Emilone’s Temptation Labyrinth – Chapter 100

The next morning, just as Alois said, the Crown Prince arrived by sea.

“Your Imperial Highness!”

Since I had to see Ronella off, I went with her to the shore, and she transformed into the Ronella that I knew.

Frankly, I never thought I’d get close to this Ronella.

Ronella flashed a radiant smile, like a flower that was just beginning to bloom.

If I was the Crown Prince, that kind of smile would make me want to hug her on the spot.

Ronella ran over to the Crown Prince, who was just getting off his ship. Or more precisely, she pulled me along with her.

“Ronella, wait, let me go for a second…”

She refused to let go of my wrist and thanks to that, I had to abandon my plan of just waving at their reunion from afar.

“Ronella, and…the Lady Saintess.”

Before, he would’ve just called me ‘Saintess’ and be done with it. I gave him a small nod, while thinking to myself he had improved a lot.

“Have you been well?”

“…Thanks to your grace…of course.”

Since I had nothing to the Crown Prince, the conversion went nowhere. Ronella then broke the stale silence.

“I didn’t think Your Imperial Highness would travel all this way to such a distant land for me…”

“Prince Alois told me all about it. You got caught in the schemes of dark magic users…”

As expected of Alois. He had even prepared the excuse for the crown prince. I had been wondering how to explain her presence here, so that was a relief.

“Your Highness…”

Ronella looked moved as she covered her mouth with one hand. Of course, her other hand remained firmly attached to me.

Just yesterday, she was asking if she really had to go back and spend the night with me. I shook my head as I remembered how she talked endlessly for two nights straight without sleeping.

“Let’s return to the Empire, Ronella. The Nestro House must be worried sick, too.”

Speaking of which, didn’t Alois say the person standing in for Ronella was lying in bed, pretending to be sick…? I have no clue how Alois calculated or orchestrated all of this, but it was impressive.

While thinking that, I took a step back.

“Ronella, do you mind letting my hand go?”

“Lady Saintess…”

Ronella looked like she was about to throw herself into the Crown Prince’s arms, but hesitated at my words and turned to look at me instead. The Crown Prince, who had just opened his arms to embrace her, awkwardly lowered them, probably embarrassed.

“Are you really going to send me off like this?”

“Ronella…”

“It might have been brief but you saved me from those mages…and I’m sorry that this is all I can say but please…I want you to come back to the Empire with me.”

I wonder what she was thinking as she said that. As I pondered, Ronella pulled me strongly toward her.

“Even if I leave Your Holiness’ side so…easily…don’t forget me.”

“Ronella…?”

“I’m not vacating my place next to you, I’m just leaving. Don’t go thinking things with me were resolved too easily.”

It felt strange to hear such a tone and manner come from Ronella. At first, I wasn’t sure how to respond, but eventually, I matched her seriousness because I could tell she was serious.

“I never thought that way so don’t worry.”

Seemingly satisfied with my answer, Ronella slipped back into her usual, innocent form and clapped her hands together with a sharp snap.

“Then, Lady Emilone, I’ll truly be waiting for you…to come to the Empire.”

She looked at me with pitiful eyes.

Overwhelmed by the intensity of her gaze, I found myself nodding up and down.

That wasn’t the end of it.

As soon as Ronella finished speaking, the Crown Prince called out to me.

“Saintess…”

“Yes?”

“…Thank you…for your hard work.”

He spoke to me like he usually did, still awkward with using formal speech. However, there was a hint of courtesy in his tone.

My eyes went wide at his unexpected thanks, and I burst into laughter.

“Don’t mention it.”

And so, Ronella and the Crown Prince returned to the Empire.

* * *

The Crown Prince left with Ronella early in the morning. Thanks to that, I had to have a light breakfast, but the problem was lunch.

I sent Alois and Reneben off on separate errands, but if I knew this would happen, I would have at least kept one of them.

Or maybe go myself.

“I hope the meal is to your liking, Your Holiness.”

Of course, even if I did go, I wouldn’t have been much help, since I couldn’t read the letters of this country anyway.

