NOVEL NEXT Chapter 30
How long have I been carried up the mountain path on Iggon’s back?
Thankfully, the rain was gradually lightening.
In place of the sound of falling rain, I could hear the cries of insects living in the forest.
“We’re almost there, Lady Linashita.”
“…I’m sorry. I must be very heavy…”
“No, not at all. I may seem delicate, but… I can easily carry a lady.”
“…!!”
Again, he called me a lady.
Hearing that word from his mouth, from his voice, made my stomach flutter, and I couldn’t hold back.
“I’m… not a lady.”
“Excuse me?”
“I mean, it means I’m old.”
“Is that so?”
“…Yes.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you?”
It was a topic hardly worth mentioning, yet oddly, I didn’t want to lie to him.
And if he were to keep calling me a lady, I felt like my head would explode… so I decided to spill the truth.
“I’m thirty-six…”
“Excuse me?”
“I’m, I’m thirty-six! I’m too old to be called a lady…!”
For the first time, I was grateful to be in a position where I was being carried.
I didn’t want him to see how my face and even my ears were completely red.
Iggon made a sound of understanding.
“I see. I didn’t know.”
‘……’
While I was being carried and had nothing more to say, I found myself asking him a strange question.
“Are you disappointed?”
“Huh? Disappointed?”
“…Yes. I mean, I’m not really a lady…”
There was no room for disappointment here.
The reason he was kindly carrying me couldn’t just be because I was a young woman.
I knew very well that this wasn’t the only reason he would go this far to help me.
His kindness was more pure than that, and somehow I felt it deep down.
Despite knowing all this, I couldn’t help but ask the question.
What did I want to hear from him?
That he wasn’t disappointed? Or was it that…
“Ah… well, certainly, I’m not young anymore.”
“……”
In an instant, my mood calmed down.
Right. Thirty-six—that’s an age that might be hard for a younger man like Iggon to deal with.
I already knew that. So why was I foolishly expecting something else—
“But still…”
“……?”
“You’ve matured beautifully.”
――!!!!
“How could I be disappointed? Quite the opposite! You’re beautifully matured. I believe there’s a beauty in time and patience that only comes with age.”
What did this man just say…?!
“Ugh!”
“Put me down this instant! I’ll walk on my own!”
“We’re almost there. Do you see that building up ahead? We can’t rush it; you’ll hurt yourself.”
“Shut up! I’m fine now! Just put me down quickly!”
“It’s okay. Just a little longer—”
“No! Can’t you let me down at once?! You insolent fool…!!”
Thud, thud.
I pounded his shoulder with all my might, but Iggon just laughed and didn’t let me go.
No matter how much I struggled to get down… I couldn’t escape. My high status meant nothing against his physical strength.
‘What do you mean matured? Nonsense!’
Depending on the context, this could be a huge insult.
Despite the circumstances, I was the Emperor!
I was Eirene von Einsberg, seated on the magnificent throne of Lord Igguoqueden!
How could he dare say I’ve matured… so pervertedly…!
Eirene thought everything about this situation felt bizarre.
The sudden rebellion, Iggon rescuing her, and taking such care of her…
And the fact that his words of praise for my maturity made a forgotten part of my heart rejoice.
“Now, now. We’re here, Lady Linashita.”
“Stop calling me a lady…!! You, you really…!”
――Ah.
I feel like I’m going crazy…
No, I might have already gone crazy.
After all, even though he helped me, he was just a man I had met not long ago.
A man much younger than me…
“Here you go. Ittcha.”
“Gah…!”
He suddenly let me down, nearly causing me to topple back, but Iggon skillfully caught me.
“Be careful, Lady Linashita. The ground is still wet.”
“Uagh…!”
I dusted off my slightly dirty nun’s robe and finally stepped into the monastery.
The building was situated on a small hill within the forest.
While it was remote, it was near the capital of Igguoqueden, which made its size surprising.
As I started to wonder why I had been unaware of this—an old nun emerged from beyond.
“Welcome, Brother Iggon. May the pure fact of the Lord be with you…”
“May the pure fact be with you. Thank you for your hard work at this late hour, Sister.”
“No trouble at all. And you must be…?”
“This is the sister I mentioned last time.”
Eirene bowed appropriately.
“I’m Linashita.”
“I see. Sister Linashita. You are indeed walking the path of the monastery. How marvelous to see a sister blessed with such a Holy Power Pouch. This must truly be a pure fact from Lord Igguoqueden…”
“….Thank you.”
No matter how I thought about it, I found it impossible to adjust to having my chest constantly praised.
I couldn’t comprehend what my large chest had to do with Holy Power.
“Now, come this way.”
* * *
The corridors of the monastery were exceptionally quiet.
It felt as if even noise sank along with the darkness.
Only the flickering torchlight hanging on either side illuminated the space.
“Thank you for matching my words.”
“Um?”
“I know you don’t believe in a religion, do you?”
“Well, I suppose that much is true. I’m wearing a nun’s robe, and entering a monastery requires some form of affirmation.”
“But still… it must be hard for non-believers to bring up the subject of faith…”
After walking through the dark corridor for what seemed like ages, I opened a door and upon entering the room, what greeted me first was…
“……!!”
A massive portrait hanging on the wall.
The strangest thing was how the facial features were blurred and hard to make out.
“What is this…?”
