CH 129

“Just be aware. Esther, you wouldn’t know if I didn’t tell you.”

Esther pouted in displeasure and tried to say something, but Noah beat her to it.

“Nothing changes. I will always be by your side.”

Noah’s soft voice mixed with the chirping of the birds, sweetly passing Esther’s ears like the words of a song.

“How mean.”

“What?”

“Why doesn’t anything change? This makes me awkward to see you.”

“Awkward? Does that mean you’re conscious?”

Noah, who hoped that Esther would think of him differently, grinned so widely that his eyes crinkled. 

The smile was still so pretty that she couldn’t say anything else.

Noah turned back to the restless Esther’s side.

“Let’s go. You must leave before it is too late.”

“Yes.”

The two of them moved, slowly but surely, to finish the remaining path.

‘Oh, I bumped into you again…’

Esther glanced at Noah.

So far, she had been relaxed and casual, but after hearing that he likes her, she was nervous walking next to him.

Perhaps because they were so close, their arms touched lightly as they walked, and each time they did, their faces burned.

“The weather is nice today. Right?”

“Mhm. It’s good.”

Esther answered quickly, as if she had been caught staring at Noah.

During the short walk, their attention was only on each other.

They didn’t make eye contact. Whenever Esther was about to meet his eyes, Noah swung his head to the other side, and whenever Noah’s gaze grazed hers, Esther swiftly turned.

The quiet walk ended at the carriage.

Noah and Esther exchanged awkward greetings with faces as red as an apple.

“I’ll be going.”

“Have a safe return.”

“Mhm.”

Noah’s urgent voice held onto Esther as she was about to turn away.

“Esther!”

He lowered his head towards her, who had paused.

As soon as their eye level matched, their eyes filled the image of the other, and they widened. 

Instantly, Esther panicked and turned her gaze away. Seeing that, Noah’s lips drew a thin arc.

“Why, why…? Do you have anything else to say?”

“No. I haven’t seen you in a while, so I wanted to look at you a little more. I’m done now.”

Noah muttered in an adult-like voice and gently bumped his forehead against Esther’s.

With that, he walked away. But Esther was still and speechless, her heart was pounding and her toes were curling up.

Victor, who was watching the two from behind, went ahead and opened the door of the carriage, as if he couldn’t bear to see it anymore.

“So… Oh, I’m really going. Goodbye, Noah.”

Not knowing what to say, Esther ran faster than she ever had through the open carriage door without looking back.

Soon after, Victor closed the door, and as soon as he got on, the carriage started.

“Crazy, really.”

Esther clung to the side of the carriage and fanned her face. Her heart was still pounding, and she felt feverish for no reason. Gradually, her palms covered the flushed cheeks.

After she finally calmed down, embarrassment rose. She was especially bothered that Victor saw everything. 

“Did you see it?”

“Has His Highness the Crown Prince been like that for just a day or two? it’s okay.”

Esther hesitated over the thought of discussing Noah’s affairs with Victor, who reassured her that it was no big deal. Eventually, she said,

“Victor, Noah likes me.”

Listening to Esther’s hushed whisper that was as if she was telling a huge secret, Victor rested his chin on his palm and laughed.

“I’m certain none of the employees of the grand ducal residence don’t know this fact.”

“What? Did Victor know?”

“Of course.”

Embarrassed, Esther put her hands on her knees, fidgeting.

“Are you going to keep it a secret from Dad?”

“I’m not brave enough to tell His Grace what I just saw.”

Victor shook his head. He really didn’t have the confidence to handle the wrath Deheen would explode if he conveyed this in detail.

“Whew.”

As the carriage rattled, Esther’s fluctuating emotions began to subside.

She pushed aside thoughts of Noah and slowly retraced her conversation with the emperor.

Looking out of the window at the blue sky without a single cloud outside, pink eyes sank into the distance.

She was proud to be able to keep her promise to Cespia to join hands with the emperor. She really didn’t know that this day would come.

‘Revenge is no longer a dream.’

The disease had not yet spread, so Esther gently closed her eyes as she passed through the streets of the peaceful capital.

Esther got off the carriage which had been running non-stop and found Deheen pacing around the front of the door.

Her eyes widened when she saw Dennis sitting on the steps next to him, reading a book, and Judy swinging a wooden sword vigorously in the yard.

“Why is everyone here?”

With a mixture of delight and embarrassment, Esther’s pace quickened.

In a single step, Deheen reached Esther, and he looked everywhere to see if she was injured.

“Did you have a good trip?”

“Yes.”

There was such a fuss even though she hadn’t been away from home for a long time. It was embarrassing, but it felt so good that the corners of her mouth went up.

“Why are you all here?”

“It’s later than the hour you were supposed to come.”

Dennis, who had closed the book and carried it by his side, pointed to his watch and said.

Although it was late, it was only about 40 minutes later than the previously projected arrival time.

“I was afraid that something might have happened, so I was going to pick you up, but I waited a little longer.”

