Chapter 94
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 93
Chapter Title: Divulging Heavenly Secrets (2)
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"...Phew, I almost died."
Having emptied my bursting bladder at the last possible moment, I began heading toward the parlor with much lighter steps.
"Where's Mother...?"
"Ahem, ahem."
But just as I started walking, a sudden fake cough came from beside me.
"Ah, Your Highness."
"......"
"I mean... Princess Lia."
Only then did I properly notice Princess Lia standing in the corridor next to the parlor. Thanks to the confession incident last time, I greeted her with a somewhat awkward expression.
"You......"
Meanwhile, just as the princess, who had been glaring at me with cold eyes, was about to say something.
"Kairen, what are you doing there...?"
"......!"
"Huh?"
My mother, who had been approaching from afar, happened to witness the whole scene.
"What brings the Empire's youngest princess here?"
"......!"
"It can't be that you have business with me, and you can meet the Emperor anytime."
Mother immediately stepped between me and the princess, her face cold as she began her interrogation.
"In that case, perhaps..."
"M-Mother!"
Thanks to that, I glanced nervously between Mother and the princess for a moment before urgently interrupting her and raising my voice.
"I-I need to talk with the princess for a bit!"
No matter that it was Mother—even the protagonist of the world couldn't be harmed without consequences someday—so I had no choice but to step in here.
"Kairen, wait..."
"Sorry, but please go inside the parlor!"
"...Ah."
To that end, I even activated my Crimson Eyes and pushed Mother's back, shoving her into the parlor. Then I let out a sigh and wiped the cold sweat from my forehead with my sleeve.
"......"
And so began a brief silence.
"...H-Hello."
As I was about to open my mouth again in that silence, stealing glances at the princess.
"I-I don't have anything to talk about with you."
"......?"
"L-Later."
Suddenly, the princess crossed her arms, turned her head sharply to the side with a pouty expression.
"O-Okay?"
Honestly, it wasn't the situation I'd expected, but if that was the princess's wish, there was nothing to be done.
"Then, I'll head back to the parlor..."
"W-Wait."
So I scratched my head and was about to trudge back into the parlor with a dejected look when I heard the princess's small mutter from behind.
"...Are you really going?"
Hearing that, I paused for a moment and turned back to her, tilting my head.
"You said you had nothing to talk about right now..."
"Th-That's true."
"...Huh?"
But for some reason, the muttering princess looked strangely off today.
"Hmm..."
So after staring piercingly at her for a moment, I scratched my head again and spoke.
"You don't look well..."
It seemed I needed to test whether she was really upset with me or if there was some other intention.
"No helping it, then."
"Yeah, so..."
"...I was going to ask you on a date today."
With that thought, as we exchanged words, I deliberately muttered in a listless voice and turned my head away sharply.
"......Huh?"
Right after, the princess's dumbfounded voice from behind.
"It's fine. Your wishes come first, Princess..."
"U-Um..."
"Take care..."
Though growing increasingly anxious in her dumbfounded tone, I pretended not to notice and grabbed the parlor door handle.
"Wait..."
And at the same time, the princess finally grabbed my arm to stop me and urgently began to speak.
"...S-Sorry."
"......"
"Th-The truth is. I want to go on a date."
Alright, what the heck is this situation? Honestly, I had no idea.
"...Really?"
"Y-Yeah."
But now, it would be too heartless to brush her off coldly; the anxiety etched on her cold face looked too pitiful.
"Hehe."
So flashing a bright smile, I looked into the eyes of the princess who had been watching me nervously and spoke.
"I knew it."
"......!"
"Then, I'll go get permission."
Though honestly, I had zero confidence in getting that permission.
Even Mother and my sisters would find it hard for the princess to hold her ground in Belverk, where royals trembled.
Still, since the princess was the heroine of the world, maybe my family would allow it somehow?
"Uh..."
As I organized my thoughts and turned the parlor doorknob, another dumbfounded voice came from behind.
"......"
Something more was added after that voice, but since I was already entering the parlor, I didn't catch it all.
"...D-Did I just get push-pull played on me?"
Still, it didn't seem like the princess hated me, so it was probably fine.
"Alright, now that you've rested well, let's get back to the main topic."
As Kairen entered the parlor, slipping right into Mother's arms after leaving the princess behind, the Emperor—who had been waiting for the timing—signaled the resumption of discussions.
"...So, to summarize."
And after about another 30 minutes of discussion, the conclusion was as follows.
"The leader of the heretics infamous across the entire continent is the Saintess of this era."
"......"
"And the key to stopping her is Kairen."
The Emperor stated the discussion's conclusion very briefly and concisely, then shifted her gaze to Kairen, trailing off.
"More precisely, his choice will determine the fate of the world..."
And for a very brief moment, the subtle curve of her eyes.
"I get what you're saying, but there's too little information."
"......"
"Can't you tell us more details?"
In that state of silence from the Emperor, Astridje, who held Kairen preciously in her arms, directed a question to the Pope.
"That's impossible."
But the Pope shook her head firmly with an exceedingly resolute expression.
