Chapter 26
Chapter 26
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: penny
Chapter: 26
Chapter Title: The Third Prince's Rebellion
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The blinding light emanating from the Holy Scripture engulfs everything.
It was the one moment when a human could sense eternity.
The sensation of being buried in the light, of being devoured by it—transcending that to become one with the light itself, as if one's soul would pierce through.
The light was incredibly warm, but instead of accepting that warmth, Eirene applied her own way of life to it.
—What if this is the Saintess's scheme?
Perhaps she used something akin to magic to give me some kind of warning?
Even if they were watching the Saintess closely, they would surely realize she was keeping them in check—unless they were fools. At least, in Eirene's judgment, it seemed plenty plausible that she would pull something like that.
—But.
'……?'
Sensing the intense light, too bright to even open her eyes, fade away, Eirene cautiously took in the world once more.
Nothing……happened?
She looked at her own two hands first. They were fine. Just as before.
The only surprising thing was……Erin, who had clearly been right in front of her, was now far away.
She hadn't been able to see ahead because of the light, but she hadn't sensed Erin moving away either……?
Erin clutched the Holy Scripture to her chest as if it were a sacred relic and gazed this way with her usual gentle smile.
"Saintess? What in the world was that just now……."
Before Eirene's question could even finish, Erin offered an elegant bow and spoke.
"I pray that this becomes a time of enlightenment for you, Your Majesty. Farewell."
And then, just as suddenly as she had appeared, she vanished.
'What……in the world……was that……?'
Eirene stared blankly at Saintess Erin's retreating figure for a long while.
***
That night.
The uppermost floor of Igugwoden Citadel—the Imperial Family's residence.
This view, overlooking the Igugwoden Citadel's territory in full splendor, was one permitted only to the royal family.
"Hot water has been prepared, Your Majesty."
"Yes. Thank you for your efforts."
A grand bath the size of an ordinary person's house.
Rose petals floated on the water's surface, and several high-end magical artifacts emitting soothing scents were placed around the tub, adding luxury to the bathing time.
With only a towel precariously draped around her, Eirene slowly immersed herself in the massive tub.
Splash—!
Because of the tub's size, an enormous amount of water spilled out the moment she entered.
It couldn't be helped. Shoving in a pair like watermelons would naturally raise the water level that much.
"Mmm……."
Eirene savored the primal pleasure of the hot water as she reflected on the day's events.
The Saintess's sudden visit.
The emotion she had felt from her—something she had never felt before: fear.
She wasn't the type to feel fear easily.
Even after hearing that the deep forest was dangerous because monsters might appear, she had explored it without a care, as befitting her imperial status.
Yet she had felt an overwhelming terror for the first time. Most astonishing of all, the source was the Saintess, symbol of compassion.
'What in the world……?'
After the Holy Scripture touched her forehead and light poured out, her heart had nearly stopped……but afterward, the light vanished quickly, and she confirmed that nothing had really changed.
Is this the word of God?
No voice had echoed in her mind or anything like that. The zealots often claimed, "The Sole God Igugwoden has bestowed His words upon us," but Eirene had never experienced anything remotely religious.
Even though light had emanated from the Holy Scripture, to religious folk it might be something holy, but to ordinary people like Eirene, it wasn't that important.
Producing light with magic wasn't exactly difficult, so calling it a miracle seemed like a stretch.
Many nuns could use white magic to begin with. And the pinnacle of nuns, the Saintess? No need to even mention.
She suspected and suspected again……but no clear answer emerged.
'……Whatever. Probably just some ritual of theirs that I can't comprehend.'
Eirene thought that religious people were full of incomprehensible things.
Starting with brazenly exposing their breasts as "Divine Power Pouches."
What kind of shameless act was that?
Any modest woman would avoid excessive exposure as common sense, yet the nuns bared their chests like they were brainwashed, simply because it was written in the Holy Scripture. Eirene couldn't understand it at all.
The Holy Scripture was ultimately written by humans, after all.
Not long ago, the Saintess claimed to have received new words from God and burned all their precious religious paintings and statues. That hadn't been easy to accept either.
'Hoo…….'
Eirene leaned her body to the side.
As she turned, her incredibly heavy and massive breasts moved with her.
The once-calm tub sloshed like a tidal wave.
She didn't outright deny religion. To quell the people's dissatisfaction with their current lives, it was necessary to instill hope in the afterlife.
Moreover, though it had quieted down lately, demonic energy was stirring again, and there was a chance monsters would regain their vigor like before. Cultivating priests who could use white magic was thus extremely important.
The Igugwoden Church's Holy Scripture did contain somewhat incomprehensible doctrines like the Divine Power Pouch, but most, when interpreted, boiled down to moderate teachings like "live by helping others," "do not persecute non-believers," and "always do your best in your position." From the perspective of an empress running a nation, it wasn't a religion that tasted too bad.
'In any case, securing Linea as the sole Holy Knight is crucial. Now that the Saintess has truly appeared, our generation absolutely cannot turn against the Igugwoden Church.'
History well illustrated what became of emperors who lost divine favor.
Having sorted her thoughts up to that point, just as she was about to surrender her flushed face once more to the supreme pleasure the hot bath offered humans—
Creak—the sound of the bathroom door opening came.
