CH 176

“Your Majesty.” Raven intervened.

“They’re thinking of trying to bring down my dignity by using the citizens, but there’s not a chance. As if I cared ever about that.”

“But Your Majesty, we need the group’s support. Like I told you before, if we don’t have that—”

“We gave them funding for that purpose. If they ignore that, then we’ll be treating them even more poorly at the next year’s festival. No, we won’t even attend.”

Raven looked a little flustered. The emperor’s tone was firm. Even though he was a tyrant, he was diligent, but he announced his absence just like that.

To have a current emperor that won’t attend the festival that was started by the previous emperor.

If the emperor wasn’t, the festival that ‘the emperor hopes to have a fruitful season’ didn’t make sense, which meant that the temple would lose its base on asking for large sums of money. This was big.

Eris frowned, thinking.

“But they’ve devoted their lives to the religion. Letting a Saintess go doesn’t seem to be in their book. They’ll never give up.”

“Tsk, they just want to end their life earlier.” Ridrian seemed annoyed. “Of course, they won’t leave it alone. It’ll have an impact on the support from the priest, and I also want this to end quickly so I can go home.”

Ridrian looked a little bummed out when I said this. But he knew this wasn’t the time, so he quickly transformed his expression and grabbed my hand.

“You can go. He can’t take you anyway, no matter what. I’ve got a way to shut that Pope’s mouth instantly.”

“Really? You have something like that?”

“Is that true?”

Everyone stared at him in surprise.

“None of your business,” he said.

“B-but we need to know so we can prepare the next step!”

“You’re not choosing to kill them, all right?”

The other two continued to complain. Ridrian frowned, clenching and unclenching his other hand. It looked like he might summon his sword at any moment.

“Looks like you guys got courageous with Iona here.” They shut their mouths, realizing they were serving a tyrant. Eris smiled bitterly at this.

Raven checked the time and announced the next schedule to Ridrian. “Ah, Your Majesty,” he said, “it’s almost time for the audience.”

“Postpone it. I’m in no mood.”

“But he wants to fund your war with Lucretia. It’s Marquis Lavor Piett who requested your audience.”

Who requested an audience?

I was about to nag Ridrian for ignoring his work because of his mood but stopped as Raven revealed who it was.

Why is Piett here? And to fund the war?

Ridrian seemed a little surprised that such an unexpected person was requesting an audience. “That’s surprising, coming from someone who’s insidious. What brings him all the way from his estate when he doesn’t even leave that much?”

“Since he wouldn’t miss an opportunity that would benefit him, he might have found something that would be beneficial for him in this war against Lucretia. But…I was told that whatever he gets involved in ends in blood.”

“Interesting. I’ll meet him.”

A cruel smile unfurled on his face. He got up, kissed me lightly on the forehead, and started to leave.

“Huh?”

At the sight of me freezing, Ridrian grinned. “Rest,” he said. “As long as you’re protected by me, they won’t be able to bother you.”

“I know, but right now…everyone is looking! What are you doing?”

I took a step back, my face flushing, and he grabbed me.

“And…”

“Yes?”

He seemed to hesitate a little, then leaned toward me. “Tonight,” he said, “clear your schedule. I have something to tell you.”

“Rian?”

“Whew. I really don’t want to leave.” He smiled bitterly, kissed my cheek and left the room. Ivan and Raven said goodbye and followed him out of the room.

Eris turned around, rolling her eyes like she didn’t care. The only person who seemed agitated by the kiss was me. Was it just me, or had the temperature in the room skyrocketed?

Darn!

Feeling dizzy all of a sudden, I leaned against the wall and Eris came over, looking concerned.

“Why is your face so red? Iona, are you okay?”

“Ah, I’m okay.”

Eris touched my forehead and her eyes widened.

“You’re burning up! Is it divine fever? Lie down. I’ll bring the doctor.”

“Please.”

I’d never had anything like this before, so it must be the divine fever Ravis had talked about. Still, just in case, I asked for Grandpa Berman as Eris supported me to the bed.

An odd smell filled my nostrils. Even as I fell asleep, I couldn’t help thinking I’d smelled it somewhere before.

***

Huh? Where is this?

My opens suddenly opened. No—to be more precise, my mind cleared. My body, which had been feverish before, felt lighter than ever.

Such a dark room…no, is this a basement?

The place I’d woken up in was a dark basement area. I couldn’t smell or feel any humidity—almost like this was a dream. But I could tell that it was a closed space. The air seemed a bit cloudy.

It feels like the room is wet.

It was a weird feeling. I couldn’t feel anything, and I felt like I knew something about it. A wet room unlike the hot outside. A dark space. And someone was here.

“Is someone there?”

The voice was high, yet husky. It was familiar, yet unfamiliar.

A child?

There was a boy in the room. He wasn’t that young—more like a teenager. He’d been so quiet in the corner, I hadn’t even realized he was there. He sat covered in a dark cape, dirty all over.

Huh? His eyes…

Those familiar, golden eyes were sparkling in my direction.