Chapter 28: RMLIP

Chapter 28

Jenice blinked at the absurd question.

Everyone had their own preferences, of course, but High Priest Erkael possessed a level of beauty that transcended personal taste.

It simply wasn't the kind of question a man that handsome should be asking.

"...I'd appreciate it if you could pretend you never heard that."

Before Jenice could decide how to answer, Erkael had already returned to his usual gentle expression and risen from his seat.

"Please tell the young lady that I have received her intentions well. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must take my leave. Feel free to look around before you go."

For a brief moment, Jenice sensed an inexplicable chill from the man who was famous for his warm disposition.

Was I imagining it?

The uneasy feeling lingered for only a second before she dismissed it.

After all, it was difficult to dwell on such a fleeting sense of discomfort when confronted with the High Priest's overwhelmingly handsome face.

Meanwhile, the moment Erkael stepped out of the reception room, he addressed the priest waiting outside.

"Priest, please inform His Holiness."

"I will comply with His Holiness's wishes and invite Lady Blandiche to the Grand Temple."

"...Pardon?"

Seeing the cold expression on the High Priest's face, the attending priest's eyes widened.

"Achoo!"

Fresh from his bath, Lishid sat wrapped in a blanket over his shoulders, sniffling.

I handed him a steaming mug of hot cocoa.

"Your Grace, are you alright?"

"Don't tell me I caught a cold just because I fell into a puddle."

"...You actually did?"

"This cursed body..."

Lishid groaned as he took a sip of cocoa.

Sitting across from him, I finally asked the question that had been bothering me.

"Seriously... what happened out there? Why did you come back looking like that?"

"That damned cat abandoned me."

"...A cat?"

Lishid frowned and sighed as though the memory still infuriated him.

"I had no choice but to hitch a free ride on someone else's carriage."

"Then I fell off."

"It was my first time experiencing something like that."

Good grief.

What exactly did you do while you were out there, Your Grace...?

No matter how I look at it, he's the one living through a real survival show.

I felt so guilty.

"So you really did fall into a puddle. Honestly, even if you weren't in that tiny body, it'd be strange if you didn't catch a cold. Since things turned out this way, you should take it easy for a while and get some rest."

"It's hardly serious enough to rest over."

"Though it's unfortunate..."

"I went through all the trouble of bringing back a newspaper, only for it to get soaked."

"You wanted to read the newspaper?"

Lishid nodded.

"You should've just said so. Getting newspapers isn't difficult."

I immediately stood and pulled the bell cord.

A moment later, Sophie's voice sounded from outside the door.

"Yes, Miss?"

"I'm getting bored staying in my room all day. Could you bring me a newspaper?"

"Of course! Would you like the Imperial Gazette or one of the civilian papers?"

Finally, the original novel is actually useful.

Thankfully, I knew the difference.

The Imperial Gazette was a political newspaper reviewed by the Emperor and his ministers.

The civilian newspapers were published anonymously by commoner journalists.

"I'll take both."

"Right away, Miss!"

Sophie cheerfully returned with the newspapers.

But before I could even hand one to Lishid...

I screamed internally.

"Oh... my... goodness..."

I expected this...

But was my face really printed this huge?

Taking up most of the Imperial Gazette's front page was an enormous portrait of me.

Beside it was one of High Priest Erkael.

I hurriedly opened the civilian newspaper.

It's exactly the same!

There, too, Erkael and I dominated the front page.

Except...

In this version, my portrait had me wearing that ridiculous flower hat.

They could've used a normal portrait.

Whoever the artist was, they certainly had incredible enthusiasm to finish this overnight.

"What's wrong?"

"Well..."

Seeing Lishid trying to sit up, I quickly walked over and handed him the newspaper.

"You already knew?"

After a moment's thought, Lishid gave a short nod.

"Fortunately, your article was pushed down a spot by mine."

"Congratulations, my lady."

"...Thank you very much."

Just as Lishid had said, the article about Erkael and me had been placed below the article concerning him.

It wasn't comforting in the slightest.

After all...

There were only two front-page stories.

