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Chapter 31
Among the imperial guards, there was a man riding a black horse with a red saddle mixed with gold. Anyone could tell he was the Emperor. Only the Emperor could decorate a horse so lavishly.
The fact that the Emperor had personally come all the way to the harbor made Kanin realize that he was extremely anxious.
In an instant, the guards surrounded Ariadne and Kanin, leaving them speechless. Even though Ariadne had rested briefly along the way, it was still very fast for the Emperor to catch up to them. It showed just how urgent the situation was.
The horses stopped right in front of Ariadne, snorting heavily, and the Emperor slowly stepped forward from the center.
“Whoa—”
This time, the Emperor’s horse stopped directly in front of Ariadne. The shadow of the man on the horse fell over her.
The Emperor glanced at Ariadne once and then got down from his horse.
“Where do you think you are going in such a hurry?”
“……”
Ariadne was about to greet him properly, but Kanin moved slightly to shield her, so she couldn’t do anything.
“I didn’t expect the prince to arrive here first…”
The Emperor seemed displeased seeing Kanin standing with Ariadne.
Kanin stayed silent, observing the situation. He needed to understand why the Emperor had come before taking any action.
The Emperor also had no intention of wasting time. It was more important to quickly confirm who had healing power and take them away. The treatment he received earlier was not enough, and it was obvious he would fall ill again soon.
“I heard that Saint power has appeared in you—”
“Your Majesty!”
Someone suddenly interrupted the Emperor from behind. The voice was urgent as the man pushed through the guards and came forward, breathing heavily. It was the Count.
He stood straight before the Emperor, catching his breath, and glanced at Ariadne. His expression quickly became troubled.
For a moment, he hesitated, unsure what to do. The Emperor, annoyed, spoke again. Right now, confirming whether Ariadne truly had healing power was more important than dealing with the Count. Since Bashulie would not lie, he had already given up on Ashley.
“If Saint power has truly appeared in you—”
“Your Majesty, that is impossible!”
This time, the Count stepped in between them. He looked extremely desperate.
It was almost laughable. The Count clearly did not want to admit that Ariadne had healing power. Anyone might think she wasn’t even his daughter.
The Emperor stepped forward.
“Count, I think you have done enough. Haven’t I waited and endured until now? Through Bashulie, we already learned that Saint power no longer appears in Ashley.”
“That’s not true! It’s not!”
“Then are you saying Bashulie is lying? He is from the Lesan tribe, who never lies about Saint power.”
“T-that can’t be!”
The Count stood stubbornly in front of the Emperor with a distressed expression.
He had believed that the Emperor would take his and Ashley’s side. After all the devotion Ashley had shown, he never expected things to turn like this so suddenly.
“Count, it seems you are very upset that your second daughter has lost her healing power.”
Ariadne finally stepped forward. Calling him “Count” instead of “Father” made their relationship feel distant and clear.
The cold tone made the Count flinch.
“Is this how you behave?!”
The Count shouted, but Ariadne didn’t even blink.
The Emperor, watching them, gestured to a knight beside him. The knight quickly understood and went to the back, then returned shortly after.
Beside him was Bashulie.
“Let’s stop this useless argument. I have brought Bashulie here.”
Standing slightly behind the Emperor, Bashulie looked neat and composed. He even smiled faintly at Ariadne, as he had already sensed a strong healing power from her.
But he had been trained to carefully observe the person with healing power, so he did not speak carelessly. He had already realized that Ariadne was not willing to cooperate with the Emperor or the Count.
Healing power belonged entirely to the one who possessed it. No one had the right to command how it should be used.
“Ariadne, quickly let Bashulie verify your Saint power and return to serve me.”
“Serve you?”
Ariadne could not hide her disbelief at the Emperor’s tone, as if it were natural for her to use her power for him.
What right did he have to be so confident?
She let out a small laugh without realizing it, even though she stood before the Emperor.
“What is that attitude?”
The Emperor’s eyes turned cold.
“I have no obligation to tell you whether I have healing power. And even if I do, I will not use it for Your Majesty.”
Everyone except Ariadne and Kanin was shocked and speechless. The Emperor’s face twisted with anger. The Count stepped forward again.
“That’s right! Saint power should be used for Your Majesty. Do not forget how Ashley has served you all this time!”
The Emperor regained his composure and decided to give Ariadne one more chance. If she truly had healing power, then she held the key.
He chose to overlook her arrogance once and softened his expression.
“Saint power is sacred. It should be used in a noble way.”
He continued, thinking she simply did not understand.
“Saint power is a gift from God for the imperial family. You should serve the imperial family and be grateful to use such a holy power.”
What nonsense.
All this talk about God and holiness was nothing more than chains the Emperor used to force the Saint to serve him.
By giving healing power a “sacred” image, he made sure it could not be used freely.
That was why Ashley could only use her power to treat the Emperor and nowhere else.
“Then is serving Your Majesty considered a noble act?”
Ariadne asked with wide eyes.
“Of course. That is the most beneficial use of Saint power.”
Ariadne smiled slightly.
“May I ask a few questions, Your Majesty?”
Thinking she was finally being reasonable, the Emperor responded gladly.
“Yes, what do you wish to ask?”
“Why is using it for Your Majesty the most beneficial?”
“That is obvious. If I am healthy, I can govern better, and the people will live in peace.”
“I see. Then wouldn’t it be better to use healing power for the people instead?”
“What?”
The Emperor looked shocked. Using Saint power on common people was something he could not understand.
“If Your Majesty allows the Saint to heal the people generously, wouldn’t that create a better rule?”
“How dare you think such disrespectful thoughts! Count, how did you raise your daughter?!”
The Emperor shouted in anger.
But Ariadne did not stop.
“True healing power does not run out just because it is not used on one person. So I do not understand why it must only be used for Your Majesty. A true ruler should understand the suffering of the people and help them. If those who cannot even meet a doctor are freed from pain, wouldn’t that be a greater—”
“Enough!”
The Count finally shouted loudly.
He felt as if Ariadne would lose her life if she continued speaking. Kanin was about to step forward, but Ariadne raised her hand to stop him.
Seeing the Count’s reaction, the Emperor clicked his tongue.
“It seems she turned out this way because you only pressured her.”
The Count’s face turned pale.
