CH 82

“She said she wouldn’t stay in the temple.”

“Wouldn’t stay? Not forbidden to stay?”

“Yes. By what right do we have to stop those who come to the temple? It’s open to anyone since it’s a place where God sometimes stays.”

It was a very principled statement, but there was no doubt as it was the words of someone who adhered to the principle more faithfully than anyone else.

Eventually, with the same calmness, the old priest brought up a story that went one step further than what the saint had told the people.

“She told me firmly that she would stay in the Imperial Palace, not the temple.”

Richard’s face, which had seemed bored until now, showed slight interest.

“The Imperial Palace?”

“Yes. The saint said she has to stay in the Imperial Palace.”

“Not that she wants to stay, but she must stay.”

“She said that God said that she has a mission to become the crown princess.”

“Not to relieve the damage of the locust swarm?”

“Yes. There wasn’t a word about that…”

As the plain and soft voice, which seemed to make one sleepy if one kept listening to it, died down, the room fell into a silence more desolate than the grave.

While the young priest blinked rapidly and glanced here and there, the older priest kept his mouth shut with his usual benevolent expression, and Richard slowly yet calmly tapped the armrest.

Cooper was the only one who was not at peace.

He could not hide the incredulousness he felt. His mouth repeatedly opened and closed. 

He had just heard something really, really nonsensical.

‘A priest doesn’t lie, so he can’t be lying, but to accept it as it is…’

Could it be accepted?

Cooper asked as calmly as he could.

“I beg your pardon?”

The old priest responded with as much composure as before.

“The saint, a messenger of God, said that she has the mission of becoming the crown princess in order to bless the imperial family in accordance with God’s will.”

At the story that was clear even after hearing it again, Cooper finally exploded.

“What did you just say, Priest!”

“In order to bless the imperial family in accordance with God’s will…”

“Before that!”

The young priest, who had widened his eyes at Cooper’s exasperated voice, raised his hand and answered loudly.

“The saint said she should become the crown princess!”

After giving a clear and concise answer, his eyes twinkled akin to a student seeking praise.

Cooper’s feelings of absurdity were flying far away at that ignorant naivety, but the old priest patted the young priest on the shoulder as if he was praising him and like he was accustomed to it.

In contrast to Cooper’s mouth opening in utter bewilderment, Richard directed a collected nod at the old priest.

“Right.”

The old priest received it peacefully.

“That’s right.”

For anyone who hadn’t heard the story, it was as though the menu for tonight’s dinner had been decided.

Then the young priest, whose eyes were bright, raised his hand again.

“What is it?”

At Richard’s glance, the young priest shouted.

“It’s prayer time!”

“Oh, we’ve been here for a long while, hahaha.”

“Let’s go back.”

Although the young priest had both the uniqueness of being a priest belonging to the temple and the universality of being young, his behavior was clearly rude.

However, just as he did during the greetings, Richard simply issued an order without showing any sign of displeasure.

Facing such a Richard, the old priest put both hands together and bowed deeply.

It looked like he was praying, and the young priest quickly followed suit.

“What are you doing, Priest?”

And for the first time since meeting them, Richard’s voice sank coolly. It seemed he didn’t want it at all. 

At the unfriendly response to a prayer that most wanted to receive, the old priest slowly raised his head.

Those spotless, clear eyes looked similar to that of a newborn child’s, as if all the years had escaped them.

“Your Highness will surely break whatever shackles you are trapped in. No matter the cost.”

There was no sound of catching floating clouds, but Richard peered at the old priest as if trying to dig into his mind.

“What do you know?”

At that question, which sounded as though it was echoing deep in a well, the old priest laughed.

“I don’t know anything. I’m just a lowly servant of God. But I want to pray for the Crown Prince. Will you allow me?”

Richard didn’t welcome it, but he wasn’t as cynical as before.

If the damn infinite regression could be stopped with the priest’s prayers and pleas to God, it would have stopped a long, long time ago.

But even if it was useless, there was no need to throw out the sincerity of the innocent priest.

“Pardon me.”

The old priest clasped his hands together and bowed his head, and the young priest hurriedly mirrored him.

They did not adjust the angle of their necks and faces to receive the light like the saint did, nor did they blink slowly.

They did not speak of God, nor did they make any gestures.

They just silently held their hands together and kept their heads down.

The prayer that started ended, and the place where the priests were became empty.

Richard sat sideways and stared at Cooper.

Cooper’s face scrunched up in a mixture of anger, bewilderment, astonishment and absurdity.

He inhaled and exhaled heavily as if to let go of his agitation, but then spun around in place like he was going to cry.

