Chapter 216: An Ominous Dream
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 216: An Ominous Dream
Constine turned back to look at the Elder.
‘Why is he telling me all this?’
She had been debating whether she could even ask him to provide a guide.
“That is how precious the Holy Relic is. I am telling you this so that you will refrain from touching it recklessly, even if you are the Saintess,” the Elder said, his voice as stiff as could be. “Of course, you are scheduled to leave early tomorrow morning, but please, remain cautious.”
Constine let out a silent, mocking laugh.
Forget providing a guide; it felt as if he would stand in her way with open arms if she even suggested taking the Holy Relic to the Spring of Enlightenment.
‘Fine, I’ll just go alone.’
The knights were standing guard outside, but she was confident she could slip past them. She would simply sneak out at night with the Holy Relic, drink from the Spring of Enlightenment, and return.
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
She gave a ready answer, her face wiped clean of any lingering interest in the relic, and turned to leave. Just then, Gamon, the Captain of the Knights, approached from the opposite side. He was a knight who, despite appearing polite on the surface, was nothing if not cold.
“A visitor has arrived.”
A visitor? Had the villagers finally come to see her? Just as a look of slight bewilderment crossed her face, Gamon spoke in a blunt tone.
“It is His Grace, Duke Kyle.”
“Duke Kyle is here?”
“He says he has come to escort you on your return to the capital. Will you see him now?”
“Saintess?”
When Constine failed to respond, Gamon called out to her again.
“Of course, I must see him.”
Flashing a joyful smile a beat too late, Constine followed behind Gamon.
‘Will I be able to slip away to the spring even with the Duke around?’
Her mind was entirely consumed by thoughts of the Holy Relic.
*
It was that dream again.
I was walking down a rather lavishly decorated corridor with Loik. Through the dark windows, I could see the grand silhouettes of castle walls and spires, faintly illuminated by lights.
‘Is this the Imperial Palace?’
We reached a point where the corridor turned. Loik carefully stopped me. For some reason, he seemed incredibly tense. With the area beneath his eyes flushed slightly red, Loik cleared his throat and spoke.
“When this war is over, there is something I wish to say to you.”
“What is it?”
As I stared at him blankly, Loik lowered his gaze, looking a bit shy.
“I will tell you then—once the war is completely over.”
‘What could it be? Is it a confession?’
Just then, my face was reflected briefly in the glass window. Surprisingly, I was wearing a somewhat grumpy expression. I looked as if I were dissatisfied with something.
“Aren’t you being a bit too relaxed?”
Startled, Loik lifted his head.
“What if someone else proposes to me before then?”
At those words, his dark eyes shook violently. He looked as if he wanted to ask if I had already received a confession from someone. I lowered my eyes, my voice sounding coy.
“If you take your time like that, you might lose me.”
“...I am not taking my time!”
His voice rang out urgently. Stepping closer, Loik carefully covered the back of my hand, which was resting on the windowsill, with his own trembling hand.
“It is just that the burden you carry right now is so heavy...”
My hand melted softly under his warm touch.
“I didn't want to add to your burden.”
When I continued to look piqued, a sense of urgency seeped into Loik’s voice.
“I haven't felt a moment of ease since I first met you, Annette. Every single time, I’m barely holding back the feeling that my heart is going to explode...”
His Adam’s apple bobbed roughly up and down.
“Besides, the North is cold, the snow is heavy, and the spring is short. It’s a place where the flowers Annette likes wither away so quickly. So, I wanted to wait until I was at least a little more prepared before I...!”
Just as I could feel the tremor in his voice, revealing how nervous he truly was, I stood on my tiptoes and pressed a light kiss to Loik’s lips.
“A-Annette...!”
Loik’s face instantly turned a shade of red so deep it looked ready to burst. It seemed this was our very first kiss. As he stood there stiffly, not knowing what to do with himself, I whispered softly to him.
“I’ll wait.”
I told him to tell me then, once the war was over.
“And for the record, I like winter.”
At those words, a bright smile slowly spread across Loik’s dazed face. Unable to control the corners of his mouth as they quirked upward, he pressed his lips together firmly.
“I like it too.”
The hand that had been covering the back of mine gently laced its fingers through mine.
“Very much.”
Just as our fingers intertwined and he drew a little closer to me, flames suddenly erupted somewhere on the castle walls beyond the window. The moment the world outside the window was dyed bright by the soaring fires, I woke up.
Sitting up in bed, I brushed the hair back from the nape of my neck. For some reason, I was drenched in sweat. I had meant to rest for just a moment before Loik arrived, but I must have fallen fast asleep.
