“Surely not. Are you saying that someone of lowly status should prove the name of the Grand Priest?”
“Ray. Don’t interrupt. We should listen to the story. Saint Sesenia is not someone who would do anything harmful to us.”
“But she’s a slave. Proving the status of a slave! Moreover, a slave bought from a slave trader is a foreigner. What exactly are you asking to prove? Surely you don’t mean to prove a false status in the name of the Grand Priest?”
“Ray. As one gets older, one should learn to wait. You’re worse than a five-year-old child. Why are you so hasty to speak when they will explain everything?”
“I just… thought that Saint Sesenia’s actions… were not helping the Grand Priest at all…”
It was a hostility I hadn’t felt in a long time.
In this life, everyone had been so kind and good to me, filled with only good things as if God himself resided in every moment, that I had forgotten that hostility which now sharply awakened my mind.
“Ray. That’s enough. I know very well that you mean well for me, but if I am precious to you, so should my guests be. Mind your manners and know your place.”
It was a first. The Grand Priest, who always smiled like a good person, stopped Ray.
“Grand Priest, I…”
“Enough. If you continue, I will have to ask you to leave.”
“…”
“I kept you by my side because I thought you were the most trustworthy person who had lived your whole life for me, and suitable to be the next Grand Priest. But now I see my judgment was wrong. It seems my judgment has become clouded with age.”
At the stern rebuke, instead of apologizing, Ray glared at Sesenia with eyes full of malice.
Such a gaze wasn’t difficult for her. It had always been expected.
And she knew too well how to deal with such looks.
“First, I’ll explain about this person.”
Complete disregard. She knew too well that explanations wouldn’t work anyway.
To someone who had begun to hate her, no explanation, kindness, or affection would get through.
Rather, such actions would only give the other person more to chew on.
So Sesenia ignored that hostility. The Grand Priest did the same.
He was rather in a state of great disappointment that someone he had trusted was acting so foolishly.
“Please speak. But before that, Ray. It would be better for you to leave.”
“Pardon…?”
Ray’s expression hardened at those unexpected words.
“I’m no longer certain with what intentions you are here. Can I keep someone like that by my side for important matters?”
The Grand Priest had made quite a strong move. In dealing with people, the carrot and stick should always go together.
‘It would be better to give the carrot now. What a pity.’
Seeing Ray stiffen, Sesenia let out a small sigh. Ray looked like he could explode at any moment.
In this situation, instead of soothing him, if they continued to press and squeeze, he would eventually harbor different feelings.
The Grand Priest probably made this move to maintain his dignity in front of Sesenia and to make Ray obey, but it was too harsh a move.
“…I apologize.”
“Are you truly sorry?”
“Yes. I think my emotions got ahead of me. I apologize to you, Grand Priest.”
“Your apology should be directed to Saint Sesenia, not me.”
Only then did Senior Priest Ray bow his head heavily. Forcibly, as anyone could see. He bowed his head to someone 30 years younger than him.
To Sesenia, he seemed like a person completely wrapped up in his own self-esteem.
A Senior Priest who had spent time by the Grand Priest’s side. One who even occasionally aimed for the position of the next Grand Priest.
‘This doesn’t seem like it will go smoothly. Well, it wouldn’t be interesting if everything went smoothly.’
Sesenia bowed her head along with Ray, who occasionally showed a resentful expression when their eyes met.
“I apologize, Saint Sesenia.”
“No, I should apologize for not explaining properly before speaking.”
On the surface, it seemed to have been resolved quite well, but in reality, the wariness between the two only increased.
“That’s good. Now that this matter seems to be settled, shall we move on to the next topic, Saint Sesenia?”
“Yes.”
Sesenia’s gaze flowed towards Ray. He clearly seemed to have harbored different feelings.
But even so, she couldn’t not speak now.
‘Even if I speak, nothing will change anyway.’
Whether rumors about Teddy spread or not, it didn’t matter.
She had planned to reveal it on the current emperor’s birthday for a dramatic effect, but even if rumors spread before that, nothing would change.
Rather, thinking about how the Crown Prince and Prince Ian would cause a fuss because they didn’t know who it was for sure, she even felt regretful that Ray hadn’t spread rumors everywhere.
Sesenia chuckled and then firmly held Teddy’s hand.
“Teddy… I mean Tedel, is a slave I bought from a slave trader.”
“What kind of status do you want us to prove, Saint Sesenia? If you want a different status…”
“Although I rescued him from a slave trader, Tedel is a citizen of the empire.”
