The Protagonists of Romance Fantasy Novels Have Escaped

110 – 110. Sanctuary (3)

Through a letter that arrived from the Holy Kingdom, I was able to glimpse the unfortunate past of the First Saintess.

The handwriting was crooked.

There were several pages densely filled with writing.

In front of Jebeline, who looked on with anxious eyes, I began to read the letter. As I carefully read through the flood of emotions contained within, I came to understand the pain and loneliness Jebeline must have endured.

“So what are you going to do?”

I asked the saintess.

A venomous reply came flying back.

“They’re parents who sold their daughter for a few gold coins. They’re not even worth considering. They’re surely scheming to get a little more out of it.”

Her lips trembled slightly.

She must be trying hard to suppress her emotions.

She was likely speaking harshly to erase any lingering attachments and hesitations in her heart.

Jebeline’s seemingly unconscious reaction seemed to represent her complex feelings. As I gazed at her, I returned the letter I had finished reading.

“Is that your true feeling?”

“Of course.”

“Hmm… then I should respect your judgment.”

“…….”

I have no intention of meddling unnecessarily.

The right to decide the future lies solely with the individual.

It is Jeblinne’s decision.

Therefore, I have decided to respect her choice.

Even three years ago, when we first met, she was extremely reluctant to reveal her past. I had thought that being dragged into a front line where survival and death repeated would mean she had endured an unfortunate past… but who would have imagined she was sold to a monastery by her parents?

“Um… I must seem like a really terrible woman, right? You must have felt disillusioned with me.”

“Well, I can’t say I’m in a position to judge.”

“She decided to completely sever ties with her blood relatives. A woman who is the First Saint of the Holy Kingdom! Where else in the world would you find such a villain?”

“…….”

That’s true.

If it were to become known, she would not escape countless criticisms.

The First Saint abandoned her parents.

Fearing that her unfortunate origins would be revealed, she turned a blind eye to her parents’ pleas.

Even if Jeblinne’s parents did not step forward, the cardinals of the Holy Kingdom would surely launch a smear campaign. The letter Jeblinne received was likely a warning that they would expose her if she did not return to the sanctuary.

“Maybe so. But no matter how much the world criticizes you, I will always be on your side.”

“You really have a way with words when it comes to charming women. Truly a playboy.”

Why is that?

I pride myself on having lived quite rightly.

Following Ludmila, I have now also been labeled a ‘playboy’ by Jeblinne.

“It doesn’t matter what decision you make. I will always protect you.”

“Ugh…!”

I reached out and gently stroked Jeblinne’s head.

She felt like a fluffy little rabbit.

Looking at her snowy white hair and her bright, shining blue eyes, I thought to myself.

“I’ve been hesitating all day… but now I’m certain.”

“Pardon?”

“The damn old men of the Holy Kingdom have thrown down the gauntlet first, so I must accept it.”

“You mean… no way!”

I will go to the sanctuary.

I revealed my firm decision to the First Saint.

At that, Jeblinne trembled her shoulders and gasped in horror.

“Are you out of your mind? It’s obviously a trap!”

“Maximilian is in the sanctuary. And your parents are in the sanctuary too.”

The reason for Maximilian’s appearance is unknown.

But currently, Jeblinne’s parents were being held hostage.

If Jeblinne ultimately refuses the demands, they would surely come to harm. The hostage situation threatening the lives of the pawns was a cruel tactic frequently employed by the Empire against the cultists.

“The old men of the Empire are treating you not as the White Dragon, but as the scourge of famine.”

The scourge of tyranny, which had fallen into the hands of the Earth Mother, had finally been resurrected. The cardinals of the Empire, upon hearing the news, would be fearing that the scourge of famine would soon rise again as well.

They would have already declared her not as the First Saint, but as the Apostle of Famine.

The fanatics who absolutely worshipped the Earth Mother would have no reason not to kill Jeblinne’s parents. Even if they didn’t kill them immediately, they would surely deal with them secretly once they had outlived their usefulness.

“Cutting ties with parents who sold their daughter is fine. It’s a decision you, the victim, have chosen. But you can’t just let them die, can you?”

“…….”

I grasped Jeblinne’s hand.

As expected, her soft grip trembled pitifully.

How terrifying and painful it must be.

It’s a pain that one can never empathize with unless they are the one experiencing it.

I may not be able to bear the same pain, but I can help her overcome it. Therefore, I decided to accept the Empire’s challenge so that Jeblinne could fully rise above her unfortunate past.

