"Greetings, His Grace Lord Cassius, Grand Chancellor of the Azure Empire"
"..."
He didn't answer Grizel's greeting as he keeps looking down at her, it can be considered humiliation rather than impoliteness, but no one would dare to utter a single word regarding his misconduct.
Judas de Cassius, the Duke of the Southern region of the empire, controlled the seafaring commercial and the trading to the neighboring continent through his territory which has the closest route.
Furthermore, as the family who achieved the biggest contribution to unite the Azure Empire in the past and is holding huge influences, he carries the role of the Grand Chancellor, that makes him deeply attached to the politic of both foreign and domestic affairs of the empire, even in terms of government, his authority is beyond Rex's as the Crown Prince.
Judas once was the most trusted Aide to the current Emperor, before the identity of the traitors was revealed, he is Emperor Drake's closest friend.
By raising his influence in politics and the Imperial family, he becomes the head of the Orthodox faction, one of the 2 biggest coalitions of the aristocrats.
Judas is second only to the Emperor in this Empire.
But...
Still, he is nothing compared to the former overlord who controlled the world from the shadow.
"Even the news of your successful awakening is not reaching thorough the whole empire yet, and here you already claimed yourself as a healer"
The arrogant man sarcastically humiliates Grizel's lack of experience to be called a healer as she just barely awakened her Holy-Class abilities not too long ago.
"Aren't you being overly a self-conceited awakener, Miss Belial? It's only reasonable for Miss Goldway to stop such an unqualified healer to approach His Highness"
As if saying that not just anyone can be a qualified healer to treat the Imperial family members, he is criticizing Grizel while boosting Lily as he needs to clear Lily's reputation and get back the noble's favor of her to become the future Empress.
Moreover, out of the main 3 traitors, he is the only one who can openly show hostility toward Grizel since only the Orthodox faction despises the Belial family.
'I see, you want to play with your words...'
Grizel grinned inwardly looking at the cold man with piercing eyes in front of her using his influence and words to make the nobles once again detest her and praise the Heroine.
But he's not the only one who is good at playing with words.
"Indeed, Your Grace is correct, I am but an inexperienced healer, but regardless of my deficiency, I am still a healer who wish to lessen the suffering endured by His Highness"
Grizel said lowering herself setting a trap in her words luring him to take the bait.
"Ha! Despite being aware of your incapacity, you still want to heal the Prince, are you trying to harm His Highness instead?"
He took the bait.
Hearing the Grand Chancellor blissfully getting himself into the obvious trap, Rex bites his lips to suppress his laughter holding his stinging chest, he thought that Grizel would humiliate that man using a playful sarcastic remark as usual since the fact that Holy-Class awakeners are harmless is widely known as common knowledge.
After all, Judas said Grizel intend to harm him despite being a harmless healer.
But...
"Please mind your words, Your Grace"
Rex's crystal-clear citrine eyes widened followed by numerous people who heard Grizel's courageous reply, even Rex as the future Emperor needs to be careful with his words and intonation towards Judas, yet the girl bluntly asked him to mind his words and seemingly has no intention to stop.
"The belief in innocuous Holy-class awakener is the basic teaching of the Cronus temple"
She said firmly in a serious tone, the common knowledge of 'all healers are harmless' was spread by the temple to prevent any objection by the other nations to gather the healers from all over the world, saying Grizel is a healer that could cause harm to the prince means the chancellor is denying the temple's teaching.
Grizel purposely lowering herself and admitted her lack of experience in healing to make Judas unconsciously accuses her to harm the Prince despite being a healer, making him unintentionally offending the temple's belief.
"A little misinterpretation of the words spoken by an influential figure such as a Grand Chancellor of a big nation would spark international disputes between Azure Empire and the Cronus believers"
Grizel said firmly looking at his eyes as she steps onwards to face the furious Grand chancellor and once again irritates this traitor.
"Can Your Grace bear the consequences of provoking the temple?"
Judas gritted his teeth as he clenched his fist, the visible veins on his forehead indicate the boiling anger within, he desperately wants to say that the temple will be on his side regardless of his words, but he simply couldn't say a thing about their secret alliance.
Knowing Judas won't be able to declare his relationship with the temple, Grizel uses this fact to trap him, now, let alone helping the heroine to clear her name, his reputation was tainted as well.
The crowd frowned upon the Grand chancellor in displeased because of his thoughtless wording, even though he is the Emperor's most trusted man or the head of the biggest faction, still, they don't want to be dragged into the mess with those fanatic believers just because of his foolish statement to defame the Belial's only daughter.
"YOU-"
"ENOUGH! JUDAS"
Judas was about to vent his anger towards Grizel but was interrupted by Emperor Drake's warning shout, all of the nobles were startled in shock since the kind-hearted Emperor never raised his voice towards his most trusted Aide even once.
"Greetings, Your Majesty"
Grizel bows down calmly then soon followed by the dumbfounded nobles, the surrounding people lower their heads in the presence of the Emperor except for the enraged Judas which seems doesn't want to back down against this little girl.
"But, Your Majesty. She is-"
"Judas! I don't recall having an impulsive Grand Chancellor"
Drake reminds him, though, deep inside he was extremely happy with his future daughter-in-law's performance defaming the traitors one after another.
Tap!
He tapped on Judas's shoulder and squeeze it lightly feeling disgusted by only touching his closest friend who betrayed him, but he needs to act as if know nothing about it as he promised Grizel.
"As the most loyal subject of this Empire, you should have known better than anyone else why she did it, we shall avoid unnecessary conflict and maintain a friendly relation with the Temple, calm down"
Drake said convincing Judas by purposely saying that he is a loyal man and make a statement as if Drake has never doubted the temple at all.
