The blinding light pouring out from the holy scripture engulfed everything.
It was the only moment when a human could feel a sense of eternity.
The sensation of becoming one with the light, transcending the experience of being engulfed or consumed, made it feel as if her soul might dissolve into it.
The light was incredibly warm, but instead of embracing that warmth, Eirene maintained her usual approach to life.
‘What if this is some scheme by the Saintess? Could this be a warning to me, using some kind of magic? Even though we are mindful of the Saintess, they surely know we’re keeping them in check. They’re not fools. At least, from what I see, this is something they might do.’
***
But.
Eirene, sensing the disappearance of the overwhelming light that was so intense she couldn’t open her eyes, cautiously took in the world with her gaze again.
Nothing… happened?
First, she looked down at her hands.
They were fine.
Just as they were before.
The only surprising thing was… Erin, who had been right in front of her, was now standing at a distance.
She hadn’t sensed her moving away, and the light had blinded her vision… so how had Erin moved so far?
Clutching the scripture close to her chest as if it were a sacred treasure, Erin looked at Eirene with her usual benevolent smile.
“Saintess? Just now, what exactly…”
Before Eirene could finish her question, Erin gave a graceful bow and said, “I pray this becomes a moment of enlightenment for Your Majesty. Now then.”
And just as suddenly as she had appeared, she vanished.
‘What… was that?!’
Eirene stared blankly at where the Saintess had disappeared for quite some time.
***
That night.
In the highest level of the Imperial Palace—the residence of the royal family.
From the window, one could gaze down upon the vast lands of the Imperial domain, a view granted only to the royal family.
[The hot water is ready, Your Majesty.]
“Yes. Thank you for your efforts.”
The grand bath was the size of an ordinary home.
Rose petals floated on the water, and luxurious magical artifacts designed to soothe the mind were placed around the tub, adding to the indulgence of bath time.
Eirene, draped only in a precariously small towel, slowly immersed herself in the massive tub.
Splash!
Given the bath’s size, her entry caused an enormous amount of water to overflow.
It couldn’t be helped; when you placed two large melons into water, it was natural for the level to rise.
“Hmm…”
Eirene relished the primal pleasure offered by the warm bath, reflecting on the day’s events.
The sudden visit of the Saintess.
The unprecedented emotion she had felt—fear.
She wasn’t the type of person who was easily frightened.
Even when warned that the deep forest might harbor monsters, she had spent her time exploring it without a care, even as a member of the royal family.
And yet, she had felt fear, for the first time, at something overwhelming.
The most surprising part was that this fear had been directed toward the Saintess, a symbol of compassion.
‘What was that…?’
When the scripture had touched her forehead and the light poured out, her heart had nearly stopped… but afterward, the light vanished, and she found that nothing had changed.
‘Was this supposed to be the voice of God?’
There was no voice echoing in her mind, no divine message.
The religious folks often claimed, [The One True God of Igogodon left us a message.]
But Eirene had never experienced any such religious encounter.
Though the scripture had emitted light, to Eirene, it was nothing more than a sacred object for the devout.
It held no special meaning for ordinary people like her.
Producing light through magic wasn’t a miracle; it was no extraordinary feat.
Even nuns could often use basic holy magic.
And as for the Saintess, who was at the pinnacle of the religious hierarchy, it was only to be expected.
No matter how much she doubted and questioned, no clear answers emerged.
‘Forget it. It was probably some incomprehensible ritual of theirs.’
Eirene concluded.
Religious people were full of mysteries.
Even the concept of ‘holy power pockets’ that required exposure of their chests baffled her.
‘What kind of decent person would willingly expose themselves like that?’
If one were a modest woman, it was common sense to avoid such exposure.
And yet, the nuns bared their chests as if brainwashed, simply because it was written in the scripture.
Eirene couldn’t fathom it.
After all, the scripture had been written by humans.
Not long ago, the Saintess had claimed to have heard a new message from God and had ordered the burning of all their precious religious paintings and sculptures.
That, too, had been difficult to comprehend.
Sigh…
Eirene leaned her body sideways.
As she shifted, her massive chest moved heavily, causing the previously calm bathwater to splash like waves.
It wasn’t as if she completely denied religion.
To quell the dissatisfaction of the people, it was sometimes necessary to give them hope in the afterlife.
Moreover, though the commotion had subsided recently, the resurgence of magic beasts hinted at the possibility of monsters becoming active again, making it crucial to train priests who could use holy magic.
While the scripture of Igogodon contained inexplicable doctrines like the ‘holy power pockets,’ its teachings generally promoted moderate ideas like, [Help others as you live,] [Do not persecute unbelievers,] and [Always strive in your position.] From the perspective of a ruler, it wasn’t an entirely inconvenient religion.
‘In any case, it’s essential to establish Linnea as the sole Holy Knight. With the Saintess’s sudden appearance, we cannot afford to antagonize the Church during our reign.’
History has shown what happens to emperors who lose the Church’s support.
Having sorted her thoughts, Eirene prepared to once again immerse herself in the supreme pleasure of the warm bath, her cheeks flushed with anticipation.
Suddenly, a creaking sound echoed as the bathroom door opened.
“Your Majesty! Are you here?!”
