87 – 87. Alliance Conference (1)
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Arriving in the Baltaria Empire to attend the Alliance Conference, the kings of various countries couldn’t help but feel puzzled at the ostentatious procession of the Triumph Kingdom, boasting grandiosity and vanity.
The Triumph, Boern, was known for his modest and virtuous character as a respected leader of the Grand Strategists.
Why would such a figure display such extravagance?
It was excessively secular.
The carriages adorned with top-grade platinum and ivory spoke volumes.
“Did you see the beautiful maidens in the carriages?”
“Don’t speak nonsense. They are the prospective maidens selected by the Triumph Kingdom. If you dare to insult them, you’ll soon find yourself facing the Inquisitors in the torture chamber.”
“Why on earth did the Triumph bring the prospective maidens in such a grand procession?”
“That’s the question.”
It was a gathering of the rulers commanding the continent.
A crucial showdown to measure the power and scale of each faction.
Hence, the Triumph might have indulged in luxury to showcase the Triumph Kingdom’s status and majesty.
However, it was strange no matter how one thought about it; the 30 prospective priestesses who accompanied the triumph.
Sudden mass movement of priestesses?
Why on earth did the prospective priestesses of the Priestess Sanctuary accompany us all the way to Hwangdo?
The presence of beautiful maidens following the triumph raised many suspicions.
“Darn it, the Grand Priestess must have possessed the bodies of the prospective priestesses.”
Rapidly surging fear and anxiety like an active volcano.
Nausea as if gnawing at the intestines.
No doubt about it.
The Grand Priestess Gael had entered Hwangdo with the triumph.
Recalling the sight of the prospective priestesses descending from the carriage with the triumph, I swallowed my saliva. My head throbbed at the thought that it must be related to the proclamation made by the Kingdom of Triumph.
“Edanant!”
“Ah, Your Majesty Elisabeth.”
Why did the humble Yooil Shrine visit the precious imperial palace?
Walking through the rarely visited rear garden, pondering over the piercing questions,
A blonde princess appeared.
Behind her, dainty Louinongs followed like a train of carriages.
“I’m going to collapse from not being able to rest properly and having to entertain guests non-stop. They’re not even beggars, why are there so many of them?”
“Because kings from various countries were all in attendance.”
“I might actually collapse at this rate. If I do, Edanant, please carry me.”
“Yes, understood.”
Sat on a bench beside Elisabeth.
Elisabeth, trembling with anxiety, leaned her head on my shoulder.
Did she spray perfume?
Or was it the scent emanating from her fair skin?
Every time the luscious blonde hair swayed, a sweet fragrance stimulated my senses. The following sweet sighs momentarily flushed my face.
“Phai must be incredibly tired!”
“Wherever we go, humans are swarming…! It’s too scary!”
Louinongs who followed the platinum princess also vented their grievances.
Many people had gathered to see the Louinongs, famous as the mascots of the Priestess Party. It was natural for the Louinongs, turned into a spectacle like zoo animals, to feel exhausted.
“You’ve worked really hard.”
“Uh, yeah….”
I reached out my hand.
And gently stroked the beautiful princess’s head, who was expressing fatigue.
“You’re touching my sister while dating me… Edanant, you’re really a mischievous one. Aren’t you even throwing glances at married Isabelle?”
“….”
“Just kidding, just kidding. It feels a bit strange to have someone stroke my head. In the past, my sisters used to comb my hair themselves.”
“I feel a bit strange too.”
Ludmilla had never had her head stroked.
As I said that, Elisabeth blushed and smiled with a satisfied look on her face.
“Receiving such a stroke… isn’t bad at all.”
Perhaps it was a little comforting for the tired princess.
Watching the platinum princess with closed eyes receiving the touch, I pondered.
The Louinongs squealed with delight and danced mischievously at the sight of us. Their reactions, full of antics, were like watching a child read a romance novel for the first time.
“Your Majesty Elisabeth.”
“Uh, yes? Why?! What more… do you want to do here? Mila is probably working hard right now….”
“I hear multiple footsteps. It seems outsiders have entered the garden.”
“….”
She turned her head and stood up.
Elisabeth, with a sharp gaze, glared in the direction of the voice.
“The Kingdom of Triumph’s… prospective priestesses.”
The garden of Valtaria Palace strictly prohibited outsiders from entering. However, for those invited as guests by the royal family, partial access was allowed.
Prospective priestesses from the Kingdom of Triumph should be fine.
Perhaps they were officially permitted, which is why the guards might have allowed their entry. Surely the noble prospective priestesses of the Kingdom of Triumph wouldn’t have sneaked into the garden like thieves.
“Indeed, it is a garden managed by the Empire. It even has a botanical garden with rare flowers.”
“Wow! There are so many flowers I’ve never seen before!”
