PART 2

Winter when frost settled on every branch of the garden trees, spring when flowers scattered following the west wind, summer when water droplets splashed from fountains cooling the heat, autumn when seeds sown with sweat bore fruit,

and winter again.

The flow of time that circled between the marble columns of the court was both long and fast. I turned twenty-one in spring, and friends around me began getting married one by one. The wines sent from the territory had aged properly, and marriage talks that I had requested from Mother the day after making up my mind began to take place.

Once in a while, messenger birds would fly in carrying letter envelopes with no sender written on them. Those envelopes with only ‘Victoire’ written concisely on them, I burned in the fireplace without even opening them. Lest sprouts that had barely been crushed might grow cotyledons again.

It was merely a momentary encounter, no different from a small boat going down the river passing by a ferry dock. Let me fold this heart before it grows any larger. Before he returns, within three years, let me marry another man and stay away from court only while Mélisande and he fall in love.

When I broke up with my first boyfriend in high school, it was the greatest misfortune in the world at that time, but after taking the stormy college entrance exam and entering university, didn’t it become a memory to laugh about over drinks?

This time will be the same. If I suppress the stirring of emotions for a few years, I’ll be able to face him with detached composure, smiling like a stone Buddha.

Until then, I must focus on what I was going to do. Protecting my new sister-in-law, the female protagonist. Looking at Mélisande choosing clothes to wear flutteringly, she seemed to sense my gaze and raised her head.

“Alix, how is it?”

Mélisande had built up a somewhat meaningful position in court over the past two years, but she still liked listening to my advice. I smiled slightly and said.

“I think a slightly more modest dress would be good. Ah, avoid white colors. Only imperial family can wear white clothes before the Pope and his representatives.”

Mélisande nodded and dismissed the maid holding the ivory-colored dress. Watching her deliberate between a green dress made of modest but precious Milledia satin and a light sky-blue dress without embroidery but refined, I suddenly turned my gaze to the window. Snow began falling softly.

It was the day when the Saint’s Resurrection Week Mass coinciding with the New Year began.

Since the civilization here was deeply rooted in religion, regardless of inner feelings, one had to attend major religious events. If one were branded as a heretic or unbeliever, it would become quite troublesome.

Basically, since the temple served as witness to the bilateral contract between monarch and subject (even looking at the nobility almanac, the phrase ‘such-and-such family who became vassals of the imperial house under the Lord’s protection’ repeats by family unit), if judged as an unbeliever who cannot claim the temple’s protection, one could lose territory and title.

Also, since the temple doesn’t recognize marriage between believers and unbelievers, children could all become illegitimate, and if unlucky, one could be branded a witch and have their neck fly off to the holy knights who claim to be guardians of faith.

So the more nobles had to lose, the more they had to reluctantly set foot in temples at every temple seasonal event, even if unwillingly.

Well, even so, whether they believed in foreign mystery religions behind the scenes, engaged in money games against commandments, or formed soccer teams with mistresses and illegitimate children, they only needed to show disgustingly pious prayer poses pretending to be the most faithful and devout in the world three or four times a year, so the cost-effectiveness was good.

This particular season was especially important, commemorating the Saint’s resurrection who conquered death. Therefore, prominent families in the capital gathered at Rauli Piety Palace, the great temple. Naturally, it was also an event where many men and women who caught each other’s eyes appeared.

Although the temple side separated men’s and women’s seats saying ‘lustful thoughts cannot be aroused in a place of pure worship,’ gathering men together and women together was like setting up a buffet table for young people dreaming of passionate love with attractive members of the opposite s*x.

The gazes exchanged between both sides were so intense that if lasers followed those gazes, this Piety Palace would collapse immediately.

Having such trivial thoughts, I watched the young lady of the Montagne family in the same row scanning for groom candidates. Today’s sermon won’t be boring with so much to see.

“The scarlet sins of humanity were washed away by the blood of the innocent and pure lamb……”

The Pope, who had been sitting heavily in the Holy Kingdom for several years without any intention of moving, didn’t come. The Saint’s Resurrection festival mass of the great Lamuah Empire wasn’t enough to bend that proud nose.

