Episode 06

Leto took me to the royal common room. As soon as the door closed behind us, he let out a deep sigh.

 

“I’ve got the wrong guy.”

 

“…….”

 

“I thought you were so clever; I can’t believe you didn’t understand when I told you to be quiet and still.”

 

He wasn’t cold or sneering; he was really angry.

 

“You didn’t speak; you didn’t move.”

 

“Don’t play games with me. Leave the banquet hall right now and go to the private palace.”

 

If I go to the palace, He’ll send someone to kill me. No rats or birds will know. To make it look like a natural death. Leto could do that.

 

I can’t give my life away like this, I told him quickly.

 

“I need you to hear me out.”

 

Leto turned away, his face impassive. As if he didn’t even want to know the reason for my behavior.

 

I rushed over and grabbed his arm.

 

“Baron Fahram’s condition is a type of skin disease, and the tea tree has something in it that will stop it, but since he can’t speak, that’s all I can tell you.”

 

“Nonsense.”

 

Leto brushed my hand away with ease. I tried to grab him again.

 

It was at that moment that he twisted my wrist.

 

“You disgrace the royal family in more ways than one. Who told you to touch me?”

 

His eyes glowed with rage. His gaze was intense enough to send a chill down my spine.

 

“To soothe a rash? You’re not just doing some flimsy goddess impersonation; you have orders from the High Priestess?”

 

The High Priestess’s orders—that was the most absurd thing I’d ever heard.

 

Of course, I was terrified, and I couldn’t hide my trepidation. But I had to say what I had to say.

 

“So Your Majesty believes that boron Fahram’s illness is a curse from the goddess?”

 

“…What?”

 

“If it’s not a curse from the goddess but a simple skin disease, you should be happy for me, not suspicious of me.”

 

Leto seemed speechless for a moment, and then it happened. There was a knock on the door, and it was opened with urgency.

 

It was Ewarton, and he froze in his tracks. Leto asked in a low, hushed voice.

 

“What is it?”

 

“Your Majesty, I need you to go to the ballroom right now. Baron Fahram’s rash has subsided.”

 

“……!”

 

At that moment, Leto’s hand twitched. I twisted my hand out of his grasp. My reddened wrist tingled.

 

“…….”

 

“…….”

 

We stared at each other for a moment. My breath was still shaky. Meanwhile, Leto’s eyes were filled with confusion.

 

“Let’s go. To the ballroom.”

 

I said that and led the way.

 

The ballroom was abuzz with wonder and amazement. Fahram was surrounded by people.

 

“Your Majesty!”

 

Fahram approached me. The rash on his right hand was better, and the difference was more obvious when compared to his left.

 

“No rash, no spots—even the itching is gone, little by little. Thank you, Empress.”

 

Fahram said, choking back a sob.

 

He glanced at the High Priestess, who was leaning over the table and looking this way. He was looking up from the table.

 

He made eye contact with the high priest. I could see all sorts of calculations going through his head. Then he walked over to me. His face was filled with awe.

 

He shouted for all to hear.

 

“A miracle of the goddess.”

 

The priests fell to their knees as if in promise. Then the nobles followed suit.

 

“The resurrected Empress has been granted the favor of the Goddess!”

 

“The favor of the goddess! It’s a miracle!”

 

“Long live the goddess! Long live the empress!”

 

Meanwhile, the young women who had been gossiping about me fell flat on their faces; they trembled and stared at the floor.

 

For livia, this was a relief. But we can’t empower the High Priest like this.

 

Let’s make it clear to everyone. This is not a miracle. The anti-inflammatory properties of the tea tree have reduced inflammation.

 

“This is…….”

 

I opened my mouth to say. Leto grabbed my hand. He whispered in my ear.

 

“Shhh.”

 

“……!”

 

I looked up at him. He said it calmly.

 

“Not now.”

 

Why on earth? It would be good for him to know the truth.

 

“livia.”

 

“livia!”

 

Just then, Sean and Louis approached. Louis said it in disbelief.

 

“We’re just now arriving from the manor. By the looks of things, has another miracle happened?”

 

Instead of answering, I just smiled. Sean gently put his hand on my shoulder and sighed.

 

“What the hell happened to my brother?”

 

“I’m fine, big brother.”

 

“Everyone’s looking at you, by the way.”

 

Louis was right. People still looked at me in awe and admiration.

 

“…It’s a burden. Besides, we’re not going to be able to organize the Founding Festival if we keep this up.”

 

I said to Leto.

 

“I think it’s best if we head back now.”

 

“…Yes. The Empress would do well to do so.”

 

“I’ll walk you home, Livia.”

 

Louis held out his arm. But Leto stopped him.

 

“I’ll take you to the Empress.”

 

“You’ll take her? Livia?”

 

Shawn asked, surprised, because Leto had never stepped forward in this situation before.

 

Leto looked at Sean.

 

“Why not, Sean Matrion?”

 

“Uh, no, not really.”

 

“Then that’s no problem. Let’s go, Empress.”

 

Leto offered me his arm. I had no choice but to take it.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

We walked wordlessly toward the Star Palace. The flowers in the garden glowed white in the moonlight.

 

I glanced at his back as he walked ahead—a broad, handsome back.

