While Acelia was speechless and unable to say anything, Windsor asked a question.

“Are you going to break off your engagement with Count Felix?”

The answer to this question was predetermined. Acelia nodded firmly.

“I was planning to break it off from the beginning. Oh, absolutely not because of High Priest Joachim, okay? We’re not in any kind of relationship. I’m a believer in staying single.”

“Staying single……? What’s that? It sounds like something cool!”

“It’s exactly what it means. The belief in not getting married. I got engaged because I had no choice as a member of the imperial family, but I won’t go beyond that. Unless my destined person appears.”

Acelia was a severe realist who simultaneously believed in destiny. She wanted to marry someone who made her hear the bells of fate, at least.

She wondered if that was why she couldn’t date, but she could firmly deny that. First of all, everyone’s looks failed to meet her standards.

Someone like Joachim might be worthy of dating…… No, no. Why would she date someone like him?

Ah, she did hear bells when she met Joachim. The bell tolling for her life.

“Honey! Should we not get married too? We’ll just stay engaged and live our separate lives!”

“Lily, that’s a bit…”

Windsor showed an embarrassed expression while calming the excited Liliana. Despite everything, the two matched well together.

‘They’re having a good time.’

Acelia secretly envied them and firmly resolved to have a relationship like theirs when she returned to reality.

* * *

“It’s a great honor to have Your Highness the Princess participate in the slum relief activities.”

Acelia participated in the temple event as Joachim had said.

She discovered it was a good deed distributing relief supplies to the slums, and quite a number of nobles had participated.

Before coming, she had asked Gale if he wanted to join, but he declined, saying he had an important appointment.

Gale had been acting strange lately. Did he get a girlfriend? He should just say so if that’s the case.

High Priest Andrea looked at Acelia, who appeared sickly yet determined, with pleased eyes.

Then suddenly, he noticed something on her wrist.

“Oh, a bracelet made by the temple. May I take a look at it?”

“Go ahead.”

She was about to unfasten the bracelet when she remembered someone’s warning never to remove it, so she simply extended her arm.

“Hmm? Could this bracelet possibly contain High Priest Joachim’s power?”

“……! Oh my, you must be mistaken. How could that be?”

High Priest Andrea, who had already noticed something, laughed heartily.

“Only a few people in the temple possess such clear and pure holy power. I asked because Your Highness and High Priest Joachim are close, and I see I was right.”

Acelia’s lips twitched. How could holy power be like fingerprints? She was completely exposed.

The bracelet was something her nanny had obtained for her before, but it didn’t have much effect for something supposedly containing holy power.

But when Joachim examined it, he said he would imbue it with his own power. Unlike the prohibition placed on her transmigration, revealing her poisoned state was possible.

Even after learning the truth, Joachim couldn’t find any trace of poison in Acelia’s body apart from her sickliness. It seemed the roulette was blinding others’ eyes.

Joachim said the bracelet was just a temporary measure, but it could alleviate momentary dizziness, nausea, or chills, so she should never remove it.

Acelia readily accepted Joachim’s kindness. She too disliked being unable to move due to poison effects in unexpected situations.

But then someone called her cheerfully.

“Acelia! Over here, over here!”

“Ugh, why is that person here.”

The one flaunting an undeniable presence was Liam.

His presence here meant he was also participating in the slum relief activities, but Acelia unconsciously frowned at his usual flashy attire.

“Acelia, you look even more beautiful outside the palace.”

“Why are you here?”

“To meet you, of course.”

Liam was talking nonsense, as if he had eaten something wrong early in the morning. Acelia approached him, pretending to dust off his shoulders, and whispered quietly.

“Hey, stop interfering and get lost.”

“How can I watch you doing hard work? Don’t stay here like this, let’s go out to the streets. I’ve found some good places for dates.”

“Why would I date you?”

“Because it’s a rare opportunity.”

Liam looked pleased. Acelia made a sour face. What kind of relationship did he think they had that he wanted to date her?

“Hey, don’t count your chickens before they hatch.”

