"Did you capture the necromancer you went to arrest?"
"Excellent holy knights are in pursuit."
So they hastily recalled someone whose mission wasn't even finished.
"You mean to say a dangerous criminal is still loose in the world while you returned. Because I left the temple?"
"I simply stand where God has commanded and fulfill my appointed duty."
"Innocent victims may increase because you stand in this position."
"The holy knights pursuing the criminal are outstanding. They will surely eradicate evil. There is no need for concern."
I fell silent for a moment. When I stopped speaking, Samuel quietly closed his mouth and gazed at me.
Ever since opening the door, Samuel's posture facing me had remained unwavering from the first. Just looking at his straight stance, I could tell.
This man must be incredibly patient and stubborn.
He stood as if ready to have a staring contest indefinitely, then suddenly showed movement. Slowly lowering his gaze, he explained quietly.
"As I mentioned, the temple understands that the Resurrected One needs time to adapt. I came only to protect the Resurrected One's safety, with no other intentions."
Going by words alone, I couldn't be more grateful. Samuel's indifferent tone also seemed to support those words.
I smiled faintly and took a step back.
"As you said, I need time to think. However, I have no intention of letting you inside, so do as you please."
Bang.
Beyond the door that slammed shut, I heard no footsteps. He apparently intended to keep standing guard outside. I glared at the closed door and took a deep breath.
The necromancer can be caught by other holy knights, but I came here because other holy knights couldn't catch me. That meant only that man could find me.
The reason why it had to be him...
I felt around my neck. My fingertips caught the appearance-altering magic tool. This was a treasure of the temple, and that man possessed quite outstanding divine power.
And just moments ago, his gaze had swept across my nape. If so, wasn't it too obvious?
I let out a hollow sigh. Right, I was a bit careless. The temple wouldn't have just left their treasure lying around. But now that I knew the cause, I wouldn't make the same mistake twice.
Knowing the cause put my mind at ease. As the tension released, deep fatigue washed over me belatedly. I stretched and headed for the bed.
Managing my physical condition is essential for escape, so shall I sleep for a bit?
Samuel seemed to still be standing outside, but well, that's not my concern.
* * *
"I am truly sorry, My Lady..."
The imperial palace servants couldn't lift their heads. That was only natural. Though merely a fiancée, she was virtually no different from the Crown Princess.
Everyone in the imperial palace treated me as a member of the imperial family. Except for one person—my fiancé Maxwell.
"His Highness had urgent business arise, so unavoidably..."
The servant sweated profusely as he recounted the reasons for Maxwell canceling our appointment. Something about international affairs, the Grand Temple's envoy—plausible-sounding words.
But I was a child of Roam, born to become empress. All my education was for surviving in this imperial palace, so Maxwell's transgressions couldn't escape my sight either.
They said because I would be empress, there might come moments when I'd have to pretend ignorance of my husband's transgressions. Such teachings certainly existed.
Had I been in a slightly more composed state, I might have faithfully executed what I'd learned without forgetting. But that day, I couldn't do that. That day...
It was truly difficult to watch him fool around with another woman, and a daughter of a fallen house at that, even on my birthday.
It was around the time mockery began circulating in society about how the second daughter of Roam was being neglected by the Crown Prince, and when Lilia's extraordinary affability and kindness started gaining prominence.
"Since His Highness seems to have forgotten, go and deliver my message to him. Loudly enough that everyone present can hear."
I rejected the servant's words to return and smiled.
"Whoever is there with him, they all must hear your voice. Understood?"
The servant delivered the message to Maxwell, who was with Lilia, just as I instructed. Clearly enough that Lilia beside him could hear.
That day, I sat in the empty Crown Prince's reception room for half a day before returning. Father scolded me for clinging without pride when I'd become Crown Princess just by staying still, and my sister clicked her tongue and looked away.
Mother sighed and fell silent, while my younger brother stood behind her, hesitating and watching.
What truly wounded my pride was exactly those things. Those things.
The next day, I went to a party Lilia attended and poured wine over her head. After that, I slapped Maxwell's cheek as he stood by Lilia's side as if it were natural.
Everyone saw that sight, was horrified, and from that day onward, my evil reputation truly ignited.
