🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 19: Rejoice in the Birth of the Saint
“Her Highness, the Third Princess Rose Agnes de Calon, enters with Marquis Arsen Wieg de Lafayette!”
The ball was held in a hall near the Grand Temple within the imperial palace. Rose and Arsen entered arm in arm. As the star of the coming-of-age ceremony appeared with a member of the Black House, the hall fell silent. The nobles murmured among themselves, casting cold glances. Rose ignored their reactions and instead looked softly at her partner.
The red velvet jacket with ornamental trim and the tightly cinched waist accentuated the man’s sturdy build. The long black cloak draped over it added a sense of solemnity.
Normally, he disliked anything cumbersome and dressed plainly, unbecoming of a marquis. Seeing him so dressed up today was a rare sight.
“You’re incredibly handsome today.”
“I believe only Your Highness would say that.”
“Then I’m grateful. It means I get to keep you all to myself.”
“Those kinds of remarks…”
“Just for today, you’re my knight alone.”
At her casual words, the man eventually nodded.
“Then, would you do me the honor of a dance?”
Rose smiled and extended her hand. Arsen gently took it. Soon, the soft melody of a lute filled the hall. The pair danced across the center floor. In an instant, the world around them disappeared—it was as if they were alone in a different realm.
Spinning to his lead, Rose couldn’t take her eyes off him. Their joined hands felt closer than ever. The sound of his breathing, so near, was both exhilarating and oddly nerve-wracking.
“You’re quite a dancer.”
“Thanks to a wonderful partner.”
Exchanging compliments now and then, the two continued their slow dance. When the performance ended, Arsen briefly stepped away to check on the knights. While waiting for him, Rose picked at a few sweets when Thanasis approached.
“That was a splendid dance. You must have practiced a lot.”
He offered an insincere compliment, then casually scanned the hall. At the end of his gaze stood the Pope under the protection of the Holy Knights.
“Three years ago, Pope Urbano officiated my own sacred rite. He was overly dramatic back then. Funny how he’s playing it solemn now.”
Rose recalled the uproar that had occurred during Thanasis’s coming-of-age. That was the day he incinerated the altar with the blessing of the fae—a blue flame that devoured everything without leaving even ash.
“To witness ‘Azure Flame’ up close… of course he’d be shocked.”
When she mentioned the blessing, Thanasis turned to look at her.
“During the ceremony, only formless light appears. Just by facing it, you understand what it is. But I manifested it and charged forward. Of course he panicked.”
“You weren’t planning to burn the altar, were you?”
‘No, it wasn’t the altar—he wanted to burn the Pope.’
By the time Thanasis stood on the sacred platform, he had already mastered his blessing. His use of “Azure Flame” to intimidate the Pope was well-documented in the novel. She could almost hear the squeal of a pig being slaughtered. Normally, she wouldn’t have laughed, but this time, she couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped her lips. A sharp glare followed.
“Why are you laughing?”
“Just… I wanted to applaud you for what you did that day.”
Rose had always disliked the Holy See meddling in imperial affairs.
‘No wonder I liked the protagonist so much. That was incredibly satisfying.’
For once, she sincerely wanted to commend his actions. Thanasis, staring at her with an unreadable expression, muttered something that sounded like advice.
“It’s important for royalty to awaken the blessing of the fae. You must be able to control your power well, or things will go awry.”
Rose was slightly taken aback and tried to guess his true intentions. But he betrayed no emotions.
“Perhaps you take after His Majesty.”
Fae blessings were usually inherited or manifested in a modified form. In Thanasis’s case, he had inherited the former emperor’s “Flame.” Since Emperor Euclid’s attribute was hidden, Thanasis vaguely assumed Rose’s was as well.
“That’s a reasonable thought.”
“I suppose you won’t tell me. It’ll come out soon enough, so I won’t press.”
Without hesitation, he turned to leave.
“I’m looking forward to your rite.”
Soon after Thanasis departed, Rose was surrounded by guests. They congratulated her on her coming-of-age, showering praises on the imperial family. Just as she was running out of memorized polite smiles, Arsen returned to save her.
“You’re leaving me alone too long. Some escort you are.”
“My apologies. Something came up.”
“What kind of something? Was it serious?”
“Not exactly. Just that…”
At that moment, a royal name was announced.
“His Highness Ludwig de Calon enters!”
At the arrival of the hidden antagonist, Rose swiftly turned to the entrance. A tall man with shoulder-length wavy hair tied low entered. He exuded a gloomy, shadowy aura. Rose’s eyes widened when she saw who was with him.
“The Lady of House Rosché?”
Zavière, with her mysterious violet eyes, was entering arm-in-arm with Ludwig.
