'Did I hear something wrong?'
The person who was threatening me with the death penalty just a moment ago is suddenly showing me such mercy.
'Was the Crown Prince originally such a soft-spoken man?'
Although he was not authoritarian or cruel in nature, I thought it would not be easy to persuade him as he was a thoroughgoing man of principle.
But is it this easy?
'What? Do you have other feelings for me?'
Now that I think about it, it was a bit strange that he returned the ownership of the Duke's residence a while ago.
Since it is such a historic mansion, why are you giving it back to me, even if you bought it at auction? And for free!
Of course, he added a reason, saying, "I was impressed by your will to use all your wealth to help the people of the empire even when you were on the verge of death," but it didn't really resonate.
Because it was too much money for that.
'But was there a reason why the Crown Prince developed feelings for me?'
We've met many times, but I don't think there was a moment where sparks flew.
'Oh, come to think of it, the Crown Prince was my partner during my debutante three years ago.'
It was thanks to the special care the imperial family gave me as the empire's only Princess.
'Looking back, I think the Crown Prince's kindness at that time was a bit excessive...'
He arrived at the Duke's residence 30 minutes before the appointed time, waited for me, was extremely polite when he asked me to the first dance and stayed by my side throughout the party.
'Then all those actions...'
At that moment, I was looking at him with narrowed eyes and letting my fantasies run wild.
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not for the Princess’s sake. It’s to prevent my people from falling into unrest again.”
Oh, I see?
I woke up from my daydream indifferently.
It was already difficult to give meaning to the Crown Prince's actions, which were not particularly special.
The actions of the Crown Prince that I have listed so far were the natural actions of a partner.
'By the way, you really have a very cruel spirit of patriotism.'
Even if it was to protect the stability of the empire's people, that moral man would engage in fraud.
'Well, it's a good thing because my life was extended thanks to it.'
Compared to having my throat cut off, extending my pretend life as a fake Saintess was nothing.
But my relief was short-lived, as I encountered another problem.
“But how?”
I was a body without even a speck of holy power.
Up until now, it was possible to pretend to be a Saintess because there was no need to use the powers, but now that the disaster has struck again, it is impossible.
'Do you have any other plan in mind?'
I stared at the Crown Prince.
But.
“Why do you ask me that?”
"... Yes?"
“Either you pray to the goddess to make you a true Saintess, or you can use the power of the lion as you have done so far.”
“...”
“That is for the Princess to decide.”
Have you ever seen such an irresponsible person?
You propose a con on a grand scale that will target the entire empire, and I ask you to find the method.
It was when I was barely able to swallow the curse words that were about to burst out.
“Anyway, the Princess has only two choices: maintain your position as a Saintess at all costs.”
“...”
“Or just die.”
A cold-blooded choice.
“...Yes. Let’s try to find a way.”
In the end, I had no choice but to accept his offer, even though I was crying.
The Crown Prince left the temple, leaving a message saying that he would give me another day.
It's a task to deceive the entire empire, and the time given is only one day.
Terrified, I tried to ask for an extension of the deadline, even if it was just for a few days, but the Crown Prince slammed the door and left as if he had no intention of listening to my story.
Delton clicked his tongue as he watched me grin and fall to the floor helplessly, holding onto the doorknob.
“Should I call that righteous or persistent... Anyway, you got caught by a bad guy.”
“Yes, Delton, watch out for that too. It’s so scary to be caught in a weak spot. You won’t be able to protest even if you’re being manipulated like this.”
“Oh, to hear something like that coming out of your mouth. I guess you’ve realized something from this incident?”
Delton asked with wide eyes, genuinely surprised, by what I usually think of him.
“Yes, I got it. The lesson is to be careful with your mouth, wherever and whenever. And that a weak conscience is poisonous.”
“...Isn’t this a lesson that you shouldn’t cheat others?”
“Yes, no.”
I spoke firmly, took a deep breath, and then stood up resolutely.
“Anyway, this is not the time to be doing this. Yes, let’s start with our meeting.”
"Meeting?"
“Didn’t you hear what the Crown Prince said? He told me to find a way out by tomorrow. What other way would I have than Delton?”
Delton raised his head with a proud expression as if he really liked the idea of me relying on him.
“Ues, go ahead and ask.”
I felt strangely annoyed at the way he was whining, and I wanted to hit him with a chestnut, but I held it in and opened my mouth.
