Chapter 21

Elder Marxen picked at his fingers and showed his disapproval of the divine healer. “How’s the saintess?”

“She’s recovering well.”

The saintess was quickly getting better, and this made Elder Marxen nervous. At this rate, he would soon be en route back to the Holy Empire. “Is there a way to slow it down?”

“Excuse me? For what reason…”

“Don’t ask me why.” Elder Marxen coughed. “Hm. You do know that the temple’s promotional exam is coming up, right?”

“…!” The healer picked up on the implication behind those words and bowed. “I will do my best.”

“Yes, of course, you should.” This was the only way Elder Marxen could get what he wanted.

Elder Marxen nastily laughed. He had increased the time he would be at the estate, but when he thought about what to do next, a frown appeared on his face. “That sly girl…” He looked down at her because she was young. However, she wasn’t a normal girl. He had seen a chance to get rid of Ludwig and place an informant next to her, but…

“Watch your words, elder.”

He trembled when he remembered her words. Her cold gaze had been unlike a child’s. ‘She has Emperor Miltiades’s eyes.’ Elder Marxen shook his head, not wanting to think about it.

The temple taught that saintesses were special existences, but he didn’t believe it. “She’s still a child.” Everything had been set in place, but it all fell apart because of the unexpected appearance of the holy sword.

“What will I do if I actually lose my divine power?” It was the first time Elder Marxen had sworn on the Lord’s name, so he trembled in fear. He didn’t know the details of what had happened to priests who lost their divine power.

“Since it has come to this…” He started thinking. There was still a way for him to survive. “… It’s unfortunate, but I’ll have to get rid of Ludwig.”

Elder Marxen went back to his room, closed the door, and took out a magic device. The device lit up and a man appeared.

“Why did it take you so long to contact me?” A voice came from the device.

“The surveillance has been quite strict, so it was difficult to find time to be alone to contact you.”

“So, did you find ‘it’ yet?”

“I haven’t found it yet. The castle is more secure than I originally thought.”

“As long as you find the evidence, we’ll have a chance to tie up Rahel’s emperor.”

“Yes. I understand. I do.”

“Do whatever is possible to get a hold of the evidence, and…”

The voice turned into a whisper.

“…!” Elder Marxen’s eyes widened when he heard those words. “Is it okay for me to do that? But I don’t know if I can bring the saintess back…”

“It doesn’t matter what you do.” An insidious smile appeared on the face of the man in the shadows. “As long as you succeed, I’ll give you whatever you want.”

“I’ll do my best!”

* * *

Every day was peaceful, save for when it came to Elder Marxen.

“You’re getting healthier each day, you have nothing to worry about.”

“I’m worried about Harel’s recovery.”

Harel had yet to gain consciousness. Seeing my worry, Luciana smiled and reassured me. “It’s fine. He’ll definitely open his eyes. You’re looking after him wholeheartedly.”

“You think so?”

Suddenly, I heard a knock on the door, and a familiar face appeared. Callian came to my side, and it seemed like he had been running to get here as fast as he could. “Saintess, please. Stop the emperor!”

“What?” ‘What’s going on?’

* * *

I rushed to a hallway in the palace at Callian’s urging. When I reached the hallway, a strange combination entered my vision. Elder Marxen and Miltiades.

“…?” I turned around, and Callian nervously looked at me. ‘What’s this situation?’

Elder Marxen raised his voice. “What were you doing to the saintess that she fell unconscious? This is all because your faith is weak! You don’t have the right to be a father!”

“…?” ‘What’s that person doing?’

“I knew it the moment the saintess chose a sinner like you. This horrible event happened as a punishment from the heavens!” Elder Marxen went on. “You don’t have the right to take care of the saintess! I will take her back with me to the Vios Empire. Just know that they’re already looking for a new family for her!”

‘Is he insane?’ I genuinely thought he was going crazy when Callian stomped behind me.

“Saintess. If this goes on, the emperor…”

“Stay still for a moment.” I had held back before because the elder was doing it for me, but this was different. ‘You dare attack my dad now?’ That made me more upset than the news that Elder Marxen planned on taking me back to Vios.

“What’s going on here?” Getting irrationally angry was for fools. I went over to them with a smile, and Miltiades turned his eyes toward me with a grin. When we made eye contact, my smile became wider and his gaze became kinder.

Elder Marxen turned toward me. “Oh, Saintess, welcome. I was scolding this sinner.”

“What?”

“He doesn’t know how great and precious you are. I cannot overlook the sin of making you faint.”

