“Where have you been?”
It was just as the clock struck midnight. Amelia was crossing the threshold of her bedroom when she was startled by an unexpected voice. It was Louis.
“I’ll go to the prayer room for a moment. I’ll talk to you and come back.”
Louis stared at Amelia with suspicious eyes. Amelia avoided Louis’s dimly opened eyes and approached the bed as naturally as possible.
“Did you really go to the prayer room?”
“I wouldn’t lie about something like that. And if I had tried to run away, I wouldn’t have come back here on my own two feet.”
It wasn't a lie, so there was no need to feel guilty.
“...”
Louis watched Amelia calmly throw off the blanket and soon gave up asking questions. After all, Aaron had said that it was okay to let Amelia go for a while.
“Yes, get some sleep. Don’t forget the main building prayer schedule tomorrow morning. I’ll come get you.”
Amelia nodded and yawned. It meant that she was too lazy to talk and that she should leave. Louis left, internally criticizing Amelia’s indifference again today.
“See you next week.”
Amelia smiled as she recalled Ivan's last voice. This time, Ivan really promised. Amelia also knew that Ivan had reluctantly followed Amelia's suggestion before. But this time, Ivan promised first, of his own free will. Whether it was out of pity, curiosity, or whatever.
“I think we’ve become close.”
Amelia muttered. She knew it was a rash guess, but it seemed as if Ivan had opened up to her.
"..."
Amelia's lips twitched and then closed tightly. Her head was mulling over the way of life she had learned.
The world is not so kind to those who are worthless. In fact, it is not just unkind, it is cruel. The Amelias of the past, who died when they had fulfilled their needs, were proof of this.
“...”
But today Ivan was affectionate to Amelia. So Amelia Escliffe is someone who means something to Ivan. Considering that Amelia has nothing to give Ivan, Amelia's meaning to Ivan is likely to be sexual.
In fact, it was a thought that was made up to conclude that Ivan had sexual feelings for her. Amelia lay on the bed, burying her face in the blanket she was holding tightly in her hands. Like a child who thinks that if she hides her head when she is embarrassed, she has hidden everything.
But the anticipation that occupied a corner of his heart was neither withdrawn nor hidden.
The residence was noisy from the morning. It was natural, since there was going to be a play pretending to receive an oracle during the prayer.
“It’s pitiful.”
Amelia muttered as she stared into the mirror. Today, just for today, she felt sorry for the fools who believed in sacred legends.
To make it look frugal, she wore an ivory dress with almost no lace decoration, and her neck, ears, and arms were adorned with transparent jewels. In fact, even this frugal-looking dress was made of the finest silk. It was intended to make Amelia stand out when the light hit her in the prayer room.
“I didn’t say that to you.”
The servant tilted his head as he heard Amelia's muttering. Amelia shook her hand twice and explained that she had not meant it.
“Your Ladyship, are you ready?”
Finally, the servants who had been checking Amelia's attire hurriedly bowed their heads. It was Aaron.
“...”
Amelia just looked at him without answering.
“It's finished.”
Then Louis, who was watching from the side, answered instead. Louis did not understand Amelia’s hatred for Aaron. In fact, both Aaron and Louis were equally monitoring and pressuring Amelia’s every move. However, Amelia did not hide and showed her aggression and hatred that was not visible to Louis, only to Aaron.
“I came to pick you up.”
And even more incomprehensible was her cousin, who just smiled despite being treated like that. Louis quietly frowned.
“Why? Are you afraid that I might run away somewhere in the middle?”
At the same time, Amelia shot back at Aaron in a defiant tone.
“Where are you going?”
Aaron asked, as if he was truly curious.
“If you leave Escliffe, it means you are taking away the blessings that God has given you.”
“...”
“Have you received any revelation?”
Amelia clenched her fists under her sleeves. His eyes smiled softly, but his mouth didn't smile at all, which was disgusting. She thought that if she had just raised one cheek, her wish would have been fulfilled.
“No. I meant I could go alone.”
Amelia replied blandly. It meant that she didn't have to show her a face that she didn't like looking at.
“But since you said that something special would happen today, of course, I should follow you.”
Aaron couldn't have missed that. He calmly made up a story that Amelia had never said.
“I guess I did.”
"Yes."
