There are quite a few gods in mythology, which are the foundation of the Aeternus Empire, including the goddess Pross mentioned earlier. It can be said that there are different gods that people rely on and make offerings to depending on their status, class, age, occupation, and situation. For example, do women in grief pray to the goddess Pros, and knights hoping for victory to the warrior god Ketar? Since there are so many gods and temples, there are some who just group them together and pray, ‘Oh my God.’ Just like me… hem hem! Anyway, among the many gods, the highest peak is by far the god Irund. Why? Because he is the main god who protects the empire and the royal family! Therefore, the central temple of Irund has the most power and influence among the temples. It is a place where priests with the greatest divine power in the empire gather to issue oracles and prophecies. The only people who are given the authority to measure the divine power of others or heal the royal family with divine power are priests belonging to the Irund Temple. However, the sacred high priest of that enormous temple is currently sitting holding my wrist and making an extremely serious expression. How glorious is this? It’s crazy! Plus, he’s not just holding on to your wrists. He is interrogating me while unfolding a sermon that I have no way of knowing what it is about and muttering to myself that I have no way of knowing what it is about either.
For example, it was an interrogation that was extremely difficult to answer honestly, such as whether I was the only one present when Ryun opened his eyes, and whether I had even slightly touched Ryun’s body. However, no matter how much I was, I could not commit blasphemy in front of a sacred priest, so in the end, I had no choice but to cry and eat mustard and confess that I had dared to touch the forehead of the solemn crown prince. As soon as he did that, Ryun got a very strange expression and started glaring at me. Whoosh! That wasn’t the end. The priest had brought out some strangely colored water and was dipping my hand in and out of it. Even though it was Ryun who was sick, not me! Someone please tell me what the hell is going on! Are you ignoring me just because they are kids?
…It seems right to ignore it. While Ryun and I sat there in bewilderment, the sacred priest remained silent with a serious expression on his face and only occasionally whispered with the royal palace doctors. Eventually, Ryun came forward and expressed his dissatisfaction.
“Damn it, what the hell? Shouldn’t you explain and hold on to people?”
…Looking at you now, you bastard, your personality seems completely different from when you were with my brother? Were you just showing off in front of the teacher you admired so much? This feels a little dangerous.
“Please wait a moment, Your Highness. The princess…”
“So what on earth is this? I have to go to class!”
“Well, Your Highness, I assume you don’t have class today…”
“Whose will it be? Am I okay now? And this is our teacher’s sister. Are you doing this with permission from Master?”
Correct. It’s clear that this smart-ass crown prince is annoyed at the fact that he can’t meet his older brother. Have you seen this bastard with big arms? Why on earth is that damn brother so popular? However, the priest’s side was not easy either. The sacred priest seemed to have slightly distorted the mystical gold, and then he told me to wait a moment and left. Then, without even giving me a chance to think about whether Ryun and I should just run away, they attacked again. This time, not alone, but with others.
“Priest, what on earth is going on?”
“His Royal Highness? Oh, are you finally feeling better?”
“No, aren’t you the daughter of Duke Tidis?”
High-ranking nobles in flashy uniforms entered one after another. Most of them were people that I also knew personally. The Marquis of Carbuncle, the Count of Rhodes, the Count of Vineyard (Ian and Jayden’s father), the Marquis of Lukanen, and…
“Ray?”
…ruined. I’m screwed. I had forgotten that my brother is not the only person who goes to work from my house to the imperial palace!
“How on earth are you here?”
So, dear father? I’m really curious too. Oh my gosh!
I felt very uncomfortable as I was surrounded by unfamiliar, solemn elderly people, including my father, who was looking at me with truly astounding eyes. It’s blasphemy and all, but I want to run away like this.
Sobbing.
Unlike me, who was squirming uncomfortably, Ryun looked as if nothing had happened, like a solemn prince. No, he looked annoyed again.
“What is this again? Why are the police following me again? How many times do I tell you that I’m okay now?”
Oh, that’s right, it’s blasphemy and all, and he’s the biggest gangster! Umhahaha! …However, unlike me who couldn’t help but be amazed, the elders just gave me an expression that said they were extremely used to it. Hehehe, poor prince. You need to grow up a little more. So far, I’m just treating you like a brat. The priest, who had been brought in from early morning on the busiest time of the day and looked around at the elderly people gathered in one place, finally opened his mouth in a calm tone.
“Please forgive my rudeness. I don’t know how to tell your Majesty. First, after discussing it with the ministers, I asked them to come together to report to me. Especially Duke Tidis…”
“What on earth is going on, priest? Did you give an oracle that said His Majesty and the Princess were destined to be mates?”
