What is he talking about? Die? He was saying that she would die if she continued to stay with Raphael. Even though she couldn’t open her eyes, she wasn’t in pain. She could even feel all her senses.

“How am I supposed to believe that?”

If someone suddenly tells you that you’re going to die, there aren’t many people who would believe it. Especially if the person saying it is suspicious. Clearly, Enoch wasn’t someone Raphael had called. It was suspicious that he arrived from distant Blackford to Siegfried just in time.

“If I hadn’t come, Your Highness would never have woken up.”

“What are you talking about? She would have woken up after a little while.”

In reality, it was just that she couldn’t put any strength into her body. She would have recovered soon and opened her eyes.

“Wasn’t it because you couldn’t do anything due to the lack of strength?”

“……”

“At first, you can feel things… but later, you can’t feel anything at all.”

How did he know everything about her condition? Amelia hadn’t explained her symptoms. But Enoch was too suspicious to believe based on just those words.

“How can I trust you?”

The status of a high priest was one that everyone had to trust. And seeing Enoch’s kind and sincere face made that trust even stronger. The problem was that it didn’t work on her at all. She wanted to avoid the unsettling feeling he gave her.

“I came here because I received a revelation. It said that if I didn’t come in time, Your Highness would be in danger.”

“Does something like that… really appear in an oracle?”

Why did she keep appearing in the goddess’s oracles? Was it really because she was a descendant of the goddess?

“Do you know what illness Your Highness is suffering from?”

Enoch said she was suffering from an illness. But she wasn’t actually ill. This wasn’t something that could be called an illness.

It was like being a corpse without a mana core. The mana, the source of life, didn’t flow in her body at all.

“I’m not unaware of my condition.”

Raphael had already pressured experts to complete all the examinations. Among them were priests. Priests were dispatched regularly to check her condition. So, she wasn’t swayed by Enoch’s words.

“Even if it wasn’t you, many other priests have come and gone.”

It was all the same anyway. This was an unexplainable phenomenon. From the beginning, it was impossible that she became Amelia.

“They were just ordinary priests, right?”

“Well…”

“A high priest isn’t present at every temple. And Siegfrieds can’t demand a high priest.”

Siegfried can’t demand a high priest. Amelia’s eyebrow raised at the unpleasant statement. This was why she couldn’t like Enoch. His subtle hostility towards Siegfried. No, it was outright contempt.

“So, you, a high priest, came because of an oracle?”

“Yes, I came here solely for Your Highness.”

He looked at her as if she received the goddess’s blessing because she was a hidden member of the imperial family. It was true, but it didn’t stop her from feeling uncomfortable.

“You don’t have a mana core. That’s why you don’t have any mana.”

There was no solution to this. Even Raphael could only make her take medicine and undergo examinations every day. The only method he could think of was for her to get pregnant.

“Is that what the priests say?”

“Yes, then is there another way?”

Enoch did wake her up.

“The reason Your Highness collapsed is because of His Grace, the Grand Duke.”

Again, he blamed Raphael. What did Raphael have to do with her collapse?

“I don’t know what you’re trying to deceive me with…”

“You felt nauseous, didn’t you? Like you were going to throw up.”

She was about to tell him to stop making absurd guesses, even if he was a high priest, but he accurately described her condition. This was something she hadn’t told any other priests or doctors.

“You must have had constant headaches too.”

“How…”

He knew her situation as if he had experienced it himself.

“What do the priests do when they come?”

“They just… check on me…”

Because she didn’t have a mana core, receiving holy power and mana was risky. That’s why Raphael didn’t use healing magic on her when she collapsed.

“It’s an illness caused by a lack of holy power.”

“What?”

“It doesn’t affect ordinary priests or people. It’s a common symptom for vessels chosen by the goddess, like high priests.”

A vessel? But she was told that receiving holy power and mana was dangerous because she didn’t have a mana core. In fact, all the priests did was check on her. And above all, she didn’t like the term ‘vessel.’

“I was told I shouldn’t receive holy power or mana.”

“That’s what everyone says.”

She couldn’t completely trust Enoch, but she couldn’t deny that his story had some credibility. Everyone else just said it was impossible and couldn’t find the cause.

“Then what’s the connection? How does staying near Raphael mean I will die?”

The reason she couldn’t fully trust Enoch was that he spoke of frightening things without hesitation.

“It’s the truth. Your Highness will die soon.”

***

“Amelia!”

She wanted to ask what her life had to do with him, but Raphael’s sudden arrival left her speechless.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes, I’m fine…”

It wasn’t just Raphael. Leonel also rushed over to check on her. With both of them fussing over her from either side, her head became muddled again. Enoch stood silently, watching. It seemed like he was looking at Raphael rather than her.

He seemed to be trying to suppress his hostility, but it wasn’t completely hidden. The contempt in his eyes was noticeable.

“Thank you for helping my wife get up.”

“I only did what I had to do.”

Even Raphael’s thanks were met with a cold response, as if a chill had blown through. Ordinary priests never acted this way. They were always eager to please Raphael, even if they feared him. They didn’t openly show their wariness like Enoch did.

Was there something only a high priest would know that ordinary priests wouldn’t?

“But I never called for a high priest. How did you know Amelia was ill?”

“The goddess informed me. She said Her Highness was in danger.”

Raphael felt the same way. He wasn’t pleased with Enoch’s presence.

“If your business here is done, you should leave. You will be appropriately compensated.”

As expected, he was trying to send Enoch away. If Enoch left now, it would be hard to see him again. She was confined and couldn’t go out.

“That’s not possible.”

“High Priest?”

She was surprised by Enoch’s firm refusal, still wearing his kind expression. She thought he would at least be intimidated by Raphael.

“Her Highness’s current condition is such that it wouldn’t be strange for you to collapse again at any moment.”

Was her condition really that bad…? The nausea hadn’t returned.

“If things continue like this… Your Highness will surely lose your life.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I believe Your Grace knows exactly what I mean.”

Raphael already knew? That couldn’t be. He didn’t know how to treat her. This wasn’t an illness that could be cured.

“What should we do to prevent her from collapsing again?”

A surprising thing happened. She had expected Raphael to get angry, but instead, he asked Enoch for help.

“She needs to receive holy power at a fixed time every day.”

“Can’t other priests do that?”

“Only holy power stronger than that of a high priest will suffice.”

So the strange and unfamiliar energy that had filled her body was holy power. It was certainly different from being treated by an ordinary priest. It felt like strength was flooding her entire body.

“And you must stay away from opposing forces.”

Opposing forces. As soon as he said that, Leonel’s fingers, which had been holding her hand, twitched.

“Siegfried itself is dangerous for Her Highness.”

Leonel’s small fingers, which had been holding her, slowly let go.