Chapter 15 Part 5
I wondered where and how he thought I was asking to stay, to accept so immediately…
“When the announcement that I’m the Holy Maiden comes out today… I think it’ll be difficult to return to Laté.”
Hyle briefly paused at my words, then frowned slightly as if he had forgotten something, before speaking to me.
“I forgot to tell you. There won’t be an announcement about you being the Holy Maiden today. So you don’t need to worry.”
“What? How do you…”
“As I’ve mentioned before, currently Feros and the Grand Temple aren’t on good terms. More precisely, we’re at odds with the upper echelons.”
Hyle took out some documents from his chest and handed them to me.
They weren’t particularly thick, but each page was filled with writings about something, leaving no gaps.
“Then this is…?”
“In the Grand Temple’s hierarchy, Cardinal Xenoph’s position is more secure than the Pope, who rarely makes public appearances. This is the result of our preparations to bring down Xenoph.”
Looking through the documents, I found them densely filled with traces of Xenoph’s various corruptions and charges such as oracle leaks.
This document, containing everything from the most trivial to the not-at-all trivial matters, was clearly confidential and catastrophic.
“Why didn’t you expose this earlier?”
With a list like this, it was easy to predict that Xenoph could be imprisoned for life even without a trial.
“Because the Imperial House was backing the Cardinal. As long as the Crown Prince covered up his crimes, those charges were as good as nonexistent.”
A brief sigh escaped at Hyle’s words.
Ah, so that’s why… that’s why he had made breaking off my engagement with Abel a condition of our contract.
Only when the bond between the Imperial House and the Grand Temple was severed could Xenoph be removed.
“So you’re saying the new oracle and my broken engagement helped.”
“Yes, quite a lot.”
By now, the Imperial Palace was visible outside the window.
Seeing that the distant dome towers had come considerably closer, we seemed to be arriving soon.
“Rosiel, the Crown Prince surely knows something. The period when the clerics disappeared is much longer.”
Hyle glanced outside the window before continuing.
“I don’t think Abel will readily tell me… but I’ll still ask.”
“If you ask, he’ll probably tell you. Now that the trust relationship with the Grand Temple has been unilaterally broken, there’s no reason for him to keep the Cardinal’s secrets.”
It sounded plausible, but I wasn’t sure if Abel would tell me.
The moment Abel revealed that secret, it would become clear that he had turned a blind eye to the Cardinal’s atrocities, which would put him in a difficult position as well.
“Still, don’t get your hopes up. Now that we’re no longer engaged, Abel has no reason to be as affectionate toward me as before.”
“Well… I think he’ll tell you.”
Somehow, Hyle’s final words were strangely drawn out.
As I tilted my head in puzzlement, he continued with deeper, clouded words.
“Because the Crown Prince has feelings for you.”
I heard an absurd statement. I knew better than anyone that this couldn’t be true.
Of course, I too once fell into the illusion of thinking, “Could it be?”
But in the end, Abel had already heard from Xenoph that I was the Holy Maiden and had only approached me to use me to become Emperor.
He needed me to make his ascension to the throne easier.
But that’s all meaningless now anyway.
“Hyle, everything Abel showed me was just an act. So don’t say such nonsense.”
Even now, thinking about how I was almost used as a tool by Abel and Xenoph without knowing anything, it was so ridiculous that I had to laugh.
The thought of how foolish I must have looked sometimes surged up and tormented me, even after knowing the truth.
Suddenly, I felt Hyle’s hand gently stroking my hair.
Coming to my senses, I realized his warmth was enveloping me.
“W-what? What are you doing?”
“Just thinking that if I don’t say it, you might never know…”
“Know what?”
“Anything. At least in front of you, I feel I should be honest.”
I had no idea what he was talking about… but Hyle seemed somehow pleased.
What point was he happy about exactly?
“But Hyle, since it’s the National Foundation Festival, there won’t be much time to talk with Abel. I’ll try to approach him to ask… but I’m not sure if I’ll get a proper answer.”
Moreover, I was no longer the future Crown Princess.
Therefore, I could no longer stand by Abel’s side at official events like today’s as I had before.
Unfortunately, for a lady from an ordinary noble house, opportunities to converse with the Crown Prince at such events were not easily given.
At most, one might barely see his face at Imperial balls or special private parties, which made me realize that Abel’s rarity was quite valuable, more than I had thought.
“Ah, that’s fine. I’ve requested a private audience in the name of Feros in advance, so you can go in my place.”
“You’re more thorough than I expected. How did you know to prepare such a thing in advance…?”
At my surprised reaction, Hyle’s eyes curved like crescent moons.
His face looked reliable, as if he would answer that he was prepared for any question.
Even though Hyle’s face was already constantly in my mind, strangely, it seemed even more so now.
He already had a face pretty enough without needing to act coquettish.
But with such a bright smile on top of that… I finally understood why rumors said ladies fainted upon seeing Hyle in person.
“I told you I’d save you. I have to be diligent.”
His simple words made me feel like my breath was caught.
It was like having something stuck in my throat, refusing to go down smoothly.
Even trying to force it down with pressure didn’t change anything.
“What a pretty reason, how admirable.”
It seemed what was caught was my unsettled heart.
I gave a casual answer and turned my gaze from him back to the window.
I could see the carriage coming to a stop.
“Lord Marquis, we have arrived.”
Along with the coachman’s voice, the carriage door opened.
The bright light streaming through the open door was dazzling.
Hyle got out first and offered his hand, which I took as I stepped down. I surveyed the Imperial Palace, which I hadn’t seen in a while, with jaded eyes.
I never thought I’d come here again…
Every time I came here, I remembered collapsing in Abel’s room, which dampened my mood—not something I was keen on.
Come to think of it, all my embarrassing past moments were entangled with Abel. He was truly an unhelpful man.
“Rosiel, go straight to the Crown Prince. He should know roughly where the clerics are being held. After all, he’s the one who turned a blind eye to it.”
“Yes, Lord Marquis. I shall strive to meet your expectations.”
Hearing his soft whisper, I smiled slightly and lowered my head respectfully to him.
Given that his social status was higher than mine, I couldn’t behave as casually as before in this open space.
Hyle seemed pleased with my half-playful action, lifting the corners of his mouth gently.
“If anything happens to you during your private audience with the Crown Prince…”
If something happens?
His voice grew quieter toward the end.
Looking at him in confusion, his lips approached me again.
The sweet breath I felt near the base of my neck sent shivers throughout my body.
“Kick him.”
“What?”
I thought he was going to tell me to scream or something, but to kick him… and the Crown Prince at that…
What a harsh countermeasure.
“I’ll take responsibility.”
“Since becoming head of the family, you seem to throw around the word ‘responsibility’ casually.”
“Not at all. Only when it comes to you.”
“…I sincerely hope that’s the case.”
Hyle, who had been staring at my wary eyes, soon burst into chuckles.
Of course, it was so quiet that anyone watching might wonder if he was actually laughing, but I could immediately tell he was genuinely amused.
