"Hey, watch the scalp. And use the white flowers in the hair, not the red ones. They go with the dress better."
"I understand. But did we use too much blush? The face looks too red."
The maids continued to work hard and clean up Meria's messy hair that had been grown out by the Saintess's magic.
That face made Meria remember what happened seconds ago, and his face turned even redder.
"God darn it! We did use too much blush. Someone, get me a wipe."
Meria knew that he needed to tell these maids that his red cheeks were not their fault but his own.
But speaking these words out loud was embarrassing for him.
Especially since he could still feel the Saintess's gaze on him.
"Alright, finally, we managed to finish. You look gorgeous, General. We know you will not lose to anyone during the delegate meeting and gain the emperor's favor."
The maid assured, causing Meria to get confused and look at the Saintess sitting to his right.
The Saintess coughed to hide his nervousness and turned to look at Meria with a clear face.
"Now that you are ready, I think I should tell you why this meeting is. As you heard the maids say - this is a meeting to gain the emperor's favor."
"In simpler words, the temple wants the emperor to choose one of their people as a concubine and raise its power. Initially, they wanted that person to be me, but I refused them all for obvious reasons. So, the temple gave up when I soured my relationship with the royal palace."
"But it seems like they have not given up yet. This meeting is their attempt to attract the emperor's attention toward their omega selection in hopes that he would choose to take in one of them."
"It is a stupid plan in the first place, and I want to distract them, but even the goddess agrees, so I cannot interfere."
Meria opened his mouth to say something but closed it just as quickly.
It was one thing for the temple to plan something but another for the goddess to get involved.
"The goddess is involved? Then, doesn't that mean we should support this meeting?"
Meria asked, but he felt his heart clutch painfully.
He knew his jealousy was unwarranted and should not feel this way toward a kid.
But knowing something and being able to act on it were different things.
"Yeah, right! I don't want to go against the goddess as well, but I have no choice in this matter. This situation with the goddess arises because she is too stupid and grants wishes without thinking through them. Sooner or later, she is going to cause a mess."
The Saintess sighed before realizing that he had spoken too much.
"A-Anyway, if you attend this meeting, nothing will happen. That stupid alpha emperor is too infatuated with you to even look at another, so it will all work out."
"And even if it did not, I am here for you. You can always count on me to help you out."
The Saintess assured him, but Meria just felt more and more nervous with each other that came out of his mouth.
He wanted to be confident and believe the Saintess's words but was hesitant.
If the goddess wanted this meeting, there must be a reason behind this meeting.
...
Emperor Kerin was a busy man, so he rarely got to walk around with nothing to do.
He had been warned to stay away from Meria until it was time for the meeting, so he could not even go and meet his precious omega.
'Stupid temple and their stupid rules. Why does Saintess get to be with Meria but not me? This is so unfair.'
The alpha was not looking where he was headed, so he did not notice the female deliberately walking in his way.
He walked right, and the female turned right as well. When he walked toward the left, the omega also quickly changed her side.
Luckily, Kerin looked up in time and noticed the female waiting for him before falling.
"O-Ouch. Huh? Who just ran into me? E-Emperor Kai?"
The omega asked as she looked with huge eyes and spread her pheromones around her.
They were pleasant, but the emperor had already selected an omega, so they were useless to him.
'I cannot believe this girl thought she could trip and fall like this. Does she think I am stupid?'
The emperor was known to be cold and did not disappoint this time either.
He did not even notice the omega reaching out her hand to be helped up as he walked past her.
"E-Emperor, won't you help me stand up?"
The omega asked with a scared voice. She tried to show her vulnerable side but was denied a second glance.
"Tsk, why would I bother to help someone like you? If you are fragile, don't come out and trip everywhere."
The emperor did not even glance at the omega he was leaving behind on the floor.
He failed to notice the heart-filled eyes on the omega he was leaving behind lying on the ground.
"Ah, that rough but caring tone and those cold eyes. Undoubtedly, the emperor fell for me but could not voice his words."
"I understand the emperor's heart. He is too young to know his feelings, but he will soon realize that I am the only omega for him. The goddess promised me this."
The omega that had fallen on the ground clasped her hands together and breathed a dreamy sigh.
She did not notice the other omega that walked past her corridor and saw this happening.
"Hump, that stupid bitch has still not given up? Doesn't she understand that the goddess promised me the same time? But unlike her, I will not be a desperate whore and waste my first impression."
"The emperor will be drawn to my indifference and chase after me soon. Just you all wait and watch - I will be the empress in the end."
Unknown to the two and everyone else, the goddess had made this promise to many omegas, causing the empire due to her soft heart.
But these omegas did not understand that their goddess was not the goddess of fate.
She could promise them a chance to know the emperor, but she could not change his destiny or feelings for his chosen mate.
After all, the emperor inhibited a sleeping god inside his body, and this god was one even the other gods feared.