TVDWL - Chapter 185 < The Only Companion >

"What do you want from me?"

"What do I want?"

Lucia asked back with a look of complete ignorance on her face.

"I'm asking why you keep coming to me."

"I already told you that. Your Highness the Grand Duke and I are destined partners connected by God's will..."

"Stop talking nonsense and be honest. Surely you don't mean that a Saintess who obeys the will of God would want to become my concubine?"

"No. That can't be. I am His Highness's only companion."

Even when he sarcastically called her a concubine, Lucia responded with a soft smile.

"As Your Majesty's official wife, I will hold a sacred wedding ceremony according to God's will and make a holy covenant with true oaths."

It was a firm voice that left no doubt that it would definitely happen.

"What I want is a formal marriage with Your Highness the Grand Duke."

Jeremiah's demeanor turned as cold and chill as ice at the attitude of the blind Saintess. Jeremiah found it so absurd that Lucia said she was his only companion that he couldn't help but laugh.

"I want to tell you to wake up. I have no intention of divorcing Karina."

"Hmm. Will that be up to Your Highness the Grand Duke?"

The Saint continued speaking, snorting softly.

"Don't you need my strength?"

"..."

Lucia had already noticed where the divine power she was breathing was flowing. Jeremiah was not particularly surprised, as he had expected the Saintess to notice it. However...

"If you will marry me, I will provide you with my divine powers whenever you need them. I don't think it is a bad offer."

Lucia smiled leisurely. When making a deal, it is most important to know what the other party wants. And the Saintess already knew what Jeremiah needed.

"Yes, that's right. I need the divine power of a Saintess, not healing."

Jeremiah readily admitted the fact, but he stubbornly refused the Saintess's offer.

"But as I said before, Karina is the only one for me. I have no intention of breaking up with her and taking another as my wife."

"What if the Grand Duchess has feelings for someone else?"

Jeremiah's expression distorted at Lucia's question.

"How can a Saintess know Karina's heart and keep saying such things?"

"Because I asked her directly last night."

"What?"

"I asked the Grand Duchess directly. Is she still in love with His Highness the Grand Duke?"

"...!"

At those words, a look of anticipation passed over Jeremiah's face.

"What did Karina say?"

"She didn't answer. But that doesn't mean I didn't hear an answer."

"What are you talking about?"

"She reacted negatively with a stiff expression. Sometimes, you can convey something without saying a word, just by looking at your eyes."

"...!"

Jeremiah's expression twisted into a pained expression at Lucia's words. Nevertheless, Lucia continued speaking in a soft voice as if driving a wedge into the matter.

"I told her that it was too bad that Your Highness would not be able to win the Grand Duchess's love even if you longed for it."

"..."

"Instead of listening to what I said and denying it, she told me to think whatever I wanted?"

Lucia shrugged, asking what more she needed to say. Jeremiah clenched his fists and kept his mouth shut. He seemed to be in a state of great shock, or as if he was holding something back. His fists were tense and his face was becoming increasingly pale and bloodless. He finally opened his mouth, chewing his lower lip until it bled.

"Even if that's true, it's the same. My heart won't change."

Jeremiah stubbornly resisted. And so the deal between the two fell through.

"You're really stubborn. But that's okay. I'm very patient."

Lucia smiled faintly and infused Jeremiah with enough divine power for the pendant to absorb.

"Today, I will especially fill you with as much divine power as I can. I believe that will help change Your Highness's mind."

The Saintess cooed and said that her intuition was trustworthy. If other people had seen her like that, they would have felt love for her and their hearts would have been at ease, but Jeremiah had no idea.

"I hope you will give me a positive answer next time."

Lucia concluded by saying she would wait with a bitter smile. 

***

'That's really great.'

Karina looked at Lucia and thought that she should admit what needed to be admitted. Lucia continued to gather patients and treat them while going to the temple without stopping. Even in the castle where she stayed at night, she talked to the people of the empire and checked on their safety while stopping by the villages along the way. 

Naturally, the voices praising the Saintess grew louder day by day, and the people of the empire also deepened their faith. The situation that was repeated wherever she went was now becoming familiar. The closer the village was to the temple, the more often they saw Lucia, so the people treated her in a friendly and familiar manner.

"Saintess!"

"Lady Lucia. It's been a while since you've been here."

"Are you on your way to the temple?"

They welcomed Lucia like family.

"This expedition took a long time. Are you hurt anywhere?"

"I don't know how long it's been since I've seen you."

"Yes. I missed you so much while we were apart. I'm so glad to see you again."

Lucia also treated them without any pretense.

"I greet Your Highness the Crown Prince and Your Highness the Grand Duke and his wife. Although it is not enough, I have prepared it to the best of my ability, so I hope you will be generous even if it is inconvenient."

The merchant who ran the largest inn in the town noticed Karina and her party next to Lucia. He bowed 90 degrees, looking very nervous, and greeted them. The second town they visited was quite far from the lord's castle that ruled the area, so they had no choice but to stay at the inn in the town. It was better than sleeping outside.