When the promised time came but Esther did not appear, the three of them anxiously gathered in front of the residence. They were so worried that it couldn’t be certain who came first.

After saying that it was fortunate that she returned without incident, Deheen asked about the invitation by the Imperial Palace.

“Why did His Majesty call you?”

“Because of the holy flowers. He asked me to help him because he needed holy flowers to cure the disease without the temple.”

“He intends to continue pushing against the temple.”

“I guess so.”

Esther sympathized and motioned for Victor to bring the box.

The box, which had been carefully packed and loaded onto the carriage, was full of fruit skewers. They were gifts from the emperor.

Judy was the first to show curiosity.

“What’s this?”

“Dessert. It’s very delicious.”

Esther divided the skewers with strawberries equally among the three people.

“His Majesty gave it to me as a present.”

Esther ate so well that he offered them to her to win her favor, but she only intended to bring it home and share it with her family.

“Eww? I can eat this, but it’s too much. Too sweet.”

Judy commented with a frown. He had taken a big bite without thinking, and now his mouth was full of sugar.

“Just shut up and eat.”

Horrified to hear that, Dennis hit Judy hard on the back of the head.

Anyway, Dennis, whose desire to explore grows rapidly when he sees something new, also bit into the strawberry.

“Dad, you’re going to eat too, right?”

Although Deheen had no intention of eating it at all, he accepted the skewer because he couldn’t bear to disappoint Esther, who was gazing at him with sparkling, expectant eyes.

For a while, agjak, agjak.

Loud crunching sounds came from the sugar coating of the strawberries breaking.

It was a rare sight to see Deheen and his twin sons, who were known for being cool, each holding and eating a candied strawberry skewer.

Pleased that the three of them were eating well, Esther asked cautiously.

“Right, Dad. I thought about it while on the way home. In July, the epidemic might get worse… Wouldn’t it be too much to throw my birthday party?”

“Hmm. You can still throw a party, but if it concerns you, how about hosting it some other way?”

“How about having a party at the shelter? We can distribute holy flowers and other relief goods. Esther would also be able to be congratulated by more people.”

What used to be a temple was now called a shelter.

“That’s fine.”

Licking his sugar-stained lips. Dennis slapped Judy on the back of the head again, but this time, it was to commend him for his good idea.

Inadvertently swallowing the rest of the strawberry, Judy rubbed the back of his head and glared at Dennis, the corners of his eyes seemingly about to rip apart. 

“This… hey! Why do you keep hitting me? My bad hair is getting worse!”

“Sorry. I like the feeling of hitting you, so my hands keep doing it without even realizing it.”

Esther burst into laughter as she watched her brothers bicker.

When temples across the empire were closed, temple officials who had nowhere to go rushed to the central temple.

For several days, Rabienne had been stuck in the meeting room with the priests, dealing with the increased work of placing them in a new location.

“Even if more comes, there is no room for them.”

“All right.”

As the meeting was roughly wrapped up, Rabienne turned to Kyle, who had been entrusted with investigating the epidemic.

“What is the movement of the disease?”

“It’s still fine, but word is slowly getting out.”

“Is it okay to proceed with the July event?”

“I think it would be better to have a prayer service at the same time.”

“That sounds good. We can prepare the prayer system together.”

Even if it was for show, whenever a prayer ceremony was held, the people of the empire would flock to the temple like clouds. It was perfect for raising the status of the temple.

“Then let’s take a break.”

Rabienne’s maid came running to her when she went out to rest. 

When she heard that Duke Brions had come, she went to the reception room with a hop in her steps.

“Father! What brings you here?”

“I came because I was worried about you. You must be very busy.”

Duke Brions, who was sitting on the sofa, greeted Rabienne with a gentle smile. The two hugged lightly.

“Your father heard the news, too.”

“Yes. A number of temples have closed… How could the emperor do this.”

“I know. This, and the epidemic. It’s giving me a headache.”

Rabienne let out a deep sigh, revealing her thoughts that were usually hidden in front of her father.

“But… Who is next to you?”

“Ah. He is the new family doctor.”

“Hello, my name is Evian. It is a great honor to meet you.”

“Oh. Hello.”

Rabienne was momentarily confused. Why was a doctor brought here? But she greeted him kindly.

“He is quite capable. I brought him to treat you.”

“Me? I know myself well.”

No matter how fake she was, Rabienne, possessing divine power, was inwardly embarrassed to be told to see a doctor.

Even so, she couldn’t ignore her father’s sincerity for thinking of her, so she sat down on the sofa, feeling bitter.

“Then excuse me for a moment.”

With a face white from nervousness, Evian took a deep breath and placed his hand on Rabienne’s back.

Actually, the reason why Duke Brions brought Evian here was to compare the divine powers of Rabienne and Esther.

After a while, Evian, sensing the divine power that Rabienne possessed, swallowed his saliva, blinking strangely.

“How is it?”

“T-that’s…”

Evian glanced at Duke Brions, gently biting his lips.