“Chickens? Ah, Acelia, are you hungry now? I’ve reserved an excellent restaurant. Ha, my thorough preparation. Are you impressed?”

“I’m not going. Are your ears clogged?”

It felt completely like talking to a wall. Liam didn’t seem to have this image before.

Acelia repeated ‘don’t feed him, don’t feed him’ to herself and ignored Liam, who was chattering beside her.

Though she expected him to get angry soon, Liam surprisingly kept smiling broadly and didn’t leave her side.

“We will now move.”

Since carriages with family crests could create discomfort, Acelia and the other nobles rode in carriages prepared by the temple.

“What a filthy, uncomfortable carriage.”

“If you don’t like it, get out. Get out and walk.”

“I’m just saying. How could I leave you behind?”

Acelia pressed her index finger firmly against Liam’s forehead as he pestered her and looked out the window.

The slum was located in a highland area, similar to the hillside shanty towns in reality. She had only heard about them, but Acelia’s expression turned serious seeing the environment, which was worse than expected.

The first thing she noticed was the stench that assaulted her nose. Filth was left unattended in various corners of the alleys. With each step, the soles of her shoes felt sticky.

The people who came out upon hearing the commotion wore shabby clothes and looked emaciated from hunger.

Acelia, who had enjoyed abundant food, clothing, and shelter since transmigrating as a princess, was inwardly shocked. Ah…… this was a medieval setting.

It was before social welfare was established, and status was paramount. These marginalized people couldn’t survive without relying on charitable events like religious activities.

Familiar with such scenes, High Priest Andrea smiled kindly and said to Acelia.

“You just need to distribute these relief supplies.”

“Don’t we need to check names off a list or something?”

“You don’t need to do that. I’ll leave it to you then.”

Acelia, who always had to fill in household numbers when receiving government support, tilted her head but then just accepted it.

Several priests walked around taking care of sick people. Thanks to her experience with volunteer work during college, Acelia adapted without difficulty.

“Acelia, how are you so skilled at this when you’ve never done it before?”

“Stop chatting and move your hands, Count Felix.”

“So cold. But I know you have a warmer heart than anyone.”

What…… This person seems to have his wits about him one moment and lose them the next.

The slum dwellers, who initially kept their distance upon hearing that a member of the imperial family had arrived, later only looked at the relief supplies.

That’s right, the clothes and food right in front of them were more important than the imperial family members they rarely got to see.

Acelia distributed relief supplies with all her heart and soul, not even feeling tired. She had no time to think about why Joachim had sent her here.

But then—

“I didn’t get any!”

“Well, we’re out!”

Acelia, who was resting after distributing all the relief supplies, turned her head at a child’s cry.

What’s happening? Looking at the situation, a boy holding his younger sibling’s hand tightly was pleading with a noble.

“You said…… you said we could get some if we waited!”

“What can I do when everything’s gone? You should have come earlier!”

“If we don’t get food, my sister and I will starve! We’ve already been hungry for days……”

“Waaah, brother……”

The little sister started sobbing. It seemed quite a few people hadn’t received relief supplies.

‘That’s strange? We had plenty of supplies.’

Just as Acelia was about to head over there—

“What are you trying to do?”

“High Priest Joachim.”

Joachim, who hadn’t been visible the whole time, suddenly approached and grabbed her.

Was this person a ninja in his past life? Why does he move around without making any sound?

“It seems some people didn’t receive relief supplies. I want to check.”

“And what will you do after checking?”

“The child said they’ve been hungry for days. We came with good intentions, but seeing something like that makes me feel uneasy about leaving.”

Acelia was thinking of using her own money to cover the shortfall if necessary. Reading her thoughts, Joachim firmly said.

“Stop.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s something Your Highness cannot do.”

His words were so definitive that Acelia felt offended. I’m perfectly capable of doing that!

“I have plenty of money, you know?”

“That’s not the issue. Look over there.”

Looking in the direction Joachim indicated with his chin, she saw a group of people laughing at the children.

They were holding more relief supplies than the per-person allocation.

‘Who are those people?’