Chapter 111
The hall fell silent as if doused with cold water.
Those who couldn’t immediately grasp Kierne’s statement looked bewildered, yet sensing the gravity of the situation, they held their breath.
The Holy King shot up from his seat.
“Enough!”
The one who had been nothing but benevolent until now roared in fury.
Ignoring the incredulous stares of everyone, the Holy King glared at Kierne.
“We have confirmed sufficiently.”
With eyes bulging, he took a moment to catch his breath and calm his agitation.
Yet he couldn’t stop the twitching around his wrinkled eyes.
The Holy King spoke slowly.
“…Indeed, it is the most unique and precious thing in the world. The gods will surely rejoice in Basilian’s devotion.”
“It is an honor.”
Kierne replied promptly.
The Holy King wore an expression as if he wanted to strangle the brazenly smiling Kierne.
However, he endured, and that was the last of Holy King Sianor’s patience.
“Let us conclude today’s prayer assembly here.”
The Holy King rose from his seat and entered the passage behind him first.
The holy priests and knights hurriedly followed the Holy King.
The Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly drew the curtain on its first day amid a chaotic atmosphere.
What was this promise about the Black Forest?
Chesha was overwhelmingly, intensely curious.
The way the Holy King had trembled and raged at that statement only heightened it further.
Deep down, she hoped Kierne would explain it clearly, but she only muddled it vaguely.
“Do you trust Daddy?”
She merely smiled mischievously, just like when she had blocked Remil’s divine power to humiliate Cardinal Milliod.
“I’ll make sure our Chesha wears the crown.”
It seemed Kierne’s statement to the Holy King was indeed something tremendous.
Upon hearing the situation, Belzeon let out a hollow laugh and expressed his thoughts in just one word.
“Are you insane?”
Yet Kierne remained unapologetic.
“We decided to rise to the surface, didn’t we? Of course, I originally planned to use a more peaceful method.”
She insisted on her grievance, claiming she couldn’t hold back because the other side kept testing her patience.
The irritated Belzeon no longer bothered to respond.
“Starting with the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly, we’ll engrave the Basilian name firmly in people’s minds.”
Regardless, the delighted Kierne suddenly paused and looked at Belzeon.
“Belzeon, you….”
She whispered softly.
“I’d like you to live a bit more freely than I have.”
Belzeon didn’t answer.
He simply stared at Kierne for a while, then slowly turned his head to avert his gaze.
“…I’ll summon the twins. We need to discuss the matters ahead.”
The men of the Basilian family gathered urgently and began a meeting.
Chesha wanted to join out of curiosity, but unfortunately, she was sent to the bedroom.
Because babies need to sleep early.
“It looks like it’ll take a while, so don’t wait up and go to sleep, little sister.”
“Baby, grow up fast. We won’t be back until morning.”
The twins gently laid Chesha on the bed, carefully tucking her in with the blanket, before leaving.
But as soon as the twins departed.
Chesha bolted up from the bed.
Now that she had time alone, there was something she had to do.
It was time to investigate the Holy Empire.
‘There are more than a few suspicious points.’
There were so many that she didn’t know where to start.
Since there was still time to spare, she planned to proceed quietly, without being greedy, to avoid detection as much as possible.
Thus, to embark on a full investigation, she intended to take her loyal puppy along.
“Hata, you okay?”
“……”
The puppy was out cold, as if fainted.
Chesha stroked the poor Hata.
Lately, with the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly keeping things busy, the twins had mostly taken care of Hata.
It seemed he had endured playtime that was essentially torment from the twins today as well.
Hata, sprawled limply on the sofa, showed no signs of waking.
With no choice, Chesha set out alone to explore the Holy Empire.
Being the Holy Empire, she had to be especially cautious, doubly so.
She summoned her power with even greater care than usual.
Chesha was smoothly enveloped in flowers and transported.
The destination was the grand temple.
