TCMED 16

Chapter 16

“Ahem.”

Johan, the senior aide, cleared his throat and drew our attention.

“I heard that the schedule for his knighting ceremony has been set. I’m not sure of the exact details—you’d have to ask the Saint about that—but it’s probably related to that.”

After speaking matter-of-factly, Johan’s lips twitched when we praised him for being so well-informed.

I chuckled and gave Johan a double thumbs up.

Of course, I added a little surprise to my expression.

According to the storyline, the next episode that followed was indeed the imperial banquet commemorating Ethan’s recruitment.

—

A few days later, we found ourselves on the road to the imperial palace, just as Johan had predicted.

I looked up at the blue sky.

Spring was in full swing now. The sunlight hitting me from atop my horse was warm, and the gently blowing breeze carried the scent of grass.

And the side of my face was burning intensely.

I stubbornly kept my eyes forward, but eventually couldn’t take it anymore and subtly rolled my eyes.

“……”

Through the carriage window, my eyes met Ion’s, who was sitting there with a sulky expression.

He’d been glaring at me like a displeased cat since we departed—if he had a tail, he’d be thwacking the seat with it.

I averted my gaze and spoke to Maximus.

“Must be nice to be out with me after so long, Maximus?”

*Neigh!*

“Oh, you’re so pretty.”

I lightly stroked the horse’s neck and swallowed a sigh.

There was only one reason Ion was acting like that.

Because I had repeatedly refused his offer to ride together in the carriage, and in the end, I made him ride alone.

*’But honestly, all the other aides are riding horses too—why would I, the junior-most one, be the only one in a carriage?’*

As much as he was my friend, he was an adult now, and he needed to learn to separate public and private matters.

“Whoa……”

After an endless back-and-forth of glares and dismissals, the group finally arrived at the main gate of the imperial palace.

Guards carrying spears came forward and checked each person’s identity one by one.

“Confirmed.”

“Thank you. May the Star guide you.”

“May the Star guide you.”

Exchanging the temple’s greetings, we passed through the main gate.

I suddenly realized I had become accustomed to speaking like a priest.

Humans really are creatures of adaptation.

Let’s get this schedule over with quickly and head back.

—

I’ll admit it.

I underestimated the prestige of religion.

“Presenting this to the Saint……”

“The Saint does not accept anything personally. Please direct your donations to the temple. Lord Mitev will bless your intentions.”

“My devout grandfather is bedridden—if the Saint could just visit him once……”

“That is unfortunate. I will pray for his recovery through Lord Mitev’s grace.”

Without exaggeration, I must have had this exact conversation about a hundred times.

At this point, I don’t know if I’m an automated answering machine or an aide.

No wonder. Usually, only two aides accompany the Saint on external activities, but today three of us came.

Rohan, across from me, was also being heavily harassed by people.

I shot a glare at Ion and Johan, who were using us as shields while leisurely handling guests one by one.

*Phew.* Let’s endure it—I’m not here for fun.

“Priest, please, just once—please let my daughter receive the Saint’s blessing quickly.”

“The Saint is……”

“My child was badly injured in the rift incident, and for some reason, she just won’t recover. I’m merely a viscount, so I had no way to request a private audience with the Saint, so I abandoned even caring for my daughter to come here—please……”

I bit the inside of my cheek and pulled myself together.

“The Saint grants audiences regardless of status. So if you could go back today and submit an audience request to the Grand Temple……”

“I already sent that! But they said I can’t see him until two weeks from now!”

People with no title at all—the very rank you dismissed as “merely a viscount”—wait endlessly at the Grand Temple’s main gate every day, hoping to catch a passing priest.

“……”

But I couldn’t say that outright. Unable to find a suitable response, I simply bowed to the viscount.

The viscount breathed raggedly for a while before leaving.

Aside from the bitter feeling, I absolutely did not think that man was evil.

Because I too knew well how desperate the fear of potentially losing a family member could make a person.

“His Highness the Crown Prince arrives!”

At that moment, a deep voice announced the Crown Prince’s entrance.

People who had been exchanging greetings bustled back to their seats. I too moved closer to the seat assigned to the Saint.

Ion, who had risen from his seat to greet the Crown Prince, leaned slightly toward me.

“Tetis.”

“Yes.”

“Are you alright?”

“Of course.”

I gave him a small smile. This is just how life is, after all.

Ion’s lips moved as if he still found it unsatisfactory, but with the doors opening, he couldn’t say more.

“We greet His Highness the Crown Prince!”

At someone’s lead, everyone bowed in unison.

With the orchestra omitted, the quiet banquet hall echoed with leisurely footsteps.

“Thank you for coming. Everyone, raise your heads.”

The Crown Prince, who had walked out onto the raised platform, slowly surveyed the gathering.

His expression was extremely cold, in stark contrast to the warm, troubled lighting. The silence that followed, led by the Crown Prince, gradually tightened the atmosphere in the room.

The moment when everyone’s focus was entirely on him—so much so that those who met the Crown Prince’s eyes flinched visibly.

“In the past month, we have lost countless imperial citizens.”

He began speaking in an extremely low but clear voice.

“I have been thinking day and night. What the solution to this rift incident might be. Whether there even is a solution. And if not, how to create the best possible outcome.”

The current Emperor of the Baros Empire had long been unable to handle state affairs due to illness.

Thus, the Second Prince, Saira Rote Baros, had ascended to the position of Crown Prince at a young age.

Now barely in his mid-twenties, his demeanor was astonishingly shrewd.

“It was a difficult time. But……”

The Crown Prince trailed off and closed his eyes deeply.

When he opened them again, a confident smile had been layered over his previously icy expression.

“Thankfully, it seems Lord Mitev is still watching over our empire.”

From that moment, the atmosphere shifted.

From a cool tension to a faint sense of anticipation.

“Five years ago, the subject of the oracle prophesied by the former Saintess has chosen to protect the empire as a knight of Baros.”

Now, to clear hope.

The Crown Prince smiled deeper and extended one arm, pointing to the door at the rear of the gathering.

“Ethan. Come in.”

The moment those words fell, the banquet hall doors began to slowly open.

And there stood Ethan.

Still with black hair and blue eyes, but wearing armor and a mage’s cloak instead of an ordinary shirt.

At the moment everyone’s attention was focused on him, I looked at the Crown Prince on the dais.

His cheeks, wearing a picturesque smile, were twitching ever so slightly.

*’……Of course.’*

In the novel, the Crown Prince only pretended to treat Ethan well on the surface while genuinely keeping him in check.

How many times did I want to smack him in the back of the head when he promised to commence the Mapel recovery project once “this” was over, while cunningly expanding the scope of “this”?

*Clap clap clap!*

Just as a hint of irreverence was about to rise in my gaze toward the Crown Prince, applause began with one person and spread loudly throughout the banquet hall. My eyes returned to Ethan.

Ethan, receiving the ovation pouring toward him, walked like a knight who had already trained for years and reached the space directly below the Crown Prince.

Kneeling on one knee, the Crown Prince asked him solemnly.

“Do you, Ethan, swear to give your utmost loyalty to the Baros Empire as a knight of the Rote Knight Order?”

I wished he would say no and run away from this place.

Compared to the hardships that lay ahead of him, this present hospitality and title were far too fleeting.

But contrary to my wish, Ethan bowed his head even deeper.

“Yes.”

As in the novel, Ethan, in the midst of his knight’s oath, did not finish in one breath but paused briefly.

And then, ever so slightly—so subtly that no one would notice—he turned his head to the side.

“I swear.”

At the moment Ethan swore his loyalty.

His blue eyes were directed entirely at me.