The emperor was about to become enraged at the atmosphere in the banquet hall, which was becoming increasingly like a public marketplace.

“Your Majesty the Empress.”

Amidst the turmoil, Kyle spoke up. All eyes swiftly turned towards him.

With the weight of all those gazes, Kyle confidently spoke.

“His Majesty the Emperor has made a choice for the good of the Empire.”

“Ha! A choice for the empire? Is that how you justify it, Your Majesty?”

“Empress! Be careful with your words!”

“Did I say something I shouldn’t have? It is Your Majesty who abandoned our faith first!”

Another argument was about to break out between the emperor and the empress. At that moment, Kyle calmly spoke up.

“Your Majesty, bestowing upon me the title of crown prince is due to my awakening as a Sword Master.”

Instantly, the meeting room fell silent.

“…What did you just say?”

“I said I awakened not as a Sword Expert, but as a Sword Master.”

Kyle glanced briefly at the emperor, his expression seeking approval. As the emperor nodded, the form of a sword appeared in Kyle’s hand.

It was the ability Kyle had displayed in the emperor’s chamber before.

“Wow!”

“It’s real! It’s really happening!”

Those who knew the significance of wielding a sword made purely of aura were quick to realize Kyle’s level and exclaimed in awe.

People were astonished. Crown Prince Kyle as a Sword Master?

Since the establishment of the empire, there had been only four individuals who reached the level of Sword Master.

And among them, two were members of the imperial family—one was the founding emperor, and the other was the 13th Emperor who led the empire to its peak.

Now, after a long time had passed since then, Kyle, who carried the blood of the emperor, awakened as a Sword Master, surpassing that prestigious level.

In fact, this news was even more astounding than the emperor’s announcement of the crown prince.

Historically, when a Sword Master appeared, the empire experienced an unprecedented period of prosperity.

“Vivian, did you know about this?”

My older brother couldn’t hide his astonishment as he asked me. I lowered my head. I was just as surprised.

“Kyle as a Sword Master?”

Of course, in the original work, Kyle reaches the level of a Sword Master. I knew that someday he would achieve that level.

However, Kyle becoming a Sword Master was the result of an incident that occurred when he participated in the war against demons.

But there was another issue that bothered me.

‘Why did he keep it a secret from me?’

Kyle kept the fact that he awakened as a Sword Master a secret from me. Not from anyone else, but from me!

‘Did he think there was no need to tell me?’

A wave of disappointment surged through me in an instant. Until now, I had quietly prided myself on being the person closest to Kyle.

But I didn’t even know this crucial fact…

It was during that moment of confusion that it happened.

Clap, clap.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty the Emperor. And His Highness, Crown Prince Kyle.”

A slow applause, small but enough to capture people’s attention, rang out. What could it be this time? People turned their gaze and soon became curious once again.

“It’s the archbishop!”

“The archbishop has arrived?”

“Who’s the person beside him?”

Next to the archbishop, with his long silver hair loosely tied back and his neat priestly robe, stood a small figure with their face hidden by a hood.

They had concealed themselves so thoroughly that not a single strand of hair was visible.

But I immediately recognized who that was.

That person is undoubtedly…!

The two of them trudged across the banquet hall, and when they reached the emperor, the figure beside the archbishop removed the hood that covered their face.

“Saint Sienna greets Your Majesty.”

Finally, the gears of the original story began to move.

***

The lights of the banquet hall, lavishly decorated to celebrate the founding of the nation, illuminated Sienna.

All Sienna wore was a simple white robe.

She didn’t wear expensive dresses like the noble ladies, nor adorned herself with dazzling jewels.

And yet, at this moment, everyone in the reception hall was looking at Sienna.

It was as if they were overwhelmed by her presence. And that included me.

My God, Sienna.

It had been eight years since I last saw Sienna, coincidentally crossing paths as children.

In my memory, she was cute, but undeniably a street kid.

But now, she had received a good education and grew up to be elegant and beautiful like a noble lady.

I turned my head to look at Kyle.

Kyle, too, was focused on Sienna, not letting his gaze waver. It was as if in this world, only Sienna and Kyle existed.

My heart sank in an instant.

