Chapter 56

When alone with him, the Saint looked at him with eyes full of affection. Anyone, not just me, might think that she liked him if they saw those eyes. But it wasn’t like that when she was with Keirhan. He couldn’t say for sure, but her eyes seemed colder than usual when she looked at him in Keirhan’s presence.  

‘Is she embarrassed in front of others?’ 

That thought made it somewhat understandable. Not everyone was like him, after all. She was the Saintess, and he was a duke’s heir often mentioned in high society. Being associated with him would naturally draw gossip. Still, her demeanor with others was clearly different.  

“Berman?”  

“Oh, Captain…”  

He had gone to the temple to see the Saintess. He wasn’t particularly religious, but just seeing her made the idea of faith seem worthwhile. Unexpectedly, he encountered Berman Pasis there. He looked startled, as though caught doing something wrong, like a child.  

“Do I look like the sort of superior who would scold you for praying?”  

“No, sir.”  

Berman let out a small laugh. He had heard Berman used to smile more often, but since he took over as captain of the knights, he hadn’t seen it much. To him, it was a rare sight.  

“Johan!”  

“How have you been?”  

“You just saw me the day before yesterday!”  

The Saintess playfully tapped me as she beamed, and warmth spread from where she touched me.  

“So, what were you and Berman talking about?”  

“Oh, he just came to pray. It’s what everyone does.”  

“Ah, yes. Of course. Same here.”  

He wondered if Berman also had feelings for the Saintess. But she stood beside me and chatted cheerfully, making it clear where her preference lay. She didn’t stop Berman from leaving, which made it clear that there was nothing between them.  

‘Good.’ 

He spent time with her, selfishly relieved. She said she wasn’t busy and didn’t hesitate to give him her time. And that only made things more confusing. She seemed interested in him, but kept her distance.  

***

“That’s what happened.”

“…”  

After hearing the whole story, Edelis didn’t know what to say. Lord Frache claimed the Saintess seemed interested in him, but judging by his tone and expression, it was more than that.  

‘He believes she likes him.’  

‘But he doesn’t understand why she’s keeping him at a distance.’  

It was plain to see.  

However, the Saintess Edelis had seen up until now…  

‘Interested in Lord Frache? No way!’  

If that were true, she wouldn’t have gone out of her way to put herself in situations with Lehan. Edelis even began to wonder if this was all a delusion. If she had only heard Frache’s version, she might have believed the Saintess liked him.  

“So to sum up: you fell for the Saintess after seeing her volunteer at the orphanage. You’re sure she’s interested in you too, but she won’t accept your feelings. Is that right?”  

“Yes, exactly.”  

“Is there any chance… that she’s not interested in you?”  

“None whatsoever.”  

He seemed so certain there must be some reason behind it. So Edelis decided to focus on helping bring the two of them together. Whatever else, it was clear that Lord Frache had feelings for the Saintess.  

“Having something in common is important.”  

“Something in common between me and the Saintess…”  

“How about volunteering at the orphanage together? What she can do and what you can do will be different, after all.”  

“Hmm… I’m not sure if I’ll be good at it, but I’ll try.”  

He seemed worried—likely because he’d only dealt with nobility’s children, not orphans. But he nodded, determined to create common ground with the Saintess. That alone proved how serious his feelings were.  

“And another thing: it’d be good if you visited the temple more often.”  

“I’ve been going whenever I have the time.”  

“Then maybe try to attend all the services. The Saintess draws strength from the faith of the believers.”  

“Yes, understood!”  

Lord Frache pounded his chest with a clenched fist in a knight’s salute.  

“Lord Frache, I truly hope you succeed!”  

“Yes!”  

Edelis hoped progress would come before his next report—perhaps within one or two weeks. Knock knock. Someone tapped on the door.  

‘It’s not time for Lehan’s meeting to end… who could it be?’  

She glanced at Lord Frache, but he seemed just as puzzled, still mumbling “volunteering” and “attending services” under his breath.  

“Yes?”  

“Your Majesty, it’s me. May I come in?”  

“Sir Pasis! Please, come in!”  

The visitor was none other than Sir Pasis. Lord Frache looked equally surprised.  

“Berman, are you sure you’re well enough to be up?”  

“Yes, I’m fine.”  

“I heard Raiden is still in rehab. At least you’re back early—what a relief.”  