Unlike the bustling daytime during the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly, the grand temple at night was serene.
Only faint moonlight dimly illuminated the empty sanctuary.
“Whew!”
Chesha flapped her arms to disperse the floral scent.
Whenever she used her power, the flashy effects sparkled too much, which was a headache when she needed to sneak around like this.
Having erased the traces, Chesha placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her brows.
She had moved on instinct, and it led her to the grand temple.
But figuring out where and how to investigate this vast grand temple already felt daunting.
If Hata had helped, it might have been easier….
Recalling the exhausted puppy, Chesha shook her head vigorously.
Then, she began walking on her own, her steps pattering along.
It was while she was heading toward the chair where the Holy King had sat today.
Chesha halted abruptly.
“…!”
A song reached her ears.
It was the crown calling to Chesha.
But unlike the previous time, when it had seemed to fill the entire Holy Empire, this song was faint and thin, as if it might cut off at any moment.
It sounded as though squeezed through a narrow gap, forcibly leaking out.
Before she could even think, her body moved on its own.
Chesha summoned her power and transported to the place where the crown was calling her.
Inside the holy relic vault.
At the center of the pristinely empty space stood the Fairy Queen’s Crown.
Around the crown, placed on a display stand, white chains infused with divine power were intricately entwined.
Chesha gazed at the crown beyond the chains.
A small gasp escaped her lips.
“Ah….”
The Fairy Queen’s Crown was beautiful.
The wreath woven from the world’s most beautiful flowers was lush and large, too big for baby Chesha to wear on her head.
But it would fit Lichesia perfectly.
The pleasant floral fragrance emanating from the wreath tickled Chesha’s heart.
Images of herself wearing the crown kept flashing in her mind.
As if tempting such a Chesha, the crown sang with an increasingly beautiful voice.
Unbeknownst to herself, Chesha approached the crown as if entranced.
Floating her body with flowers and butterflies, she carefully slipped through the chains and positioned herself right in front of the crown on the display stand.
‘I shouldn’t touch it.’
It was during the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly.
Since she didn’t know what might happen, touching the Fairy Queen’s Crown was by no means a good idea.
A clear intuition told her that the moment she touched the crown, some massive change would occur.
Yet even as she thought it was wrong, she couldn’t stop her moving hand.
It felt as if an invisible something was pulling Chesha in.
The moment her hesitant fingertip touched the petal of the wreath.
A tingling, stinging sensation pierced her heart.
It was a sharp pain, like being pricked by a keen thorn.
Startled, Chesha hastily withdrew her hand, and at the same time.
Light burst forth.
Along with blinding light, floral fragrance spread explosively in all directions.
It was a scent so thick and intense that even Chesha felt dizzy.
Flower buds bloomed, covering her entire body.
And when the flowers vanished….
“…Huh?”
There stood Chesha, grown into an adult.
She froze in shock for a moment.
Then, she checked one by one: her heightened eye level, elongated limbs, the long cascading golden hair.
She had returned to the enchantress Lichesia.
Even her clothes had changed into a long, thin dress of flowing fabric.
The dress, adorned with small flower buds, shimmered softly on its own even without light, exuding a sweet and ornate floral fragrance.
It was bewildering enough to suddenly become an adult, but for her clothes to transform as well.
“Wh-what is this? Why is this happening?”
It was while she stood there, eyes wide in the face of the abrupt change.
Clatter!
The surrounding chains began to move rapidly.
Chesha gasped in alarm.
She immediately tried to use her fairy power, but the opponent was faster.
In an instant, Chesha was bound tightly by the pure white chains.
The door to the holy relic vault, which had been firmly closed, opened.
The one arriving to condemn the thief who dared attempt to steal the Fairy Queen’s Crown was the owner of the chains.
Chesha, bound tightly by the chains, was reflected in those chillingly blue eyes.
The straight gaze distorted.
Hailon called her name in disbelief.
“…Lichesia?”
