Chapter 89
Chapter 89
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 88
Chapter Title: The Stirring Viper
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The next morning after Grace fell asleep late.
An official document arrived at the embassy where Grace and Rosalyn were staying.
It was an official document prepared by Duke to create a pretext for contacting the Saintess.
An hour after the document arrived, Duke arrived at the embassy, leading a few members of his Honor Guard.
"Oh... You've arrived, Your Excellency."
When he knocked on the embassy's front gate, the Saintess herself opened the door and greeted him.
Duke, who had expected a servant to open it, was slightly surprised by the Saintess's action.
In houses where the entrance and front door are separated and servants are always present, it is rare for the homeowner to open the front door themselves.
This is to clearly establish the hierarchy between host and guest, preventing any potential awkward situations.
However, the Saintess, who believed all humans under heaven were equal, did not cling to such formalities.
It might even be an expression of her conviction to embrace any guest's mistakes.
'As expected, she's someone utterly indifferent to authority.'
Duke felt relieved that she was indeed the Saintess he knew.
However, the Saintess's thoughts were slightly, very subtly different from Duke's expectations.
'Ah, I went and opened it myself... He won't think I'm some woman who doesn't know etiquette, will he?'
In the Holy Kingdom, the Saintess opened doors herself.
It was not a gesture of equality and forgiveness for all mistakes.
Rather, it was to undermine her own authority and indirectly that of the Holy Royal Court.
Additionally, it was to build a bit of power to resist the Holy Royal Court based on public sentiment.
Because of that habit, she ended up opening the embassy door herself.
'I heard he's a knight strict about etiquette.'
The etiquette she had practiced all night went to waste.
Grace anxiously watched Duke's reaction amid her unease.
Fortunately, Duke seemed unperturbed.
"Until the Holy Knights arrive, you all will be escorted by me and these men."
Behind the Saintess, a dark elf wearing a monocle bowed at the waist.
Another Rank 5.
Just like the company commander Remesis.
However, the Saintess's golden eyes denied the results of her emotion magic on her.
Behind the dark elf's head.
The flame shape was merely lantern-level, but its color differed from others.
'Her soul is awake.'
Having observed flames for decades, she had realized one fact: the flame's color indicated its temperature.
And that color signified the degree of the soul's awakening.
'Even Sir Duke was white.'
Duke, with solar-white flames.
Yet this Rank 5 dark elf was a striking blue.
'Perhaps a philosopher?'
That blue hue was usually seen in rabbis, philosophers, or pilgrims.
(For reference, high priests busy with flowery words and self-interest were yellow.)
Someone whose soul was that awake could not be taken at face value as merely Rank 5.
'She probably knows how to fully realize her potential.'
If rank was like muscle and weight class, soul awakening was how well one used their body.
Of course, weight class took priority in fights, so soul awakening wasn't as crucial as rank.
But among the same rank, this dark elf would be the strongest Rank 5.
'Debating her sometime wouldn't be bad.'
But for now, Duke came first.
The Saintess returned to reality and guided the temporary escorts to the office.
Sharing schedules before starting escort duty was basic.
'They're not Holy Knights, though.'
The arrogant Holy Knights always tried to dictate her itinerary.
They cited safety or doctrine, but their eyes revealed a sinister intent to treat her like a puppet.
Disgusted by that, the Saintess rarely discussed schedules with them.
In contrast, the kingdom's dispatched knights were very polite and reasonable.
Especially, even if canceling for safety, they first checked if detours could make it possible.
- "A plaza stroll on Wednesday afternoon? Considering the terrain, snipers shouldn't be an issue, but..."
- "There's a protest then."
- "That won't do. Another park instead? Possible?"
- "Not feasible. It's harder to secure than the plaza."
She was a bit curious about the protest, but since the escort knights recoiled and dissuaded her, she dropped it.
Thus, schedule coordination with the temporary escorts for the month ended.
The dark elf company commander adjusted her monocle and commented on the schedule.
"You like the library."
"It's what surprised me most coming to the kingdom. In my country, aside from old books in temples, books are hard to come by. I'm envious of Providence Kingdom in that regard."
Of course, she envied everything, not just books.
She swallowed those words rising to her chin.
"My goal while ambassador is to read every book in that library."
"Hm, that's impossible."
"Pardon?"
"That library is the royal-managed central library. All books produced and published in this country gather there."
It was a bonus explanation about the king's policy emphasizing records and history.
"Even reading five a day, new ones added would outpace you."
"Wow..."
Instead, the Saintess admired while gazing at the map-marked library.
Did she even need to seek treasure?
To her, that library was a treasure island, an El Dorado.
"I'll have to read diligently until I return to the Holy Kingdom someday."
"Haha. Good thing. Someday the books will recognize you."
"Yes...? Are you an author by chance?"
At the Saintess's reaction, the dark elf company commander, Hedonius, pretended to wipe her forehead with a handkerchief.
"Um... I used a metaphor thinking you might not get it. Sorry if it came off as belittling."
