Chapter 150
The Princess
I had felt it before when the Imperial Capital had been swept away by demonkind, but there was no doubt that the aftermath recovery capability of a properly established great power was truly astounding.
The most symbolic Grand Sanctuary in the nation had been shattered to that extent, yet they had completely restored it in just a few days.
Well, perhaps it had only been possible because the high-ranking demon who had caused this entire incident no longer exerted any influence.
“……”
As I thought of Bailey Varga and Elisha Gillias Craven, I let out a sigh and ran a hand through my hair.
They would definitely make contact with again.
Wasn’t the reason they had approached this ti in the first place to verify whether I was a suitable person to carry out what they wanted from ?
I was certain of that. Unless I was a fool, there was no way I wouldn’t realize it.
When they contacted again, I had the feeling that sothing might truly be brought to its ultimate conclusion.
‘……They were originally characters who only appeared in the very final part of the story.’
The Storyteller— the demon Varga— was soone I would normally only et around Act IV, the final act, during [Subjugation of the Evil God].
He was not an existence that could simply pop out so freely starting from Act II.
No matter how I thought about it, it felt as though the tiline of the story was moving far faster than in the original work.
“Congratulations on your inauguration, Your Highness. Should I call you Your Holiness now?”
And the most important piece of information.
I had heard that the next Pontiff of the Holy Crown Kingdom would be Alester Fansheus Craven.
Wearing the black pontifical robe symbolizing the Pontiff, the First Prince of the Holy Crown Kingdom smiled bitterly at .
“Isn’t it strange? I think it wouldn’t have been strange even if you had taken this position instead.”
“No, I think it was a reasonable decision.”
“……Is that so?”
Alester, who was facing , gave a bitter smile as he spoke, but I rely shrugged as if I truly ant it.
Julius possessed excellent leadership, and Milene had exceptionally powerful divine power, but considering everything comprehensively, it was an undeniable fact that this prince was the most suitable candidate.
And, in truth.
-System ssage
▶ You have completed Act II: Desecration.
▶ The affection level of the God of Purification, Sia, increases.
▶ Your Bond level increases!
▶ You can copy 1 skill!
▶ Information regarding the Unique Trait ‘Divine Descent’ is updated!
-Quest Info
♣ Life is Beautiful (2) [ Individual Quest ]
* Katya Heinkel Craven harbored nothing but terribly unpleasant experiences regarding all mories of the Holy Crown Kingdom. Please help this individual overco such trauma!
* Upon clear, the target’s ‘Remnant’ will be granted as a reward.
▶ You have cleared the relevant quest.
▶ The Remnant of the target ‘Abigail III’ is granted.
……Honestly, from my perspective, now that these windows had already begun popping up one after another, it hardly mattered who it was.
The biggest concern had been blocking Act II without any casualties, and now that that worry had disappeared, the Holy Crown Kingdom was no longer a place that would be swept up in so major catastrophe. No matter which royal succeeded, they would manage things well enough.
As I mulled over that thought, Alester suddenly spoke.
“Aiden Kellermain.”
“Yes.”
“Take good care of my sister.”
“…….”
As I quietly nodded, Alester continued in a serious tone.
“If necessary, the Holy Crown Kingdom will provide any support—”
“No. I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
Even as he spoke, I abruptly cut him off.
Alester tilted his head, clearly puzzled at having his sentence cleanly snipped in half, and I continued.
“Why do you think His Holiness deliberately left Katya to be disregarded?”
“Hmm?”
“Of course, once her support was cut off, she was bound to be ignored. I’m asking about the intention behind doing such a thing in the first place.”
“…….”
At my words, Alester blinked blankly at .
“Wasn’t it to reduce the situations in which she would have to use that power as much as possible?”
It would be difficult to believe that the Pontiff had not anticipated that the mont he reduced his influence over Katya, she would beco a public enemy.
And most likely.
In the Pontiff’s mind.
He must have long thought that it would be better, even if it ant going that far, not to place shackles upon her.
Treating her like a discarded princess and expecting nothing from her could also be interpreted as a declaration that he would impose no obligations upon her.
“Katya will live doing what she herself desires. I will make sure of it.”
“…….”
“So let’s put so distance between her and the Holy Crown Kingdom, Your Highness. It’s sothing Katya herself should choose. I’ll help her.”
“……Very well.”
Alester, who had been listening quietly, nodded in agreent without resistance.
With an awkward smile, he asked another question.
“Then when’s the ceremony?”
“…….”
This ti, it was my turn to be at a loss for words.
“……Pardon?”
As I asked blankly, Alester instead tilted his head, as if my reaction was what he hadn’t expected.
“……Wasn’t it His Holiness’s last wish that you take responsibility for Katya until the end?”
“……That’s right?”
“……Then doesn’t that an you’re getting married?”
“…….”
Uh.
That.
Uh.
“…….”
……He was right?
Honestly, I couldn’t even deny it.
