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CHAPTER 03
“How…? Where are we going…?”
“Come with me. The temple is far too rigid with its outdated rules, isn’t it?”
“But…”
“Now, this is when you say, ‘Let’s go, Your Highness,’” he said, like a good teacher, gently leading Akarna along.
She could never forget that day.
How on earth had he found a hidden escape hole in the temple? Where did he even obtain those dull robes that allowed him to disguise himself? And why had his ever-present escorts suddenly become ordinary commoner friends? Everything unfolded so smoothly it felt unreal—strange and fascinating all at once.
The Crown Prince, who had somehow changed his jet-black hair into a more common brown shade, even altered his demeanor to match that of an ordinary citizen. Stripped of his royal adornments, he looked like a simple village youth. Seeing him like that made Ji-woo’s heart race again.
Stepping outside felt like finally taking a deep breath. For the first time, she had left the suffocating temple—not as Akarna, but as an ordinary person.
When the Crown Prince casually walked into a tavern and ordered grilled sausages and dark beer, she almost teared up. In the temple, she had been forced into frugal living and only eaten small portions as if it were a ritual. But Ji-woo, in her original world, had been a modern person who ordered fried chicken and opened beer on a good day.
The greasy meat and dark ale were unbelievably delicious. The sensation of rich juices and bold flavor sliding down her throat after so long could only be described as pure bliss.
As Ji-woo, flushed and happily enjoying her food, looked up, she soon heard a soft laugh.
The Crown Prince was resting his chin on his hand, smiling at her.
“I didn’t know our Akarna was so good with alcohol.”
“Uh… is it okay to say things like that?”
“What? Ah, you mean the word Akarna? It’s fine. Akarna doesn’t only refer to the temple’s Akarna—it can also be used to affectionately refer to a beloved lover.”
Seeing Ji-woo look around flustered, the Crown Prince grinned reassuringly.
The knights behind him scolded him for always saying embarrassing things whenever they went out, but he looked just like a carefree young man from the countryside. Perhaps because she was slightly tipsy, Ji-woo’s heart kept fluttering at his behavior.
After that day, the number of times she went out with the Crown Prince increased.
Once the first step had been taken, everything became easier.
Moreover, learning through real experiences was far more effective in helping Ji-woo speak than structured lessons. The temple disapproved of Akarna meeting the Crown Prince, but the more they objected, the more frequently the two of them met.
Sometimes they went to the market and wandered around, looking at cheap goods. The Crown Prince even bought her small gifts without any ulterior motive.
A necklace made of bright blue gemstones resembled the sky that day. A cloudless, pure blue sky. It felt like she had been given a memory of that beautiful day. Afraid of losing or damaging it, Ji-woo carefully hid it away in her room as if it were something precious.
Another time, instead of language, the Crown Prince taught her horseback riding, and she rode across the grasslands for the first time. At first, she was scared—but soon she grew used to it. The rhythmic sound of hooves, the rapidly changing scenery, and the wind scattering her hair all became things she could enjoy.
“How is it? Isn’t it beautiful?”
In the distance, windmills turned across vast farmland. Colorful rooftops of red and blue stretched across villages, wide rivers curved through the land, and grain silos stood like towers. White clouds drifted across a brilliant blue sky—it looked like a scene from a fairy tale.
From a high hill overlooking the world of people, the Crown Prince introduced his kingdom.
A land of distinct seasons, fertile soil, abundant resources, and wise people. The Empire had developed beyond all others, earning the admiration—and submission—of neighboring nations.
The Holy Capital, where the voice of God was said to reach, was also within this Empire. Akarna herself had descended through this land. In that sense, the Empire could easily be called a blessed land.
“But the Empire was not always this prosperous.”
“Really?”
“You’ve purified lands corrupted by miasma as Akarna before, haven’t you?”
“Yes.”
Land tainted by dark energy left behind by monsters—places where nothing could grow, where no buildings could stand. Wastelands.
Humans who lived there for long would become ill. Their bodies would slowly darken before they died, and upon death, they would release miasma into the surroundings. To be infected by that disease was essentially a death sentence—exile from human society.
It was no exaggeration to say the Empire’s borders were formed by such corrupted land. Border guards defended against monsters rather than human invaders.
However, Akarna was unaffected by miasma. She could heal the sick and purify corrupted land. It was because of people like Akarna that the Empire was able to expand its territory while others struggled.
It was only natural that many nations bowed before such a powerful empire.
“In the past, most of the land was like that—wastelands. The Empire’s armies drove out monsters that threatened people, and Akarnas like you purified the corrupted land. That long history is what built the Empire we have today.”
As he spoke, the Crown Prince seemed proud of his ancestors, the royal family, and his people. Even his usually calm expression carried the pride of his homeland.
“But… the land corrupted by miasma is still expanding. If we are careless, monsters will swarm again. What do you think about saving people who suffer and expanding land where they can live peacefully?”
Ji-woo was slightly surprised that he was asking for her opinion. She thought carefully, not wanting to sound careless.
If she thought about what the temple asked of her, the answer was easy. Sick people would cry as she healed their wounds and cured their illnesses, even kissing her robes in gratitude. Purifying miasma was difficult, but when she received crops grown in newly purified land as a gift, she even felt a sense of pride.
It had only felt like hard work… but looking back, it wasn’t something without meaning.
“I think it’s the right thing to do.”
“I see. But there are still many who cannot accept that help.”
“Have they not received aid yet?”
“No. They refuse it. Non-human races do not believe in holy power, and the alchemists beyond the walls consider divinity a blasphemy.”
The Crown Prince looked toward the distant horizon.
Ji-woo still did not fully understand. She had never seen monsters directly. But she had seen drawings of them, heard stories, and witnessed how horrifyingly those infected by miasma could become. If someone was offering help, she could not understand why they would refuse it.
“You don’t understand either, do you?”
Ji-woo briefly thought about religion on Earth.
If holy power were invisible like in her world, atheism would make sense. She herself had not believed in gods. But here, temples truly healed the sick and drove out monsters. That’s why it was confusing.
Still, she found herself defending her old self.
“Well… if you haven’t experienced divine miracles yourself, then not believing is probably the more rational choice. No one has the right to take away their freedom.”
“…You say surprising things sometimes. Is that because you are Akarna?”
The Crown Prince chuckled softly and continued.
“I want to make this world—not just the Empire, but the entire world—a better place to live. You might call it a foolish dream, but I want to save even those people. Even if they look different from us, even if they think differently, they are still people who must coexist in this world.”
Sunlight illuminated his straight brow and sharp nose. A gentle wind tousled his hair. He looked like he carried the warmth of sunlight itself.
When he brushed his hair back and smiled brightly again, Ji-woo felt as if she had been nailed in place. She was cut off from the world, as if only the two of them existed there. Only later did she realize how violently her heart had been beating.
“I think that kind of thinking is wonderful too.”
“Thank you.”
The Crown Prince extended his hand.
“Then… will you help me?”
The wind swept across the wide grasslands once more, passing through his hair and through her heart.
She didn’t know exactly when it happened. Perhaps she had loved him long before that moment. But it was there—at that moment—that she realized the love already rooted inside her.
She had lived without belonging either to this world or the temple, but because of the Crown Prince, she had come to love this world. So she devoted herself. So she tried harder.
When her feelings that had followed him were finally returned, she even cried uncontrollably. But she was happy. Even though Akarna’s duty was difficult, it felt worthwhile when she thought of building a future with him.
Who could have known that such feelings would one day be so brutally betrayed.
