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Chapter 5 – Misunderstanding

“I may not be much good at other things, but my sense of smell is quite keen… I’m certain.”

If Helion’s words were true, there could be only one explanation. Lowell had killed the slave trader. Entirely because of Helion…! The marks of abuse were deeply etched into Helion’s pale skin. Not only had he been bound with ropes, but he’d been roughly handled right in front of Lowell. It seemed reason enough for Lowell to draw his sword.

In the original story, Miniel had brought Helion with her attendant, and Lowell never directly encountered the slave trader. There was no reason for conflict. Well, later in the novel, an increasingly obsessed Lowell did annihilate anyone even remotely connected to Helion, including those from the slave market. But that wasn’t supposed to happen until much later. My intervention in the original plot seemed to have accelerated events.

“If it’s uncomfortable for you, should I ask him instead?”

“No. There’s no need.”

You’re the reason this happened! What’s the point of asking?!

Just then, Lowell, who had been walking ahead, stopped abruptly. His sudden halt had a clear cause. A massive wall loomed before Lowell—the colossal wall of the Imperial Palace.

Our destination was a secret passage within the wall, a shortcut far less conspicuous than the main gate and one that spared us tedious explanations. Just beyond the dim passage lay the Imperial Palace. Since it was a shorter route to the Imperial Palace than the main gate, we soon arrived at a fork in the path. One way led to the Imperial Palace where Lowell resided, the other to the temple where I lived.

Without hesitation, I turned towards the temple, but Lowell called me back.

“Where are you going?”

“Where else? Back to the temple. My attendant will be frantic by now, realizing I’m gone.”

“Leaving already?”

“It’s late. As I said, my attendant will be…”

Lowell shed his cumbersome robe and shook his head, his dark hair shimmering mysteriously in the moonlight.

“Stop by the main palace for a moment.”

“Are you even listening to me?”

“As planned, I was supposed to meet with Grand Duke Corphus today to resolve the Caro Duchy’s trade dispute.”

Lowell smiled brightly at me.

“But I couldn’t. Because of someone.”

No. You chose to follow me. Why are you blaming me?

“You came of your own accord!”

“The Caro Duchy is in a rather dire situation. It’s a region with a large foreign population, making it sensitive to diplomatic relations, and the sea routes, their means of trade, have been blockaded. They’ve reported a massive monster appearing in the sea for months now, and I intended to dispatch a skilled knight order to either deal with it or at least investigate, but I couldn’t because I was… otherwise occupied.”

“But that’s because you…”

“Grand Duke Corphus’s head will soon be displayed in the middle of the square. The public outcry will be immense if he returns to the Imperial Palace empty-handed.”

“….”

Lowell, skillfully manipulating my guilt, delivered his final blow.

“If you would join me at the main palace, I intended to offer you some tea and finish my work. But if you refuse, I suppose I’ll retire early tonight as well. Since there are no knights nearby, I’ll escort you back to the temple myself.”

Lowell took a decisive step towards the temple path, and I grabbed his wrist. Slowly, deliberately, he turned to face me.

“Why is that? Weren’t you worried about your attendant?”

“Just a moment.”

“That’s not very helpful.”

“If it’s just for a moment, I’ll go to the main palace as you wish. Just please resolve Grand Duke Corphus’s issue!”

The time I had to spend with this man I wanted nothing to do with had just increased. As soon as I returned to the temple, I’d prioritize drafting those divorce papers above all else.

“Of course. I’ll handle it swiftly, without any issues.”

While I inwardly seethed, Lowell wore the smug expression of a victor.

“Then, shall we proceed, my wife?”

“Honestly… Let’s go, Helion.”

Helion, who had likely expected to be taken to a nobleman’s estate at most, had been timidly observing his surroundings since entering the Imperial Palace. He probably hadn’t realized that while I was the Saintess, the other person was the Emperor.

Remembering Helion’s likely apprehension, I offered him my hand.

“…That too?”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing.”

Lowell’s face was obscured by the backlight. Muttering something to himself, he continued leading us to the main palace.

As we entered the main palace, memories of my first visit flashed through my mind. I had feigned illness to escape unscathed, never imagining I’d willingly return. But this time, I had Helion with me…!

We were led into a moderately sized reception room. While the size was modest, the interior was anything but. The room was lavishly decorated with ornate furnishings. Among them was a cabinet displaying wines. Lowell selected a bottle.

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