She didn’t miss the moment Stella’s expression was disturbed.
“Saint?”
She opened her eyes innocently, as if she knew nothing. Even the look in her eyes seemed to show concern for the saint.
“Are you feeling unwell? Suddenly the dishes…”
“Oh, I see.”
Stella looked as if she was shocked and adjusted her disheveled expression.
“When did I drop her silverware? I guess I lost strength in my hands without realizing it when I saw the picturesque appearance of the two of you.”
Stella hurriedly picked up her utensils and smiled awkwardly.
“Sorry. I ruined the good time you two had.”
Dropping utensils while eating was an undignified behavior. However, since it was an exceptional situation, it was also a good excuse to overlook it.
‘I knew it would come out like that.’
She smiled sweetly at Stella.
“Then is it okay if I ask the saint to ask you a favor?”
“For me?”
“Yes, this is a request that only the saint can grant.”
Stella pulled her eyebrows together as if she was worried.
“Because of my position, I cannot grant favors arbitrarily.”
“If you are having a hard time, it is okay to refuse.”
A benevolent saint did not arbitrarily refuse requests from others.
‘Stella is a saint who looks like she was drawn…’
Stella glanced at the priest’s gaze, and then she nodded her head.
“If I can be of any help to the lady, you’re welcome to ask. What is your request?”
She returned Stella’s gift with a pretty smile.
“Instead of this holy relic, please congratulate us on our future together.”
The saintess blinked her eyes slowly.
“Yes?”
“I know that you are worried about me, but the holy relic is a very precious gift. There are probably people who need it more than me.”
She naturally placed her ring-covered hand on the table and looked at John.
“So, more than this relic, I would like the saint to celebrate this meaningful moment. I think I would be more than happy to receive her congratulations from the saint.”
Stella couldn’t answer right away. She looked at John with a stiff mouth, as if time had stopped. Then John affectionately held her ring-covered hand and asked,
“Don’t you mind if I don’t have that blessing?”
“But at weddings, everyone receives a priest’s blessing.”
She smiled like a new bride.
“If the saint congratulates us, it will feel like we are having the wedding we never got to have.”
“It feels like a wedding…”
John nodded his head as if lost in thought for a moment. She hesitated, unable to take back the gift the saint had so readily given her.
‘Still, we have no choice but to catch it, right?’
Just as Stella’s excuse for dropping her utensils was just as good, her excuse was just as good. So much so that it was difficult for her to later claim that she had refused a gift given in good faith.
“Still, it’s a gift I prepared for the lady…”
“Of course it would be nice to have it, but I think it is more meaningful to receive the saint’s blessing now. It is difficult for a saint to exist as fatefully as she does now.”
If she was a saint, she was bound to be familiar with blessing prayers.
‘It doesn’t take divine power, and I can’t even use the excuse that it’s difficult.’
She looked at Stella’s face with concern.
“Was it an unreasonable request to the saint? Sorry.”
If she stayed still, she would look like someone who didn’t want to celebrate.
‘Then what if I misunderstand and say something strange?’
Stella fiddled with her holy relic box anxiously.
* * *
The time when the sunset is slowly approaching. The Duke and Duchess of Libertan were taken from prison to the scaffold. Originally, the law for treason was to be publicly executed in front of the people of the empire. However, the execution of the Duke and Duchess of Libertan was carried out in secret. Officially, it was to prevent confusion among the people of the empire. But the emperor knew in advance. The reason for secretly executing them is that Duke Blanchett wants to officially execute them and make them non-existent. There was fear in the eyes of the Duke and Duchess of Libertan, who were hanging on the scaffold.
“I can’t die like this. Estelle, call me Estelle. This is what we’re doing-”
The executioner grinned as he watched the Duke and Duchess of Libertan struggling.
“Don’t worry too much. Once it burns, all those random thoughts will disappear.”
“We don’t want people to die like this…”
“Everyone does that. Just before I die.”
The moment the executioner was about to set fire to their feet.
“Later, you will be screaming for me to kill you.”
‘They say that by order of Duke Blanchett, it is supposed to go out on its own right before life ends.’
Until then, you will feel burning pain throughout your body.
“Don’t worry.”
The moment the executioner grinned and was about to light a fire at the feet of the two people.
“Stop!”
The emperor’s messenger came running from afar.
“Stop the execution!”
* * *
Stella pursed her pink lips, her face pale. The priest placed his hand on Stella’s shoulder and supported her.
