The High Priest sighed.
That was Ariadeline—the wicked woman everyone hated. The one who tried to murder the crown princess everyone loved.
Even if it were true that they abused Ariadeline and watched her die, it wasn’t entirely incomprehensible.
“So what happened at the monastery?”
Dorothea bit her lip.
“Well, Ariadeline is a sinner by status. Since she’s a sinner, we couldn’t punish them for not taking care of her…”
There was no justification.
Honestly, the temple had done nothing wrong, so there was no need for punishment. But because of Ariadeline’s wounds, Dorothea firmly held onto her misconception.
“What in the world has happened to her that she would ask for such a brutal death?”
“How could we know? We can’t see…”
The high priest furrowed his brow. Dorothea looked into his eyes and spoke in a weak voice.
“Moreover…”
“She did mention she wanted to die by Carlotian’s hands.”
Dorothea’s complexion darkened. At that moment, Carlothian, who had been leaning against the door, spoke up.
“She knows about my sword.”
The high priest replied,
“Of course. It’s the sword bestowed by His Imperial Majesty himself.”
Then Dorothea scoffed.
“The Deathrotea, one of the two swords passed down with legends.”
In the empire, there were two swords passed down with the founding myth.
The crown prince’s sword, Arotesia, represented light and purification.
Carlothian’s sword, Deathrotea, represented darkness and punishment. And by punishment, it meant…
“The tale goes that those who lose their lives to that sword fall into hell, and even the ridiculous rumor that the owner of the sword is plagued by madness…”
Dorothea, however, thought that the two swords were nothing more than ordinary swords with mythological content intertwined.
“But Ariadeline, who has dabbled in dark magic, probably believed those rumors to be true.”
Carlothian fell silent. His expression darkened for some reason.
However, neither of the two individuals, whose focus was now on Ariadeline, noticed Carlothian’s expression.
“She has inflicted wounds on herself with dark magic many times. But all of them failed…”
“She wished to fall into hell through Carlothian’s sword.”
Dorothea laughed bitterly.
“There are many who claim they deserve to die.”
“Yes.”
“But there are few who actually attempt to carry it out.”
“That’s right.”
Dorothea bowed her head deeply. The high priest felt sorry for her.
Ariadeline was still Ariadeline, but now, due to Dorothea’s kind heart as the Crown Princess, things were different.
Dorothea had grown up as a saint in the temple.
From the High Priest’s perspective, she was almost like his own granddaughter, having watched her grow up since she was a child.
Seeing such a gentle child now in the position of Crown Princess, he couldn’t help but worry about her getting hurt.
So, this time, the High Priest decided to support Dorothea.
“I’ll take good care of Ariadeline. Your Highness.”
“Thank you, High Priest, for listening to me…”
“No need to thank me. It’s getting late, so you should start heading back. His Highness the Crown Prince will be waiting for you.”
“Understood.”
Dorotea rose from her seat, exchanged farewells, and soon left the meeting room.
It was then that Carlothian, who had remained silent, spoke.
“High Priest.”
“Yes, Your Grace, Duke Carlothian.”
“I have a favor to ask of you.”
“What is it?”
Carlothian’s eyes, as dark as onyx, gleamed sharply as he spoke.
“I want to take charge of Ariadeline’s safety.”
“Yes?”
Carlothian said firmly.
“I suspect she has ulterior motives.”
The high priest inwardly sighed at that cold gaze. The thought crossed his mind: if such a person were her husband, Ariadeline must have been on the brink of madness.
“Let’s discuss this slowly.”
“Is there any reason to complicate matters? I’m just taking charge of the safety of a sinner.”
The high priest nodded at the calm words.
“Even though she’s a sinner, she’s currently a patient. She needs stability.”
Carlothian seemed puzzled.
“I don’t understand why you would go to such lengths for a sinner.”
“Because Her Imperial Highness, the Crown Princess Dorothea, asked me to.”
“That’s…….”
At the mention of Dorothea’s name, Carlothian took a step back.
The High Priest smiled pleasantly and addressed Carlothian.
“Why don’t you leave it to me for now.”
“…Understood.”
✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧
I lay sprawled out on the bed in the newly assigned room. I wondered if the discussion about my execution was progressing well.
It would be better if Carlothian just killed me. Otherwise, I might have to start all over again.