Then, realizing what he was doing, he paused and turned back. But perhaps unable to look at one of the parties that caused his confusion, he caught his breath and turned again. This cycle repeated, so he was spinning around and over again.

Richard decided to stop his aide by the time he was on his third lap of spinning

“Cooper.”

“Yes. Your Highness.”

Cooper not only stopped immediately, but also rushed towards Richard.

Richard made a silent appeal when Cooper was a step away, and he nodded with great reluctance.

“Don’t tell me you’re going to keep doing that.”

Hopefully not. Richard crossed his legs in boredom while watching Cooper’s face morph. He did not deliberately hide his feelings, but rather, revealed everything on his face as if he wanted him to know.

“Crown Princess. But she’s a saint—”

“—Wait, no, that’s nonsense! No, that’s not it. Uh. I’m sorry.”

“Never mind. Isn’t that what it is?”

“It’s a must for Your Highness! Of course! It has to be done.”

Like other nobles, the imperial family also had the duty to produce and raise the future generation.

In addition, the imperial family was almost as rare as the Bolsheik, so there were only a handful of times when they had children to the point of fighting for succession.

It was common for the crown prince to take a crown princess and have an imperial grandchild as soon as possible.

Cooper appealed to Richard with a serious expression and sincere voice that might never be seen again in the world.

“It’s deplorable not to leave your Highness’ blood as posterity. Please pay more attention to the crown princess.”

Cooper only wanted to serve the ‘little Richards’, regardless of gender.

And he added, befitting of being Richard’s aide.

“Aren’t the people depressed since the locust swarm? A national celebration at a time like this would lift the atmosphere.”

“Well.”

Richard’s lukewarm reaction was already familiar, but Cooper, who was sullen and drooping his shoulders due to the shattered expectations, raised his head.

“But! Not this way. Absolutely not. Absolutely not until I get dirt in my eyes.”

Cooper’s eyes were brighter than ever.

“I am well aware that Your Highness has no interest in filling the crown princess seat at all. However, I’m not letting go, even if dirt comes into my eyes!”

(TL/N: Just a clarification in case anyone is confused – Cooper welcomes the idea of someone occupying the crown princess position, but not the clearly sus saint, and he is worried Richard, who doesn’t seem to care who takes that position, will just accept the ‘saint’ so that his ‘crown princess problem’ is gone. Mhm… Cooper is willing to fight to the death to stop that. Haha.)

The saint who suddenly appeared from somewhere and handed out suspicious medicine would be the crown princess?!

What was more, it was questionable whether a saint could marry.

Wasn’t there an unwritten rule that saints who appeared in legends or fairy tales were literally messengers of God, and since they were dedicated to God, they must not have relations with any secular human beings?

“Even if the saint can marry, she shouldn’t be welcomed as the crown princess without any verification. No, let alone the crown princess spot, she shouldn’t even enter this palace!”

While Cooper was arguing, Richard, the person who was pointed out as the saint’s husband through God’s matchmaking, was paying attention to something else.

“Cooper.

“Yes, Your Highness. I apologize. I’m just…”

“No, rather than that, she didn’t say which god she is serving. Even the people from the temple didn’t raise any questions.”

Cooper’s eyes widened. Come to think of it, that was right.

Just like the people in the temple who didn’t even think to ask which God the saint was the messenger of, Cooper couldn’t think that far even though Richard had already spoken about it once.

“It doesn’t matter if you talk nonsense about the crown princess or whatever. I’ll decide who will stand next to me, look in the same direction as me, and walk with me.”

Brilliant red hair manifested and swayed in front of Richard’s eyes, and eyes like a blue lake that was as clear as it was cold appeared in his mind.

“Richard.”

‘She is the only one who can call my name.’

‘And she is the only one I want to have by my side, and the only one I want to be with.’

No matter what anyone said, it was nothing more than empty bullshit that would never reach Richard.

Cooper’s eyes widened at Richard’s serene words.

With eyes as wide as an ornamental globe, Cooper patted his still beating heart.

‘If what I’m hearing now isn’t an auditory hallucination, Your Highness… Your Highness is finally…!’

“Finally! I have the heart to serve Her Highness…!”

“Not yet.”

“Yes. I apologize.”

At the answer that came out like a knife, Cooper was downhearted again.

And at the next words of his master, Cooper became even more sullen.

Ame: if that saint is a real saint, then i’m a prophetess x_x i bet that richard’s next words will be something like “you won’t be serving the future crown princess” edit: i’m totally wrong, and totally not a prophetess pfft

Dea: that saint gives me really weird vibes, i can’t wait for someone to put her in her place

Also… where are you Ophelia? Come back! We miss you!!