Chapter 21
“Saintess!”
At that moment, a lively voice called out from the distance. When the two of them turned toward the entrance, they saw Fernandez, Fanny, and Tina all running over together. Fernandez, her cheeks flushed, gave Rix a hasty greeting before quickly rattling off her words.
“You came early today!”
“Ah, something came up in the middle of the day.”
“That’s great! We were just playing gonggi!”
“Gonggi?”
At Rix’s question, Fernandez nodded enthusiastically.
“Yes! It’s a game the Saintess taught us, and it’s really fun! You play with five similar-looking stones like this—”
“I know it.”
“Huh?! Your Highness, you know how to play gonggi?”
Fernandez asked in surprise, and Rix nodded as if it was no big deal. Ren asked again, as if she couldn’t believe it.
“How do you know about that, Your Highness?”
“It’s that game where you toss and catch five small stones with your hands, right?”
“Yes!”
Rix scoffed and effortlessly mounted his horse in one motion. The horse neighed and pranced, startling the four of them enough to make them step back.
“For now, stay inside the temple tomorrow. I’ll send word again once things are settled.”
Ren nodded. Without hesitation, Rix turned his horse and headed back the way he came.
Fernandez opened her palm to reveal five smooth, shiny stones the size of a thumbnail. As she stared at the stones, she felt something strange.
It was like trying to force puzzle pieces that didn’t fit.
Ren frowned slightly and asked, “This is a game that doesn’t exist here, right?”
“That’s right!”
“Then how does the prince know about it?”
“Beats me…”
Fernandez, Fanny, and Tina all tilted their heads at the same time. It was a Korean game she had taught them to keep them from getting bored while she was away from the temple.
Something felt off.
The fact that Rix knew Korean expressions and now even this traditional Korean game—
Her fingers suddenly stiffened. A burning heat flushed through her as the memory of that fiery moment came rushing back. Ren quickly shook her head to dismiss it.
This is a novel. I’m inside The Saintess’s Dilemma. I’m Ren now. I’m not Min Suji anymore.
But the uneasiness wouldn’t leave her. She didn’t think Rix was deliberately hiding something from her, but she felt there was something veiled about him.
Until the sound of the horse’s hooves disappeared completely, Ren stared into the darkness where he had vanished.
The gemstones on her dress sparkled like mermaid scales. Curled up on the edge of the fountain with her arms wrapped around her legs, Ren looked stunning. Even if someone sculpted her just like that, they wouldn’t be able to capture the atmosphere.
But Fernandez, Fanny, and Tina were clearly on edge.
Whatever had been bothering her since morning, Ren hadn’t said a word. Her smile had disappeared, and occasionally she mumbled something to herself that no one could understand.
The mood was so serious that it was hard to even start a conversation. Unable to bear it any longer, Fernandez finally spoke up.
“Did something happen with the prince yesterday?”
Fanny and Tina hummed in thought and exchanged glances, then shrugged at the same time.
“It didn’t seem like they fought,” one said.
Fernandez muttered to herself, “The atmosphere didn’t seem like that either…”
It was puzzling the more they thought about it.
Then, Ren, who had been sitting curled up like a fetus on the fountain, suddenly sprang to her feet. The three flinched.
“Ugh, I don’t know!”
She ruffled her hair wildly, fuming. Then, as if something occurred to her, she muttered seriously with her chin propped on her hand. It was quiet enough that the others couldn’t hear her.
“Could he have come from Korea too, like me?”
No. He was too much of a native.
Ren muttered again.
Dragging her dress, she paced back and forth from the fountain to the zelkova tree and back again.
Fernandez, Fanny, and Tina were nearly in tears.
At that moment, a girl about Fernandez’s age suddenly appeared and said,
“The Countess of Mapla and her daughters have arrived.”
“Thank goodness!”
Fernandez clutched her hands together in relief. Fanny and Tina also sighed audibly. The three of them immediately ran to their Saintess without hesitation.
“I don’t feel like seeing anyone today.”
“But you’ll feel so much better after meeting them!”
Fernandez’s sparkling eyes were overwhelming. Ren frowned and clearly showed she didn’t want to go. But it was three against one.
Six pleading eyes stared at her, and she couldn’t ignore them. Eventually, with a sigh, Ren nodded.
“The Saintess is preparing, so please wait just a moment.”
The girl who had informed Fernandez of the Countess’s arrival spoke neatly. When the Countess nodded, she skipped up the stairs like a butterfly and disappeared into the temple.
Ordinarily, visitors had to request permission a day in advance to enter the temple. The Countess wanted to follow the rules, but the news she had received last night was too urgent. She had to tell the Saintess immediately.
