Chapter 29
It wasn’t a bar, café, or shopping place. The lighting was a disturbing mix of sunset hues and violet, and there were numerous objects, including crystal orbs, whose identities were unclear. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he looked, there seemed to be no space to hide.
Just as Ilias was cautiously walking over to check beneath the tables for a secret passage, Adeline entered after using the restroom.
“Oh my! You’re already here. Please, have a seat, customer.”
Adeline smiled formally as she looked at Ilias.
He was startled but quickly composed himself. He took a seat at Adeline’s table.
“Oh! Customer, that’s my seat. Your place is on the other side.”
Ilias got up and moved to the spot Adeline indicated. Outside, the noise of the Holy Knights searching was chaotic.
In an instant, he recognized the woman standing before him as someone he had seen in the slums. However, he feigned ignorance and showed no signs of recognition.
* * *
When I returned from the restroom, I truly thought he was a customer. But the moment I saw his face, I knew he was no ordinary guest. The man with pitch-black hair and shining golden eyes was undoubtedly Ilias Driophea, the First Prince of the Empire.
‘What is he doing here?’
Ilias, with his upright personality, was not someone who would come to see a fortune-teller. I concealed my doubts and did not reveal anything, instead seating him at a customer’s table. The atmosphere outside felt ominous.
The sound of the door bursting open, screams, the clashing of armor, and the heavy footsteps of knights echoed endlessly.
I had a bad feeling about this.
“Line up! Don’t cut in line, enter one by one!”
The loud shouting could be heard from outside.
‘What could be happening? What is Ilias doing out there at this time?’
I quickly racked my brain, wondering if I had missed something. But at this point in the original story, there was no significant incident causing such a commotion throughout the streets.
“Adeline!”
Sarah, thinking there wouldn’t be anyone since I hadn’t let in any customers, rushed in.
“Adeline! Oh! How did you get in?”
I gestured for her to be quiet and calmly replied,
“Sarah, it’s noisy outside. What’s going on?”
“The Holy Knights requested cooperation for a brief search.”
Just then, I heard the heavy footsteps of the Holy Knights entering without waiting. I quickly stood up and grabbed a robe from the closet, wrapping it around Ilias.
He seemed to understand my intentions and quickly pulled the hood up over his head. The moment I placed my hand on the crystal orb, the Holy Knights entered.
“We will conduct a brief search.”
“What’s going on? I’m currently consulting with a customer.”
I sensed a knight glancing over to check Ilias’s face and swiftly stood in front of him.
“As you already know, my shop does not disclose the identities of its customers.”
At my words, Ilias pulled his hood down even further.
“I don’t know what you’re searching for, but there’s no other space here. But what’s the matter? If the Holy Knights are personally involved, it must be serious.”
“We’re looking for a criminal who stole items from the church.”
“Oh my! What a heinous act. That’s a place I once belonged to and still hold dear to my heart. I will fully cooperate, so please feel free to search.”
I felt guilty as I began to speak lies smoothly, applying my conscience like salve. I needed to reassure the Holy Knight emotionally and divert his gaze from Ilias.
The knight asked, “May I check over there?” pointing to the closet.
“Of course. Sarah, please assist him.”
“Yes, Adeline.”
As the knight opened the closet door, She pulled out a bunch of our store’s merchandise—incense sticks, talisman papers, dreamcatchers, and more—spilling them onto the floor.
“That’s fine. We’ve checked it, so you don’t need to take out more,” the knight said kindly.
Feeling relieved at the knight’s friendly remark, I spoke as if pleading, “It seems the thief you’re looking for has fled elsewhere. We have many customers waiting, so I need to wrap up this consultation quickly…”
Another knight who had been tapping on the wall shook his head, indicating there was nothing unusual there.
“My apologies for the intrusion. Thank you for your cooperation, Lady Adeline.”
“If it’s a matter concerning the church, I’ll naturally cooperate. Thank you for your hard work.”
Once the Holy Knights left, Sarah hesitated, looking anxious.
“I need to finish the consultation, so you should head out.”
When I smiled to reassure her, she responded, still hesitant, “Yes, Lady Adeline.”
With the commotion outside subsiding, only Ilias and I remained in the consultation room. I said nothing and simply watched him. He, too, was silent, gazing at me intently. Just before my smile faded, my lips parted.
“Be careful. You might meet an untimely end.”
I placed my hand on the crystal orb, channeling holy power into it. His gaze was fixed on the glowing orb.
