emperor chapter 19

Chapter 10 – Vacation

I dashed to the door and flung it open before Lowell could intervene. Blinded by the sudden light after the dimness of the room, I was overwhelmingly relieved to see Raphaerd standing there.

I started towards him, but Lowell, appearing as if from nowhere, blocked the doorway with an outstretched arm. He tilted his head, glancing at Raphaerd with disdain. “I didn’t give you permission to barge in here. I’m busy. Come back later.”

“Let me correct you. I haven’t entered yet, and Her Holiness was about to come out.”

“Yes, and I didn’t give her permission for that either.”

“With all due respect, Your Majesty, the Saintess and the Emperor are not in a superior-subordinate relationship. Nowhere in Imperial law does it state that Your Majesty has the right to restrict Her Holiness’s actions.”

“With all due respect, you are being impertinent. A secretary interfering in his superior’s private affairs.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment to my competence in ensuring my superior’s well-being.”

An invisible spark crackled between them. I didn’t care who won their little power struggle, as long as I could escape. “I’m leaving. Move.” Raphaerd looked ready to strike, but Lowell yielded as I brushed past him. Thanks to my intervention, Raphaerd had won this round.

Lowell remained silent as I left the bedroom.

***

A torrent of rain greeted me as the main gate opened. Ever prepared, Raphaerd opened an umbrella and held it over me. We left the Imperial Palace without difficulty.

“Lovely weather, isn’t it?”

“It’s an unprecedented downpour.”

“The flowers are beautiful. The rain will make their fragrance even stronger.”

“If you’re talking about the flowers next to the roses, I’ve smelled them. They’re not that great.”

Raphaerd’s attempts at conversation in the awkward silence were… valiant, but not particularly successful. I tried to be encouraging, but his choice of topics was less than ideal. One couldn’t call this torrential rain lovely. And the flowers? They had a strange smell, despite their appearance.

Disconcerted by my lack of response, Raphaerd unfolded a document, seemingly in desperation.

“Ahem.”

“It’s going to get wet.”

“Ah, that’s alright. It’s an important document, written on waterproof material.”

“Really?”

“Yes. See?” He deliberately held the document outside the umbrella, but it remained perfectly dry.

Deciding that documents were the key to smooth conversation, Raphaerd began reciting its contents as if to himself. “They’re requesting a novice priest. Don’t they know we’re short-handed too? The Caro Temple is as large as the Imperial one. Instead of finding their own recruits, they’re complaining. It’s quite worrisome.”

He must have thought a monologue wouldn’t require a response, but his randomly chosen topic unexpectedly gave me an idea.

“Raphaerd.”

“Don’t worry, Your Holiness. I’ll take care of this…”

“Are there any specific requirements for this novice priest?” I snatched the document from his hand. It bore the Caro Duchy’s seal and was a formal request to the Caro Temple.

“The temple is perpetually short-staffed, so there are no specific restrictions. Anyone who has completed the standard curriculum at the Holy Academy is qualified.” Raphaerd looked perplexed by my sudden interest, but dutifully answered my question.

There seemed to be no restrictions on gender or age, as long as the applicant was a graduate of the Holy Academy. Without hesitation, I made my proposal. “I’ll go.”

“Where do I even begin… This is giving me a headache.”

“Can’t I go?”

“It’s not a matter of ‘can’ or ‘can’t.’ It’s simply not possible. It would be one thing if a novice priest wanted to become the High Priest… no, that’s even more absurd.”

“Think of it as a vacation. A secret vacation. I can disguise my appearance and identity if I want to.”

There was no law stating that the Saintess had to remain confined to the Imperial Temple. She could rest, even take a vacation, as long as it was temporary.

“A vacation…” Raphaerd stopped walking. Since he held the umbrella, I had to stop too to avoid the downpour.

Rainwater pooled in the white garden swing. The roses, in all their vibrant colors, looked refreshed. As the raindrops formed puddles on the ground, Raphaerd, lost in thought, finally spoke. “You’re right. One shouldn’t only work. One needs to rest, to take vacations. Even if… even if someone prefers work to vacation.”

He emphasized one word with particular feeling. It didn’t seem directed at me. Perhaps he had some personal story I didn’t know. Being a secretary was demanding, but he’d never expressed a desire for a vacation.

Raphaerd, who had initially resisted my outlandish request, suddenly changed his tune at the mention of a “vacation.” “Perhaps this document flying in the wind wasn’t a coincidence. The Caro Temple is the second largest after the Imperial one, so it’s a good place for an inconspicuous inspection. As you said, with a disguise, no one will recognize you.”

“Uh, um…?”

“I’ll forge your identity as a recent graduate of the Holy Academy. I’ll handle your duties while you’re away. Well, I’m already doing that.”

“.…”

“However, there’s one thing. The clause regarding shared divine revelations due to the political marriage requires prior notification to His Majesty. You should leave a letter saying you won’t be receiving revelations for a while.”

Raphaerd’s continuous flow of words left me speechless. He sounded as if he’d been planning my vacation for days.

A secretary was assigned to the Saintess not only to assist her but also to act as a temporary substitute should she be unexpectedly absent. That’s why the position required someone exceptionally capable, like Raphaerd, who could seamlessly fill in.

Raphaerd was the top scholar at the Holy Academy, appointed as the High Priest’s secretary immediately after his early graduation. If he could receive divine revelations, he might have become the Saintess himself.

“Are you sure this is okay? Really?”

“What’s wrong with a vacation? There’s no legal issue as long as I cooperate.”

“Oh. Thank you, Raphaerd.”

“Now go and prepare your things!” Raphaerd coughed, his face flushing as he turned away. Both Helion and Raphaerd seemed easily embarrassed.