Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 45

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Prince Alois gave me a once-over then he smiled as if relieved.

“I was worried.”

“…It was practically nothing.”

When I told him the wound had already healed, he looked surprised.

I couldn’t show him the wound directly, so I just nodded when he asked if I was really okay.

While doing so, I scanned the area for the paladins and maids that were supposed to be guarding the room, then I heard Alois speak.

“Once the Lord High Priest heard that Your Holiness was awake, he asked everyone to withdraw.”

“Reneben did?”

“Lord Reneben also had to leave for a while because his attendant called. He just left.”

It was so unexpected to hear that Reneben, the same man who didn’t trust people much, left only Prince Alois behind and it made me look up.

“Huh, did something happen?”

“I’m not sure what Your Holiness is worried about, but I don’t think you need to worry about anything.”

“Is that so?”

Thankfully, my brain just woke up and it didn’t seem like there was anything to worry about. Frankly, it should be obvious judging by the quietness in the temple.

However, Alois’s words bothered me a little and I frowned. It was like he was saying I shouldn’t be worried, but there is something that would worry me.

I paused and stared blatantly at him.

Seeing that look, he blinked a few times, and a beat later, he spoke in his signature pretty voice. Like he had been pondering about it.

“Actually, because of my mistake…”
“…”

“There is a notable rumor spreading regarding Lady Saintess.”

I could already guess what kind of rumor it was, but I had to applaud the gossiping speed of the nobles. It was still so early in the morning, yet yesterday afternoon’s events had already spread.

“What…rumor?” Still, I feigned ignorance and put a worried look on my face.

“…I am really sorry,” Alois apologized again.

At that, I got annoyed. It was only when I looked worried enough that I was finally able to hear the true content of the rumor from him.

“Perhaps it’s because of what happened yesterday, but everyone seems to misunderstand my relationship with Your Holiness.”

His voice trembled slightly at the end of his sentence. The perfect flicker to make the listener think he was nervous.

His face turned red.

Even his neck was slowly turning red and seeing him freely and skillfully manipulate his appearance, I couldn’t help but applaud inwardly.

“Mis…understand?” I repeated his words.

If he hadn’t relaxed slightly on the first day we met and let out that smile.

Perhaps I wouldn’t have realized his act.

“What kind of misunderstanding?”

If I had never seen that look and gotten suspicious, I would have thought his innocent look was real.

When I didn’t say anything else, he covered his mouth with his hand and glanced at me.

“…If it displeases Your Holiness then…”

I briefly thought about the best way to respond, “No… I mean, that’s not it.”

As if I understood what he was saying a beat later, I raised my voice a notch and acted surprised. Heat slowly gathered in my face.

I probably looked like I was feeling shy. If he wanted this, then I could play along to an extent.

I pulled my shawl tighter around my body and my shoulders trembled slightly.

Was I supposed to fall for him after only meeting him a few times?

Then again, ordinary noble misses seemed captivated by his few smiles, so my behavior might not be far off.

“This is all my fault. I never thought there’d be a rumor like this,” Alois said.

“I don’t think anyone’s at fault. I didn’t conduct myself well, and if anything, I hope this doesn’t offend Your Highness.”

I slowly straightened my expression, cleared my throat a few times and started walking again.

There was only one place in the temple where the young monkeys could play so I moved with no hesitation.

As I walked ahead of Prince Alois, I kept my expression intact, not wanting to make the same mistake as Princess Ronella, Prince Nestro, and Prince Alois.

The moment you start weaving a thread of deception, you must not let your guard down until the end.

It is not that easy to display a false facade to someone else. So, you had to be careful and remain careful, until the very end.

“There’s…no way I’d feel offended.”

Just then, Prince Alois, who was following me, gave a fitting response.

Maybe this was the real start.

His words were simply perfect for evoking a fantasy in many young girls. Unfortunately, I was not one of them, so I was calm, but his flushed face and trembling voice made it sound like a confession.

After that, neither of us said a word. I started walking in a manner that was obviously stiff and awkward.

And whenever I happened to bump into the Prince, I stiffened, like I was aware of him. That way, he would start having the wrong idea too.

Soon, we arrived at the glass greenhouse. Just as I expected, it was buzzing with activity.

As I opened the door and walked in, I could see the priests, Reneben included, gathered together.

Now that the Goddess Festival was over, I thought everyone would be busy cleaning up, but then I saw most of the priests here and I couldn’t decide what to say.

“Your Holiness!”

“Lady Emilone!”

A few priests who heard me opening the door called out in pleading voice.

I was about to glance at Alois, wondering if he had lied when he said nothing happened then someone pulled my hand.

