The disaster that began at the northern border quickly spread throughout the empire like an infectious disease.
Hail, heavy rain, heat waves, heavy snow.
The empire, which had briefly regained its sense of humor due to the improbable climate, fell into chaos again.
“What is this? The Saintess has returned, so why is this disaster happening again? We already dealt with all the culprits!”
“That’s right. What the hell is this...?”
“Where is the Saintess now? It’s times like this when the Saintess should step in!”
“Haven’t you heard the rumor? The Saintess is currently lying in a sickbed.”
“The Saintess is sick? Why?”
“How would we know? They said she suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed.”
“Huh, what on earth is going on? The disaster that was stopped is happening again, and the Saintess has fallen.”
“That’s right. The goddess is angry about something again...”
While the people of the empire were unable to hide their bewilderment, I just lay in bed without moving.
Finally, the Emperor and the Pope, tired of the endless stream of complaints, came to my room.
“Welcome, Your Majesty. Your Holiness.”
The Emperor asked with a complicated expression as he saw me barely raising my upper body with a face that looked as if I was dying from exhaustion.
“I heard you were sick, Saintess. How are you feeling?”
“I’m embarrassed to say this, but still...”
“Huh, what the hell is going on? Did you find out what caused it?”
“I’ve had several checkups, but there’s nothing particularly wrong. It seems like she just has a bit less energy.”
The doctor who was looking after me beside me answered the Emperor's question with an embarrassed expression.
“What on earth do you mean? The Saintess is running out of energy! Did you perhaps eat poorly? Or did you have trouble sleeping due to an uncomfortable bed? Huh?”
When the Emperor got angry at the statement that I was not sick and was simply feeling weak, the Pope firmly shook his head.
“The Great Hall has been paying special attention to the Saintess’s diet and living environment. So it can’t be such a simple problem.”
“Why on earth does she feel so exhausted? What have you done so far!”
“Sometimes, this kind of thing happens to Saintesses who have received the grace of the Goddess. It’s because they have to bear the power of the Goddess in their human bodies, so it’s burdensome.”
For a moment, my eyes opened wide.
'Is there such a case?'
It was a story I had never heard before.
'If I had known sooner, I would have just laid down comfortably, but I was anxious for nothing.'
I let out a deep sigh of relief and sat up more comfortably.
“When will things get better if you do this?”
“Well, there’s nothing set in stone... If I had to guess, I’d say it’s around the time when all the holy powers granted to the Saintess’s body are fully established.”
“Ugh, time is of the essence and you don’t even know the exact date of recovery... This is really a big deal.”
The sleeping Emperor gave urgent instructions to the attendant standing behind him.
“Bring food and medicine to nourish the Saintess’s body immediately. Send here everything good for her body, including the root of Bladock, which is said to be a heavenly medicine, the seed of Canyon, which is said to be the fruit of the goddess, and even the liver of rabbit, which is said to be good for recovery!”
He, who had been acting all weird, held my hand tightly and begged me earnestly.
“Please recover quickly, Saintess. Your strength is desperately needed in this empire. Yes?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will get up from my seat as soon as possible and do my best to relieve Your Majesty of your worries.”
“Yes, that’s right. It absolutely has to be done. It absolutely has to be done!”
The Emperor nodded his head with a face that almost looked like he was crying.
It seemed that he was quite distressed by the resentment of the imperial people who were pouring in.
'But that's none of my business.'
The Pope must have said something, and I entered a comfortable period of rest.
The world couldn't be more beautiful as I played around and ate all the nutritious food the Emperor sent me.
A week of lying in bed alone and feeling comfortable while all the screams were going on.
I finally got up.
While I was changing my clothes and humming a tune, Delton, who was napping leisurely under the bed, asked with a sullen face.
“Why did you get out of bed? Where are you going?”
“It’s time to go outside now.”
“Outside? Could it be that we’re at the scene of a disaster?”
“Yes, but since I am a Saintess, I can’t hide my nose. If I did, I might incur the wrath of the imperial people.”
“So, you’re going to go out to the scene and pretend to handle things properly, and then quietly back out using the method I mentioned before?”
“Correct answer.”
