While I was almost certain of it, the lion arrived at the table and gulped when he saw the mountain of cookies piled on the plate.
“Are these the fancy cookies you were talking about?”
“Yes, try it. It’s on a whole other level than what you ate in the carriage.”
I halfheartedly picked up a cookie and threw it towards the lion, and the cookie went straight into the lion's mouth.
“Hey, I’ll give you a little more. Even though I’m not a good person, I’ve lived for over a thousand years... Ugh!”
The lion, who had been grumbling as if displeased with my actions, suddenly opened his mouth wide.
“What, what does this taste like? Sweet, savory... Huh, it melts as soon as it touches my tongue?”
The lion, who had been chewing on the cookies with a blank expression, soon looked as if he couldn't stand it anymore, stuck his nose into the plate, and started eating the cookies without thinking.
Seriously... Who would think he’s half-god after seeing that appearance?
'It's not that surprising anymore.'
I watched the lion eat with a blank expression, then flopped down on the sofa.
'Ah, it's warm.'
As the maid had hoped, the sunlight streaming in through the numerous windows was very warm.
The spring breeze carrying the scent of flowers added to it, and I felt like the tension that had been weighing on my shoulders all day was melting away.
How long has it been since I've been able to enjoy leisure time like this without doing anything?
It was something I could never have imagined when I was at the Duke's house.
I was supposed to be the Duke and heir, but because my father was an incompetent piece of trash, I had to do all of the Duke's work.
I had to look after the needs of the residents and also clean up the trash, so I couldn't sleep even five hours a day.
'If I had known this would happen, I would have just played around.'
Why did I live my life working so hard that I burst into tears?
I enjoyed some free time for the first time in a long while, laughing at my past self who struggled to live each day.
But it seemed like my fate was not one of leisure.
“But about that guy earlier.”
While munching on a cookie, the lion suddenly popped into his mind and asked.
“That guy?”
“Why, you know, the guy who said you weren’t a Saintess and that you had to pay the price. Your father.”
“Hey, why are you bringing up that crap story when I’m finally resting comfortably!”
The lion flinched and hiccuped as I growled with a fierce expression.
'Oh my, how can a lion, the so-called King of beasts, be startled so easily?'
If I opened that chest, I was sure I would find a liver the size of a pea.
I clicked my tongue and poured some water into the empty dish next to me and pushed it toward the lion.
The lion, who had been drinking water in a hurry, finally calmed down after a long time and glanced at me before asking.
“Is that guy really your biological father?”
“Yes, that’s right. He was a piece of trash who had done nothing for me his entire life and had only caused trouble for me, and in the end, he even tried to kill me, but I can’t deny that we are related by blood.”
As I turned my head with a weary face, the lion burst into laughter.
“Oh, a father who tries to kill his own child. Even animals kill their own young.”
“Yes, he is worse than an animal.”
I ground my teeth again in anger.
'How do you organize them?'
Although the Emperor said he would investigate separately, no matter how thoroughly he searched, no evidence could be found.
Because in the first place, that was something I made up.
At first, I thought about just pushing forward with the status of a Saintess, but after thinking about it carefully, I realized that wasn't such a good idea.
If I, who was almost killed by my biological father who adored his illegitimate child, insisted on his punishment without any evidence, I might be misunderstood by the public.
‘Then what should I do...’
As I was tapping the armrest of the sofa with my index finger in agony, something suddenly occurred to me and I looked at the lion.
The lion stammered and asked, seemingly taken aback by my meaningful gaze.
“...Why, why do you look at me like that?”
“Come to think of it, we haven’t even announced our names yet. We’re a community of shared destiny now. Mr. Lion, what’s your name?”
“Hey, what’s your name? My name is Delton...?”
“Aha, Delton. That’s a great name. My name is Shayne Veloce.”
“Oh, okay... I see.”
At this point, the lion's expression was very grave as if he was embarrassed by the sudden announcement.
Looking at him like that, I smiled and pulled my buttocks a little closer to close the distance between me and the lion.
“Delton, do you remember me pulling you out of that tomb-like cave?”
“Yes?”
“I freed you from your imprisonment for five years longer than the contract period due to being deceived by the goddess.”
