“Are you talking about the priest named Roy?”
Carl heard that the priest had performed the power of blessing at the wedding. He also knew that Sienna had been close to the priest, frequently visiting the temple of the goddess of land located in the capital. Even when there was a problem with the recent wheat shortage in the capital, she had delivered relief through the temple.
“Yes.”
“Even if the priest had the ability to heal, there was no way to save Valore. When he fell, he was already like a dead body. He was barely breathing.”
As soon as Carl heard that the emperor had fallen, he went to Valore. It was to let those who watched Valore’s death know that he was the next emperor, but he also wanted to watch his brother’s end.
Even in his words, Sienna’s expression did not relax.
“You mean you could have saved him as long as he was breathing?”
As she nodded, Carl was very surprised. He heard the priest was still young, but he has that kind of power. Carl felt the need to know more about him. A priest of that ability would be important information.
“If I had recommended early treatment when Emperor Valore was ill, even if it wasn’t the ability to heal, he would have had a different result. I selfishly let his Majesty die because of my greed.”
Sienna shed tears, unable to overcome her guilt. She wanted Arya to suffer from the loss, and that choice she made meant sacrificing someone’s life. She felt terrible about herself that she felt nauseated.
Carl came up to Sienna. His expression was calm. He grabbed Sienna’s chin and looked at her.
“You don’t have to feel so guilty. If you were trying to save Valore, I would have stopped you.”
-I don’t want the imperial throne. It’s you, Sienna, that I’m coveting.
Carl still could not forget Valore’s words to himself, which Carl had heard over the door.
“One time is enough to yield mine. And Valore’s death was his fault for being greedy for something he couldn’t handle. Not your fault. So you don’t have to feel guilty for anything. It’s an insult to me if you feel guilty about his death.”
She couldn’t completely erase her guilt, but she nodded.
*
As soon as he ascended to the throne of the emperor, Carl persistently investigated corruptions related to delays in road restoration projects that had had a significant impact on the occurrence of famine in the capital. As a result, the Southern forces, the foundation of Arya and her brother, Depine Panacio, were held largely responsible.
Carl demoted Duke Panacio to Count. Carl then demanded that Panacio return the money he had diverted from the project funds to the state coffers and sent him away to his hometown on condition that he could not come up to the capital for five years.
Dozens of deaths occurred in the capital alone, and Southern trading houses leading the wheat trade as well as many of its associates suffered financial losses. Many aristocrats agreed that Carl was not as belligerent as they thought he was, and rather he was a benevolent monarch.
Now that Carl has ascended to the throne of the emperor, it was a natural step for Sienna to be the empress.
It was common for the empress to hold banquets and get their seats confirmed, but Sienna refused to meet outsiders, turning down the guests who visited her. Sienna thought it was a seat Bluebell deserved.
She gave a deep sigh. The time to leave Carl came fast.
Even though she knew she was in the seat only temporarily, she was too absorbed in the position. It was because this Carl was so different from the old one.
He did odd things and even joked at her like an adolescent boy. There were times when the room was filled with sellum and took Sienna to bed excitedly.
Sienna, who was hunting with a rejection, could not refuse any more when faced with his excited face. Because at that time, he resembled the image of a man with a passion for love.
“It’s not possible…”
Sienna shook off the idea, struggling with the thought that suddenly came to mind.
“How can you think like that, even though one is free to think? I can’t believe I am thinking that he might love me.”
She was so dumbfounded that she laughed. It’s ridiculous to even think that Carl would love her instead of his charming Bluebell.
Of course, it has changed a lot from the past. Meeting him, her attitude towards him, but…
She shook her head. She was being too greedy.
“Your Majesty, you’re now the empress. Why do you look so depressed?”
A bright light came into the room after Hain drew back the curtain that was covering the window.
“Why don’t you go outside and get some sun instead of just staying in your room in a gloomy mood? And now you should meet people who come. Every time, the knights were in trouble. There are some nobles who are angry because the Empress refuses to meet them every time.”
