HSTLB Chapter 56

As soon as I saw the sofa in the lounge, I collapsed onto it, placing my hand on my chest. My heart was oddly pounding again.

 

“Are you feeling unwell, Lady Mellin?” the priest quickly noticed and asked.

 

“Can you also… heal heart problems?”

 

“Milady! Are you in pain? Shall I call the marquis?”

 

“Selvia…”

 

My loyal maid rushed over to me, her face full of concern, as clueless as ever.

 

“My brother just got married. Should I burden him with worry because of me?”

 

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

 

The priest cleared his throat, watching our exchange.

 

“Ah, I’m sorry,” I repeated Selvia’s words.

 

“You said you had something to ask me privately?” the priest inquired.

 

“Yes… Selvia? Could you wait outside for a moment?”

 

“Oh, yes, of course.”

 

After Selvia left, I took a deep breath. The priest waited calmly for my question.

 

“Did the duke say anything to you?”

 

“He mentioned that you’ve been under a lot of stress from preparing for the wedding and dealing with family matters and suggested that I heal you.”

 

“Really, that’s it?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Did he tell you to leave if I fell asleep during the healing?”

 

That would be typical of him. He probably plans to knock me out, dismiss the priest, and then… I glared at the priest.

 

“God is watching, so please tell me the truth.”

 

“Ah…” The priest closed his eyes briefly as if something weighed on his conscience. “He did give me specific instructions.”

 

“What were they? If you tell me the truth, I’ll reward you. Whatever the duke paid, the Mellin family will double it.”

 

“Donations are always welcome.”

 

Of course, priests… They pretend to be virtuous, but in the end, they’re human, too. That’s why my brother worked so hard to make his own money, even though other nobles sneered at him for it.

 

“So what did the duke say?”

 

“He warned that there might be side effects from the healing, and if you didn’t wake up immediately, I should stay with you through the night.”

 

“What?”

 

“And he also threatened to destroy the entire temple if you didn’t wake up for over a day, as happened last time.”

 

“Ah…” I could only blink.

 

I asked the priest the same question several times, but his answer remained unchanged.

 

“It seems the duke truly cares about you, Lady Mellin.”

 

Hearing the priest’s words made my heart ache again. It felt like I was hearing that Kasion truly cared only for me.

 

“Um, Priest… I think you need to heal my heart right now…”

 

“Hahaha, I don’t think it’s something I can heal.”

 

What? You acted like you could heal everything…

 

“Is there something else weighing on your mind?”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“When I last came to heal you, you asked me a question that’s been on my mind ever since.”

 

What a sharp observation. Was it because he was someone who had inherited divine powers?

 

“I’ll answer as best as I can with what I know, so feel free to ask anything.”

 

How far could I go? I stared into the priest’s mysterious eyes for a moment. I hadn’t noticed before, but his eyes were a strange color, almost black with an iridescent sheen like a black pearl.

 

“Um… by any chance… what happens to a person when they die?”

 

Was that too broad of a question?

 

“If they have atoned for their sins, they find peace in the arms of the gods.”

 

It was the usual answer. Of course, even this priest wouldn’t know anything about reincarnation, so he couldn’t explain the mysteries I’d experienced.

 

“But those with strong desires left unfulfilled may be reborn in the human world to complete what they couldn’t in their past life.”

 

“Really? You mean… reincarnation?”

 

“Reincarnation… That’s a fitting word. I didn’t have a term for it before.”

 

I bit my lip, still feeling unsure. That’s how it worked for people in this world, but I had died in another world and been reincarnated here.

 

“Could some reincarnated people come from another world?”

 

“Well, I haven’t heard of such a story yet. Why? Is Lady Mellin one of them?”

 

“No! Of course not!”

 

It felt wrong to admit it, so I quickly denied it, though I suspected my lie was obvious from the way my face turned red with embarrassment.

 

The priest, however, didn’t seem to press me further, even though his eyes suggested he knew more than he was letting on.

 

“But, Priest, what if there’s a book of prophecy?”

 

“There are no books conveying the words of god other than the holy scriptures.”

 

Well, from a priest’s perspective, that’s the correct answer.

 

“But what if there was a book that predicted half of one’s fate, and if the predetermined fate was changed? Would the ending remain the same?”

 

The priest’s mysterious eyes curved slightly. “Don’t you already know the answer, Lady Mellin?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“You said you’ve already changed it, right? Then that book was wrong from the moment you made that change.”

