Bérénice blinked. Her heart felt weird.

– Thump, thump.

“……”

Her small and healthy organ was beating completely differently from earlier.

The voice as beautiful as a heavenly harp continued to whisper next to her.

“Do you think her Majesty will summon the Chambre des pairs?”

“She doesn’t seem to have any plans to do so yet, your highness. However, if you end up leaving the palace……”

Sir Genes answered. The young lady slowly turned her head to look at the members of Amour Courteous.

The president had a fancy notebook in his hand as he recited the story of the Empress and Dame Christelle. The faces that looked surprised at the sudden appearance of this guest.

They showed glances of joy from meeting the famous Imperial Instructor, but that was it.

Nobody else seemed to be feeling this odd ticklish feeling as she was feeling.

She looked back at Johann Geens with a distant look on her face. The arm holding her bag subconsciously tightened.

He looked extremely mature and sensual. She felt an unexplainable thirst. He looked so amazing.

“……Then I will prepare so that you can leave right away, your highness.”

“Thank you, Sir Johann.”

The angel of the Almighty God who was sent to the world because she loved the humans so much, his purple eyes curled up as he answered.

Sir Geens elegantly bowed and took about two steps back.

Bérénice was finally able to take her eyes off of him. This was the first time she had experienced something like this since she was born.

She was still happy looking at the Prince and felt like she would cry out of gratitude for how beautiful he was, and it felt like she would be full even without eating, but……

This was a completely different emotion. She felt chaotic.

She felt like dandelion seeds filled her lungs.

“I truly apologize for this, my esteemed guests of Amour Courtois. It looks like I will have to leave first as something has come up.”

Her Prince apologized.

“Ah……”

Bérénice’s body started to shake and she snapped out of this new emotion she was feeling.

Her sweet dream was sadly extremely short.

She had to already let her grand marnier souffle go after less than one hour together.

The young lady did her best not to cry. Her eighteen years of life had been a continuous train of tragedy.

“There’s no need to apologize, your highness. We are already extremely thankful that you’ve allowed us to enter Passion Palace.”

The president looked extremely relieved as he closed his notebook and showed his respects.

The other members also told the prince not to worry about it and that they hoped to be fated to meet him again in the future.

The tulip-like royal priest got up and an attendant came over to pull his chair out for him.

Young Duchess Eva Blanquer looked flustered, but she received the prince’s escort and primly stood up.

Bérénice was truly jealous of her.

How great would it be if she could be like a younger sister to Prince Jesse as well?

Even his name was pretty.

“I’ve rented this place out all day, so please feel free to enjoy your time here. Meals will be provided as scheduled as well.”

“Thank you very much, your highness.”

The president walked forward and kissed the back of the prince’s hand.

Bérénice wanted to say one last thing, anything to him.

She wanted to do something to be someone who remained in his memories.

At the same time, she didn’t want to say something stupid to have him think of her as someone weird.

Sorrow and regret burned inside her. What should she do?

“I hope you enjoy your time here.”

“Is something bothering you, mademoiselle?”

The Holy Knight called out to Bérénice in a gentle breeze-like voice.

She opened and closed her mouth in shock.

Her heart started beating wildly again at this unexpected consideration.

She was worried that he might hear her heart beating.

His drooping eyes were looking right at her.

“No, it’s nothing like that……”

“Should I call the Imperial doctor?”

The prince looked at her and warmly asked. Everything seemed to be shaking for a moment.

A true miracle was happening in this Grand Celebration of the Advent of the Almighty God. Right now, right here…

To her.

“I’m totally fine, your highness. I mean it. I was just so happy to have met you that I am filled with emotions.”

She quickly answered without any regret. ‘I said everything I wanted to say!’

“Hahaha. That is a relief. I was very happy to have met you as well, young lady Bérénice.”

“Please ring the bell if you ever feel unwell. I will ask them to take good care of you.”

The prince gave an unbelievably pure smile before saying the nicest words with the prettiest smile before slowly walking away.

Bérénice felt as if her soul had been sucked away as she focused on his back as he left.

‘How could someone……’

“Then.”

Sir Geens smiled at her and turned away as well. Her heart thumped again.

She felt like she learned about an extremely dangerous feeling she should not know.

