Chapter 25
But just as she said, not knowing when or where it would happen made it all the more nerve-wracking for her.
“Priestess Lowella…”
Unable to go on, she trembled visibly as her hand lay on the table. I gently reached out and held it.
“It might not happen. And if it doesn’t, all the better. But ever since that day, every time I pray, that scene keeps replaying in my head.”
“It keeps replaying?”
“Yes. So please, I beg you to speak to His Majesty. Ask him to make sure the Captain of Royal Guard doesn’t get deployed anywhere for the time being, that he stays here in the capital.”
As she said this, Isabella lifted her head and looked at me with pleading eyes. And then it happened.
The moment our eyes met, a strange chill ran down my spine, and my mind suddenly grew muddled.
‘What is this? Why does it feel like something I’ve already experienced?’
It was bizarre. This was definitely the first time something like this had happened, yet I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d seen it before. As if this wasn’t the first time I’d been in this situation.
‘That makes no sense.’
The original story hadn’t even started yet, so it couldn’t be something I’d read in the novel. Which made this sense of familiarity all the more inexplicable.
“Your Imperial Highness?”
Perhaps noticing how oddly silent I was, Isabella called out to me. That finally snapped me out of it. I hurriedly shook off the thoughts swirling in my head and opened my mouth.
“Ah, so… you want me to relay your message to His Majesty, is that right?”
“Yes. I know he won’t be able to hold him back for long. He is the Captain of Royal Guard, after all. But just for a little while, at least until winter passes. I hope he can stay put.”
“Winter?”
“…There was snow piled up where he fell.”
“Ah…”
Winter. Was it winter when Allen died in the novel?
I tried to recall the timeline in the story.
Allen had died a few months after the story began, during a major war. Since it was early summer now…
‘Winter would line up pretty closely.’
She’d said her faith wasn’t strong enough to see things in detail, but from my perspective, someone who already knew the future, her vision was nearly spot-on.
Still, I only knew because I’d read the novel. But her? A god that shows the future?
I glanced at Isabella, marveling at her words, when a thought suddenly struck me, prompting a question.
“But Priestess Lowella, you seem to be quite close to the Captain of the Guard. Wouldn’t it be better to speak with him directly?”
At my question, I saw a flicker of unease in Isabella’s gaze.
“That’s…”
She hesitated, as if finding it difficult to answer.
I didn’t know the exact nature of their relationship, but it was clear Isabella had significant influence over Allen. That’s probably why he was placing flowers in the room of someone who wouldn’t return.
If Isabella told him to be cautious and asked him not to go to the battlefield for a while, Allen would surely think twice. Which made it all the more puzzling. Why go through me and Calix instead of telling him herself?
I waited, hoping she’d offer an explanation. After a pause, she finally spoke in a calm, quiet voice.
“I don’t want to give anyone false hope.”
“False hope?”
“Ever since I gave up my title as a princess and chose to become a priestess, I’ve made an effort to cut ties with everyone from my past life. That’s why I turned away all who came to see me at the temple… including Your Imperial Highness.”
It seemed there were quite a few people, not just Ariel, who had sought out Isabella at the temple. And I was certain Allen had been among them.
“My conviction hasn’t changed. I’ll live here according to my own will until the day I die. But…”
Perhaps recalling the moment Allen died, her expression crumpled in pain. Rather than say anything, I simply reached out and gently stroked the back of her hand in comfort.
“I understand. You don’t need to explain any further.”
I comforted her, letting her know it was okay to leave things unsaid.
“You must think I’m absurd and foolish for acting this way now, but I…”
“No. Not at all. If it were me, I’d have done the same.”
Even encountering someone I barely knew a few times had stirred a desire in me to act. If they’d been close, as she and Allen had been, this reaction was only natural.
“Your Imperial Highness…”
“I’ll help you. I’ll convince His Majesty and do everything I can to stop the Captain from being deployed. So please, trust me and wait a little longer.”
Honestly, I was relieved.
I’d known Allen was going to die, but I hadn’t known what to do about it. Should I interfere? Could I interfere? But now I no longer had to wrestle with indecision. Now, I had a reason to save Allen.
“Thank you, Your Imperial Highness.”
I replied with a gentle smile instead of words.
* * *
After my conversation with Isabella, I realized more time had passed than I’d thought. I hurried back to the palace.
As soon as I returned, I had dinner and shut myself in my room, organizing my thoughts about what needed to be done based on our conversation.
But… What was that earlier?
There was this persistent sense that I’d forgotten something, and that something was deliberately keeping me from remembering.
No matter how I turned it over in my mind, the situation Isabella had described still felt like something that had already happened. It made no sense. And the more I dwelled on it, the more frustrating it became.
‘No. Not now.’
This wasn’t the time to get lost in confusing thoughts.
I shook my head, trying to scatter the idea on purpose. What mattered now was figuring out how to fulfill the princess’s request.
All I had to do was pass her words on to Calix, and he would surely act. After all, it was a request from his sister. But the real problem wasn’t Calix but Allen.
The battle where Allen was fated to die wasn’t just any skirmish. It was a massive war. Even the Emperor himself had taken to the front lines to lead the army.
How could the Captain of Royal Guard remain behind in the capital while the Emperor was at war? It made no sense. And knowing Allen, he would defy orders if he had to; he’d go out to protect his sovereign.
‘This is complicated.’
I had told Isabella I’d do my best, but now that I was facing the reality of it, it was clear this wouldn’t be easy.
‘I’ll need to think this through.’
Maybe if I considered every possible option, I’d come up with a good plan. So I kept wracking my brain for ideas, and time slipped by. I must have been exhausted from going out today because I ended up falling asleep again, unable to wait for Calix’s return.
And as always, I woke up when I felt that familiar warmth wrapping around me.
“…Calix?”
My voice was husky with sleep as I called his name. He responded with a soft kiss to my forehead.
“Sorry. I meant to wait up for you again today.”
“It’s all right. You should sleep.”
“…Huh?”
His words were gentler than usual, and the drowsiness instantly vanished.
“You must be tired from today. Try to get some rest.”
He tucked the strands of hair that had fallen over my face back behind my ear.
“Oh, right.”
I’d thought today would be like any other, so his unexpected tenderness left me dazed.
“Are you disappointed? Then…”
“N-no! I mean… like you said, I did go out for the first time in a while, and I’m really tired.”
As he leaned in closer, I reflexively placed my hands on his face and raised my voice slightly.
“I’m really tired. So I just want to sleep tonight.”
I even forced a yawn to sell it. Then, trying to act natural, I lowered my hands. But he had already caught on, and chuckled softly.
Embarrassed, I didn’t know what to do for a moment. But I couldn’t let this opportunity slip away. So I quickly buried my face in his chest.
“Good night, Calix.”
“Good night, Ariel.”
And just like that, wrapped in his warm, broad embrace, I fell asleep once more.
* * *
The next day brought unexpected news.
Allen was returning to the capital after resolving a surprise attack near the southern border, near Eupheros.
‘Didn’t they say it would take a while?’
Surprised by his early return, I decided that today would be my last visit in his place. If I ran into him and word somehow reached Calix, it would only cause trouble.
I’d gotten quite a few flowers, thinking I had more time, but now they wouldn’t be needed. So I decided to bring all the smeronia flowers I’d prepared to the princess’s palace in one trip.
And with that in mind, I asked my nanny to bring out the entire batch I’d set aside.
……
T/N: Princess Isabella is trying her best to let go 🥺
