The Empire’s Princess (7)

Hero Haru’s departure left only taut tension in the wedding hall.

Seraphin’s pure white wings trembled with anger. A sacred light flashed in her violet eyes.

,Why did you interfere?

Iris calmly smiled, smoothing the hem of her wedding dress.

,Interfere? I simply respected Haru’s will.

,Will…?

,Haru wanted to escape. So, I simply… opened the way.

Seraphin’s eyes twisted. The paladins raised their weapons as if responding to her anger.

,Hmm… Is this what they call a good wife? Noticing what her husband wants first?

,Don’t say such nonsense! There’s no way the Hero-nim wanted to escape from me!

,Hehe, it seems I know more about Haru than you do? Even more than the Saintess-nim who’s been by his side all along.

,Are you… trying to test my heart?

,There’s no need to test it. The answer is already out.

,That’s a lie. The Hero-nim and I are destined. Chosen by the Goddess… The Hero-nim ran away because of your coercion and force!

Seraphin’s voice trembled. Her eight wings spread out threateningly.

,You… dare…!

,So? Do you really want to fight?

Iris sneered.

,The Demon King is still alive, and you want humans to shed blood among themselves?

She was right. With the Demon King still alive, the Order and the Empire couldn’t clash.

,Besides… you’re the Goddess’s Saintess, aren’t you?

Seraphin’s movements stopped. The sacred energy subsided.

,The Saintess shedding blood fighting the Empire’s princess? The Goddess-nim… wouldn’t want that.

Her wings slowly folded. The will to fight faded.

The paladins headed towards the corner of the wedding hall. Their target was the Archbishop of the Imperial Diocese, who was trembling in the corner.

,Archbishop-nim, please come with us.

The Archbishop’s face turned pale. He trembled and knelt.

,Saintess-nim, this is a misunderstanding. I…

Seraphin’s gaze turned to him. A cold light flickered in her violet eyes.

,You tried to change the Goddess’s will with gold?

,How could I…? I was merely considering the relationship with the Imperial Family…

,So, you interfered with the Hero-nim and my destiny?

,Saintess-nim, please!

,Arrest him. The investigation will be conducted directly by the Papal State.

The paladins moved at Seraphin’s command. The sound of the Archbishop being dragged away echoed.

The Paladin Commander approached Seraphin and whispered in her ear.

,Saintess-nim, it would be best to withdraw for now. We’ve already lost the Hero-nim, and… we’ve arrested the Archbishop, who was the reason for our deployment. Knowing when to retreat is also wisdom.

Seraphin clenched her fist tightly.

,…I understand.

Seraphin turned towards Iris. A cold determination settled in her violet eyes.

,I’ll be returning now. But… the Hero-nim will definitely return to my side. Because that is the Goddess’s will.

,Hehe… Delusions are free.

Iris waved her hand gracefully. Seraphin and the paladins left the Empire.

Once the last sound of the apostle’s footsteps disappeared, Iris let out a sigh of relief. Her cold mask briefly slipped.

,Your Majesty, is it alright to let them go like this?

Maid Chief Eva asked cautiously.

,It’s fine. Now is not a good time for anyone.

Iris looked at the sky through the broken window.

,I didn’t know the place Haru left… would feel this empty.

Silence flowed. The Maid Chief silently stood by her side.

,Eva.

,Yes, Your Majesty.

,You can take your time restoring the wedding hall. I want to leave it as it is… for a little while longer.

Her eyes turned to somewhere far away. A small smile appeared on her lips.

,Someday, Haru will definitely be mine… no, the Empire’s.

A dangerous desire flickered within her cold smile. The hem of the wedding dress held in her hand sparkled.

***

In the heart of the Empire, in the Imperial Palace’s office, Iris put down her teacup.

,Please don’t be too heartbroken, Princess-nim.

Eva spoke carefully. Despite the Maid Chief’s perfect posture, her voice was filled with genuine concern.

,Heartbroken, you say…

A smile spread across Iris’s lips.

,I didn’t think I could get him right away from the start.

,But even up to the wedding…

,Haru would have run away even if the Saintess hadn’t come.

She walked to the window. The moonlight softly illuminated her silhouette.

,If I want to possess him completely… I have to wait for the right time.

Her smile deepened.

,It’s called the Thousand-Year Empire, but… true glory has yet to come.

Ambition settled on her face.

,The Demon race’s invasion took away many things. Countless lives were lost, and cities turned to ashes… But in our blood, we became stronger. Suffering has developed humanity.