The beautiful maidens of the Kingdom of Triumph strolled through the garden, swaying their skirts. Their colorful presence in the flower garden painted a picture reminiscent of a splendid watercolor.
Ugh…!
From Noble mtl dot com
While watching the prospective priestesses who had entered the garden,
A sharp pain was felt on my side.
Elisabeth, who had become fidgety, pinched my side.
In the Kingdom of Triumph, Elizabeth was captivated by the appearance of beautiful maidens who visited. She stared at me with a fierce gaze, as if she would poke out my eyes with her fingers at any moment, thinking that I was distracted by the maidens from the Kingdom of Glory.
Cold sweat trickled down.
Could it be that she misunderstood and thought I was interested in the villainous maidens?
“It’s a misunderstanding. I was just momentarily intrigued. I will prove that I have no ill intentions.”
“Anyway, if you’re a saint, you shouldn’t use profanity… You’ve been fawning over the First Saint every time.”
Was it because of the precedent where a saint had her fiancé taken away?
It seemed that our princess was particularly sensitive towards saints.
It was almost as if the Platinum Princess’s most despised profession in the world was that of a saint.
“Hello!”
A lively girl with orange hair approached with a cheerful greeting.
She was a prospective saint from the Kingdom of Triumph.
It was easy to tell because she was wearing the outdated Kingdom of Triumph uniform, similar to Jeblinne’s robes.
“…Your Highness Elizabeth.”
“I get it, I get it.”
If a prospective saint greeted, it was only proper for the empire’s princess to respond. Sensing Elizabeth’s continued displeasure, she gave her a knowing look.
In response, Elizabeth nodded and took a step forward.
“Nice to meet you. I am Elizabeth von Valtaria, the Third Princess of the Empire.”
“As expected, you are the Platinum Princess! You are indeed incredibly beautiful, just as the rumors say! I am Leprya Bretella, a prospective saint from the Kingdom of Triumph!”
Known for her sharp personality, the empire’s villainous maiden, Elizabeth, was addressed informally by the prospective saint from the Kingdom of Triumph. She was truly stubborn and prideful.
In response to Elizabeth’s arrogant greeting, the girl named Leprya showered her with compliments, bouncing with excitement.
‘It seems she is not a vessel of the Earth Mother… She can’t be so frivolous as to proclaim herself a deity. Is she just an enthusiastic fan admiring Elizabeth?’
Only a faint sense of sanctity could be perceived from the girl before me.
She was far inferior to Jeblinne.
She even had less sanctity within her than I, who harbored the sacredness of the Holy Sword Aldebaran within me.
But I couldn’t let my guard down.
Among the prospective saints who visited the Kingdom of Triumph, no one had yet identified the vessel of the Earth Mother.
“If it’s not too much trouble, may I request to accompany you? Sponsoring with Your Highness Elizabeth would be an honor that would never come again in my lifetime!”
“That’s too much to ask.”
To prevent the prospective saint from clinging to Elizabeth as if she would grab her by the hand at any moment, I intervened briefly. The girl’s face twisted for a moment.
Perhaps it was due to the tense atmosphere.
The knights who had been observing from a distance began to approach.
“The Holy Sword Aldebaran… truly remarkable skills.”
Lady Gael.
The girl before me was undoubtedly a vessel of the Earth Mother.
She might be one of the many vessels prepared by the Earth Mother.
However, the girl still felt weak in sanctity. If she was intentionally hiding her sanctity, it was truly an extraordinary skill.
“Next time, I will formally request a meeting, beautiful princess.”
There were no further conflicts.
Was it out of fear of repercussions?
After the prospective saint curtsied to Elizabeth, raising her skirt slightly, she turned and walked away.
“Why did you do that? She seemed like a friendly, bold child.”
“She came too close to be considered polite, didn’t she?”
“Hmm… Edanant. Were you jealous of the prospective saint from the Kingdom of Triumph because she tried to hold my hand?”
“Ah…”
Elizabeth chuckled mischievously as she looked at me.
I hesitated on how to respond to her teasing question.
“Yes, it seems I was jealous.”
As I accepted Elizabeth’s playful behavior, I grasped her soft hand firmly.
Then, as we waltzed like we did at Rudmilla’s, I pulled Elizabeth’s slender waist towards me.
“Oh my goodness!”
“Hee hee! This is what adults do!”
The Rudmills jumped around like crayfish in a pot at the sight before them.
“Uh, um… I’ll be more careful next time….”
With her head bowed deeply, Elizabeth whispered softly.
It was all just a playful exchange.
Elizabeth, for some reason, stared at me with her plump lips slightly pouted and kept casting sidelong glances.
Perhaps because we were so close, with no gaps between us.
Her lips, tinged with a tempting crimson hue, seemed even more radiant.