CHAPTER 19
Her face, flushed with excitement, was dazzlingly radiant.
A twisted desire surged within him—a yearning to be the only one to see that brightly beautiful face.
“Ah! It’s the Yellow Banana-starved Maria!”
“…Pardon?”
Yellow Banana. For short: ‘Yoba.’
“Baba. Yoba’s hair has a banana-shaped tuft at the end!”
Sure enough, one of Shinsu’s tufts stuck up in a way that made it look like a banana.
“You’re right!”
Ijef responded with genuine wonder.
Roziana, pleased with the name she had come up with, felt proud when Ijef appreciated it too.
In high spirits, she even pointed to herself with her thumb and made a bold declaration.
“Hmm-hmm! From now on, I’ll protect both Yoba and Ijefu!”
The moment Roziana finished her sentence—
BOOM!
The previously intact reception room table suddenly exploded into smoke and broke in two, just as Asterios called out in a terrifying voice.
—Nox.
[Yes!]
—Fold time. Just before the divine beast appeared.
[…Excuse me?]
—Fold it. Immediately.
Thanks to loyal Nox, time began reversing at high speed from the moment the table shattered into pieces.
Although folding time and space to a specific place and moment required significant conditions and power, rewinding to a moment just before wasn’t difficult for Nox.
In the blink of an eye, they returned to the moment when Ijef had just finished treating Roziana.
“…How do you feel?”
“Warm and cozy. My voice came back fine, too.”
Their earlier conversation replayed just as it had.
Ijef was about to bring up the divine beast. Asterios quickly interrupted.
“It’s late. You’ve worked hard today, Ijef. Go get some rest.”
“Ah, yes. Your Highness must be tired too. Please rest well. Good night, Your Grace.”
“Right. You worked real hard today. Bye-bye, Ijefu.”
Roziana smiled sweetly at Ijef.
“Yes. Then, good night to you both.”
Ijef paused briefly as he looked at them, then exited.
“Marie.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Not missing a beat, Asterios called Marie to help settle Roziana back into bed.
As she lay down, Asterios whispered quietly.
“Are you very tired?”
“Hm? No, I’m fine. Why?”
He wanted to talk about the divine beast since she seemed so pleased with it, but there was something more pressing he needed to say.
“Your Highness, your body is not yet fully healed. Please refrain from using powers that might strain you.”
“Okay. Got it.”
He knew she had used the power of darkness. But it wasn’t something he could openly bring up.
“Also, may I ask about what happened earlier today?”
“Ah, I was going to tell you. I felt something strange too.”
Roziana’s toddler face turned serious.
“But I can’t talk for long. Feeling sleepy…”
She rubbed her big eyes. Seeing that, Asterios forced himself to keep his composure, though a ticklish sensation pressed near his heart.
“…What felt strange to you?”
“Ijefu…”
Damn it. Is it about that priest again?
His brow furrowed in irritation.
“When the darkness came, he was totally fine.”
Asterios’ eyes widened.
“You mean when the intruder broke in?”
“Yeah. So even the intruder was surprised.”
Of course she would be surprised. No one would expect a mere priest to withstand such a strong aura of death.
Only a great sage, who appeared maybe once every few centuries, could resist dark energy with divine power. It seemed Ijef’s holy power was much stronger than they thought.
“But Ijefu jumped in front to protect me.”
‘The priest… protected her?’
Asterios was genuinely shocked.
Ijef was just being held at the Grand Duke’s estate under threat. He had no duty beyond healing Roziana.
‘Was it a priest’s sense of duty…?’
“So that dark bastard attacked Ijefu. It’s lucky he wasn’t badly hurt.”
“Is that why you said he’s your person?”
“Yeah. He risked his life to protect me.”
‘Ah… So that’s what it was.’
Only then did Asterios understand Roziana’s attitude toward Ijef.
It was a relief.
It didn’t mean she liked him romantically.
‘Not bad. He might actually be decent.’
Both in skill… and character.
Just as Asterios began seeing Ijef in a slightly better light—
“I really like him. You don’t see many young men like that these days. Also, he’s pretty handsome, Mari.”
Roziana’s muttering made Asterios’ face freeze once again.
‘As I thought… I need to get rid of him…’
What was warm and fluttery earlier, and melted his heart moments ago, now froze solid again.
Daniel returned to Graham and headed straight for the High Temple.
“Great Sage!”
“Archbishop Famié!”
Archbishop Famié came to greet Daniel at the entrance.
The sight of Daniel—who looked like a young boy—greeting the elderly archbishop resembled a grandfather and grandson reunion.
“What took you so long to return?”
Normally, the journey from Dreat to Graham took two days by carriage.
But it had taken over three.
“I was delayed while searching near the Dreat border. I couldn’t search inside since I was banished, but I combed the route from the border to Graham thoroughly.”
