It was a time-saver to just choose a horse that was in poor condition from the start.
I mounted the horse as I had grown accustomed to over three years of practice. Then, I took my time, gently settling into the saddle so as not to startle the sickly horse.
The horse, which had been standing precariously, eventually found some stability. I slowly, gradually picked up speed, urging the horse forward.
The stable hand's face, as it fleetingly passed by, was filled with surprise.
'Right. Ersen didn't like horses.'
Since he didn't like them, he wouldn't have ridden them like this, either.
This, too, would probably be reported to the Emperor or His Highness Theodore… but this much incongruity is fine.
I ignored it and headed for the temple.
To the Grand Temple of Lucet, which serves the Goddess Miele.
***
It didn't take long to arrive at the temple.
"Your Highness, the Second Prince?"
"I came to pray."
When I said it with a relaxed smile, the priest hesitated.
He then subtly hid his condescending posture, tilted his head slightly, and began to guide me obediently.
'So this is the advantage of being confident.'
And so, for a week.
I visited the temple almost every day, only to pray and return.
'Before, I spent a whole week in the marketplace to catch the moment Sercil was pickpocketed.'
And I didn't even realize that was overly provoking the imperial family.
The temple would be less so.
"Your Highness, you've arrived."
"Mm-hmm."
When I smiled wryly, drawing out the end of my words, the priest, unlike the first time, guided me cautiously with a subtly wary expression.
As I was going to the prayer room as always, the priest suddenly spoke.
"You said you wished to cleanse your body and mind before the holy day's service, did you not?"
"That's right."
As I dimly recalled the excuse I had given the priest and nodded, the priest said in a pleased tone.
"To think Your Highness was such a devout person…! Miele will also highly regard Your Highness's devotion."
"Thank you, Priest Yuan."
If he had said those words to anyone else, it would have been just a kind wish, but when said to Ersen, it was interpreted quite differently.
In short, it meant, "Why are you suddenly making a fuss?"
'The priests were experts at veiled insults.'
At first, I naively believed they were kind people, but later I realized I was completely mistaken.
The source of the malicious rumors that paralyzed me before regression was the temple.
"I only hope that it will be so."
"Haha! It will be. Miele particularly values those who strive to repent. And Your Highness, being of noble blood, will be even more gladly welcomed."
Basically, it meant, 'Are you sane, coming to the temple so often when the blood of demons, who are at odds with the temple, flows through your veins?'
Anyway, I ignored these reactions and consistently marked my presence for a week.
'Now, it's about time…'
No sooner had I thought it than the awaited moment arrived, more dramatically than expected.
"Let go! Let go of me! What kind of place is this? They said they were looking for an understudy for a play, but these are just pure fraudsters!"
The person who disappeared, his mouth muffled with a "muffled" sound at the end, had hair the clear sky blue of a summer sky.
'…Sercil.'
His image, who never cursed me even as he was dying from an irresistible curse, flashed before my eyes.
Because he didn't blame me, I found it even harder to forgive.
My ignorance and recklessness that provided the cause for him to have to die.
'It won't happen this time.'
Because this time, the enemy you're worried about won't be the curse, but Ersen Mayer.
And that enemy will be an illusory one, causing no harm.
As I stared intently at that side, the priest smiled awkwardly and said,
"Oh dear, when reporting the common affairs of life to Miele, people occasionally make such loud noises. After forcefully calming them down, they often feel unnecessarily sorry. They really don't need to…"
"Ah, I see. Indeed."
I responded vaguely, with an expression that suggested I understood everything.
The fact that only one corner of my mouth lifted was a mistake, but he flinched and avoided my gaze.
"Understood, shall we go then? We need to finish my confession, don't we?"
The priest, who always guided me to the "Confession" room right next to the Room of Punishment, nodded his head and hurried his steps.
And immediately after entering the Confession room, as soon as he left the doorway, I left the prayer room.
***
The attendant, walking behind the Crown Prince, subtly observed the side of his master's face that was briefly visible.
'He had no success today either.'
Theodore Meyer, the heir to the Emperor, inherited the Fire magic and the unique magic 'Disguise,' passed down through generations of the imperial family.