At this point, trying to make excuses like, ‘No, that’s not what I ant……,’ would amount to nothing more than trashy evasion of responsibility.
I had declared to the Pontiff that I would stake my life and take responsibility until the very end.
“…….”
I squeezed my eyes shut.
After taking a deep breath, I forced the corners of my mouth upward into a smile.
“……I will contact you as soon as the preparations are complete.”
“Good. I’ll help too, so we can make it as grand as possible!”
With a radiant smile that felt as though it washed away all my sins at once, Alester extended his hand for a handshake.
……It felt like all the moisture in my body was being drained away, but I still managed to grasp his hand in return.
▣
Polygamy.
Polygamy, huh.
So might call it soone’s dream, while others would call it an unfair scam contract— shouldering twice the weight of marriage, which was already the grave of one’s life.
As for my own mindset toward it, it was closer to, it didn’t matter what anyone said, I just had to do it.
Noel and Katya were practically like water and oil, and from Noel’s perspective— having once been my fiancée— it wouldn’t have been strange at all if she flew into a rage and tried to tear in half. And if that happened, what would beco of the political backlash, and what kind of aftereffects would there be externally—
It was a word that brought with it all kinds of difficult and towering obstacles. Even so.
‘……No. I made a promise to His Holiness.’
I didn’t want to beco a pathetic man who only made promises with his mouth.
At the very least, if soone had placed their life— and the life of the person they wished to entrust— in my hands, and I had sworn to it, then it was my duty to uphold that oath with all my heart and strength.
……Though it was a little frightening.
This wasn’t sothing that would simply end at the level of, this will be hard.
Every ti I faced the gods, it kept being revealed that they were deeply connected to the people involved in the main scenario.
And in the midst of that, Noel— who had received Karva’s power— had practically stamped a seal of certification that I would be swept up in every possible kind of romantic trouble in the future. She had even said that it would change her personality later on because of it.
“…….”
Hmm.
Co to think of it.
If the Noel from that ti had described it as ‘romantic trouble,’ didn’t that an there might be more than just these two in the future……?
‘……I’ll think about that later.’
Right now, just Noel and Katya alone were more than enough to make my head spin.
……And one of them was sitting right in front of .
“…….”
“…….”
Inside the passenger cabin, Noel Astrea Simus and I sat in silence, not exchanging a single word, listening only to the rattling sound of the train.
If Katya had been here too, it would have been nothing short of hell, but she was still struggling to adjust after regaining senses she had long lost. She preferred lying down quietly by herself for the ti being.
Since we were returning to the Empire after wrapping everything up properly, it would have made sense to at least create a brighter atmosphere. Yet Noel’s expression had remained stiff the entire ti.
“……Da Noel.”
In the end, unable to endure the crushing silence any longer, I barely managed to speak first.
I had been prepared to take the hit first if I was going to be struck anyway.
“H-huhk, y-yes, w-what is it?!”
“…….”
There was sothing strange about Noel’s response.
Rather than reacting sharply out of anger, it felt more like the words she had been desperately suppressing out of embarrassnt burst out all at once……
“……Da?”
“………….”
When I called out to her again, the feeling beca clearer.
Noel, who had been twisting her body this way and that, finally managed to open her mouth.
“……W-well, yes.”
She fidgeted and stamred as she forced out her sentence.
“……Didn’t I kiss you in front of everyone, Sir Aiden?”
“……Ah.”
So.
It seed that she retained faint mories from when Karva had entered her body. Even if she couldn’t rember every word she had said, she could recall the scenes in fragnts.
And it appeared that the way she had fiercely, almost predatorily, pressed had left an impression on her as well.
“…….”
No.
She had been too embarrassed to speak because of that.
The suffocating silence until now hadn’t been her trying to pressure — it ant she had been unable to speak out of sheer humiliation.
……Hmm.
‘……Just what happened to turn soone like this into that?’
What kind of incident would have to occur for soone who was now twisting in embarrassnt before to transform into a person with such a fierce temperant, caring nothing for the eyes of others?
More precisely, just what kind of catastrophe would I have to cause in between to push her that far……
And most likely, the clue that would provide an answer to that question was nearby.
A laugh echoed.
Inside a passenger cabin that was clearly occupied by only Noel and .
“……?”
“……??”
The two of us, goosebumps rising instantly, turned toward the source of the sound.
The cabin floor.
It was usually where luggage was stored.
When I yanked it open, an imdiate headache-inducing sight struck my vision.
“Oh dear.”
As I rubbed my throbbing temple and stared at the ‘person’ hiding there, a casual remark followed.
“Caught.”
Beneath a suit of heavy armor, tucked into the space normally ant for baggage, Milene Lazuli Craven— the Second Princess of the Holy Crown Kingdom— shalessly spoke.
“As expected, you can’t fool the instincts of a man who’s about to marry two won at the sa—”
“—First of all, be quiet and co out.”
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