Bérénice just stood there and looked toward the door as the staff and attendants came in to organize things.

A faint dream seemed to float in her mind. Her heart helplessly thumped.

“Young lady Bérénice. Did you need something?”

‘Eek.’

“Ah, no. Thank you very much.”

Bérénice said no to the kind attendant and sat back down.

She decided to immediately write in her diary when she went back home.

‘No, maybe I’ll order a picture to celebrate today?

I should be able to purchase a piece from Baroness Joanne de Haas if I add my new years money to the allowance I have saved.

But I heard you need to wait at least a year if you commission her for a piece……’

“This is the information that has been spread all around outside the Imperial Palace. We have procured copies for all of our esteemed guests here as well.”

– Flap.

Bérénice’s eyes opened wide as she looked at the paper in front of her. A short explanation continued.

“This is what was on the Claire Plaza Breaking News Board.”

She wondered why the Imperial Palace would pay attention to something like that, but then remembered that she was in Passion, the place known as the Empress’s salon.

As all sorts of small group meetings and evening parties happened here at the Empress’s sponsorship, they seemed to react sensitively to news outside as well.

The hallway had rows of the < Biweekly Riester > as well as the latest books.

This was not weird at all.

“……My goodness. All sorts of things seem to happen.”

“What do you think, President? Will her Majesty personally cross the border?”

“I’m not sure about that. Her Majesty is putting in so much effort to stabilize the state of affairs, so for her to leave……”

The members who checked the paper first started to talk.

Bérénice pulled her glasses out of her bag and quickly read the article.

The yellow paper was full of large and small letters.

‘Extra! Extra!’

‘The Vatican’s Vicarius Generalis, Ronald Rupert, steps forth to ease the tension between the Empire and the Holy Kingdom’

‘An unbelievable peace negotiation suggested!’

‘The temple without the Pope is honestly just a famous building…… Lacks the power to enforce anything.’

‘Vicarius Generalis Rupert is a Cardinal from the Venetiaan Holy Kingdom; the highest ranking religious figure taking care of the Temple of Boundaries and the neutral region for the vacant Pope. As a leader chosen through a vote of the Cardinals, he currently leads the church and the doctrine of the faith……’

‘……A member of the Riester Bishops Assembly stated that, ‘the Vicarius Generalis seems to be trying very hard to stop a clash. The position of Pope had never been vacant for so long before. If another war breaks out like this, the existence of the Vatican itself may be in jeopardy.’ The Vicarius Generalis has pulled up his sleeves to protect the last shred of dignity for the church.’

Different words and serious statements filled the page.

However, members of the AC were all ‘children of well-educated households.’

They understood most of it with no issues.

The young master to Bérénice’s left whispered with a scared look on his face.

“Young lady Bérénice, do you really think a war will break out?”

“I’m not sure. Her Majesty does not like wars. The Vicarius Generalis also seems to be trying to arbitrate it.”

“But according to my mother… We have to at least pay back what we’ve received. Only then will we maintain the dignity of the Empire.”

“That is true.”

Someone else who had been listening to their conversation interjected.

The topic of the AC had somehow changed from secret affections to political issues.

The man rubbed his beard and calmly continued.

“My grandmother was a mage who fought on the battlefield. This is what she said. ‘If you are overly patient, your face is cut down.’ We will look foolish if we just take it all and don’t do anything.”

“Hoo……”

“I hope that a war does not break out. We are weak civilians, but our families all have mages or swordsmen. All of them will have to go out to war.”

One young lady timidly proclaimed. The room became extremely quiet as if cold water had been poured all over them.

It was all true.

Bérénice thought about last fall when a large hole appeared on the eastern sky and the golem caused a ruckus.

That was the first time she experienced the military being on full alert.

The streets were empty as if the city was dead and a curfew had been placed over the entire Imperial Capital.

The Imperial Capital Garrison even went through the luxurious residences district to maintain law and order.

You were not able to see anybody outside for a while.

She had only stayed in the house, but the tension from that time was vivid on her mind.

The feeling like anything might go wrong at any moment… The anxiety that made it difficult to sleep…

“Yes. A tragedy might end up repeating itself.”

The president said in a heavy voice. Bérénice did not want something like that.

