Please provide compensation through divorce.

Episode 11

I couldn’t stop laughing.

“Hahahahahahaha…….”

I want to save his face, but I can’t stop laughing.

Then Leto started laughing too. He can’t believe it.

“Is it that good that it makes you laugh just thinking about it?”

“No, not that. Big, big!”

I coughed to stifle my laughter. It was only after I’d drained my glass of water that I calmed down.

“Your Majesty, a statin is not a person, much less a man.”

“If they weren’t people, you wouldn’t call them that.”

“It’s hard to explain, but statins are a class of medication. And I don’t even have a boyfriend.”

“…….”

One, two, three.

“Ah.”

Three seconds.

It took him exactly three seconds to understand the situation.

“I see.”

God, if I were you, I’d want to hide in a rat hole. How can he not change his expression? The Emperor is not for everyone after all.

“I see.”

Far from being embarrassed, he smiles inexplicably. He nodded his head slowly.

“I must be going now.”

Leto stood up.

“Are you sure you’ll be working alone?”

“I usually do it by myself. I’m not sharing today.”

With a tone that suggested he was being greedy, he disappeared through the side door to his office.

I poured myself a glass of wine. It was a nice end to an enjoyable dinner.

I chuckled like an idiot. It was hilarious, to say the least. I can’t believe I thought Statin was a man’s name. There’s something unexpectedly human about that.

“Hmm…….”

Whatever. Leto made me laugh so hard.

* * *

Leto had just taken his seat.

“Your Majesty. What did you talk about with the Empress?”

Ewarton nudged Leto. Leto raised his quill and replied.

“Why do you want to know that?”

“Her Majesty’s laughter could be heard all the way here. I didn’t know she could laugh like that.”

“Now that you know, get to work, Ewarton. As you can see, I have a lot of work.”

Still, Ewarton was curious, and he looked at Leto with eager eyes.

“It’s not our king’s style to make a woman laugh. What have you been doing? He’s looking just as he always does.

Ewarton was still unmarried and interested in other people’s love affairs.

The emperor and his wife had a reputation for being a bad match, to the point where it was dangerous to watch from the sidelines.

‘It’s a good thing you brought the Empress to the imperial palace,’ he says, ‘they’ve been on good terms ever since.

For Ewarton, the resurrection was an excuse. An excuse to keep them together. Of course, he didn’t expect Leto to agree to the proposal right away.

Leto glanced up from his papers, his face filled with displeasure.

“Why are you smiling like that?”

“Oh, nothing, Your Majesty.”

Ewarton quickly averted his gaze. He had smiled too much. Leto turned his attention back to the papers.

“As for what I was talking about, are you looking into it?”

“Yep. We’re working on a canyon not far from the coast, and we’ve already secured some rocks.”

“You’re doing well. Proceed as quickly as possible, secretly, of course.”

“Yes, sir. Your Majesty.”

“Speaking of which, why don’t you come and see how things are going?”

“Now?”

“I can’t help it if you keep smiling at me.”

“…Yes.”

And with that, Ewarton was sent away. Left alone, Leto continued his work. A few minutes later, he was about to sign some papers.

On a blank sheet of paper, Leto wrote in tiny print.

[Colleague]

His Majesty and I are on the same side as colleagues.

“I wonder why that bothered him.

The answer came quickly. At least Leto could see his feelings clearly.

‘Because it seemed like a line was being drawn.

He knew she was still afraid of him. But still…….

“You could call me something more friendly.

I dipped the pen into the ink. She smudged the word ‘colleague’ with black.

“So, for example,…

I wrote a “b” next to the big black dot and an “u” underneath it. But I couldn’t go any further.

I said, “Enough. What do you expect from a subject that would rather kill than save?

“Damn it.”

I nervously slid the pen back into its holder. I clenched my jaw and picked up the paper to look at it.

Why is it that the more I try to focus, the more my mind wanders?

“Well, at least that one’s a good thing, right? It’s called a statin….

“It’s not a man, is it?”

The corner of Leto’s mouth lifted slightly.

* * *

The day came when I was supposed to have a private audience with the High Priestess. In the early afternoon, I traveled to the Great Hall.

The Great Hall was west of the Imperial Palace, and as I approached it, I felt nervous.

‘The High Priest will not find me aimlessly,’ I thought, ‘or at least see how he can use me. As Leto said, let’s just avoid being used.

The entrance to the Great Hall was guarded by the Temple Guard. Lady marais spoke solemnly.

“Her Majesty the Empress. Be polite.”

The guards obeyed without a word. They were just about to enter through the open door when

“Only the Empress may enter.”

The guards stopped the maids and knights. Madame Marais was furious.

“What is that? I thought the imperial servants and maids were allowed to enter.”

“It is the order of the High Priestess.”

“Then I’ll have to let a knight accompany you.”

“No, sir. There are orders not to allow knights.”

“Look here, how dare you!”

“Madam, it’s all right.”

I mediated between them. The Temple Guard was part of the Great War. There’s no point in creating conflict.

