Noisy Farewells and the Holy Emperor's Fury
"Both of you, get home safe. Text me when you arrive."
"Well, I'll be there in no time. If Her Highness the Crown Princess needs it, I could take you along."
"No thanks. I have to go with the people I came with. Can't just leave them behind."
"But didn't you come here all comfy on your own?"
"Th-that was because I had to come with Theo!"
It was an ordinary morning, one day after Theo's acceptance announcement. Iris and Estelle both had to leave now to prepare for academy enrollment, but from the moment of departure, things had been a total uproar.
"Oh my, what could possibly be the reason you had to come with Theo? He could've come on his own just fine…"
"Come on, both of you, cut it out. Aren't you going already? There's a ton of people waiting behind you. Estelle, you too."
At first, their formal speech had felt awkward even during arguments, with plenty of stumbles. But now they'd mastered it completely, politely ripping into each other with refined jabs. Theo could only muster a wry smile at the sight.
As expected of the destruction flag. Won't go away that easily, huh.
He'd hoped seeing them awkwardly fumble formal speech at first and then drop it might lead somewhere easier. But no—as if to mock that very thought, the situation unfolded right before his eyes, leaving him with nothing but a hollow chuckle.
"Alright, then. Estelle, you head out first."
"Hmph, fine. If Theo says so, no choice. See you later."
With a soft whoosh, Estelle vanished without a trace right before his eyes. At the same moment, Theo's smartphone chimed with a text notification.
Estelle's usual bubbly energy shone through in the message, complete with an attached photo. It showed a room of extravagant splendor—white and blue tones blending perfectly in a way that made it hard to believe she'd endured rural life in a village house.
"Room tour, huh. Kinda curious."
But Iris hadn't left yet, and he still needed to see her off, so he decided to save the tour for later.
Theo knew that nurturing their relationship would eventually trigger an event to visit the Holy Empire, so he sent the reply without much thought. But Estelle, reading it, started her heart pounding endlessly—that was her little secret.
"Well then, Iris, get home safe."
"Yes, Theo. We'll see each other at the academy soon enough for enrollment."
"Can't you just call me Theo, without the honorific?"
"That might be a bit tough."
Theo sighed as Iris flashed him a pure, clear smile, her venomous glare from showing off to Estelle nowhere in sight.
"Fine. Guess I should call you two Lady Iris and Lady Estelle, then."
"Nah, be casual. Estelle and I do this 'cause it's comfy for us."
It felt odd hearing the pinnacle of society say honorifics were more comfortable, but with it being time to send Iris off, there was no room to pry further.
"I'll text when I arrive. You gonna reply?"
"Of course. Just get there safe, and I'll respond."
Der Viscounty was quite a distance from the capital, but as royalty, Iris could zip there fast using imperial highways or the like. Once her car and the trailing vehicles departed, the noisy village house finally regained its quiet.
"Whew, what a noisy half-year that was."
He said it, but Theo's gaze lingered on Iris's receding car, tinged with reluctance.
Back in the Holy Empire, Estelle didn't bother seeking anyone out. She simply lay quietly on her bed in her room.
"Lady Saintess, you've returned."
"Oh, Bessy. Hey. Long time no see."
The slightly young-looking girl with braided hair, who had entered to clean the unoccupied room, curtsied politely, skirt hems in hand. Her name was Bessy, Estelle's personal maid, three years her junior.
Typically, personal maids were older than their charges, but Bessy was handpicked by Estelle herself.
"So? Anything happen while I was gone?"
She was one of the few people in the Holy Empire who could truly be called Estelle's.
"…His Holiness is quite angry."
Makes sense. She'd snuck into enemy territory without a word, ignored every single call. Estelle figured it was impressive he hadn't come hunting her down.
If it were within the Holy Empire, he'd have dragged me back immediately. But he can't set foot in enemy lands himself.
Plus, he couldn't officially admit to fetching a runaway saintess. And visiting under some flimsy pretext before the peace treaty? Too awkward.
"He ordered me to bring you at once."
"Tell him no."
"I figured you'd say that, so I did… but…"
Estelle chuckled, thinking Bessy had some guts.
"You really said that?"
"Yes. He knows your personality as well as I do."
"What'd he say?"
"To drag you back somehow."
Bessy let out a shallow sigh, and Estelle realized this time she couldn't dodge it. She could block most things herself, but when the Holy Empire's top authority was fuming and summoning the saintess? No cutting that.
"Got it. I figured I'd go once anyway. Thanks for the trouble, Bessy."
"Shall I prepare a fresh outfit…?"
"Nah~ Who needs that? This is fine! Be back soon!"
Usually, she'd go with a entourage of maids, but Estelle hated that pompous crap. So she often slipped out alone without telling them.
Knock knock.
"Coming in."
Even entering the Holy Emperor's office without permission granted, she flung the door open.
"Why'd you call?"
"…Do you really not know, Saintess?"
"Nope. I didn't do anything wrong."
Estelle shrugged, and the Holy Emperor struggled to calm his infuriated expression before continuing.
"Why did you go to the Ermunt Empire?"
"You already know, right? You had people tailing me."
"…I won't ask twice. Answer, Saintess."
As the mood grew darker, the paladins around them fidgeted uneasily. Estelle sighed deeply and replied.
"Went to teach some magic. Don't you know about taking disciples? Taking disciples."
"You, teaching ordinary magic—not even holy magic?"
Every word dripped with edge; the Holy Emperor looked ready to explode at any second. The benevolent, kind image everyone praised? Total facade. This office rage was the real him—thoroughly violent.
"Mingling with those godless lowly scum? The gods will be enraged!"
His holy power was far below Estelle's as saintess, but his fanatical faith had propelled him to pope. That much was true.
"So that's why Your Holiness signed a peace treaty with those lowly scum? To enrage the gods?"
Despite her own guilt, she fired back without a hint of remorse. Something whizzed perilously close to her face—a wooden clock from the desk just moments ago.
"…Your temper's showing again. Call me when you're calm."
"Where do you think you're going, Saintess!"
Screeech—BAM!
Shrieks and mad-dog barking echoed behind her, but Estelle just stuck out her tongue at the office door and headed back to her room, no intention of returning.
"Bessy, what's up with the Holy Emperor? Why's he acting like a rabid dog?"
"Oh, apparently a critical article about him went up online recently. Something like 'he's weaker than the saintess yet sits in that seat'…"
Estelle sighed, realizing the guy—who usually ignored everything unless she caused a huge scene—was just venting frustration from being compared.
"Ugh, when's academy enrollment already! I wanna hang with Theo!"
"Lady Saintess, at least until then, please stay low-key."
"Fiiiine… Not planning to step outside anyway, so don't worry."
Without Theo visits or Iris-teasing trips, nothing sounded fun anyway.
What the heck is this feeling?
Before, outings and screwing over the Holy Emperor had been her thrills. Now? She couldn't care less. All she wanted was to see kind, warm Theo and Iris, who reacted so funnily to the slightest prod—like a cat.