"No. I recognized it from somewhere—I'd read it before. Can't recall the book, though."
The Saintess's evaluation of Hedonius rose another notch.
Normally, she wouldn't treat torch-below as people, but blue flames plus being the author of a book she'd read meant near-sage status.
Then, Duke, who had been quietly listening, joined the conversation.
"No need to worry about not finishing them."
"Pardon?"
Duke thought while gazing at her pretty golden eyes wide open.
'Anyway, Saintess seemed to get yesterday's talk, and I can drop some meaningful bait too.'
Unable to bear his subordinates and the Saintess secretly exchanging cultured metaphors, the final boss of charisma couldn't stand it.
"If you wish, you might never have to return to the Holy Kingdom."
"What do you mean..."
"Even if it leads to defying heaven as a sinner, isn't it you who will be forgiven?"
The Saintess froze, speechless.
Only her golden eyes shook violently, mirroring her feelings.
'Oh, nailed it.'
Satisfied with striking the Saintess's heartstrings with his words, Duke couldn't hide his smugness.
"Let's leave far-future talk there for now. It's time for Go."
Duke left mentioning the schedule.
The Saintess stared at the door he exited, unable to move easily.
And Hedonius and the Honor Guard, having heard the conversation, exchanged messages out of the Saintess's earshot.
After schedule coordination, the Saintess's first event was Go with Duke.
Because the two had promised the day before.
Of course, she and Duke had plans for Go nearly every day for the next month.
"Has your sister been discharged?"
"Yes. Thanks to you, she was discharged without issues. Thank you again, Your Excellency."
"As a knight, protecting the kingdom's honored guest is my duty."
"Even if good deeds become routine, they don't cease being favors. Let me repay you someday."
"Understood."
During their game, no one else was in the room except the two.
The Honor Guard weren't so oblivious as to miss the significance of two national powers playing Go privately.
- "We'll escort Lady Rosalyn in the meantime."
There were those rooting for Duke and Grace, but they knew to separate public and private.
Duke had even given prior notice, so they didn't misconstrue the private meeting.
- "Ensure Lady Rosalyn doesn't go near where the two are. It mustn't reach anyone's ears."
From now on, it was espionage.
The knights, who had cheered at the pink atmosphere, tensed and vigilant.
"Um... Do you have any hobbies, Your Excellency?"
"Training and reading, I suppose."
"Same as me. Hehe."
The Saintess's thoughts seemed a bit different.
Still, fortunately, her intelligence was functioning well.
'Why this move?'
After a light first game gauging skills.
As she admired Duke's skill with some rose-tinted glasses and upward revision,
in the second game, Duke started making utterly unreasonable bad moves.
'The single-wall day-shape on the upper side right... Why?'
Duke's black stones built a wall on the board.
At her skill, she could invade and cut that wall.
So when Duke first showed it, she warily didn't invade immediately.
But Duke kept placing meaningless moves near it.
As if beckoning her to come.
When her white stones finally invaded the wall of Duke's black stones,
'Not driving them out?'
Duke allowed her invasion.
Only then did she realize this was Duke's contact signal.
"Your Excellency. May I ask something?"
"Go ahead."
"If I place a stone here, how far would you allow?"
"Up to here."
Duke drew a line with his finger.
Slight loss for black, but a manageable cut-off line.
Not fatal overall, just tiring.
In other words, "I can yield this much to you."
'Does he know my position?'
She subtly questioned with white stones.
Placing one far from the ongoing battle.
- [Do you know the Holy Kingdom is trying to divert the kingdom's eyes?]
But Duke interpreted it thus:
'As expected. Placing tasty white stones there means honey trap.'
Duke nodded to her question.
The Saintess's eyes widened momentarily.
Then her smile deepened.
'As expected. The kingdom knew about the grave.'
The Holy Kingdom's plan assumed Providence didn't know of Opfir's stone grave in the wasteland.
While she drew military and royal eyes in the capital, disguised grave-robbing priests would swiftly excavate it.
But if Duke knew, it changed everything.
The Holy Kingdom had zero chance from the start.
'Too bad I won't see the Holy King's despairing face.'
Grace smirked and placed her next move.
- [What should we say drew royal attention to convince the Holy Royal Court?]
- [Convey that I'm engrossed in Go with you, becoming debauched and showing openings.]
Duke answered with four consecutive self-sacrificial moves.
This time, the Saintess took the message straight.
Thud.
"It's over."
"Enjoyable."
"Thank you, Your Excellency."
The two bowed politely and ended the day's game.
Lately, while Duke and Grace played Go,
Rosalyn intuitively sensed conversations happening between them that a nun like her shouldn't know.
So Rosalyn headed to the central library under escort knights' guidance.
To be of even slight help to her sister, who only had luggage.
Of course, even at the library, she had nothing to do.
Rosalyn originally couldn't read.
Unlike the Saintess, who summoned scholars for learning, Rosalyn had cleaned warehouses then.