“That’s true, but didn’t you say that it wasn’t you who did it?”
“I think it’s true. If not, how could you have so easily gotten out of the cave that you had been trying to get out of for five years? It must have been my influence. Right?”
When I pressed for an answer with confident eyes, Delton eventually nodded.
“Yeah. Well, that seems to be the case, but why are you suddenly talking about that...?”
“No, I just wanted to give Delton a chance to repay his debt.”
"Debt?"
“Yes, Delton is a being who will become a great god. You are a being who cannot live in debt. Right?”
“Huh? I can’t live with something like that. As I live, there are days when I receive help from someone...”
“You can’t live without it. No matter what.”
"Uh..."
When I opened my eyes wide and emphasized it again, Delton, who had been rolling his eyes, sighed deeply and nodded.
“Yes, let’s say that’s true. Why are you suddenly bringing this up to me? There must be a purpose.”
“You said you wanted to give me a chance to repay your debt. It’s nothing much, just a small favor.”
“...What else do you want me to ask you?”
Delton looked blatantly annoyed.
'Yeah, I was thinking of just living comfortably without doing anything, but now that I'm just working, it's annoying.'
I get it.
But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you just play around and have fun.
“It’s nothing. It’s a very minor thing compared to having to have a tattoo on your forehead. Of course, I’ll give you a reward.”
“Case? What are you going to do with it?”
Delton tilted his head, and I smiled and pushed another plate of cookies in front of him.
A cake covered in a generous amount of white, fluffy cream and topped with whole, bright red strawberries.
The maid had prepared it along with the cookies, but Delton seemed to have been so focused on the cookies that he didn't notice them.
“Okay, this should be an example...”
There was no need to ask.
Nod. Nod. Nod. Nod. Nod.
Because Delton, who had discovered the cake, was nodding his head absentmindedly and twitching his nose.
'Wow... cheap, cheap.'
After a while.
The Emperor, the Pope, and I sat down to dinner at a long table.
“I don’t know how long it has been since I last had a meal with Your Holiness.”
“That’s right.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Princess. No, I guess I should call you a Saintess now.”
The Emperor, laughing heartily and correcting my title, praised my achievements and served me all kinds of delicacies on my plate.
“You must have been very tired after returning from the ordeal. Now that you are in good health, I must take good care of you. Soon, I will have to perform a ceremony in front of the people of the empire.”
Food was personally prepared by the Emperor himself. If it were in the past, I would have been too embarrassed to even raise my head.
But now...
'You knew the closed-door system was a death knell, you idiot.'
I knew from the beginning that it wasn't something done with true faith, but hearing it with my own ears made me feel angry all over again.
When I glared at him with glaring eyes, the Emperor, who had been startled and flinched in surprise, finally realized his slip of the tongue and slyly changed the subject.
“Ah, news has come in from all over the country. It seems that the disasters have stopped in many areas. It seems that the disasters of the past were due to the Saintess's absence. Isn’t that right, Your Holiness?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. That’s my opinion as well. The Saintess was originally meant to protect the empire in place of the goddess. Now that such a being has disappeared, it’s only natural that all sorts of misfortunes are pouring in.”
“Haha, is that so? Well then, I guess we can rest easy now. Since the Saintess has returned, shouldn’t the disasters stop completely?”
The Emperor burst into hearty laughter.
Who wouldn't have suffered from the endless onslaught of disasters, but he must have suffered especially more.
Because the Emperor was the one who took responsibility.
But I had no intention of making his joy last long.
First of all, I didn't want to see the person who drove me to death by creating a human sacrifice system, knowing full well that it would be a dog's death, and being happy about it.
Secondly, I don't know why the disasters all over the country stopped, but it can't be because of me, so I had to lay the groundwork.
Thirdly, because I still had goals to accomplish.
“I have no wish to disturb Your Majesty’s joy, but I cannot yet be certain that the disaster has completely ceased.”
“What do you mean, you can’t be sure?”
The Emperor asked in a tone of incomprehension, and the Pope also looked at me with a puzzled expression.
I continued with a miserable expression.
“The reason why the Goddess, who had bestowed infinite grace for two thousand years, abandoned this empire for thirteen years. Because that reason still remains.”
