carrying gifts from the Emperor.

“Now you don’t have to participate in the auction.”

Dwayne glanced at me and said admiringly.

[The God of Art, Mond, feels a little sad.]

“Well, yes. I don’t have anything to use anymore, so should I tell you my secret, Dwayne?”

At my words, Dwayne put on an expression of interest.

“How on earth do you recognize anything of value? If you have the skills of auction appraisal…”

“That is…”

I lowered my voice and Dwayne brought his ear closer.

I spoke to him in a playful voice.

“You have to have a natural talent like me.”

“Uaakh!”

The sudden loudness caused Dwayne to startle and shrug his shoulders.

Behind him, I heard the other Paladins laughing loudly.

I laughed too.

[Some Gods laugh loudly.]

[Some Gods feel sorry for Dwayne.]

“Ah! Sainteeeess!!”

Dwayne grumbled, pretending his ears were tingling.

From a distance, Reihausd was looking at me, who burst into laughter. When our eyes met, I, too, could see a smile.