"So what brings you here today?"
Ivan asked first. Then he naturally headed toward the head seat. Even though he knew Duke Russell's gaze was following behind him, he moved very slowly.
"I have something to tell you, so I requested that you spare some of your precious time."
"Sit."
This time, even Eden didn't try to taunt him. When Eden gestured with his eyes, Duke Russell sat in the seat permitted to him.
"I heard you ordered the security at the northern border near Reed to be reduced. Are you thinking of resuming diplomatic relations with them?"
And without beating around the bush, he asked honestly. Ivan leaned back comfortably against the chair, legs crossed.
"That's right."
Ivan's frank answer followed. Duke Russell twitched his eyebrows at the unwelcome answer.
"They are ones who dared insult the Saintess and insult Escliff."
Duke Russell recited the reason Reed and Escliff had severed diplomatic relations. It was meant to remind him of why they had closed the border gates.
"Did you come here to tell me because you think I don't know? How kind of you."
Ivan laughed shortly. Then he swept his hair back with one hand and replied perfunctorily. It was an attitude that showed anyone he wasn't listening to Duke Russell carefully.
"They merely harbored doubts about the Saintess's existence."
"Your Majesty."
It was when Duke Russell opened his mouth to reply to Ivan.
"Even the God who was said to exist from the beginning descended to this land and left as a spirit. For a mere proxy to live eternally—can one not at least harbor doubts?"
Ivan spoke coldly. He pretended to mention the opinion of the neighboring country called Reed, but in truth, their opinion was no different from Ivan's inner thoughts.
"The Saintess is the representative of the God who protects Escliff."
"……."
"To doubt His existence is the same as doubting and denying Escliff."
Reading Ivan's mind, Duke Russell asserted calmly. To insult the Saintess was to insult God, and furthermore, it meant insulting Escliff, the master of that land.
"Is that not the logic of miracles."
Ivan muttered with a smile at the corners of his mouth. But no matter how one looked at it, it was far from a pleasant laugh or joy.
"More than anything, I, the master of the Imperial family, do not think I was insulted."
"……."
"And Duke Russell. If God truly exists, He wouldn't be so petty."
Ivan denied Duke Russell's claim and rose from his seat.
"You might not die even if you starve for a year without drinking water, but the people of this land aren't like that, are they?"
And he approached the window and flung it wide open. Warmed wind shook the curtains and poured into the room refreshingly.
"Reed is a country built on plains, so it has vast breadbaskets. On the contrary, while our land is broad, farmland is scarce. The land is even barren."
Ivan pointed to the mountain peaks that rose higher than the imperial palace and pointed out Escliff's reality. Duke Russell's gaze slowly moved to the mountain peaks.
"Ten years since diplomatic relations were severed. Every time there was a famine, countless people starved to death in the streets."
Duke Russell's gaze returned to Ivan's face.
"Your household may not starve to death, so you seem uninterested, but a famine is expected this year as well."
Ivan was criticizing the conduct of the great nobles with a smiling face. Their cruelty was no different—having severed diplomatic relations merely for honor, making food supplies difficult, and chasing to death with soldiers those who committed petty theft before starving.
"Even that must be God's will."
Duke Russell answered calmly. Even the false smile draped over Ivan's face vanished cleanly.
"If you like God that much, it would have been better for both sides if you simply entered the clergy."
Ivan opened his mouth, staring at Duke Russell with an expressionless face.
"Ten years is enough. Now, God should live God's life, and humans should live human lives. Isn't that right?"
"So that is what Your Majesty thinks."
Duke Russell answered lowly.
"I understand. As Speaker, I merely wished to know Your Majesty's intentions. Let us discuss it again at the meeting."
And after formally bowing to Ivan, he left the audience chamber. Ivan fixed his gaze on the empty space left after Duke Russell's departure.
"Call Rodan and clear the room."
Ivan shook the bell to call a servant and gave the order. Not long after, Rodan, having received his command, entered the audience chamber alone.
"Duke Russell has caught on that I'm going to push to resume diplomatic relations with Reed."
"He found out already?"
Rodan asked, furrowing his brow. They had only just begun to broach the subject. They hadn't tried to hide it desperately, but even so, it was too soon for Duke Russell to catch on.
"Find out where the word leaked. It must be somewhere close by."
At Ivan's tired voice, Rodan nodded. And when he saw Ivan waving his hand to signal him to leave, he quickly withdrew. It was because it meant for him to go out.
