Accepting the situation, I nodded and allowed myself to be led to the bedroom.
When the door opened, I was greeted by a man in his late twenties lounging on a couch, casually awaiting my arrival.
"Ah, you're here."
The man had light platinum-blonde hair, the hallmark of the Winchester royal family, and a handsome face, complete with a confident smile revealing perfectly straight teeth.
He was the very image of a classic fairytale prince.
It was hard to believe that this was the same person who, back in the boss room, had been swinging back and forth on the ceiling like a pendulum, only to end up fainting in an unsightly mess.
"Saintess, we finally meet face to face."
Despite our equal standing in terms of etiquette, he addressed me informally right off the bat.
I hesitated briefly.
Perhaps, as one of the deities had mentioned, it's sometimes worth enduring a bitter moment for the sweet satisfaction of payback later.
So, I opted to use formal speech.
"Yes, Your Highness. What brings you here?"
"I came to pay my respects to my savior, and to deliver a few things you'll need for tomorrow's banquet."
Hadeil snapped his fingers dramatically, and the maids brought forward a box so large it looked like it could be a coffin. They opened it in front of me.
Inside was an extravagant dress adorned with jewels that sparkled vividly.
'Wow, this is like a scene from a romance novel.'
I was admiring the dress when the prince's self-assured voice echoed in my ears.
"I thought I'd prepare something suitable for the Saintess. It would be ideal if you wore this and entered the banquet hall holding my hand."
"By that, you mean…"
"For tomorrow's banquet, I'll be your partner. What do you think?"
What he should have said was that I would be granting him the privilege.
Hadeil clearly wanted to create the image that the Holy Vicar was endorsing him.
I closed the lid of the dress box.
"Thank you for the thought, but I must decline. As I'll be attending in my official capacity as the Holy Vicar, I plan to wear my ceremonial robes."
"Ceremonial robes at a royal banquet? How dreadfully old-fashioned…"
['The Word That Builds Worlds' scoffs at the idea of offering you something as worthless as a fashion-less item without any buff options.]
I lifted my gaze slightly, interrupting him.
"I assure you, the attire is more than suitable. And as for an escort, I am of a status where I don't require one. Even if I did, it would be from someone else. I'll have to decline your offer with my gratitude."
A twitch appeared near Hadeil's eyes.
"As a guest of the kingdom, it's only proper that the eldest prince escort you. I suggest you reconsider."
"I would appreciate it if you could respect the guest's choice."
I thought he would back off after that, but then—
"I see you've been told by the Queen to receive an escort from Ligares."
No, I haven't.
Hadeil's wild assumption created an awkward tension.
And, it seemed he intended to bestow some outdated advice on me.
"I feel it's only fair to warn you—Third Prince Ligares despises the Elphenheim Theocracy. Supporting him would not be a wise decision."
As if he were dispensing critical information, he spoke with all the gravity he could muster.
"Anyway, I'll leave the dress here. If you change your mind, put it on and come to my room tomorrow."
And with that, he left, unable to accept my refusal, showing a hint of childish petulance.
While Agnes muttered her complaints, the maids awkwardly began to clear the dress and jewelry box, glancing at me for permission.
At that moment, the head maid approached me once more, looking even more uncomfortable than before.
"Um, Your Holiness…"
"Yes? Has the Third Prince arrived this time?"
"As expected of you, Saintess! Indeed, he has."
"…Ah, I see."
But she wasn't finished yet.
"That's not all, Your Holiness."
"Pardon?"
"To be precise, the bearer of the Sacred Sword was already here when he arrived. Currently, both of them are waiting in the parlor."
"...Together?"
"Yes, Your Holiness."
"..."
I felt my face tighten involuntarily.
This wasn't good.
In the last iteration, the 16th cycle, Tesilid had suffered greatly at Ligares's hands.
And that was only the beginning. His tragic end in the 16th cycle was also at Ligares's hands.
Tesilid had died, alone and in agony, on a stormy night, his chest pierced by Ligares's sword in a desolate field.
It was obvious that, left alone, these two would only fall into more bitter conflict. This couldn't end well.
"Y-Your Holiness?!"
I hurriedly turned toward the parlor.
As I flung open the door, a chill greeted me, filling the room with tension. I saw the two men, silently facing each other.
"..."
"..."
On the couch sat a young man with platinum hair and a smirk, radiating provocation—Ligares.
Across the room, standing by the window, was Tesilid, his gaze cold and unyielding.
Both were so focused on each other that they didn't even glance in my direction as I entered.
What had happened between them?
A slight dampness formed on my palms from the tension.
['The Scales That Judge Souls' is thrilled to death.]
['The Cliché Connoisseur' is utterly lost in the drama.]
✠
Tesilid had come to see Ailet with both purpose and without.
