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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: An Uninvited Saint
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For once, it was a refreshing commute to work alone. Tristan had stayed at the Imperial Palace since the birthday celebration the day before.
Thanks to him, I could head to work without worrying about prying eyes, but for some reason, the area in front of the office was unusually noisy today.
“You can’t do this…!”
“I will wait right here.”
“Why must you do this? If you schedule an appointment, we will escort you inside then.”
“And when exactly will that be? I made a request some time ago, yet you only say he has no time. That is why I have come like this.”
Ah.
I sensed it before I even heard the voice. Though less potent than yesterday, a powerful divine energy could be felt from beyond.
As I covered my mouth to hold back the rising nausea, Zion, who had spotted me through the crowd, had his eyes light up.
“Miss Emily!”
He greeted me cheerfully, as if he knew me. Thanks to him, everyone gathered in the hallway turned their heads to look at me.
Whether he knew it or not, Zion approached me with a bright smile.
“Do you remember me? We met at the ballroom yesterday.”
If I couldn't remember the Saint, would I even be human? I’d be a goldfish.
I forced the corners of my mouth into a smile.
“Of course, I remember you, Saint.”
“Please, feel free to call me Zion. Are you feeling any better?”
“Thanks to your concern. But what brings you here, Saint….”
I barely managed to stop myself from bluntly asking, *what are you doing here?* At my question, Zion’s angelic face instantly turned pitiful.
“The truth is, I have something urgent to discuss with His Highness the Crown Prince, but he is such a busy man that he said it was difficult to make time for me.”
“Ah, yes….”
“Left with no other choice, I came, despite the imposition, to ask if he could spare even a moment for tea.”
Then, he suddenly extended a white-gloved hand and grasped mine tightly. I almost shook it off.
“Is there no way? Just for a moment? It will only take a moment, truly.”
He looked at me with sparkling eyes. Most women might have dared to harbor impure thoughts toward a clergyman devoted to God.
If the person Zion had grabbed was Jamie and not me, it might have worked.
But unfortunately for him, the person he happened to grab was perhaps the only person on the continent on whom his beauty would have no effect.
“*Urp*, my apologies. I suddenly feel unwell, *eugh*……”
I hastily covered my mouth.
It was because I genuinely felt sick, but a faint crack appeared on Zion’s face, as if he’d just been told, “Your face makes me sick.”
“*Ahem, hem*. My apologies.”
I barely managed to catch my breath and tried to continue the conversation, but as soon as my eyes met Zion’s, another wave of nausea washed over me.
“*Urp*….”
“……You seem to be feeling very unwell.”
It looked as though Zion was clenching his teeth slightly.
“You seemed unwell yesterday, too. I’m not sure you should even be at work like this.”
As if nothing had happened, his face was filled only with concern. After tidying myself up by gently dabbing my mouth with a handkerchief, I put on a public-facing smile.
“Thank you for your concern. But regarding the Crown Prince’s schedule, my department manages it entirely, and we haven’t heard anything. It seems you didn’t make a formal appointment.”
“No, that’s right. I’ve been sending requests for several weeks, but they are never accepted.”
Zion didn’t seem particularly surprised that I, whom he had met by chance, was the Crown Prince’s secretary. No, he had called me by name from the start.
‘He came here already knowing I was the Crown Prince’s secretary?’
Unlike his innocent face, his mind was quite calculating. Then again, being a servant of God doesn't mean he has to be simple-minded.
And yet, looking at that clear, bright face, one couldn't help but feel that Zion was a pure soul, untouched by the world’s grit.
‘He was probably trying to use that handsome face of his to get inside somehow.’
It was a terribly flimsy plan, but the scary part was that it might have actually succeeded if the target hadn’t been me.
‘According to the rules, there should be no exceptions, not even for the Saint, but…’
I glanced around.
Quite a crowd of onlookers had already gathered. With so many eyes on us, I couldn't just coldly turn away the Saint, who was beloved by the people.
‘Don’t tell me he planned for this, too?’
Looking at Zion’s beaming smile gave me a headache.
There was no other choice.
“…Please come inside for now.”
A misstep could be misconstrued as discord between the Holy See and the Imperial Family. It was best to prevent such rumors before they could start.
“Thank you. May Divine Grace be with you today as well.”