“You’ve been threatened with death repeatedly and will continue to face such threats in the future. On the surface, you may live recklessly, but underneath, you’re planning many things,”
Ilias said with an impassive expression as he rose from his seat.
“Your fate is intertwined with the fates of many others. So don’t give up, Your Highness.”
He took off his robe, not bothering to hide his wariness.
“Do you know me?”
I nodded calmly before continuing,
“What is clear is that you are on the right path. Trust yourself and move forward. However, that path is not one you can walk alone. Make sure to meet many people who can support you.”
I rose from my seat, holding the hem of my skirt with both hands and slightly bending my knees.
“It’s my pleasure to formally greet you. I am Adeline Senner.”
He looked at me with a gaze filled with complex emotions.
“Why does someone from the temple help me?”
“I am Adeline Senner, not someone from the temple.”
Ilias responded with a look that conveyed his understanding.
“I should take my leave now.”
“Please be careful.”
In the original story, after the saintess was chosen, Empress Sierra began to take action. Now that everyone’s timelines had been accelerated, it was clear that the empress would soon be on the move.
“Be careful. The empress will act soon.”
Ilias vanished without a word. If he truly possessed such skills, he would have made it back to the palace safely.
* * *
As the original narrative began to shift and whirl like a storm, my mind became tangled, leading to a restless night and eventually sleeping in.
Sarah had arrived early to work and told the others to excuse me, saying not to rush me. So I took a leisurely soak in the bath, ate toast and fruit, and moved slowly.
“Sarah, I’m out.”
“Lady Adeline.”
She pointed to a customer with an awkward look. Following her gaze, I turned my head to see the Chancellor.
“Chancellor!”
He smiled kindly at me.
“It’s been a while, Adeline.”
“The Chancellor has been waiting since dawn.”
“Why didn’t you send a word or something before coming like this…”
“They said this is how you meet with Adeline. I was just following that custom.”
At that, gasps of admiration erupted from those nearby. Truly, he was like a cunning raccoon, capable of mesmerizing people even in a brief moment.
“Please come in. Sarah, would you prepare some tea?”
I entered the shop with the Chancellor. He calmly surveyed the interior. We had recently expanded the shop, creating a consultation room inside and a space where Sarah could stay and manage her work.
“The shop looks great.”
“Thank you. But what brings you here, Chancellor? You wouldn’t be coming to consult with me, would you?”
He smiled, his friendly demeanor unchanged.
“Ha ha ha. Do I not have matters to discuss? Lately, I’ve been troubled by you, Adeline. Everyone keeps urging me to bring you back. You’ve become quite the challenge for me, whether you’re in the church or not.”
“What troubles you so much? I’m no longer part of the church.”
His expression sobered as he looked at me.
‘It’s hard to find the good-natured person in his face now that the smile has disappeared.’
“Adeline, you should use the goddess’s power for the church, not for your own private purposes. It is not right, and you could face the goddess’s wrath.”
“You know better than anyone, Chancellor, that my holy power is not something I possess fully. I’ve told you repeatedly that the strength I had that day was temporary. That power was no different from an accident. I don’t have it anymore.”
“Then isn’t it possible that it could return again? If you find yourself in danger…”
“No. I didn’t use that power for myself. It seems the goddess granted me temporary strength to help someone else. Since then, it has never appeared again. The power I can freely wield is only this much.”
I rubbed the crystal orb, showcasing the sparks that erupted from it.
“It’s just a parlor trick.”
After the Chancellor left, a heavy weight settled in my heart.
‘Will they truly give up on me with just this? Or will they resort to coercive methods to take me back?’
The whirlpool of fate felt increasingly fierce against my skin.
* * *
“The Chancellor went to find that girl,” Leona said, looking surprised as she glanced at her father, Count Waynes, who was sitting across from her.
“Is it because you haven’t shown your true abilities that the priests keep thinking other thoughts? You’ve become a saintess and still can’t establish yourself in the temple. It was better when that girl was causing a ruckus. You were much more clever back then. Lately, though, tsk tsk.”
Gunner shook his head, displeased.
“What do you think I did to make you a saintess?”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
“Enough. Just take care of yourself and don’t worry about anything else.”
Leona bit her lip hard to contain her anger. She felt like she might fall into a panic as she faced daily humiliation because of Adeline, whom she had always considered insignificant.
She never imagined she would face such trials, receiving both praise and envy from everyone. As a noble, she never expected to be stressed out by a mere commoner.
‘I’m the saintess, so why does everyone keep looking for that girl? Something is definitely wrong here.’
Note:
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