CHAPTER 22
. The Worst Blasphemy (3)
Once again, Calion knelt before the Demon King.
“When Her Majesty the Queen of the Demons came to Caron in the name of peace, the officials in charge failed to recognize her.”
“……”
“And when Your Highness tried to mediate the conflict on the frontier, you were harmed… and it triggered a mana rampage. On behalf of the Alcyone royal family, I offer my deepest apologies.”
It felt like I’d been struck on the head.
He had told me it was just a minor rural skirmish that escalated into a war.
But this was the truth?
The demons ground their teeth, and the humans from other kingdoms shook their heads in anger.
What kind of expression was the Demon King making as he looked at the kneeling boy?
“…Withdraw.”
The Demon King spoke coldly, then turned around, lifting me into his arms.
“Neither the princess nor you are old enough to be at this banquet.”
The suffocating tension made me stay quietly in his arms without a word.
Dracon followed behind us, his face filled with rage.
“An apology? Is that how they apologize where they’re from?”
“……”
“They drag out a nonexistent prince as a hostage, and now they bring their own High Saintess here—what for?!”
He glanced toward the banquet hall with clear disgust.
“Though that girl doesn’t seem to be that annoying High Saintess.”
“They’re all the same anyway.”
When the Demon King said that, my body stiffened.
“Just hearing the term ‘High Saintess’ is revolting.”
Dracon laughed bitterly and nodded.
“Exactly. They deserve to die.”
“But Phobos, it seems like they’re causing this disturbance deliberately.”
“If so, maybe they’re trying to divert attention elsewhere—”
Just then, a small throat-clearing sound came from behind us.
Lethe had caught up, even bringing Ares along.
“My lord Erebus. The princess is listening…”
“Ah.”
Only then did the Demon King seem to realize he was still holding me.
He looked down at me, flustered, and lightly kissed my forehead.
“You’ve done well today. Happy birthday, Elysion.”
“…Okay.”
Even I didn’t have the strength to endure this atmosphere any longer.
As I was passed into Lethe’s arms, a painting hanging in the hallway caught my eye.
A portrait of Elysion’s mother, Queen Asteria.
She truly looked like an older version of Elysion.
In front of that portrait, the Demon King murmured softly:
“…Ria. This time, you were wrong.”
His voice was barely audible—but I heard it clearly.
That the humans of Halcyon will never change.
Even after leaving the banquet hall with my group, my heart remained heavy.
“The Demon King… is bothering me.”
Because I’d seen the look on his face—like something inside him had rotted away.
I was confused too.
So many people had died on the battlefield.
But they had all stepped up with courage for the sake of the Holy Nation.
Even I had endured it—despite hating and fearing it—because I was the High Saintess of the Holy Nation.
“But what if the Holy Nation was truly at fault?”
It would make my death from overwork feel all the more unjust.
When we returned to the Persen Palace, the attendants were waiting in the drawing room.
“Happy birthday, Princess!”
“Wha—?”
Startled by their cheerful chorus, I looked up from Minte’s arms with wide eyes.
Standing in the center was someone holding a beautiful cake.
Lethe beamed at me.
“The banquet is important, but how about a little party just for us?”
I looked up at everyone and bit my lip.
They must have been busy, yet they prepared a small party too.
“If it were me, I’d have grumbled so much…”
But no one here looked the least bit annoyed.
Everyone gazed at me with eyes full of genuine anticipation.
“Thank you… everyone.”
“Princess…!”
“Really, I know you’re all busy… thank you so much.”
A wave of emotion swept through the drawing room.
A few people even pulled out handkerchiefs to dab at their eyes.
Minte excitedly pointed to one side of the room.
“Princess, would you like to see your presents? They’re over there on the table!”
On the table were gifts that had already been inspected.
A small parasol decorated with soft pink silk flowers and lace.
Jewelry made from gemstones and silver thread.
Silk shoes too exquisite to even wear.