Under the pretense of discussing tomorrow's banquet, he wanted an excuse to see her face once more.
In this stifling palace, where his chest felt as though it was being crushed, her presence was the only thing that allowed him to breathe.
But upon arrival, he realized things weren't going well.
"Did you say that Her Holiness, the Holy Vicar, is in her bedroom with Prince Hadeil?"
"Yes… Sir Tesilid…"
"..."
"For now, why not take a seat in the parlor?"
The maids were flustered by the improper behavior of their own prince, who had entered a guest's bedroom before they could even inform her.
In their embarrassment, they neglected to clarify that she wasn't actually alone with the prince in her bedroom.
Tesilid's expression darkened. Nevertheless, he didn't want to make things more difficult for the maids, so he sat down quietly on the couch, his posture straight and proper as he faced forward.
The man, immaculately composed with a refined posture, naturally drew attention.
The sunlight poured in through the full-length window, scattering in brilliant hues over his silver hair.
At that moment, Tesilid seemed almost like a sacred masterpiece, painted by a masterful artist who knew how to use light.
From head to toe, he was the picture of pure, unparalleled beauty.
Truly, he was everything the rumors said about the bearer of the Sacred Sword, the beloved of the gods, and the companion of the Holy Vicar.
Of course, the last one was a title most recently added.
The maids, indulging in the view, hoped this beautiful, peaceful scene would last.
But unfortunately, an interruption was on its way.
"I came to see the Holy Vicar."
"…Greetings, Prince Ligares."
The Third Prince, Ligares, had arrived, seeking an audience with Ailet, just like his half-brother.
Though Tesilid was technically a guest, he could not remain seated alongside royalty.
Before the maids could say anything, he rose from the couch and moved to stand by the window.
"Seems I've stolen your spot."
"Think nothing of it."
A tense silence followed, broken only by the sound of Ligares's unabashed gaze studying Tesilid.
"..."
An air of palpable discomfort filled the parlor. As time passed, Tesilid's gaze grew darker.
Drawing on the memories of his previous lives, he braced himself for what was to come.
While Hadeil's hostility could shift capriciously, Ligares's malice was consistent.
The fact that Tesilid was the bearer of the Sacred Sword, and therefore a symbol of the Theocracy, always made him a target for Ligares's hatred.
The reasons for his malice were simple. The moment Tesilid was in his line of sight, enmity arose.
It was an unchanging flow that persisted across every iteration.
In fact, Tesilid mused that even the notion of a fateful love at first sight probably wouldn't be as unfailingly consistent.
Tesilid had long given up on understanding the root of it.
In a world that constantly moved with intent to kill him, one more person acting with such relentless hostility hardly seemed noteworthy.
Based on his experience, he figured Ligares would soon try to start trouble with him.
Holding back the familiar exhaustion and revulsion he felt, Tesilid waited.
As expected, Ligares eventually broke the silence.
"Tesilid Argent. You're the bearer of the Sacred Sword, correct?"
"Yes."
"Rumor has it you're from the Sacred Mark region."
"Yes."
"So you were originally a poor orphan, then?"
"Yes."
"It's quite impressive that someone from such a background could rise to become the bearer of the Sacred Sword under the Theocracy's care. You're truly…"
"…"
"…the dog of the Theocracy."
"…"
Tesilid thought without the slightest reaction.
'How tiresome.'
Though he hadn't kept precise count, he estimated that he'd endured this particular conversation at least thirty times.
Next, he figured, would come some comment disparaging the Sacred Mark's origins.
But to his surprise, Ligares took a different turn.
"What is your relationship with the Holy Vicar?"
"…"
Ligares's words demanded Tesilid's response.
The gaze he'd left wandering in the empty air now sharpened, focusing squarely on Ligares.
Seeing this, Ligares continued with a provocative smile.
"I'd prefer if it were a close relationship."
"…"
The intention behind his words was unmistakably clear.
It seemed Ligares's malice was evolving in a way Tesilid had never encountered.
"…"
"…"
The two continued their tense, hostile exchange, each gauging the other with a steely focus.
"Tesilid."
Entering the room, Ailet's gaze immediately sought out Tesilid, calling his name with gentle concern.
The warmth in her tone fell softly on his ears, but Tesilid couldn't help feeling it was poorly timed.
After all, it was exactly the kind of response Ligares wanted to see.
Tesilid knew he should avoid showing any signs of how special Ailet was to him in front of Ligares.
But by now, it was impossible for him to act indifferent toward Ailet Rodeline.
"…Ailet."
In the end, as always, he returned her greeting, his voice imbued with as much depth of feeling as the emotions he held for her.
---
FOR MORE CHAPTERS READ ON MY OFFICIAL WEBSITE: MUGEXNOVELS.COM