“You’re a man too, have you already been seduced by that thing! Is that why you dare treat me, the king’s mother, like this?”

Bianca continued to struggle even as she was being dragged away. The maids following her looked fearful. It was clear that if they returned like this, Bianca’s anger would all be directed at them.

The last maid left. Frederick bowed his head at the commanding gaze and re-entered the room. Thud. At the sound of the door closing, Bianca, who had been pushed carelessly and lost her balance, jumped up and tried to run toward the door.

But she could no longer approach the door. A large man blocked her way. Bianca raised her hand to slap his cheek, thinking he was a knight, but froze in place when she recognized his face.

“Your, Your Highness.”

Roshan glanced at Bianca’s half-raised hand. Realizing what she had almost done, Bianca tried to quickly lower her arm. But her body wouldn’t move. It felt as if she were tightly bound like a criminal.

“Lady Bianca. I hate noise.”

Though the title “lady” came from Roshan’s mouth, Bianca didn’t get angry and scream as she had with Yerena. Instead, she lowered her head, which had just begun to bend, and quickly dropped her arm that had finally started to move. Roshan looked at her indifferently before bluntly stating,

“So it would be better to be careful with your words and actions. Otherwise, I might move you to the underground cemetery today.”

“……”

“If you understand, then you may go.”

“Ugh……”

Thud. Terrified, Bianca couldn’t bear it and collapsed. The dress that had once belonged to the queen dowager but was now Bianca’s became hideously wrinkled. Roshan looked down at her, who had crumbled ungracefully on the floor, and fixed his gaze on her crown.

The elegant platinum crown, which had belonged to the dead queen, had twelve horns in total. And at their tips, blue sapphire double lily patterns were beautifully embroidered.

Roshan found it strangely displeasing that Bianca was wearing it. It was just an ornament that women wore. Besides, compared to the things he owned, it was even shabby.

Roshan couldn’t understand himself, but he reached out his hand. And he commanded Bianca:

“That thing on your head.”

“……”

“I’ll take it to the Empire. Because the reparations are not enough.”

* * *

The massive hall was the epitome of splendor. The floor, walls, and ceiling of the large space were all made of Radman’s white marble, said to be the most expensive in the continent, and all the carved patterns were gold-plated.

What about the long columns that could line up ten men in a row and the arches that composed the space? The engravings everywhere were all the work of master craftsmen, and the stained glass decorating the outside windows, though made up of various colors, boasted a calm and elegant beauty.

Every element that made up the space was a work of art and a treasure. However, among them, the most eye-catching was a small altar located in the space under a tall arched roof.

The not-so-large altar was made primarily of gold, but from a distance, it appeared white. This was due to the hundreds of jewels embedded on its surface.

Those who saw the altar for the first time would rub their eyes, wondering if something was wrong with their vision, due to its extravagance. But there were those who viewed the altar like any other object: an elderly cleric standing inside the altar and a young man kneeling outside.

“As the Goddess of Light guides, the curses of demons on the path vanish like mere fog, and only the light of glory shines down.”

The standing old man, High Priest Sinax, finished speaking and fluttered his elaborate vestments three times. Then the young man with black hair, who had been kneeling, deeply bowed to pray at the altar and slowly rose.

The young man’s eyes, which had been hidden as he bowed his head, were revealed. His purple pupils were as splendid and beautiful as the jewels embedded throughout the hall. But they also seemed to gleam unpleasantly, appearing full of madness.

“Your Majesty the Emperor. For you to pray so devoutly again today…… The Goddess will surely look down upon you.”

The old cleric smiled benevolently as he spoke to the man before him, Emperor Kedrick Vistius. Kedrick immediately put his hands together and greeted him respectfully.

“You flatter me. It’s only natural as a believer of the Goddess.”

Emperor Kedrick was wearing clothes that looked modest compared to the splendid hall. A long white, simple tunic. However, upon closer inspection, the fabric of the tunic was not ordinary. Especially the dove-shaped silver embroidery decorating the ends of the long sleeves that was incredibly detailed.

The emperor, who had been looking at the high priest with a devout expression, made one more prayer with his hands together toward the Goddess of Light painted on the wall beyond the altar. And after gazing at the goddess for a moment, he smiled gently and opened his mouth toward the high priest.

“But High Priest, the thing I took last time doesn’t seem to be very effective.”

“Do you mean the incense I gave you because you said your dreams were troubled?”