Delton let out a deep sigh as I shrugged my shoulders with a grin.
“It’s such a mess outside, how can you have no sense of responsibility?”
“What kind of responsibility is this? I'm not even a real Saintess.”
I laughed and stood in front of the mirror one last time to check my condition.
A bare face without makeup, neatly combed hair, and simple clothes.
It was the appearance of a Saintess who had not yet fully recovered and was forcibly dragging herself out, worried about the people of the empire.
'Even if I can't prevent the disaster, I won't get hit by rocks.'
I smiled happily and opened the door again, humming a tune.
I thought that in a few days, I would be able to throw away this sainthood that I didn't even know I had and return home safely.
But.
“...”
When I opened the door, I froze like a stone statue, just like I had been smiling brightly.
“Your Highness...!”
Because Crown Prince Declan Garnazzo was standing outside the door.
‘Why is the Crown Prince here...’
I clenched my fists, turning white.
The Crown Prince suddenly appears at this point.
'You didn't hear everything, did you?'
I anxiously looked at the Crown Prince, but his gaze upon me was as calm as ever.
'I don't think you heard it...'
Yes, it definitely will.
If you had heard that I was not a true Saintess, you would not have been able to look at me with such silent eyes.
I held onto a glimmer of hope in the Crown Prince's reaction and tried to open my mouth.
“Your Highness, what brings you here...”
“I came here to ask for help. I know you’re not feeling well, but the situation outside is so bad.”
“Oh, yes. I see.”
I let out a sigh of relief at the Crown Prince's tone of voice, which was no different from usual.
'Fortunately, I don't think you heard it.'
I almost lost my neck right here.
'I survived being dragged into the lion's den, so I can't die like this.'
I swept my chest inwardly, then laid down the iron plate again and smiled brightly.
“I was about to leave anyway. Even though I’m not in perfect health, I can’t just worry about my health while leaving the people of the empire in distress.”
“I really appreciate your kind words.”
“What? It’s a natural thing to do as a Saintess of Catalonia. Then shall we go together?”
That moment when I passed him with a face that I thought was incredibly shameless.
“But what does that mean?”
“Huh? What are you talking about? What the...”
“What you said a little while ago. That you are not a true Saintess.”
I froze in that position.
The corridor was filled with sunlight, clearly showing that it was a warm spring day, but it felt like a cold wind was blowing around me.
I barely managed to turn my stiff neck to face the Crown Prince.
The dark purple eyes that had been calm until just a moment ago were now frozen like a lake in the middle of winter.
‘...This is a major accident.’
Even if I get caught, it's going to be the Crown Prince.
If he had been the Emperor, there might have been room for negotiation.
Because he was a person who cared about his own appearance above all else.
Because he would never want to know that he was fooled by the lies of a girl who wasn't even twenty years old.
But he wasn't the Crown Prince.
He was a man who cherished and valued the people of the empire more than his own life.
They could never leave me alone for fooling and deceiving those people.
I opened my mouth in a hurry to somehow cover up the situation.
The excuse I had in mind was obvious.
“Hey. I’m just joking, Your Highness.”
“You were just joking.”
Of course, you may find it suspicious, but what can you do?
'It has already been verified by the Pope.'
I opened my mouth, barely able to raise the corners of my trembling lips.
“Your Highness, that’s just...”
“The empire is dying.”
"Yes?"
“The groans of the imperial people suffering from the disaster flow into the imperial city, and I cannot relax for even a moment. I cannot eat or sleep.”
“...”
“I don’t know how many times I had to stop the carriage to get here.”
“...”
“Some people were pounding on the carriages and begging for help, while others were swearing at them, saying, ‘How can you go on a leisurely tour when the country is in such a state?’ But their faces were also stained with desperation. Even as they were swearing, they were begging for help with their eyes.”
“...”
“And yet there was nothing I could do. I was just a human being in the face of this immense power of nature.”
Declan's face was still expressionless.
But I could feel the pain behind it, the pain he was trying to hide because he was the Crown Prince.
“But the Saintess is different. In the current situation, the Saintess is the only one who can provide comfort to the people of the Empire. So please speak honestly.”
The Crown Prince looked straight at me with his eyes.
