CH 14

‘Regardless of her facial features, she looked poor.’

That was Athanasios’ first impression of Eleni. Her face was so beautiful that it made him feel pity for her. Athanasios felt dizzy at the ridiculous reality that such a girl was suddenly presented to him as a divine oracle without any explanation.

“It’s too pitiful…”

Athanasios muttered to himself. He refrained from saying it out loud due to his pride and common sense as a member of the royal family.

It was said that Eleni, despite being a princess of the Uranos Principality, was forced to become a nun at the age of six after her mother committed suicide. She had lived in poverty for ten years in a remote monastery, and was then summoned to the Styx Kingdom because of the divine oracle.

Athanasios even wondered if Eleni’s father, the Uranos Prince, was a heartless monster with a human face. It was not just about abuse; despite being of marriageable age, her body was small and there was no extra fat on her body, hidden under the nun’s tunic. Looking at her neck and wrists, there was only the bare minimum of flesh, consisting of bones and skin, just enough to look presentable. This made it seem as if she had been abducted like a slave.

Upon seeing Eleni and hearing her life story, Athanasios felt a fire ignite within him. Before thinking about her as a potential wife, he realized that she needed to be properly taken care of and raised. He needed to create a reason to take care of her, even if it was just in name only, by getting engaged and taking care of her.

Once he made up his mind, Athanasios acted quickly. He made an excuse to go to the Styx Temple for the engagement ceremony and decided to give Eleni a bath. The formal wedding ceremony was still far off, as it would be a national event, so they needed to complete the engagement ceremony on paper and in their vows.

Athanasios quickly undressed Eleni and put on a tunic for her to wear in the bath. As he saw her body, he felt sorry for her. Her body was so thin that it seemed like her bones would break if he touched her back, and her stomach felt like he was touching her organs. Trying to hide his guilt, Athanasios took her to the large bathhouse. He washed her long, golden hair with plenty of shampoo, trying to untangle it gently. Although it was not something a prince of a great nation should do, Athanasios remembered taking care of his large dog in the past, washing it with the caretaker in the bathhouse. He felt like he was doing the same thing, washing a human body, especially that of a lady, without feeling any sense of discomfort.

Although Eleni was not used to bathing, Athanasios had her wash her body, but he had trouble doing it, so he lent her a hand. He would never do anything inappropriate, but he did it for Eleni’s sake. Athanasios was careful not to touch any part of her body that he shouldn’t, and managed to finish washing her body somehow.

Only then did Eleni’s face turn red. Perhaps she was a little less nervous now. Athanasios quickly got back to her side, worried. He got into the bathtub and washed his body quickly. If he left Eleni alone for too long, she might get dizzy and faint.

Athanasios couldn’t help but feel uneasy. He returned to Eleni’s side quickly. He got into the bathtub and sat next to her, admiring her. She had a beauty that would shine if polished, with her golden hair and blue eyes. She was much more beautiful than anyone else. It was foolish to think that she had been neglected until now, despite having such potential. He didn’t mean to be conceited, but it was fair to say that Eleni had been rescued.

Now, what should he do for Eleni?

First, he would arrange her engagement, and make sure she had plenty of food, sleep, and a proper upbringing as a sixteen-year-old girl. After that, they could discuss what to do next, as they were following the divine oracle.