Special Side Story 13

“Then how did you…”

“It was my speculation.”

Prion looked at Alice and Kylus, who had both changed their hair and eye color to the same brown, as if enjoying an interesting sight.

He soon smiled and continued:

“Not long after the two of you left on your journey, the deity sent a message about dark mana poisoning in the Eastern Kingdom. That there were many dark mana poisoning patients in the Eastern Kingdom. That’s when I thought.”

Prion looked directly at Alice.

“That the one who told the deity about the Eastern Kingdom’s dark mana might be Lie… No. Lady Alice.”

Lien, such a well-chosen pet name that it sticks to the tongue.

Enough to unconsciously say it out loud.

But seeing Kylus’s eyebrows shoot up menacingly, Prion quickly changed his form of address.

Prion cleared his throat with an “ahem” and focused on the main point.

“The deity still cannot leave the Great Temple, and there is no high priest in the Eastern Kingdom with enough divinity to convey messages to the deity. It was strange that suddenly, someone knew the Eastern Kingdom’s situation in detail.”

“Ah…”

“And as it happened, Lady Alice had gone on a journey, so I thought perhaps Lady Alice had traveled to the Eastern Kingdom. After all, Lady Alice could inform Lord Helios about the Eastern Kingdom’s situation in detail.”

Despite his gentle appearance, Prion was quick-witted.

“Then when I came to the Eastern Kingdom, I heard rumors. About a mercenary couple from the Empire with holy power helping a village.”

“…”

“The wife was said to be as cute as a rabbit, and the husband as handsome as a mountain god. That’s when I was certain. It had to be the Duke and Duchess.”

“Ah…”

Alice looked at Kylus.

Indeed, it’s not easy to hide that face.

Alice accepted that they had been discovered primarily because of his mountain-god-like handsome appearance.

Kylus, of course, accepted it was because of Alice, who was as cute as a rabbit.

As Alice and Kylus nodded in agreement while having completely different thoughts, Prion carefully brought up his real purpose:

“It seemed like you were traveling with your identities hidden, and I didn’t want to interfere, but… I’ve encountered a situation I simply cannot resolve with my power alone, which is why I’ve come looking for Lady Alice.”

Alice paused and turned to Prion.

She had expected that Prion hadn’t come for a pleasant reason, but…

“Something that Your Holiness cannot resolve… What kind of matter is it?”

Prion exhaled heavily.

“The Eastern Kingdom princess’s dark mana poisoning symptoms are severe. To the extent that her life is in danger.”

“The Eastern Kingdom princess? If it’s the royal family, they should have been able to find clerics or treatment medicine as much as needed…”

“Unlike others, she didn’t show the typical symptoms of poisoning, so they didn’t realize it was dark mana poisoning. As a result, they couldn’t find the cause and only provided symptomatic treatment. The purification treatment was delayed, and the poisoning has reached her heart.”

“Even her heart…”

Alice’s brow furrowed.

“I came urgently to the Eastern Kingdom and poured out my holy power, but… unfortunately, my power wasn’t enough to purify her heart. Therefore…”

“You need my holy power. Since my holy power is stronger than yours, Your Holiness…”

“Yes. Lady Alice can save the Eastern Kingdom princess.”

Lady Alice, please help.

Prion bowed his head in request.

But at that moment, it was firmly rejected.

Not by Alice, but by Kylus.

“That’s not possible.”

Kylus continued with a hardened face:

“If Lien saves a princess whom even the Pope couldn’t save, Lien’s holy power will be exposed to the world. Then she’ll instantly become the center of attention across the continent.”

Prion tried to say something, but Kylus was faster:

“Have you forgotten that we kept Lien’s holy power a secret because such great attention could be dangerous? It was none other than the deity who ordered this.”

Of course, the deity had already changed his mind, but Kylus didn’t know that yet.

No, even if he had known, Kylus would have rejected it just the same.

After all, he didn’t want Alice to become a great saint.

Hence, he reacted sensitively and sharply, unlike his usual self.

He simply wanted her to live happily within his embrace.

He disliked both the possibility of her facing potential dangers as a saint and the idea of her growing distant from him while saving people as a saint.

Hadn’t he also disliked accepting Cheongryun’s request and heading to Ilgwang Village?

He had merely tolerated it because it was only temporary.

