“Well, let’s say that’s true. But there won’t be any problems. Even if I become close to the imperial family, it doesn’t mean I won’t divorce. I’ll divorce once I pull my family down and get their titles. I wrote that in the contract from the start.”

“Are you sure you can divorce?”

“Of course. I have to…… if I remain as Crown Princess, the original work becomes too different. I can’t handle that much.”

Adelia loosely tilted her head and smiled silently. Her pretty eyes curved pitifully.

Though her voice remained calm and gentle, the words ‘can’t handle’ somehow sounded sad.

No position was more alluring than that of Crown Princess. It naturally guaranteed becoming Empress, and even the husband was handsome. Though his personality had flaws, his looks could easily cover that much.

But her desire to avoid a changed future was greater.

There was no guarantee things would flow in a good direction, and if they reached an ending more unhappy than the original work, the reason for all these current actions would disappear.

“Then that’s good. Still, keep some distance. From what I see, you’re too close. If you get too attached, it’ll be hard to leave. After the divorce, you need to live your own life too.”

The Saintess let out a low sigh. She comfortably leaned her straight back against the chair. She met sincerity in Adelia’s determined eyes.

Seeing eyes full of sincerity, she couldn’t help but believe her.

‘She’ll do well. She’s someone sincere enough about her goal to change her own death fate.’

Actually, she had worried about whether to say such things as they seemed to touch too much on personal matters and might sound like nonsense from someone who didn’t know well. But after saying it, she felt relieved.

But conversely, Adelia’s mind was complicated.

‘Was our proximity too close?’

That single thought led to endless others.

All the time spent with Lucian flashed by.

From their first meeting, she approached him with a purpose. Their marriage happened according to mutual interests. At least in Adelia’s thinking, it was a relationship where they get close when needed and seek each other when necessary.

Though there were strange moments in between, it was all because Lucian was too handsome. Adelia believed the strange atmosphere was created because she was enchanted by his face.

‘We slept in the same bed but nothing happened?’

They pretended to be in love. It was clearly an act and performance.

Adelia carefully recalled Lucian’s gaze in her memories. She could easily remember those red eyes as they had often been directed at her. But she couldn’t find any changes.

Perhaps it was natural. Lucian’s gaze at Adelia had remained unchanged from beginning to now.

“Still, thanks for the advice.”

“That’s good. I was worried you might take it the wrong way.”

“I understand what you’re worried about. It’s what I worry about too.”

If someone else had told her to keep her distance from Lucian, she would have been suspicious first. But coming from the Saintess, she could believe it with ease.

Because she was a comrade walking the same path, who had walked the same path.

Adelia gulped down the cold tea.

“The Crown Prince and I are just in a business relationship, giving and taking what we want. Don’t worry further.”

“Well…… though I’m dubious, I’m sure you’ll handle it well.”

The Saintess said, shrugging her shoulders.

The Adelia the Saintess saw was quite rational and cool-headed. Someone with clear goals who would do anything to achieve them.

The Saintess decided to trust Adelia. When the Saintess nodded without further words, the briefly sharpened atmosphere softened again.

“Ah, right. I have a favor to ask.”

Adelia said while putting down her teacup. The cup made a sharp sound hitting the glass table.

“A favor? From me?”

“Could you look for some records in the Holy Kingdom? I’ve searched all information available in the Empire but found nothing. I thought the Saintess’s library might be different.”

“Finding records isn’t difficult. What kind of records?”

“Records about transmigrators. There are two transmigrators and one reincarnated person in one generation. Maybe something similar happened in previous generations too.”

“I’m curious about that too. I’ll look into it.”

The Holy Kingdom’s records were generally quite old. Unlike languages that change and emerge newly over time, the history of the holy language used by priests was very long.

The primordial holy book, said to have been recorded directly by God when the world was created, remained intact.

The Holy Kingdom, created with the world’s birth, received God’s protection through generations and avoided plagues and wars. All materials remained undamaged, with ancient books stored in perfect condition throughout the library.

