Chapter 124
Jet, who had come along at Asil’s call, muttered anxiously from the side.
“I wonder if the saintess will really help Lady Sol…….”
Unlike yesterday when he had been entirely black, he was now dressed in ordinary clothes. It was to pass as Asil’s attendant.
“There’s nothing good about making an enemy of Sunrise, so she might pretend not to know…….”
“No, she will definitely help.”
Asil waved one hand reassuringly.
In truth, since it had been years since they last met, she had been slightly worried that Selena might have forgotten her.
Yet even though she had come without an appointment today, far from sending her away, Selena had told her to wait a moment, which clearly meant she had not forgotten.
‘Besides, the priests who came to greet me at the port a few days ago said they were sent by the saintess.’
Selena had been consistently kind both in the past and now. So she would surely grant her request.
However, Jet, unaware of this, could not erase the anxious look in his eyes.
He seemed worried that his hasty plea for help, without thinking things through, might have been a misjudgment.
At that moment, Asil spotted a familiar face from a distance.
When she stared intently, wondering who it was, the other party recognized Asil and approached.
Upon closer look, she realized who it was. It was none other than the Third Princess, Eokaste.
The seven-year gap had kept her from recognizing her immediately.
“Princess!”
Goodness, how long has it been! Excited to see a welcome face after so long, Asil scampered over.
She now exuded a strong air of adulthood.
“Oh, who is this? Isn’t it Young Lady Erzébet?”
Eokaste, recognizing Asil, greeted her warmly as well.
Her expression was far more relaxed than in the past as she gently tugged at Asil’s cheek.
“You still seem to bounce around energetically; I like that. You should have come to see me first upon returning— what are you doing here instead?”
“I came to see the saintess.”
“The saintess? Well, you did say you had a connection with her.”
She had heard through rumors that the saintess had sent a welcome party for Asil.
The more she thought about it, the more astonishing it seemed.
What on earth had she done to become so casually close with that notoriously ill-tempered saintess?
Even the emperor of the empire and the pope could not handle her as they pleased and were left helpless.
Meanwhile, Asil glanced at the long line of people behind Eokaste.
Half priests and half imperial officials—it looked like something was going on.
Unable to hold back her curiosity, Asil asked immediately.
“Why did the princess come here?”
“Are you daring to question my movements right now?”
“Yes.”
“You really never seem afraid of me. Well, that’s precisely why I like you even more.”
She glanced at the imperial officials, who stood gaping in shock at Asil’s unabashed words, and continued.
“I came to inspect the preparations for the upcoming Divine Beast Thanksgiving Festival.”
“The Divine Beast Thanksgiving Festival?”
“Yes. Surely you’re not going to say you don’t know what it is?”
“I don’t know.”
“……Even the spy didn’t know; what on earth is Count Erzébet…….”
Looking at Asil as if she were something strange, Eokaste nodded toward the back.
Then one of the lined-up officials stepped forward and kindly explained.
“The Divine Beast Thanksgiving Festival is a celebration commemorating the day the four divine beasts first descended upon this land. This year, it is being prepared on an especially grand scale.”
This was because only three of the four divine beasts remained, and the festival had not been held for a long time.
Naturally, the official’s face was filled with pride as he prepared the festival.
But Eokaste poured cold water on it.
“It’s an extremely troublesome affair.”
“Y-Your Highness!”
“If it goes well, it’s only natural; if it fails, one becomes a grave criminal—there’s nothing good about it, is there?”
And yet she had made all sorts of boasts about giving a good position. Eokaste cursed her father, the emperor.
“There’s nothing to gain and much to do, so it’s terribly bothersome. There are so many things to select. Wait—Young Lady, you are acquainted with Fear as well, aren’t you?”
She looked Asil over carefully, then her eyes sparkled.
“This is perfect. I can just appoint the young lady without further investigation.”
“Yes?”
Appoint for what? Bewildered, Asil blinked.
At that moment, as Eokaste was about to explain.
“I greet Her Highness the Princess.”
Princess Sunrise appeared from somewhere, subtly pushing Asil aside and performing a greeting before Eokaste.
The attendants who used to swarm around her like clouds on the deck were gone; she had come with only one attendant—the one wearing the red bead necklace.
Having heard in advance that Eokaste was coming, Princess Sunrise was dressed extravagantly to present proper etiquette before royalty.
But to Asil, who had learned fashion sense from Count Arcian, she simply looked like a walking lump of jewels.
It meant she had dressed poorly.
Jet, standing behind Asil, whispered softly.