“Please catch that!”

It wasn’t someone.

It was a small animal with fluffy red fur.

“Oh my…”

The little guy that grabbed my hand was so light that I could easily pick him up. While I was distracted, a warm arm wrapped around my neck too.

“Lady Emilone!”

Reneben pushed aside the priests and came up to me. He was in the worst state compared to everyone else.

He was practically half-naked, his top was completely undone and torn, exposing his bare chest. I immediately looked away, acting like I didn’t see anything.

“These little…haa,” Reneben huffed.

Upon closer inspection, it wasn’t just Reneben. The greenhouse garden was also a mess and the priests looked like they’d lost some hair.

Flowerpots were rolling around on the floor and uprooted flowers were scattered around with dirt.

Some plants even had teeth marks like someone had bitten into them.

“Those two did all this!”

Reneben gushed, as if venting his anger.

After seeing Reneben’s tattered look, I completely understood.

I glanced down at the monkeys burrowing into my arms as if asking, ‘did you do this?’. And the monkeys whined in response like they didn’t do anything.

“Their personalities are just so…,” Reneben wiped the sweat dripping from his face.

I looked down at the monkeys in my arms again.

They were looking up at me adorably, but to think they destroyed the greenhouse flower garden with this innocent looking face.

They were no different from mischievous children.

“I’m sorry, Reneben. I asked you to look after them and this happened…”

I apologized on their behalf while stroking their fur as they clung to me from the front and back. I was the one who said to bring them, so I needed to apologize.

Reneben paused at my apology and shook his head, sweeping back his hair.

“No… I did this because I wanted to take care of them so…”

His body was drenched in sweat, so he was probably exhausted.

I sighed when I realized his priest robe was riddled with sweat, but Reneben immediately spoke up before I could say anything.

“Well…although nothing else happened, please be careful, Your Holiness. They used to be demons.”

“Stop worrying.”

I pushed Reneben’s back, urging him to go rest.

I stopped the priests who have been cleaning up the messy greenhouse since the moment I entered, then I called the attendants and maids.

“What should I do now…?”

After looking at the red monkeys in my arms, I couldn’t help but sigh.

My schedule was already packed but I had to add a new plan to it.

Soon, it would be time for my sword lessons from the paladins.
However, that incident happened yesterday, the wound on my back hadn’t healed and I had to take responsibility for the lives I had brought with me. In other words, I was forced to take a break for the time being.

“Let me carry it.”

Just as I was stroking the ignorant monkeys with a troubled look on my face, Alois grabbed the monkey hanging from my back.

Immediately, a loud screech rang out.

Not a demon’s cry but the simple cry of a monkey.

Alois let go in surprise and the monkey dashed away so fast, it could have been lightning.

It pushed the other guy aside and squeezed into my front. I looked down at it, then I looked back at Alois.

“Give me a second.”

The monkey was trembling in fear, as if it remembered suffering at Prince Alois’ hands yesterday and seeing that I exhaled heavily.

“With your wounds, it’s dangerous to rashly hug an animal like that…”

Alois spoke in an advising manner after seeing the animals jumping all over my body.

But as soon as he spoke, the other monkey, which was not afraid of him, grabbed the prince’s light brown hair.

At the sudden pain in his scalp, Prince Alois frowned slightly

Seeing the creases on his handsome face, I tapped the monkey’s butt and asked it to quickly let go.

Thankfully, it seemed to listen to me somewhat and relaxed its grip then straightened its squatting posture.

He relaxed his grip and corrected his squatting posture.

“…Haa, Your Holiness might not think they’re dangerous, but these are animals that were previously ‘demons’. The more I think about leaving them by your side, the more I don’t think it’s right.”

“I understand your judgement, Your Highness. I feel same way.”

“Then surely…”

“But Your Highness and I have reached different conclusions.”

Prince Alois half-covered his face with his palm. He couldn’t pull me in the direction he wanted.

It seemed like he wanted to kill the monkeys in my arms, but I thought differently.

The reason he brought this up despite having a good understanding of my personality was because of the label, ‘previously demon’.

“They’re dangerous, reckless, and indeed, capable of causing harm at any time. But I think that’s even more reason to handle them with care.”

“…It will be very difficult. You never know when they might turn into demons again and they will definitely take away much of your time.”

I tilted my head and smiled faintly at the prince, wondering if he was really being sincere or merely acting out concern.

“As a Saint, it is my duty to eliminate demons, care for the lowest of the low and love all living things. Something like this is trivial.”

“Perhaps ‘things that used to be demons’ should be considered demons too.”

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