Zion offered his thanks with a gentle smile.
“W-Will you be alright?”
The guard who had been dealing with Zion until just now asked in a hushed tone. He wasn't usually one to refuse people, but he seemed to have had a hard time dealing with this persistent visitor.
“I’ll take care of the Saint, so don’t worry and get back to your duties. I’ll explain everything to His Highness.”
“*Ahem*. Understood. If you say so, my lady….”
“Thank you for your hard work. Oh, and could you give my regards to Sir Villard’s wife?”
I naturally lightened the tense atmosphere. Then, I opened the door and stepped inside, greeted by an empty office.
‘Ah. Jamie took the day off today.’
I guided Zion to the guest seating area in a corner of the office.
“Would you like to have a seat here? What kind of tea may I get you?”
“Tea is quite alright. I am but a guest who will only be staying for a moment.”
He was quite the smooth talker for someone who had come here so determinedly. I didn’t let it show, however, and poured him a glass of cold water.
“I’ve brought you inside because there were many eyes on us, but whether His Highness the Crown Prince will grant you a private audience is entirely up to him. It would be best not to get your hopes up.”
From what I’d seen, Tristan was a man who detested things deviating from his expectations.
And now a surprise visit like this. It was like starting off with a hundred points deducted from his first impression. Ah, but since he was from the Holy See, would it have mattered anyway?
“Please, call me Zion.”
He seemed bothered by my persistent use of the title ‘Saint’.
“Out in the world, I am undeservingly called a Saint, but I am but a humble servant of the Lord. My name is more than enough.”
“…Yes, Sir Zion.”
That was the best I could do. Zion seemed satisfied enough with that and took a sip of his water.
“To be honest, I snuck out to come here. I’ll probably get a terrible scolding if Priest Paolo finds out.”
“What? You snuck out?”
“Yes. At the Holy See, they believe that approaching you first is tantamount to defeat.”
Well, if you interpret it as a political struggle, that would be the case. But was it really acceptable for the Saint to act against the will of the Holy See?
My expression must have been quite peculiar, as Zion let out a small laugh.
“Haha, you were just thinking I’m not very saint-like, weren’t you?”
“A little.”
“Perhaps. But I believe there are things more important than that.”
The way he said it was rather befitting of a saint. I didn’t know the details, but it seemed a clear sense of purpose was driving him.
I even had the feeling he would see his indomitable will through, no matter the hardships or adversities. He was a rare type, and I completely revised my assessment of him.
‘I apologize for thinking that, while you acted innocent, you were actually quite insidious on the inside.’
As I was chatting and smiling with him, Tristan arrived for work.
He seemed to have been briefed on this morning’s commotion before he came in, as he showed no surprise at seeing Zion sitting in the office.
Instead, Tristan faced Zion with a thoroughly business-like expression.
“I didn’t expect you to come in person.”
“I knew it was an imposition, yet I came anyway. Could you spare just a moment of your time? The time it takes to drink a cup of tea will be enough.”
With a look of complete disinterest, Tristan pretended to consider it for a moment with a “Hmm.”
Then, as he handed his coat to Werner, he commanded.
“Escort him out, politely.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Saint, this way, please.”
“Then when may I return to be granted your time? Today at lunch, or even this evening, would be fine.”
Zion was persistent. Werner, unable to bring himself to lay a hand on one so favored by God, looked troubled.
“Saint. I will escort you back to your residence.”
“This is not about the contract renewal. I came because this is an important matter for you as well, Your Highness.”
“Important matters should be discussed in a formal setting. As I recall, there is a banquet with the envoys from the Holy See in two days.”
Tristan’s voice was utterly cold. I knew he was thorough, but I had never thought of him as such a cold person.
It was a side of him I had never seen in all the years we had worked together.
—It’s not unusual to have uninvited guests.
—…It seems this happens to you often.
—They can’t stand to see the son of a heretic become emperor, I suppose.
‘Right… that makes sense.’
Hadn’t I personally seen an assassin sent by the Holy See targeting Tristan? Though that corpse did cause me quite a bit of trouble.
Seeing Tristan’s demeanor, Zion’s eyes changed, perhaps sensing that words alone were futile.
“It’s about the warlocks!”
“?!”
At his cry, the atmosphere in the room shifted in an instant.
