Ch.198198. The Imperial Princess and the Saint

The heir’s coronation ceremony concluded grandly after a week-long feast.

The heads of state who had traveled far for political reasons returned home, each having achieved their intended purposes from attending the ceremony.

Some had formed connections that could increase their wealth, while others collected crucial information that might serve as political leverage.

Though their objectives and gains varied, they all began to depart one after another as soon as the ceremony ended.

Of course, given the large number of attendees, they left gradually to avoid confusion. The nobles, who valued appearances, preferred not to leave in noisy crowds.

After about three days, all who had attended the heir’s coronation ceremony had departed—except for one group: Holy Saint Veronica’s party from the Holy Empire.

Veronica had come here not only to meet Gilbert but also for another purpose.

If she determined that Gilbert was indeed the figure from the revelation, her task was to guide him to the prayer room where the revelation had been received.

Having become convinced through their private meeting that Gilbert was the figure from the revelation, Veronica urged him to travel to the Holy Empire.

Gilbert also had his own reasons for needing to go to the Holy Empire, so they concluded they would travel together.

However, there was one procedure Gilbert needed to go through before he could leave for the Holy Empire.

The Demeia Academy was focused on reconstruction efforts, but it remained closed indefinitely as normalization would still take time.

While he didn’t need permission from any professor specifically, there was someone he absolutely needed to report to before traveling to another country.

“Your Highness, Crown Princess. Lord Gilbert has come to see you.”

“Hmm, he may enter.”

As soon as permission was granted, Gilbert strode through the opening door.

Inside the office, Seraphina was reviewing stacks of documents.

Several empty teacups sat before her, suggesting she had been working for quite some time.

Gilbert felt somewhat sorry seeing Seraphina, who typically preferred to enjoy her tea leisurely, so immersed in work that she couldn’t even take time to savor it. She looked like a modern person desperately trying to avoid working overtime.

“My disciple has arrived. However, I have no leisure time. There are too many documents to process due to the heir position being vacant for so long.”

Only after checking the last page of the document she was reviewing did Seraphina look up at Gilbert. Her eyes appeared slightly darkened beneath, likely from the continued strain.

“Are you sleeping well?”

“I get two to three hours of sound sleep daily, so there’s no need to worry.”

“Two to three hours can hardly be called sound sleep.”

“What can one do? It’s the minimum responsibility one must bear as a ruler.”

Seraphina, pressing her brow from fatigue, waved her hand dismissively as if it were nothing.

Gilbert nodded inwardly as he observed Seraphina’s eyes, which remained sharp despite her exhaustion. Even during his days playing Tactical Combat, Seraphina had always maintained her position as a ruler who prioritized her empire’s citizens.

Wasn’t it stated in the developer’s official lore that her romance route never opened because she placed the empire as her highest priority, and would only choose a partner who could benefit the empire?

Though some things had changed in reality…

Gilbert deliberately pushed the normalized sub-scenario content from his mind.

“More importantly, seeing that you’ve suddenly come to me, you must have business. I’m quite curious what scheme you have this time.”

“It’s nothing unreasonable this time. I merely wish to request permission to visit the Holy Empire with Saint Veronica—”

“Denied!”

Gilbert barely managed to stop himself from flinching at the sharp refusal that came before he could even finish speaking.

Seraphina, who had seemed cheerful just moments ago, now had her eyebrows raised high with a resolute expression. She somewhat resembled a cat with its fur standing on end.

It was such an unusual sight that Gilbert wondered what was happening. Even when someone had tampered with the system, she had behaved strangely, but that was because her thought process had been forcibly altered.

Unlike that distorted appearance from before, her current demeanor, though somewhat different, still seemed like the real Seraphina.

Thinking about it more, Gilbert could see sufficient reason for her to prevent his trip to the Holy Empire. Though her reaction was intense, it made sense that she might think Veronica coveted Gilbert as a talent, since the saint had openly stated she came here to meet him.

Gilbert, who was going to the Holy Empire with his own purpose, felt the need to quickly clear up this misunderstanding.

“Master, I’m going to the Holy Empire only because I have business there, not for any other reason.”

“‘Not for any other reason,’ you say. Then let me ask you this: what exactly is your business in the Holy Empire?”

An intangible pressure emanated from Seraphina, born with the qualities of an emperor. It wasn’t a physical force like magic, but rather a dignified aura or charisma that made it difficult to breathe.

Gilbert wanted to explain everything, but he couldn’t directly speak about the revelation concerning the hero and demon lord. This was something Veronica had earnestly requested he keep confidential.

Nor could he say that he was a transmigrator who had possessed this body, and that he was going to ask about why he was transmigrated and if there was a way to return. That was information he intended to keep secret at all costs.

“Disciple, is it my imagination that your answer is delayed?”

The strange pressure continued. Judging that further delay would be unwise, Gilbert quickly gathered his thoughts and began speaking:

“I was just organizing my thoughts. I’m visiting the Holy Empire primarily because Saint Veronica requested it.”

“What reason would a saint have to summon the empire’s hero?”

Her gaze sharpened further.

