Chapter 18: Chapter 17

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Chapter 17

“…It’s exactly the same as the goddess Eteusis…”

That was what Anthony said the first time he met Ella in the novel. But why was he saying that to Rosaline now?

Did that happen to be his automatic response? Was that his first response whenever he met a girl?

Rosaline shook her head in suspicion.

Who really was Anthony? As far as she knew, he wasn’t like Ella or Cahir. He was a true priest who would not raise his hand to hurt her even if she raised hers against him.

‘He is definitely not the type of person to say that to just anyone.’

“Excuse me. Miss Secretary, have a seat here.”

Anthony apologized to her repeatedly, believing Rosaline was deeply offended by his earlier behavior. He hastily removed the scriptures he was reading and pulled out a chair for her.

“Thank you, Father.”

“Don’t mention it. What brings you here?”

“His Majesty told me to check if there were any inconveniences in your accommodations. His Majesty very much wants you to be comfortable.”

Of course, that was a lie. If Cahir was even a little interested, he would have shown some courtesy by having a meal with Anthony on his first day. It wasn’t until a week after he arrived that Cahir remembered that Berlos’ representative was in the annex. Derek and Rosaline had told him, but he had forgotten.

“May the Sun of the Empire share the blessings of Lord Berlios. The emperor is very busy, right?”

Rosaline quickly caught onto what Anthony was trying to ask. He was curious about the progress of the temple’s construction.

Berlos was a country maintained by donations from saints. Although they made money in exchange for casting divinities and dispatching holy knights, it only made up a small part of the funds. That was because most of the priests used their divine powers to help treat the poor, and they couldn’t send out knights for unjustified battles.

Therefore, Berlos devoted most of its efforts to erecting temples throughout the land in order to increase the number of believers throughout the continent. It was the reason why most countries on the continent have a Temple of Berlios. So far, there have been no temples erected in the Aetheus Empire, although this didn’t mean Berlos was ostracized or disliked.

The construction of temples dedicated to other gods created many problems. The former emperor of the Aetheus Empire was not confident in his ability to solve them, so he left the situation unattended.

“Yes, as you know, His Majesty has a lot of work to finish because he does not wish to overlook even the slightest of details. But don’t worry too much. These days, you can see that the construction of the Temple of Berlios is undergoing careful observation.” Rosaline looked over and gave a radiant smile.

Anthony’s gentle eyes were in crescent shapes.

‘Isn’t it a waste that a face like that belongs to a secondary male character?’

Rosaline felt so sorry for Anthony. He was handsome in a different sense from Cahir. Unlike Cahir, who was full of color, Anthony has a neat and controlled beauty.

The words ‘soft’ or ‘gentle’ would describe Anthony exactly.

‘But I can’t join hands with Ella. Ella and Cahir’s fates are tied too strongly.’

When the original plot came to mind, Rosline’s face darkened. She lowered her eyes, her long eyelashes creating a deep shadow under her eyes.

“Are you uncomfortable? Do you want me to take a look at you?” Anthony asked slowly.

These mistakes have been frequent lately. Rosaline was a person who was very good at picking up other people’s feelings and understanding what they liked and disliked. She wasn’t an amateur who expressed her feelings like an open book.

Rosaline looked at Anthony. His clear eyes were the same as those of a Catholic priest in the 21st century.

“Would you like to confess?”

Rosaline wondered if Anthony could guide a lost lamb and tell her why she was being like this. She dismissed the idea quickly, though. Her purpose in coming was for work, not personal business. She cleared her mind.

“No. Is there anything making you uncomfortable, Your Holiness?”

“Oh, no, there isn’t. However…” He quickly closed his mouth.

Rosaline rolled her eyes. The question was only a formality. She had already told Anthony’s servants to pay extra attention so that he could live comfortably without having to lift a single finger.

So what was the problem?

He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment when she looked at him quizzically. “I’m bored because I am stuck in my room all day. There isn’t anyone to really talk to.”

What was Anthony’s personality like in the novel, again? Rosaline tried to remember what she had read.

Right, he was a very talkative man. He liked listening to other people’s stories, and his ears were always open when others visited him and told him about their travels or experiences. It was something he always looked forward to.

‘Except he hasn’t seen anyone in a week.’

Rosaline understood how bored and stuffy it must have been.

“If you don’t mind, could you talk with me for a moment?” Very carefully, Anthony clasped his hands together as though he were holding a flower made out of glass. His dark, navy eyes twinkled. He almost looked like a large puppy wagging its tail

“Of course,” Rosaline answered gladly.

***

“She feels maternal love towards men, doesn’t she?”

In response to Anthony’s reply, Rosaline felt a shock as if she were struck in the head with a hammer.

After talking to Anthony for a while, Rosaline bluntly confessed how she felt about Cahir. However, she made it seem like she was talking about the experiences of a friend.

“What? Maternal love?”

“Yes. Didn’t your friend feel proud if he didn’t lose his temper and worked things out?”

Rosaline did feel proud when Cahir said “exile” instead of “hanging” or “pay cut” instead of “dismissed”. She thought he was starting to act more and more like a human being.

