A few days later, the long-awaited tea reunion arrived.
“Oh my, all dressed up so beautifully… and now you have to wear this drab black robe?”
The maid fussed as she draped the black robe over Ivyn.
“And why am I not allowed to go with you? Where on earth are you going that you’d leave me behind like this? What if something dangerous happens while I’m not—!”
“Don’t worry. This time, I have three reliable bodyguards.”
Ivyn reassured the fidgeting maid.
No sooner had she finished speaking than three sturdy young men climbed onto the carriage one by one.
John, Hon, and Dan, all wearing the same robes from the last outing.
“Hey, listen up! This is an absolute secret from Father, got it?”
The triplets shot a sharp, warning glare at Ivyn’s maid.
The maid, pale with fear, nodded frantically.
“Y-you absolutely must return by the promised time, Miss and young masters!”
The coachman cracked his whip, and the carriage rattled into motion.
The carriage carrying the Kinzell family’s youngest line came to a stop at the main gate of the Holy Nation.
“Wow…”
As the carriage door swung open, Ivyn stepped down into the vast central plaza and looked around, letting out a small gasp of admiration.
The massive, magnificent buildings, coral-colored columns, and stone sculptures immediately caught her eye.
Every building in the Holy Nation was constructed from pale marble, and inside were altars commemorating the god Flulla, countless monuments, and statues of the apostles.
Even someone like Ivyn, who was an atheist, found herself overwhelmed by the Holy Nation’s grandeur, to the point that a sense of unprecedented devotion almost welled up inside her.
Of course, that was only possible so long as the Holy Nation wasn’t at odds with the Necromancer family.
“Right, you’re from the Butan family?”
A guard who had come to receive them scanned Ivyn with a cold, scrutinizing gaze.
“Yes.”
Ivyn answered calmly, trying not to flinch under his inspecting eyes.
“Does the Butan count have a daughter?”
“I’ve been sick since childhood and spent time recuperating at a relative’s home, and only recently returned to the estate.”
“Hmm… I see. And who are the people accompanying you?”
“They are cousins who followed me from the countryside. They wanted to see the Holy City, so I brought them along.”
Even after passing the checkpoints and gatekeepers, the sharp eyes of the guards followed them like shadows all the way toward the stone tower.
The level of security far surpassed anything Ivyn had experienced in the underground prison where she had been captured before.
On top of that, the guards themselves were on a whole different level.
The holy energy radiating from them was so strong that even Ivyn, who hadn’t yet received formal necromancer training, could sense the difference.
It almost feels like we’re about to have a private audience with the emperor… No, maybe even worse than that.
Ivyn felt anew just how important and powerful the saintess was in the Holy Nation.
They kept moving forward, walking on what felt like a sheet of thin ice.
As the tower came into view, the guard leading them suddenly stopped.
“From here on, only guests may enter. The rest of your party must remain in the public area.”
Reluctant, Ivyn had no choice but to bid a brief farewell to the John-Hon-Dan trio.
“Squirrel… if anything happens, you know what to do, right?”
“Don’t worry! We’ll be standing guard right outside the whole time.”
“Shall we shout a cheer for you?”
“I-I’ll be back!”
Startled by the mention of a cheer, Ivyn hurriedly moved, the hem of her robe fluttering as she walked away.
TL Note:
Hello~ Elle here. I took my sweet time doing updates, I know.
Piaf, my baby princess kitten and soulmate, urgently needs surgery. The cost is far beyond what I can handle alone, so I’ve prepared some special challenges to turn every bit of support into hope for her.
💬 Challenge #1: Every 5 unique comments = 1 extra chapter
💖 Challenge #2: Every 10 NU votes = 2 extra chapters
☕ Challenge #3: Every $15 on my Ko-fi goal = 3 extra chapters
Every comment, vote, and donation brings us one step closer to her surgery.
Thank you, truly, for supporting us.