Hearing the voice of a maid urgently calling for her, Eirene furrowed her brows and turned her head, her expression souring.
Being interrupted during her bath was one of the things she despised most in the world.
“Did I not say that under no circumstances am I to be disturbed during my bath?”
“I’m so sorry! But right now… something serious… is happening!”
And then, upon hearing the maid’s next words, Eirene froze in place, her eyes wide with shock.
“Third Prince Ares has raised a rebellion…!”
***
Panting heavily, Eirene followed the maid’s guidance, hastily throwing on clothes as she fled the palace, running through the dark forest paths.
The rebellion of the Third Prince, Ares.
As a child, he had demonstrated extraordinary intelligence and aptitude for learning, making him the favorite child of her deceased sister.
Once considered a prodigy who would bring prosperity to the imperial family, he had later become an eccentric as he grew older, refusing to study governance and instead obsessing over outdated and inefficient systems like ancient republicanism.
Eirene had never been overly concerned.
The first princess, Yuria, was being trained in statecraft as the heir apparent.
Even if something happened to her, the second princess, Linea, was next in line.
There was no reason for Ares to ascend to the throne.
But.
For someone as mild-mannered as Ares to lead a rebellion—it still felt unbelievable.
Most of all, what she couldn’t comprehend was:
‘How did I not know about this?’
A rebellion large enough to threaten the empire should have reached her ears long before it erupted.
‘Had she overlooked something?’
‘Was there truly something I, of all people, failed to notice?’
No matter how hard she tried to recall, no faction capable of backing Ares came to mind.
‘And what of the others? Where were the first princess and second princess in all of this?’
For a moment, Eirene wondered if it was all just a nightmare, but—
***
“Find the emperor!!”
“Capture the heretic witch who defies the natural order and offer her as a sacrifice to the heavens!”
The enraged cries of the rebels brought her back to the harsh reality of the situation.
“Your Majesty! This way!”
Eirene followed the soldiers who were protecting her as they made their escape from the palace.
But then—
Thunk!
One of the soldiers escorting her collapsed before her eyes, an arrow lodged in his body.
Moments later, a flurry of arrows rained down on their position.
“Your Majesty! Take cover! Quickly!”
The remaining soldiers threw themselves into action, trying to shield her, but… the situation was dire.
‘Damn it…!’
Eirene hesitated only for a moment before she began running on her own.
“The emperor is fleeing! That way!”
***
Panting heavily, she sprinted through the dark streets of Igogodon’s capital, weaving through narrow alleys.
Yet, the further she ran, the more she felt her sense of direction slipping.
If she could just reach the southern gate post, there would be a carriage waiting.
All she had to do was escape…!
“She ran this way! Search everywhere!”
“Don’t let the emperor escape!”
‘Damn it…!’
‘Was this the end?’
Would her life, her reign, end at the hands of her own son—the son of the sister she had raised as her own?
‘No… never!!’
She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, tasting the metallic tang.
But the pain did nothing to solve her predicament.
As she turned a corner, she saw the faint glow of torches flickering ahead.
Whipping her head around, she saw the same glow closing in from behind.
‘No…’
***
Trapped from both ends, it seemed inevitable that she would be caught.
At that moment—
“This way!”
Eirene instinctively dove toward the voice.
Clunk.
The sound of a wooden door closing behind her made her realize she was now inside a building.
The room was pitch dark, making it difficult to see anything.
“Be quiet! Here, under this.”
A man’s voice.
Yes, it was a man’s voice.
Without hesitation, Eirene followed his instructions, crawling under the table to hide.
Moments later, there was a loud banging on the door.
“What is the matter?”
“Hey, have you seen someone come through here? A woman with blonde hair, wearing a ceremonial dress.”
Thump, thump.
Her heart pounded so loudly in her chest she thought it might give her away.
Clamping a hand over her mouth, she tried to stifle her breathing.
“No, I’m a heavy sleeper. I didn’t hear anyone pass by.”
“If you see her, report it immediately. She’s a dangerous criminal despite her refined looks. Understood?”
“I will keep that in mind.”
As the soldiers’ footsteps faded, the man lit a lantern and approached Eirene.
“You can come out now.”
Eirene slowly crawled out from under the table and looked at him for the first time.
Black hair, black eyes.
While the hair color wasn’t unusual, his pitch-black eyes were strikingly rare.
For a moment, his appearance reminded her of the far-off Eastern Continent, but she quickly noticed his priestly attire and the scripture in his hand.
“…I owe you my thanks.”
“It’s nothing. Are you being pursued?”
“Yes.”
“Did you commit a crime?”
‘Should she reveal her identity as Emperor Eirene and admit there was a rebellion in the palace to someone she had just met?’
No, of course not.
There was no one in this world she could trust.
And yet, his eyes held a glimmer of kindness.
For now, she had to rely on his goodwill.
“I did not. I was falsely accused.”
“I see.”
“You believe me?”
The man smiled gently.
“Yes. The will of God is not to judge others without cause. So…”
“My name is Linashita.”
Eirene smoothly gave him an alias.
The man smiled again as though reassured and extended his hand.
“I believe you, Linashita. My name is… Igon.”
“Igon?”
“Yes, that is my name.”
‘What an unusual name.’
Eirene shook his hand without much thought.
Thus began her first meeting with him.