“Are these the fancy cookies you were talking about?”
“Yes, try it. It’s on a whole other level than what you ate in the carriage.”
I halfheartedly picked up a cookie and threw it towards the lion, and the cookie went straight into the lion's mouth.
“Hey, I’ll give you a little more. Even though I’m not a good person, I’ve lived for over a thousand years... Ugh!”
The lion, who had been grumbling as if displeased with my actions, suddenly opened his mouth wide.
“What, what does this taste like? Sweet, savory... Huh, it melts as soon as it touches my tongue?”
The lion, who had been chewing on the cookies with a blank expression, soon looked as if he couldn't stand it anymore, stuck his nose into the plate, and started eating the cookies without thinking.
Seriously... Who would think he’s half-god after seeing that appearance?
'It's not that surprising anymore.'
I watched the lion eat with a blank expression, then flopped down on the sofa.
'Ah, it's warm.'
As the maid had hoped, the sunlight streaming in through the numerous windows was very warm.
The spring breeze carrying the scent of flowers added to it, and I felt like the tension that had been weighing on my shoulders all day was melting away.
How long has it been since I've been able to enjoy leisure time like this without doing anything?
It was something I could never have imagined when I was at the Duke's house.
I was supposed to be the Duke and heir, but because my father was an incompetent piece of trash, I had to do all of the Duke's work.
I had to look after the needs of the residents and also clean up the trash, so I couldn't sleep even five hours a day.
'If I had known this would happen, I would have just played around.'
Why did I live my life working so hard that I burst into tears?
I enjoyed some free time for the first time in a long while, laughing at my past self who struggled to live each day.
But it seemed like my fate was not one of leisure.
“But about that guy earlier.”
While munching on a cookie, the lion suddenly popped into his mind and asked.
“That guy?”
“Why, you know, the guy who said you weren’t a Saintess and that you had to pay the price. Your father.”
“Hey, why are you bringing up that crap story when I’m finally resting comfortably!”
The lion flinched and hiccuped as I growled with a fierce expression.
'Oh my, how can a lion, the so-called King of beasts, be startled so easily?'
If I opened that chest, I was sure I would find a liver the size of a pea.
I clicked my tongue and poured some water into the empty dish next to me and pushed it toward the lion.
The lion, who had been drinking water in a hurry, finally calmed down after a long time and glanced at me before asking.
“Is that guy really your biological father?”
“Yes, that’s right. He was a piece of trash who had done nothing for me his entire life and had only caused trouble for me, and in the end, he even tried to kill me, but I can’t deny that we are related by blood.”
As I turned my head with a weary face, the lion burst into laughter.
“Oh, a father who tries to kill his own child. Even animals kill their own young.”
“Yes, he is worse than an animal.”
I ground my teeth again in anger.
'How do you organize them?'
Although the Emperor said he would investigate separately, no matter how thoroughly he searched, no evidence could be found.
Because in the first place, that was something I made up.
At first, I thought about just pushing forward with the status of a Saintess, but after thinking about it carefully, I realized that wasn't such a good idea.
If I, who was almost killed by my biological father who adored his illegitimate child, insisted on his punishment without any evidence, I might be misunderstood by the public.
‘Then what should I do...’
As I was tapping the armrest of the sofa with my index finger in agony, something suddenly occurred to me and I looked at the lion.
The lion stammered and asked, seemingly taken aback by my meaningful gaze.
“...Why, why do you look at me like that?”
“Come to think of it, we haven’t even announced our names yet. We’re a community of shared destiny now. Mr. Lion, what’s your name?”
“Hey, what’s your name? My name is Delton...?”
“Aha, Delton. That’s a great name. My name is Shayne Veloce.”
“Oh, okay... I see.”
At this point, the lion's expression was very grave as if he was embarrassed by the sudden announcement.
Looking at him like that, I smiled and pulled my buttocks a little closer to close the distance between me and the lion.
“Delton, do you remember me pulling you out of that tomb-like cave?”
“Yes?”
“I freed you from your imprisonment for five years longer than the contract period due to being deceived by the goddess.”
“That’s true, but didn’t you say that it wasn’t you who did it?”