It was hard to deny that statement under the watchful eyes of many. It wasn't just for her own benefit. The moment she revealed to the world that she wasn't a true Priestess, it wouldn't be her who would die, but those who were by her side.
“As I get older, I don’t remember things very well.”
Aaron laughed out loud as if he had heard a funny joke. Of course, he didn't really look amused. He looked like he was annoyed and bothered by the situation where she was just joking around.
“Go. The preparations are complete.”
“I will take the lead.”
No matter how many other people are nearby, it's not good to mess with him. She had just gotten a bad lesson from Aaron when she talked back to him.
“...”
It was terrible. Amelia's face turned pale for a moment as she recalled the face of the dog rushing at her and its sharp teeth.
“I meet the Priestess.”
All the way to the main prayer room, everyone bowed their heads toward Amelia. As a priestess, Amelia only greeted them with her eyes and passed them by without bowing her head, just as she had been taught.
“The priestess has been served.”
It was just as the clock struck midnight. Amelia was crossing the threshold of her bedroom when she was startled by an unexpected voice. It was Louis.
“I’ll go to the prayer room for a moment. I’ll talk to you and come back.”
Louis stared at Amelia with suspicious eyes. Amelia avoided Louis’s dimly opened eyes and approached the bed as naturally as possible.
“Did you really go to the prayer room?”
“I wouldn’t lie about something like that. And if I had tried to run away, I wouldn’t have come back here on my own two feet.”
It wasn't a lie, so there was no need to feel guilty.
“...”
Louis watched Amelia calmly throw off the blanket and soon gave up asking questions. After all, Aaron had said that it was okay to let Amelia go for a while.
“Yes, get some sleep. Don’t forget the main building prayer schedule tomorrow morning. I’ll come get you.”
Amelia nodded and yawned. It meant that she was too lazy to talk and that she should leave. Louis left, internally criticizing Amelia’s indifference again today.
“See you next week.”
Amelia smiled as she recalled Ivan's last voice. This time, Ivan really promised. Amelia also knew that Ivan had reluctantly followed Amelia's suggestion before. But this time, Ivan promised first, of his own free will. Whether it was out of pity, curiosity, or whatever.
“I think we’ve become close.”
Amelia muttered. She knew it was a rash guess, but it seemed as if Ivan had opened up to her.
"..."
Amelia's lips twitched and then closed tightly. Her head was mulling over the way of life she had learned.
The world is not so kind to those who are worthless. In fact, it is not just unkind, it is cruel. The Amelias of the past, who died when they had fulfilled their needs, were proof of this.
“...”
But today Ivan was affectionate to Amelia. So Amelia Escliffe is someone who means something to Ivan. Considering that Amelia has nothing to give Ivan, Amelia's meaning to Ivan is likely to be sexual.
In fact, it was a thought that was made up to conclude that Ivan had sexual feelings for her. Amelia lay on the bed, burying her face in the blanket she was holding tightly in her hands. Like a child who thinks that if she hides her head when she is embarrassed, she has hidden everything.
But the anticipation that occupied a corner of his heart was neither withdrawn nor hidden.
***
The residence was noisy from the morning. It was natural, since there was going to be a play pretending to receive an oracle during the prayer.
“It’s pitiful.”
Amelia muttered as she stared into the mirror. Today, just for today, she felt sorry for the fools who believed in sacred legends.
To make it look frugal, she wore an ivory dress with almost no lace decoration, and her neck, ears, and arms were adorned with transparent jewels. In fact, even this frugal-looking dress was made of the finest silk. It was intended to make Amelia stand out when the light hit her in the prayer room.
“I didn’t say that to you.”
The servant tilted his head as he heard Amelia's muttering. Amelia shook her hand twice and explained that she had not meant it.
“Your Ladyship, are you ready?”
Finally, the servants who had been checking Amelia's attire hurriedly bowed their heads. It was Aaron.
“...”
Amelia just looked at him without answering.
“It's finished.”
Then Louis, who was watching from the side, answered instead. Louis did not understand Amelia’s hatred for Aaron. In fact, both Aaron and Louis were equally monitoring and pressuring Amelia’s every move. However, Amelia did not hide and showed her aggression and hatred that was not visible to Louis, only to Aaron.
“I came to pick you up.”
And even more incomprehensible was her cousin, who just smiled despite being treated like that. Louis quietly frowned.