The person who cheerfully interrupted and spewed out those horrible sounds was none other than the Count of Vineyard, a man with golden hair and sparkling green eyes. Now that I think about it, other people are maintaining a face that seems to be claiming ‘I am solemn!’, but that person is the only one smiling brightly. Did you say it was Bujeonjeon? I think I have some idea of who Ian and Jaden resemble so much, right? As for my father, he was glaring at me with eyes that were at once solemn and eerie. Hehehe, Dad, I know very well that you don’t like me, but if you look at me like that, it really seems like I did something wrong! What on earth did I do wrong? My only crime is that I met a swarm of bees while playing around with this son of a bitch prince!
“What’s going on, priest? Has my wife done something rude to you?”
“You are welcome, Duke. That is not the case.”
The priest answered with a friendly smile and now fixed his mysterious golden gaze on me. I was just staring at the floor, praying for this situation to end quickly.
“I’ve been having unusual dreams for a few days now, so I guess it was God Irund’s foreknowledge that meant this.”
“Yes?”
“Duke, it looks like your wife is… Secretariat.”
There was silence for a moment. What is Secretariat? I don’t know that either. Hehe… no! As a child of the empire who has lived as a duke for seventeen years, it would be a disgrace to the family if you did not know what Secretariat is! Not like cancer! So what on earth is that?
Ahem! The Secretariat is like a guardian who appears after receiving the foreknowledge of God Irund when the fate of our Aeternus Empire and the Castidio Imperial Family is at its darkest. Is he like an agent of God who can exercise overwhelming power of healing or inflict divine punishment with his strong vitality? Of course, it has been over 300 years since the last Secretariat appeared, so there are not many people in modern times who truly believe in its existence. Moreover, throughout history, Secretariat was a sinful woman. However…
“Wow.”
Starting with the brief exclamation that Count Vineyard uttered, with a hint of subtle elegance, all the elders who had frozen for a moment began to shout out loud as if they had been waiting.
“What on earth do you mean by that?”
“Secretariat..? Priest, are you sure about that?”
“I understand your confusion. Do you…”
“The last time the Secretariat was recorded was 300 years ago! It’s just a myth!”
“Here, report to His Majesty…”
“Do you have any evidence?”
“If you say it is evidence, I will present it this way. The truth is that the princess easily cured my husband of a serious illness that was helpless even with my own strength. Of course, it could be a pure coincidence, so I measured it a little while ago and the princess said…”
“Well, shouldn’t we first give a report to His Majesty?”
“…The princess possesses a vitality that even a lowly priest like me cannot fathom. So my conclusion is….”
“This is something I cannot admit. The lady is a Secretariat. It’s impossible…”
“Duke, you may be confused, but calm down first…”
“No one wants to report to Your Majesty?”
“Who said you didn’t give it to me? I’m doing this because I need to make sure!”
…I wish the Secretariat, the life force, and Nabal would all just turn off. Haha, it looks like I’m in trouble today. Otherwise, there’s no way such a harsh ordeal would happen, right? Among the bloody elders who are growling like lurking fighting dogs, the only one who is showing a favorable response is Count Vineyard. Well, I think the priest is making a serious mistake, but I feel sad for no reason. Sniff. What on earth am I doing like this? What on earth did I do wrong today? It was then that Ryun, who had been silently watching me without saying a word since the priest exploded the bomb saying something about Secretariat, suddenly opened his mouth.
“Everyone, shut up.”
And it all really shut up. Oooh! Is this the majesty of the majestic crown prince? Yes, yes, as expected, my status is a gangster…
“Your Highness, can you tell me what happened?”
“Yes, Your Majesty, please provide more detailed information on what exactly happened then…”
…is a piece of shit. Sigh, should I just pass out? I want to be alone, everyone please leave…
Bang!!!
The door to the conference room, which had been tightly closed, was opened roughly without knocking, and everyone stopped talking at the same time, flinched, and turned their heads. It was so powerful that even the sacred priest and the majestic crown prince looked back in shock. And suddenly I really wanted to cry.
“Ray?”
This is such a strange thing. I opened the door to the conference room where high-ranking nobles my father’s age were gathered. As soon as I saw my ignorant brother coming in with an insolent kick, tears welled up in my eyes. Ugh, you heartless bastard, where did you go and are you here now?
“Oh, brother..!”
“Master!”
Seeing Ryun and I responding enthusiastically, like children welcoming their mother, the solemn elders showed indescribable expressions, and the sacred priest smiled a flowing smile. Whoa, if you want to laugh, laugh at me! This person is the only one who can save me from this terrible situation!
“Ray, what’s wrong with you? Why are you crying?”
“Ugh, brother….”
“I didn’t make her cry, Master. Those guys were the ones harassing her.”
“Majesty..? Are you feeling okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine!”