‘Oh, this is a new kind of bullsh*t.’ I was surprised my dad was listening to this. ‘Is his sword still in its sheath? Is this… the power of love?’ My cranky mood instantly got better. Daddy was listening to this crap for my sake. He definitely loved me. Feeling happy, I said, “It’s fine, it’s fine. It’s his first time being a dad. Of course, he’ll make mistakes.”

“What do you mean? Saintess! This isn’t something you can look over!” Elder Marxen hadn’t raised me either, but he kept going on. “Your guardian should help you learn about the world and properly raise you, but he’s of no help! So we should immediately—”

“Daddy’s doing his best for me.” I cut him off and asked him, “What can you do for me?”

Elder Marxen looked confused as if he hadn’t expected me to take my dad’s side. “I, I can do many things for you. If it’s for you, the most precious existence in the Holy Empire, I can do everything.”

He was good at buttering me up. “So, tell me exactly what you’ll do.”

“That…”

“Three, two, one, done. Since you can’t respond within three seconds, then you have nothing planned. But you’re saying you can do anything?”

Elder Marxen’s face flushed. He looked upset that he had nothing to say. “Ho, it seems like you’re too young to understand…”

‘I know everything.’ “Oh my!” I purposefully widened my eyes in shock. “Are you looking down at me for being young?”

“…” Elder Marxen bit his tongue.

It looked like the idiots in the holy empire still hadn’t realized what was going on. I was done dancing in the palms of their hands.

“I chose Daddy. Are you ignoring my will?”

“Why would you phrase it like that? I’m just doing this for your sake—”

“For my sake? That’s weird. It seems like you’re going against my decision.” The only thing Elder Marxen couldn’t take away from me was my dad. “Can I see this as a challenge against the priesthood?” My smile suddenly turned cold.

“What? What do you mean against the priesthood? How could you twist my words?”

“You’re making it sound like that.” I looked at Elder Marxen, who was in denial, and smiled, “That’s why you need to watch your words.”

I was staring at the expressionless Elder Marxen when I felt someone looking at me. As I glanced to the side, I found Daddy looking in my direction. I smiled at him. If Daddy had an argument with the holy empire, the only one at a disadvantage would be him. So I had to finish this myself.

“My words are more important than Grandpa Pope’s.” The saintess was higher up in the ladder than the pope. After all, the first pope had been a saintess. “I’ll be the next Pope, so you should watch out, right?” Elder Marxen tried to say something, but couldn’t. His face turned red. I looked at the trembling elder and called for Luciana, “Luciana.”

“Yes, Saintess.”

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“Elder Marxen isn’t feeling well, so he said he’s going back to the Holy Vios Empire today.”

“Yes. I’ll prepare for his departure.”

“Th-that!” The surprised Elder Marxen tried to interject, but he couldn’t say anything when I smiled. He must have understood it to mean ‘shut up and get lost.’

I hammered the final nail in his coffin.”If the elder continues, he might start a war between the Vios Empire and the Rahel Empire.” Miltiades, who was standing silently this whole time, let go of the hilt of his sword and ordered Callian, “Take care of our precious guest.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I turned around and brightly smiled at my dad. ‘That idiot probably doesn’t know.’ I had taken my dad’s side, but I had also saved Elder Marxen’s life. The only person who didn’t know he was about to die was the man himself.

* * *

As Elder Marxen lifelessly left, Berrict went up to Miltiades and asked in a low voice, “Your Majesty, what do you want me to do?”

“Get rid of him.” Miltiades’s golden eyes, which Amelia praised as stars, were cold.

“Yes. I understand.” Berrict bowed.

Miltiades emotionlessly turned away from Berrict and looked at Amelia. She was smiling widely.

When the elder who had been sneaking around had come up to him, Miltiades had honestly considered how many years of war he wanted to deal with. ‘Would it have taken a hundred years?’

No one wanted to start a war against the holy empire because they could revive themselves. They were nicknamed the ‘zombie army.’ Miltiades was about to embrace the consequences and permanently shut the elder’s mouth when Amelia had appeared.

‘It’s his first time being a dad. Of course, he’ll make mistakes.’ Miltiades felt that it was worth listening to the bullsh*t if he got to see the little Amelia protecting him.

He didn’t know if she had noticed his gaze, but she turned to him. As their eyes met, Amelia’s smile became wider and she whispered, “Did I do a good job?”

Miltiades saw her sparkling eyes that wanted to be complimented. He unconsciously smiled. “You did well.”

“Yay!”

The happy little child was cute. She was cute enough to make him want to see it again. Miltiades was shocked at the unfamiliar emotions he was currently feeling..