EIITAB - Chapter 45 < A Cause >
Even If It Is Trampled And Broken
As Angela protested, it was difficult to prepare everything in three days. In fact, as soon as the royal family gets engaged, they form a special organization to prepare for the wedding. So at least half a year or more was needed.
Moreover, even if they omitted everything else, it was not easy to get a wedding dress within three days. Aslan twisted his mouth.
"His Majesty and the Minister said that earlier. Tsk, do I really need to do that?"
"Of course, you should! It's the Princess's wedding!"
Although she was just talking to herself, Angela turned on the light in her eyes and answered as if she was going to rush in. Aslan groaned for a moment and then turned to Hestia.
"Hey, Princess."
He impatiently asked Hestia's opinion while frowning at her.
"Are all those things your maid said necessary?"
Hestia slowly shook her head as if there was no need to worry, Isn't they a couple made in love?
"It's not necessary."
Then, for the first time, a look of liking spread across Aslan's face. Aslan looked at Angela, straightening his shoulders with a triumphant expression on his face, as if to see this.
"That's right."
Her master refused. So that meant no further complaints.
Aslan immediately turned around, as if he didn't want to be held captive any longer. Angela shouted behind him as if she were angry.
"This is ridiculous!"
But unfortunately, not only Aslan but also Hestia did not listen to those words.
***
The day before the wedding. As soon as she woke up, Hestia searched all over the Kalathi Mansion to find Asian, and just as she was about to give up, she finally found him near the training ground. Aslan was warming up alone in a light shirt. He was emitting sword energy mercilessly, and when he noticed that Hestia had arrived, he sheathed his sword without hesitation.
"You were here."
"What?"
She could never get used to hearing that gruff voice. Hiding her embarrassment, Hestia skipped her greeting and went straight to business.
"I want to go to the palace for a while."
Aslan wrinkled his eyebrows at Hestia's words.
"Why?"
"I have some business left to negotiate with His Majesty. As soon as finish that, I'll be right back."
Aslan shook his head, as if trying to suppress his voice, and then spoke.
"I can't go with you. I have work to do."
Hestia widened her eyes in surprise.
"I was planning on going alone anyway?"
"..."
"It's okay. I'll just accept it with gratitude. Even if you went with me, it would be a waste of time because you would have to wait. So let's each do our own thing today."
Aslan seemed very displeased with the fact that she was going to the palace alone without him. But he had no particular reason to stop her, so he reluctantly nodded his head.
"Then I'll come back."
Hestia immediately turned around as if she had no further business. The silver hair fluttering in the wind moves further and further away. He unconsciously stretched out his arms. But even his fingertips could not reach Hestia.
Aslan clenched his teeth and clenched his fist.
***
"Hestia!"
As if he had been waiting for her arrival for the past two days, Yorgos jumped up from his seat and greeted his niece.
"See the sun of Ellsworth."
Hestia said her greetings first, as was her custom, and then headed to the seat Yorgos had given her. Only then did she say hello to the high priest across from her.
"I didn't expect to see you and High Priest here."
She said, blinking her big eyes as if Hestia was surprised. Yorgos closed his eyes tightly and grumbled as if he had been in quite a bit of trouble.
"For the past two days, they have been attacking me every day and have been frying me."
"Your Majesty...! They're stirring it up. Didn't you just want to discuss the matter of Hestia, the Saintess?"
"What kind of top is that? You're just complaining on your own."
As their argument continued, Hestia's smile appeared on her lips.
"You two were very concerned about my problem."
Only then did the two people's attention return to Hestia. After looking at each other as if they were putting it off, Yorgos cleared his throat as if he had lost and asked a question to Hestia.
"Hestia, are you really planning to marry Duke Kalathi?"
Hestia immediately nodded her head.
"Yes."
"Huh..."
Yorgos and the high Priest sighed simultaneously. Although Hestia clearly knew why they were doing that, she deliberately pretended not to know. This was because she had no intention of comforting the two. Yorgos said, rubbing his eyebrows.
"Then, I will find a mansion for you to stay in the capital."
"No. You don't have to do that."