The Holy Kingdom had such vast history that even mages coveted its books.

‘I was thinking of asking how to recover Adelia’s lost memories, but that would be difficult.’

It wasn’t memory loss from an accident, but memories lost due to the special case of possession.

It was uncertain whether there would be a way to find the memories. Finding similar cases of possession seemed more likely.

“And one more thing. Could you also look into whether there’s any power that could counter white magic?”

“Power to counter white magic? You mean that poisonous herb from the original work, the black magic flower or something? The only poison white mages can’t purify. Or the holy sword?”

The Saintess said while tapping her chin. She rolled her eyes around, retracing her memories.

Though she liked the original work, she had only read it thoroughly a couple of times.

Adelia shook her head repeatedly.

“Not those. I’d like you to focus on information not mentioned in the original work. It might be easier to search focusing on powers that threaten white magic, no, the Saintess’s power.”

The recorded numbers of white mages and saintesses were similar. Though there were slightly more white mages, there were more records about saintesses.

She thought she might find different information from records about saintesses who protected and guarded the Holy Kingdom.

Adelia made the request to the Saintess with small expectations.

“Alright, I’ll look into that too.”

“Thanks. This is separate from our contract, so tell me if you want anything in return.”

“It’s fine. It’s not difficult. Just reply when I send letters. The Holy Kingdom is boring. Everyone’s either too old or too intimidated by me to talk to.”

The Saintess said, waving her hand. People of similar age were extremely rare in the Holy Kingdom. Even if there were any, they were only low-ranking priests who had no chance to meet the Saintess, the highest-ranking person.

The high-ranking priests and grand priests she usually met were all middle-aged or elderly, making casual conversation difficult to expect.

Though it wasn’t a major complaint, the Saintess was human too and felt emptiness from the loneliness that occasionally surfaced.

“It’ll take some time due to the distance, but I’ll send them occasionally.”

“For communication…… there are many other ways besides such classical methods.”

Adelia said while slowly tapping the table with a smile.

Then she gathered power in her hand. Along with a sparkling light, a small communication stone appeared.

Adelia showed it to the Saintess while flipping her hand.

The Saintess’s eyebrows twitched.

“You really have become like the imperial family. Offering a communication stone to me, a saintess. In the Holy Kingdom, anything related to magic power is blocked by barriers.”

“Silly. This is something I made. Would a communication stone made with the Saintess’s power be the same as ordinary magic? And like this, it won’t even show.”

Adelia rolled the communication stone in her hand. Then the golden-colored communication stone was covered with a shell like a rough stone.

“It looks like an ordinary stone to anyone, right?”

“If it falls on the road, I won’t be able to find it?”

The Saintess carefully picked up the communication stone from Adelia’s hand. Since becoming a saintess, she had never possessed such an item.

Perhaps because it was just made, white magic power seeped out faintly. The necklace around the Saintess’s neck sparkled and absorbed light from the original energy that wasn’t contained.

“Tap it twice to connect to me. I always carry a communication stone, so contact me first. If I contact first and someone discovers it, you’ll be in trouble.”

“Oh…… this is fascinating. It’s like a phone. Can it only communicate?”

“I added teleportation magic too, but you probably won’t need to use it.”

“Too obvious things won’t work. Anyway, thanks.”

“It’s nothing, just tell me right away what you find out.”

The Saintess tucked the small communication stone into her pocket.

Though Adelia gave it away as if it were nothing, the communication stone packed with magic power for the Saintess whom she didn’t know when she’d meet again was more expensive than market ones. In market value, what was in the Saintess’s pocket now was similar to having a chunk of gold.

The Saintess who came from the Holy Kingdom was unfamiliar with worldly matters and had no magic power. Moreover, because Adelia made it so easily, she didn’t know its value.

It would be some time later when the Saintess learned the communication stone’s price and devoted herself to Adelia’s requests.

* * *