Like a Dry Branch in the Wind

The delegation of Emperor Estenfeld entered the banquet hall. The representative of the delegations placed his hand on his chest and knelt down on one knee to pay respect to Killian and the Queen, who both sat in the banquet hall’s seats of honor.

“Greetings to Queen Aversati and Archduke Killian. I’m Lectus Justin, the faithful servant of the Emperor.”

The Queen greeted them with a smile, while Killian responded with apathetic eyes. 

After the long greetings were over, one of the delegation’s attendants carried over a blackish-purple jewelry box on a red cushion as directed by Lectus Justin.

“This is from His Imperial Majesty, the Emperor.”

The attendant opened the box, revealing a set of beautifully crafted red jewel-encrusted necklaces and earrings. The Queen smiled faintly as the people in the banquet hall exclaimed quietly.

“Aside from that, His Imperial Majesty said that he would positively review the issue of the adamantite mine mining rights in the Oran Sea. He also said that he would discuss the tariffs and the exclusive rights to trade the oak wood of Mt. Renaha when Your Imperial Majesty returns.”

Killian grinned.

“It appears His Imperial Majesty’s love is still the same, Your Imperial Majesty.”

The Queen answered gently with creased furrows around her eyes.

“It is all thanks to you.”

Well, no matter what impressive gift the Queen got, she would not even bat an eyelid. The greatest gift to her, above everything, is for me to go to hell.

Killian turned his gaze to Lectus Justin and smiled languidly.

“I wish to have the right to mine the adamantite too. Is there nothing for me? What if I were to yield my reinstatement to the Imperial family?”

At Killian’s words, the people gathered in the banquet hall focused their surprised eyes on him. Killian flatly raised his glass and nodded.

“Why are you people surprised? You all know I’m satisfied with my life now. I don’t have to be more capable than this anymore and honestly, I don’t want to bother Hilstead anymore.”

Hilstead—the name of the 17-year-old Crown Prince and the youngest son of the Queen. He was Killian’s half-brother who was appointed the Crown Prince at the age of four when Killian was stripped of his Imperial surname, Lilfaeum.

After Prince Killian murdered his half-brother, the Queen lost control of herself and raised a sword at Killian in front of the Emperor. A lot of unexpected changes started to happen; the law pertaining to the punishment of the murder of an Imperial family member being the death penalty was changed, and the law that no Prince could become a Crown Prince until he turned 18 was also changed.

Queen Aversati and Lectus Justin watched Killian silently. While staring back at them indifferently, Killian continued.

“I don’t necessarily need to be reinstated into the Imperial family in order to be recognized as the Emperor’s son. I don’t appreciate being a topic for people’s gossip, so I have no intention of meddling in the battle for the throne.”

Killian looked down at the wine glass he was holding.

“For me, it’ll only add to more troublesome responsibility. I’m already satisfied with this being symbolic that Her Imperial Highness has forgiven my past wrongs by providing this opportunity.”

Killian lifted the wine glass upwards to show his respect and brought it to his mouth. The only sincere thing he said was that it was a status of authority that would only add to more troublesome responsibility. Killian had no intention of getting reinstated for the throne or for the right of succession. He no longer wanted to make contact with anyone in the Imperial family.

The Queen would not have quietly given him the right to the throne anyway, but even if he did take it, it was self-evident that the threat to his life would come true.

“You’re so thoughtful of the Crown Prince.”

The Queen smiled softly and said.

“This mother is very happy to hear that.”

Killian smiled brightly at the Queen. As if to respond to his courtesy earlier, she lifted the wine glass slightly upward and continued.

“You don’t have to decline. His Imperial Majesty and I know your sincerity, what is the actual problem? When you’re reinstated as a member of the Imperial family, you will need a bride. I’m keeping my eyes on suitable noble ladies. Both concubines and mares are good, but you too have to settle down and start a family.”

Killian smirked as he looked at the Queen who kindly made a hole for him to escape.

“The more I hear you say so, the more reason I should decline. I will be grateful for your wish to forgive me. I like my life right now. No matter how underserved I am for the lady, it’s too hard for me to settle down with just one woman.”

Killian brazenly held Rietta and Lana, who was attending for him, on either side and smiled.

“I can’t make these cuties cry.”