“That person is Lady Sol.”
What? She wasn’t an ordinary human attendant?! Shocked, Asil’s mouth fell open.
Meanwhile, Sol, upon seeing Jet, also wore a surprised expression.
It was as if she were thinking, ‘Why is Jet over there?’ But unlike her, Princess Sunrise showed no particular change in expression.
She seemed to have no idea who Jet was.
Having completely lost interest in Asil and Jet, Princess Sunrise spoke to Eokaste.
“I heard that Your Highness is seeking the central figure for the thanksgiving festival. If it would not be a burden, I would also like to put myself forward as a candidate.”
“That has already been decided.”
“Yes?”
“It is Young Lady Erzébet here.”
Me? Stunned, Asil pointed at herself.
In contrast, Princess Sunrise’s face was colored with shock.
As if words failed her, she silently stammered.
Then she barely managed to let out a scream-like cry.
“Y-Young Lady Erzébet?! That makes no sense; since it is the Divine Beast Thanksgiving Festival, shouldn’t it naturally be someone from a family connected to a divine beast?!”
“Are you daring to question my decision right now?”
“N-No, that’s not it…… That young lady has no connection whatsoever to a divine beast! If it were Duke Monlepe or the young duke of Starafit, perhaps, but how could it be Young Lady Erzébet—”
“Do you know what the biggest variable is in this thanksgiving festival?”
Eokaste, eyes gleaming fiercely, looked down at Princess Sunrise.
“It is precisely Fear of Starafit. There is no telling where he will go off to. Last time he burned the platform, and before that he burned His Majesty the Emperor’s head.”
“…….”
“Even Duke Starafit has given up on controlling him. But Young Lady Erzébet can control Fear. Can you, Princess?”
“……I can control him. There is no way I cannot do what a mere count’s young lady can!”
“Ho, then do it. I look forward to it. Young Lady Erzébet, come with me for a moment.”
Genuinely impressed by the princess’s bravado, Eokaste turned away.
She intended to take only Asil and escape this place, finding it tiresome to deal with her further.
Flustered, Princess Sunrise cried “Your Highness!” and tried to grab her.
“Princess!”
Instead, Asil grabbed Princess Sunrise.
“Please give me the diamond mine.”
You have to say these things when you remember them. Asil thrust the documents she had brought right in front of her nose.
“Wh-What?”
Caught off guard by the unexpected attack, Princess Sunrise stammered, and the puzzled Eokaste turned back.
“Diamond mine? What does that mean? Why would the princess give a diamond mine to the young lady?”
“The princess bet the diamond mine against my older brother, and I won.”
Asil showed the betting document she had made with Princess Sunrise.
Eokaste’s face twisted at the clause where none other than the labor of Young Master Erzébet was staked as the prize.
“What kind of insane……! Princess, do you not know that slavery is prohibited in the empire!”
“N-No, Your Highness! It was not to make him a slave— the one staked as Young Master Erzébet was none other than Young Lady Erzébet herself!”
“I was talking about a date with my older brother, but the princess told him to clean the stables for life.”
“Not only does she refuse to repent of her wrongdoing, but she even tries to shift the blame onto others!”
“No! In truth, it wasn’t really to make him a stablehand…… It was……!”
“Shut your mouth. It was only because the other party was Young Lady Erzébet that it could be overlooked quietly; otherwise, the princess would have long since been buried in high society.”
“…….”
“And yet you still refuse to hand over what was staked in the bet— the name Sunrise is truly shameful. I am greatly disappointed in you this time, Princess.”
“……I-I was going to give it right away. It seems Young Lady Erzébet has misunderstood something…….”
Trailing off, Princess Sunrise forced an awkward smile, then suddenly grabbed both of Asil’s hands and said.
“I will send someone right now to transfer the ownership of the diamond mine to the young lady.”
Meanwhile, inwardly she gritted her teeth.
If she had known she was a noble, she never would have made such a proposal. No— she wouldn’t even have mentioned a bet!
Unconsciously biting the soft flesh inside her mouth, she glared at Sol, the easiest target present.
This was all because of that damned divine beast.
If he hadn’t egged on the young lady, she would not have lost the diamond mine so futilely.
Princess Sunrise’s eyes sank cruelly.
If Asil and Eokaste left like this, she planned to vent her anger on Sol.
But at that moment.
“Lady Asil!!!”
From far away, the saintess, Selena, came running cheerfully.
Spotting Selena as well, Asil happily ran toward her.
“Saintess! I have something to ask of you!!!”
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