“I’ll go on my own.”

“Your Majesty, but… or you can come with the Emperor later. It’s not safe for you to go alone, even in the temple.”

That was an option. But I still have to deal with the High Priestess, and I’d look even more shallow if I pulled my ass out here.

“It’s okay, everyone; please wait here.”

“Your Majesty… but…”

I smirked once and stepped into the great hall, the door closing with a thud behind me.

“I will escort you to His Majesty’s office.”

The guards led the way. I crossed the center hall with them.

The building was as large and ornate as the Imperial Palace. It hadn’t been expanded for some time. No doubt, thanks to the donations piling in at the advent of the Goddess’ Curse.

I arrived at the gold-embroidered doorway.

“The office of the High Priestess. Shall we enter?”

The guard nodded.

“Your Holiness. Her Majesty the Empress is here.”

“Bring her in.”

The door opened slowly. Inside the spacious throne room, the High Priest sat on a couch.

He was not alone. The man with him was Baron Orang. Baron Orang, if I remember correctly.

Baron Orang, the ostensible mastermind of this hoax—the appearance of the Goddess Snowflake in the manor’s gardens.

“Your Majesty, welcome.”

“Her Majesty the Empress…!”

They rose to greet me. After accepting their greetings, I sat down on the couch.

“Thank you for your letter, Highness. I would have gladly accepted it even if you hadn’t been so secretive.”

“I hope you’ll forgive my discreet nature, Your Majesty, for friendships often blossom in unexpected places.”

“Friendship blossoms in the most unlikely of places. He’s got a bone in his body. He wants me on his side.

“So, what brings you to me?”

“Your Majesty, I’m sure you’ve heard of the goddess’ snowflakes.”

“You mean what happened here at Lord Orang’s house?”

“Your Majesty, I am honored that you recognize my name.”

Baron Orang bowed deeply.

“What empress does not recognize the names and faces of her nobles?”

The High Priest’s eyebrows twitched at my words. He eyed me with subtle suspicion.

“Truly, you are so different than you were before your resurrection, Your Majesty.”

“How can one favored by the goddess be the same as before?”

The High Priestess’s frown slowly creased.

‘Goddess’ to a man who defrauds with ‘goddess’… it’s not a bad feeling.

I smiled and said,.

“Weren’t we talking about the ‘Goddess Snowflake’?”

The High Priestess quickly changed her expression.

“You’re talking about it, yes. Baron Orang was honored by the goddess, wasn’t he, Baron Orang?”

“Yes. I went out into the garden at dawn, and, well, there was the image of the goddess painted in dazzling white powder on the garden wall. I was so astonished that I said a prayer on the spot and immediately put a message in the great hall.”

“Lying. Shameless. You drew the goddess with white powder in the dead of night.

“How did you determine the authenticity of that ‘Goddess Snowflake’?”

Orang gestured with both hands as if propping up the High Priestess.

“You judged it by your divine power.”

“Your Majesty.”

“Yes. High Priestess.”

“‘Goddess’s Snowflake’ is a transparent, shimmering powder that has never been seen in the Empire. Even imperial scholars have acknowledged that it does not exist in any of the books.”

That’s to be expected. The books are incomplete, not to mention that the scholars fear the High Priestess.

The High Priest moistened his lips with his tongue. His violet lips glistened.

“And so we thought it would be fitting for Her Majesty the Risen Empress to publicly honor Baron Orang.”

“Publicly…praise…you mean?”

Aha. So this is what she’s summoned me for.

“I’d like to hear more of the story.”

“This miracle seems to be a bit new to the people, especially with all the talk of the Goddess’ Snowflake as tangible evidence. Under the circumstances, if the Empress herself ‘personally’ recognized the legitimacy of the Goddess’ Snowflake, the people would recognize it.”

“The talk would be about Orang, not the Goddess Snowflake. He’s just a lowly servant, not worthy of such a favor.

So you’re going to use me to gain legitimacy for your miracle?

That’s not all. By throwing this offer out there, you’re trying to figure me out.

Am I an enemy or an ally?

Let’s get this out of the way.

“I hear what you’re saying, High Priestess, but I’m wary of imperial involvement in the Temple’s affairs. The Great Temple is a self-sustaining institution, and who am I to interfere with its independence?”

“Don’t worry about that. It would be an honor to us priests if the Empress would step forward.”

“Then I’ll need to see this thing called the Goddess Snowflake first.”

“Of course.”

As if in anticipation, the High Priestess opened a tabletop beside the couch, and inside was a red velvet pouch.

“Behold. This is the Snow Flower of the Goddess, collected from Baron Orang’s mansion.”

The High Priestess opened the pouch. It was filled with a sparkling white powder.

“May I touch it?”

“Of course.”

I picked up some of the powder and looked at it up close.

The crackling texture, the sharp cross-section of the powder, and its strength. It was alum, ground from alum stone.

I’m sure of it. Alum is used as an ingredient in medicine.

“How about it, Empress? Will you hear our request?”

The High Priestess asked with a meaningful smile.