Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 51

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T/N: You might see the emperor calling himself ‘this king’. It’s a very old term and translating it as ‘this emperor’ is just not right.

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“The Imperial Knights must have it hard.”

“That’s what it’s like when you’re someone’s subordinate.”

He looked at me as if to say, ‘isn’t that so?’. I avoided his eyes and spoke like I was letting the words slip.

“Aren’t you the 4th Prince? Don’t talk like you’ve actually served under someone.”

I wasn’t talking about the emperor, the king, the imperial crown prince or the royal crown prince. It was truly a difficult thing to serve under someone without any room for the slightest defiance.

“I know.”

“…”

“I understand how it is without having to be told. I have seen a lot, and I don’t think it’s right as a master to not even know their feelings.”

“It seems Your Highness’s subordinates have a good master.”

“A good master perhaps, but not a good person.”

Soon enough, we arrived at the arena where the people of the Imperial Castle and the people of the Temple were in a standoff.

Alois took a step back behind me, allowing the sleeping head of Prince Yuina to fall on his shoulder.

Despite how he might act, he was only the 4th prince of one kingdom.

Taking a step back was the right choice.

As soon as Reneben saw me, he noticed Prince Yuina and rushed over to me.

Actually, the Emperor was even faster than Reneben, because he saw Yuina in Alois’s arms and came stomping over.

“Saintess!”

“…Your Majesty.”

I clicked my tongue and called in a low tone. It was also meant as a rebuke, as if to say, ‘why do people never change?’.

The emperor glanced at the blonde Yuina in Alois’s arms with unease.

He must have felt very desperate because he recklessly stretched out his hand, and Reneben, who would have normally refrained from touching the emperor because it was rude, scowled and grabbed the emperor’s hand.

“You are being rude, Your Majesty. How dare you lay a hand on the Saintess.”

His voice rang out, uncharacteristically low.

The emperor seemed to have some comment he wanted to make, but when he saw the look on Reneben’s face, he shook off Reneben’s hand.

“You have no right to speak callously to this king.”

The emperor’s anger shifted to Reneben.

“Your Majesty raised your hand against the Saintess first. Even if you are of the Imperial name, I will not forgive you if you touch the Saintess.”

“How dare you—!”

“Your Majesty.”

I frowned, pulling Reneben toward me for protection.

“If you insult our priests or our knights, I will not forgive you either.”

I said, gesturing to the people in a standoff against the temple people and the emperor’s face cracked.

“However, even this king can’t forgive you for raiding the Imperial Castle as you please.”

The emperor was not called emperor for nothing. Most nobles would have cowered in fear once I spoke to such an extent, but he confidently made his rebuttal.

“As I recall, Your Majesty also raided the temple as you pleased in the past. I thought to use this opportunity to strength my relationship with the Imperial palace, so I used the same method….”

When the emperor barged into the temple back then, I couldn’t speak the imperial language and the words being said were very different from the world I had lived in.

And while I knew nothing, he gave me a ridiculous reason, saying it was done to strengthen the relationship between the temple and the emperor.

The emperor seemed to remember that day as well because his jaw clenched at my words.

You’d think in this situation, he would try to be on my good side…or rather, perhaps he was only restraining himself because he had to be on my good side.

Normally, he would have already left already, so I guess you could say he was factoring it in.

The emperor turned to Alois, apparently deciding that neither I nor Reneben would work.

Alois felt the emperor’s gaze fall on him, and he suddenly reverted to his delicate doe-eyed look.

His expression was as if he was completely frightened.

“Your Majesty…”

At his pitiful call, the emperor paused and hesitated.

Whether intentionally or not, Prince Alois moved during that gap, causing Prince Yuina’s forehead, which was pressed against his shoulder, to tilt to the side. Yuina’s soft cheeks fell on Alois’ shoulder and his mouth opened like a carp.

The emperor, who had been hesitating because of his position, couldn’t bear it anymore when he saw Yuina’s voice and exploded in a loud voice.

“What do you think you’re doing!”

“…Your Majesty, please calm down.”

Although I stopped him, I didn’t really expect him to listen. Sure enough, the emperor ignored my word and advanced.

He quickly grabbed Alois’s wrist and put his hands around Prince Yuina’s waist.

Of course…the ability to heal was a rare, unprecedented ability, desirable by anyone, and if it could be reproduced, there was one person whose value would be increased—Prince Yuina.

I covered my mouth with my golden embroidered white robe and sneered.

“As you can see, we found a child. Does Your Majesty know him?”

I called Yuina a child and stroked his hair.

Sparks were pretty much flying from the emperor’s eyes.

Just as I was crossing my legs, wondering what the emperor would do, he chose an unexpected frontal charge.

“He is the son of this king.”

As soon as he said that, the surroundings began to get noisy. Although I was surprised, I had a response prepared.

