“Esika, how did that woman react?”

“She just glared at me as if she wanted to kill me. She looked like she had been hit on the back of the head.”

“That’s a bit disappointing. If she had grabbed the princess’s hair…”

The empress snickered while drinking her tea.

“Things might have been resolved more easily.”

It would have been a good excuse to drive out the crown princess, who was already disliked by the emperor for her inappropriate behavior.

The Princess Astia, sitting across from her, smiled faintly as she picked up her teacup.

“The crown princess isn’t that kind of reckless woman.”

“I know the princess has a connection with the crown princess. But think carefully. For the safety of the princess, Lord Bassel… and the child, whose hand would be better to take?”

On the day she entered the palace, the empress told her to choose.

“I believe the princess will make a wise choice.”

Suddenly a cool breeze blew, and the water in the teacup rippled.

She took a sip of the warm tea before speaking.

“In any case, His Majesty the Emperor was angered by yesterday’s events, and the crown princess has lost his trust. It could also damage His Majesty’s faith in the crown prince.”

“Do you think so too, Princess?”

A deeper smile appeared on the empress’s face.

“If it goes as far as dethroning the crown princess, I couldn’t ask for more.”

The empress had compiled an anonymous statement written by Yuri and all sorts of unfavorable testimonies about her, and reported them to the emperor through an official.

At the time, the emperor didn’t even snort, but now the situation might change.

A punishment of fifteen days of self-reflection. It was evidence of damage to the trust in the new royal family.

Moreover, although Eunibes was a territory that the crown prince had arduously reclaimed while covered in blood and armor, if Breyten were to govern the hearts of its people, all the credit would go to Breyten.

The long war was over anyway, and if the crown prince, once called a war maniac, could no longer prove his usefulness…

“An opportunity has arisen for our Breyten.”

She couldn’t help but be very pleased about this.

“Have you planned the site for building the temple? Your Majesty the Empress.”

“I wouldn’t have brought it up to His Majesty the Emperor without such thoughts. From the moment I first set foot on that land… I felt the destiny of Tameron there.”

The empress’s eyes darkened.

“The forces of the old religion are rotten. The so-called priests focus only on their own self-interest, without thinking of dedicating their lives to Tameron. I, as the empress of this country…”

Her hand trembled slightly as she put down her teacup.

“I intend to reform the state religion into one truly blessed by Tameron. A country where one can truly rely on God with body and soul… That’s the kind of country I will create. Along with the palace temple, the temple in Eunibes will be the second cornerstone.”

Astia lowered her gaze and opened her lips.

“May everything be fulfilled according to Your Majesty the Empress’s will.”

A moment later, the empress rose from her seat, supporting herself on the table.

It was time to take her Henomos.

Originally, twice a day was enough, but now she had to take it about three times for her hands not to shake.

She thought this too must be part of the process of getting closer to the great being Tameron.

**

“Hmm…”

Esika was sitting in a chair, and Eril Fuse standing in front of her was flipping through a densely written copy of the Tameron scriptures.

At first, Eril turned one page, then two, but after ten pages, he carelessly skimmed through it.

Then he turned around, approached the window, and opened it.

And he began to tear up the copy of the scriptures she had written and let them fly in the wind.

One page, two pages, the densely filled transcription flew into the wind.

Eril muttered in a prayerful tone.

“What belongs to Tameron, to Tameron…”

And only after he had let them all fly away did he grin and approach Esika again.

Esika looked at Eril with calm eyes and no expression.

Eril opened his mouth.

“You have completed the task well. But because there was an order from Her Majesty the Empress to strictly teach the Crown Princess… the next task will be a bit more…”

Eril lowered his body to meet Esika’s eyes.

“…You’ll need to focus.”

“…”

Eril grinned once more.

Then he took something out of his pocket and held it out to Esika.

What Esika received was a silver dagger wrapped in a scabbard, with embossed patterns on the handle that seemed to depict mythology.

Looking at Esika with snake-like triple eyes, Eril opened his mouth.

“With that dagger, after drawing blood from your own body…”

Esika heard Eril’s voice as she drew the dagger from its scabbard.

“…Transcribe the Tameron scriptures with the blood that flows out.”

The blade drawn from the scabbard was very sharp.

Esika looked at Eril with calm eyes, showing no agitation.

Eril spoke to Esika with a smile.

“The master of our life is the great Tameron, and transcribing the scriptures with blood flowing from the body means… that Your Highness the Crown Princess’s soul is directed towards Tameron, and as a chaste woman to His Majesty the Emperor and the royal family, you will do your best…”

“…”

“It could be evidence of sincere will.”

