How long had she been carried on Igon’s back as they climbed the mountain path?
Fortunately, the rain was gradually weakening.
In place of the fading sound of rain, the cries of insects living in the forest could now be heard.
“We’re almost there, Linashita-nim.”
“…I’m sorry. It must be very heavy…”
“No, not at all. I might look frail, but… carrying one lady is something I can manage easily.”
There it was again.
He called her a lady.
Hearing that word come from his mouth, in his voice, made her stomach flutter once more.
Unable to contain herself, Eirene blurted out:
“I… I’m not a lady.”
“Sorry?”
“I mean… it’s… I’m older.”
“Are you?”
“…Yes.”
“If you don’t mind, may I ask how old you are?”
It wasn’t a topic of any importance, nor was there any need to answer honestly.
And yet, for some reason, she didn’t want to lie to this man.
Besides, if he continued calling her a lady, she felt as if her mind would become a complete mess.
So, she decided to confess the truth:
“I’m thirty-six.”
“Pardon?”
“Th-thirty-six! Thirty-six years old! I’m no longer someone who can be called a lady!”
For the first time, Eirene was grateful to be in a position where she was being carried.
She didn’t want him to see how red her face—and even her ears—had become.
Igon, upon hearing her words, simply let out an understanding “Ah.”
“I see. I didn’t know.”
Eirene, who had been silent until now, suddenly found herself asking him a strange question.
“Are you disappointed?”
“Disappointed? Why would I be?”
“Because… I’m not actually a lady. That’s why.”
She knew it didn’t make sense to ask.
It wasn’t as if his kindness toward her stemmed solely from her being a young woman.
Eirene was well aware of that.
She knew there had to be a purer reason behind his goodwill.
Even with all that understanding, she couldn’t help but ask.
‘What did she want to hear from him?’
That he wasn’t disappointed? Or something else…?
“Ah… well, you’re certainly not young anymore.”
For a moment, Eirene felt her spirits sink.
That’s right. At thirty-six, she was at an age where someone like Igon—a young man—might find her unapproachable.
She already knew this, yet she still foolishly hoped for… what exactly?
“But still…”
“You’ve ripened beautifully.”
“Why would I be disappointed? If anything, I find it wonderful. There’s a kind of richness, like a resonance that only time can create.”
W-what did he just say…?
This man…
‘What in the world was he talking about?!’
-Punch!-
“Ow.”
“Put me down immediately! I’ll walk on my own!”
“We’re almost there. You see that building ahead? That’s the place. Your leg is still swollen, and pushing yourself would be dangerous.”
“Be quiet! I’m fine now! Just—just put me down already!”
“It’s okay. Just a little further, and I’ll carry you the rest of the way.”
“I said no! Put me down at once! You—how dare you, you insolent—!!”
-Punch, punch.-
Eirene used all her strength to pound her fists against his shoulders, but Igon only laughed lightly and refused to let her go.
No matter how much she struggled to get down, she couldn’t escape his grasp.
Though she held a high status, her natural physical strength was no match for his.
‘Ripened beautifully, he says… What nonsense…!’
Depending on how one heard it, his words could be taken as an outrageous provocation.
Even if he didn’t know, she was the emperor!
The one who had once reigned supreme over the Imperial Throne of Einsberg!
And he dared to call her… ripened… with such… improper, indecent remarks!
Eirene thought to herself that everything about this situation was absurd.
The sudden rebellion, this man Igon saving her life and taking care of her, and… the fact that, deep down, a part of her felt giddy at being called “ripened beautifully.”
“Come on now, Linashita-nim. We’re here. Please behave.”
“I told you not to call me that…! You, you really…!”
Ah…
‘I think I’m losing my mind…’
No, maybe I’ve already lost it.
After all, despite only knowing him for a short time, I—
And despite him being much younger—
“Here we are. Down you go.”
“Kyah!”
Suddenly being let down, she nearly fell backward, but Igon caught her skillfully.
“Careful, Linashita-nim. The ground is still slippery.”
“Ugh…!”
She brushed off her slightly dirtied nun’s robe and finally stepped into the monastery.