Seraphina, who was protective of talented individuals, seemed to be guarding against any potential situation.

“It appears she’s discovered something related to Horizon. She requested my presence to confirm it.”

“Then shouldn’t she make an official request to me? I wonder how I should interpret her secretly approaching only my disciple.”

“She says it’s not certain, so she made an unofficial request. I presume she approached me unofficially in case any remnants of the enemy remain.”

“That sounds plausible. However, I still deny permission. I cannot casually send the empire’s hero to another country. If it were an official dispatch based on a formal request, perhaps. But I cannot allow something unofficial.”

This, too, was ultimately a political reason.

Sending Gilbert, who was currently celebrated as a hero in the empire, to the Holy Empire for unofficial reasons presented several political issues.

First, since Gilbert was known as Seraphina’s sword, his unofficial appearance in the Holy Empire could suggest he had turned to their side.

It made no logical sense that he, from the prominent Hart family, would suddenly defect to the Holy Empire, but politics typically involved taking small flaws and magnifying them.

Though her support base remained solid, Seraphina had just been crowned as heir and become Crown Princess, so she needed to reestablish her position.

While changing an heir wasn’t common, it wasn’t impossible, meaning other succession candidates still had a chance. They wouldn’t simply ignore such a situation, so there was no need to create unnecessary problems.

Beyond that, neighboring countries might link Gilbert, who was beginning to pass the prime age for marriage, with Veronica.

Though Veronica was a saint, the Holy Empire’s doctrine didn’t forbid marriage, so people might suspect a relationship between them.

Since alliances formed through marriage had always been powerful, some might even imagine a marital alliance between the Infractus Empire and the Holy Empire.

Though somewhat far-fetched, the image itself was appealing:

The meeting of the empire’s hero and the Holy Empire’s saint.

It couldn’t look better as a picture.

“So I deny permission. I have no intention of granting it, so you may leave.”

“For the empire’s stability, we must confirm whether Horizon has backers or not.”

“If you follow official procedures, I would gladly send you.”

“It’s because that’s not possible that I’m pleading like this.”

Seraphina insisted on refusal while Gilbert persisted in seeking permission, but they reached no conclusion.

The result was inevitable, as the two maintained parallel positions with no room for compromise.

“Disciple, I have no intention of changing my mind. I see no need to take political risks to secretly dispatch you.”

“Even if Horizon has backers?”

“Even so, nothing is confirmed. Besides, I clearly stated: if an official request comes, I would gladly grant permission.”

Seraphina firmly stated there was no room for negotiation.

From a logical standpoint, there seemed no way to win this argument.

But retreating now would block his path to the Holy Empire. It was clear that bringing up this topic again wouldn’t be easily permitted, so he needed to secure permission somehow.

Gilbert reluctantly decided he needed to shake things up.

“Is this because of your previous proposal?”

“Proposal?”

Seraphina, who had been blocking Gilbert’s trip to the Holy Empire, looked at him strangely as he suddenly changed the subject. Her gaze seemed to be assessing whether he had some hidden agenda.

“Didn’t you ask me to become your consort?”

“T-That!”

Seraphina, who had been responding calmly until now, visibly flustered. Gilbert had forcibly brought up a memory that even she found strange and had buried deeply.

Though Seraphina had acted differently while under mental manipulation from the system hack, she hadn’t lost her memories of that time. She was aware that while she found her behavior strange, the conclusion she reached was her own.

Now that the system was normalized, she couldn’t understand those emotions from that moment, but still found her conclusion somewhat valid.

Objectively, Gilbert was suitable for the position of consort, and considering her personal preferences, he was a man she liked.

But regardless of those thoughts, approaching him about becoming her consort in such an uncharacteristic manner was embarrassing for Seraphina.

Her demeanor when offering Gilbert the consort position had been full of clingy possessiveness and sticky exclusivity, suggesting she would destroy him if she couldn’t have him.

If it had been her usual proposal based on cold rationality, it wouldn’t have bothered her, but Seraphina, who clearly remembered her behavior in that moment, couldn’t maintain her composure.

To appear that way—wouldn’t it make her seem like a woman who couldn’t live without her disciple!

Seraphina suddenly felt her throat dry and took a sip of the cold tea.

“If you’re concerned that my trip to the Holy Empire will delay the consort appointment ceremony, please don’t worry. I’ll return as quickly as possible.”

“Disciple! I’ve only just become Crown Princess! There’s much to handle since the heir position was vacant for so long. A consort appointment ceremony is premature.”

Seraphina hastily cut off Gilbert’s words, speaking without pause. It was a different demeanor from her usual composed and elegant self.

Gilbert, realizing he had successfully shaken things up, subtly requested permission for the Holy Empire trip again.

“In that case, may I visit the Holy Empire?”

“Didn’t I say! That is denied.”

“So it is because of the consort ceremony that you’re concerned—”

“Enough! Very well. I grant permission!”

Seraphina shouted, slamming her desk, and Gilbert said no more, bowing his head.

Having finally obtained what he wanted, he simply smiled.

Of course, he couldn’t have anticipated Seraphina’s burning gaze, as his head was bowed.