"What kind of God closes His eyes while His followers die…."
Brilliant light poured over his head in the room where he was left alone. Ivan, perched on the windowsill, stared blankly at the sky and muttered as if cursing.
The crown of his head was hot. He couldn't tell if it was from receiving the blazing light, or from the anger of his conversation with Duke Russell.
"They don't think the other person's heart matters. No matter what wounds they inflict…."
Amelia's voice came to mind, saying as if one shouldn't ignore another's heart and wound them.
"Even though she's no different herself."
That she—no, the God she served—was the same, yet Amelia had criticized someone. Ivan sneered coldly at Amelia. He craved alcohol he didn't even usually enjoy.
He was one who thoroughly stood on humanity's side. If that pathetic thing was God, Ivan and God could never share the same path for eternity.
***
Amelia, who had been heading toward the prayer room, tilted her head and scratched her ear.
"Why are you doing that?"
"It's nothing. My ear was just a bit itchy."
"You aren't planning to leave your post saying you're hurt, are you?"
Louis asked as if suspicious. Amelia shook her head.
Even so, faint distrust was mixed in Louis's eyes. Amelia often disappeared for a long time, using reasons like her condition not being good, being tired, or needing to visit the restroom. Naturally, cleaning up afterward was Louis's job.
"This time, my ear was really just itchy."
Amelia replied somewhat irritably. Except for the fact that he followed Aaron more, Louis was a decent enough person, but at times like this, he was often irksome.
"Please allow me to see the Saintess, I beg you!"
It was then. A clamorous sound carried on the wind. Amelia's gaze naturally turned toward where the noise came from.
"Saintess!"
It was a woman holding a baby. The woman brightened at the sight of Amelia and tried to shake off the priests and rush toward her. The moment Amelia started in surprise to step back, two priests subdued the woman by force.
"Didn't I say it won't do!"
The route Amelia was taking and the commoners' prayer room were in completely different directions. It was astonishing the woman had sneaked in this far.
"Saintess, quickly to the prayer room…."
Louis tried to quickly lead Amelia to the prayer room. But where Amelia's footsteps headed was not the prayer room.
"What is going on?"
At Amelia's question, the priests bowed their heads as if abashed.
"We apologize for the commotion, Saintess. We will send her outside at once."
"Saintess, the child, please save the child."
Even against the priests' rough strength, the woman holding the baby did not give up. And as if she had no strength even to cry, she pleaded limply for the swaddled baby to be saved.
"Please lend us the power of God…."
God did not exist. Amelia knew that fact better than anyone. But she could very well understand the heart of one who wanted to grasp even at a straw.
"Save the child, please!"
Hadn't her own mother cried like that too? Amelia recalled the face of the woman who had screamed and cried, and as if entranced, reached her hand toward the baby.
"Saintess."
But a gentle voice stopped her action. Amelia unconsciously stopped her hand and turned her head. Aaron approached with a kindly smiling face.
"You must not make an exception for only one individual."
Though he spoke thus, it was actually because he had noticed the child was diseased. Nowhere was there anyone who could replace Amelia. If Amelia suddenly caught the disease and died, everything would fall apart.
"……."
Reading Aaron's mind, Amelia's face turned icy cold. She didn't know the reason she had been born onto this earth, but she believed it wasn't merely to live as someone else's puppet.
"Even granting such an exception is God's will."
Thus, even with a childish heart, she couldn't help but refute him. Perhaps because there were watching eyes, Aaron couldn't refute Amelia.
"Show me the child."
At Amelia's words, the woman trembled and opened the cloth covering the baby's face. The heat rash blooming across the young skin that could barely exhale short breaths was heartbreaking.
"……."
As Aaron watched Amelia place her hand on the baby's forehead and whisper gentle words of comfort and blessing, strength entered his jaw. What was so problematic about a single, insignificant life being snuffed out?
"Please examine the child's condition and treat him. Since the Saintess has personally blessed him, he will surely get well. He must."
Aaron, smoothing his expression gently as if nothing had happened, called one priest close and whispered. Since Amelia had offered words of blessing to the child, the child had to survive. That must have been what Amelia aimed for as well.
"……."
A brazen gaze that seemed to ask 'What now?' clashed in midair. Forgetting her place again and acting on her own. Aaron smiled quietly.
She appeared to be in need of education.