It was a small building situated on a hill deep within the forest.
Though remote, it was surprising that such a monastery existed this close to the capital of Eigerden.
***
‘Why didn’t I know about this place?’ she wondered, just as an elderly nun appeared from beyond the doorway.’
“You’ve arrived, Brother Igon. May plain facts be with you.”
“May plain facts be with you. Thank you for waiting, Sister. I know it’s late.”
“It’s no trouble at all. And this sister is…?”
“This is the sister I mentioned earlier.”
Eirene gave a polite bow.
“I am Linashita.”
“Ah, Sister Linashita. Walking the path of the divine, I see. How wonderful to meet a sister so abundant in divine energy. Surely, this too is a plain fact of Eigerden’s will…”
“Thank you.”
No matter how she thought about it, she could never get used to the constant praise of her chest.
She still didn’t understand what connection there was between large breasts and divine energy.
“Come this way, please.”
The monastery’s corridors were utterly silent.
Should one describe it, it felt as though both the darkness and the noise had sunk into a deep slumber.
The only things illuminating the space were the torches hanging on either side of the walls.
“Thank you for going along with what they said.”
“Hm?”
“You don’t believe in religion, do you?”
“Well, something like that. I’m already dressed as a nun, and it’s only natural to say such things to enter the monastery.”
“Even so, it must’ve been difficult to claim belief in God from the perspective of a non-believer…”
‘How long had they walked down the dim corridor?’
As soon as they opened the door and stepped inside, the first thing to greet her was—
A gigantic portrait hanging on the wall.
What was most unusual was that the face was blurred, making it impossible to see clearly.
“What… is this?”
At Eirene’s question, Igon offered a light prayer before replying.
“It’s the Holy One, Eigerden.”
“A portrait that depicts Eigerden’s likeness.”
‘A portrait of Eigerden?’
‘Such a thing existed?’
Although she didn’t believe in the faith of Eigerden, she had never once heard of anything that described his appearance.
There weren’t even sculptures that attempted to depict him as a sanctified figure.
She’d only heard of paintings or statues of his apostles.
Moreover, this portrait—it was called a portrait, but the face was so blurred that nothing could be seen.
At that moment—
Igon’s hand suddenly rested on Eirene’s shoulder.
She was startled, but… she didn’t move away.
Having Igon enter her personal space wasn’t an unpleasant experience for her.
“You can’t see this portrait unless you believe in Eigerden.”
“Is… is that so?”
“Yes. Only those with sincere faith in the Holy One can see Eigerden’s face.”
Igon looked back up at the portrait as he spoke.
His eyes sparkled, like they were reflecting a sky full of stars—a dreamlike gaze as he admired the portrait.
“I can see it. Eigerden’s face. And being able to meet his gaze… it’s truly magnificent. Aren’t you curious how that feels?”
“…I…”
“Of course, I don’t intend to force religion on you. After all, as written in the holy scripture The Great Eigerden Testament, chapter 5, verse 2: [‘Imposing religion on non-believers only causes irritation and annoyance. If you wish to persuade someone, provide them with an appropriate reward.’] In that sense, I respect you as a non-believer, Sister Linashita.”
The Great Eigerden Testament… that was likely the third and final book of their scriptures.
The Genesis, which detailed the creation of the world and the descent of the Holy One to earth; the Doctrine of Divine Force, which emphasized the importance of the divine energy; and finally, the Great Eigerden Testament, which chronicled his path back to the heavens.
Even Eirene, who wasn’t religious, knew the names of these three books.
“Anyway, it’s about time for a bath, isn’t it?”
“A… bath?”
“You’re both drenched. Me and you, Sister Linashita.”
Now that he mentioned it, they were indeed soaked, looking like drowned rats thanks to the heavy rain.
“Indeed. Washing up lightly would be a good idea.”
At her agreement, Igon smiled brightly.
“I have a place I’d like to show you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Wow…”
They stepped out into the courtyard, accessible through the monastery’s back door.
In the center of the courtyard, surrounded by tall walls, was a warm hot spring.
Igon explained that this was the pride of Eigerden Monastery, said to have been created by a miracle of the Holy One.