“I thought it was illegal to buy and sell citizens of the empire in slave markets…”
“They did that illegal act. And Tedel is… not just an ordinary citizen of the empire.”
Sesenia nodded at Teddy. It was a signal to remove the ring at this timing.
Teddy slightly curved his lips and took off the ring.
Then his black hair changed to golden. Though a bit dry and disheveled from lack of care, the hair color unmistakably symbolized royalty.
“Ah…”
The Grand Priest just blinked, staring at Teddy. His expression asked how this could be.
A figure unmistakably royal. But the Grand Priest and Ray didn’t believe it in itself.
Although there were many impersonators, even seeing this complete royal appearance, they only uttered negative words.
“He can’t possibly be royalty, right? Isn’t that so, Grand Priest?”
“You said he was of slave origin… That’s right.”
Even the Grand Priest, who usually didn’t act this way, was negative about Teddy.
Unlike other royals, his clothes weren’t that fine, and perhaps because he wasn’t well-groomed outwardly, they were subtly dismissing Teddy.
“He must have created fake hair with that ring, Grand Priest.”
“You’re quite perceptive.”
“My goodness… Are you asking the Grand Priest to prove the status of a fake royal you’ve created? Grand Priest, am I not right?”
As if trying to prove himself right no matter what, Ray raised his voice again.
“Haha… Saint Sesenia, you need to explain how this came about…”
“As you can see, the hair did change.”
“Is it as Ray says?”
But Sesenia shook her head.
“It’s the opposite. More precisely, due to something someone did, his original hair was hidden, and he lived with black hair. Thanks to the help of a good person, the magic has been undone, resulting in this current state.”
“You don’t believe it, do you, Grand Priest? Then what is that ring?”
“Hmm…”
The Grand Priest tried to be extra cautious, but the ring did look quite suspicious, so he couldn’t speak easily.
“It seems Priest Ray quite dislikes me.”
“…”
There was no answer. Sesenia had no desire to be nice to someone who showed hostility towards her and picked fights at every turn.
The Grand Priest had already backed him into a corner. Extending a hand of kindness to such a person would only result in unpleasant words.
If that was the case, there was no need to waste her feelings.
“Seeing how you deny everything I say without even listening.”
“The Grand Priest is such a good person that many strange people gather around him. I exist to keep such people away.”
Seeing him act as if he was really something, Sesenia chuckled.
“I see. That’s a good thought. It’s better to be suspicious of others than to trust blindly. But when you suspect others, you should at least observe the situation. It’s true that Tedel’s hair color is related to the ring, but it changed when he took off the ring, not when he put it on.”
Only then did Ray and the Grand Priest’s gazes turn to Teddy’s fingers. Indeed, Teddy had completely removed the ring now.
“That… that is…”
“Teddy is indeed royalty. And I came here today to prove that… I didn’t expect to face only suspicion.”
“…But… but isn’t this just words, Grand Priest?”
“Grand Priest, don’t you also know? That rings activate magic when put on, not when taken off. That’s what magical items are.”
As soon as Ray spoke, Sesenia retorted as if questioning.
Only then did the Grand Priest realize his mistake.
“May I… check? If by any chance I’ve been rude, I’ll apologize after confirming.”
“What apology, Grand Priest? This… this is…”
“Enough, Ray! Being with you is making me lose my composure!”
Seeing the Grand Priest burst out shouting, Senior Priest Ray looked quite shocked.
“Grand Priest…”
But Sesenia ignored him.
“Go ahead and check. That’s why I brought Tedel to this place, for you to verify. From the beginning, I said this was something you usually do.”
So why did you ignore me? Why did you raise your voice without properly listening to what I had to say?
This was a rebuke to both the Grand Priest and Ray. Though not directly, it was a roundabout way of chiding both of them.
The two perceptive individuals simultaneously bit their lips.
Ray looked at Sesenia with an even more resentful expression than before, but the Grand Priest looked at her with bewilderment and unease.
“Saint Sesenia.”
“I’m absolutely not scolding you. I’m just, just venting a little. How could I possibly reprimand the two of you? So, will you check now?”
As if saying ‘see for yourselves’, a gentle smile spread across Sesenia’s face.
__________
Turns Out He’s Been Secretly in Love with Me (Female-dominant)
One-line summary: He acts like he doesn’t like her but is actually playing hard to get.
Synopsis:
Xu Muzhou like her. He has liked her for a very long time, and through repeated schemes, he finally closed the distance with her.
But this is still far from enough.
He wants to be the one who stands out among her many suitors, to fight for her attention, and to make her take the initiative to pursue him.