Their talk would be conveyed as it was to the Emperor by that fair and rigid deputy, Lectus Justin. Whatever the case, Killian had already lost to the Queen against the Emperor.

Mining rights and exclusive trading rights—it was a pretty sweet gift. If her purpose was simply to get what she wanted, Killian would rather be relieved. But, for someone who came out with this situation using Killian’s reinstatement as bait, was this really what the Queen wanted?

After offering and declining came and went, finally, the Queen pretended to raise her hand.

“If you insist, I will discuss the matter again with His Imperial Majesty, and I will tell His Imperial Majesty what you want. We’re finally meeting after a long time apart, but you keep refusing my favors. There’s nothing I can do for you except to ask Ostia to pay special attention to the grand blessing ceremony tomorrow.”

Killian frowned slightly at the unfamiliar name.

“Ostia?”

“She’s the Chief Priest who will lead your grand blessing ceremony tomorrow with the archbishop. She’s my cousin.”

“Oh.”

He was smiling but his eyes went cold. The Queen said that she would ask the Chief Priest to take good care of Killian. But her words sounded very suspicious.

A grand blessing ceremony that must be received in an unarmed condition. If she intended to do something to him during the ceremony, the Chief Priest would be closest to him for the longest time, it was quite likely that she would do something. To say that the Queen would not dare to carry out such a one-dimensional attack in front of the Emperor’s deputy…

From his past thirteen years of experience, Killian already knew that the Queen did not discriminate between high-level methods and one-dimensional methods. He could not afford to let his guard down just because it was a ceremony under the observance of the Emperor’s deputy. The Queen might pretend to be calm, but she was someone who could do crazy things at any time. 

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

As the banquet wrapped up, the archbishop, who showed up late, approached the two honored guests and greeted them warmly, begging for their understanding. However, it seemed that he was unable to get out of his work at all as he was called by a priest who rushed to him before he could even say a few words. It seemed that it was regarding the ceremony tomorrow.

“Excuse me for a second.”

The archbishop asked for understanding from the two honored guests again with a look of regret and went a few steps back to talk to the priest. In the meantime, a high-ranking priest approached and gave Killian precautions for the grand blessing ceremony tomorrow.

“We will brief you about it again tomorrow, but you can only eat until tonight. When the sun rises tomorrow, you will have to fast until the ceremony to cleanse your body.”

“Do I have to be sexually abstinent too?”

“Pardon?”

The priest was flustered by Killian’s counter-question and stuttered.

“That, that is a matter of course… It’s a ceremony to ask for blessings from God so your body and mind both need to be clean…”

“My concubine is a divine power user, so I guess I can clean my body and mind with her.”

Killian shamelessly answered and turned his seductive gaze towards Rietta. He muttered in a gentle voice while sweeping down her hair.

“How I wish I could receive the blessing from you instead.”

Even Rietta, who knew it was only empty flattery, turned red. But her flushed face became a natural setting in its own way. It was perfect for people to imagine her as a shy concubine.

The archbishop finally returned after he finished talking. He also heard what Killian said. He smiled and said.

“You must really cherish her. I also have heard that she’s a blessing caster.” 

Killian looked at Rietta with a sweet gaze and wrapped his arm around her waist.

“Yeah. Isn’t she lovely? She will look good in the temple’s ritual attire.”

The archbishop smiled brightly and responded.

“She’s indeed a beauty who does not lack in your eyes. However, as you are well aware, the grand blessing ceremony in the temple cannot be performed by anyone other than the temple priests. Moreover, wouldn’t it be a burden to her as well?”

“You’re no fun.”

Killian let out a frustrated snort. As soon as he lifted his empty cup, Rietta naturally poured liquor in it. He quietly looked at her profile. If Rietta acted awkwardly, Killian would have kept his distance without making it obvious, but she was doing it much more naturally than when she first stepped in front of the Queen’s delegation or when she cast blessing in front of the priests at the dwelling.

As she accepted it well, there was more he could do. Killian expanded his radius of action beyond the originally planned line. 

“I think it would be truly divine for the divine woman who spent the time with me on the eve of the ceremony to lead the grand blessing ceremony the next day. Don’t you think so?”

The archbishop smiled.

“You’re right. But you already have the chief priest who the Queen prepared for you.”

“That’s right.”