While it might’ve been a religious myth, to Eirene, who hadn’t been able to bathe properly for some time, it was nothing short of paradise.
She cautiously wrapped herself in a towel and approached the spring.
Naturally, the monastery’s towels were too small to fully cover her.
Her fair, flawless skin, unbelievably youthful for her age, and her ripened, voluptuous figure made the small towel completely inadequate.
She carefully dipped her foot into the spring.
“Mmm…”
As she slowly submerged herself, the water’s surface swelled into a massive wave.
Soon, the warmth of the water enveloped her entire body, bringing a pleasure she hadn’t felt in a long time.
For a brief moment, Eirene thought the spring was as good as the royal bathhouse back at the palace—but that thought didn’t last long.
“Wow…!”
When she looked up, the sight of a sky filled with countless stars greeted her.
‘This is… so much better than the palace bath.’
She wondered if it was because the rain had stopped or the moisture in the air from the spring. Either way, the atmosphere tickled her senses.
‘Such a wonderful place… I didn’t know this existed.’
As she enjoyed this peaceful moment, water droplets began to fall from her golden hair.
Eirene started to think about what to do next.
‘For now, I’ll have to stay here…’
The monastery was far enough from the Eigerden Cathedral, and its vast size made it an excellent place to hide.
As it was a religious institution, they wouldn’t likely search it thoroughly, even with her presence.
‘Yes. I’ll stay here for a while and use this time to check the status of the other territories. I’ll have to ask Igon for help with that later.’
Just thinking of Igon’s name made her cheeks flush again.
‘Why is he helping me? Is it purely out of kindness because he’s religious? Or…?’
Her heart began pounding loudly once more.
She had never experienced this before.
The only moments that made her heart race were during battle—when she defeated the enemies who sought her life.
She often thought that perhaps she was more of a warrior than a woman.
But now, she was feeling this way because of a man.
And not just any man, but one who was younger and a devout religious figure.
“Igon…”
She whispered his name softly.
Even the shape her lips made when she spoke it felt special to her.
‘Igon ,Igon ,Igon …’
As though no one could hear her inner thoughts, she kept repeating his name, as if saying it brought her closer to him.
***
After the bath, that night—though her sleeping arrangements were much better than before—Eirene couldn’t fall asleep for a long time.
Since that day, Eirene became an apprentice nun at the monastery, helping the elderly abbess with various chores.
“Oh my, thank you, Sister. You didn’t have to help.”
“It’s nothing. I’ll earn my keep while I’m here.”
“Your kind heart matches your abundant divine energy. May the Holy One’s plain facts be with you.”
Life at the monastery was fulfilling.
It was entirely different from her life as an emperor.
Instead of discussing national strategies, she carried firewood.
Instead of deploying soldiers, she helped Igon clean the monastery.
Instead of mobilizing farmers to increase food production, she kneaded and baked bread for herself.
For the first time, Eirene experienced a simple, human life.
A life where people helped each other, worked for food, ate to sustain themselves, and rested after reflecting on the day.
Though it was an ordinary life, Eirene felt this was the most passionate and fulfilling moment of her existence.
The only thing she didn’t participate in was prayer.
Every time she saw Igon kneeling before the barely visible portrait, she thought:
‘If I believed in Eigerden, would I see the portrait too?’
‘Could I share the same view as him, standing by his side?’
The fact that she was even considering faith not out of divine realization, but simply to see the same vision as a man, made her let out a bitter smile.
‘I must be a sinner, even thinking like this.’
“Are you done?”
“Yes, you worked hard today.”
“Not at all. It’s a time to pray to the Holy One. Let’s have dinner soon.”
“Alright. I’ll help you.”
“That sounds good.”
For someone who had lived solely for the peace of the empire and ensuring a smooth transition of power, she now found herself wanting to walk alongside another person.
This feeling—this word that tied all her emotions together—was happiness.
Eirene was truly happy.
So much so that thoughts of reclaiming the throne gradually faded from her mind.
But as the saying goes, paradise is not a place one can escape to.
Her peaceful days at the monastery did not last long.