Episode 77

I lightly massaged my trembling hands.

‘What does he mean by that?’

People I had long forgotten had suddenly appeared and spoken such strange words—it unsettled me.

There was a certain conviction in his words, as if he truly believed they were connected to my repeated returns.

‘Could it be that they are the ones making me regress over and over?’

Were they using some divine power—or whatever it was—to constantly push me down a predetermined path? Why?

And more than that…

‘What if they have ill intentions?’

My head ached from the endless thoughts swirling in my mind. I leaned back against a bench in the temple’s courtyard.

‘Calm down.’

I decided to push aside all the worst possibilities for now.

For some reason, I had a feeling they would reveal themselves again when the time was right.

I just had to be prepared not to lose them when that happened.

I had been clenching my fists too tightly—my hands were beginning to go numb.

I repeatedly opened and closed them, waiting for the tingling sensation to subside. It was the same hand that bore the engagement ring Chris had given me.

“…Chris.”

Suddenly, I missed him terribly.

As I suppressed a sigh and leaned back against the bench to steady my breath—

“Lady Mindia Reinhardt?”

Someone addressed me.

It was the archbishop—the same one who had gone to speak with Chris earlier.

‘If he’s here, that means…’

“It seems His Grace has finished his discussion with you.”

That meant Chris was outside now. He was probably looking for me.

‘…Or maybe not.’

As I pondered, the archbishop approached me with a benevolent smile.

His steps carried a clear sense of purpose.

“May I sit and have a word with you?”

“…Of course, please do.”

Though I wanted nothing more than to go see Chris, I calmly gestured for the archbishop to sit beside me.

Since I was already at the temple, I figured I might as well throw out another bait.

The archbishop took a dignified seat, maintaining a slight distance before speaking.

“His Grace the Grand Duke seems to care for you greatly.”

“Does he?”

“He was quite insistent that the matter of the official witness not be neglected, aside from the issue of the military chaplains. Congratulations on your engagement.”

“So the military chaplains are going to the North after all?”

For a brief moment, the archbishop’s expression stiffened, but he quickly erased it with a smile.

“Well, well. It seems not only does His Grace cherish you, but you have also become quite the Northerner yourself, Lady Reinhardt.”

There was a subtle edge to his words. Given that the temple currently sided with the imperial family and Duke Reinhardt, it was hardly surprising.

I merely smiled, playing the part of a love-struck woman.

“…Of course, I worry for His Grace’s safety. He may soon be my husband, after all.”

“Haha. That is true.”

“The title of Lady of the North—how splendid does that sound?”

I deliberately placed more emphasis on the title he would grant me, rather than Chris himself.

Only then did the archbishop’s smile deepen.

“So, give me a clear answer. Are the military chaplains coming?”

I narrowed my eyes, exuding an unmistakable air of a villainess.

“I can’t help but worry… His Grace may leave for the North again at any moment, and what if he gets injured? We haven’t even had our wedding yet.”

I added extra weight to my last words.

The priest chuckled.

“Not all, but a portion of them will be sent. Rest assured, my lady.”

“Truly?”

“Yes. And you need not worry about the official witness either. I have already promised His Grace that a trustworthy priest will officiate your engagement.”

“Splendid. Both the witness and the deployment of the military chaplains. Even Saint Ansha must feel relieved knowing that the chaplains are heading north!”

The moment I mentioned Saint Ansha, the archbishop visibly flinched.

He was so caught off guard that he didn’t even scold me for interrupting him.

“Saint Ansha? Why would you bring up…?”

There were a few saints in the empire whose names carried great weight.

Each one wielded an influence that rivaled that of an archbishop.

One of them was the Saint of Ansha, believed to be the successor of the legendary Ansha’s will.

He never stayed in one place, wandering from land to land.

The reason he was more significant than other saints was simple—

‘He is rumored to possess foresight concerning the imperial family.’

Ansha was originally a priest who lived five hundred years ago.

During his lifetime, the empire was thrown into chaos, and three emperors were overthrown.

Despite being a mere priest at the time, Ansha correctly predicted each successive emperor.

Had he failed, he would have gone down in history as the greatest traitor of his time.

But because he was right, he was instead revered as a saint of prophecy.

Since then, those believed to have inherited his abilities were called the Saints of Ansha.

The current Saint of Ansha was no different.

The archbishop licked his lips before cautiously asking,

“Is he in the North?”