"Bill's place is the biggest and most comfortable in town. The chef is a great cook, and you won't find a better place than this."

Lucia patted the merchant's shoulder as if trying to ease his tension.

"Don't worry, we're just staying for one night."

David said frankly, "It's not a big deal." Karina glanced at David, who smiled bashfully.

'A normal Crown Prince would have thought it was absurd to stay in a place like this.'

However, having run a dark business and had a lot of experience with the lives of imperial citizens, he was not picky for a member of the royal family.

'It's fortunate that the one accompanying me is the Crown Prince and not the Emperor.'

As she thought about that, she turned her head at the gaze she felt. Jeremiah, who had been silent all day, was staring blankly at her. He still looked very depressed and in a bad mood.

'I guess there's no reason to feel bad since you came in the same carriage as Lucia.'

Karina couldn't figure out why he was so depressed. And sometimes, when he was staring at her persistently, she felt strange.

'It doesn't seem like you have anything to say, so why are you doing that?'

But Karina didn't speak to him first. 

*** 

That evening. Since there was no other suitable place, they all gathered at a restaurant and had a simple but well-prepared dinner. While they were eating, they heard the lively voices of people and what sounded like singing outside.

"What song is that?"

David asked the vendor who was bringing out dessert with interest.

"Oh, that's a practice of the song that will be used during the ceremony."

"Song?"

Then Lucia, who was next to him, explained.

"To pray for the success of the prayer service that will soon be held at the temple, a ceremony combining song and dance is held in the village after the sun has completely set."

"It's a ritual that combines singing and dancing. It'll be fun."

David smirked, rubbing his chín. Lucia smiled brightly as if she had just had a good idea.

"If it's okay, wouldn't we all like to go see it together?"

Of course, it was clear that the person Lucia was suggesting was Jeremiah.

'If they go out alone, they might still be concerned about what other people think.'

Karina thought it would be better if she left on her own. Even if it was something she had suggested to everyone, they wouldn't be happy about her leaving. She also didn't need to go to that place and feel uncomfortable.

"I'm going to go in early today and rest. Have fun looking around."

She said indifferently. But contrary to Karina's expectations, Lucia held onto her with great regret.

"Your Highness, if you are tired, I will cheer you up with my divine power! The music and dance held in this village is so wonderful. Let's go together."

She kept nagging Karina as if she was trying to persuade a friend who didn't want to go.

"You'll regret it if you miss it! It'll be so much fun! I guarantee it!"

"..."

She looked like a little child about to go out to play, waving her clenched hands and her eyes sparkling.

"Go with others."

Karina once again showed her intention to refuse. However.

"No! Your Highness, you have to go too! The idea is that if you travel together, eat delicious food, and have fun, you become close friends. I've always thought it would be nice to have a close friend of the same sex who is my аgе!"

"Tch, buddy... huh?"

Karina was taken aback by the sudden words and stuttered for a moment.

"We just had a delicious meal together, now it's time to go see something fun!"

Lucia showed her excitement without hiding it.

'Is this guy serious?'

Lucia asked with a very serious look on her face, wondering if Karina's true feelings were showing on her face.

"Or is there any reason why we can't be friends?"

"..."

There were more reasons than could be counted. Even if there weren't many, there was just one reason why Karina couldn't be friends with the Saintess.

'You're friends with your ex-husband's new partner.'

It was ridiculous. Karina raised her hand and touched her forehead. She had no intention of becoming friends with Lucia in the first place. Everyone else would have thought that way, so it was ridiculous for Lucia, the person involved, to act like that. Why was she so desperate to take her away?

'Do you have any other thoughts?'

Her expression was too innocent, like a child's, to be considered an ulterior motive.

"..."

Karkna didn't know where to start or what to say, so she was choosing her words when David interrupted her with a laugh.

"This is really fun. I think it's something I'll never see again."

"..."

She had a feeling that the once-in-a-lifetime spectacle he was talking about wasn't the village dance ritual. Karina glared at David with a suspicious look. Feeling her gaze on him, David bowed his head closer to her.

"If the Grand Duchess really intends to divorce the Grand Duke of Colesberg, why can't she be friends with him, as the Saintess said?"

David whispered so that only Karina could hear, single-mindedly.

"That doesn't mean I have to be friends with my ex-husband's wife. I don't want to volunteer to be a laughing stock."

Karina retorted calmly with a blank expression on her face.

"That's just the talk of pathetic people who just talk nonsense. If you don't have feelings for the Grand Duke, then you have no need to feel sorry for the Saintess either."

"Being friendly with a Saintess and that seem like separate issues."

David finally delivered the final blow to Karina, who stubbornly refused.

"You say you have no attachment to the Grand Duke. But seeing you avoid him so blatantly, I'm not sure if you really mean it."

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Seriously, I hate all the people in this story, David and Lucia was a pushover, Jeremiah can't communicate well and the mc, I can't say anything about Karina. She make me frustrated 🥴