CHAPTER 03.
Died from Overwork and Became a Princess of the Enemy Nation (3):
Divine power cannot be manifested in the land of the demons.
Even in the Holy Nation, divine power was a special gift granted to only a select few.
“It’s already strong enough as it is—how am I supposed to hide this right next to the Demon King?”
Absolutely impossible. If I made even one mistake…
“He’ll definitely kill me for stealing his daughter’s body. No doubt about it.”
It was obvious how much he adored his only daughter.
Dropping dead from overwork was one thing.
But getting beheaded or tortured to death? That was just too horrific.
“I need to escape.”
Before they found out that the one inside this demon princess’s body was actually the Great Saintess of the Holy Nation—the very enemy they loathe!
No matter what, I had to flee this land of demons!
“Urp!”
“Oh my, Princess! Such a cute little burp!”
…Whether I could even escape in this baby’s body was another matter entirely.
* * *
“What is going to happen to the successor of the Great Saintess!?”
The capital of the Halcyon Holy Nation—Aiolos.
A thunderous, furious voice rang out from the temple there.
An old High Priest seated at the uppermost position of the round table for thirteen trembled as he shouted.
The white chair inlaid with lapis lazuli was empty.
That was the seat of the Great Saintess.
The 13th Great Saintess had died during the recent Charon War.
To recover from this disaster, the 14th had to be found as soon as possible.
But the saintess who died from overwork left no successor behind.
“That girl left us nothing but problems until the very end…!”
The High Priest Yulipos ground his teeth as he criticized the deceased 13th Saintess.
True to her lowborn origins, she had been disobedient from the start.
“When I’m gone, can’t the other priests take care of people? Why force everything onto one person?”
“Stop turning the sick into a performance for show. Who is that prayer really for?”
“I’m here to help people—not to be judged on my looks.”
The temple’s hierarchy had suffered greatly trying to break her proud spirit.
Yet only the Great Saintess possessed enough divine power to perform actual miracles.
And for over 500 years, no Great Saintess had ever died before passing on her power.
So where did all that divine power go?
“High Priest Yulipos.”
At that moment, a man with elegant silver hair—clearly of noble descent—stood up.
It was Talos, the second-highest-ranking priest, and the youngest among the High Priests.
His hawk-like golden eyes gleamed sharply.
“We need to buy ourselves time.”
“Talos. Do you have a plan?”
“Do you remember the prophecy the First Great Saintess gave at the founding of our nation?”
‘I shall leave my eternal divine power on this land through the soul of a woman.’
“Yes. She specifically said ‘soul,’ not ‘body.’ There must be a reason.”
Back during the founding of the Holy Nation…
The First Great Saintess gave a prophecy to the Alcyone royal family and its people:
“Until paradise descends upon the earth for all who suffer, I shall continue to pass down divine power without end!”
“…Which means, even if the body perishes, the Saintess’s soul must still exist somewhere in the world.”
“And that means her immense divine power exists somewhere, too.”
“Yes. And…”
Talos nodded, paused briefly, then continued.
“We need to scour the nation using our sensing abilities, and in the meantime, appoint someone to serve as a decoy.”
At this suggestion, the temple erupted.
“How can you utter such blasphemy, Priest Talos!?”
“The Great Saintess is a symbol of our faith! A fake would be sacrilege—!”
“Then what’s your plan, if you have one!?”
Talos raised his voice even more.
“I’m not saying we use a decoy forever! Just until we find the Saintess’s soul! We need someone the people can rally around!”
“…”
“Even now, the people’s faith in both the royal family—and no, the monarchy and our temple—is falling apart! Don’t you understand what’s at stake!?”
The war had ended in defeat for the Holy Nation.
They had to kneel to the demons and could no longer use the title of “Emperor.”
At this rate, they wouldn’t even be able to afford to maintain the temple.
Talos looked at the other priests, who were only biting their lips, and shouted:
“We must say the 13th passed on her power to the 14th before she died!”
“But that—”
“That way, the Great Saintess fulfilled her duty with honor—and we gain time!”
The old High Priest stroked his white beard, then nodded.
“…We’ll proceed as Talos says.”
“High Priest!”
“And everyone here—right now—create a Blood Oath of Vow.”
At the mention of a blood oath, silence fell.
The High Priest’s eyes gleamed with threat.
“If you reveal this plan, your soul will never reach paradise.”
All the priests flinched.
“Paradise” was the core of Halcyon theology.
Sinners and unblessed souls—like a Saintess who hadn’t passed on her power—were the only ones not allowed there.
Everyone else believed they would be reunited in paradise after death.
So being denied entry was the worst curse imaginable.
One by one, the priests yielded.
As each pricked their index finger, a crimson light flared in the air—the mark of the oath.
The High Priest gritted his teeth.
“13th… you’ll pay dearly for making us suffer like this.”
He turned to Talos.
“Sigh. In the end, Talos, you’re the only one I can trust in times like this.”
“You flatter me, High Priest.”
“Clicking tongue. If only you had inherited that woman’s divine power—how much easier things would’ve been.”
“….”
Talos said nothing to the complaint.
He lowered his gaze, remembering that woman’s back as she walked away.
The 13th Saintess—who had shattered his pride.
How bitterly he had resented her.
“Indeed… if only that immense power had come to me instead…”
But the strange thing was…
He wanted her power, yes—but her soul had somehow become even more important.
Technically the same thing, but somehow, it felt different.
“…Haa.”
Talos shook his head, brushing aside the thought.
No time for useless distractions. What mattered now—
To find the 13th’s divine power.
And until then, to find someone who could act in her place.
It would be a long and difficult road—but Talos didn’t care.
He swore to reclaim the 13th, no matter what.
Even if it took years.
* * *
“Our dear Princess! What toy would you like today?”
I looked up blankly at the person who spoke to me.
The twin demon sisters stood smiling brightly, arms full of toys.
“Here we go again.”
I was now Elysion, a demon princess—four years old this year.
“My life’s just been a cycle of eating, sleeping, and pooping.”
I was now a tiny child with platinum curls down to my chin.
And every day, the twin demon sisters were incredibly bothersome.
One was Minte, the captain of the palace guards. The other, Lette, was the head maid.
“From ancient Nyx kingdom relics to royal treasures! I, Minte, picked them all out for you!”
“Is there anything among them you’d like?”
I almost laughed.
The ancient Nyx Kingdom? The mythical kingdom that perished a thousand years ago?
“You’re giving me that as a rattle?”
Everyone here was absurdly extravagant. Completely insane.
I bit my lip and turned away from the sisters entirely.
The twins looked crestfallen at my rejection.
“Princess…”
“…Did none of them please you?”
I could see their sad reflections in the window.
I didn’t even want to look at that, so I lowered my head.
“This is how all our conversations go.”
They always wanted to do something for me—and I always pretended I couldn’t speak.
Ever since I woke up in this body.
Minte always had such a gloomy look.
But Lette quickly clapped her hands with a cheerful tone.
“Ah, Princess! Then let me get you a snack! Strawberries with honey and lots of cream!”
“…”
“Just wait a little, okay? Minte, I’ll be back!”
“Ah, okay.”
Just before she left, it looked like Lette wiped away tears.