The dagger was sharp, and any woman would be terrified if given the task of transcribing the Tameron scriptures with her own blood.

Snicker-

However, Esika calmly twisted the corner of her mouth as she looked at Eril.

He had expected her reaction to be not easy to deal with to some extent, but when he met her cold gaze without even a hint of agitation, Eril’s eyes wavered for a moment.

After a moment, Esika demonstratively raised the dagger and lightly cut her arm.

A red line was drawn on her fair arm, and droplets of blood formed before starting to flow.

Esika held a small decorative glass cup about the height of a thumb to her arm to catch the flowing blood.

Drip- Drip- Her blood was falling into the cup.

Her gaze was fixed on Eril, and the smile on her lips remained.

Eril’s smile slowly faded.

‘Witch… unpleasant woman!’

To not even blink while cutting her own arm with a dagger and drawing blood.

She was an eerie woman enough to make one’s hair stand on end.

After a while, the red blood half-filled the glass cup, and Esika placed it on the side table.

When it made a clattering sound, Eril flinched involuntarily.

“…”

Esika slowly rose from her seat.

And as she returned the sheathed dagger, she said to Eril.

“I’ll gladly do it.”

Her cool voice seeped into Eril’s ears.

Eril, who had entered with a pleased expression thinking to punish and torment her, no longer smiled.

Esika was as solid as a rock that would only hurt one’s own fist if struck.

The corner of his eye was trembling as he awkwardly looked at her.

**

As the red sunset faded away, every part of the imperial palace was gradually enveloped in darkness.

Esika closed the book she had been reading.

Although she had received an order of self-reflection, the etiquette education through Eril Fuse remained the same.

She didn’t mind that much as it didn’t greatly affect achieving her goal.

When she stretched, the door opened.

“…”

She could tell who it was just by the sound of the door opening.

Esika turned around, and Resban, who had already approached with large strides, was standing there.

He immediately raised his hand and touched Esika’s soft cheek in front of him.

The darkness and the flickering red light of the lamp stone made him look even more captivating.

Resban lightly kissed her lips.

Esika’s shoulders trembled slightly at his sweet kiss.

Resban’s eyebrows were stiff, and after separating his lips from hers, he slowly lowered his hand.

Then he took out a crumpled paper from his pocket and held it out to Esika.

“…”

Esika calmly took it.

The identity of the crumpled paper was Esika’s transcription that Eril had sent flying.

She concentrated energy on the paper she held, and soon the paper turned black and slowly changed to ash, scattering on the floor.

Seeing Resban’s expression harden, Esika smiled and reached out to him.

“I’m… fine.”

She truly had no thoughts while Eril Fuse was sending the transcription flying.

“I’m not fine.”

“But this is…”

“How dare they.”

Even if it was a transcription sent by Hans instead, treating the Crown Princess’s task like this was an outrageous act.

It would be unimaginable if the Empress wasn’t backing them.

Resban grabbed her wrist with his other hand.

And when the red line drawn on her wrist was revealed, his eyebrows instantly stiffened even more.

A cold killing intent frosted in his golden eyes, and a fierce aura enveloped him.

But Esika looked at Resban and shook her head.

Originally, Resban was a man who knew how to bide his time and was cool and rational.

But when it came to matters concerning Esika, he seemed to lose patience like this at times.

His golden eyes were blazing fiercely like a yaksha.

“Tomorrow, I should cut off that person’s head, hang it in the garden, and sprinkle the blood before the Empress.”

“…Your Highness the Crown Prince. Please calm down.”

Esika snuggled into his arms to calm him down.

When her slender fingers touched his back, Resban’s eyebrows twitched.

Like a tamer calming a beast, she was familiar with this.

Esika spoke with her forehead resting on his firm chest.

Her voice was soothing yet calm and cool.

“The time hasn’t come yet. This is…”

“…”

“Something we had already anticipated.”

Resban’s eyebrows were stiff. He seemed quite frustrated.

Even knowing it would take time, he couldn’t help but be angry after seeing Esika’s blood.

Esika briefly pulled away from his embrace and looked at Resban.

Esika’s blue eyes were shining brilliantly, just like when they first met.

“When I was very young, a certain man who had been by my side told me.”

“…”

“To catch fish, it’s not enough to just use good nets.”

The corner of Resban’s mouth, which had been coldly set, gradually loosened as if calming down.

Esika looked into his eyes and said to him.

“The most important thing is to wait… until they return with their bellies full of eggs.”