“I found this seed near the underground tomb.”

“……Underground tomb?”

Hades stared at me intently.

“Of course, it wasn’t on purpose!”

I hurriedly replied.

“I just somehow, lost my way…… and ended up in the tomb, and there was an old box, so I opened it out of curiosity.”

“An old box was there.”

Hades repeated my words in a dry tone.

“You’re telling me that you opened an artifact now, Holy Maiden?”

“……I’m sorry.”

“So, what next? Sprouting from an old seed must have been difficult.”

I looked at him squarely.

“I may have weak sacred power, but I can at least mend the seed itself.”

“Growth.”

“……I used the power of a potion.”

Hades seemed to demand more explanation.

“I happened to find a panacea, and when I poured a little on it……”

“Was that also an artifact?”

“It’s similar.”

“Huh.”

Hades let out a deflated sound.

“I didn’t even know where my wife was wandering around.”

“I’ve never been outside the castle.”

“Yes, you must have.”

Hades replied coldly.

“You know very well what would happen if you went out with the Holy Sword.”

“…….”

“You’re right. You were able to move around so well on your own; my accompaniment would have been nothing but a hindrance.”

I lightly bit my tongue. Every single word of reproach hurt.

But, even so…….

“Your Highness, may I say one thing?”

There was no need to lose Hades’s trust forever like this.

“……Speak.”

“I did wander around on my own.”

Let’s admit what needs to be admitted.

“But that was when I hadn’t been at the castle for long. At that time, I couldn’t even get proper food, so I had to find something to eat while wandering and figure out how to survive on my own.”

I reached out and lightly touched the tree.
I entered the tomb at that time, thinking there might be something worth writing. Since I had nothing, I wanted to gain something.

“……”

“I was desperate at the time…… I’m sorry.”

I looked at Hades, trying to calm my pounding heart.

Will Hades believe my words?

Or will he doubt them even more?

If there’s even a little compassion for that short time when I was tormented……

A mysterious expression crossed Hades’s face, and his hand slightly rose and then stopped.

“I understand.”

He answered slowly.

“Is there anything more to do here, saintess?”

I wanted to say I would just go back, but instead I nodded and reached for the flowering tree.

As I slightly shook the branch, the flowers fell down.

These flowers could be refined into a potent sleeping aid.

“I’m going to decorate the room with them.”

“There might be poison.”

“Shall we bury the poison tree with the corpse?”

“That’s true.”

Hades agreed, looking up at the tree.

“The gardener is right. I suppose we’ll have to call a botanist.”

Unfortunately, once the spark of doubt takes hold, it’s not easily extinguished.

Of course, I tried. I showed Hades the most trustworthy side of myself.

But the irritating notification –10 didn’t disappear.

Fortunately, the threat named Shujechin has been removed, so there’s no need to continue staying by Hades’s side.

“It’s cold…… Can you close the window, Amy?”

I shivered. A cold wind was coming in through the window left open for ventilation.

It was almost winter, but the northerners often lived with the windows wide open, as if this chill was nothing to them.

Of course, my room was an exception, but since Amy was also a northerner, she often forgot to close the window.

“Yes, I’ll close it right away.”

Rushing to the window, Amy let out a gasp.

“What’s the matter?”

I turned towards her.

“Why?”

Amy muttered to herself, then shook her head.

“It’s…… a blizzard is coming. It’s nothing to worry about, but it’s a month earlier than usual…….”

I quickly realized the hidden meaning in Amy’s words. The envoy wouldn’t be able to return until the blizzard stopped.

‘What to do?’

A sigh escaped me. I was enduring, thinking only of the day the envoy would return, and now I have to wait for the blizzard to stop?

“How long does a typical blizzard last?”

Amy narrowed her eyes, looking at the horizon.

“I’m not sure…… but judging by the size of the clouds, it’ll last over a week. Plus, we’ll have to clear the blocked roads. Ah, I want to stop seeing those faces as soon as possible!”

“Me too.”

We were looking at each other and chuckling when a noisy sound came from outside.

“We must leave immediately!”

“Do you not know how terrifying the northern blizzards are?”

I approached the door to overhear the conversation outside. Fortunately, the main participants in the conversation seemed to have no intention of hiding anything.

“If more than half freeze to death on the way back, obviously the responsibility will fall on me.”

Irritation dripped from Hades’s voice.

“……Your Grace, the Duke is right. We have no choice but to stay for a while.”

“If we’re stuck until spring…….”

“It can’t be helped. Coming to Donovan at a time when winter is approaching means that you were prepared for this situation, doesn’t it?”

At the perfectly reasonable argument, the envoy seemed to have nothing to say.

“Does Her Majesty Haona not handle ice? Perhaps, you will clear the way…….”

“My ability is to freeze, not the opposite.”
Hades was clearly mocking.

“To melt the ice, it seems you’ll have to use that wizard over there, Changeling White.”

I shook my head dejectedly and moved away from the door. If unlucky, I would have to be with that delegation until spring.

That meant, I might have to continue the role of the ‘beloved government’ until spring as well.

‘It’s awful.’

I looked out the window. Just as Amy said, dark clouds were rapidly covering the sky, and a hazy blizzard was rising on the horizon.

‘It can’t be helped.’

I was about to turn my head with a sigh when something that should never be seen caught my eye.

“……!”