Chapter 1

Have you ever kidnapped someone in your life?

I haven’t. Though I have been kidnapped before.

Still, it should be fine. Even if things go wrong, what’s the worst that could happen? Death?

Lying flat in the bushes, I raised my telescope. Below the hill, a group approached while kicking up clouds of dust. Above them, the Empire’s flag fluttered in the wind.

The target had arrived. The Second Prince.

“Saintess. In that position, I can see your butt.”

“Can’t you lower your eyes?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Damn it. I was trying to focus.

There were five carriages heading toward the monastery.

I lowered the telescope and stood up. The moment I turned around, my eyes met Wolfgang’s.

Seeing that fox-like grin instantly made my blood pressure rise.

“Did you hear ‘lower your eyes’ through your ass?”

“If I lower my eyes from here, then all I’ll really see is your butt.”

“Then gouge your eyeballs out.”

Wolfgang Lichtenbrunn. He was supposed to be the commander of the Holy Knights, yet he wasn’t holy at all. Weren’t men like him usually strict, quiet, and obsessed with rules?

What was the point of having a handsome face? If he fell into water, only his mouth would float. Then again, the fact that I was the saintess already proved this religion was doomed.

“Ready?”

“Yep.”

At Wolfgang’s reply, I turned toward him. He was already holding the carriage door open, waiting for me.

Unable to hold back, I kicked him in the shin while he kept smiling in circles.

“Ow.”

He wasn’t hurt at all, yet he acted dramatically.

“Why do you keep grinning?”

“Because this is the first time since joining the order that I’ve done something this sinful.”

“Sinful? This is all part of the Goddess’s plan, idiot.”

“Yes, yes. I know.”

Only seconds after pretending to be in pain, Wolfgang resumed his perfectly painted smile and escorted me inside.

You bastard. We’ll talk after this is over.

I glared at him and climbed into the carriage.

Not long after, the army of the insane saintess blocked the prince’s procession.

Neigh!

The horses cried out across the northern wasteland as they abruptly stopped.

“Who dares interfere with Prince’s journey?!”

The shout of the Second Prince’s knight commander rang loudly.

What was his name again? To… Tobi… whatever. I’d ask Wolfgang later.

Right then, Wolfgang opened the carriage door for me. Even though our eyes met, he wasn’t smiling this time, which felt oddly unfamiliar.

So he keeps up appearances when people are watching? How professional.

I straightened my back proudly and held out my hand. Then, the moment I stepped out of the carriage—

“Gah!”

“Saintess? Is that really the Saintess?”

Whispers close to shock burst out everywhere.

Nice reaction.

I lifted my chin with the fake smile of a politician during election season. I almost waved too but decided against it.

Instead, I kept my lips tightly shut and muttered toward Wolfgang like a ventriloquist.

“What’s his name?”

“Pardon? Ah, Tobias.”

Right. Tobias.

Wearing the gentlest expression I could manage, I walked toward Tobias, commander of the Imperial Third Knights.

His face looked as if he’d been struck by lightning, which was hilarious, but now wasn’t the time to laugh.

After briefly collecting himself, Tobias dismounted, knelt on one knee, and paid his respects before speaking.

“What brings the Saintess all the way here?”

“I came personally to escort Prince Lothar.”

“……!”

At my cheerful answer, Tobias’s eyes widened. Another disturbance broke out among the prince’s escort.

It was understandable. The Second Prince had been completely crushed in the political struggle and was practically forced onto the path of priesthood.

And now the Saintess herself had come to escort such a fallen prince. There could hardly be a stronger welcome than this.

Maybe they thought the archbishop was backing the second prince. Maybe they thought light was finally shining on his difficult life.

Probably something along those lines.

“Silence!”

After shouting at the murmuring knights, Tobias turned around and walked toward the middle carriage among the five.

Ah. So that’s the one.

The carriage window was covered by curtains. Tobias leaned in and whispered something through the gap before turning back to me.

“His Highness expresses his gratitude for such a grand welcome.”

Of course he does.

I maintained my smile.

With the atmosphere becoming softer, Tobias asked another question.

“Will you be accompanying His Highness all the way to the monastery?”

Now, what would happen then?

Sorry, but here comes the twist.

I gently curved my eyes and replied.

“No.”

“……?!”

The atmosphere instantly changed.

More specifically, only on the Prince’s escort side.

Ignoring it, I continued speaking.

