CH 3.1

The curfew was lifted three months later. For three months, I wrote letters to Yohan and sent him gifts. If all the letters I wrote were collected, I guess I could bind a book?

Meanwhile, I thought about what I could do for Yohan. And I found it out. Yohan is not free until the war is over. He can’t even love me at will. So the way I can help him is to help the war end.

But it wouldn’t take that long if the war could end so easily, would it? Would it drag for long until the kingdoms disappeared and the royal families became a member of the senate? It’s not that easy for a 14-year-old girl to end, is it?

Fortunately, I was Tite Rivero. Yes! I am the eldest daughter of the Rivero family. The eldest daughter of the prestigious Rivero family, ex-royalty Rivero! If I had been born 200 years ago, I would have been Queen of Rivero. Although the kingdom disappeared, the royal family still retained its old wealth and power. While in formality we are united under the Holy Nation as a member of the upper assembly, the royal family retained its authority. It was the same with military force.

Look at the Knights and Mages of the Rivero family. They lost their honor of the past, but they were as sharp as a knife sharpened for a long time. They were always preparing for war and waiting for the day to avenge their past. I actively helped them. I supported them. It wasn’t only them. If it helps to end the war with victory, I would even use my own money to help. People praised me.

The first daughter of the Rivero family. A princess who knows what honor is.

I was quite busy, but I didn’t forget the letters and gifts for Yohan. I tried to visit the Temple and meet Yohan even though I was so tired. Yohan didn’t meet me as though he worried I would be overworked. It must be because he was worried that if I met him, his resolution would be shaken and I would come to see him without taking a break. I’m sure of it.

As though my actions paid off, the Holy Father called me. I came to him with a trembling heart. If you ask me why, it was because His Holiness was like a parent who raised His Eminence, so he was like my father-in-law. What if he doesn’t like me as a daughter-in-law—I was so worried.

His Holiness praised my actions. He said it was wise of me if what I did was to cover up the scandalous thing a few months ago. That made me wonder. Scandalous? I swear on my family name, it never happened.

“What do you mean by scandalous, Your Holiness?”

“Oh my. I dug out a past a young lady wants to forget.”

“I don’t have such a past.”

I was taken aback, so I wanted to resolve the misunderstanding quickly. It’s obvious, isn’t it? Not anyone else, but His Holiness the Pope misunderstood me as having a scandalous past. It was really troubling if the Pope’s misunderstanding interfered with my relationship with Yohan. To prove my innocence, I kneeled and honestly confessed in front of His Holiness.

“Your Holiness, the only person I love is Cardinal Yohan. No other man has appeared in my life besides him.”

His Holiness didn’t seem to really believe me. How did I know? His benevolent expression had hardened.

“Young Lady Rivero. I’d like to ask you. Are you thinking you are in a deep relationship with Cardinal Yohan?”

“There was no physical relationship between the man and woman that you are worried about. We’re pure and if you wish, we’ll keep a pure relationship until he quits the priesthood. He loves me, and I also love him, but I will persevere for the sake of God and humanity.”

“Oh my God, Young Lady.”

It should be me to say ‘oh my God.’ His Holiness suddenly opposed our relationship. Even the reason was ridiculous, so the exclamation just popped out.

“Cardinal Yohan doesn’t love you.”

He said Yohan doesn’t love me! It was so baffling that I burst into laughter even though I was in front of the Pope. Can you believe that? I can’t believe he said Yohan doesn’t love me. No one could say that if they saw how he stared at me. No one would say that if they saw him when he made eye contact with me. They could never have said that if they knew him the moment he first saw me.

His Holiness raised Yohan like his own son, but he must have been a stranger. He didn’t know much about Yohan. Thus, I told His Holiness that Yohan is a 16-year-old boy and a human being who can feel love for a beautiful girl like me. His Holiness affirmed my opinion. But he insisted to the end as if it was an old man’s stubbornness.

“What you say is right, Young Lady Rivero. Cardinal Yohan is a man before he is a servant of God. He can love someone and have lust. But Young Lady Rivero, Cardinal Yohan doesn’t see you that way.”

“No. He loves me. I hope the war ends soon. Then he’ll pack his luggage and admit his feelings for me honestly. For that, I can wait even if I become a grandmother.”

I said that, then what did the Holy Father say?

“Oh, my God.”

Really. I was the one who should have said, ‘Oh, my God.’