Chapter 3.2

C H A P T E R 3

Episode 8

Ian smiled sadly with his treated right arm carefully placed on the table.

“It’s okay, Elsia. I know for sure what kind of crime I’ve committed, so I don’t intend to avoid it. Don’t be afraid and tell me what you know.”

“Okay.”

The time Elsia faced Conrad was recently than expected. However, he, the crown prince, was surprisingly the first person Elsia has ever met to have a good personality. Therefore, all the memories with Conrad were bound to be memorable.

Ian, who heard of the recent meeting with Conrad, was lost in thought. Elsia fell in love with him once again when she saw the young man’s eyes.

Even though she felt sorry for his painful hands wearing protective gear, her foolish feelings naturally sprang up whenever she stared at him. She completely forgot the resolution she had firmly set as she stared blankly at Ian, who opened his mouth.

“I see.”

“Did my story help you?””

“…… I want to ask you one more question, Elsia. Have you ever seen Nessian?”

“Oh…”

Elsia was startled. She vowed not to bring up a rather sensitive topic in front of Ian. She didn’t even mention the word saint to him. Will Ian be okay if we talk about Nessian, the current commander of Tyr church?

No matter how naïve she was, she thought it would provoke Ian Cypris. Sir Nessian is a person who took over the position after Ian was forced out of the capital.

Furthermore, Nessian had a history for Elsia. When she went to the temple and heard them say that Ian should return to the Imperial City, the gaze he had was strangely unpleasant, she didn’t even want to recall it.

Ian calmly said as her gaze went to the hand wearing the protector.

“It’s okay, Elsia. Just because my hand is getting better doesn’t mean that I want to return as commander, nor do I resent Nessian for taking over. I just want to know what changes happened while I was away. I’m sure Seiran knew but… I’m too ashamed to ask him.”

Elsia mustered up the courage to let go of her personal feelings and only brought up stories well known to the people of the Imperial Capital.

“Not long after Ian was dismissed, Sir Nessian became the head of the Holy Knights. At that time, calculating the pros and cons was quite tense. There are many people who believe in Ian.….”

“…….”

Hearing the stories of people who had waited for him for a long time, Ian’s eyes felt inevitable loneliness. He was a still human after all.

“I don’t think there’s much disagreement about Nessian right now. I don’t know much about the other temple, but that’s the news from the Tyr Church.”

“That’s a relief.”

Ian literally gave a short evaluation.

“Then please rest now, count. If you feel pain, may it be night or dawn, please call me immediately, and you can take a regular anti-inflammatory drug.”

As Elsia stood up holding White Bunny, who had been silent, Ian’s gaze followed.

“Do you want me to walk you back?”

“Yes? What? Ian… No, the count needs to rest! You just got surgery and you’re going to see me off? Haden is here to help you with that.”

Ian smiled softly at Elsia who nagged in surprise.

“I see. Elsia, if you want to call me Ian, you can do so.”

“Huh?”

“In return for healing my hand. Anyway… It’s a leisurely name that isn’t called by anyone here, so you can call me that as much as you like. Do you not like it?”(Paasa)

“……I’ll get going.”

Elsia bowed her head and said goodbye, avoiding an answer. Ian didn’t say anything when he saw her turning around in a hurry. It was just that the eyes were filled with the emptiness that had become a habit after a long time.

On the way back, she couldn’t even breathe well due to her pounding heart. Why did Ian……. Why does he keep trying to show such excessive kindness even though he is not interested in her? Asking to walk her back, allowing her to call his name.

Is he pretending to treat her specially? Why?….. Just why?

By any chance…

‘No, I’m being stupid. Don’t expect anything! I’m not that noble to replace the saint!’

After returning to the bedroom, Elsia threw herself on the bed. The pounding chest is yet to calm down. White Bunny, who had not been freed, pricked his mouth.

[Foolish Elsia, you like that man.]

“Bunny, be quiet! What are you going to do if someone hears?”

Surprised by the sudden criticism, Elsia put her finger on her lips. She didn’t even deny her feelings. Recognizing the owner’s mind, White Bunny approached her.

[You’re a fool who doesn’t know how to express your heart properly, I said it for your sake. I don’t tell anyone just because, you know.]

* * *

About ten days and a month after Elsia came to Eusley Castle,

Nessian, the head of the Holy Knight, requested an audience with Conrad.

The crown prince, Conrad, sat on a spacious throne and looked down at him arrogantly. It was a strange scene where no one objected, even though he was only the Crown Prince, not the Emperor, sitting on the throne.

The emperor temporarily resigned because he was an old man and he lost interest in politics. Currently, the de facto emperor was the crown prince and everyone accepted it. However, Conrad, the emperor’s eldest son, did not proceed quickly with his crowning ceremony, so there was only a little noise about it.

