“For the time being, I will not be selecting maids.”

Ella cut Jenith off.

It seemed to be unexpected. Jenith appeared briefly at a loss for words.

“However, it is palace custom for the ladies of noble houses to attend Your Highness the Princess.”

“Jenith, was it?”

“Yes, Miss Meriella.”

Ella rose and walked toward her.

“You know the reason I entered the palace early, don’t you?”

“That would be……”

“I did not come as crown princess. I came as a saintess, to carry out the chief god Solea’s oracle.”

Ella added with a faint smile.

“I would also like to keep the number of servants and maids to a minimum.”

“Even the maids, Miss Meriella?”

“Yes. It is to stay faithful to the oracle’s instruction, so please take the trouble of……. mmph.”

Ella’s brow suddenly creased.

Vivid blood dripped steadily between the fingers pressed to her mouth. Red stains spread in small dots across the pure white chemise she was wearing.

“Miss Meriella!”

Jenith’s eyes filled with shock.

Ella raised her hand and moved it up and down to calm her. One quick-thinking maid immediately held out a handkerchief.

Ella took the handkerchief from the trembling maid’s hands and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

“Has the sacred pain already begun?”

Jenith asked composedly, having suppressed her agitation.

Ella looked at the handkerchief soaked red and made a rueful face.

“……Phew, it seems so.”

What perfect timing.

Ella had already taken the toho leaves before Jenith arrived.

It took a set amount of time after consuming the leaves for the coughing of blood to begin, and fortunately the symptom had appeared with plenty of witnesses present.

Without wiping the blood from her hand, Ella made the sign of blessing.

“May this blood not be in vain, and may Solea’s blessing fill the palace……”

As Ella’s devout prayer continued, Jenith and the maids all made the sign of blessing in unison and spoke with one voice.

“We pray for Solea’s mercy.”

“We pray for Solea’s mercy.”

Playing the saintess was this easy.

Ella looked at the closed eyes around her and smiled thinly.

Hoping her condition would spread through the palace quickly.

***

The western forest path of the imperial palace leading to Lake Wellea.

Ella walked along the neatly laid cobblestones on Zikhart’s arm.

The stones that had once been cracked and moss-covered now gleamed with a polished shine. The weeds that had sprouted everywhere had been cleanly removed as well.

The two of them stopped before the newly restored chapel.

“Here it is.”

In front of the modest wooden building stood a Solea statue with arms spread wide and a benevolent smile.

The overgrown ornamental trees had all been removed, and various flowers had been planted in the cleared spaces.

It was the result of the crown prince personally stepping in two mornings ago, after hearing news of Ella’s coughing blood.

‘Even thinking back on it now, the timing was perfect.’

Zikhart had summoned the relevant people and ordered the restoration expedited, and it was finished in a day and a half.

“……I didn’t expect it to be ready this quickly.”

Ella looked at Zikhart with an expression of deep gratitude.

Seeing her smile, Zikhart led her hand forward with a pleased look.

“There’s no need to be moved until you’ve seen the inside.”

He opened the chapel door.

The newly fitted hinges made no sound at all. The creaking screech of rusted metal existed only in Marian’s memories now.

‘Right. This is different from then.’

Ella pushed away the images surfacing in her mind and stepped inside.

The small space felt like a prayer room made for her alone.

The long rows of chairs were gone, replaced by a small altar beneath a platinum Solea statue.

Small candle-shaped lights had been installed throughout, and a plush cushion had been placed before the altar.

As if to emphasize that this was a space for one person only, the surroundings held no chairs, only sacred ornaments and flowers.

‘Could this space really be transformed like this?’

It had been a place full of nothing but dark, stale air.

Looking over the chapel so changed from Marian’s memories, Ella had to soothe the ache inside her once more.

“What do you think? Will this place help ease your sacred pain?”

Zikhart’s voice was full of confidence. He seemed to think her silence was from being overwhelmed with gratitude.

In reality, she was turning over the pain woven through Marian’s memories.

She turned slowly.

The face that had been cold a moment ago was now bright with a smile like spring sunlight.

“I already feel considerably better.”

Ella dipped into a slight curtsy.