,The Empire’s power is stronger than ever.

Eva nodded.

,The Demon King is holed up in the castle, and there are only two of the Four Heavenly Kings left.

,Yes… this is an opportunity.

Iris’s voice gained strength.

,An opportunity to build an eternal empire.

She slowly rose from her chair. The moonlight dyed her hair silver.

,Besides, the situation is on our side.

,The Hero-nim’s party…

,Yes. What if they had defeated the Demon King now? The world would have fallen into chaos again.

A smile of victory spread across Iris’s lips.

,But it’s different now. We can use this situation.

She looked out the window. The Empire’s capital, spread out under the moonlight, came into view.

,If I conquer the world… Haru will naturally fall into my grasp at the pinnacle of that glory.

,Shall I organize a special task force?

Eva asked immediately. It was a quick judgment befitting the Maid Chief.

,Yes. So that we can track Haru’s whereabouts.

Iris nodded. A dangerous light flickered in her crimson eyes.

,But be careful. Never show hostility… just watch.

,Understood, Princess-nim.

Eva bowed gracefully. There was not a single flaw in her movements.

,Hehe… The longer I wait, the greater the joy of possession will be.

Iris’s voice echoed softly under the moonlight. But the obsession hidden within seemed deeper than ever.

,I’ll create the perfect empire with my own hands. And…

Her smile shone coldly like the moonlight.

,In the middle of that empire, I will possess him forever.

It was a beautiful but dangerous smile, like the thorns of a rose.

***

The Holy Luminus Theocracy’s Grand Cathedral. The moonlight shining through the golden stained glass dyed the sacred space.

The Saintess’s return. Even in opposition to the Empire’s princess.

Seraphin was sitting alone in her chambers. The city lights visible outside the window sparkled like stars.

,My authority comes from the Hero’s party. Alone…

Her violet eyes wavered. The Pope and Cardinals, the Archbishops of each diocese. Their power dominated the Order. No matter how much of a Saintess she was, the reality was that she couldn’t move without the consent of others.

But now, that had to change.

Seraphin quietly stood before the altar. Her gaze turned to the Goddess statue.

,Hero-nim…

Her whisper echoed in the darkness. Haru’s image came to mind. His expression when he always avoided prayer meetings and found rituals bothersome.

,I understand. All of that… must have been interfering with our time.

She tightly gripped her chest with her hand. A corner of her heart ached.

,The rituals, the doctrines were all stifling… Perhaps I… was I acting too much like a Saintess?

Her pure white Saintess robes were dyed in moonlight. But beneath those pure clothes, Seraphin’s heart was confused.

,Prayer meetings, rituals… those things are no longer important.

Determination settled in her eyes.

,The time to love the Hero-nim is the most important. To do that…

Seraphin reached out her hand. The sacred chimes calling the apostles rang out.

The apostles gathered. They were the ones blessed by the Goddess. A faint sacred light shone from their bodies. The intensity of that light varied depending on the size of the blessing. Some shone like a faint moonlight, while others shone like a bright star.

,Pure White Saintess-nim…

But everyone was like a firefly in broad daylight before Seraphin. The sacred energy emanating from her wings was like the sun.

The apostles knelt. Their eyes were filled with reverence. Absolute worship towards the Saintess, who was called the Goddess’s incarnation. The hierarchy of the apostles was determined solely by the Goddess’s blessing.

,I need to get the Order into my grasp.

Seraphin stood before the altar. She put her hands together towards the Goddess statue.

In that instant, a sacred energy swirled. The entire Grand Cathedral began to be filled with light.

,The Cardinals, the Archbishops… I’ll make them all kneel before me.

No longer the obedient Saintess, but just the voice of a girl in love.

,Everything in the Order must change. For the Hero-nim… anything.

It was at that moment.

The sacred light soared explosively. A dazzling radiance filled the Grand Cathedral.

Swish-!

The sound of new wings growing. Now, ten wings were spread out behind her back.

,Ah…!

Seraphin’s eyes were filled with emotion.

,Goddess-nim… is this your will?

Tears streamed down her cheeks. The emotion contained in those tears was joy.

,I understand now. My choice… my love was right. The Goddess-nim is also blessing me, right?

The moonlight shone on her ten wings. The pure white feathers shone sharply like swords.

,Thank you, Goddess-nim.

A smile spread across Seraphin’s lips. That pure smile now had a dangerous light.

Like an obsession packaged in the name of destiny.