“Why? Are you afraid that I might run away somewhere in the middle?”
At the same time, Amelia shot back at Aaron in a defiant tone.
“Where are you going?”
Aaron asked, as if he was truly curious.
“If you leave Escliffe, it means you are taking away the blessings that God has given you.”
“...”
“Have you received any revelation?”
Amelia clenched her fists under her sleeves. His eyes smiled softly, but his mouth didn't smile at all, which was disgusting. She thought that if she had just raised one cheek, her wish would have been fulfilled.
“No. I meant I could go alone.”
Amelia replied blandly. It meant that she didn't have to show her a face that she didn't like looking at.
“But since you said that something special would happen today, of course, I should follow you.”
Aaron couldn't have missed that. He calmly made up a story that Amelia had never said.
“I guess I did.”
"Yes."
It was hard to deny that statement under the watchful eyes of many. It wasn't just for her own benefit. The moment she revealed to the world that she wasn't a true Priestess, it wouldn't be her who would die, but those who were by her side.
“As I get older, I don’t remember things very well.”
Aaron laughed out loud as if he had heard a funny joke. Of course, he didn't really look amused. He looked like he was annoyed and bothered by the situation where she was just joking around.
“Go. The preparations are complete.”
“I will take the lead.”
No matter how many other people are nearby, it's not good to mess with him. She had just gotten a bad lesson from Aaron when she talked back to him.
“...”
It was terrible. Amelia's face turned pale for a moment as she recalled the face of the dog rushing at her and its sharp teeth.
“I meet the Priestess.”
All the way to the main prayer room, everyone bowed their heads toward Amelia. As a priestess, Amelia only greeted them with her eyes and passed them by without bowing her head, just as she had been taught.
“The priestess has been served.”
The guards guarding the prayer room door bowed their heads toward Amelia and opened the two doors wide. At first glance, the prayer room was full. That was natural. The prayer room where the commoners gathered was a place where Amelia very rarely encountered them.
“I believe you!”
“Please meet the Priestess!”
The commoners who had been waiting to meet Amelia rose to their feet and saluted her. As Amelia walked down the central aisle, frantic prayers and greetings poured out from every place she passed.
“...”
Amelia, who was receiving such worship, was ultimately one of the group that deceived them. When she recalled that fact, her mouth felt bitter as if it was a sore throat.
“I would like to express my gratitude to all of you who have come here today on behalf of the representative.”
But it was not her will. She didn't want to die either, so she just did what she was told. That was the only rationalization Amelia could come up with.
“I hope that your numerous prayers will reach God today as well.”
Amelia, who had said that, turned her back to the believers who were still looking up at her from under the altar. She simply did not have the confidence to face the brightly shining expectations.
“Thank you, Mary.”
Amelia knelt down toward the statue with her eyes tightly shut.
“Blessings to all who have gathered here.”
And she put her hands together and prayed for blessings for those gathered here. It was the only sincere prayer she made to a god who may or may not exist.
“And tell me what I can do for this land.”
Amelia spoke like a faithful servant of God.
“Uh uh...”
In an instant, light poured through the ceiling of the prayer room, as if God had answered the prayer. Someone let out a startled sound. Aaron, who would normally have ordered control, did not stop the exclamation.
So it was natural that everyone's eyes were drawn to Amelia, who was praying in the center of the altar. People looked up at her as if they were admiring the woman who was swinging jewels and shining like a jewel.
“God has given a revelation.”
At that moment, Amelia opened her eyes with a start. She stood up from her seat and turned to face the believers who were blindly licking her feet.
“He said His strength was weakening.”
Everyone's eyes widened at Amelia's words. The power of the god protecting Escliffe was weakening, which was tantamount to saying that the country was in trouble.
“He who betrayed him and stole the fire of life is in the north.”
Amelia's words caused sighs and screams of pain to flow through the prayer room.
“When you convey the revelation of God, say that the power of God is weakening.”
“...”
“And he who took away his life, his faithfulness, is in the north.”
Amelia turned her gaze toward Aaron, who was guarding the side door, as if to say, “Is it time?” He smiled as if she had done well. Amelia closed her eyes with a small sigh, blocking him out. Only the sense of relief that she would not be retaliated against or accused of being useless dominated Amelia.
So, she could not realize that the palace was located to the north of the temple.
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