More and more people were visiting Sienna these days. Somehow they were trying to line up. She refused to meet thoroughly. She sent back all the gifts they sent.
“I’m sorry to the knights, but I can’t help it. Even if I meet them, they’ll only ask me a favor with the bribes they disguise as gifts. Anyways, have you heard from Her Majesty the Empress, or, I mean, Her Majesty the Queen Marie?”
At Sienna’s question, Hain shook her head with a sad face.
“She sent a message that she doesn’t want to meet anyone yet.”
At the words, Sienna put on a sullen look. Marie had been avoiding meeting anyone since Valore’s funeral. Siena wanted to meet her and offer her words of consolation, but Marie even avoided meeting Sienna.
“Your Majesty, we have a visitor.”
Said the knight Milton, who was guarding the door. It was a surprise because up until now, Milton had taken care of those who had come to visit.
“The priest of the Temple of the Earth, Roy, has asked to see you.”
Sienna was glad and ordered him in.
“Priest Roy!”
She ran and hugged him as soon as he entered. She was glad to see him after a long time.
“Your Majesty Si…Sienna!”
Roy blushed and was embarrassed, but did not deviate from her embrace. His arms were very warm. Roy had a pleasant smell of fresh grass and warm earth.
Sienna was constantly suspicious of her choice and was anxious. She was afraid that she would make the same choice as she did in the past, and that the wrong choice would put Carl, herself, and Bluebell’s life in the mud again.
In the imperial palace, she was living in an unknowingly nervous state. But when she saw Roy, it seemed to her that she was not the empress living to avenge Arya, but the real Sienna, who was purely happy to be with the children.
Tears welled up in her eyes. She didn’t know the exact reason for the tears. She just wanted to get rid of the overwhelming emotions in Roy’s arms.
Sienna’s tears seeped into Roy’s clothes. He swept her back gently.
“You must have had a hard time.”
She tried to stop crying but Roy’s voice made her cry even more loudly. His words, which were not much, felt a great deal of consolation. If he hadn’t removed her, she would have been clinging in his arms forever.
Sienna wiped her face messed-up with tears and smiled awkwardly.
“I must look awful.”
“No, please. Are you all right?”
“It’s alright. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you, Roy, so I was glad to see you. So why didn’t you come to visit often?”
Roy smiled at Sienna’s words.
“If I had known you would be so happy, I would have visited you more often. I was hoping to see you, but I put up with it.”
“That’s true. It’s not easy to get to the palace in person. What brings you here? You’re not here to see me.”
“In fact, I’m here today to congratulate the Emperor on his accession as the delegate of the Holy Empire. While I was in the palace, I wanted to meet lady Sienna and see if she had been doing well.”
“I’m doing very well. It’s sad that I can’t see cute little boys and you every day. How are the children doing?”
Roy told Sienna about the temple children.
“Of course. Robin got a job at Kelly’s store. He doesn’t make much money, but he’s donating part of his salary every time, asking them to be spent for the children.”
“Good for him!”
“And recently, we’ve been running a free lunch center for children. We can’t give them good food, but we’re providing meals to children who skip meals because they’re poor or those that couldn’t be accepted to stay at the temple because our dorm is full.”
“That’s a good idea. Aren’t you short of operating funds?”
“We don’t give them good food—we give them watery soup. But we’re running it steadily because more and more believers are willing to help us in the midst of difficulties. All thanks to you, my lady. Thanks to your donation to our temple during the famine, the congregation has also increased. Everyone is trying to help others when they are in need. Your Holiness also said thank you to Sienna.”
In recent years, the number of believers who believe in the goddess of the earth has increased rapidly within Leipsden Empire. During the famine, wheat was lent free of charge and many people became aware of the temple.
People didn’t forget to thank the temple even though there was no mention of religion when it lent them wheat.
“Thank you. I should rather thank you.”
Sienna felt embarrassed. She became a believer and entered the Holy Empire and was able to use it as a means of keeping Arya in check. And even though she did not actually do anything, she was admired by many people in the capital. After all, it was her who received the help.