Chapter 37 – Part 2

However, the next moment, the name that fell from his mouth made me freeze.

...Temple of Tunia?

It was a topic that I could not help but be intrigued about. While for Raniero, it may be a 'topic not worth a long discussion,' it was not the case for me.

'It was where Seraphina, the heroine, lives.'

The fact that the name of the temple I read in the novel came out of the mouth of the character, the Emperor, caused tension unimaginable. Even though it was summer, my body was puffy and I had a slight fever, my fingertips abruptly became cold.

I was glad I was sick. Even if my complexion turned pale, Raniero would only think it was because I was sick.

"The Temple of Tunia...?"

"Yes. They sent me a letter."

​​

Raniero, who had his chin on his hand, was consistent with his uninteresting attitude before he smiled. It was an unfriendly smile.

The things that 'Angelica' had studied lightly brushed the surface of my consciousness and disappeared.

The Temple of Tunia was so small and barren that it was not eaten by Actilus because it was based on a land that was not worthy of suppression. In fact, there has been a steady demand for the easing of tensions between the two great powers of Actilus and Sombinia. Both countries did not listen.

I asked carefully, hoping that my question would not provoke him.

"What happened in the Temple of Tunia...? Perhaps, is it because of the tension with Sombinia?"

"No, it's not."

Raniero answered immediately.

...What else could it be?

"They say it's time for the eggs of the beasts to hatch, and we need to subjugate them."

"Ah..."

"Isn't it humorous? Is it mercy to slaughter demons?"

His provoking remarks were convincing in their own way. I was so nervous about the name of the Temple of Tunia that I clasped the quilt with my damp hands tightly.

"How shallow and contradictory is the mercy of the God Tunia. The God of mercy who'd given down land to his followers that'd no choice but to be slaughtered?"

"But... you're going?"

I ended up saying it.

Raniero's sarcastic eyes gazed towards me, and his eyes narrowed with a bewitching curve.

'...The Emperor will go.'

Although he made a mockery of them and said that the schedule they sent was not worth putting on a political meeting, he would still go... because Raniero likes to spatter blood.

After a moment of silence, he answered.

"I don't know."

It was a vague answer, so I could not relax the tension.

"I might show 'mercy' to them if they bowed their heads directly at my feet."

I trembled slightly.

It was because a subtle smirk appeared on Raniero's face.

...He was enjoying it — the contradiction of mercy set forth by the Temple of Tunia, where they must ask for slaughter in order to survive. When the temple sent the letter asking for help to the Actilus Empire, they must have been prepared to endure such humiliation.

'So, they'll come here.'

Naturally, the contact between the Temple of Tunia and Raniero was not pleasant for me. It was because the presence of Seraphina, the main character of the original work, felt immensely close.

My heart was beating violently at the thought.

What if their envoys to the Empire include Seraphina...?

I shut my eyes tightly.

'No... Calm down, let's think rationally.'

It would be too self-conscious to think that my existence had created a demonic beast, or that was why the letter was sent from the Temple of Tunia to the Actilus Empire. There was no way I had changed the world's direction.

This was probably the flow of the original novel...

Then, the Seraphina will not come because it was clearly written in the novel that winter was their first meeting. Even so, I could not help but feel a little anxious.

As I was immersed in my thoughts, something suddenly came into my mouth.

It was sweet candy.

"Ah..."

Raniero tapped my lips softly. While I was puzzled, he titled his head.

"You don't like it?"

I shook my head.

It was not that I hated candy, but I felt very uneasy. Still, I could not forthrightly say this to him.

Raniero, unable to understand the thoughts inside my head, poked my puffy cheeks that had become convex because of the candy.

Argh— Just like last time, he must have thought that taking care of sick people was like a fun game. It was not because the tension was relieved, though the strength in my body was drained from the feeling of desperation.

I uttered as the peach-flavored candy melted in my mouth.

"...You have to spare me until the winter."

Raniero raised one eyebrow with a face as if asking what I was talking about out of the blue.

"To do that, you've to take care of the Empress well."

Augh... What was the reason to say that?