…It doesn’t matter what we look like now. Let’s just cry! You’re showing off your foolishness and crying! Oh my, I am so sad, I am so sad that I will live! Ugh, Irund and Nabal have some kind of enemy against me! My older brother looked at the children clinging to me with puzzled eyes for a moment, and then he picked me up in one arm as I cried. Damn it, it’s so funny that I finally feel relieved, but what can I do when the only person I can rely on is this person? Sniff.
“What are you doing when you all get together so well? Are you dressing up as a traitor?”
“Cough, cluck, cluck!”
The man who cleared his throat as if his laughter was subtly suppressed was undoubtedly Count Vineyard. It’s obvious even without looking. On the other hand, others, led by my father, had a more realistic response. In other words, the alumni answer.
“Eugene, what kind of rudeness is this?”
“Kuhm, you’re treasonous, young master, you’re joking too much.”
“My title here is Prime Minister, not young master. And I don’t think it’s really a situation where people who made my sister, your master, cry in front of His Majesty the Crown Prince would be rude.”
…Brother, I think about this every time, but I think you are extraordinary in many ways. How can one say something so perfectly true without being so rude? Kyakyakya! It was a holy priest who came out to clear up the cold, frozen atmosphere.
“Calm down, young master. No, Prime Minister, it’s because everyone is shocked.”
“Shock?”
“As a result of careful measurement… it appears that the princess is the Secretariat who has appeared for the first time in 300 years.”
Because I was burying my face in my brother’s shoulder, I couldn’t tell what expression he was making. Anyway, even if my brother was embarrassed, he wouldn’t have had time to express it.
“Eugene, do you think this makes sense?”
“Let’s think about it rationally, young master, no Prime Minister, isn’t that just a myth?”
“The sudden recovery may have been a pure coincidence…”
“But it’s a bit too much to just deny it when the high priest says that…”
“Boss, how many times do I tell you that I should report this to His Majesty?”
Ah, I’m confused, I’m confused. I’m a bastard who has no interest in mythology! Moreover, my soul is a boiling baby of the empire! What should I do? It’s clear that the priest has lost his mind. Wow, maybe this is good! My brother, who was maintaining silence alone in the middle of this chaos, suddenly thought of something and put me down on the floor. And he put one hand on my head and his eyes looked at me and he said,
“Your Majesty, I’m glad you’re feeling well. Would you like to go to class with my sister?”
“I understand, Master.”
Ryun nodded firmly, as if my brother’s words were true oracles, and walked away while holding my arm. Just like that, I was dragged away without even being able to put it down. Still, I felt much better after getting out of the cage full of wild animals. Whoa, why are you like this today? When I say that the sky is indifferently bright, is this what we are talking about at a time like this?
“You’re not crying anymore?”
…This little bastard isn’t much help either. Do you want me to be treated worse, you damn bastard! This is all because of you! Ryun, who had no way of knowing what was going on inside me while I was spewing harsh curses, now started laughing and chatting cheerfully to himself.
“Do you believe what I just said?”
“…yes?”
“You are Secretariat. The priest said so.”
Am I crazy? And I’m a hot-blooded guy at heart, right? Unless God Irund went crazy.. Well, it seems crazy to change my body like this, but anyway, does that even make sense!
“No.”
“Why?”
“I cannot be a person who blindly believes in myths or oracles, Your Highness.”
At those words, Ryun suddenly stopped walking and looked at my face for a long time with his unique eyes as if he was seeing something truly amazing, and the most he could say was this.
“You speak the same way as Master.”
“Ahaha… I guess I’m quite close to my brother.”
“Rather than being friendly, I would say… I respect you. Master is so cool. It’s a little scary sometimes, especially when you stare at me without saying a word…”
“Ah, I think I know what you mean!”
“You know, right?! Do you really feel like your blood is drying up?”
Oh, is this what unexpected camaraderie is all about? Wow, what a great day it is. I also had the glorious experience of feeling camaraderie with the majestic crown prince …Anyway, why did the guy who admired my brother so much change so much later?
“What? Oh my…?”
It was at that time that Ryun, who had been talking for a while, suddenly let go of my arm and ran towards the front. Therefore, I naturally turned my gaze towards the woman named ‘Mama’. I have never seen the Emperor or the Empress in my lifetime. I knew that the current Empress was a distant cousin of my late mother, but this was the first time I actually met her. It’s so amazing that I feel like I’m in a daze.
“Oh my mom? Why are you doing this?”
A red-haired woman standing bent over with both arms holding on to a pillar in the hallway. I wondered who Ryun’s eye color resembled, but it seems he inherited it from his mother. But why is her complexion so pale? Did she lie down with her son because he was sick?
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Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
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