Ugh.
I shuddered. Starting over again. Just the thought of going back to the beginning, now that I had made it all the way to the capital, sent shivers down my spine.
Knock, knock, knock…
At that moment, I heard a knocking sound. I jumped up and opened the door.
‘Are you here to execute me?’
The executioner is Carlothian, right?
I opened the door with a bright expression, only to find the High Priest standing there. As soon as I saw him, I clasped my hands together.
‘Grandfather, no, High Priest, you’re here to sentence me to death, right? Please say yes!’
But for some reason, the High Priest looked at me with a pitiful expression and said,
“Sit down first.”
Without understanding a word, I sat down at the small table prepared in the room. The High Priest sat across from me, and beside him stood a newcomer—a face I hadn’t seen before.
“You’ll be staying here from now on.”
I cocked my head in confusion.
No, why?
Why am I staying here?
To execute me! They’re going to execute me!
My place is not in the temple, but in the temple’s graveyard!
Oh, maybe they can’t bury me in the temple’s cemetery because I used dark magic. No, but honestly, I don’t care what happens to my body after I die.
If they find it bothersome, they can just throw me to the animals. Seriously..
As I sat there with a sullen expression, the High Priest sighed deeply and said,
“From now on, this boy will take care of you. If there’s anything uncomfortable, feel free to speak up.”
At those words, I turned to look at the male priest beside the high priest. He was a freckled boy with a mild face and light brown hair who looked to be just about seventeen.
“My name is Dolance.”
I nodded my head in response to the greeting, thinking that I should at least acknowledge someone when they greet me.
Wait, hold on. Am I being assigned a guard now? Does that mean I can’t even attempt suicide? The thought made me chuckle ironically.
Why are you so dedicated to me? I’m a criminal who used dark magic—a criminal! Even if the gods are forgiving, they shouldn’t forgive criminals!
As I sat there with a face that felt like my soul was leaving my body, the High Priest spoke slowly.
“I’ll make sure such thoughts don’t come to you again.”
What thoughts?
Thoughts of killing me?
Ha.
I held my head as if it were about to split open, and then the High Priest stood up.
“Keep an eye on Ariadeline. Report immediately if she sustains serious injuries.”
“Understood.”
He gave instructions to Dolance and left the room. Soon after, the door closed with a thud.
“……Ariadeline.”
And Dolance suddenly called my name.
‘What, now you’re using casual language with me?’
He had a completely different vibe from when the High Priest was here.
“To think he asked someone like you to take care of me, the High Priest must be mad.”
‘What, mad? He may be like that, but why are you being rude to the High Priest? He seems like a kind person.’
I furrowed my brows, and he chuckled.
“Why does that make you feel bad?”
With gestures and movements, I tried hard to express that even though I really want to die, I have no reason to be scolded by him.
“What are you saying? Did you receive some kind of divine punishment? Can’t speak anymore?”
Why do you care? If you don’t understand, fxxk off. Go eat shxt.
I held up my middle finger.
“What kind of hand gesture is that?”
Dolance, either not understanding the meaning of the middle finger or feeling offended, approached me with a sour expression.
“Hmph!”
I unintentionally made a noise as Dolance grabbed my hair, pulling me towards him.
I grabbed his hand and resisted, but he shook my head wildly by grabbing my hair.
‘Ow! It hurts!’
“Do you still want to live after tormenting the beautiful Saint Dorothea like that?”
When did I ever say I wanted to live? I asked to be executed!
Kill me! Ah, go fetch Carlothian quickly!
But my inner cries didn’t reach him.
Thud!
Soon, I found myself sprawled out on the ground. I groaned as I touched the floor, and then defiantly looked up at him.
“Yeah, that’s how you always used to stare at people, acting all wicked. Why suddenly pretend to regret it and act good?”
Even if I am like that, who are you to judge? You piece of shxt.
“When I think of the suffering and pain Saint Dorothea went through because of you…”
Oh, you’re one of Saint Dorothea’s followers?
Hey, she’s not a saint anymore!
But of course, I couldn’t speak and didn’t have my notebook or pen. And that lunatic certainly wasn’t going to give me his hand.
Thwap!
“Ugh-!”
He kicked me as I crouched on the floor, lost in my thoughts. I winced, hunching over on the ground.
“Tsk!”
This bastard, huh?