“Saint. Has her body recovered yet?”
Stella lowered her long eyelashes and lifted the corners of her mouth with difficulty.
“Is it noticeable?”
“The saint, of course, is clearly visible.”
“I tried my best…”
Stella’s eyes, which were curved like half moons, showed her pity.
“You don’t have to do that. She is someone who gets sick often, but even when she is resting, she loses her divine power because of a useless person.”
The priest was filled with anger, and then he shut her mouth. This was because the spirit of John next to her was unusual. John just looked at the priest with red eyes in silence. The priest looked at John and finished his sentence awkwardly.
“Anyway, I wanted to tell you that the saintess needs some rest… Yes.”
John, who was sitting with his legs elegantly crossed, nodded his head toward the priest.
“Why do you keep saying this?”
“Oh, no. As a priest’s counselor, I am concerned about the saint.”
John twisted his mouth arrogantly, as if sarcastically.
“Keep talking, if you’re confident.”
The priest’s face turned white.
‘I thought you didn’t know about Priest Berto’s work.’
Judging by his reaction, it seemed like he was fully aware of it.
‘And yet you were acting like that.’
She was actually more surprised by that fact. At that moment, Stella stepped forward to defend the priest.
“As the lady requested, I would like to congratulate them on their future.”
Stella put her hands together as if praying.
“I hope happiness continues for you two.”
The moment Stella lowered her long, thin eyelashes, John turned his head and looked at her. Intense red eyes captured her. His eyes were heated, and he looked at her lips as if he were coveting them. Then his hands became sweaty due to nervousness. John chuckled and held the back of her neck firmly with one hand.
John’s handsome face came closer.
“Hold on a little.”
Everything flowed naturally like water in the blink of an eye. John’s strong thumb naughtily brushed the side of her chin, adjusting the angle of his face. The last time she saw a smile bloom on his lips, his lips covered hers.
‘Like this…’
Something soft invaded between her slightly parted lips. It was a stimulation she had never imagined. Even her face became hot from John’s breath. John entered her mouth and stirred her insides thoroughly, as if teasingly rubbing places she wasn’t even aware of. A strange sensation that she didn’t know about spread throughout her body. She felt pressure at the tip of her toes, which had nothing to do with it at all. She was startled and grabbed John’s shoulders with her hands. John let out a soft laugh, coloring everything from the outer teeth to the deeper ones with his own. It went from fast to slow, and without even realizing it, she became more and more anxious. That seemed to be the same for John as well.
John grabbed the back of her head hard and swallowed her breath as if he was going to eat her. His hand holding her shoulder kept slipping as she felt distant.
“J-Jon… hn.”
Perhaps he misunderstood that she was trying to push him away, but John held on to her even stronger and coveted her. A dizzying sensation, as if she were about to be eaten right away. Soft lips moved skillfully, dominating all her senses. John took all her breath away, and then he playfully gave her some. John’s presence dominated every corner of her. He was thrilled to the tips of his feet and his hair turned white.
She even forgot what she was going to say. She put her arm around John’s shoulder and looked at him blankly, feeling drowsy from the stimulation he gave her. She didn’t even know how much time had passed. He removed his lips, tidied up her messy hair, and touched her lips with his thumb.
“You need to breathe.”
Only then did she realize that she wasn’t even breathing. He hugged her, who started breathing awkwardly, as if he was cute, and let out a sleepy laugh. Her rapidly beating heart still hadn’t calmed down. Was John okay?
‘It’s just me like this…’
Burying her face in his chest, she asked Stella inaudibly.
“…Why are you kissing me so suddenly?”
“I feel sorry for you, but I have to do this.”
John whispered sweetly.
“That way it feels like a real wedding.”
John’s low voice penetrates her hazy mind. Boom, her heart dropped. The tips of her fingers covering her wide back trembled.
“I know. It’s like a real wedding.”
She looked up at John. John seemed unaffected by his kiss just now. It was so different from her, who was flushed and still out of breath. Strangely enough, she felt her stomach ache.
‘But John, they say that the more fake a person is, the more obsessed he or she becomes with the real thing.’
He and she becoming real…
‘Is it because this is fake?’
The moment she smiled casually and looked at Stella as if she was embarrassed –
Stella quickly stumbled outside without even looking at her face. The last thing she saw was gorgeous, flowing blonde hair.
Bang!
The door to the closed banquet hall closed to the sound of the wind.
