The Empire's Saintess is Born

The first time Valerian saw the Crown Prince at the banquet hall, drenched in blood, he dismissed it as mere theatrics. Even if it had been real blood, he honestly felt he could have done the same. Arriving late on purpose to the banquet, covered in blood to intimidate everyone around him? Politically speaking, it seemed entirely plausible.

Even during their confrontation in the garden afterward, Valerian thought it was just a matter of saving face—there couldn't be that much difference in their actual strength.

But the moment he saw the red bundle, his mind changed.

'If Father is reacting like that... it has to be the Crown Prince's doing.'

If it hadn't been, the Pope would have shown a completely different response. The way he wordlessly, powerlessly picked up the bundle and left—there was no explaining it if the Crown Prince wasn't behind it.

'...He can kill knights that easily.'

The knight order sent to sever the saintess candidate Rowena's limbs. They weren't the Holy Kingdom's top forces, but no one had even dreamed they could fail. For only their heads to return like this... it revealed just how strong he was.

It hadn't even been long since they were dispatched. At most, they couldn't have strayed far from the Pilgrimage Road.

'But to come from the Southern Empire to the Pilgrimage Road... and do this?'

Could I do that? Valerian pondered briefly before shaking his head. The conclusion came quickly: impossible. Getting there alone would be the problem.

'Did he use magic?'

But with divinity saturating the area, teleport coordinates wouldn't set properly. That meant he traveled on foot. Could a human be that fast?

Amid the swirling confusion, Valerian contacted Mirne to calm his troubled heart.

"...Mirne, something really tough happened today."

"What happened, Your Holiness?"

Talking with Mirne always melted away his worries. How sweet and beautiful was first love?

"I can't tell you the details... but just hearing you ask makes my heart feel lighter. Thank you."

"Please feel free to tell me anything, anytime. I'll always listen."

"I'm feeling better now, so I'd like to hear about you. Has anything been going on lately?"

"With me... it's always the same. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠But lately, there are rumors of more black wizards appearing."

"In the Maselin Kingdom?"

"No, everywhere in general... Please be careful, Your Holiness."

Even her kind heart was lovely. Valerian smiled warmly and continued.

"What if... just what if I faced off against the Crown Prince? Do you think I could win?"

"The two of you? I'd prefer you never fight at all."

"...But if it really came to a fight?"

"Then I'd cheer for you, Your Holiness."

Those words instantly dislodged the fear lodged in his heart. With the support of the woman he loved, what couldn't he conquer?

Of course.

'It's not like we're fighting right now. I just mean... if we ever clashed by chance, I'd take it seriously too... yeah, something like that.'

Still, he had no intention of blowing this incident out of proportion.

This was the moment an inescapable terror rooted itself in Valerian's subconscious.

"Are you telling me to abandon my faith?"

Rowena stared at Bellon the moment she heard his words, her expression a mix of disbelief at the unexpected proposal.

"Abandon your faith... if it came across that way, I apologize. That's not what I meant."

"Then what does becoming the Empire's saintess mean...?"

"The Holy Kingdom abandoned you, didn't it? Doesn't that make you free now?"

"..."

"You were a saintess candidate to begin with. Becoming the Empire's saintess wouldn't be so bad."

Right after Rowena arrived in the Southern Empire, Bellon summoned her to the capital and immediately proposed the position of the Empire's saintess.

"No need to spell out why you were exiled, but it seems like factional infighting."

"...Yes."

"Then couldn't you establish your own path here?"

"But I understand the Empire doesn't designate an official state religion."

As if she had never even considered such a proposal, Rowena's eyes widened as she kept staring at him. Realizing her gaze had lingered too intently, she hurriedly bowed her head.

In that moment, the villainess ring's message popped up. Bellon chuckled inwardly upon seeing it.

'This woman is the villainess?'

The true villainess role was meant for someone diametrically opposed to Mirne, it seemed. Though, by the novel's standards, one could argue she fit the bill.

Mirne was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠supposed to become the saintess, after all. Yet anyone could see that Rowena was the one who truly embodied the title.

"I'm not saying we'll make it the state religion. I'm just saying I will recognize you as a saintess."