“What do you mean you are not a true Saintess?”
Hail, heavy rain, heat waves, heavy snow.
The empire, which had briefly regained its sense of humor due to the improbable climate, fell into chaos again.
“What is this? The Saintess has returned, so why is this disaster happening again? We already dealt with all the culprits!”
“That’s right. What the hell is this...?”
“Where is the Saintess now? It’s times like this when the Saintess should step in!”
“Haven’t you heard the rumor? The Saintess is currently lying in a sickbed.”
“The Saintess is sick? Why?”
“How would we know? They said she suddenly lost consciousness and collapsed.”
“Huh, what on earth is going on? The disaster that was stopped is happening again, and the Saintess has fallen.”
“That’s right. The goddess is angry about something again...”
While the people of the empire were unable to hide their bewilderment, I just lay in bed without moving.
Finally, the Emperor and the Pope, tired of the endless stream of complaints, came to my room.
“Welcome, Your Majesty. Your Holiness.”
The Emperor asked with a complicated expression as he saw me barely raising my upper body with a face that looked as if I was dying from exhaustion.
“I heard you were sick, Saintess. How are you feeling?”
“I’m embarrassed to say this, but still...”
“Huh, what the hell is going on? Did you find out what caused it?”
“I’ve had several checkups, but there’s nothing particularly wrong. It seems like she just has a bit less energy.”
The doctor who was looking after me beside me answered the Emperor's question with an embarrassed expression.
“What on earth do you mean? The Saintess is running out of energy! Did you perhaps eat poorly? Or did you have trouble sleeping due to an uncomfortable bed? Huh?”
When the Emperor got angry at the statement that I was not sick and was simply feeling weak, the Pope firmly shook his head.
“The Great Hall has been paying special attention to the Saintess’s diet and living environment. So it can’t be such a simple problem.”
“Why on earth does she feel so exhausted? What have you done so far!”
“Sometimes, this kind of thing happens to Saintesses who have received the grace of the Goddess. It’s because they have to bear the power of the Goddess in their human bodies, so it’s burdensome.”
For a moment, my eyes opened wide.
'Is there such a case?'
It was a story I had never heard before.
'If I had known sooner, I would have just laid down comfortably, but I was anxious for nothing.'
I let out a deep sigh of relief and sat up more comfortably.
“When will things get better if you do this?”
“Well, there’s nothing set in stone... If I had to guess, I’d say it’s around the time when all the holy powers granted to the Saintess’s body are fully established.”
“Ugh, time is of the essence and you don’t even know the exact date of recovery... This is really a big deal.”
The sleeping Emperor gave urgent instructions to the attendant standing behind him.
“Bring food and medicine to nourish the Saintess’s body immediately. Send here everything good for her body, including the root of Bladock, which is said to be a heavenly medicine, the seed of Canyon, which is said to be the fruit of the goddess, and even the liver of rabbit, which is said to be good for recovery!”
He, who had been acting all weird, held my hand tightly and begged me earnestly.
“Please recover quickly, Saintess. Your strength is desperately needed in this empire. Yes?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I will get up from my seat as soon as possible and do my best to relieve Your Majesty of your worries.”
“Yes, that’s right. It absolutely has to be done. It absolutely has to be done!”
The Emperor nodded his head with a face that almost looked like he was crying.
It seemed that he was quite distressed by the resentment of the imperial people who were pouring in.
'But that's none of my business.'
The Pope must have said something, and I entered a comfortable period of rest.
The world couldn't be more beautiful as I played around and ate all the nutritious food the Emperor sent me.
A week of lying in bed alone and feeling comfortable while all the screams were going on.
I finally got up.
While I was changing my clothes and humming a tune, Delton, who was napping leisurely under the bed, asked with a sullen face.
“Why did you get out of bed? Where are you going?”
“It’s time to go outside now.”
“Outside? Could it be that we’re at the scene of a disaster?”
“Yes, but since I am a Saintess, I can’t hide my nose. If I did, I might incur the wrath of the imperial people.”
“So, you’re going to go out to the scene and pretend to handle things properly, and then quietly back out using the method I mentioned before?”
“Correct answer.”
Delton let out a deep sigh as I shrugged my shoulders with a grin.