"Haaaa, understood Your Majesty, I will make sure to send a formal letter of apology to the Cronus Temple"
Judas replied while bowing down, he finally managed to quell his anger as he excuses himself refused to see the odious Belial member any longer.
Suppressing her evil grin, Grizel walked towards the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, please grant me the permission to use my humble healing magic to lessen His Highness' pain whilst waiting for the Priest"
Grizel asked Emperor Drake while acting like a stranger who never met before, to deceive the traitors, Drake couldn't show his affection towards Grizel as well.
"Granted, please"
"Thank you, Your Majesty"
Grizel bows once again then moved toward the Crown Prince, as she approached him, Rex smiled genuinely couldn't maintain his expression as if a long time has passed since their last meet even though he is still in pain due to the internal injuries.
"Grizel..."
Rex muttered when Grizel is finally standing in front of him, there are a lot of things he wanted to say, happiness and guilt overwhelmed his heart, he wants to confess his new-found love feeling as well.
"I know, Your Highness. Let's talk about it later"
She said whispering as she touched his injured chest with her hand that warped in beautiful white mana.
"This..."
Rex widened his eyes, it's the first time he was healed by Grizel, the recovery speed is abnormal, his injuries weren't that severe but he estimates himself to be bedridden for at least 2-3 days even with the help of the Imperial priests and is already preparing his heart for the postponement of the engagement.
But here he is and almost completely recovered, he couldn't help but wonder if Grizel is a human, since she looks like an angel performing a miracle, though, Rex is the only one who realized her ability since the other people couldn't see his internal injuries being healed.
Furthermore, Grizel's white mana is not as bright as the Imperial priest's, obvious enough for him to know that Grizel wanted to hide her miraculous ability by controlling the radiance of her healing magic since as the patient, he could feel that faint glows has a rich abundance of mana.
Rex was about to say thank you since his body is completely healed but...
Thud!
Grizel collapsed into his arms.
"GRI- GRIZEL!"
Rex shouted his fiancee's name as his face turned pale, his hand is trembling in fear of losing his loved one once again as he lost his late mother, he doesn't even have time to confess his lo-
"Sshhh, don't scream in my ears, just play along"
"Huh?"
Rex was dumbfounded when his ears caught Grizel's low voice whispering to him.
"Aaahh! At least give me a sign before you want to deceive others"
"Pfft, but that reaction earlier was... gold and convincing"
Grizel teased the embarrassed Rex while playing dead in his warm arms.
"Priest, where is the priest?! Hurry save her!"
This time the Marchioness of Béchamour frantically asking for a priest since she and her husband have no idea about Grizel's strength and real personality since they thought of her as a sweet fragile granddaughter.
Huff!
Huff!
Huff!
The head of the Imperial priest finally arrived at the hall, he approached Emperor Drake while panting seems out of the breath due to running in a hurry.
"Your Majesty, please forgive my belated arrival"
A thick-bearded old man greeted the Emperor with a visible tired face as sweats dripping on his forehead beneath his white hair.
"It's alright, hurry check on The Prince and Miss Belial"
Drake replied calmly, he knows everything is going to be alright since Grizel said so.
When the tired priest was about to examine the Prince, Rex shakes his head and asks for him to examine Grizel instead, seeing the prince is fine, the priest moves his hand toward Grizel and closed his eyes.
"I barely sense her mana, she must had used all of her strength to heal Your Highness"
He stopped as he sighed helplessly.
"I respect such an admirable young Miss, but please prevent her to do the same thing in the future since mana is like a life essence for an awakener, emptying her mana to help others could endanger her life"
He explained while feeling sorry for Grizel, he doesn't aware that the moment he touched her, a magic illusion wrapped his senses and trapped him into the illusion world for a brief moment, diverting the reality into an illusion made for him to see.
What the priest saw was a dying silver-haired young Miss who overused her power to save the Prince, he unconsciously feeling sympathy for her as a fellow healer, he knows the urge to save someone even if it means sacrificing himself, but she is too young to undergo such a huge responsibility, he thought while making a worried face forgetting his tired old body.
Though, the real Grizel is perfectly fine while playing dead.
'Here we go again, Master, can you see this tired priest is the one who's dying, he doesn't even have the time to adjust his breath'
Athena barged in, every time Grizel uses her manipulation, this annoying blessing won't leave her alone to enjoy the fruit of her trickery.
'Tch, I just need this honest Imperial Priest to be the one who says the testimony of my heroic deed, that's all'
The nobles' gasped could be heard, even though Grizel is closing her eyes, she can feel the atmosphere around her is full of admiration.
This time not only the members of the non-Orthodox faction who were fond of the Belial but also the nobles of the Orthodox and neutral faction, the fact that she sacrificed herself to heal the Prince is respectable.
'Haaaa, my beloved evil master. The duty of a priest is to heal others, not to serve as your self-promotion tool'
'I think I heard an unpleasant thing'
'...'
'Athena?'
'Athena is out of service'
Athena said imitating her former monotonous voice, running away.
"Your Highness, please make her drink this Mana potion, I think the party could be continued without any problems with it"
"Thank you, I appreciate your help on her behalf, she's my savior and my future"
Rex smiled meaningfully thanking the relieved priest as he ordered the maids to prepare a private parlor for Grizel to rest a bit.
"Let's have a long talk"
He whispered in Grizel's ears as he lifted her body, carrying the fainted young girl like a Princess in those dreamy fairytales.
To be continued...