emperor chapter 4

Upon hearing my words, Raphaerd wore a subtly pleased expression. Why was he happy that his superior was unwell?

“Please go to your bedroom and lie down. I’ll send someone to attend to you.”

“No. Being around others will make the dizziness worse. Leave me alone.”

“Saint Miniel.”

Before I could ask why he called my name, Raphaerd lowered his posture and met my eyes.

“You must be truly unwell. For you, who always seemed so composed, to rely on me like this and be unable to even meet my gaze…”

Well, if you stare so intensely without any warning…!

He was too close. Just as Raphaerd said, I was rolling my eyes and meaninglessly looking down at my clothes.

Just like that, for a moment…

His long, white cleric robes, which had been folded, straightened out, and Raphaerd moved away from me.

“I’ll take care of everything, so please rest. I’ll make sure no one goes near your bedroom.”

Why did Raphaerd’s gentle smile feel so ominous?

***

After parting with him, I went to my bedroom as promised. However, rummaging through the wardrobe was different from what I had told Raphaerd.

Ironically, the one who rescued Helion in the novel was Miniel. Not of her own volition, but because a few years from now, Miniel would receive a divine oracle to rescue Helion.

“I never thought I’d be grateful that Helion’s ransom was ridiculously high…”

If things followed the original story, Helion would be stuck in the slave market for years, but there was no problem with intervening early, with rescuing him now.

“If the two of them end up together as in the original, Lowell will divorce me, too.”

The reason I came to the bedroom was to grab a robe to wear over my clothes.

And to sneak out!

Because of my social standing, this was the only way to leave the imperial palace unnoticed.

To rescue Helion, I had to infiltrate the heart of the slave market, which wasn’t something the holy Saint Miniel would do. Raphaerd, who might have noticed my changed soul, might even perform an exorcism.

“With a face like this, I’ll definitely be suspected of being a sex slave. Damn it.”

As the person who drove Lowell mad, Helion was said to be incredibly beautiful. Helion’s beauty, comparable to that of an elf, was a problem for me now.

Since I wasn’t bulky or muscular, saying I was hired as a laborer wouldn’t be convincing.

“I can’t use the excuse of receiving a divine oracle, either.”

There was a rumor that if you lied about a divine oracle, lightning would strike you down immediately. It was absurd, but as a reader of the novel, I knew it was true.

“Funds. Funds.”

I didn’t know how slave prices were determined, but given the nature of such a vile trade, there was a high probability they fluctuated based on appearance. I needed to bring enough money to avoid any problems.

The problem was, I didn’t know how much Miniel paid the slave trader. I sometimes mixed up names; there was no way I’d remember such a minor detail from the novel.

There was no money in the bedroom. Going to the treasury for money would be troublesome if I got caught. So, I had no choice but to search for anything valuable in the bedroom.

Perhaps because it was the Saint’s residence, there were many holy-looking treasures. Jewels and artifacts made from minerals unique to this world. These would fetch a high price. They might even be worth several times more if they were considered sacred relics.

“This should be enough.”

I gathered the treasures and put on the robe. Even with the hood up, it felt loose. I tried to find a belt but stopped, worried about wasting time.

By the window, a long cloth made of woven blankets was prepared. It wasn’t elegant, but it was the best way I could think of to get from the bedroom to the first floor undetected.

“Will this… be okay?”

I opened the window wide and threw the cloth down. After double-checking that the end was securely fastened to the bed, I carefully gripped the cloth and descended.

Descending was easier than climbing, and other than my hands hurting, it was bearable. Just like that, floor by floor, when I thought I was almost at the bottom…

“Hmm…?”

I was surprised by the unexpectedly stable landing, but it wasn’t due to my own skill. Someone else had intervened.

“Seeing you like this, I suppose your body has recovered quite a bit. That’s good.”

“…!”

As if waiting for me to fall, Lowell caught me in his arms and calmly inquired about my well-being.

“Yes, it is.”

Haha. I laughed awkwardly to smooth things over. Of course, it didn’t work. Lowell stared at me and muttered to himself.

“Running away.”

“Well…”

“So, you were lying about being sick.”

A strange glint appeared in Lowell’s eyes. No! I had to change the subject before it was too late.

“I…I want something!”

“Want something?”

“Yes!”

Lowell expressed surprise at my unexpected words. He must have thought it strange that Miniel, who was always obedient and never asked for anything, was feigning illness and now displaying materialistic desires.

It didn’t matter if he was suspicious.

“Will you buy it for me…?”

The important thing to Lowell wasn’t me, but Helion.