LIGHTNOVELSTORY EP.11
“Damn it.”
No matter how I thought about it, it was really a mess.
That was the conclusion I reached after a brief but distressing deliberation.
I sounded like someone who had just crashed on Mars, but honestly, it felt that way. In a sense, it was hardly different from being lost.
“So, does that mean I’m openly perceived as being in that kind of relationship with Maria?!”
“…Did you just say Maria?”
“That’s not the important part!”
Yom, that crazy princess enthusiast.
Instead of focusing on the fact that I was living in that—well, it’s a bit embarrassing to say—palace, he was more fixated on the fact that I called Maria by her name.
“Damn it, if this goes on, I’ll be completely stuck and ensnared by Maria!”
“Do you have a problem with being selected as Her Highness Maria’s partner?”
Yom looked at me with an expression of disbelief at my reaction.
Well, isn’t that a given?
“So, are you happy about being tied down to marriage already?!”
“At your age?!”
“…Ugh!”
This time, I was at a loss for words.
Come to think of it, the social norms here were a bit different. Most people had their coming-of-age ceremony at 19 and got married shortly after—within a year or two at most.
In a world where, at 23, you were starting to be whispered about as a confirmed bachelor without even a decent fiancée, I was starting to feel the pressure.
“No, no…!”
But to someone from a country where the average marriage age was over 30, calling 23 just ‘young’ was a bit absurd! Back on Earth, I was struggling to meet my university graduation requirements at this age, desperately trying to get professors to pass me!
Of course, I couldn’t say that out loud. It was obvious I’d just be labeled as insane. But there was nothing I could do. That’s just how the world worked.
In the end, it was kind of poetic justice for having recklessly run away from home.
“Ugh, whatever. No matter who the other party is, I never intended to think about marriage in the first place. So yes, I have a problem. Are you going to help me out, or what?”
“Isn’t asking me that a bit rude…?”
Now that I think about it, Yom was the one who challenged me to a duel over Maria.
“Uh, sorry.”
That was my bad.
With a quick apology, Yom sighed and leaned back in his chair.
“Well, let’s say that’s true. But if you’re unhappy about that perception, shouldn’t you just leave the palace?”
“Are you saying I should throw Maria away and be a jerk?”
“…Surely not—”
“Oh, no way!”
Maybe it’s just me, but I began to feel that Yom really liked Maria in a pure way. It was a bit annoying that he attempted to meddle, but that’s just something young people sometimes do when they get infatuated.
What’s youth if not this?
But I still couldn’t tolerate the slander.
“I swear to the Lord, I’ve never even shared a bed with Maria!”
“…Have you at least shared a room with her?”
“Well, I couldn’t help it since I used to guard her.”
“Ugh…”
Despite my explanation, Yom continued to look at me with a dubious expression. No matter how I tried to clarify, it seemed useless.
It was time to move to the next point.
“Anyway, my image is one thing, but Maria’s image also matters. If rumors start spreading that I stayed with her in the sub-palace, it will end up making her look like someone who spent the night with a mistress!”
Yom showed skepticism at my words.
“The rumors from there rarely leak out. Isn’t that just your worry?”
“Well…”
In a typical situation, he was probably right. If it was a place known for illicit relations or affairs, they’d surely have tight security.
“Maria doesn’t seem to have any intention of hiding it.”
I could be sure of that.
If she intended to keep it a secret, she wouldn’t have reported it so openly to the Emperor.
Considering there were already hundreds who witnessed her openly moving in and out of the sub-palace with someone oblivious like me, rumors must have already started to circulate.
Yom’s expression turned pale.
EP.11
My worries did not end up being unfounded.
As I left the Marquis Residence to head to the palace, the gazes of the nobility were fixated on me. I concentrated my magical energy to listen to what they were murmuring.
“Are they really going into the sub-palace…?”
“Wasn’t she just chosen as a partner, but rather as a life partner?”
“Given how noisy it’s become, does that mean His Majesty has consented as well…?”
Rumors were already spreading. Of course, not every noble understood the implications of those rumors. However, it seemed that tales about the internal spaces of the sub-palace had circulated even among the nobility.
After all, many among those called concubines were likely nobles residing in the capital, so it was only natural.
“Ugh…”
Now the option of escaping outside the palace was off the table. While the perception of both Maria and me was a problem, that was a secondary concern. The real issue lay elsewhere.
“Maria won’t stay quiet about this; how do I handle the aftermath?”
I was certain of it.
If I were to flee the palace, Maria would undoubtedly make a scene, broadcasting the news far and wide to capture me again. Based on the strange atmosphere she’d been giving off these past few days, this was evident.
Of course, it wasn’t as if I wasn’t confident about escaping.
But I couldn’t bear the thought of my father chasing after me, only to be dragged in front of my mother.
“What now…?”
Up until now, I had approached the situation with an easygoing attitude, thinking I could simply run away when the time came. Honestly, it was common for couples brought together as partners at royal banquets to break up halfway through.
But once rumors about sleeping together began to circulate, everything changed. This could easily be construed as insulting the royal family. Sure, I wouldn’t die over it, but there wouldn’t be many bold nobles willing to hire a freelancer who had strained relations with the royal family.
It was time to put my thinking cap on.
I placed my hands on my head and tried to get my brain working at full speed.
“The key is to exit the capital without damaging either of our images.”
