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Chapter 17
The scent that reached his nose was the same pleasant fragrance he had noticed before. It probably came from her hair. His gaze landed on the pale, supple curve of her neck, peeking out from between strands of black hair that brushed his chin.
He had seen it unintentionally before, but the image of a goddess-like nude figure, as if from a dream, now came vividly to mind. It was impossible not to feel his body heat up.
“Seiri.”
Just as she was about to say she needed some distance…
“Kiss?”
“What?”
“Huh?”
A sudden voice came from below, and both Raiden and Seiri looked down.
A pair of round, curious eyes filled their vision. Caught between them, Kanan was laughing, clapping his tiny hands, not even meeting them together properly.
“Kiss! Kissy kiss!”
“What nonsense…”
Seiri’s fists trembled slightly, uselessly.
Kanan, as cute as freshly baked bread, had spoken, so it was easy to let it go. If the envoy—who looked like a crab or something—had clapped and said the same thing, Seiri would have knocked his jaw clean off thirty times over.
A kiss on that face? Impossible. A thing that must never happen—even in a dream, it was the most horrifying thing imaginable.
As Seiri tried to erase that disgusting suggestion from her mind, someone hurriedly entered the room.
“Your Majesty, you were… uh—? E-excuse me!”
The servant recoiled at the sight of the two sitting so close together on the floor. Yet, judging by the urgency, what they had to report could not wait.
“I am terribly sorry, Your Majesty, but while I know it is proper to give you space at times like this, I have urgent news… very urgent…”
Raiden looked into Seiri’s eyes, waiting for her to step aside. But she didn’t move. If anything, it seemed she was holding on even tighter.
Without another word, Raiden lifted Seiri in his arms and stood.
“Speak.”
He supported her head on his shoulder, and the servant blushed slightly, bowing. Seiri felt trapped and dizzy.
“The Chancellor has convened an emergency council. All the major ministers have gathered and are waiting for Your Majesty.”
“All of them? What could it be? Has war broken out?”
An emergency council called under the Chancellor’s authority required the Emperor’s presence.
So unless there was a war or a national disaster, such a meeting couldn’t be held. Convening it for trivial matters would risk one’s life.
“Th-that is…”
The servant glanced nervously at Seiri in Raiden’s arms.
Quick-witted Raiden assumed the ministers were questioning her qualifications as the divinely chosen Great Saint. He had expected such a day to come.
But the reality surpassed his expectations.
“E-everyone is demanding the… Great Saint’s… disposal, risking their lives for it.”
Seiri and Raiden locked eyes.
“Disposal…?”
“Disposal?”
The atmosphere was suffocatingly heavy, and the servant couldn’t bring himself to raise his head.
Outside, the meeting hall resounded with voices loud enough to draw attention. As the massive doors, crafted from century-old timber, squealed open, the room fell completely silent.
“Your Majesty.”
The seven standing ministers bowed in unison. Their burning gazes immediately shifted to the woman entering with a white veil.
The Great Saint’s ceremonial robe, pure white silk beneath the veil, immediately marked her identity. Even those who had never seen the Great Saint before could tell instantly.
“This situation must be serious enough for the Empire to call me here. Speak.”
His low voice echoed against the high ceilings. Some ministers swallowed nervously at the sharp edge in his tone. Count Mortika stepped forward.
“Your Majesty, I apologize for causing offense, but please know that the six ministers here, including myself, risked our lives to be present.”
The Count pointed directly at Seiri.
“She is not the Great Saint sent by the gods! You must understand she is a threat to the Empire and to Your Majesty!”
“That demon must be punished immediately!”
“Otherwise, the Empire could suffer great calamity!”
Once the Count spoke, other ministers found courage to voice their concerns.
“You speak like Verdi.”
“Do not ignore the visions of Saint Verdi. In the past, the previous Great Saint’s visions prevented national disasters.”
“This Great Saint is undoubtedly a demon!”
“Remove the veil! Show your face!”
“Your Majesty, why does this person refuse to reveal herself? Her identity is unknown, which only increases suspicion.”
For the first time, Seiri spoke up.
“You might regret it if you see my face.”
At once, the hall fell silent, as it had when the Emperor entered.
“If you want to live sanely, it’s better to pretend you didn’t hear that.”
Some ministers, unable to believe their ears, even looked around the room, expecting another woman to be present.
But the only woman in the room was Seiri, her face hidden by the veil. Her threat had clearly come from someone who should have been noble and pure—the Great Saint herself.
“What… what did you say?”
“Did I hear wrong?”
“Certainly, I said, if you want to live sanely, stay quiet.”
“Your Majesty, how can this be the Great Saint speaking! Such vulgar words… I cannot believe my ears!”
“Not wrong. The veil is there because of the power of great love.”
“Wh-what power?”
“The power of great love. I’ve heard looking into her eyes makes one feel the emotion of love. A terrifying power. Best not to be involved if you want to live normally.”
But Raiden’s explanation only confused the ministers further.
“Such a thing does not exist! I apologize, but it does not exist in this world!”
“Even the divine incarnation, Your Majesty, has been brought to this…”
“Indeed, our suspicions were correct. All of this is because of that demon over there!”
Their misunderstandings deepened.
“They will not listen. Where is the minister?”
To explain to those blinded by their own beliefs, Raiden needed the detailed account of the ministers. He ordered one to be brought in.
“Show yourself, demon!”
Swish!
Baron Rodville, the most agitated of the ministers, forcefully grabbed Seiri’s veil and pulled it away.
A brief silence swept through the hall. All eyes were immediately drawn to her eyes, black hair framing pupils like red rubies.
An overwhelming beauty that stunned the mind. Though she had been said to be exceptional, her appearance exceeded everyone’s imagination.
“Cr-ugh? Hwaaaah!”
The Baron’s scream broke the silence. He flailed backward, arms swinging wildly.
“My eyes… my eyes!”
He fell backward, hitting the floor, causing other ministers to recoil in fear.
“Impossible! Baron Rodville was attacked without warning!”
“The demon cast black magic on the Baron!”
The hall descended into chaos. One minister hurried to support the Baron.
“Baron, step back! Quickly!”
But…
“Ahhh… her eyes… they’re too dazzling… I can’t open them.”
The minister’s words left everyone stunned.
The Baron raised his head. Despite the apparent attack, he looked fine. No, more than fine—his pupils sparkled with moisture, like a girl in love.
“Uhahaha!”
Suddenly, he laughed like a madman, spread his arms, and began running toward Seiri, singing loudly.
“My love! There you are, my love! The one I’ve searched for my whole life is right here! Uhahaha!”
“Baron… are you insane?”
“What a bizarre….”
The Baron approached, grinning broadly. Seiri, intensely uncomfortable, even considered drawing her sword to cut his throat.
Yet, before she could act, the Baron drew his sword himself, laughing in a strange voice.
“From this moment, no one shall touch my love! I will protect my love from those who dared call her a demon with my body!”
“Has he gone mad?”
“Look at his eyes. The Baron is hopeless. Completely lost it!”
Seiri heard someone crying—this time, a Duke. His usual pride was gone; kneeling, he wept and bowed before the Great Saint.
“What is going on? Have they all gone insane? Why is even the Duke doing this?”
The Duke knelt, spreading his arms toward Seiri, and the remaining ministers began feeling extreme fear.
“Ahhh, I don’t know what’s happening anymore. Everyone’s gone mad!”
Even the ministers who were still composed began showing fear on their faces.