“Thank you so much for your consideration, Your Highness.”

“That kind of formality feels too distant…… aren’t we to be husband and wife.”

At his absurd remark, Ella nearly let out a hollow laugh.

Zikhart was so easy to read it was almost disorienting.

It was too different from Marian’s memories.

‘He changed this much from just that one day?’

His gaze had shifted since the Orpen duchy banquet, but this was faster than even she had anticipated.

Of course it was nothing but good news for Ella, but things moving this smoothly made her vaguely uneasy.

No, it’s fine.

‘It’s simply because he’s even more of a piece of trash than I expected.’

Pushing down the sudden unease, Ella tightened her clasped hands.

“Worrying about your wellbeing is my role as your husband. So please don’t stand on ceremony.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

“There you go again. I said no more of that.”

Zikhart laughed softly and took hold of her shoulder.

Goosebumps rose where his hand touched her, but Ella only smiled more brightly.

“It’s only natural between those who are to be wed.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“So I hope you’ll accept my goodwill a little more freely.”

Zikhart’s fingertips moved slowly toward Ella’s lips.

His hand against the thin skin of her face was warm.

The heavy, intent touch laden with s*xual meaning made Ella’s stomach turn.

‘Lunatic.’

He seemed to have forgotten entirely that they were standing in a chapel. Even his eyes burned with undisguised desire. The eyes visible through his dark hair were unmistakably green, but they looked murky.

Goosebumps ran down her spine, but Ella didn’t push him away.

“Meriella……”

His chin tilted slightly to the side. Even as the distance between them closed slowly, Ella kept her composure.

Just before their lips could meet……

“I’m sorry.”

Ella stepped back and turned her head.

A small sound of frustration followed immediately. Ella looked back at Zikhart, who let out a short, hollow laugh.

His expression had gone rigid, like a child who had a sweet snatched away right in front of him.

Of course.

The disappointment in his eyes was overflowing.

“Your Highness.”

Ella deliberately took his hand in both of hers.

“The malevolent energy I have absorbed has not yet been purified. I don’t want it to reach you. It would surely have some adverse effect.”

“……”

“This is entirely for your wellbeing, so please understand my heart.”

What purer intention could there be.

He looked at their joined hands and then let out a resigned laugh.

“When you put it that way, I have nothing more to say.”

Zikhart brought Ella’s hand to his lips.

A light, soft sound, and he pressed a kiss to the back of her hand.

“For now, this will have to be enough, Miss Meriella.”

Zikhart’s eyes gleamed with base desire. Not even bothering to hide it, he looked her over openly.

The saintess’s robes covered almost everything, but unlike before, Zikhart seemed to find even that appealing now.

“I hope this consecration rite ends as soon as possible.”

The sincerity in his voice was unmistakable.

***

A few unremarkable days passed.

Ella stayed faithful to her role as saintess and moved freely throughout the palace. Whether because of what she had said, the maids and servants didn’t follow her.

Thanks to that, she was able to survey the palace at her leisure and scout out locations she would need for her plans.

The imperial knight order training grounds in the northern part of the palace.

“That’s enough for today.”

After completing a false consecration on the large sword sculpture that was the Royal Hounds’ emblem, Ella walked away at an unhurried pace.

Her bearing was dignified and sacred, but her mind was occupied with entirely different thoughts.

‘I’ll need to go outside soon to get more toho leaves……’

The toho leaves she had brought for the coughing blood were down to just enough for three more uses.

She needed to keep this up for a while longer.

Which meant she needed more toho leaves.

“Would a month’s worth be enough?”

The side effects of long-term toho leaf consumption had long since been pushed out of her mind.

Ella’s gaze turned toward the direction of Lake Wellea.

“Right, tomorrow…… I’ll go tomorrow.”

Getting toho leaves on Hazet Street wouldn’t be difficult.

With her thoughts settled, Ella’s steps quickened.

“Miss Meriella.”

A voice from behind made Ella stop.

Tailian stood there in his knight order uniform. It was the first time she had seen him since entering the palace.

“Sir Martis.”

“What brings you out this far?”

“I followed the trail of malevolent energy and found myself here. I just finished a consecration and was on my way back.”