𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚 𝟗: 𝐏𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐭 ※ 𝐒𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐝𝐢𝐳𝐳𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬
Lulumia regained her composure and promptly curtsied to the young man. The second prince seemed to be unbothered.
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“I deeply apologize for my behavior. I am truly sorry for any disrespect.”
“Don’t worry, leading saint Lulumia. No one would expect me to be here.”
“Welcome back, I’m glad to see you.”
“The United Kingdom, where I am studying abroad, is active in the development of magical tools. With a transfer device, it’s easy to travel to remote locations. . . . . .Though there is a limit to the number of people and it takes time to replenish the magical power, so at most one person per month can use it.”
“I wasn’t aware. . . . . .You must be learning a lot in the United Kingdom. I’m sorry for the unseemly spectacle.”
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Second Prince Keizen, who was speaking fluently in a freshly changed voice, was quite confident.
As Lulumia was fixing her saint’s attire, which had been torn to shreds by the branch, Keizen smiled and brushed the dirt off Lulumia’s hair with his thick, trained hands.
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“Lulumia, you seem to have been crying, are you alright? I hurried over here because the leading saint, you, must not be attacked. The church has been somewhat unsafe recently.”
“I’m sorry to have worried you. I’m fine.”
“But you were crying, right? . . . . . .Is there anything I can do for you?”
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Keizen, with an unusually mature smile for his age, peered into Lulumia’s face.
While turning her face away in embarrassment, Lulumia pondered.
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(With the crown prince out of commission, I should switch sides. . . while he is working on the disengagement. . . . . .I can create a fait accompli.)
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Lulumia touched the small bottle hidden in her chest. It was an aphrodisiac she had made by a pharmacist and carried around with her.
If she made someone drink this aphrodisiac, most men would be helpless.
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(Even though the second prince is only 15, he is remarkably composed. As an excellent prince, he still has. . . . . .as for me.)
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As soon as she made up her mind, Lulumia burst into tears.
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“I’m so sorry. . . . . .because of my incompetence, I have incurred the crown prince’s displeasure. . . . . .”
“Lulumia, is that so?”
“I’m so ashamed and sorry for all the misunderstandings, and sad. . . . . .I even thought about jumping into this pond.”
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While crying, Lulumia looked at the pond. She felt a glimmer of a winning strategy.
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(It’s not a joke to commit suicide. But the situation is convenient. Being alone and crying by the pond. . . . . .it’s perfect!)
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“I see. You’ve been having a tough time too. . . . . .that’s so unfortunate.”
“Your words are a salvation, prince. Until the dissolution of the engagement is finalized, I will do my duty as the fiancee of the crown prince to the best of my ability.”
“. . . . . .Breaking off the engagement, that’s awful. . . . . .I can’t believe my brother would do something like that.”
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(That’s right. Think badly of the crown prince. Feel sympathy for me. And overthrow your brother this way.)
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After pondering for a while, Keizen turned to Lulumia and said:
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“I have a good idea. I’ve thought of a way for you to demonstrate your power that will surprise my brother and everyone else.”
“Oh, what might that be?”
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Intentionally brightening her face, Lulumia looked at Keizen as she prayed, her fingers intertwined.
As Lulumia, conscious of the deepening valley, gazed at him, Keizen placed his hands on her shoulders and spoke with clear eyes.
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“You should become the strongest as the leading saint. Do you want to do it?”
“Eh. . . . . .Of course. If I can become that, by all means.”
“You should get your hands on the sacred relic of the first saint in the spiritual spring. I know you can do it.”
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It was an unexpected proposal that left Lulumia flabbergasted.
The so-called sacred relic of the first saint was only one – a rusty long pole stabbed into the faucet in the cathedral, impossible not to notice each time one bathed.
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(What are you going to do by pulling out that rusted junk pole, your highness?)
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Concealing her confusion, Lulumia asked for his intent.
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“You are quite aware, indeed. There certainly is. . . . . .a sacred relic at the spiritual spring. . . . . .But isn’t it just a decoration?”