There was no chance of making a swift escape like last time. The next meeting with Maria would be entirely different; her decisiveness and planning had vastly improved. Additionally, her obsessive determination to capture me while sacrificing her own image made her a formidable opponent I couldn’t easily contend with.
Then, I needed to change my approach.
Finding a believable excuse to leave the capital was my only way to escape Maria’s clutches.
The problem was finding a legitimate reason to exit the capital.
“First, let’s eliminate the excuse of family calling me back.”
My parents were always the ones pestering me about when I would get married. Though they would be surprised at the fact that the other party was a princess, they would have zero concern about me being trapped in a commitment.
“…What’s this? Why do I feel like a disobedient son?”
Am I—? By this world’s standards, am I actually a disobedient son…?
Anyway, I looked at other possibilities beyond family. The nobles who had connections to the capital or wished to investigate my rumors wouldn’t support me. In fact, they wouldn’t even comprehend that I wanted to leave the capital.
The only possible ally would be the Graifen House, which had known me since my childhood, but they had always been on good terms with the royal family.
Ultimately, the secular powers among the nobility were not on my side—
“Wait a minute, secular powers?”
In a flash, a bolt of lightning struck my mind.
I swiftly changed my direction.
My destination was the cathedral located south of the palace.
—
If I were to pick a few truths that held in this world as they did back on Earth, one of them would be about religion.
Religion always sought to suppress secular power and wanted to establish its superiority. In human history on Earth, one could argue that it has been a continuous struggle for secular power to free itself from the clutches of religion.
This world was no different.
Many entities existed, yet the dominant religion, the Golden Cross Church, once ruled the continent. However, as time passed and civilization progressed, allowing human capabilities to reproduce various truths of the world, the authority of religion gradually diminished against secular authority.
Nonetheless, the Golden Cross Church still retained enough influence to engage in power struggles with the empire and the emperor.
The cathedral, situated at the southern center opposite the imperial palace, could be regarded as a symbol of religious power in this era.
“Is anyone there?”
I knocked on the door in front of the cathedral and called out. After a brief wait, a priest opened the door.
“I’m sorry, but the mass has already ended for today—”
I waved the pouch filled with coins I had brought along, making a jingling sound that immediately caught the priest’s attention. I smiled and asked him, “May I have an audience with the Archbishop?”
“A-are you trying to bribe me? I am a priest of the Golden Cross Church, devoted only to the Lord!”
“Don’t be silly. I just wish to show a bit of my faith.”
Saying this, I slightly opened the pouch to reveal its contents.
The glimmering gold coins made the priest lower his head right away.
“I will guide you immediately.”
Understanding my sincerity, he escorted me to the building where the Archbishop resided.
“Here it is.”
“It’s quite splendid,” I remarked.
“Ahaha…”
The priest could only manage a stiff smile in response.
“Then, I will bring the Archbishop to you.”
After leading me to the reception room, the priest exited. While waiting for the Archbishop, I glanced around the room, feeling oddly lighter with the pouch by my side. The opulence of stained glass, along with utensils and furniture made of gems and precious metals, left a strong impression.
It’s hard to believe this is just an annex of the cathedral. Truly, one must settle in the capital to thrive in any way. Though, considering this cathedral belongs to the Archbishop’s See in the capital, it would be odd if funds were lacking.
Just as I was marveling at the lavishness that would be hard to find even in most noble households, the returning priest spoke up.
“Is the Archbishop coming?”
“Well, um, the Archbishop is currently having a bit of trouble moving….”
His stuttering response made me sense something was amiss.
There’s definitely something going on. Whatever it may be, there’s something here in this mansion that shouldn’t be brought to light.
I couldn’t let such a lead escape me; a monster hunter’s instincts were calling out.
Standing up immediately, I approached the priest.
“Goodness! The Archbishop is having trouble moving? This must be some sort of incident! Let me help! Please show me the way!”
“Oh, no, there’s no need for that. It’s just some ailment the Archbishop has that causes such things from time to time…”
“Impossible! Even a disease! I must get him to the infirmary right away.”
I exclaimed as I firmly grasped the priest’s shoulders.
In other words, stop beating around the bush and show me the way already.
With that thought, I shot him a fierce glare, causing the priest to gulp as he fervently nodded.
“This way, please!”
I followed him upstairs. Then, I caught a very familiar scent.
The pungent odor of alcohol permeated the second-floor corridor. The priest trembled and stopped in front of a particular door.
Inside, I could hear snoring. There was no need to wait; I swung open the door and stepped inside.
“Hah.”
I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Eh? Who are you…?”
The scene inside was a disaster. A dozen or so people lay sprawled on the floor, snoring away. Bottles of alcohol that were far too expensive to be considered unused littered the place, and remnants of food scraps were strewn everywhere.
“Who are you, I say…”
In the middle of it all, a middle-aged man dressed in clothing befitting an Archbishop barely clung to a thread of consciousness, completely drunk.
I crouched down and approached him. Given his near-slumped posture, I had to get down low just to meet his gaze.
I lightly tapped his cheek. “I’m someone who just came from the Imperial Palace.”
“Gah!”
In an instant, the Archbishop’s drunken haze vanished, and his eyes widened.
I couldn’t help but crack a grin.
That day, I stumbled upon a highly efficient excuse-generating biological machine.