“It’s such a mess outside, how can you have no sense of responsibility?”
“What kind of responsibility is this? I'm not even a real Saintess.”
I laughed and stood in front of the mirror one last time to check my condition.
A bare face without makeup, neatly combed hair, and simple clothes.
It was the appearance of a Saintess who had not yet fully recovered and was forcibly dragging herself out, worried about the people of the empire.
'Even if I can't prevent the disaster, I won't get hit by rocks.'
I smiled happily and opened the door again, humming a tune.
I thought that in a few days, I would be able to throw away this sainthood that I didn't even know I had and return home safely.
But.
“...”
When I opened the door, I froze like a stone statue, just like I had been smiling brightly.
“Your Highness...!”
Because Crown Prince Declan Garnazzo was standing outside the door.
‘Why is the Crown Prince here...’
I clenched my fists, turning white.
The Crown Prince suddenly appears at this point.
'You didn't hear everything, did you?'
I anxiously looked at the Crown Prince, but his gaze upon me was as calm as ever.
'I don't think you heard it...'
Yes, it definitely will.
If you had heard that I was not a true Saintess, you would not have been able to look at me with such silent eyes.
I held onto a glimmer of hope in the Crown Prince's reaction and tried to open my mouth.
“Your Highness, what brings you here...”
“I came here to ask for help. I know you’re not feeling well, but the situation outside is so bad.”
“Oh, yes. I see.”
I let out a sigh of relief at the Crown Prince's tone of voice, which was no different from usual.
'Fortunately, I don't think you heard it.'
I almost lost my neck right here.
'I survived being dragged into the lion's den, so I can't die like this.'
I swept my chest inwardly, then laid down the iron plate again and smiled brightly.
“I was about to leave anyway. Even though I’m not in perfect health, I can’t just worry about my health while leaving the people of the empire in distress.”
“I really appreciate your kind words.”
“What? It’s a natural thing to do as a Saintess of Catalonia. Then shall we go together?”
That moment when I passed him with a face that I thought was incredibly shameless.
“But what does that mean?”
“Huh? What are you talking about? What the...”
“What you said a little while ago. That you are not a true Saintess.”
I froze in that position.
The corridor was filled with sunlight, clearly showing that it was a warm spring day, but it felt like a cold wind was blowing around me.
I barely managed to turn my stiff neck to face the Crown Prince.
The dark purple eyes that had been calm until just a moment ago were now frozen like a lake in the middle of winter.
‘...This is a major accident.’
Even if I get caught, it's going to be the Crown Prince.
If he had been the Emperor, there might have been room for negotiation.
Because he was a person who cared about his own appearance above all else.
Because he would never want to know that he was fooled by the lies of a girl who wasn't even twenty years old.
But he wasn't the Crown Prince.
He was a man who cherished and valued the people of the empire more than his own life.
They could never leave me alone for fooling and deceiving those people.
I opened my mouth in a hurry to somehow cover up the situation.
The excuse I had in mind was obvious.
“Hey. I’m just joking, Your Highness.”
“You were just joking.”
Of course, you may find it suspicious, but what can you do?
'It has already been verified by the Pope.'
I opened my mouth, barely able to raise the corners of my trembling lips.
“Your Highness, that’s just...”
“The empire is dying.”
"Yes?"
“The groans of the imperial people suffering from the disaster flow into the imperial city, and I cannot relax for even a moment. I cannot eat or sleep.”
“...”
“I don’t know how many times I had to stop the carriage to get here.”
“...”
“Some people were pounding on the carriages and begging for help, while others were swearing at them, saying, ‘How can you go on a leisurely tour when the country is in such a state?’ But their faces were also stained with desperation. Even as they were swearing, they were begging for help with their eyes.”
“...”
“And yet there was nothing I could do. I was just a human being in the face of this immense power of nature.”
Declan's face was still expressionless.
But I could feel the pain behind it, the pain he was trying to hide because he was the Crown Prince.
“But the Saintess is different. In the current situation, the Saintess is the only one who can provide comfort to the people of the Empire. So please speak honestly.”
The Crown Prince looked straight at me with his eyes.
“What do you mean you are not a true Saintess?”
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