“It’s not just a decoration. If you pull out the sacred relic, you can inherit the power of the leading saint. . . . . .The first leading saint. . . . . .loved by God, who laid the foundation of the country. . . . . .The power of God given to her, is asleep there.”
“But. . . . . .if I pull it out, even the great high priest will be angry, won’t he?”
“There’s no reason for him to be angry. Even the high priest can’t pull it out. It can be pulled out only by you, Lulumia, who was recognized as the leading saint.”
“Me. . . . . .Because I am?”
“Yes. No matter what anyone around you says, if the leading saint Lulumia Horsewood shows a miracle of being loved by God, no one can go against it. It’s something no one else can do, isn’t it?”
“. . . . . .I. . . . . .am the miracle. . . . . .”
“Originally, I’ve heard that you have already repelled the high priest once. You are special to the extent that even the high priest, who has such authority, cannot dismiss you.”
“. . . . . .”
“Don’t you believe my words?”
“No. . . . . .I believe that you are right, your highness.”
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When the second prince grabbed her shoulder and appealed to her strongly, the depth of Lulumia’s heart naturally became hot. Courage welled up. And the next words of the second prince were enough to make Lulumia risk the taboo.
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“Yes. And to show the power of the first leading saint by getting the sacred relic. . . . . . it’s something that even the irresponsible former leading saint Charlene Hiraes, who disappeared, couldn’t do.”
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Lulumia couldn’t hold back the tremble of excitement from deep inside her body.
Thrilling—Thinking that she could finally surpass Charlene, Lulumia wanted to shout.
Seeing Lulumia’s face, the second prince must have felt her response. He took off his earring leisurely and made her hold it in her palm.
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“There’s nothing you should be afraid of, Lulumia. This earring is my precious thing. It shows my backing. . . . . .This is my true intention. You understand, right?”
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Lulumia, overwhelmed with emotion, put on the earring herself.
The moment she clicked it on her ear, the second prince narrowed his eyes in satisfaction.
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“It has the royal family’s emblem on it. Unlike the crown prince who just puts you in the spotlight, I’ll protect you. . . . . .Lulumia.”
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The second prince left after kissing the back of her hand.
Lulumia, with a full heart, watched his back for a long time.
The Lulumia who was raging, trampling on the herbs, and crying, was no longer there—The happy Lulumia who became the second prince’s puppet was there.
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—Lulumia wouldn’t notice, or even if she noticed, she wouldn’t care.
About what the second prince leaked about the “irresponsible former leading saint who disappeared.”
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Without saying whether she returned to another world or was killed,
The meaning of him saying [disappeared].
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🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸
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At that time, High Priest Mauricio was left in a dilemma with tens of thousands of people who had gathered in the royal capital.
The crowd had gathered for a demonstration in front of the church.
According to current law, only the House of Lords or the royal palace could request the dispatch of knights.
However, both the House of Lords and the royal palace remained silent regarding the demonstration against the church.
Even the defense force, organized by merchant funding for the purpose of maintaining peace in the royal capital, was participating in the demonstration.
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Issues surrounding the drying up of spiritual springs across the country, problems related to the free healing sessions held by saints, and the collusion between powerful nobles and the church.
Somehow obtaining information from somewhere, multiple newspaper companies had caught wind and were fanning the flames of suspicion, causing a great uproar.
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“All of this. . . . . .is the seeds sown by that leading saint, Lulumia. . . . . .!”
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Mauricio, who takes his heart medication, groans with a pale face.
As always, he was quick to blame everything on the saint.
His assistant asks him while rubbing his back.
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“May we request the dispatch of the Knights. . . . . .”
“We cannot! We should not owe anything to the House of Lords or the royal palace over the riot of commoners. . .!”
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The priests of the church are scared and hiding in the church, and the saints are crying in fear.
Despite this, the high priest did not come out until the demonstration had calmed down somewhat.
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