There was no trace of Roziana anywhere.
He had searched with the possibility in mind that his holy power might have activated to protect her during a growth-related pain episode.
Daniel suspected that if his holy power had alleviated her pain, she might have been moved to somewhere near the Holy Nation, where such power would help stabilize her condition.
But she was nowhere to be found.
“The only place left to search is inside the Holy Nation. I can no longer enter Dreat.”
“I’ve heard. How arrogant of Dreat!”
Archbishop Famié scowled. His greedy and jaded face contorted in humiliation and rage.
“But don’t worry, Archbishop. She will become our Saintess.”
“Indeed. I’m counting on you, Great Sage. Now go on—His Holiness is waiting for you.”
“Yes. I’ll see you shortly.”
Daniel, clad in a flowing white high-priest robe, headed toward the innermost sanctum of the Graham High Temple.
Though a temple to serve God, it was more extravagant than the imperial palace, overflowing with rare white ornaments and treasures.
Just entering this place filled one with awe at the glory and mercy of the heavenly god.
Behold! Every inch a sign of divine blessing and boundless praise.
To lead such splendid divine power to greater prosperity was their mission and ideal.
And now, the one to realize that ideal had appeared.
We must bring the Saintess into our hands.
They could never give up.
To them, the Saintess who had appeared alongside prophecy was proof itself that the will of God would be fulfilled.
“Confess.”
The young Great Sage stood before a massive white door.
Rather, a door sparkling with pure white jewels—it was more accurately described as silver, thanks to its radiant brilliance.
When the guardian announced the sage’s visit, the silver door to the holiest chamber opened—where the sacred and noble Son of God resided.
A man emitting a dazzling silver aura appeared as light flooded the chamber.
“Sage Daniel of the High Temple greets His Holiness Gregorion Greas Graham.”
The boy, known as the Great Sage, knelt with both knees in prayer.
“Rise, Daniel.”
The man’s voice was beautiful. His appearance, even more so.
He seemed less like a man and more like an incarnation of a god—his form radiating a divine brilliance.
Anyone would immediately see him not as an ordinary being, but as a superior one.
Daniel stood and looked at Gregorion with a spellbound gaze.
No matter how many times he saw him, his master looked like a piece of divinity.
If this beautiful Son of God were to unite with the Saintess, Daughter of God, then Graham would truly become a holy temple of God on earth.
The thought alone made Daniel’s heart pound.
“Did you meet the Saintess?”
“Yes, Your Holiness. I apologize for failing to carry out my promise. At the time I sent the letter…”
Daniel began to apologize, recalling the letter in which he had boldly claimed that once the Saintess matured, he would bring her to Graham.
“What letter?”
With a gentle smile, His Holiness asked Daniel.
Gregorion’s angelic smile stunned him once—and trying to understand the question stunned him again.
“…I’m referring to the letter I sent by courier…”
“The letter never arrived, Daniel.”
Still smiling innocently, Gregorion tilted his head.
“Whom did you entrust it to?”
“Didn’t my apprentice Ijef perhaps deliver it to the High Temple?”
“The High Priest? I heard he suddenly returned to House Cherubim recently.”
“…Returned to his family?”
Something was wrong.
Knowing Ijef’s character—his respect for his teacher and basic courtesy to others—he would never leave so abruptly without informing him or assigning a replacement.
“I heard someone in his family was gravely ill. You should check the details with the Archbishop.”
It wasn’t uncommon for a priest to return home when a family member was seriously ill, to use their holy powers for healing.
“Anyway, I was certain we could bring the Saintess, but it seems something unexpected happened.”
“You’re right, Your Holiness.”
“I heard the Saintess disappeared. Is that true?”
“Yes. She vanished before my eyes while I was channeling holy power into her.”
As Daniel explained solemnly, Gregorion continued to smile, as if amused.
“How curious.”
“Do not worry, Your Holiness. No matter what, I will bring her back.”
Daniel pledged with determination.
“I am not worried, Daniel. However…”
Just because His Holiness said not to worry didn’t mean Daniel could be at ease.
The real problem would be if the prophecy failed to be fulfilled.
“If we have to take her by force, I only pity Dreat—for they will pay the price.”
Even as his expression showed sorrow, Gregorion’s red lips curved enchantingly.
To Daniel, it was the most beautiful, fragrant smile he had ever seen—more than any flower.
No one, man or woman, who saw that smile could look away.
All who saw it praised both his beauty and the greatness of God.
Praise him. My master!
Once again, Daniel was struck with awe.
“Ah… Even those who reject the prophecy, His Holiness pities them so dearly.”
In the end, Dreat would have no choice but to surrender her.
Roziana.
She must become the Saintess of Graham.
If not,
All that awaited Dreat…
…was the return of a powerful Demon King who would bring about their destruction.