Hestia quickly declined, as if she would be in big trouble if the matter was decided.
"I still have something to tell you about that issue, so I came to see you like this. You don't have to give me a place in the capital, Your Majesty. After I get married, I will go north with Duke Kalathi."
"...What?"
"What do you mean,
Hestia!"
Since it was their first time hearing this, Yorgos and the high Priest frowned and raised their voices one after another. Unlike Aslan, both of them did not have very pleasant tones, so the sound of them engaging together felt quite dissonant.
The high priest used a soothing voice to change Hestia's mind.
"The North. It is not a place for people to live."
Then, as if Hestia had heard something completely absurd, she laughed out loud.
"So you're saying that Duke Kalathi and his knights aren't people?"
"No, it's not like that... They are all equally inhabited lands. The only difference is whether it's cold or not."
The high Priest narrowed his eyes as if she was embarrassed.
"Saintess Hestia. You know that's not what I mean, don't you?"
Hestia finally nodded her head in response to his plea for her not to misunderstand.
"I know what you mean. There was no particular misunderstanding."
After catching her breath, she calmly opened her mouth again. Negotiations started now.
"The reason I decided to go north is also to give you two a cause."
"What did you mean by that?"
Yorgos tilted his head as if he didn't understand.
"My marriage will be seen by the world as something very sudden."
Even if one's name is removed from the register after marriage, there will be people who cannot accept it because it is unprecedented for a priest, or a Saintess, to get married. Naturally, it was a situation where gossip was inevitable.
Hestia's purple eyes looked at the King and the high priest in turn.
"If my guess is correct, I think you two don't want to reveal to the outside world that my life is terminal."
Yorgos, who was drooling, nodded his head first.
"I won't deny it."
"So is the temple."
She thought so. Hestia calmly took a breath and continued her words.
"Me too."
The three opinions are in agreement for the first time in a while. Her slight, silent laugh cleared her throat for a moment.
"Your Majesty and the temple. And me too. I don't want to be the subject of gossip."
The two men's eyes were focused on Hestia as if asking her to continue talking.
"If I stay here, in the capital, even after getting married, everyone who doesn't know the situation will be puzzled. 'If this is going to happen, why did Saintess Hestia leave the temple?"
Hestia calmly said her words, which were likely to come out in the near future, in an unwavering and calm tone.
"Isn't there an internal discord between the Saintess, the temple, and the royal family?"
The temple would not be able to escape the rumor that Anessa was the only one going around. The royal family will be criticized for failing to properly protect Hestia, who is a Saintess but is also a Princess. It was clear that the public opinion formed in this way would have a great influence on each group.
"No matter how much we come forward and state that this is not the case, I don't think they will believe it."
That made sense. The high Priest and Yorgos also seemed to agree with Hestia's words and continued to let out heavy sighs.
"And if I stay in the capital, Duke Kalathi will also stay here longer than before. Just enough to take his place."
"Hmm."
"Then the northern part will naturally become empty. Our power to deal with winter will inevitably be weakened. Is that it? If Duke Kalathi starts socializing, everyone will know that he is not as bad as they say."
As exchanges increase, interests move, and influence increases. It meant that the temple and the royal family, which had so far rejected Kalathi, would witness the most undesirable situation.
Yorgos and the High Priest were already listening intently to Hestia's story. And they admitted it. As she said, if Hestia goes to the north, they can avoid that whole situation.
"If that is a concern, shouldn't you be able to live in another estate?"
"That's right. Our temple can also help you find another parish where Saintess Hestia can stay."
Hestia shook her head. The two men seemed reluctant to acknowledge her move to the north, so she felt the need to express her opinion a little more strongly.
"You all know. That the royal family and temples were gradually losing influence in the North. Will you be able to endure the resentment that grows stronger day by day?"
Yorgos and the high Priest looked annoyed at Hestia's point. The sound of a coughing fit made Hestia's ears sting.
'I don't have any more time to waste.'
Why on earth are they wasting their time like this? An inexplicable anger rises little by little. Hestia urged them to make a decision in her hardened voice.
"If discontent continues to pile up, civil war will be inevitable."
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