“I wouldn’t know the details. His Grace only mentioned hearing a rumor… and told me to keep it a secret…”

This was something I had already discussed with Chris.

Since we had traveled to the border city, we had taken the opportunity to gather information about the North.

And, in turn, Chris had shared the rumors circulating there.

‘I heard a peculiar rumor.’

‘What kind of rumor?’

‘A priest no one has seen before has been traveling through various villages in the North.’

‘…If rumors are spreading, that must mean the person is unusual, right?’

‘Rather than unusual… it’s said that he performs inexplicable miracles from time to time.’

‘Specifically?’

‘Though his body remains in the North, he is able to recount events occurring in the capital in real time.’

‘…….’

‘Especially when it comes to the imperial family—his words often appear in the news months later, spreading even to the North.’

Chris spoke with careful deliberation.

‘He even foresaw the disruption of the upcoming hunting festival months ago.’

‘…A priest who manifests miracles only regarding the imperial family?’

‘It’s not common.’

‘Are you thinking the same thing I am, Your Grace?’

I had already told Chris in advance that I would bring this up with the archbishop while visiting the temple.

‘You likely don’t wish to use the saint, Your Grace. But it’s worth probing.’

Of course, we didn’t know for certain whether this priest was truly the Saint of Ansha.

We were merely making an educated guess.

‘But if he really is the saint, then he should be somewhere in the North right now.’

Among the many events in the original story, there had been one connected to the Saint of Ansha.

In the original world—where Chris had died early—the crown prince had traveled north to suppress a rebellion and monster outbreak.

And there, he had received the saint’s blessing.

‘At that time, the crown prince outwardly deserved it.’

After all, he had met Aria and changed his ways. He was also the emperor’s only legitimate heir.

It made sense that the saint, with good intentions, would bless the future emperor.

The archbishop, his voice still trembling, asked cautiously,

“Are you saying… the Saint of Ansha is truly there?”

“Probably. I’ve heard he’s been traveling from village to village.”

“Why would he go to the North of all places…?”

“Perhaps he is searching for someone. Someone connected to the imperial family.”

“…Searching for someone?”

The archbishop’s expression turned deeply contemplative.

Many of the emperor’s mistresses had been forced into exile by the empress dowager’s pressure.

Some had fled while pregnant, only to be caught and executed.

The North, though harsh, was a perfect place to disappear.

‘Just planting the idea that there might be an imperial bastard hiding in the North is enough.’

Truthfully, I had no idea why the Saint of Ansha was in the North. The original story never explained it.

But justification could be crafted.

‘A distraction strong enough to shift the empress dowager’s focus away from Chris.’

If that distraction was the possibility of an illegitimate imperial child she had failed to eliminate—

It would be more than enough.

“I should take my leave now.”

The archbishop hastily rose, offering me a formal bow.

I returned the gesture, suppressing the urge to ask about a blind apprentice priest or a man in tattered robes.

‘This should buy some time.’

For now, Chris would only have to deal with the duke’s household.

The empress dowager would be too busy scouring the empire for a nonexistent bastard child.

Thinking about the North made me long for Chris even more.

‘…I want to see him right now.’

Somehow, seeing him would put me at ease.

‘Relying on him like this is a bad habit.’

I knew that—yet I couldn’t help it. My heart was guiding me.

I slowly stood from the bench and wandered through the temple’s halls, passing by the scent of cinnamon lingering in the air.

The priests, dressed in their immaculate robes, looked at me strangely.

Even the noblewomen and young ladies visiting the temple wore expressions that seemed off.

“Is the rumor true?”

“I heard they were together in the garden just now…”

Their hushed whispers carried no warmth.

They were watching me like an unfolding spectacle.

‘What is this?’

A strange feeling crept over me.

“Men are all the same.”

“The real one is always better than the fake, after all.”

“But hasn’t she already received the golden corsage?”

The moment those words reached my ears, a dull ringing filled my head.

I felt dizzy as I stepped into the temple garden.

“If that’s true, then she’ll be the crown princess…”

“It’s still too early to say.”

“In any case, this social season is entertaining, isn’t it?”

Their murmurs sounded as if they were drifting underwater.

I forced my vision into focus and looked ahead—

And there, at a distance, stood the person I had been searching for.

“Chris.”

And across from him—

Aria, gazing up at him with eyes filled with elation.

“……”

Then, Aria and I locked eyes.

She tilted her lips into a smug, one-sided smile.