I clasped my trembling hand with the other. I suddenly became unbearably anxious.

In the original work, Kyle falls in love with Sienna at first sight during this moment.

The two of them develop a romantic relationship and face the challenges that come their way, just like the protagonists in a novel.

And as the story reaches its conclusion, they exchange vows of eternal love at their wedding, like the ending of a romance novel.

But what if Kyle falls in love with Sienna suddenly, just like in the original story? There might be the power of the original work at play.

‘But Kyle likes me.’

And I also have feelings for Kyle.

Although Kyle had never formally asked us to be in a romantic relationship.

…And he didn’t even tell me that he awakened as a Sword Master.

In an instant, my mind filled with steam, heating up. I couldn’t think clearly.

I wondered what was going through his mind in that brief exchange of glances.

The emperor’s eyes widened.

“A Saint? Archbishop, is it true that the girl just referred to herself as a Saint?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, Sienna is indeed a priestess of the gods. I have confirmed the holy mark of Lord Yuphiter. Sienna.” 

“Yes, Archbishop.”

At the Archbishop’s call, Sienna stepped forward. She untied the white cloth connected to the ring on her finger.

“Wow.”

“Look at that symbol.”

Even from a distance, the markings on the back of her hand were darker and more intricate than I remembered from childhood.

“Emperor, and Your Highness, Crown Prince. May the grace of Lord Yuphiter be with the glory of the Empire.”

Simultaneously, a golden aura bloomed around the emperor and Kyle.

Unlike the magical powers emitted by sorcerers, it exuded a warm and gentle energy like a spring breeze.

It was holy power.

The golden glow that had captured everyone’s attention soon burst into small fireworks and dissipated.

The emperor widened his eyes, seemingly surprised.

He clenched and released his own hand repeatedly before finally bursting into laughter.

“Haha! It feels like my body has become lighter. Is it your doing?”

“The girl is merely the representative of the gods. All blessings are bestowed by Lord Yuphiter.”

Sienna replied, placing one hand over her heart and bowing her head. It was a humble yet dignified gesture.

The emperor stroked his beard with an intrigued expression.

“A Saint. It’s been almost a hundred years since the last appearance of a Saint.”

“Yes.”

“How intriguing. A Sword Master as my son and a Saint born to match him! Archbishop, is that why you attended the founding ceremony today?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The last saint in the Ygritte Empire’s history was recorded over a hundred years ago.

In the past, the empire faced a crisis of survival caused by those who practiced black magic.

The sorcerers sacrificed humans to create demons and controlled them to attack the empire’s territories.

The greatest swordsmen of the era joined the battle, as well as wizards, but they were unable to halt the advance of the warlocks who had sold their souls to the darkness.

At that moment, Saint Larne appeared as if by miracle from the lowest place. 

As the representative of Lord Yuphiter, the Saint utilized the power bestowed upon her to protect the powerless.

She rescued the souls of victims trapped in demonic bodies and cleansed the land of black magic.

Seizing the momentum, the empire’s knights also launched a counterattack.

Eventually, the empire, which had been on the brink of collapse, could claim victory under the protection of the Saint.

But this is a story that ended a hundred years ago.

Since Larne returned to the side of the god, no other Saint capable of manifesting the power of the god had appeared since.

Without the divine power that once captivated the hearts of the people, the power of the temple was bound to weaken.

Add to this the fact that those seeking to maintain their power have begun to align themselves with the secular forces, and the temple is quickly decaying from within.

The archbishop is one of the prominent figures who aligned with secular forces.

“Your Majesty, I would like to request an audience with you.”

“Very well. I have much to discuss with you now that I see you after such a long time.

The emperor replied, turning his gaze towards Kyle.

“Crown Prince, from now on, when I’m absent, you must act as my representative. While I engage in conversation with the archbishop, I trust you to lead the festivities smoothly.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. I will remember that and take care of it. Please have no worries.”

The emperor stood up from his seat with a satisfied expression.

Then, together with the archbishop, he disappeared through the passage connected to the back of the banquet hall.

The banquet hall, now devoid of the representatives of both imperial and divine powers, was filled with an atmosphere of chaos.