This mealtime was a little awkward.

Everyone kept staring at me like I was some rare animal in a zoo. I continued the awkward lunch among the priests, then someone suddenly spoke up.

“Um… Lady Saintess.”

“Yes?”

“This might be a rude question, but—”

A flustered-looking priest began. His face was red as he fidgeted with his fingers, then he seemed to make up his mind and finally lifted his head.

“What…is your relationship with Prince Alois Eseah?”

“What…? Oh…right…”

That was one of the questions I expected. But even so, once it came, I wasn’t sure how to answer.

I finished chewing the salad I’d been absentmindedly eating, not sure if I could even taste it, and glanced around.

“I wonder…what do you think our relationship is?”

“…Huh? Ah…that’s…”

Even though I didn’t do anything special with Alois, I seemed to get asked this question often. Maybe it was because of that ‘somewhat of a kiss’ that we did in front of the nobles some time ago.

“A good…relationship…I think.”

Somehow, that innocent answer made me feel a lot more comfortable.

I started wondering how I could explain it in a way that would surprise Alois when he returned, then I gave up. No matter how I thought about it, I just couldn’t imagine Alois being surprised.

I was feeling a little strange after Ronella left, but the curious gazes of the priests helped chase that feeling away.

Feeling a little more cheerful, I opened my mouth to speak.

* * *

After the meal, I took a long walk around the temple garden. I started wondering if every temple had the same layout, but I was done aiding my digestion, so I went back to the room and sure enough, Alois was back.

“I heard you had an interesting conversation.”

Once I entered the room, Alois was standing there, seemingly just finished washing his hands.

The mention of an ‘interesting conversation’ made me wonder if he had already heard about our discussion at lunch and I curled my lips.

“Well? Did you like what you heard?”

“Of course I did. If anything, it’s more than I deserve.”

He walked over and gently grasped the tips of my hair, bringing it to his lips, while I turned my head and moved my focus elsewhere.

I didn’t really care that he was in my room but I did care about the other beings that I should be seeing in my room.

“Fel, Marien.”

“Lady Emilone.”

Alois turned to me with a slight pout and hugged me from behind, so I gave him a kiss on the cheek and shook him off.

The basket he brought with him wobbled and out popped two red monkeys.

These two were also demons artificially created by Ronella so apparently, there was no need to worry about them becoming demons anymore. Now, I could just think of them as ordinary monkeys.

I gave the two little whining ones all the warmth of my embrace.

“You’re too much. Even your dear ‘fiancé’ hasn’t gotten a hug and you’re giving it to them.”

I swiftly ignored Alois’s remark.

Some of what I said to the priests earlier were just parts of the fictional story between me and Alois. The engagement part was no different.

I just said it because I remembered how he was introducing us as a married couple or calling himself my fiancé in that village we stopped by.

Of course, the priests were very happy to hear such trivial stories.

Since I just ignored him, Alois shrugged like he expected it, then moved on to the main point.

After watching me and the monkeys have fun at our long-awaited reunion, Alois gave a slightly worried sigh and finally said the word I’d been waiting for.

“First of all, the corpses that you mentioned…I’ve finished taking care of them.”

“…I see.”

He was giving me a report of the things I wanted to do myself but wasn’t able to.

To make graves, you needed paperwork and procedure, and though I could speak the language of this country, I couldn’t read it, so it was impossible for me to handle.

I was glad to hear it was completely taken care of and right then, I felt a cold sensation on the back of my neck.

Lifting my head, I looked up at Alois, who was poking my neck.

“What is it?”

“There’s nothing to do in this country anymore.”

“If you have nothing to do…then I don’t either.”

I had a good idea of what Alois wanted to say.

I stroked the monkey’s fur and stared at him like I was urging him to speak, then he opened his mouth like he was probing my reaction.

“So, Lady Emilone. When would you like to visit my kingdom?”

His tone seemed to be assessing me.

“…I guess whenever you say let’s go?”

“I want to hurry up and show you the world I’ve built.”

“Didn’t you tell me your father supported slavery, and you were worried just to grab my attention?”