Touching the person of imperial royalty should have earned immediate execution, but my status as fiancée and the previous day's circumstances were taken into account. His Majesty pardoned my crime with three months of confinement.
"Should have just executed me then."
If then, I wouldn't have been resurrected, would I?
Thinking such senseless thoughts, I rose from my body. The bed was so wretched I'd tossed and turned several times, but thanks to sleeping a few hours at least, my fatigue was lessened.
Pressing my throbbing forehead while sitting on the edge of the bed, my mind that hadn't been working properly from incomplete sleep gradually sorted itself out.
As soon as I opened my eyes, strange thoughts kept coming, and I realized I'd had a trash dream during the brief sleep last night. For Maxwell to appear.
"What a foul start to the morning."
Muttering irritantly, I opened the door without much thought to request washing water. Then I stopped at the massive figure before the door.
"You're awake early."
Ah, this man was here.
"So your name was Sir Samuel, was it?"
Not meaning to, a sharp tone slipped out. Samuel nodded without any particular change in expression.
"Yes, thank you for remembering."
"Did you stand like this all night?"
"As I said, it's to protect the Resurrected One's safety. Please don't concern yourself."
I don't really like persistent men.
Crossing my arms and leaning crookedly against the doorframe, I replied cynically.
"I'm going to wash now, so I can't help but be concerned. My sense of modesty is too small to undress peacefully with a man stationed beyond the door."
"You need not worry."
"Is it really as easy as you say?"
When I answered irritably, Samuel hesitated. With a slight frown, he declared without a sliver of hesitation.
"Even if the Resurrected One were to stand naked, it would not arouse any feeling in me."
Well, well. Look at this bastard?
The pride and stubbornness faintly visible in his ash-gray eyes suggested his disposition.
Right, so he's not the obedient type? Hearing something like this, other young ladies might have wept in shame or fled the scene. At the very least, they might have been cowed.
"What a fortunate confession. Then I'll undress with peace of mind."
But what to do? That's not the case for me.
"I'll keep your assurance in mind, and if I happen to become heated while washing, I'll trust and open the door."
Answering indifferently, I turned away without waiting for a response. I thought I felt a gaze behind me.
Ha, how troublesome. How can I shake him off to buy the most time?
After confirming the door closed, I dragged my feet back to bed. Then I flopped down face-first, buried my face in the blanket, and pondered.
He said he wouldn't be aroused by nudity?
Recalling that insufferably arrogant voice, my fist clenched automatically.
"..."
I bolted up, opened the door again, and Samuel, standing in the same posture as before, looked at me.
Passing by him, I found the inn staff and finally had bath water prepared at early morning.
The largest tub, and I repeatedly instructed them to absolutely fill it to the brim.
* * *
Even though I washed deliberately making water sounds, Samuel didn't budge from outside the door. What a stubborn bastard.
They say the first thing God's servants cultivate when entering the temple is patience, and not a word of that was wrong.
Thanks to that, I unexpectedly took a bath, and wasted the morning hours despite rising early.
If Samuel intended this pointless delay, he had succeeded splendidly.
"I'll guard you myself, so pay it no mind and go about your business."
Samuel offered graciously to me, who had finished preparing to go out but couldn't readily leave the room.
"How do you know what I'll do?"
"Whatever you do is of no concern."
"True. You're someone who feels nothing even when bathing at close quarters, so you wouldn't care whatever I do."
Is the reason Samuel's words don't sit well because my disposition has twisted?
"Correct. It's fortunate that the morning's events seem to have proven it."
I'm starting to get confused whether he's answering the surface meaning or responding to my mocking subtext.
Keep this up and I might waste precious time in pointless bickering again.
I left the lodging for now. Samuel followed at a distance from me.
Walking calmed my mind, allowing me to rationally review the current situation.
And finally, I reached the conclusion that for now, it was better to tacitly accept him. Upon consideration, keeping that one nearby actually proved more beneficial.
This city saw thousands of pilgrims and tourists pass through daily, so no matter what excuse was made, it couldn't be blockaded for long.
The longer the delay, the more protests would rain down, and then they'd have no choice but to disclose the real reason for the blockade.
Naturally, not wanting that, the temple would have summoned Samuel to secure my person as quickly as possible.