Killian retreated gently. He contemplated whether he should insist on receiving the blessing from Rietta because the chief priest was prepared by the Queen, but there was no way the archbishop would accept such demands unless something did happen. The chief priest of a grand temple was an honorable position and it was always entrusted to the most prestigious noble of the temple. Killian asked about the chief priest, who was said to be the Queen’s cousin.

“Since when has she been here?”

“Are you talking about Chief Priest Ostia? She has always been in the temple. It has probably been over twenty years. Through Havitus Monastery…”

Killian thought that she was probably someone that was pushed in by the Queen when she started her plans, but as he unexpectedly heard her background, he could tell that she was originally a priest of Grand Temple Havitus.

Although she was a cousin of the Queen, she suffered harm rather than benefited from it. Her parents were involved in corruption. After their death at a young age, she lived alone for a long time.

Seeing that it was a name that Killian did not know, it seemed that she was not very close to the Queen. In terms of the degree of kinship, she was the Queen’s second cousin. It was said that she had been a priest at the Grand Temple Havitus and had been raised as a priest all along.

“Okay. Did she not attend the banquet? I should at least greet her before the ceremony begins.”

“The chief priest entered into fasting prayer three days ago for the grand blessing ceremony tomorrow.”

“I see. She’s working hard.”

Killian answered indifferently and tilted his wine glass. The Queen, who had left her seat for a while, stepped in and answered him as she heard him.

“I will tell her to give her greetings to you.”

“You don’t have to.”

The Queen smiled.

“Please do not decline.”

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

The banquet was over and they went back to their respective dwellings. The high-ranking priests followed Killian all the way into his dwelling, giving him endless precautions for the ceremony. Killian did not hide his uncomfortable feelings and looked down at them with cold eyes. Just before they went up to the third floor where his bedroom was located, Killian said to the high-ranking priests.

“Are you going to follow me to the bedroom? That’s enough, go away.”

“A, are you going to go in with the lady? F, for the ceremony tomorrow, you have to be sex… sexually…”

“Even the archbishop allowed it. You talk too much. Didn’t I already say that I would spend the night alone with this divine lady?”

“But…”

“Hah…”

Killian sighed and tilted his head. His hand rested on the sword wrapped around his waist.

“Not many people are familiar with me here. Were you not informed that no one will survive if I’m made to repeat the same thing three times over?”

The faces of the priests who met Killian’s eyes became pale.

“F, forgive us. T, then, take a good rest.”

The priests went out of the dwelling in a hurry. Looking at their backs as they moved away, Rietta whispered to Killian carefully.

“Milord, do you really plan for me to lead the grand blessing ceremony?”

Killian answered indifferently.

“You’re not a priest, so you cannot. Don’t worry about it. Let’s go in.”

Killian wrapped his hand around Rieta’s shoulder and went up to the third floor. When no one was watching and they were left alone, Rietta’s expression became serious. Killian smirked.

“I wasn’t serious when I said that I would clean myself with you. Think nothing of it.”

Rietta shook her head.

“No, I was not worried about that. It’s just that if the person called Chief Priest Ostia was prepared by Her Imperial Majesty… You’ll be unarmed during the grand blessing ceremony, won’t that mean that it’ll be dangerous?”

Killian stared intently at Rietta.

She’s having the same thoughts as me… Well, it’s not that difficult though. But this woman is not that scared of me.

It’s funny for her to be contemplating what I will have to do in that situation.

“It’s a bit sad that you are not worried at all.”

“Pardon?”

Killian expressionlessly removed his hand from Rietta’s shoulder and turned his gaze forward.

“Your role is over. You’ve done well enough, so take a rest.”

The moment Killian opened the bedroom door, the two of them were frozen like ice. A familiar but out-of-place smell flowed, and a blast of musty blood hit them.

“Mi… Milord!”

Rietta called him in a trembling voice. Killian quickly shoved her into the room, went in after her, and locked the door. Then, he looked around the room with cold eyes, with Rietta behind him.

Nothing strange was seen. With a sword drawn from his waist, Killian strode forward and stood in front of the closet. The next moment, he raised his sword and slammed the closet door open. Outside the building, an ominous cry was heard.

“Has no one seen Chief Priest Ostia?”

Killian found the Chief Priest Ostia waiting in his room, inside the closet. A bloody middle-aged woman in priestly attire had become stiff, dangling over without even getting to close her eyes. Rietta shut her mouth as she was about to let out her scream.