“Rejoice, for the Saint’s victory has illuminated the path for us to receive absolution.”

Instead, he graciously permitted a cardinal to act as the Pope’s representative. Due to this, Cardinal André, acting as papal representative, came to celebrate the mass. Until recently he had been an archbishop, but with his backing rising triumphantly, he had been promoted(?). Still, perhaps because the image of the bald archbishop uncle was more familiar to me, the cardinal’s crimson soutane looked awkward like wearing someone else’s clothes.

“Do you believe that the precious blood of the Saint who conquered death and resurrected will save you from eternal punishment due to sin!”

“We believe!”

Exclamations of emotion burst out from here and there. Oh my. That fellow shouting as if receiving the Holy Spirit was someone who recently got caught red-handed by his wife having a large-scale drug orgy party with ten prostitutes,

“It shall be done according to Your word!”

And that one who nearly died from a knife attack on a night road after exploiting the last grain of wheat from tenant farmers in his territory to survive winter,

“Oh, Lord! How grateful I am that You forgive this sinner!”

The one sniffling with a handkerchief over there was a countess with clear circumstances of murdering her husband in conspiracy with her brother-in-law who was her affair partner.

What’s the point of confessing faith in such ecstasy as if drugged now? As soon as mass ends, those bastards will return home, throw off their disgusting masks, and behave exactly as usual. If I were the Saint, I wouldn’t want to wash away your sins.

But the generous temple would forgive them. Because those families donate a lot. Seeing your family’s sincerity, the temple that became the Lord’s representative on this earth generously absolves your sins.

It’s dirty, but court is originally such a place.

Court is originally the place closest to power. And power is the drug that most deeply addicts humans.

Once those who learned such sweet taste begin pursuing pleasure, it’s natural they can’t be satisfied with ordinary and trivial things. It’s human nature to approach the abyss seeking more stimulating and sensual tastes.

Therefore, the seasoned politicians of court teach their children the first law for surviving in court: how to maintain boundaries. To calculate irreversible lines and thoroughly limit what lies beyond them. So that the family’s glory doesn’t oxidize like fireworks that sparkle and disappear. So that the power and honor they have in court endures like stars that have been embedded in the sky shining since before a thousand years passed dozens of times.

There are many courtiers who engage in sordid acts behind the scenes. However, true nobles among nobles always create gaps to escape through. They decide on sacrificial offerings to be blamed later from the beginning.

Anyway, thanks to this background, those who would receive honorary citizenship of Sodom and Gomorrah can sit brazenly in Piety Palace if they just act as if they’ll shave their heads and enter monasteries tomorrow. Like chameleons transforming according to their surroundings.

Well. Can I really say anything when I’m lowering my eyes as if praying and clasping my hands outwardly while inwardly mocking those bastards?

After a long while, the mass that was more like a masquerade than an actual masquerade ended. People began chattering and scattering in groups. More than half of those who had repented all the world’s sins so noisily would probably go commit sins again.

“Alix, what are you thinking about?”

I returned to reality at Mélisande’s question.

“Just.”

I shrugged my shoulders.

“Thinking that humans are quite interesting?”

Mélisande chuckled and asked.

“Alix, do you happen to have other plans today? An appointment or something.”

“No. I don’t have anything particular.”

“Then how about having tea together as family? I received good tea leaves as a gift recently. Saint-Florette scented tea.”

As family. When I readily nodded, Mélisande brightened.

“Then I’ll speak to Mother.”

As naturally as breathing, the scope of ‘family’ narrowed to me and Mother. Smiling brightly, Mélisande approached Mother who was beside the empress with flowing light steps.

Hmm. I discreetly searched for familiar dark auburn hair in the section where men sat. Soon I saw Antoine mixed among the privy council members, seemingly having some serious conversation.

I considered asking Antoine out of courtesy but gave up. With Caleb watching with blazing eyes, he probably wouldn’t join even if asked to a place where Mélisande was, and he seemed to be having very important political discussions.

I could see Mélisande walking arm-in-arm with Mother. It seemed like yesterday when she was treated like a transparent person—what a tearful achievement.