“Shall I say it again? She’s always worried he might make a mistake. Doesn’t she always hope that everything he does will go well?

“Yes…” Rosaline nodded with an enlightened look.

Anthony gave a big smile. “That’s the infinite affection that mothers have for their children.”

The conversation ended with Anthony showing a benevolent smile.

“Well, sometimes my heart aches when I see him, what’s that? Oh, it’s not me, it’s my friend.”

“That? It’s just in case he goes wrong. Think about it like when mothers see their babies taking their first steps. Even if it’s faint, their hearts will hurt a little. It’s the same thing.”

In the face of Anthony’s confident replies, Rosaline felt as though her worries had been blown away.

‘I was looking at Cahir like a son.’

While he was a tyrant, he was still somewhat of a human being. Although the love of a mother who gave birth to and raised her children is incomparable, Rosaline’s dedication for the last five years was no less than that.

Talking to Anthony helped to clear Rosaline’s mind. Eventually, Rosaline decided she would try milking this story to get out as much information as she could.

“Father, my friend has another problem. Yes, another.”

“Is it serious?” He gestured with his head in a way that told Rosaline to tell him as much information as she wanted. The reaction was so intense that Rosaline was worried that he would fall out of his seat.

Anthony was excited. Rosaline’s story was not only interesting, but her attitude was good as well. She listened to him while nodding her head and added a slight accent when she continued or replied. She evidently had a knack for making other people listen.

“Well, my friend told me that there was a woman who would be a great match for that man. A so-called, “fated person”? Somehow, I’m not very convinced. Whenever we meet, she looks pretty and pious, but the way she acts sends goosebumps down my spine. Why is that?”

Rosaline leaned expectantly in front of the table. Anthony frowned, seemingly having a hard time answering this time. He rubbed his chin and fell into deep thought.

“Oh, I see!” Anthony’s face brightened up. “Jealousy!”

Jealousy, as in a mother’s feeling of jealousy?

“Ma’am, this kind of story has existed in this country since ancient times. It’s the story of a young man’s mother bullying his bride, you know? The love that a mother holds for her son runs deep and they sometimes express that instinct in unsavory ways. I bet she just wants him to meet someone better. You know what I mean, don’t you?”

Of course!

Rosaline admired Anthony’s wisdom. After all, the wisdom of a pope who would eventually be revered for generations was different from that of other people.

The vermillion rays of the sun streamed through the windows of the room. Seeing the sunset, its hue the same as Cahir’s eyes, Rosaline suddenly wondered what she was doing.

‘So my feelings for him were motherly?’

Anthony’s answer was clear, and the confidence on his face was enough to convince Rosaline, but something was off. She wanted to ask more, but she still had a job to do. A long time had already passed.

“I’ve taken too much of your time. My apologies.”

“No, It’s been such a long time since I had this much fun. Rather, I think I have taken too much of your time since you are so busy, Miss Secretary.

Rosaline was already on her feet and ready to leave, while he scrambled to get on his. Anthony told Rosaline to come back anytime.

She replied that she would come with His Majesty the next time and that she would be able to share some good news. His face brightened with an innocent smile, which made her feel so much better.

“Well, if I could meet him, there’s something I’d love to tell you.”

“…?”

***

Rosaline blinked. Every time her long eyelashes fluttered, the sunlight made her eyes shimmer. Anthony forgot what he was going to say and stared blankly at Rosaline.

“Your Holiness?”

Her voice snapped him back to his senses.

He smiled shyly. “There’s a common truth on the continent that transcends religion. I really want to tell you that.”

“What’s that?”

“Marrying against your mother’s opinion is not something that should be done. A mother’s intuition is almost always right.”

Rosaline’s jaw dropped slightly.

***

“His Majesty says you may rest when you come back.”

When asked where Cahir was, Hui replied with a refreshing smile. She and Rosaline walked side by side.

“Oh, look at this! There’s suddenly an urgent message for Miss Secretary. It’s for this afternoon.”

A quick telegram was called an express telegram. Most aristocrats exchanged letters to each other using their family’s personal footmen, but sometimes professional telegraph offices were used.

The people from these offices were very agile and delivered letters quickly and more accurately than the average family footman. Delivering longer, more detailed messages was part of their job. The telegram Rosaline received was also sent by a professional telegraphist. She could clearly see the seal of a pigeon that only they used.

“Who sent the telegram?”

“It says it’s from the secretary’s friend. By the way, did you have any friends?”

She didn’t, but somehow one person’s face popped up. She tore open the telegram. Written inside were a time and location to meet.

“Hui, what time is it now?”

“What? It is a little past six. Why do you ask, Secretary?”

“Since I don’t have any plans for this evening, I’m going to have to leave right away. I’m going out for a bit, but I’ll be right back.”

“Alone? No way!”

***

Eventually, Rosaline was able to leave with Hui’s permission as long as she left with James. Derek stood next to Cahir. He had been ordered to give Rosaline a break, so he didn’t dare leave to look for her. Recently, however, Cahir’s mood had been unpredictable. He didn’t know whether or not he would get fired.

‘We need to finish this meeting quickly so I can go home.’

Rosaline fixed her hood.