"Your Majesty! Are you in here?!"
At the maid's urgent voice seeking her, Eirene scowled slightly and turned her head. Being interrupted during a bath was one of the things she hated most in the world.
"Didn't I clearly say not to disturb me during my bath, no matter what?"
"I-I'm sorry! But right now……right now, something terrible has……!"
"……?"
And upon hearing the maid's next words, Eirene froze in place, her eyes wide in shock.
"The 3rd Prince Ares has staged a rebellion……!"
***
"Hah, hah……!"
Guided by the maid, Eirene had barely managed to throw on some clothes and flee the citadel, now running down a dark forest path.
The 3rd Prince Ares's rebellion.
From childhood, he had shown great scholarly aptitude and exceptional talent for learning, making him the favorite child of her late older sister.
There had once been high expectations for him as a new talent to prosper the Imperial Family—but as he aged, despite being born imperial, he never studied statecraft at all, instead obsessing over inefficient ancient political systems like republics.
It didn't matter much. The de facto heir, First Princess Yuria, was learning statecraft.
Even if something happened to her, there was Second Princess Linea, so there was no need to put Ares on the throne.
But.
For such a timid boy to rebel? She still couldn't believe it.
And the most unbelievable part—
'That I didn't know about it?'
If it was a rebellion on that scale, it surely would have reached my ears……
Did I miss something?
Me, of all people??
No matter how she thought, no faction came to mind that could back him.
Moreover, where were the First Princess and Second Princess, and what were they doing?
For a moment, she wondered if this was all a dream—but
"Find the Empress!!"
"Catch the witch regressing the era and offer her to the heavens!"
The rebels' angry shouts made her realize this was reality once more.
"Your Majesty! This way!"
Just as she was fleeing the citadel following the soldiers guarding her to the end—
—Thud.
"……!!!"
One of the soldiers leading her collapsed right in front of her, struck by an arrow.
After that, volleys of arrows began flying toward them.
"Your Majesty! Get down! Hurry!"
The remaining soldiers threw themselves into action……but the situation was too disadvantageous.
'Damn it……!'
Eirene hesitated for a brief moment, then immediately set off running alone.
"The Empress is fleeing! That way!"
***
"Hah, hah……!"
The dark night streets of Igugwoden Citadel.
She kept running through some narrow alley……but she could feel her sense of direction fading.
If she could reach the south gate outpost, there was a carriage. If she could just escape in that……!
"She went this way! Search everywhere!"
"We can't let the Empress escape!"
'Damn……!'
Is this as far as I go?
Is the final chapter of my life……to be murdered by rebellion from my son—my late sister's son, whom I raised in her stead?!
'Don't make me laugh……!'
Eirene bit her lip hard. Hard enough to draw blood.
But she only tasted the metallic tang of blood; the problem didn't resolve.
She had to escape……but faint torchlight flickered beyond the alley.
She quickly turned her head—the same light was there too.
'No……!!!'
Blocked front and back.
The moment it seemed she was inevitably caught here!
"Over here!"
"……!!!"
Eirene instinctively dove toward the voice.
—Clunk, the sound of a wooden door closing let her know she was now inside a building.
The room……was so dark she could barely see.
"Please be quiet! Under here, quick."
A man's voice. Right. A man's voice.
Eirene hid under the table as he instructed.
Soon after, someone pounded roughly on the door.
"What's the matter?"
"Hey. Haven't seen a woman? Blonde, wearing a ceremonial dress."
Thump, thump.
Her heart pounded relentlessly, but she somehow clamped her mouth shut with her hand, stifling her breathing.
"Yes. I have poor hearing in my sleep……I didn't hear anyone pass by."
"If she shows up, report it to the citadel immediately. She's committed heinous crimes despite that pretty face. Got it?"
"I'll keep it in mind."
After the door closed and the soldiers' orderly footsteps faded……
The man lit a lantern and approached Eirene.
"You're safe to come out now."
Eirene slowly emerged from under the desk—
'……!'
And for the first time, she could see the man's face.
Black hair, black eyes. The hair was one thing, but she had never seen eyes so deeply black.
His appearance was like that of a foreigner from the distant eastern continent—and while she was momentarily surprised, she easily deduced he was religious.
After all, he wore priestly robes and held a Holy Scripture.
'……I owe you one.'
"Not at all. Are you being pursued?"
"Yes."
"Have you committed a sin?"
'…….'
Should I tell this stranger I'm Empress Eirene and that a rebellion has broken out in the citadel?
No, of course not. There are no trustworthy people in this world.
Yet his eyes seemed friendly toward her. Right now, she had to make use of that goodwill.
"I haven't committed any. I've been framed."
"I see."
"You believe me?"
The man smiled faintly and said,
"Yes. Suspecting people carelessly goes against God's will. So……"
"Rinasita. That's my name."
Eirene smoothly gave a false name.
The man smiled gratefully again and extended his hand to her.
"I trust you, Rinasita. My name is……Igeon."
"Igeon?"
"Yes. Igeon."
An unusual name.
Eirene took his hand without a second thought.
That was their first meeting.