 

His words stirred something inside me.

 

“Did you want to change something terrible?”

 

“Yes…”

 

“I’ve heard that some fortune-tellers on the streets craft false predictions. But if they truly made a prophecy, it should be accurate to the end. So don’t worry too much.”

 

The priest’s words brought me great comfort. However, it didn’t solve the issue of the book being a link to my past life.

 

“Whatever it is, just follow your heart.”

 

“Really?”

 

“Of course. I believe that’s why God sent you here.”

 

It was a good day. If I cried now, everyone would be surprised. Serhen and Lireania wouldn’t be able to enjoy their wedding night peacefully. So, I decided to smile instead. After all, even the god’s representative was cheering me on.

 

“If you’ve found your answer, I’ll take my leave.”

 

The priest left the room, and moments later, Selvia rushed back in, her usual fussiness in full force.

 

“Milady, are you alright? I just saw the princess passing by with her servants. She didn’t come in and bother you, did she?”

 

What? Could she have overheard my conversation with the priest? Even if she did, she wouldn’t have understood it.

 

Still, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling.

 

* * *

“Hamilon, explain what happened.”

 

Kasion had arrived at a secluded house not far from the Mellin Merchant Guild. It was owned by Duke Pertelian and was completely cut off from the outside world—a place used when discreetly handling certain matters.

 

“I apologize. Viscount Kainum escaped while our surveillance was lacking.”

 

Was it a mistake to use the Mellin Merchant Guild’s people as guards to deceive others?

 

“When did it happen?”

 

“It seems it happened during the peak of the wedding.”

 

The employees of the Mellin Merchant Guild, who couldn’t follow to the temple, seemed to have gathered for a celebration party. During that process, they drank, and even the guards got drunk.

 

“Serhen mismanaged the people, then.”

 

“I-I’m sorry.”

 

“I won’t blame you for something that’s already passed.”

 

The wedding had ended without any issues, after all.

 

“But it’s strange.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Why hasn’t he shown up at the temple yet?”

 

“He’s the type to crash the reception, and he disappeared far too cleanly.”

 

Hamilon nodded in agreement.

 

Though the wedding had ended without incident, it didn’t feel like it was truly over.

 

“Maybe his goal wasn’t to ruin Serhen’s wedding after all.”

 

“What?”

 

“He’s been spreading strange rumors even though he couldn’t possibly know anything about the marquisate’s territory, right?”

 

The rumors were unbelievable, even for the capital’s society, and they were vulgar, too. That’s why he was someone Kasion wanted to kill even more. That was also the reason why Serhen agreed to this plan.

 

“Yes, he even tied you and the marquis into the filthiest of matters.”

 

“He intends to ruin Ariel…”

 

Just because she was loved by both Serhen and Kasion. Because her unhappiness would torment both of them. Viscount Kainum was trying to destroy Ariel for his own twisted satisfaction.

 

Kasion’s anger turned into a palpable killing intent that emanated from his entire body.

 

“We’re going back. Before that b*stard targets Ariel.”

 

Even though the crown prince was likely drunk at the reception, it was hard to predict what might happen if he conspired with those he was close to.

 

Ariel couldn’t be left alone, not even for a moment. Even though she hadn’t given him a clear answer to his vow, he was already her knight.

 

* * *

A little later, I was ready to return to the reception. I had applied makeup generously over the bruises on my collarbone that resembled kiss marks. Though I couldn’t completely cover them. But the person I was looking for wasn’t outside the lounge.

 

“Lady Mellin?”

 

Instead, the second prince, Dertis, was waiting for me.

 

“Where is Kasion?”

 

“He had to leave because of an issue with someone claiming to be your uncle.”

 

“Oh…”

 

I was a little scared. And yet, I wasn’t. Perhaps it was because of the vow Kasion had made to me earlier.

 

“The duke was very concerned about you.”

 

“…Is that so?” My face turned red for no reason.

 

At that time, Dertis’s gaze darkened.

 

“Where is the princess? My maid said she saw her.”

 

“Lady Mellin, I have a question before that.”

 

“What is it? Please ask.”

 

“What do you think of me?”

 

I blinked. This felt like a slightly dangerous situation…

 

“Unlike other imperial family members, you’re kind, polite, and wise…”

 

“I’m asking how you see me as a man, not as a member of the imperial family.”

 

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