Chapter 56. Sunflower (10)
“Nothing strengthens an organization’s unity like a ceremony. It gives people a sense of belonging and pride in being part of it.”
Irena nodded, thinking to herself.
‘That’s why our company held newcomer orientations, company sports festivals, and the founder’s annual speeches every year.’
“Splendid!”
At Irena’s approval, the elder ministers broke into childlike smiles, exclaiming with joy.
“To think the High Priestess herself will preside over the ritual!”
“Let’s make it the grandest yet—more than ever before!”
“Could it be that this time, she’ll bring rain to the whole nation?”
“Oh, I’m already trembling.”
Their faces overflowed with barely hidden anticipation and hope.
After leaving the council chamber.
Irena walked in silence down the corridor beside Iago, who wore a dignified expression.
When they neared the annex palace, Iago glanced around carefully to make sure no one was near, then asked her quietly:
“Irena. Are you sure about this?”
“Yeah.”
She replied briefly, her tone calm.
The ministers’ faces, when they proposed she take on the role of priestess, had been filled with genuine concern for her.
If it had looked like a ploy just to make her summon rain, she would have refused no matter what.
But faced with their sincere worry and sorrow over the slander she had been enduring, she couldn’t bring herself to turn them down.
“But how are you going to manage it?”
Iago’s expression was deeply troubled.
“Well, first I’ll need to prove that I do have some ability to influence the weather.”
Irena answered composedly.
“Making it rain right away is too difficult, but other things are possible. Lightning, thunder, that sort of thing.”
Tears might still be beyond her control, but anger—she could summon that well enough.
And visually and audibly, thunder and lightning could be even more impressive proof of her divine power than rain.
“But that would mean you’d have to force yourself into anger, Irena. I don’t like that.”
Iago spoke with a pout.
“I wish you’d recover soon. We haven’t been able to do our ‘Operation Happiness’ for days now.”
“Ah, that’s because…”
Irena faltered, stopping mid-step.
It was because of Reina.
Though her injuries had healed, Reina was anxious about being alone in the South and had begged Irena to stay with her all day long.
At the thought of Reina, Irena’s expression grew complicated.
Her eyes showed a flicker of sharpness, as though she were lost in deep thought.
Seeing her like this, Iago cautiously asked again:
“According to Andre, you’ve been having trouble sleeping again lately. Are you all right?”
“Oh, yeah.”
So he noticed even that…
A little embarrassed, Irena awkwardly bit into the cookie she had been holding.
“I’ve been dreaming a lot at night again… but it’s fine.”
Feeling strangely ticklish under Iago’s steady gaze, she turned her eyes toward the empty corridor, speaking as if to change the subject.
“Now that I think about it, there aren’t many people in the palace, are there?”
“Right. Only the bare minimum—people who are necessary and trustworthy.”
“What about guards?”
She had only meant to divert the conversation, but now that she thought of it, the emptiness was striking.
For such a massive royal palace, there were shockingly few people.
Only a handful of soldiers stood watch at the gates.
“There’s an ancient magic protecting the palace. Teleportation doesn’t work unless it’s to designated spots, and outsiders can’t enter unless they’ve been invited.”
“Invited…?”
“Yes. Someone officially staying in the palace must extend an ‘invitation,’ otherwise entry is impossible.”
“Wait… is that just a secret code for some deadly security magic that strikes intruders down?”
Irena asked with a serious look.
Maybe the deceptively lighthearted word was meant to fool enemies, while the spell itself skewered trespassers.
“No, it’s exactly as it sounds. It’s just asking someone if they’d like to stay in your home—if you trust them.”
Iago answered innocently.
Irena blinked in astonishment.
That such a flimsy-sounding spell was what guarded the royal palace was almost unbelievable.
“You mean this fortress is protected by something that childish?”
“Of course. It’s been that way since ancient times. Only a select few are trusted to live here.”
Iago’s voice was gentle.
‘Right… this is the Island of Happiness.’
With a dazed feeling, Irena reminded herself again of that truth.
“The former king used to say: If a man cannot even trust those closest to him, then he should not be king at all.”
As Iago spoke, recalling the words of the late king, a bitter shadow crossed his face.
Irena hesitated a moment, then suddenly remarked:
“That sounds exactly like the old vampire legends.”
She had once heard stories as a child.
Vampires couldn’t cross the threshold of a house unless someone inside invited them.
At her offhand comment, Iago shuddered with a start.