“The protection of the Holy Knights is more than enough. From this point onward, Prince will belong to the Order.”

In other words, all of you can get lost. Every single one.

Tobias’s sharp gaze immediately turned behind me. He seemed to be assessing the Holy Knights’ forces. The mood suggested he might draw his sword at any second.

“That is impossible.”

I barely swallowed the smile threatening to appear. It was exactly the reaction I expected.

With an innocent expression, I pulled a parchment from my robe and showed it to him.

“And why is that?”

It was a document bearing the archbishop’s seal, granting the saintess permission to accompany the prince as a guide of the temple.

“The Archbishop himself approved this matter. Surely the Imperial Family doesn’t distrust the abilities of the Holy Knights?”

For the record, it was forged.

The old archbishop still had no idea this mess was happening.

“……”

Unaware of that fact, Tobias’s face twisted horribly. If handled badly, this could grow into a conflict between the imperial family and the temple, politics and religion.

So, what are you going to do, Tobias?

This wasn’t something a mere knight commander could handle.

I waited with great interest for his response when—

“Enough of this unnecessary confrontation.”

A calm voice rang out.

The moment I heard it, my head turned automatically.

A tall figure stepped into view.

Ash-brown hair fluttered in the wind. Dark green eyes, heavy rather than clear.

A strikingly handsome man, sculpted as if carved from solid wood, stepped out of the carriage.

Wow.

I wanted to whistle, but held it in.

After his unreal appearance, the next thing that stood out was his height.

He was at least a head taller than his own knights, and despite not wearing armor, his broad shoulders radiated overwhelming pressure.

There was no need to question that presence.

He was the empire’s second prince, the man once called the empire’s sword.

Lothar Eisenrit.

No one had expected him to end up walking the path of priesthood as if he’d been exiled.

But what could he do?

He had already lost the political battle. Saving his life was the important part.

Lothar walked toward me with smooth, efficient steps.

His indifferent gaze lingered on my face longer than expected.

Everyone was beginning to find the silence strange when the prince finally spoke in a calm tone.

“Do not worry, Saintess. How could I possibly disobey the Archbishop’s orders?”

Oh?

My eyebrows nearly twitched.

At first glance, it sounded obedient, but the nuance was clear. He acknowledged the archbishop’s authority, not the saintess’s.

Well, it didn’t matter much.

The saintess’s authority in this empire had long since gone to the dogs anyway.

So I smiled brightly and answered,

“You’re absolutely right. Please come this way.”

Without replying, Lothar moved forward.

What remained behind him was an escort that had suddenly lost the person they were supposed to protect. The confused knights all looked toward Tobias.

“……We’re returning.”

Leaving Tobias’s troubled voice behind, I followed Lothar.

Wolfgang, who had been standing there looking every bit the noble commander of the Holy Knights, winked at me the moment our eyes met. Probably meaning, mission accomplished.

If only.

The real game started now.

Thunk.

After the carriage door closed, I sat across from Lothar and quietly observed the large man inspecting the inside of the carriage.

Messy hair. A scab on his lip.

Even the traces of hardship couldn’t ruin the refined atmosphere unique to him.

But what about the inside?

I immediately threw out bait.

“Your Highness. Do you know where we’re going?”

“To Lumen Monastery.”

A short answer, but correct.

More accurately, the original correct answer.

Then Lothar’s gaze shifted forward.

Toward me, sitting directly across from him.

…Again?

Reflexively, I smiled at him.

But perhaps it wasn’t the reaction he wanted.

The Prince quietly turned his head away and closed his eyes.

…What the hell?

How much time passed after that?

Lothar slowly opened his eyes and looked out the window.

After a brief silence, a cold question escaped his lips.

“What is this?”

A chilling stare sharp enough to send shivers down my spine landed on me.

“We’ve changed direction. What are you planning?”

I was almost happy to finally see some emotion on his face.

What am I planning?

Slowly, I stood up inside the rattling carriage. Then I climbed onto Lothar’s lap and grabbed him by the chin.

“Lothar.”

The shock rippling through his eyes was worth seeing.

“I’m planning to kidnap you and marry you while I’m at it.”

“…What?”

For some reason, my blood boiled. It really felt like I was doing something wicked.

Pressing my thumb against the frozen Prince’s cheek, I continued,

“If you don’t want to die, cooperate. Before I carve a line across that handsome face of yours.”

Goddess.

I think I’ve found my true calling.prince