The Duke and Duchess must be furious.

Just thinking about it gave me a headache.

My confinement needs to end soon.

I couldn't leave the estate.

I couldn't even eat properly.

Locked inside this room, I had no way of knowing what was happening outside.

Still...

At least by now, the High Priest should have received my letter.

I'd poured my heartfelt apology into it with the thoroughness of an official written statement.

Now all I could do was hope that the famously kind High Priest would forgive my rudeness.

Just then, Lishid, who had been flipping through the civilian newspaper, called out to me.

"...My lady."

"Yes?"

"I think we've got another piece of bad news."

"...There's more?"

I hurried over and leaned beside him.

Lishid flinched and instinctively leaned back a little, clearly startled by my sudden closeness.

I was too preoccupied to notice.

He pointed at a small article.

"Then Go Hungry": A Refreshing Rebuke to Corrupt Nobles

"...Wait."

"Why is that the headline?"

My eyes widened as I read.

In summary, the article said this:

The Western Noble Alliance consisted of greedy aristocrats who oppressed their own people to maintain their luxurious lifestyles.

As expected, they had once again tried to intimidate the Grand Duke of Eppenterion's representative under the excuse of protecting the livelihoods of their subjects.

Then...

A beautiful young lady had appeared out of nowhere.

She boldly stood in their way.

With one cutting remark, she told them to open the grain stores.

And—

For the record, the word "beautiful" wasn't my own opinion.

It was printed exactly like that.

This is public execution...

Judging by how detailed this is, the reporter must've been at the banquet.

Who on earth wrote this?

I looked at the signature beneath the article.

"...J?"

That night.

"Airel Blandiche."

I was summoned once again to the Duchess's office.

This time, not only was the Duchess present, but the Duke was there as well, looking exhausted for some reason.

Edwin was there too.

"The Grand Temple has finally summoned you."

Everyone else sat comfortably on the sofas.

Only I remained standing while the Duchess lectured me.

None of it entered my ears.

I'm so hungry...

On the table in front of the ducal family sat a box of neatly wrapped sandwiches.

Since no one was touching them...

It felt as though they'd been placed there specifically to torture me.

Normally, I wouldn't have cared.

But after reading Airel's diary...

For some reason, it hurt a little.

My lips threatened to pout on their own.

Just then, Edwin's eyes met mine.

He frowned slightly.

I immediately lowered my head.

The Duchess continued.

"The meeting will be three days from now."

"You alone have been granted permission to enter the main building."

"The moment you're finished, return directly home."

"And report every word that was exchanged at the Grand Temple without leaving anything out."

"I understand."

I respectfully lowered my head.

At that moment, Edwin sighed and stood.

"It seems the important discussion is over."

"I'll head upstairs first."

"Oh, my poor son must be tired."

The Duchess smiled at Edwin with unmistakable warmth.

A strange sense of déjà vu washed over me.

When my aunt used to stop me in the entrance after work to lecture me...

Then suddenly soften the moment my cousin came out of her room...

She wore exactly that expression.

Only now did I finally understand why Airel's diary had left me feeling so unsettled.

I had been the child left in someone else's care.

Airel was an illegitimate daughter.

Our circumstances were different...

Yet somehow...

The situations we'd lived through felt eerily similar.

"Yes."

"I have a hunting wager tomorrow morning with Count Gardner's family."

Edwin picked up one of the sandwiches from the table with a weary expression.

For a brief instant...

Our eyes met.

But he quickly looked away.

"Very well."

"Rest well, my son."

"Have a pleasant evening."

The Duke and Duchess warmly bid him farewell as he walked out without once looking back.

"Airel."

The moment the door closed...

The Duchess's face turned cold again.

She resumed her lecture in earnest.

In the end...

I stood in the Duchess's office until midnight.

The faint scent of the leftover sandwiches filled the room.

My feet ached.

My legs gradually went numb.

Still...

I remained standing.

And that night...

When I finally dragged my exhausted body back to my room—

Edwin...?

There, piled into a mountain outside my door...

...was an enormous stack of sandwiches.