‘This dream...’
It felt ominous. Until now, the dreams I’d had were all sweet and fluttering, as if someone had gathered the most precious memories of another person.
However, inferring from the dialogue, we were in the middle of preparing for a war against a dragon. As the Saintess, I was preparing for it alongside the Imperial Knights, and the Blenheim Knights had come from the North to support us. The war was a threat, but the situation hadn't seemed desperate.
‘Because it seemed like Loik was planning to propose to me once the war ended.’
But those flames at the end were incredibly chilling.
‘I wonder what happened after that.’
My heart continued to thud so loudly that I couldn't easily calm down. I instinctively reached out, but the space beside me was empty.
‘Loik must be very busy.’
He was likely preoccupied with preparing for the coming winter. He probably lost a lot of time today dealing with Duke Kyle unexpectedly, too. I didn't think I could fall back asleep even if I stayed lying down.
‘I should just go and ask him now.’
I threw on a light robe and opened the door. Norton, who was standing guard, bowed his head.
“Sir Norton, you haven't gone off duty yet?”
When I asked why he was still guarding the door, he replied stoically.
“For Her Highness the Consort’s safety, it has been decided that we will stand guard in front of your room for the time being.”
“Where could be safer than the main castle? Why the guard?”
Now that I looked at him, Norton’s face seemed somewhat haggard.
“Did the Grand Duke give you a hard time?”
“...”
“He did, didn't he?”
“It was a light punishment compared to the responsibility of failing to properly escort Her Highness today.”
‘Duke Kyle is a Sword Master; what could Sir Norton have done?’
Missing the side door used by the staff might have been a mistake, if one could call it that. But I didn't voice that thought, fearing I might hurt Norton’s pride.
“What brings you out at this hour?”
“I was going to see Miel for a moment.”
“The priest? You mean right now?”
“Is it too late?”
It wasn't fully night yet, but the corridor was quite dark. Only then did I realize how late it actually was.
“Are you feeling unwell somewhere?”
“It’s not that.” I quickly waved my hand. “I just suddenly had something I wanted to ask...”
“Please wait a moment. I will summon the priest to the parlor.”
“No, on second thought, he’s probably already gone to bed.”
Since Miel was a priest, he seemed to be the type to go to sleep quite early.
“I can wake him.”
I waved him off, saying there was no need, but Norton, who was even more disciplined than usual, looked ready to go and drag the sleeping priest out by the scruff of his neck. In the end, I compromised by deciding to walk with Norton to the annex where Miel was staying.
“If the lights are out, let’s just come back.”
It was my first time visiting Miel’s quarters. The annex he stayed in was located in a somewhat secluded spot behind the East Wing. It was a modest but elegant single-story stone building. The annex exuded a simple yet reverent atmosphere. However, all the lights in the windows were out.
“He must be sleeping. Let’s just go back.”
Just as I was about to turn around, Norton spoke.
“I will just give a light knock.”
After a brief cough, Norton approached the door and—Bang! Bang!—pounded on it.
“Sir Norton!” I hissed in a whisper. “Why are you hitting it so hard!”
That was no different from intentionally waking him up!
‘He really has a violent streak when it comes to his duties.’
A moment later, the lights in the annex flickered on, and the door swung open. The priest’s ash-gray hair, which was always neatly tied back, was a mess. Unlike his usual white robes, he was wearing gray pajamas, looking every bit like someone who had just been jolted awake.
“H-Her Highness?”
Upon seeing me, Miel hurried outside.
“Has something happened?”
When I glared at Norton for waking him, the knight simply looked away, feigning ignorance.
“I... I came because I had something to ask, but if I woke you up...”
“Not at all! Please, come in.”
Miel’s eyes snapped wide open as he ushered me inside. In the end, I feigned ignorance of the fact that I’d woken him and stepped into the annex. Norton stood guard outside.
“Is it not uncomfortable living here?”
I had heard that he had requested a residence as far away from people as possible, saying it was for his spiritual practice. As I sat at the table, Miel personally poured me some warm tea and spoke.
“There is a separate study in the bedroom, and even a prayer room in the back. It couldn't be better.”
Though the annex looked small, it was properly structured. I could see a few holy scriptures and books related to theology tucked preciously into the bookshelf nearby.
“I apologize, but if there is something you wish to ask...”
“It’s really nothing major,” I began, feeling a bit embarrassed. “I was wondering if there was any news yet regarding the request I made to visit the library at the Grand Temple.”
At those words, a visibly guilt-ridden expression crossed Miel’s face.