But Rosalyn liked books.
Just touching unread books recalled memories of her sister secretly reading to her at night.
More precisely, she liked books read by Grace.
Thus, several days as a library hermit.
That day too, Rosalyn visited to immerse in memories.
And found the yellow-covered book her sister had read to her nights ago, sitting down.
Cinderella - Author: Rick
A children's book, but she loved it.
With her wretched reality, dreaming childish dreams seemed fine.
Then she met a girl.
The androgynous girl approached first, cautiously asking via note.
"?"
Their first meeting was unique.
The girl had passed a note asking if she struggled with reading.
Not some teasing prank.
Realizing her slip, the girl stammered verbally, and somehow their connection formed.
Fortunately, Rosalyn only later realized the note's question, so no offense taken.
"S-s-s-s-sorry!"
"No, it's fine."
Rosalyn, who wouldn't yield to anyone in social anxiety, wasn't triggered by the girl.
She just found people inconvenient, not to the point of panic.
Seeing someone more flustered calmed her, making her relatively sociable.
Sharing reading as a hobby, they bonded quickly.
Several more days passed.
They met periodically at the library.
The girl read to Rosalyn,
discussed impressions after finishing,
and the girl recommended the next book.
"Wow! You know Wild Beasts Alliance! So. Damn. Fun! Especially the knight part was most touching..."
"Y-yeah..."
Then it turned out Rosalyn got excited about book contents.
She acted the good sister before Grace, but this was her first friend sharing hobbies.
The girl endured it patiently despite the burden,
and Rosalyn realized and got embarrassed.
They met multiple times in the library,
"Eh? You're a boy?"
"...You thought I was a girl?"
"Whispering in the library sounded feminine..."
shocked once that the "girl" was a boy,
"Thanks for teaching letters today."
"Hehe. No problem. See you."
Initially reading aloud, the boy taught letters, deepening their bond.
And lately, novel-like experiences.
"What? You're the Cinderella author? Thought it was a namesake."
"Not really an author—just rewrote something I heard for kids..."
"Same thing."
"No, my conscience..."
Even revealed as the fairy tale's author Rosalyn loved.
Rosalyn practically lived at the library.
And all this reached Grace.
"Hehe. Spring's coming for our Rosa~"
"S-sis!"
"Sis-ter~"
"Not what I meant!"
"Fated pair, I think~"
"Shouldn't have said anything!"
Grace grabbed Rosalyn's sleeve, shaking as if saying don't.
But while shaken, Grace's smile didn't fade.
Nearly a month passed.
During that time, Saintess and Duke played Go almost daily.
Even deciding codes for future use.
[Holy Knights return in a few weeks.]
[Need to promise special enclosures before then.]
Anticipating scenarios and assigning game records to represent them.
The Saintess loved this activity.
Apart from feelings for Duke, squeezing her brain brought achievement.
Setting codes, then light post-game like stretching.
'This is why people get hooked on Go.'
Go, chess, shogi.
No wonder tyrants neglected state for them.
The Holy Kingdom knew how Go or fishing addicts decayed, so they'd believe her reports.
'If only this life lasted.'
Happy.
No dirty Holy Knight faces,
her intellect fully liberated on the Go board,
across from a noble knight incomparable to vipers.
And not just her happiness, Rosalyn's too, doubling it.
"Rosa~ Rosa~ Library again today?"
"Yes, Saintess."
Rosalyn nodded, cheeks faintly flushed.
Before leaving, Rosalyn asked in an ant-crawling voice.
"Um... Sis. Can you bless me?"
Grace nodded, showering light dust on Rosalyn's head like baptism.
Of course, no effect.
Her power handled good karma, not fate.
Blessings pulled allocated good karma luck; forcing it ruined later years.
Thus, the entrance baptism was meaningless performance.
But so what.
Mood matters.
"Sis."
"Yes?"
"That thing you said before... Me and Rick... is it?"
"Fated pair. You two."
Grace hadn't met Rick but was certain.
Teaching illiterate her to read, and author of her favorite fairy tale?
No need for karma sight.
No finding another like him.
Other calculations too.
'That Rick's a pseudonym, probably.'
Rare for authors to use real names.
Perverted superhumans kidnap for "enlightenment tools."
'Can read/write, so noble?'
Capital region noble in Providence.
Enough to trust with Rosalyn.
Such a man could independent her from filthy Holy Kingdom.
Then Rosalyn safe...
'I...'
Grace shook her head, dispelling burning hatred.
No need to recall that in this happy routine.
So thinking, the Saintess saw her sister off.
Then prepared black tea and Go board for today's game, sitting at the vanity.
But before the vanity, seeing the messenger bird through the window darkened her face.
The Holy King's letter.
'That man...'
Saintess Grace opened the trembling letter with quivering fingertips.
Reading it, she bit her lip until it bled.
'You all... always... even tainting my true heart now... Ah... Like this...'
"I can't convey true feelings... It can't be like this..."
The Saintess collapsed before the vanity.