“First, I want to know the extent of Delton’s abilities. Is it impossible to stop the disaster altogether?”
“That’s difficult. No matter how great a country you are, it’s not easy to control the harmony of heaven and earth. My ability is limited to stopping it temporarily.”
“Then how often does that happen? Let’s see, last time it was about three weeks...”
“Well, it was like that last time, but there’s no guarantee it’ll be like that next time. It’s my first time experiencing something like this.”
Delton, who was scratching his temples as if embarrassed, added:
“Oh, and I can only use my powers where I am staying. That means I can only use them to the extent that I can directly extend my powers.”
“Huh? What is that... Last time, the disaster in another region was stopped too.”
“That’s probably not my influence. The only time I used my power was on that one hailstorm.”
“What? So the fact that disasters stopped simultaneously across the country was all just a coincidence?”
“I can’t say for sure that it was just a coincidence, but I’m sure it wasn’t because of my ability.”
I was so shocked that I opened my mouth wide, believing that the reason the disaster had stopped was because of Delton's ability.
They say that coincidences are always like that, but how can they appear so perfectly and exquisitely?
“Wait a minute, so you’re saying that to stop a disaster across the country, I have to go around to each and every one of them?”
“Well, I guess that’s what it is.”
“Ha, what nonsense...”
Traveling through this vast empire was no ordinary undertaking.
It takes months of movement, and even Delton's ability is limited to stopping it for a moment.
'This can't be a solution.'
I've been wondering if there might be a more ultimate solution, but nothing comes to mind right now.
'Isn't it best to appease the public sentiment by showing some short-term ability?'
I could probably hold out for a while under the pretext that my powers were less established.
'To do that, I'll have to look a bit sicker...'
I looked around with my eyes wide open, then picked up a towel that was lying on the nightstand and hurriedly wiped off the makeup covering my face.
The towel felt very rough to the touch and my face turned red, but all I could think about was how I should look sickly.
So I didn't hear it.
“Hey, that’s not a towel, it’s a rag...”
Delton muttered in a pitiful voice, his mouth covered by his large forepaw.
The person who was threatening me with the death penalty just a moment ago is suddenly showing me such mercy.
'Was the Crown Prince originally such a soft-spoken man?'
Although he was not authoritarian or cruel in nature, I thought it would not be easy to persuade him as he was a thoroughgoing man of principle.
But is it this easy?
'What? Do you have other feelings for me?'
Now that I think about it, it was a bit strange that he returned the ownership of the Duke's residence a while ago.
Since it is such a historic mansion, why are you giving it back to me, even if you bought it at auction? And for free!
Of course, he added a reason, saying, "I was impressed by your will to use all your wealth to help the people of the empire even when you were on the verge of death," but it didn't really resonate.
Because it was too much money for that.
'But was there a reason why the Crown Prince developed feelings for me?'
We've met many times, but I don't think there was a moment where sparks flew.
'Oh, come to think of it, the Crown Prince was my partner during my debutante three years ago.'
It was thanks to the special care the imperial family gave me as the empire's only Princess.
'Looking back, I think the Crown Prince's kindness at that time was a bit excessive...'
He arrived at the Duke's residence 30 minutes before the appointed time, waited for me, was extremely polite when he asked me to the first dance and stayed by my side throughout the party.
'Then all those actions...'
At that moment, I was looking at him with narrowed eyes and letting my fantasies run wild.
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s not for the Princess’s sake. It’s to prevent my people from falling into unrest again.”
Oh, I see?
I woke up from my daydream indifferently.
It was already difficult to give meaning to the Crown Prince's actions, which were not particularly special.
The actions of the Crown Prince that I have listed so far were the natural actions of a partner.
'By the way, you really have a very cruel spirit of patriotism.'
Even if it was to protect the stability of the empire's people, that moral man would engage in fraud.
'Well, it's a good thing because my life was extended thanks to it.'
Compared to having my throat cut off, extending my pretend life as a fake Saintess was nothing.
But my relief was short-lived, as I encountered another problem.
“But how?”
I was a body without even a speck of holy power.
Up until now, it was possible to pretend to be a Saintess because there was no need to use the powers, but now that the disaster has struck again, it is impossible.
'Do you have any other plan in mind?'
I stared at the Crown Prince.
But.
“Why do you ask me that?”
