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Chapter 53
I left the cardinal’s office and walked down the corridor, thinking.
First gate cleared.
The corner of my lips lifted slightly.
To think that one day I would use the title of princess like this.
For some reason, my mood rose.
I should hurry back and tell Carlos.
I wasn’t expecting praise,
but I felt excited like a child who had received a reward.
What should I say?
“ I successfully persuaded the cardinal!” maybe.
I was giggling as I stepped out through the main doors of the temple.
“…Huh? Archduke?”
Unexpectedly, Carlos was standing in front of the hall.
“Why are you here?”
“You say that as if this is a place I cannot come.”
“Well…”
He hadn’t even looked at me this morning when I left.
I thought he would be resting at the lodging by now.
Ignoring my confusion, he said,
“You look like things went the way you wanted.”
“Yes, it went well.”
“What did you do?”
“That’s a secret.”
Carlos’s eyes narrowed.
“A secret?”
“It’s not a secret that would do you any good to know.
It’s better if you don’t know.”
If I told him the Emperor kept dirty documents
and that I had known for a long time,
I would only receive a look of contempt.
We had grown a little less awkward these past few days.
I didn’t want to lose that again.
Carlos stared at me.
It felt like he wanted to say something—
like he wanted to ask more.
But in the end, he stayed silent.
“Fine. Do as you wish, Princess.”
“Thank you. Oh, the registration will be done this afternoon.”
“That’s fast.”
“I made sure it had to be.”
I answered and smiled softly.
As I lightly walked down the stairs,
Carlos, who had been quietly watching me, spoke in a low voice.
“Good work.”
“…What?”
What did he just say?
“Didn’t you hear?”
“No, I heard… but.”
“Then why ask again?”
Because it was hard to believe.
I looked up at him with wide, surprised eyes,
but sadly, he didn’t seem willing to repeat it.
So… that was praise?
From him? To me?
“Why say that all of a sudden…”
“Because you accomplished something I didn’t expect.”
“…Does that mean you thought I wouldn’t succeed?”
“You understand well.”
I knew it.
The praise was just preparation for teasing.
I was pouting when suddenly
something gently covered my head.
I reflexively looked up
and saw Carlos pulling his hand away.
Did he just pat my head?
Before I could even process it, he spoke casually.
“I meant it when I said good work.
You handled a troublesome task.
There’s no need for me to step in now.”
His tone was indifferent,
yet my heart started beating fast.
What’s wrong with me?
Am I really this happy just from a little praise?
I tried to calm down, but it didn’t work.
It felt like a feather had been placed on my heart,
tickling inside my ribs.
After moving my lips for a while,
I answered in a small voice.
“…You too, Archduke.”
“I did nothing.”
“Waiting is hard too.”
Carlos scoffed.
“Ridiculous.”
Even when I try to say something nice…
When we returned to the temple in the afternoon,
the atmosphere had somehow changed.
The priests who avoided me in the morning
now bowed and greeted me.
Every time I passed the corridor,
I heard “Your Highness the Princess.”
Some were even smiling.
So simple.
The world.
When the person at the top changes,
the ones below change too.
The moment the cardinal chose to cooperate,
the entire temple’s attitude changed.
Still, it didn’t feel bad.
The registration process was simple.
Write Carlos’s name and mine on two documents,
each of us signs,
and the cardinal stamps both—
then it’s finished.
It was something that could normally be done by mail,
and even in person would take only ten minutes.
Yet it dragged on for a whole day.
“Please sign here, Your Highness.”
“Okay.”
Following the instructions,
I picked up the pen and wrote my name.
Lorea Friese.
The name felt unfamiliar—
especially the surname Friese.
I won’t be using this surname anymore.
I slowly put the pen down.
Then Carlos signed neatly beside my name.
Carlos Carter.
Seeing two completely unrelated names
written side by side felt strange.
“Please confirm there are no issues before submission.”
I carefully lifted the paper.
After staring at the two names for a long time,
it finally felt real.
“…I did it.”
A ward of the Carter archducal house.
The moment this document was stamped,
the Emperor could no longer drag me away by force.
Of course, he wasn’t someone who cared about laws,
but now I had justification.
Justification mattered.
Without it, public opinion would turn against him.
For an Emperor who lived to rule over nobles and citizens,
that would be fatal.
“Registration is complete.”
After submitting the papers,
the priest reviewed them, stamped the cardinal’s seal,
and handed one copy to me.
The other would remain in the temple’s records.
On the returned document,
the seal was stamped clearly—
as if proving all the hardship until now.
A red wax mark bearing God’s emblem.
It looked small,
yet felt heavy.
I looked up and greeted the priest.
“Thank you.”
“It is nothing, Your Highness.”
The priest bowed deeply,
completely different from yesterday
when she wanted to avoid me.
I folded the document, placed it in my arms,
and looked at Carlos.
“It’s finished. Let’s go.”
“…Alright.”
As we left the temple gates,
the sunlight was dazzling.
I heard the eastern sky was often cloudy,
but today it was clear.
Is it a good sign?
Carlos walked beside me.
His face was still pale,
but better than yesterday.
Maybe the demonic energy inside the temple was weak.
Or maybe the tension was gone now that it was over.
“Archduke.”
“What is it?”
“You worked hard too, coming all this way.”
“…That’s sudden.”
“I wanted to thank you.”
“I only fulfilled the contract.”
“I know. Still… you endured three days in dense demonic energy.
And you even saved me in the village.”
Carlos didn’t answer.
His gaze rested on me briefly,
then moved away.
…Did he just smile?
No way.
He wouldn’t smile.
We boarded the carriage without further conversation.
The carriage moved steadily,
and the temple grew farther away.
Looking back,
the white building shone under the sunlight.
All the while,
I held the document tightly in my arms.
The first button was fastened.
Guardian registration.
But this is only the beginning.
The Emperor would never stay still.
He would prepare another move—
more cunning, more filthy.
I’m ready.
Whatever he tries,
I’ll strike back.