Some people liked it saying it was a symbol of good harvest, but she also heard that a lot of commoners struggled for a while.

The situation could have gotten much worse if her Majesty had not supported all of them.

Her father had called that the tragedy of war.

“In that case…… His Royal Highness and Dame Christelle will head out too. The Imperial Instructor as well. They are guaranteed to be dispatched to the vanguard in order to fight against the Holy Kingdom’s Holy Knights Brigade.”

“My goodness.”

One young master’s comment made everybody turn pale.

They had never thought that far about it. But after hearing about it, it was inevitable.

The three of them were Archbishop level Holy Knights, the strongest after the Cardinal.

They were too strong to only lead from the rear and a power equivalent to the Holy Kingdom’s Divine Power was necessary to stop them.

The pale Bérénice almost dropped her bag. She suddenly could not breathe very well.

If the three of them set out to war, Prince Jesse would do so as well.

His highness was the two Holy Knight’s partner.

“……I wish we can prevent the war.”

She answered with determination. All of the AC looked at Bérénice.

Bérénice knew she had no abilities, but she wanted to do anything that might help.

Her father, mother, and her older sister who would become the Duchess in the future… The residents of their territory… And the prince who she could shove into her eyes and it would not hurt at all…

If she could guarantee that all of them would be safe, she was willing to commit to her early morning prayers for a hundred or even a thousand days.

She would even be willing to do harder things than that as well.

“Yes, young lady Bérénice. I agree with you.”

The president smiled bitterly and nodded his head.

The double bass in the next room continued its faint music.

*

The Paten of Wishes. ‘They are going to show it.’

“The most important thing right now……”

I frantically rummaged through my notebook and history books as soon as I returned to Juliette Palace.

Honestly speaking, I had been uncertain when Sir Johann first delivered the news.

I thought that my friends had noticed something and were making a joke to get me out of that room.

However, that was not the case.

I returned to the strategy room to find that Vice Captain Élisabeth had already been called up by her superiors.

Naturally, the Imperial Crown Prince and Marquis François were missing as well.

Christelle and my other friends who were still there all looked super surprised. Basically, this was reality.

Our plan was completely crushed!

“Your highness, do you think her Majesty will head to the neutral region?”

“I’m not so sure. I heard that the temple is very far from here…… She said that she would focus on the internal state of affairs for a while.”

“Right?”

Christelle scratched her forehead and scowled.

Eva and I received the official extra edition and calmly read through it.

Lady Sarah Belliard’s unique neutral-sounding yet sharp sentences were read one after the other.

‘The Temple of Boundaries is the Pope’s home and, honestly speaking, the Church of the Almighty God’s headquarters……’

‘……We are all waiting to see if the Imperial family and the Royal family of both nations are able to have a historic discussion.’

The Vatican.

The reason I had not considered such a major variable until now was clear.

The leader had been missing for 100 years. They had been quiet despite any other situation happening until now.

And……

“Your highness, let’s take it one step at a time.”

“I’ll take your mitre off for you, your highness.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Benjamin and Ganael followed me around to receive my gown and help me take off my priest robe.

The red pandas and Percy trotted behind them.

I held the magazine in one hand as Pierre helped me put Tithé on my back.

The harp seal made a noise and pretended to be sad. ‘Yeah, big bro was so busy today, right?’

“I had my lesson in the morning. After lunch I took confessions. I also went to the small group gathering instead of going to see their lesson as usual.”

I mumbled and stood by the window. The winter sun shone down on the long piece of paper.

‘On one hand, the religious figures are quite excited at the discussion of the Paten of Wishes being shown. The paten is known to be a bit damaged since the theft incident back in March, but Vicarius Generalis Ruipert got everyone’s attention this time saying that ‘the divine item is still by our side.’

‘For a very long time, divine items were said to go through the underground maze to a holy room. That was the reason that the theft last time did not remain a mystery very much. It was because there were no records of someone else coming and going into the basement and there were no traces of the maze’s guardian having caused some issues.’

“……Now we’re thinking of going to the desert.”

A sigh-like laughter flowed out.

The source of the power bestowed to me. The wicked item that transmigrated me over here.

If I am able to touch the paten, I might finally get a clue as to how to go back home.

—
Translator’s Comments

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