"... Yes?"
“Either you pray to the goddess to make you a true Saintess, or you can use the power of the lion as you have done so far.”
“...”
“That is for the Princess to decide.”
Have you ever seen such an irresponsible person?
You propose a con on a grand scale that will target the entire empire, and I ask you to find the method.
It was when I was barely able to swallow the curse words that were about to burst out.
“Anyway, the Princess has only two choices: maintain your position as a Saintess at all costs.”
“...”
“Or just die.”
A cold-blooded choice.
“...Yes. Let’s try to find a way.”
In the end, I had no choice but to accept his offer, even though I was crying.
***
The Crown Prince left the temple, leaving a message saying that he would give me another day.
It's a task to deceive the entire empire, and the time given is only one day.
Terrified, I tried to ask for an extension of the deadline, even if it was just for a few days, but the Crown Prince slammed the door and left as if he had no intention of listening to my story.
Delton clicked his tongue as he watched me grin and fall to the floor helplessly, holding onto the doorknob.
“Should I call that righteous or persistent... Anyway, you got caught by a bad guy.”
“Yes, Delton, watch out for that too. It’s so scary to be caught in a weak spot. You won’t be able to protest even if you’re being manipulated like this.”
“Oh, to hear something like that coming out of your mouth. I guess you’ve realized something from this incident?”
Delton asked with wide eyes, genuinely surprised, by what I usually think of him.
“Yes, I got it. The lesson is to be careful with your mouth, wherever and whenever. And that a weak conscience is poisonous.”
“...Isn’t this a lesson that you shouldn’t cheat others?”
“Yes, no.”
I spoke firmly, took a deep breath, and then stood up resolutely.
“Anyway, this is not the time to be doing this. Yes, let’s start with our meeting.”
"Meeting?"
“Didn’t you hear what the Crown Prince said? He told me to find a way out by tomorrow. What other way would I have than Delton?”
Delton raised his head with a proud expression as if he really liked the idea of me relying on him.
“Ues, go ahead and ask.”
I felt strangely annoyed at the way he was whining, and I wanted to hit him with a chestnut, but I held it in and opened my mouth.
“First, I want to know the extent of Delton’s abilities. Is it impossible to stop the disaster altogether?”
“That’s difficult. No matter how great a country you are, it’s not easy to control the harmony of heaven and earth. My ability is limited to stopping it temporarily.”
“Then how often does that happen? Let’s see, last time it was about three weeks...”
“Well, it was like that last time, but there’s no guarantee it’ll be like that next time. It’s my first time experiencing something like this.”
Delton, who was scratching his temples as if embarrassed, added:
“Oh, and I can only use my powers where I am staying. That means I can only use them to the extent that I can directly extend my powers.”
“Huh? What is that... Last time, the disaster in another region was stopped too.”
“That’s probably not my influence. The only time I used my power was on that one hailstorm.”
“What? So the fact that disasters stopped simultaneously across the country was all just a coincidence?”
“I can’t say for sure that it was just a coincidence, but I’m sure it wasn’t because of my ability.”
I was so shocked that I opened my mouth wide, believing that the reason the disaster had stopped was because of Delton's ability.
They say that coincidences are always like that, but how can they appear so perfectly and exquisitely?
“Wait a minute, so you’re saying that to stop a disaster across the country, I have to go around to each and every one of them?”
“Well, I guess that’s what it is.”
“Ha, what nonsense...”
Traveling through this vast empire was no ordinary undertaking.
It takes months of movement, and even Delton's ability is limited to stopping it for a moment.
'This can't be a solution.'
I've been wondering if there might be a more ultimate solution, but nothing comes to mind right now.
'Isn't it best to appease the public sentiment by showing some short-term ability?'
I could probably hold out for a while under the pretext that my powers were less established.
'To do that, I'll have to look a bit sicker...'
I looked around with my eyes wide open, then picked up a towel that was lying on the nightstand and hurriedly wiped off the makeup covering my face.
The towel felt very rough to the touch and my face turned red, but all I could think about was how I should look sickly.
So I didn't hear it.
“Hey, that’s not a towel, it’s a rag...”
Delton muttered in a pitiful voice, his mouth covered by his large forepaw.
Support Novellate!
thanks! i am still contemplating the direction this will go, but i'm glad the author didnt extend the situation with the crown prince confronting her for too long haha!
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