"If Your Highness the Crown Prince designates me as a saintess directly, wouldn't that cause issues in itself?"

"I won't mention it outright. You'll simply... be in that position."

"Even so..."

"Who would dare object if I decide it?"

Exiled from the Holy Kingdom? Then just create another Romper Church branch in the Empire. Their factions differed anyway, so it wouldn't be strange at all.

"The Empire has countless religions. As long as they don't overstep, we embrace them all."

"But last time..."

"That crossed the line. No matter what, building a more splendid temple than a duke's residence won't fly."

"I understand."

"We can't let them overshadow the Empire's authority. They must remain in the shadows."

One god, two churches. Nothing odd about it.

'It'd be nice if they used this as an excuse to provoke us first.'

That would give a perfect opportunity to crush the Holy Kingdom. They'd be terrified after the red bundle Pirande delivered, though, so bold moves seemed unlikely.

'Still, it buys time to strengthen the Empire, so no issue.'

Time would only make the Empire mightier. Railroads were being laid from the north even now, the academy was producing talent, mages scurried about, and the treasury was recovering after swallowing the Magic Tower whole.

The only thing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠left worth his personal attention was a stroll through the western Empire.

'And the Executioner.'

Thinking of the Executioner...

"By the way, Rowena."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Do you know much about curses?"

"...Somewhat."

"Can you purify them?"

He voiced the fundamental reason he'd wanted contact with Rowena from the start.

"I can, but... I'm not as proficient as I'd like."

"I see."

He'd assumed a saintess candidate could manage it easily. Was the Executioner truly tied to Mirne, solvable only by her?

As that thought crossed his mind...

"...But if I became a saintess, I believe I would become proficient."

"Why is that?"

Rowena continued with unexpected words.

"Because that's what a saintess is. I can't explain in detail, but that's how I feel."

"..."

Becoming a saintess would naturally grant proficiency in purification? Just by holding the title? And not chosen by a god, but by humans designating another human—and suddenly gaining such power?

"Rowena, we really need to make you the Empire's saintess quickly."

"...But."

"Don't even think of refusing. The people who followed you... they ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠came hoping you'd become a saintess, didn't they?"

They didn't believe in the Romper Church of the current Pope. They believed in the Romper Church of saintess candidate Rowena.

Exiled over doctrinal differences? Then the Empire could actively support those views.

'Gotta make her a saintess right away.'

If Mirne became saintess, her purification proficiency would suddenly rise. That could lead to a future where she lifted Luminous's curse.

'No, in the original story, she did lift it, right?'

Then the Executioner would destroy the Empire before heading to Maselin—the only place able to resolve their vow.

"Ha."

But saintess isn't exclusive to you, Mirne. We can make one too.

"What in the world is that supposed to mean!"

"As you heard: a new saintess from the Romper Church will appear in the Empire. We hope you will grace the occasion."

"How can a saintess emerge from the Empire! How!"

"His Highness the Crown Prince said that since a saintess candidate came to the Empire, she can become one with the right intentions."

Unable to bear the news delivered by the Empire's envoy, Valerian shot to his feet.

Not content with entering the Great Cathedral armed with sword and armor, exuding a chilling aura... what? Announcing a saintess from the Empire? From the Romper Church? Right under the Holy Kingdom's nose?

How could they even conceive of announcing a saintess there?

"On what authority!"

"Hasn't the Holy Kingdom sent countless gifts to the Southern Empire already? Upon review, it seems you even donated for a new Romper temple there..."

"...!"

But the envoy calmly asserted they had more than enough justification.

The envoy, clad in armor and sword, radiating cold menace. Insolent beyond measure, yet there was nothing to be done.

"Whether congratulations or complaints, come in person—those were His Highness the Crown Prince's words."

With that, the envoy turned and left the Great Cathedral without awaiting a reply.

'...Go to the Empire?'

Why did those words make his heart quake so?

Regardless of Valerian's feelings, the Empire scheduled it for next week.

Alongside the new Romper Church.

Openly making Rowena their saintess.

"...Father, what should we do?"

"We can't refuse the Empire's invitation."