 

But I couldn’t see what was going on inside him.

 

Why didn’t he tell me the truth if he wanted to keep the High Priest in check?

 

We entered the front courtyard of the palace. We had just passed the fountain. Leto stood tall and slowly turned around.

 

I tensed.

 

What was he going to say again?

 

Leto seemed to have calmed down. After a moment’s hesitation, he slowly opened his mouth.

 

“Fareem is someone I care about a lot.”

 

“…….”

 

“Maybe that’s why I was so excited earlier.”

 

He took my hand and lifted it slightly. I could see the bruises on his wrists.

 

“I’m sorry about that.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“And for lashing out instead of listening to you.”

 

I was surprised. This guy can apologize, too, and he looks uncharacteristically sorry.

 

“It’s okay.”

 

It’s just a bruise that will fade over time. I’ve never been one to whine about things like this.

 

“It’s okay?”

 

It was Leto who asked, confused. I was genuinely puzzled.

 

“Isn’t it supposed to be okay?”

 

“Not really.”

 

“You apologized, and it was a misunderstanding.”

 

“You are.”

 

He swallowed what he was going to say and instead said to me, “That’s… unusual.

 

“…peculiar.”

 

I accepted his apology and thought, “What does that mean? Never mind, that’s not the point.

 

“There’s one thing I was wondering.”

 

“Curious about what?”

 

“Why did you stop me from telling people the truth?”

 

“It’d be a nice little deception. It might flatten the High Commissioner’s nose. But then what?”

 

“And then what?”

 

“Who do you think the High Priestess will target?”

 

“…I see.

 

If I had told the truth, I would have antagonized the High Priestess. Then I would have been the new target.

 

Leto was protecting me.

 

Just as he would have protected Fahram from me.

 

I breathed a sigh of relief. At least the stigma of being a high priestess had been removed.

 

“You don’t doubt me anymore.”

 

“I saw it with my own eyes—the way you healed him. I saw the High Priestess’s dumbfounded expression.”

 

“…….”

 

“I only believe what I see.”

 

It was a simple but clear statement. It’s Leto’s belief, too. He doesn’t believe in goddesses. He only pretends to be for the peace of the Empire.

 

The word ‘believe’ came out of his mouth, by the way. I breathe a sigh of relief.

 

‘But I shouldn’t rest easy just yet. Leto could take my life at any moment, and I need to make sure he has a reason to keep me alive.

 

I grabbed his arm.

 

“Your Majesty, I am a man of many uses.”

 

He looked down at his arm. Ah, I thought as I remembered his words.

 

 

 

 

 

Who told him to touch me?

 

 

 

 

 

The moment I let go of his arm, he grabbed it without warning and pulled me to him. I took a step toward him, unsteadily.

 

Leto smiled. He was intrigued.

 

“So, what else are you good for?”

 

I swallowed hard. I hadn’t expected him to ask me that so soon.

 

I guess being Empress isn’t enough, then… I guess this is the only way.

 

“If you give me some time, I can concoct a medicine to heal Lord Param.”

 

I’m not so sure. I don’t even know if the ingredients for a cure for psoriasis exist in this world, but I’ll try. As long as there’s a chance.

 

Leto was still holding me. Eyes like the mysterious, deep ocean. He stared at me for a long time.

 

“I don’t know what he’s thinking. Maybe… maybe he thinks I’m full of shit.

 

I opened my mouth with difficulty.

 

“If we can find the ingredients for the medicine somehow,”

 

“If only.”

 

Leto said dryly.

 

“I could give you the empress’s position once and for all.”

 

I opened my eyes wide.

 

“What did I just hear?

 

“Give me the Empress’s position outright?” That meant “become the real Empress.

 

“No… way.

 

The Empress is one of the busiest women in the empire. Imagine the responsibility that falls on her shoulders.

 

“You want me, an overworked woman, to take on such a position?

 

I don’t understand Leto either. I get that I’ve been useful, but I can’t believe they’re giving me a job like that.

 

 

I shook my head with a grimace.

 

“I don’t think that would be a good idea.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I have my conditions.”

 

“Okay. Tell me.”

 

He smiled lazily and said, “Tell me. As if he’d listen to any terms.

 

I took a deep breath and told him.

 

“After a year, I want you to divorce me.”

 

His smile disappeared in an instant.

 

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

“Hah…….”

 

I flopped down on my bed.

 

I don’t know where the day went. I think I made it through the international. I have a little more life left in me.

 

The offer to make a psoriasis drug was exquisite. Not only would I help Fahram, but I’d break the Goddess’ curse.

 

“The problem would be the ingredients…….

 

The good news is, it buys us some time.

 

Leto told me before we parted ways.

 

 

 

 

 

– ‘You don’t need to make the potion right now. Sooner or later, Fahram will come to help you, and you can start then.

 

– But…….

 

– I mean get some rest, you haven’t slept in ten days.

 

 

 

 

 

He must have gotten a report on my work because I’ve been up almost every night since I came to this world.

 

“How do you rest, anyway?”

 

I tossed and turned in bed. I’ve never had a good night’s rest, so I don’t know.

 

But maybe it was the fluffy bed, or maybe it was the relief of being alive, I slept the sweetest sleep I’d had in a long time.