“Why are you going so far to help me? You said you had no intention of interfering…”

“Of course, it’s because I like you.”

“Pfft. Surely, an old maid would have sweet-talked you like that. I’m just an easy woman who melts at flattery.”

“…I won’t deny it.”

As I spoke the truth, Jeblinne chuckled softly and shook her head.

A person who can’t help it.

She moved her plump lips and said that.

The silver-haired saint stretched out her arms and embraced my neck. At the same time, she lifted her toes high.

“……!”

A sweet scent that stimulated my sense of smell, along with the soft warmth of her lips, enveloped me.

Her eyes were gently closed.

Her cheeks were tinted a rosy hue, like a peach.

I realized that I was kissing while looking at the slender face right in front of me.

In response to the kiss of the First Saint, I reached out with both hands and embraced her delicate waist. Jebeline’s body was hotter than ever, even through the fabric of her robes.

“Hmph, mmm…!”

As I slipped my tongue in, I overwhelmed the inexperienced kiss of the virgin.

It was hot.

And soft and moist.

As my tongue indulged in her mouth, it lightly tapped against her teeth, causing Jebeline to shudder and let out a heated moan.

“Puh, haah…!”

We both pulled away from the kiss at the same time, ending the dense connection.

The thread had unraveled.

As if to showcase the intensity of our kiss, the area around our lips was stained with saliva.

Jebeline’s face, flushed with passionate desire, looked more lovely than ever. I gave her a brief kiss on her scarlet lips and wiped away the saliva.

“Are you really going to the Sanctuary?”

“Yeah.”

“I understand. But… I will accompany Ethan as well.”

“…….”

You want to go together?

Are you really going to accept the schemes of the Holy Kingdom as they are?

It would be dangerous.

I had no idea what might happen in the Sanctuary.

As if sensing the unease hidden in my heart, Jebeline revealed her determination with a resolute gaze. Nodding in response, I decided to respect her judgment.

* * *

So, you intend to move as the Holy Kingdom desires.

It was a statement close to a declaration of war.

No,

This was a declaration of war against the followers of the One True God.

Ludmila seemed to have anticipated this to some extent, responding in a calm voice.

“Have you ultimately chosen the thorny path?”

“Yes.”

“I’m truly sorry. If only I hadn’t lost my reason to the scourge of tyranny… The resurrection of tyranny has given them the perfect excuse.”

“The Cardinals of the Sanctuary are deliberately provoking the surge of calamity. Even if it weren’t for the last anomaly, they would surely have reached out to us.”

War. Tyranny. Famine.

All the innocent calamities, except for death on the brink of resurrection, have gathered.

We must prevent a complete resurrection.

The forces of the Holy Kingdom began to move desperately to defend the throne of the One True God.

This is war.

The Earth Mother and the innocent calamities.

The Creator God and the God of Disaster, who had repeatedly waged war to seize the throne of the One True God, were once again preparing for a full-scale confrontation. It suddenly occurred to me that perhaps this was a fate that was meant to be.

‘Surely the author didn’t expect the innocent calamity they created to shake the world so profoundly.’

The innocent calamity was merely a concept created to explain the Demon King of Death, the source of all evil that appears in the story. The other calamities, aside from death, do not appear in the narrative.

The Red Dragon of the Empire was the calamity of tyranny.

And the White Dragon of the Holy Kingdom was, in fact, the calamity of famine.

It was merely a setup created to provide a twist for the readers of the work. Yet, a sudden idea that arose in a moment grew into a backlash that would shatter the world of the story.

Isn’t it absurd?

Perhaps this is what they call the butterfly effect.

“Ludmila, I will prepare to leave for the Sanctuary now.”

“Okay….”

As the second princess representing the Baltaria Empire, I could not fight against the Gael Holy Kingdom. The Empire served the Earth Mother as the One True God alongside the Holy Kingdom.

Thus, I had to exclude Ludmila, who had awakened as an apostle of tyranny.

“Before you leave, go see Liza and Rue. If you leave without a word, they will worry a lot.”

“Of course.”

I nodded, recalling the beautiful villainess and the whimsical fairy.

We are invading the Sanctuary.

What kind of reactions would they show if I were to confess everything?

Surely, Elizabeth would be greatly shocked and shudder. And Rue would likely tilt her head in a cute manner.

“Well… the Holy Kingdom might have simply called to restore their friendship, right? So, you needn’t worry too much.”

“You know better than anyone that there’s no possibility of that.”

I can’t handle it.

I gave an awkward smile, clicking my tongue at Ludmila’s response.