“I’ll come with you,” I half-heartedly declared to Daniel.

“Really? Are you sure about that?”

“Yeah, it’s fine. More importantly, will you pick me up?”

“Of course, Vivian’s my partner. Phew, I thought I’d have to go to the party alone, but I’m glad.”

Daniel smiled brightly and shook his head with delight.

Seeing him so happy, I couldn’t help but smile back.

I put aside my thoughts about Kyle for the moment.

***

Instead of going back into the banquet hall after chatting with Daniel, I immediately went home to find my mother.

I had hesitated, but I didn’t really want to return to the banquet. 

I had a lot on my mind and Kyle, the source of my confusion, would be standing there as the center of attention.

The very next morning, as if he could read my mind like a ghost, I received a letter from Kyle.

[Dear Vivi.

Vivian, I’m worried because I didn’t see your face, so I’m sending this letter. Why did you leave so quickly yesterday? I wonder if you were surprised that I had been crowned Crown Prince. I wanted to tell you beforehand, but I couldn’t. I’m sorry if you were surprised.

After the king’s proclamation yesterday, I changed my quarters at dawn today. I live in the crown prince’s palace. I told the guards and servants that if Rosiere’s Vivian visits, they should guide you to me anytime. I hope you can visit me. 

Will I be able to see you at the banquet today?

I await your reply, 

Kyle]

The letter was accompanied by a small golden plaque. It was a status plaque that gave me priority access to the crown prince’s palace.

But I felt upset.

I wasn’t surprised that Kyle became the crown prince.

Rather, I was angry that he had hidden the fact that he had become a Sword Master from me, and the subtle atmosphere I noticed with Sienna.

“This is all because of Kyle.”

He keeps acting ambiguously, and that’s why I’m struggling like this!

Since the day we climbed the Tower of Helios together, Kyle had been approaching me as more than a friend, but he had never formally asked to be in a relationship with me.

I used to think he was being cautious.

And when he told me that he had something important to tell me after arriving at the capital, I finally thought he would confess his feelings to me.

But now it was all even more confusing.

In the first place, ‘Vivian’ was just Kyle’s childhood friend and his first love.

Maybe he’s already moved on from his first love?

“So, what should I do then?” I mumbled to myself despondently, but deep down, I already knew the answer.

I should actively support Kyle and Sienna to be together.

After all, both my family and I have invested more in Kyle than in Prince Logan, and if Kyle becomes the emperor, it can change the future of being executed.

And Sienna, as the Saint, will become Kyle’s greatest ally until he becomes the emperor.

Their relationship is strongest when love is the reason.

“…….”

As I thought about it, my mood became really gloomy.

I put Kyle’s letter into the desk drawer, deciding to push away anything that complicated my feelings. It wasn’t a problem that needed an immediate answer.

Instead, I tried to think constructively about other matters, like the Archbishop Aslan, who is a key character in the original work and has now made an appearance.

“He’s not what he seems.”

He was the representative figure of a corrupt religion – someone who was close to the gods, but also worldly and quick to gain advantages.

In the original work, the emperor and the archbishop made a deal over the engagement of the crown prince and the saint, so surely it was mentioned yesterday as well.

If I compare Sienna and the archbishop, the more noble one must be Sienna. But to think that a mere archbishop made a deal over the saint.

“Quite impressive,” I sneered.

Moreover, the archbishop was aware of the existence of the heretics, but pretended to be unaware of them because of the regular donations that came in. He considered it a necessary evil.

“There was that incident in the novel’s early stages where the heretics tried to kidnap the saint.”

An infiltrator who posed as a believer and acted as a spy for a decade. There seemed to be some distinguishing features, but I couldn’t remember it well.

I tapped the desk with my finger.

In the original work, Kyle was the one to solve this issue. It was also an episode where Kyle and Sienna’s love was accumulating.

But this time, I wanted to take that role instead.

I need to have a public presence to prepare for any potential future and have something to say.

…Also, I didn’t want to see Kyle and Sienna’s lovey-dovey moments.

“Lisa.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Prepare to go to the temple.”

I should probably go check out the spy’s face first.

***

The religious base of Yuphiter was not in Lucania, the capital of the Ygritte Empire, but in Calodmen, where the temple was located. 

However, to recruit more followers and extort tribute, there was a huge temple in the capital that was no less imposing.

“Whoa.”

A silver carriage adorned with sky-blue eagle decorations arrived in front of the temple.

The coachman opened the door for me, and I stepped out.

“Why are there so many people?”

This was my first time visiting the temple since arriving in the capital. I didn’t know the usual number of people passing through, but it was evident that the crowd was not at a normal level.

The temple was packed with people, and there was barely any room to move. Judging from their attire, most of them were commoners and lower-class individuals.

My maid, Lisa, who followed me, stopped a passerby and asked.

“Is there something special happening at the temple today?”

“What? There is!”

The passerby caught by Lisa exclaimed, spluttering. The man, dressed in shabby clothes, held several large loaves of bread in his arms.

“They distributed food to celebrate the saint’s birth today!”

“At the temple?”

“Yes! Those who came early even received silver coins. I’m so disappointed! If you want to get some bread, you should hurry and go there.”

He spoke kindly and even gave advice before happily skipping away.

So, all these people gathered here to get a piece of bread.

This is such an inconvenient day to come.

“What should we do, Miss? Should we go back to the mansion?”

Lisa asked me with a puzzled expression. After a moment of contemplation, I shook my head.

“Let’s go inside for now. They are distributing supplies outside, so the inside might be quieter.”

However, the key was how to make our way through this crowd.

Should I wait a bit until some people disperse?

But at that moment, Lisa suddenly stepped forward.

“Miss, I will clear a path for you!”

“What?”

“Don’t fall behind me! Let´s go!”

With determination, Lisa pushed through the crowd like a general charging into battle, making her way forward.

“Hey, be careful! Don’t push!”

“Move, move!”

Breaking through the bustling crowd, Lisa swiftly made her way into the interior of the temple. It happened in the blink of an eye.

I was greatly impressed by her amazing skills.

“Lisa, you’re truly the best!”

“Hehe, it’s the skills I honed when I was a kitchen maid. Agility is an essential skill to grab fresh vegetables at the market!”

“You did a great job. Thanks to you, we made it in.”

I praised Lisa while surveying the surroundings. The interior of the temple was clearly quieter. It seemed that all the temple staff were outside due to the charity event taking place.

Now, I can move around freely.

I turned to Lisa and said, “I’ll be back soon. Wait for me here.”

“Yes, Miss. Take care.”

Leaving the reliable Lisa behind, I headed inside the temple.

My role today would be that of a faithful young lady who was so moved by the saint’s appearance that she made a donation to the temple.

Of course, if you give, you should also receive something in return.

Instead of making a donation, I’m going to take a quick look around, using the excuse that I want to pray with the priests inside.

In the original story, the heretic that Sienna was close to was someone who often stayed in the capital.

So, undoubtedly, they would have come to the capital with Sienna.

However, I didn’t know where they were right now, so I decided to look for them first.

Not far from where I was, I spotted a temple staff member. I set my target and approached.

“I… Priest,” I began trying to catch his attention.

At that moment, I heard a sweet and pleasant voice, like a small songbird singing behind me.

“If you’re here to pray…, may I show you around?”

I turned around, mesmerized.

To my embarrassment, I was confronted by Sienna, who shyly offered me a hand.