“Thank you. Before returning to duty, I wanted to greet Your Majesty first.”  

“I was so worried about you.”  

It was Pasis who had protected her during an attack in the slums and was injured for it. Though she had visited him often and sent gifts, it didn’t ease her guilt. Some said he had merely done his duty, but getting hurt was not something she could simply accept.  

“Thank you for worrying about me.”  

“Of course I worried. You were injured protecting me.”  

He had saved her in a critical moment, and there was no way she couldn’t worry.  

“Ah, could that have been what the Saintess meant when she said you’d play a key role in a moment of crisis?”  

“No, it wasn’t.”  

“…Then does that mean such a moment is still to come? I need to ask the Saintess again.”  

“She came to see me after hearing of the attack.”  

“She did?”  

Why? Why would the Saintess visit him?  

‘Not Lord Frache?’  

Lord Frache’s expression hardened with the same thought.  

“She visited before, when disease was spreading, to see the knight’s physician. That’s when I met her.”  

“Ah, right.”  

“Yes, and back then she told me it wasn’t over yet, and I needed to return soon.”  

“Really?”  

Was this the nature of being Empress, or was it the ominous foreshadowing from the book? Why did death always seem to loom over her?  

“But you were badly injured…”  

Given how long his recovery took, she felt guilty asking him to guard her again. The culprit was still at large, and she would likely be in danger again.  

“I’m fine. In war, we suffer worse.”  

“…Thank you. Truly.”  

No number of thank-yous would suffice. He was just as dependable as in the book.  

“We’ll ease you into the role. No need to rush your return to full-time duty.”  

“I don’t go out often anyway, so I think it’ll be fine.”  

“Then we’ll gradually increase your hours. Your body needs to adjust to guarding for long periods again.”  

“Understood.”  

Just knowing that Sir Pasis would return was comforting. Was it okay to feel so relieved?  

“Sir Pasis, I’m counting on you!”  

“…Thank you.”  

He began with four-hour shifts, gradually increasing by two hours every two weeks. This also gave Lord Frache more time with the Saintess. Then came the final week, when Frache would be replaced.  

“Lord Frache, did anything come of it?”  

“…No.”  

His face darkened at Edelis’s question. He said the Saintess had been too busy with work to visit the orphanage much. He did go with her once, playing with the children, but said it had no effect.  

“Lord Frache, please don’t take this the wrong way.”  

“Yes?”  

“Is it possible the Saintess… isn’t interested in you?”  

She asked with great caution, but he flatly denied it.  

“Absolutely not.”  

He then described, in great detail, the things she’d recently said to him:  

– I really enjoy being close to Johan.

– I feel so at ease when I’m with Johan.  

– When things get tough, I feel like I want to lean on you.  

– Would it be okay if I said we’re closer than I am with others?  

– You’re such a great person, Johan. Why don’t you have a partner?  

She had also been physically close and even initiated subtle touches. This recent behavior made Edelis rethink. Maybe she was interested.  

“…Is she waiting for you to confess?”  

“That was my thought as well.”  

But when he tried to steer the mood toward a confession, she would sense it and gently reject him.  

– Johan is a wonderful person… but I’m just not ready yet.  

She kept leaving the door slightly ajar. Only someone like her could say that to the Empire’s most eligible bachelor. Then a terrible thought entered Edelis’s mind.  

‘…Is she stringing him along?’  

No, no way. She’s the Saintess! Could she really? Her brain buzzed with cognitive dissonance. She finally understood what it felt like to be a supporting male character hopelessly in love in a novel.  

“What should I do?”  

“…This is really difficult.”  

Still, she’s the Saintess. She wouldn’t do something like that… right? Even though her behavior toward Lehan basically screamed, “I’m always ready!”  

“How did Your Majesty win over Lord Keirhan’s heart?”  

“…What?”  

Well, it wasn’t really about winning him over—he was already smitten from the start.  

“Even before you entered the palace, he firmly rejected everyone else. How did you do it?”  

Lord Frache all but clung to Edelis, begging.  

“Um… When I tried to distance myself from him, he ended up liking me more.”  

“What had the greatest effect?!”  

Lord Frache leaned in, eyes sparkling with desperation.  

‘At this point, he usually shows up…’

Edelis glanced toward the door. And, right on cue, it opened.  

“What is going on here?”  

Lehan stood there, eyes blazing, glaring at Lord Frache.