Chapter 15

Chapter 15

I touched the book using my tiptoes, looking at it anxiously.

However, just like any ordinary book, it didn’t respond.

The scene just now was so unreal that maybe it was just a trick of the light.

“What is it!”

My fingertips were still prickly.

After shouting like that, I touched the book carefully, this time with my hand. Fortunately, there wasn’t a response again.

“…What the. What kind of book is this. Why even make me nervous?”

Of course, the book didn’t reply even as I talked harshly at it. Then, I heard a knock on the door.

“Princess, are you ready? The high priest has already arrived!”

“I’ll be out in a second!”

It’s already time.

I couldn’t keep the high priest waiting. Hesitating for a moment, I snatched up the book 〈 Dawn of the Full Moon 〉 from the floor.

Again, fortunately, it didn’t show that same phenomenon as before. I left the room, carrying my luggage with me.

It was the room I’ve been living in all this time, but I turned my back without any regrets and headed outside.

It was time for me to enter the temple.

“Noonim!”

Lisandro, who was waiting outside, hugged me right away the moment I stepped out.

He couldn’t come into my room earlier because of my request to be alone, so he’s been waiting outside my door all this time.

“Uwaah! Noonim don’t leave… I, I’ll study harder and train harder so I can protect you… Can’t you just stay…?”

I hugged Lisandro back as he bawled so hard that he couldn’t breathe, patting him on the back.

“People are going to think I’m going to some faraway place.”

The temple readily agreed to the proposal my mother and I drew up.

But it’s true that it would be hard to change the temple all at once.

I thought this would be the case, so I didn’t expect anything to change all at once. Accepting my mother’s terms was enough for now.

From what Mother said, the members of the temple were truly blind to God and to fellow men that they truly were like angels without wings.

On top of that, they said they would trust me and let me do what I want…

Did they ever mention that in the novel? I’m not really sure because there wasn’t much said about Yurenia.

As I tilted my head to the side, I thought about it some more, but I couldn’t recall anything, so I quickly gave up.

“Not coming home for a while is the same as going far away!”

To be honest, I thought that the mansion would be a safer place for me rather than the weakened temple.

But Mother said it would be much safer to be in the temple.

The temple is said to be protected by the holy grounds that the saint had blessed, so it should be a place that could protect me from any threats.

Certainly, the book also said something about those who entered the temple without permission to try and kidnap the saint were punished by the heavens.

“N-Noona!”

Right then, I saw Frey jumping out of a carriage and rushing over.

“Frey!”

I thought I wouldn’t be able to see Frey because of the high priest, but it’s a good thing I could see him before I left.

He ran straight to me, clasping my sleeve as he roughly gasped for air.

Like Lisandro, his eyes were brimming with tears.

“N-Noona, are you really leaving…?”

“Don’t cry.”

I smiled as I carefully stroked Frey’s tear-stricken cheek.

It was cute to see Frey like this. He was usually calm. He rubbed his cheek on my palm and sniffled.

“…You have to write me letters.”

“Sure. Oh! If I ask you to come visit, you should come visit me no matter what, okay?”

I still needed to cure Frey’s illness. This was important.

I vowed to learn how to purify using holy power the moment I could.

“Noonim, how ‘bout me!”

“You can come twice a day.”

“Yeah!”

I wiped away Frey’s tears then patted Lisandro’s head, who was still sobbing a little.

“…But out of all people, why should you be the saint?”

“That’s something I’m wondering about, too.”

I knew Yurenia was one, but I certainly wasn’t.

“I guess I’m too nice for my own good.”

It was an excuse that I thought of after thinking about it, but strangely, the high priest and my parents just burst into laughter.

“Yuni, you’re cute! So cute!”

Then, my father lifted me up. I didn’t like the airy feeling of being lifted up and down, but I pretended to be happy and laughed as well.

…It’s hard to pretend to be a kid.

As Father set me back down on the ground, he quickly became sullen even as he had a big smile on his face. He hugged me tightly.

He was supposed to be stuck in his lab, but he ran out and stayed with me all the time.

Even if he’s late, he should know that I’ll come back eventually. He seemed sad to think I was leaving the nest.

Mother also quietly held my hand tightly. I was in the embrace of my family, and we didn’t say anything for a while. After saying goodbye bravely, I got onto the carriage.

After that emotional farewell, I was now on my way to the temple.

The name of the high priest sitting across me was Yulita.

With fluffy brown hair that looked so soft just from a glance, I was overcome with the urge to touch it, but I endured.

I wasn’t crazy enough to touch the hair of a stranger.

“You must be nervous.”

“Not really.”

“Lady Yurenia is mature.”

I’m really not.

Yulita looked at me so lovingly as though she had already been blinded.

No matter how dense a person could be, I knew that they were welcoming me enough that they revered me. The glimmering blue eyes looked at me.

With her eyes curved into crescent moons as she stared at me, she reached into the sleeve of her big priest’s robe and took something out.