“Stand, saintess!”
The remaining priest looked at the with a bewildered look on his face.
* * *
The saint hurriedly returned to the temple.
“The saint said that she was not feeling well and that she had passed away in the temple.”
“Did she use her divine power more than usual?”
The priests were worried about Stella, who looked thinner than usual. Stella leaned her head on the other priest’s shoulder and closed his eyes pitifully.
“I’m fine, I guess I was more surprised by the unexpected situation.”
The priests nodded.
“It was too much of a scene for the saint to see. Duke Blanchett and the saint are all there, so how can you-”
“We originally exchanged a kiss of oath in front of the priest…”
“Uh-huh! Amman, I would still use it in front of an innocent and pure saint!”
The priest tried to console the startled saint.
“She probably didn’t have a wedding, so she didn’t know it was a thing. Please understand, saintess.”
At that time, Stella innocently opened her eyes wide.
“Didn’t you get married?”
“Yes. She was officially married, but she didn’t have a wedding ceremony.”
“…She was approved by the temple, so why didn’t she get married?”
The priest smiled kindly at the saintess, who looked as innocent as a child.
“Well, each has its own circumstances, but from what I heard, it was because they had no intention of receiving approval from the temple at the time.”
“Oh my god.”
“Actually, that makes it more difficult to understand the duke’s feelings. Did he propose to us on purpose because he didn’t like us or not?”
“…”
“Duke Blanchett is such a cruel man.”
“…”
“As the other person is the daughter of a fallen family, if he wants, he can at least nullify the temple’s approval.”
For a moment, the priest felt as if the saint’s blue eyes were shining eerily.
‘It must be my mistake.’
The saint who grew up beautifully in the temple was still as innocent as a child, regardless of her noble abilities. Wasn’t it because of her pure and kind heart that God allowed her such strong divine power?
“I feel sorry for Duke Blanchett.”
The saint lowered her head as if sad.
“Perhaps he is treating women in such a wrong way because he has not found true love?”
“That may be so.”
“God’s protection must be upon Him…”
By then, the saint’s chariot had arrived at the temple. Priests greeted the saint at the entrance. He looked after the saintess with great fuss as she got out of her carriage.
“Holy lady, have you ever experienced anything unpleasant or difficult at the Blanchett family?”
“I heard Duchess Blanchett is so vicious…”
“Last time, wasn’t Priest Berto also severely punished for the duchess’s heinous actions?”
With her saintly face she smiled at them.
“I was fine… It was difficult, though.”
“What did you say to the saint who tried to heal you with her divine power? What on earth are you doing?”
“It’s okay, it’s no one’s fault.”
The saint smiled despite the concerns of her priests and entered her room. An unpleasant thought appeared in her mind. Especially the disgusting face that smiled as if it were her own.
‘That can’t be possible.’
Just before she arrived in the room, the corners of Stella’s mouth were trembling slightly.
“Saint.”
The priest who was taking her there asked Stella.
“Shall I call another priest? Are you sure you don’t mind being alone?”
“I’m fine. I just need to rest for a while.”
There was a large mirror in the middle of her room. Stella’s beautiful and elegant appearance was reflected in the mirror.
‘Now that it’s like this, I have no choice but to find my own place…’
Stella slowly lowered her long eyelashes. The respect of her servants, the knights, and the love of her husband all lent her for a moment.
“Poor, pitiful man.”
Stella slowly said her prayers.
‘She was so mistaken that she didn’t even know that it was a temporary borrowed position…’
It’s such a pity and sad thing. Because the only one truly qualified was Stella herself. Stella, praying with her holy face, smiled brightly. Her agitation just now had disappeared, leaving only her usual, lithe and beautiful appearance as a saint. After slowly adjusting her appearance, Stella left her room again. She had something to tell the priests.
“Saint. I apologize for taking a break.”
At that time, a priest hurriedly found Stella.
“The Duke of Blanchett has sent a letter of protest requesting that no matter what happens in the future, he will not allow the saint to come to his mansion.”
“…”
“Even if she is a saint from now on, if she dares to cross me with Duke Blanchett, she will see her blood. And that responsibility lies not only with the saint but also with her temple.”
Stella’s hand holding the protest letter trembled slightly.
—————————————————————
Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
If you like my work please support me with Ko-fi or Patreon. Next post will be released on March, 15.
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Wasn’t her name YESTELLA??? 😭