“Yes. It was very effective at first, but lately, not so much……”

The high priest inwardly clicked his tongue. The emperor was gradually wanting stronger medicine. And the stronger the medicine became…

“Hmm…… Then I will make it again and send it to the palace.”

Though concerned about the side effects of the medicine, the high priest soon gave the emperor the answer he wanted with a benevolent smile. The emperor didn’t hide his delight.

“Your Majesty.”

Just as the emperor was about to thank the high priest, one of the youngest attendants behind them approached them anxiously. The emperor’s eyes flashed with an indescribable light for a moment.

“What is it? Didn’t I order that most matters be reported after I leave the prayer room?”

“I apologize. But since Your Majesty commanded to report whenever news arrives……”

At the attendant’s words, the emperor wore an expectant expression. But soon, predicting the answer from the attendant’s attitude, his face darkened grimly. He looked down at the attendant and asked in a gentle voice:

“……Has it failed again?”

“Yes. This time too, it failed……”

“Damn it!”

Crack.

“Ahhhhh!”

It happened in an instant. The emperor grabbed a candlestick from the altar and hurled it at the attendant.

The attendant not only got hit in the face with the sharply crafted candlestick but also injured his eyes from the melted wax. He collapsed on the floor, groaning in agony.

“Ugh…… Ugh……”

“When will that bastard die! When exactly! When!”

Blood appeared on the attendant’s face where the candlestick had pierced him. Seeing him blindly groping the floor with closed eyes might have evoked sympathy and prompted an immediate order for treatment. But the emperor, unable to control his erupting emotions, behaved like a madman.

“Die! I said die! Just die!”

“Pl…… please spare…… Your Majesty! Pl-please spare me……”

The emperor, unable to contain his anger, began kicking the fallen attendant. Especially after seeing the red color on the attendant’s face, he attacked the attendant’s face with disturbing persistence. The attendant, who had been begging for his life with closed eyes, soon fell silent as blood poured from his head. The red foam bubbling from his mouth, accompanied by grotesque sounds, was horrifying.

The emperor only stopped his violence after the attendant ceased to move, exhaling rough breaths. He looked around with wild, madness-filled eyes before shouting at the high priest.

“High Priest! What is happening? Didn’t you say the Goddess would grant my wish this time?”

The polite demeanor from earlier was nowhere to be found. His behavior was chilling as he glanced once at the candlestick rolling on the floor and once at the high priest.

But the high priest remained calm. Instead, he came around the altar and approached the emperor. Then, joining his hands, he asked the emperor.

“Your Majesty. Among the words the Goddess has told her believers, she mentioned a great demon. Do you remember?”

“……The mighty demon will test you to your limits. My servants. You must overcome all adversities and disbelief. And when your faith becomes perfect, the great demon will perish, and the evil in the world will disappear.”

The madness in the emperor’s eyes gradually subsided as he recited part of the Goddess’s words. He adjusted his long sleeves and slightly bowed his head to the high priest.

“I was foolish.”

“Realizing one’s mistake on one’s own is also a virtue cherished by the Goddess.”

“How merciful the Goddess is. Oh! Come to think of it, I’ve disrespectfully shown blood in front of the altar where the Goddess descends. Hey! What are you all doing!”

“……”

“Remove this filth immediately! I’m afraid the Goddess might see it.”

He seemed like a madman, speaking of the Goddess’s mercy while ordering the removal of the attendant he had nearly killed. However, as if this was a common occurrence, the other attendants dragging away the attendant, as well as the high priest and the clerics in the massive prayer hall, showed no particular surprise.

“Ha…… I must still lack faith. Well, that’s why my wish isn’t being fulfilled.”

“……You will achieve what you desire someday. Because the Goddess cherishes Your Majesty.”

“Thank you for your kind words. Well then, High Priest. I’ll be going now.”

After the blood-covered attendant was carried away, the emperor gestured to one of the other attendants. A red-haired attendant who had been watching the emperor quickly ran over and held out what he was carrying. Soon, a golden belt and a beautiful outer garment with blue background and sparkling gold embroidery were placed over the modest white tunic.

“Ah! Before I go, I have one request.”

The emperor, now wearing even a small crown used in daily life, abandoned his polite tone and assumed the posture of one above all others. The high priest, unlike when they met as cleric and believer, bowed very deeply, ready to receive the command.

“Speak, Your Majesty.”

“The incense I mentioned earlier and…… bring the secret method I used last time as well. I need to pray in my chambers to fulfill my wish.”