“I think it’s true. If not, how could you have so easily gotten out of the cave that you had been trying to get out of for five years? It must have been my influence. Right?”
When I pressed for an answer with confident eyes, Delton eventually nodded.
“Yeah. Well, that seems to be the case, but why are you suddenly talking about that...?”
“No, I just wanted to give Delton a chance to repay his debt.”
"Debt?"
“Yes, Delton is a being who will become a great god. You are a being who cannot live in debt. Right?”
“Huh? I can’t live with something like that. As I live, there are days when I receive help from someone...”
“You can’t live without it. No matter what.”
"Uh..."
When I opened my eyes wide and emphasized it again, Delton, who had been rolling his eyes, sighed deeply and nodded.
“Yes, let’s say that’s true. Why are you suddenly bringing this up to me? There must be a purpose.”
“You said you wanted to give me a chance to repay your debt. It’s nothing much, just a small favor.”
“...What else do you want me to ask you?”
Delton looked blatantly annoyed.
'Yeah, I was thinking of just living comfortably without doing anything, but now that I'm just working, it's annoying.'
I get it.
But that doesn't mean I'm going to let you just play around and have fun.
“It’s nothing. It’s a very minor thing compared to having to have a tattoo on your forehead. Of course, I’ll give you a reward.”
“Case? What are you going to do with it?”
Delton tilted his head, and I smiled and pushed another plate of cookies in front of him.
A cake covered in a generous amount of white, fluffy cream and topped with whole, bright red strawberries.
The maid had prepared it along with the cookies, but Delton seemed to have been so focused on the cookies that he didn't notice them.
“Okay, this should be an example...”
There was no need to ask.
Nod. Nod. Nod. Nod. Nod.
Because Delton, who had discovered the cake, was nodding his head absentmindedly and twitching his nose.
'Wow... cheap, cheap.'
***
After a while.
The Emperor, the Pope, and I sat down to dinner at a long table.
“I don’t know how long it has been since I last had a meal with Your Holiness.”
“That’s right.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Princess. No, I guess I should call you a Saintess now.”
The Emperor, laughing heartily and correcting my title, praised my achievements and served me all kinds of delicacies on my plate.
“You must have been very tired after returning from the ordeal. Now that you are in good health, I must take good care of you. Soon, I will have to perform a ceremony in front of the people of the empire.”
Food was personally prepared by the Emperor himself. If it were in the past, I would have been too embarrassed to even raise my head.
But now...
'You knew the closed-door system was a death knell, you idiot.'
I knew from the beginning that it wasn't something done with true faith, but hearing it with my own ears made me feel angry all over again.
When I glared at him with glaring eyes, the Emperor, who had been startled and flinched in surprise, finally realized his slip of the tongue and slyly changed the subject.
“Ah, news has come in from all over the country. It seems that the disasters have stopped in many areas. It seems that the disasters of the past were due to the Saintess's absence. Isn’t that right, Your Holiness?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. That’s my opinion as well. The Saintess was originally meant to protect the empire in place of the goddess. Now that such a being has disappeared, it’s only natural that all sorts of misfortunes are pouring in.”
“Haha, is that so? Well then, I guess we can rest easy now. Since the Saintess has returned, shouldn’t the disasters stop completely?”
The Emperor burst into hearty laughter.
Who wouldn't have suffered from the endless onslaught of disasters, but he must have suffered especially more.
Because the Emperor was the one who took responsibility.
But I had no intention of making his joy last long.
First of all, I didn't want to see the person who drove me to death by creating a human sacrifice system, knowing full well that it would be a dog's death, and being happy about it.
Secondly, I don't know why the disasters all over the country stopped, but it can't be because of me, so I had to lay the groundwork.
Thirdly, because I still had goals to accomplish.
“I have no wish to disturb Your Majesty’s joy, but I cannot yet be certain that the disaster has completely ceased.”
“What do you mean, you can’t be sure?”
The Emperor asked in a tone of incomprehension, and the Pope also looked at me with a puzzled expression.
I continued with a miserable expression.
“The reason why the Goddess, who had bestowed infinite grace for two thousand years, abandoned this empire for thirteen years. Because that reason still remains.”
Support Novellate!
Comments
Post a Comment