Nessian greeted with a deep bow, overwhelmed by Conrad’s dignified appearance.

“I greet his Majesty, the Crown Prince.”

“Thank you, Sir Nessian. May I ask what the matter is?”

Even though he was the head of the Holy Knights of the Tyr Church, Conrad treated Nessian as a common knight. There was no sign of deep respect. As Nessian was in a hurry, he paid no heed and proceeded with his objective with a nervous heart..

“I’m curious towards your opinion about the petition I filed…. “

“Hmm.”

Conrad nodded his head.

After discovering and supporting Elsia, who was born with natural talent in puppetry, Conrad suffered from external troubles. It was due to the healing doll Elsia had created.

An amazing doll that does not use any medicine but heals the body healthily.

It was possible because the spirit of the healing doll, which was known to have died in ancient times, was its core. Although it was not possible to treat many people at once, the ability itself was great. It surpassed God’s blessing who is unable to heal patients who are resistant to medicine or divine power.

Elsia, who owned the doll like her treasure, was gentle and sweet. In addition , he has kept silent about his unnamed chronic headache, so he has to keep her. Still..

‘I shouldn’t have sent White Bunny to the temple from the beginning to test his ability to heal. Hoo, that was the only thing I regretted since I brought Elsia.’

The two denominations that divided the religious world of the Draig Empire recently showed strange movements. Although the two fractions are separated, it was different when Kyla was there to mediate.

Nessian, the new head of the Holy Knights, played a big part in creating this uneasy atmosphere. After the saint’s death, he focused on nurturing priest healers.

The best means of attracting new believers were divine powers. However, Tyr Church was originally centered on the powerful paladins; Vanir church was in charge of healing. Therefore, even if the two denominations expanded their influence for a long time, there would have been no conflict between them.

Sir Nessian was satisfactorily good at his job, but he used to be strangely annoying to the crown prince’s intentions.

‘……It was good to send Elsia far away to Eusley Castle.’

Nessian asked Elsia, who doesn’t even have divine powers, to be sent to Tyr church.

Would he have made such a request if she was a noble of a prestigious family, instead of a commoner? Conrad was displeased and sent a letter of refusal. He threw the letters he received in the fireplace, and forgot about it so far.

“I don’t have much in mind.”

“Your highness!”

“It’s a suggestion that I don’t understand, Lord Nessian. Why do you want me to send a puppeteer who doesn’t have divine powers to the temple?”

“Isn’t it an honor to serve the temple? Your Highness, please ask the puppet master once. No, if you send her to the temple, I’ll persuade her well.”

“For what reason?”

As Conrad continued to listen, his previous displeasure revived and he stood up. Seeing a fairly violent attitude, Nessian was busy making his own assertions.

“With her help, she would be the focal point of the church!”

“What did you say?”

He expected it, but hearing something so absurd, Conrad’s face hardened. Was he saying that he has wicked plans under the guise of an order from the temple?

Nessian thought this was the right time, he expressed his secretly hidden ambition.

“Your Highness, the Crown Prince. Vanir Church lost their saint, they have yet to find a candidate for a new saint. At times like this, if the Tyr Church recommends a puppeteer who is not a saint but can treat anyone, it will make a big impression!”

“What?”

“If you send Miss Elsia, I promise you that I will never overwork her and treat her well. Wouldn’t it be okay if it’s a condition where she can only cure two patients a month?”

“Sir Nessian, do you know what you’re talking about right now?”

Although everyone was disheartened when the saint died, Conrad did not share the same sentiments although he pitied Ian. He had never seen nor conversed with the dead saint very well. It was because of the strange glances Saint Kyla gave him whenever they were together in one place.

She seemed to see Conrad as a man of romantic interest. It made him wonder why on earth did she go against her duty as a saint when she was the symbol of peace? It was a very unpleasant memory. So, Conrad used to eliminate the opportunity to face her as much as possible.

(TL/N: What? Huh? I thought Kyla was in love with Ian? Are you telling me that Ian wasted his life for this girl? I am pissed at Ian but WHAT THE HECK?!!)

Nevertheless, listening to Nessian was getting more amazing. Just because the saint has passed, doesn’t mean they should immediately replace her with a fake saint to be publicly advertised. It’s not even a suggestion coming from the Vanir church but Tyr church!

It was an obvious deception.

It was something that should not be done to the people of the empire and the Vanir Church who lost their saint.

How can the Knight Commander himself come up with such an evil idea?

Sir Nessian seemed to want people to overwhelmingly worship the Tyr Church, surpassing the Vanir Church.

If the new Holy Knight’s Commander and the fake Saint were to be worshiped…..