“Ta-da.”

Yulita carefully offered a strawberry-flavored lollipop to me.

“Do you like candy, Lady Yurenia?”

“Yes. I like it. Can I have this?”

“Of course. Would you like to eat it now?”

As soon as I nodded, Yulita took off the wrapper and handed it to me. And when I put it into my mouth, there was a burdensome look on her face as she watched me.

I averted my gaze and looked out the window.

For a homebody like me, it’s been a long time since I’d stepped outside.

Usually, I could just find anything at home.

The boutique also came to the mansion to take my measurements and deliver my dresses, so the only time I went out was to buy limited edition desserts.

“I heard that Lady Yurenia made a very good plan for the temple. We’re still working hard to implement the plan. If we come across some troubles, would it be alright if we ask you?”

“I heard the details from Mother. Instead of erecting a new building, we’ll repair the existing structures that the temple doesn’t use and create a vocational school and an orphanage…”

There was already an orphanage there, but it was only for the use of children who had holy power.

The plan indicated that even orphaned children who had no holy power would be sheltered and directly cared for by the temple, and the orphanage would be changed to sincerely help these children in need until they reach adulthood and get a job for themselves.

On the other hand, there would also be a community feeding center and a vocational school.

A separate relief organization would also be established, and they will go around and help those in need that the temple couldn’t reach from where they permanently were.

“We won’t be able to change right away. There are probably people who won’t be happy that we, who will be reaching out to them, aren’t saints.”

“……”

I took out the lollipop and stared at her. Yulita held my small hand tightly and smiled sadly.

“I know Lady Yurenia is still young, but it would be better if you come forward and say that you wrote the plan.”

“What are you…”

The hand holding onto mine was warm. Yulita cleared her throat for a while, then spoke sincerely.

While doing this, Lady Yurenia won’t have a hard time. We’ll protect you.”

“…Okay. Thank you.”

At this moment, I confirmed with my own eyes that these people really had no malice at all, that they were really pure just as Mother had said.

So pure and harmless that I wondered what made them like this.

It wouldn’t be so easy to become blind.

Well, I won’t draw the short stick here.

“We’ll soon be arriving at the Grand Temple!”

Yulita had opened the carriage windows a bit to ventilate the humid air, and thanks to this, we heard the welcome voice of the coachman.

Hearing this, I stared out the window, my nose very near the glass. The road where flowers and trees grew in its surroundings were harmonious.

This path led to a building that looked like the pantheon.

There was a large triangular roof supported by large pillars on all sides, and it looked like this building came straight out of Rome.

The open structure showed the whole interior.

On top, there were large marble statues with their eyes closed as though they were praying, and at both sides, there were two huge beast statues that looked to be guarding the structure.

“That’s where everyone can come and go freely to pray to God.”

As Yulita said this, I saw that there were people praying inside. Clasping their palms together, they bowed deeply and each placed a flower on the floor.

The flowers resembled a yellow rose.

“It’s a flower called riole gold. When the first saint, Martina, appeared, that flower was in full bloom, and the entire Empire was filled with its scent. It then became the representative flower to have been bestowed by God.”

“I’ve seen it before.”

I already knew that, but I listened carefully.

The carriage didn’t stop and continued to go deeper inside. It was definitely a large and spacious temple, and it was no wonder that the temple had founded the Empire alongside the Imperial Family.

We passed by quite a few buildings, but most of them weren’t being used. I made a mental note to have those renovated later.

The carriage finally stopped, and it was near a clock tower.

This place, the cathedral built in the middle, was the main building of the Temple of L’Aquila.

Once I enter through those large doors, it will be just like stepping over the threshold into the afterlife… Ah, no, I shouldn’t use that metaphor.

Like stepping into heaven. These doors were something like that.

Before getting off the carriage, Yulita dressed me in a sky-blue robe. She was smiling broadly even as she lifted the hood over my head.

“Because it’s not time to reveal the saint yet.”

It felt like she was being considerate only because she thought I was shy. I gave a small bow of gratitude as I got off the carriage with her help.

As I stepped out, the surrounding area was very quiet.

I could even hear flowing water and birds chirping at a nearby lake.

This tranquility and warmth felt as though I had returned to my hometown. The man guarding the large doors recognized Yulita and opened them.

As I was about to go in, I heard a loud shout that made me turn my head without realizing it.

“Oh, the building at the back is the training grounds for the paladins. I’ll show you around later. Our paladins are really cool.”

She whispered quietly to me and winked.

I was about to thank her for telling me, but when she winked, I didn’t know what to do.

I entered the temple holding Yulita’s hand, and the interior was truly magnificent.

Inside, statues of L’Aquila could be seen, and paintings with the god’s likeness filled the walls.

The ceiling was high, and there were stairs on both the right and the left. It was so astounding and dignified that I unknowingly bowed my head and felt the need to pray.