“I thought I knew the faces of all the Princes and Princesses… Is there a prince I haven’t seen?”

My red eyes gleamed with light.

The emperor was no easy opponent either.

“Because he is a weak child, I was afraid he might be in danger, so I kept him a secret.”

“Even from the Saintess, you mean?”

I didn’t remove the smile on my face. Or the sleeve that covered my mouth.

I only narrowed my eyes and replied with that question. With a smile that made it hard to tell what I was thinking.

“…In order to deceive your enemies, you must deceive your allies first.”

And when have you and I ever been allies?

I knew he was just saying this to deflect the situation, but it still soured my mood.

“Deceiving your allies might turn them into enemies.”

“Are you saying you are this King’s enemy?”

“We don’t seem to be allies either.”

“Saintess, you—.”

“I have no expectations of you, Your Majesty.”

A nation with a saint was a powerful nation. Because no matter how fairly a Saint dealt with the matter, the nation she stayed in would benefit more when a man-eating demon appeared.

And honestly speaking…

God’s blessing would rest upon the nation where the Saint resides. The country would prosper, the land would be fertile, and the people would be protected from war. For that reason alone, saints were important.

“I’ve heard the story of how an insignificant human has grown arrogant after being blessed by God and is trying to control the royal family and the nobility, and I also agree.”

I had a few eyes and ears in the palace too. They were my “allies” that I’d planted under Reneben’s instruction.

At some point, many nobles had appeared. Since we were gathered in such a large group, it was only natural for them to congregate.

“I have sacrificed myself day and night for you people, damaged my body to save you, put my life on the line to vanquish demons, spent the money I’ve earned for the betterment of the common people, so I must be a child who knows nothing of the world.”

The sarcasm was clearly dripping from my words.

“All I think about is spending my hard-earned money and caring about the lowly commoners. Right?”

Reneben held my arm to stop me, but I knew I had to make it clear now.

“But what a shame. I plan to keep doing that childish thing…and I will steer clear of His Imperial Majesty who doesn’t look kindly on such childishness.”

All fault lies with the emperor.
I said that to instill that idea in the nobles first. And I didn’t forget to imply that I was hurt by him going behind my back and talking about me.

And I made sure to mention my accomplishments otherwise someone might say the Saintess was acting out when she didn’t do much.

“Are you satisfied now?”

Every aristocrat understood the cynicism in my voice.

I pursed my lips and looked around. The Emperor was either unlucky or I must have caught him at the wrong time.

I signaled to the paladins, and with a salute, they began to enter the castle with no obstruction. I told them to report any suspicious or strange places where something similar to Yuina’s might be happening.

These were royalty who lived in an Imperial Castle, and whose pride was a golden tower.

They were probably grinding their teeth, having to experience something like this.

The priests followed the paladins. It was the job of the paladins to go out in force, and the priests to watch them and report back to me.

The Emperor did not stop me this time. Rather, he couldn’t.

Since I told them to go, how could he stop them?

Even the knights were wary of my gaze, instead of the Emperor.

For the first time, I could clearly feel that the temple stood above the imperial castle.

***

I took quite some effort to bring Prince Yuina with me. After one more round of verbal sparring with the emperor, I managed to get Yuina into the carriage while he was distracted.

Alois looked down at Prince Yuina who was lying on the bed with a somber look on his face.

“It’s sad. He’s so young.”

I thought back to when I was ten years old, and when Alois was ten years old. I was young indeed and certainly an immature brat who knew nothing…but I couldn’t quite tell with Prince Alois.

Maybe it’s not anything I’d expect.

“I had no idea a young royal was being robbed of power like this.”

I figured I needed to ask at least once so that Alois wouldn’t become suspicious. Or maybe he was already suspected it.

The fact that I could practically see through him.

“May I ask how you knew the prince was trapped in such a place?”

Prince Yuina stirred on the bed. It was still not time for him to wake up.

“Even…if I say it’s a secret.”

“…”

“I’m sure Your Holiness will understand.”

…Ah, right.

Sure enough, he seems to have finally realized that I was seeing through him to some extent. I’m sure he didn’t know when I spilled that wine.

Alois pulled the covers over Prince Yuina again, then he looked back at me.

“Saintess, please let people know that you are leaving the empire for another country one more time.”

When did he realize it? I was quite sure he didn’t know until the wine thing…Maybe he noticed it today on our way to see Prince Yuina.

Although that was just my guess.

I grabbed his shoulders with both hands, and I was able to look down at Alois, who was sitting in a chair. And I slowly lowered my head.

“A week from now, there will be an evening party at the Imperial Castle. It may be canceled as things stand, but I also have something to tell the emperor.”

I will mention it then.

I spoke very softly from a breath away that our noses were almost touching.

Translator’s Corner:

*Will post another chapter tomorrow!!

Early access available on Patreon.

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