“Why is Lady Rosché with Archduke Ludwig?”
“The two are engaged.”
“What? That wasn’t in the briefing the head maid gave me!”
“It was made official just a month ago. Probably hasn’t been updated in the records yet.”
Rose’s mind spun with thoughts.
‘So Ludwig’s grip on the noble faction is through her?’
In the original story, it was unclear how the Archduke had seized political power. It seemed he had allied himself with the Rosché family—the leaders of the noble faction.
‘I need to come up with a plan before they marry.’
As the pair entered, a man emerged from the noble faction’s crowd who resembled Zavière—it must be the Duke of Rosché. Ludwig accompanied him to pay respects to the emperor. Rose tried to rise on tiptoe for a better look but was blocked by Arsen’s broad shoulders.
“Your Highness, it’s time to head to the temple.”
With a wistful glance, she followed her escort.
“The delay was due to coordination with the Holy Knights.”
“The Holy Knights?”
Arsen replied stiffly, seeming displeased.
“Yes. They said I must undergo a cleansing rite to purify mind and body before the sacred ceremony.”
At the temple, Holy Knights stood guard in perfect formation. Among them were members of the Imperial Guard and the Remigis Knights. Arsen guided her to a small room adjacent to the altar.
“Only priests may enter. I will wait here.”
“I’m going in alone?”
“If anything feels off, scream.”
She turned the doorknob and stepped into a quiet room. The dim glow of candles gave the space a cozy atmosphere. A faint smoky scent rose from a censer in the distance. The contrast from the noisy ballroom was striking.
“Come in. Right this way.”
Inside, waiting by a stone basin, was Herya. Clear water shimmered within, reflecting them. As candlelight flickered in his dull brown eyes, Rose quickly composed herself when he smiled at her.
Normally, he would’ve joked around, but today he calmly began the ritual. Dipping his hands into the basin, he scattered a few drops, then clasped his hands and prayed. A hymn in an unfamiliar tongue followed. Rose stole a glance—eyes closed, he was fully immersed in the rite.
‘He really is a Holy Knight.’
She had doubted, considering how harshly he criticized his own order.
But in this moment, he was undeniably a servant of the divine. After the prayer, Herya lifted a censer with glowing embers. The smoke swirled gracefully through the air. The clink of brass and the rising mist surrounded them.
“It’s done. Cleansing complete.”
Rose stood, shaking out her tingling legs. As she staggered, Herya offered support.
“Kind of feels like I was impure.”
“All under heaven are impure by nature.”
“Oh, that sounded pretty priestly just now.”
Herya scrunched his nose in playful protest.
“I am a priest, you know.”
With the ritual complete, Rose entered the Grand Temple. The arched building, unlike the palace, resembled the style of Tevere. Sunlight streamed through stained glass windows, coloring the floor in vibrant patterns.
The Pope began the holy ceremony. Royalty and nobles sat neatly in their seats. All eyes were on Rose de Calon, standing before the altar.
“Now, please reveal your noble power.”
Breaking his long prayer, the Pope finally spoke. Rose turned around at his signal. She looked slowly at each pair of eyes fixed on her: the emperor’s indifference, Aracne’s sneer, Thanasis’s sharp blue gaze, Herya’s dimpled smile, and Arsen’s solemn expression.
It was time to unveil 「Regeneration」.
‘A lot is going to happen from now on. Stay strong.’
There would be trials she couldn’t foresee. But she felt confident she could overcome anything.
‘I must succeed.’
Rose closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. Her soft pink hair shimmered with radiant light, which spread across her entire body. The shadows in the temple disappeared in the brilliance. Sparkling silver dust swirled around her like a blessing from the fae.
“Regeneration.”
Thanasis, watching, murmured the word that emerged from the white radiance. Her divine aura beneath the cross was almost holy. It was less like a fae-blessed princess of Calon, and more like a saint worshiped by golden knights.
“Dian.”
“Yes, Your Highness?”
“I need a meeting with Duke Benoit.”
Instructing Dian to arrange a meeting soon, Thanasis turned back to the altar. He noticed Pope Urbano staring at Rose with reverence. A chill crept up his spine. He had a bad feeling. His gut—cursed to resemble his damn father’s—was rarely wrong.
A Few Months Later
All across the Calon Empire, a scandalous rumor spread:
“The foolish youngest princess has awakened a miraculous power.”
“All who live under her grace are equal—rejoice in the birth of a Saint.”
“Even the dying revive under Saint Rose’s ‘Regeneration.'”
Rumors ballooned beyond control, transforming her from a dull princess to a revered saint. No one would dare look down on her now. Everything was proceeding according to plan. And the subject of all the whispers smiled with satisfaction.
Until—an unforeseen problem arose.