"This is all the information I can divulge."
"Hmm..."
"I've already hinted the detailed method to the person involved, so from now on, we must trust the path the child of prophecy will choose."
As she finished in a stern tone, the Emperor, who had been slouching badly in her seat, muttered with a disinterested expression.
"You church folks are always like this."
"...My apologies."
"So, what are you going to do now?"
Suddenly, as she straightened her posture and posed a sharp question, the Pope answered with a resolved expression.
"I plan to return to the Holy Domain."
"Hmm..."
"There's nothing more to gain by staying here."
No one—Astridje or the Emperor—could dare raise an objection to her supremely detached attitude.
"...I'll buy as much time as I can, so please prepare the spear to pierce the Saintess."
In that situation, the Pope, having finished speaking, looked around at everyone with a faint smile.
"Whatever, I don't care..."
"Is the discussion over?"
And right after, Astridje carefully placed Kairen on the desk and rose from her seat.
"Then we'll be taking our leave."
She took Kairen's hand and stepped out of the parlor.
"One piece of advice before you go."
"......?"
"Astridje Nox Belverk."
But suddenly, she paused at the solemn voice of the Pope from behind.
"Secrets are best revealed as quickly as possible."
Upon hearing that, Astridje's eyes turned red.
"I was planning to anyway."
But as if it had never happened, she reverted her eye color to normal and replied in a low voice as she resumed walking.
"M-Mother."
"Are you really going back to the Holy Domain?"
"Exile in the Empire would be a better choice..."
Right after Astridje stepped out of the parlor, the Pope followed, and the nuns waiting in the corridor swarmed toward her at once.
"It's unavoidable."
Ignoring their worried expressions as best she could, the Pope declared firmly.
"The child of prophecy seems to have a firm will."
Her gaze turned to Kairen, who was walking hand-in-hand with Astridje down the corridor.
"Not choosing just one, but all the people he likes..."
"......"
"No matter how I think about it, that path is too difficult and arduous..."
As her gaze focused more intensely, the Pope's eyes began to gradually turn white.
"But if that's the child's choice, we must respect it."
However, shaking her head and restoring her eyes to their original color, the Pope quickly caught up behind Astridje and Kairen.
"And as one who can glimpse the future, I must help that choice as much as possible."
"...Hmm?"
"So..."
Thanks to that, Astridje sensed the presence, turned back with a wary expression, and tilted her head.
"Excuse me."
"...Huh?"
"I have a parting gift."
Having already lowered her posture to meet Kairen's eyes, the Pope slowly extended her arm toward him, who— like his mother—had turned back and was tilting his head.
- Drip...
And the next moment, the Pope raised the long nail she had grown as a mark of purity and slashed her own arm deeply.
"...What are you doing right now?"
Astridje, eyes widening at the sight, hurriedly blocked between Kairen and the Pope.
"Kairen Nox Belverk."
"......"
"Heal me."
But even in that situation, the Pope only gazed steadily at Kairen, extending her bleeding arm.
"My power will prove useful someday."
Hearing that, Kairen cautiously reached out toward her arm.
A new skill has been added!
Irene Lea Korhart: Divine Eyes (EX)
"Whether I'll see you again, I don't know..."
"......"
"But I'll always support the path you take."
Muttering while looking not at the message or Kairen but slightly upward, the Pope smiled softly and reached to stroke his head but hesitated.
"Take care, Pope Sis."
"...Yes."
"Thanks for telling me so much; it really helped!"
Then, as she ultimately gave up on stroking his head, rose, and turned away, Kairen trotted forward, looked up at her intently, and spoke.
"Ah, is a handshake not okay?"
"It's fine."
As he extended his hand with a tense expression, the Pope gazed down at him quietly for a moment before smiling gently and taking his hand softly.
"I just needed time to dispel the holy power..."
It was the moment when she, who had been concentrating deeply for a long while, grasped Kairen's outstretched hand.
"Eek!?"
The Pope suddenly flinched, staggered, and collapsed to the floor.
"A-Are you oka..."
"Ah, don't touch her."
Kairen panicked at the sudden event and reached out urgently, but the nuns rushed to the Pope first, supporting her and explaining.
"It seems she's seeing a new future."
"Normally, prophecy doesn't trigger just from contact..."
"Maybe because her power is unstable. Poor Mother..."
At those words, as Kairen peered worriedly at the Pope's complexion.
- Drip...
Suddenly, two streams of blood flowed from the nose of the Pope, who had collapsed and was trembling.
"Haa, haa..."
In that situation, the Pope clutched not her nose but her mouth, her body heaving, and soon shuddered again.
"...Hah."
Thanks to that, as Kairen wore a puzzled expression, somehow thinking her moan sounded strange.
"I'll pretend I didn't see that future just now..."
"Huh?"
The Pope, who had been quietly bowing her head, finally raised her gaze and spoke.
"Even if it's for the greater good..."
With her face flushed as red as the nosebleed trickling down, she glared at the boy before her with an expression on the verge of tears.
"...You can't do this even to an auntie like me."