Lavishly illustrated picture books, tea sets sized for children…
And that was just a small portion.
“Wow. No wonder the Alcyone kids were spoiled rotten.”
They received things like this every year?
I muttered under my breath.
“Stuff like this’ll ruin a kid.”
“Pfft.”
Ares snorted in amusement from below.
“Seriously, that little brat? Giving me heartwarming moments like this?”
But before I could glare at him,
The Epikus sisters whispered kindly to me:
“Thank you for being born, Princess.”
“We wish you endless happiness!”
Ahhh… really…
“You guys… thank you so much…”
At this point, it wasn’t just that I was getting spoiled—I was totally corrupted.
The birthday celebrations were still ongoing, but I didn’t need to be at Hades Palace.
I was too young to attend all the official events.
“And after what happened with Halcyon, the Demon King probably prefers I stay away.”
So the next afternoon was spent at Persen Palace.
Still, Lethe looked slightly disappointed.
“It’s a celebration just for the Princess. It’s such a shame for you to stay inside…”
“Hmm, I’m fine though?”
“Still! Oh—how about a picnic?”
Lethe clapped her hands in delight.
“The camellias are in bloom in the garden. Let’s go see them together, Princess.”
“Hmm… okay.”
And so, I went to the garden full of blooming camellias with the Epikus sisters and Ares.
I poked at the ‘Black Forest Cake’ the attendants had made yesterday.
It was a decadent dessert loaded with cherries, chocolate, and whipped cream.
Next time I die and go to paradise, I’m bringing this cake with me.
“So good…!”
“Oh my, they’ll all be happy to hear that.”
Lethe smiled as she wiped crumbs from my lips.
“In the evening, you’ll be visiting Erebus. Rest up until then!”
“Ah. Okay…”
At that moment, the Demon King’s cold voice echoed in my mind.
“Just hearing the term ‘High Saintess’ is revolting.”
The irritation in his tone when he spoke of the High Saintess…
That was likely how the demons of Tartarus saw things.
Still, hearing that made my insides turn cold.
“Especially because I’ve started to see the Demon King as… almost like a real father.”
Because he showed me such love, I wanted to become his daughter.
People from Halcyon would find that unbelievable.
“But those priests who deserve the wrath of the gods…”
They committed that kind of blasphemy after I died?
They created a fake High Saintess and paraded her around.
As if even I were someone they could just replace when needed.
I don’t want to go back to people like that.
“Then there’s only one conclusion: I must never let them find out who I really am.”
And I have to do something about this divine power.
“I should give it to someone. But how?”
As I watched Ares pick a camellia flower, I kept thinking.
My memory of the ordination ceremony was still vague—it happened so long ago.
“When I turned ten, I went through that dreaded ritual. Then I was led to a small room in the capital temple.”
There, the 12th High Saintess had pulled out a jewel kept inside.
“Then she took my hand again and—”
And just like that, I became the 13th High Saintess?
“…Huh?”
What exactly happened in between?
It was like someone had deliberately erased that part of my memory—I couldn’t recall a thing.
Even worse, I’d never noticed that gap until now.
“Who… who would do something like that?”
As my panicked eyes darted around, Ares suddenly reached out his hand.
“Zion. Take it.”
“Uh—huh? What’s this?”
“Can’t you tell? It’s a flower.”
Ares shoved a big, beautiful camellia into my hand.
“Thought you might be scared again after what happened yesterday.”
“……”
“Did you forget? I told you not to worry.”
So he picked the flower to cheer me up?
But just then, a gust of wind blew the camellia out of my hand and sent it flying.
“Ah!”
No! That was from Ares!
I waddled after it.
“Princess! Where are you going?”
“Just a second, I’ll go pick up that flower!”
It shouldn’t take long to run over and grab it.
But as I reached for the white flower—
Someone cautiously stepped out from behind a tree.
A boy, a head taller than Ares, with blond hair and deep blue eyes.