He had been spending uneasy days for several years due to a sudden curse.
'…A curse that makes you go mad at the sight of blood.'
It was widely known that while the Crown Prince's magic power was strong, his control over it was somewhat lacking, but in truth, it was this curse that made him unstable.
The methods to break the curse were either the unique magic 'Nullification' or divine power. The former was not found in the current generation, and the latter was not strong enough to break this curse.
Thus, they were ultimately tracking down which half-demon had cast the curse through the archbishop.
If they knew who cast the curse, they could interrogate them or use their bloodline to break it.
The half-demons kept denying their involvement, but they would be unable to say anything if the archbishop's tracking was used as evidence.
However, unfortunately, for several years, the archbishop had only given the answer that he was "still tracking."
"It seems like it's not a curse cast by an ordinary half-demon."
"Always the same story."
"I apologize, Your Highness."
His Highness said that it was unpleasant to see the gentle old priest at a loss, and recently, he had been trying to minimize his visits to the temple.
He also said that he would manage it so that there would be no problems even if he had to live with this curse for the rest of his life.
'Although he did get gloomy on days when there was no news…'
Still, he was always a person who calmly accepted the situation, but for some reason, today he seemed unable to calm his mind easily.
And the attendant knew why.
"That guy, hah… the Second Prince is at the temple?"
"Yes, yes."
"Call him over."
The incident between the Emperor and the pure-blooded heir of the half-demons was covered up to prevent great dishonor to the imperial family.
But everyone inside the palace, except for recent newcomers, knew about it.
That the Second Prince was the result of that incident.
So, if that person had any shame, he shouldn't have been wandering around outside so freely. The Emperor could have killed the Second Prince at any time, and it would have been easier, but he let him live.
'Even if he doesn't have childhood memories, shouldn't he be a bit more aware of his surroundings by now?'
Unless the palace attendants of the Prince's Palace were doing nothing but raising him to be a scoundrel…
Just as Theodore's attendant, concealing his true thoughts, was about to go fetch the Second Prince.
"Ah! This, this! Isn't it Brother?"
That shameless individual appeared, causing an even bigger commotion.
"…Brother?"
Seeing Theodore's terrifyingly cold face, the attendant began to hiccup.
Of course, no one paid him any mind.
"Yes!" Hup!
Where did he even come from?
The Second Prince climbed over the railing of the corridor that opened onto the garden, gracefully landed two steps away from the Crown Prince, and said with a mischievous, deeply scheming smile.
"How about it? It's been a long time, would you like to have some tea?"
Was he… the kind of person who would say something like that?
Elegant pronunciation. A tone that wasn't slow but felt drawn out, making it feel like he was whispering right beside one's ear.
The attendant forced down a hiccup and squinted his eyes.
Theodore's cold, golden eyes slowly followed the Second Prince.
"Yes? Brother Theodore."
…The shame of the imperial family, whom he faced directly after 12 years, had grown into something like a demon from an ancient text.
A demon playing nasty tricks.
***
"Has he lost his mind?"
Brother Theodore's face was expressionless as he asked, tilting his head slightly.
I grinned, my eyes crinkling, and nodded, saying,
"Let's just say I've become shameless. So, don't you have time?"
"…"
In an instant, a powerful pressure, strong enough to shrink my heart, intensely focused on me.
It's rare for a Sword Master to release such an aura on someone with no martial power.
'He must dislike me that much.'
Fortunately, it was something I had experienced almost daily before regression, so I was able to maintain my suspicious demeanor without wavering.
Brother looked at me silently, then casually turned his body.
"Follow me."
"Oh!"
I playfully added an exclamation of joy, then followed him with light steps.
As expected, the place he headed to was one of the interrogation rooms in the rarely visited basement.
Indeed, this was the only place in the temple where there were no listening ears right now.
All the way down, I deliberately chose actions that would provoke him.
"It's dark. Is this to your taste, Brother?"
"…"
"Or are you shy about talking to me?"
"…"
"Brother, Brooother. Can't you hear me?"
"His Majesty—"
He, who had only been listening quietly, stopped at some point and spoke without turning to face me.
"—will not punish me if I cut you down here."
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