“I’m not saying that I’m going to put the puppet master as a saint. It’s just a means of attracting public attention and support.…!”

“I must strongly refuse, Lord Nessian. My reason is all in what you said.”

“Your highness!”

Conrad stood and clapped his fist lightly with strength on the armrest of the throne.

“Elsia has the right to go anywhere she wants and not be forced to use dolls for the temple. If she decides to treat someone, it’s a decision to make by herself and I respect that, even if she receives money for it! If anyone tries to suppress her free will, I will step forward and punish them because I discovered her!”

There was a reason why Conrad reacted violently.

(TL/N: I’m thinking of something bad- it won’t be like that, right?)

It was not necessary to issue orders every time a doll used its abilities. The owner can make the doll move without giving orders themselves, but the arbitrary operation was difficult to last long due to its clear limitations.

In addition, Elsia was naturally weak. Unfortunately, even the healing doll she made, It was impossible to change her weak body into a healthy one. Developing a useful doll should be helpful to yourself, not to let others make you fall.

She would usually collapse soon when the wind blew and she often looked like a helpless cosmos. Now, it’s obvious that Nessian talks out of greed claiming to help Elsia, but it won’t last forever. If he takes her to the temple and hides her so that she doesn’t stand out. Nessian will reveal the truth in any time necessary for him.

By then, there was no one who could save Elsia from being abused by the people.

Conrad could not stand such a disastrous figure.

Elsia came to the capital because he reached out to her first. He deserved to be responsible until the end.

In addition to her treatment, White Bunny was able to help the patient recover by generating small light beads. It works only when his bond with Elsia is maintained strong. In the end, it meant that dolls were always bound by Elsia’s mental and physical condition to use its healing techniques. It means that Conrad could not let Elsia face external pressure or be in pain when using her dolls.

“But…”

“And Sir Nessian. I hope you keep one thing in mind. In our Draig Empire, both the Tyr Church and the Vanir Church have freedom within the empire but the favor of the Imperial Family is not everlasting.”

“What?”

Nessian blinked.

“If you belong to the church, don’t you need to be more clean-minded? You are the current head of the Holy Knights, but his tone seems to be almost trying to interfere with the royal family’s internal affairs.”

“Well, that’s definitely not what I’m saying.…!”

The plan to bring Elsia to the temple and use her as a puppet went astray. More than that, Nessian became anxious, wondering if this ignited Conrad’s anger. His interest towards the next emperor was much more important than keeping one female puppet master, who was merely a means of expanding his power.

He bowed his head in a hurry, but it was too late.

“Why don’t you be careful in the future? I won’t take your audience for a while. However, we will omit sending formal letters of protest to the church.”

Conrad turned coldly enough to make a snapping sound from his shoes as he left the throne room. Nessian was devastated and had no choice but to look at his back. He regretted how his small greed caused Conrad’s lack of favor towards him.

***

Meanwhile, in Eusley Castle, the surgery schedule was temporarily suspended after the first treatment of Ian’s hand. It was because of White Bunny’s new opinion.

[Hmm, I think it’s better not to perform bone-fitting surgery in winter. It’s a problem if you treat it early and get sick due to the weather. Since the season is cold and bad, why don’t we wait until spring?]

“Bunny!”

Surprised by the immature words, Elsia quickly covered White Bunny’s mouth. However, Ian readily accepted that he had no thoughts against it.

“I see. Then… Elsia, would you like to return to the capital?”

“What?”

Ian said, looking at her stiffening up.

“If you change the treatment schedule, you don’t have to stay here for the winter. Shouldn’t you go back and come again in the warm spring? You have a weak body, there is no need to endure the cold season and suffer.”

She glanced at the workers seen through the window and made excuses.

“Ha, but everyone did construction for me….”

“That was always something we had to do anyway. I just stalled it because it was noisy, and Seiran said he wanted this too, it’s okay not to care and go.”

If she roughly guessed right, she was being kicked out of Eusley Castle. Elsia eagerly hugged the struggling White Bunny as she earnestly said;

“No, I’ll stay here. The weather could get warmer early. And… there could be other circumstances, right? I really want to stay until the count’s hand heals completely. Please allow it.”

Ian glanced at Elsia, who was weak but very stubborn.

Her creamy hair without any accessory reminded him of a dessert full of sweet stuffing. If he could, he wanted to mess it up. At this moment her hair was tied neatly into a ponytail, but when untied, it’ll unfold like an enchanting wheat field…….

‘What am I thinking about?’

Objectively speaking, Elsia is adoringly beautiful.

However, more than that, she had an atmosphere of a stimulated old nostalgia whose origin was unknown.

Something that awakens Ian’s longing from a quiet countryside which should have been impossible as he lived all his life in the capital.

END OF EPISODE 8