“Why do we all have to go when only the Saintess is needed? I’m so sleepy.”
Sofia, wearing a bright yellow dress like a baby chick, yawned. Viola and the Countess jumped in shock.
“Sofia!”
Sofia blinked in surprise, and the Countess clutched her chest. Viola spoke to her younger sister on their mother’s behalf.
“Watch your mouth. What if someone hears?”
“Is there anyone else in our carriage?”
Sofia puffed her cheeks and huffed. Viola sighed quietly.
Sofia was adorable but had been spoiled too much. She was blunt, had strong likes and dislikes, and often blurted out whatever came to mind without thinking.
Though the Countess and Viola always warned her, to Sofia it was all just soft scolding.
“We are the noble family of Count Mapla. You must learn proper manners and—”
“Oh? The Saintess is here!”
Just as her mother began to lecture, Sofia’s savior arrived. She opened the carriage door and jumped out before even the servant could.
Viola and the Countess sighed and shook their heads in unison. Still, she was learning alongside the Saintess, so maybe she’d improve—they hoped.
“Hello, Saintess.”
“Good morning.”
Ren greeted the Countess as she had been taught. Seeing how much more ladylike she had become, the Countess was pleased. But she was startled to see how tired Ren looked.
“Did something happen yesterday?”
“Huh? Oh, no. Nothing. Haha…”
Ren trailed off.
She had noticed something suspicious about Rix but couldn’t bring herself to ask him about it, so she had tossed and turned all night.
Viola spoke with concern.
“Should we call a physician?”
“No, it’s fine. By the way, where are we going?”
Ren asked blankly, and the Countess chuckled. After hearing the news last night, she had been itching to tell her. It had been a long time since she felt this kind of excitement.
“We’re going to the madam.”
“Let’s hurry! Hurry!”
Sofia grabbed Ren’s arm and tugged her into the carriage. Fernandez, behind them, looked appalled—How dare you touch the Saintess!—but Sofia ignored it completely and pushed Ren into the corner seat.
“Saintess!”
“My daughter is still young and lacks manners. I apologize. We’ll take good care of her and return quickly, so please don’t worry.”
The Countess bowed politely to Fernandez.
Even though she was young, Fernandez was still a temple apprentice. In the end, Fernandez nodded reluctantly.
“All right. Please contact me immediately if anything happens. The Saintess is just… today she’s a little…”
Fernandez, unusually, trailed off. The Countess widened her eyes.
“She’s not feeling well.”
She couldn’t bring herself to describe what had happened at the fountain.
Forcing a smile, Fernandez tried to explain away Ren’s mood. The Countess, knowing none of it, nodded with concern.
“Yes, of course. We’ll take good care of her and return early.”
“Thank you.”
Receiving Fernandez’s blessing, the Countess boarded the carriage with Viola. The servant closed the door, the coachman snapped his whip, and the carriage rattled off toward the only entrance of the remote temple. The guards opened the gate.
And just like that, Ren, the Countess, and her daughters departed.
Fernandez let out a small sigh and earnestly prayed under the goddess’s protection that the Saintess would return calmly, safely, and in a better mood.
Normally, Ren would have asked, “Where are we going?” but today she remained quiet. Instead, she stared out the window with eyes full of turmoil. Even Sofia couldn’t find the courage to speak.
The two daughters turned to their mother. This seems like your role, doesn’t it, Mother?
In the end, the Countess, unable to escape her daughters’ silent pressure in the cramped carriage, gave an awkward smile and spoke.
“Lovely weather today, isn’t it?”
“Oh, yes. It is.”
Ren glanced up at the sky.
Fluffy white clouds, a clear blue sky, the warm sun casting soft shadows on the ground.
It was a perfect day for a stroll.
And perhaps because Empire Day was just around the corner, the streets were filled with colorful floral decorations.
But in Ren’s mind, a strange thought popped up: Did the author’s Korean nationality influence the novel so much that Korean culture was embedded into the characters too?
“The madam contacted us late last night.”
“The madam?”
“Yes, the one making the Saintess’s dress.”
“It’s finally finished?!”
Finally shaking off her thoughts, Ren’s eyes lit up for the first time that day.
“I can finally get rid of this ragged dress—”
“Ahem.”
Viola cleared her throat. Ren glanced around, then corrected herself.
“I mean… this cumbersome dress.”
The Countess laughed as if she had forgotten the previous comment entirely.
“Well, we’ll have to see once we arrive.”
Just then, the carriage came to a halt. Ren’s heart began to pound.
Ever since she woke up in this unfamiliar world, this was the most exciting moment yet.