But if she became a saint, such occurrences would happen frequently.

It wouldn’t be temporary but would become prolonged.

Kylus’s dark thoughts whispered to him.

That if bodies grow distant, hearts also grow distant.

So don’t give even the slightest gap.

“I will prevent Lady Alice’s exposure. The Eastern Kingdom royal family will certainly keep quiet if the princess is saved. So…”

“There is no perfect secret in this world. The moment power is shown in the Eastern Kingdom royal court, it only increases the number of people who know the secret.”

“…”

“And what if another patient like the princess appears? The Pope’s holy power won’t be enough to treat them, so should Alice secretly provide treatment then too?”

Kylus pressed Prion vigorously.

“That’s…”

Prion moved his lips but couldn’t bring himself to refute.

Because Kylus’s words were right.

A look of dismay settled on Prion’s face.

Kylus didn’t miss this and was about to deliver the final blow.

That the life of the Eastern Kingdom princess wasn’t more important than Alice, so he should just leave.

But just as he was about to part his lips, Alice spoke:

“Kail.”

She called his name softly.

Flash.

In that moment, Kylus came to his senses.

To think he had been so absorbed in his emotions that he hadn’t seen her.

He had almost spoken harsh words that she would dislike.

Kylus swallowed his words and looked at Alice.

He saw Alice’s calm brown eyes.

There was no perplexity or hesitation in them.

It was the same look she had when accepting Cheongryun’s request.

Ah.

She intends to accept Prion’s request.

Thinking about it, it was natural.

Unlike his selfish self, Alice was a person with a lot of compassion.

Only someone like him could cruelly ignore a dying princess.

Of course, he was jealous that her world was expanding through her altruism.

He wanted to be the only one in her world.

But he shouldn’t let her see this possessiveness bordering on obsession.

It was too unsightly.

He feared that Alice might leave, disliking his unsightly self.

It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Alice.

It was because traces of past wounds remained subconsciously, despite having been brought back to life and learning to love through Alice.

His childhood, unloved.

His father, who had personally shown him that eternal love didn’t exist.

These deep memories occasionally tormented him.

That’s why Kylus was always trying.

To be the perfect husband for Alice.

So that her love for him could be eternal.

Kylus tensed his chin and suppressed the dark emotions that were creeping up.

“Oh my, I’m sorry. Lien, your wishes are most important, but my concerns made me step forward.”

And as always, he gave Alice a gentle smile.

Because she was weak to his face.

“It seems the Eastern Kingdom princess’s condition is quite serious… What would Lien like to do?”

Though he knew what answer she would give, Kylus pretended not to know and asked.

And he thought about what to do next.

How to more thoroughly ensure the silence of the Eastern Kingdom royal family.

How to enter the Eastern Kingdom royal palace with Lien as inconspicuously as possible.

He would hide her existence well, reducing the risk.

If they could just endure this one time, they could be alone together again.

And the Eastern Kingdom, where there had been many unexpected events… they wouldn’t even look at it for a while…

“Your Holiness. I have something to discuss with my husband about this matter. Could you please leave us alone for a moment?”

Kylus, who had been continuing his thoughts, paused.

The words that came from Alice were not the answer he had expected.

He had thought she would say she wanted to save the princess, that they should do as Prion suggested.

Suddenly, she said she had something to discuss with him.

Moreover, unlike usual, Alice was not swayed by his smile.

She was just looking at Prion with a determined gaze.

Did I make a mistake?

As Kylus was uncharacteristically flustered, Prion had already risen from his seat.

“Yes. Please talk comfortably.”

Prion quickly left the office, and Kylus looked at Alice with a slightly tense face.

“Lien, if you’re upset because of me…”

Alice shook her head before Kylus could finish speaking.

“It’s not that. Kail. Rather, I should be sorry. Because I’m about to say something you won’t like.”

“What do you mean…?”

“I didn’t expect to discuss this issue so soon…”

Alice narrowed her brow as if troubled.

A feeling that something significant was about to happen.

Kylus’s brow also narrowed, and at that moment, Alice resolutely said:

“Kail, I don’t want to hide my holy power anymore.”

“…What?”

“I want to reveal my holy power proudly and become a saint.”

It was truly a first for Kylus.

That words from Alice’s beautiful lips could be so displeasing to him.