“V-vampire ghosts? There’s really such a legend? That’s terrifying…”
Irena regarded him quietly, then said softly:
“…You’re scared of ghost stories, aren’t you.”
At that, Iago stiffened for a second before rolling his eyes awkwardly.
“N-no, who said that…”
“Then you’ve never heard of the bathroom ghost? You know—the one where you bend over the sink to wash your face, and in the mirror…”
“D-don’t. Stop, Irena.”
Iago protested weakly, his tone meek.
But Irena ignored him, making her expression even spookier as she went on:
“In the mirror, your reflection suddenly shifts its eyes to watch you while you wash, like this…”
“I said stop!”
Iago clapped his large, thick-knuckled hands over his ears and scurried down the hall in little steps.
Irena covered her mouth to stifle her laughter as she watched his broad back retreat, then lowered her hand slowly.
‘He’s barely been sleeping himself lately…’
She recalled Uther complaining during teatime about how overworked Iago was.
‘He already had too much on his plate, and now he’s secretly investigating the experiments in the North as well.’
“Irena? Why are you dawdling? Come on.”
Iago turned back to look at her.
She couldn’t even offer him the kind of warm comfort he gave her. The best she could do was silly teasing like that.
‘I just hope it cheered him up a little.’
In a voice too faint for him to hear, Irena whispered:
“…It’ll all be okay.”
Still, if she was going to preside over the ceremony, she couldn’t just sit idly by.
Since Iago was so busy, Irena decided that she, as the High Priestess, would take charge of the ritual.
“We need to establish a clear concept and theme for the event.”
Seated naturally at the head of the planning table, she leaned her arms on the desk.
“C-concept?”
Nathaniel, the elder who had first proposed she oversee the founding festival, looked baffled.
“Hey, what’s a ‘theme’ supposed to be?”
“I’ve no idea…”
“If you have suggestions, feel free to speak up. We’ll wrap up planning by this morning, then move on to safety measures for the day of the event in the afternoon.”
This was work she had done countless times before—familiar and effortless.
Yet somehow, it felt very different now.
‘Since when… was work this fun?’
Later, reviewing the draft in her chambers, Irena placed a hand over her chest in wonder.
Her heart was racing.
‘The last time I felt excited by work… was it when I first joined my grandfather’s company after college?’
Back then she was brimming with eagerness to do well. Even late nights and unwanted company dinners had felt bearable, even joyful.
But once rumors spread that she was the chairman’s granddaughter, all that changed.
Whispers of nepotism followed her, and people who had once treated her warmly began to avoid her.
From then on, work became nothing but a test to prove herself.
Like constantly catching up on overdue homework, chasing success only to be driven toward the next, and the next, always further.
“Here… there’s none of that.”
It was the opposite.
Smiling, she glanced at the king’s seal stamped on the last page of the proposal, chuckling to herself.
“Irena. You really are… haah.”
That afternoon.
As Iago looked over the plan she submitted, his voice dropped low.
“Hmm? What’s wrong—something off about it?”
Alarmed at his uncharacteristically serious face, Irena looked up tensely.
He raked a large hand through his hair, sighing heavily.
Then, with utmost seriousness, he said as though exasperated:
“You’re really… honestly a genius, Irena.”
“…Ha!”
Her tension evaporated in an instant. She must have gotten into the habit of being nervous, like back when she had to get approvals from the chairman.
Doing well was expected. But if she slipped up, no one was harsher than him.
“Enough already.”
Irena waved her hand dismissively, but Iago leaned in close, his eyes sparkling, exclaiming over and over: “You’re amazing! Brilliant! The best!”
The other ministers working with them on the festival joined in too.
Every time she suggested an idea or pushed the work forward, they chorused: “High Priestess, you’re the greatest!” “So cool!” “I’m in love—ah, wait, maybe not that one!”
For the first time in her life, Irena was showered with compliments. She waved them off, but couldn’t hide the smile tugging at her lips.
‘Honestly, it’s nothing, but they’re impossible to stop…’
She grumbled to herself, still smiling as she flipped another page of the draft.
Knock, knock—
A knock sounded at the door.
“Come in.”
Irena answered calmly, already guessing who it was.
“Um… Irena, are you busy?”
As expected, the visitor was Reina.
She stepped cautiously toward the desk where Irena sat.
“They say bad rumors are spreading in the capital lately. Is that why you’re working so hard?”
