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Chapter 8
“Let me ask you once more. Will you become my bride—”
“I refuse.”
Before he could even finish his sentence, Sienna’s second rejection fell cleanly between them.
The Grand Duke of Bleidel looked genuinely stunned.
“…Did I mishear you?”
He slowly withdrew the hand he had extended toward her.
“To think there would be a woman in this empire who would refuse my proposal.”
He rose to his feet.
At once, the onlookers stiffened. In this atmosphere, a single careless word could cost someone their tongue—permanently.
Sienna, too, felt a sudden chill of fear. The image of the beggar coughing up blood the day before flashed through her mind.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
“I am not offering you the position of a mistress. I am offering you the seat of Grand Duchess of Bleidel.”
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
But that proposal was only the beginning.
A mansion. Dresses. Jewels. Even an entire shopping district. As the scale of his offers grew, the people around them could barely keep their mouths closed.
Then came the peak.
“If you wish…”
He slid the tip of his red tongue over his lower lip.
“I promise you’ll be satisfied at night as well.”
Several young ladies in the crowd found themselves nodding unconsciously.
The one who broke the flow was none other than Crown Prince Haulraner.
“Hmm. Young lady, what is your name?”
At the sudden appearance of those golden eyes, the onlookers hurriedly bowed. Sienna followed suit.
“My name is Sienna, Your Highness.”
Haulraner’s face looked utterly composed. Only the faint tremble at the tip of his gloved fingers betrayed him.
Only Sienna—kneeling directly before him—noticed it.
He’s been waiting for the Saintess for a very long time too.
While the Grand Duke and the Crown Prince exchanged words that sounded halfway between banter and challenge, that trembling did not cease. Even when Haulraner extended his bare hand toward Sienna, after removing his glove.
When their fingertips touched—
The trembling finally stopped.
She felt him gently squeeze her hand, only enough to remain within the bounds of etiquette.
“At last, I’ve found you.”
She was the Saintess he had searched for so desperately. It was no wonder he offered her a blank contract.
“If there is anything you desire, simply say the word. I can even grant you a title. Just write it here, and it will be yours, Sienna.”
Except for himself, Haulraner was prepared to give her anything—so long as she would remain by his side.
An arrogant, domineering Grand Duke. A gentle, dignified Crown Prince.
Neither of them were men accustomed to rejection. So naturally, their smiles vanished at her answer.
“I… cannot choose either of you. I wish only to serve the Goddess.”
Sienna rejected them both.
No matter how much I like men or money, they’re not worth more than my life.
Inwardly, she renewed her vow to run away in the dead of night.
“……”
“……”
With the Saintess standing between them, silence fell.
It was the Grand Duke’s deep voice that finally broke it.
“Simon.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
One of the black-cloaked knights stepped forward.
The Grand Duke locked eyes with Sienna and issued his command.
“The Saintess will accompany us today.”
“Yes, sir!”
Simon, his adjutant, seemed well accustomed to situations like this. Even if his master gave an absurd order, not a flicker crossed his expression.
The other black-cloaked men were the same. If the Grand Duke told them to carry straw and leap into a fire, they would do it.
“The Saintess appears to be in no condition to exercise proper judgment. We shall escort her to the ducal residence and assign someone to monitor—no, to nurse her.”
Thud.
The contract and quill slipped from Sienna’s hand and hit the ground.
The Grand Duke’s lips twisted in amusement.
“Ah, my apologies. I usually assign guards for surveillance. My mistake.”
“Grand Duke.”
At the low voice, Sienna lifted her head.
Haulraner still sounded calm, faintly smiling. Hearing him steadied her nerves as well.
“For a man reputed to be devout, does it make sense for the Grand Duke of Bleidel to take the Saintess by force? You’ve frightened Sienna.”
Sienna nodded vigorously.
Exactly! Well said, Your Highness!
“And placing her under surveillance? As Crown Prince of this empire, that is something I cannot permit.”
The Grand Duke tilted his head slightly, offering no verbal response.
At that subtle signal, the knights of House Bleidel surged forward, surrounding Sienna. In response, the Crown Prince’s white-cloaked knights laid firm hands upon their sword hilts.
Huh? Is this a chessboard or what?!
Black cloaks and white cloaks stood on the brink of clashing.
And in the center—
Sienna.
At this rate, she wouldn’t even have bones left to collect.
“Arthur Bleidel.”
Haulraner called the Grand Duke’s name in a low, controlled voice.
The smile had completely disappeared from his face. It meant enough. He only addressed the Grand Duke like that when he was truly irritated.
And at the same time, a chill ran down Sienna’s spine.
Arthur?
Arthur?!
Found him. The male lead.
It sounded exactly like a beer brand.
Stella Artois.
She suddenly remembered the white cans her older sister used to sip from the fridge. Later, when Roha became a working adult, she would buy them in packs of four at the convenience store on her way home.
Sienna had absolutely no idea that “Haulraner” sounded suspiciously like another beer label, Paulaner.
But hearing that the Grand Duke’s name was Arthur was absurd enough.
No, seriously. The male lead is named after a beer?
She silently cursed her past self. No matter how she thought about it, the naming sense was ridiculous.
If this novel is a Western fantasy romance starring Arthur, is the next one going to be a martial arts epic where Tsingtao conquers the Central Plains?
A snort almost escaped her lips.
“Sienna, I respect your wishes. If you desire to serve the Goddess…”
As the polite Haulraner continued, Sienna felt a flicker of hope.
Yes, this is it! Welcome, kind second male lead.
“…then I shall build you a temple. Of course, within the imperial palace.”
Are you insane?! Who builds a temple inside the palace? You think I won’t notice you’re trying to keep me there?
She hastily reeled in her optimism.
This one was just as unhinged—just wrapped in better packaging.
Arthur, fearing he might lose the Saintess to Haulraner, hurried to speak.
“There is plenty of land at the ducal estate to build a temple. And House Bleidel owns the finest quarry in the empire. Imagine a temple built from rose-colored marble.”
“Sienna,” Haulraner interjected smoothly, “I would place a golden altar within it. The Goddess would surely be pleased.”
The sudden competition over who could house the Saintess more extravagantly left Sienna dizzy.
What is this, the Saintess Olympics?
Though she had refused the proposal and the blank contract, their overtime battle to claim her showed no sign of ending.
How do I refuse this?
Since she had already declared her wish to serve the Goddess, she couldn’t just invent any excuse.
Then her gaze fell upon the cluster of beggars gathered nearby.
That’s it!
Her eyes instantly grew moist—like a fawn abruptly weaned. Pure acting, of course.
“Thank you for your offers. But I do not believe the Goddess desires splendid temples or golden altars. There are so many suffering people in this world. I will remain here and help them.”
But to the seasoned Haulraner, it was a flimsy excuse.
“Indeed, your heart is truly gentle, Sienna. Just as one chosen by the Goddess should be. If you reside in the palace, I shall escort you to the temple each day—and prepare bread and bags of coins so you may perform acts of charity.”
Ha…
Her attempt didn’t even scratch him.
Arthur went even further. He called for his overly formal adjutant.
“Simon.”
“Yes!”
“Select a secretary to oversee charitable affairs. We must follow the Saintess’s wishes.”
“Your Grace!”
Despite Sienna’s shocked protest, he showed no sign of retracting the order.
She looked between Haulraner and Arthur.
True to future obsessive male leads, neither appeared willing to back down. At this rate, they might decide to split the Saintess in half and each take a piece.