In response to Eirene’s question, Iggon lightly offered a prayer before replying.
“This is the portrait of the One God, Igguoqueden.”
“……!”
“It bears the image of Lord Igguoqueden.”
A portrait of Lord Igguoqueden?
Was there something like that…?
I had never heard anything describing the appearance of Igguoqueden, even though I didn’t believe in the Guoden Church.
There weren’t even any statues depicting his holy image. I had heard of paintings or sculptures of the apostles who followed him, but—
Moreover, this portrait… calling it a portrait is an understatement; with the face so blurred, I couldn’t see anything clearly.
At that moment…
“……!”
Iggon’s hand gently rested on Eirene’s shoulder.
I was surprised but… didn’t pull away. Iggon stepping into my personal space wasn’t such a bad experience for me.
“If you don’t believe in Lord Igguoqueden, you can’t see this portrait.”
“Is that… so?”
“Yes. Only those with sincere belief in God can see the face of Lord Igguoqueden.”
As he spoke, Iggon looked back up at the portrait.
His eyes sparkled like those of a dreamy boy, as if they were filled with the night sky.
“I can see it. The face of Lord Igguoqueden. And to meet him… it’s a truly magnificent experience. Don’t you wonder what that feels like?”
“I, I…?”
“Of course, I have no intention of pushing my beliefs on you. As it says in the Bible ‘Daeguoqueden’, Chapter 5, Verse 2, ‘To force religion on unbelievers will only annoy and bother them. To entice them, one must present fitting rewards.’ So, I respect you, Non-believing Sister Linashita.”
Daeguoqueden… I believe that was the last of the three holy books.
The first one spoke of the creation of the world and the manifestation of God on Earth, the second taught the importance of the Holy Power Pouch, and the third recounted the journey of Igguoqueden until his ascension back to heaven… Among those three, Eirene certainly remembered their names.
“Anyway, don’t you think it’s time for a bath?”
“Ah… huh? A bath…?”
“You’re drenched. Both you and I.”
Now that I thought about it, I had turned into a soaking wet mouse thanks to the heavy rain.
“Right. As you say, it’s best to wash off.”
With that, Iggon smiled brightly.
“I have a place I’d like to show you, Sister Linashita.”
“What do you mean?”
* * *
“Wow…”
A yard connected to the monastery and the back door.
In the middle of this high-walled enclosure was a warm hot spring.
Iggon said this place was a source of pride for the Aigeu-den Monastery.
It was said to have been created through the miracle of the One God, Igguoqueden… a story likely borrowed from the myths of religious adherents.
What was certain was that for someone like me, who could only shower in a cramped shower after leaving home, this place seemed like paradise.
Eirene slowly approached the hot spring, her body barely covered by a single towel.
Of course, the monastery’s towel could hardly cover her completely.
With her incredibly white and supple skin that belied her age, her oppressive chest fully matured, and her perfectly rounded hips that seemed to regret never having borne a child.
There was no way such a human embodiment of the term “beautiful woman” could be concealed by a small towel.
Cautiously, she dipped her feet into the hot spring.
“Ugh…!”
As she submerged her entire body, a massive wave erupted on the surface of the hot spring—
Before long, the pleasure brought by the hot water washed over Eirene.
In that moment, she thought this place was as good as the royal palace’s great bath, but— that thought didn’t last long.
“Wow…!”
As she lifted her head, she was welcomed by an abundant starry sky strewn across the night.
Whether it was due to the rain clearing or the hot spring, the humid air tickled her nose.
…This is so much better than the royal bath.
I didn’t know such a magnificent place existed.
As that blissful time passed and water began to drip from her bright yellow hair…
Eirene pondered what her next steps should be.
‘I’ll likely have to stay here for a while…’
It was quite a distance from the grand castle of Igguoqueden, and this monastery had plenty of space to hide if necessary.
Moreover, unlike the city, this was a space for religious people.
Now that a saint had appeared, they wouldn’t ransack buildings owned by religious figures.
‘Yes. I’ll spend time here while also checking the situation in other territories. I’ll have to ask Iggon to help with that later.’
Just the thought of Iggon’s name made her face flush again.
Why was he helping me?
Was it just an act of kindness because he was a religious person? Or was there something more…?
‘……’
Once again, her heart began to race.
Never had she ever felt this way.
The only moments that made her heart race were when she defeated the enemy trying to kill her. She had thought she might be born of a warrior tribe, rather than a woman. Initially, her retainers considered the absence of a husband to protect the Emperor a problem, but eventually, they recognized that Eirene was strong enough to live without a man.
But why, was I…
Especially with that younger religious man…
“Iggon…”
She tasted his name on her lips as she spoke it.
The shape of her lips forming the sounds ‘i’ and ‘eo’ delighted her, as she repeatedly called out his name.
With each utterance of that name, she felt closer to him.
‘……’
After her bath that night, this was no longer a pleasant thought.
Despite sleeping more soundly than before, Eirene found it near impossible to enjoy restful sleep.
* * *
After that day, Eirene spent her time assisting the old nun— the head of the monastery— in various menial tasks as a novice sister.
“Ah, thank you so much, Sister. You really didn’t have to help.”
“No, not at all. I must pay for my stay here.”
“Indeed, your kind heart matches your generous Holy Power Pouch. May the pure fact of the Lord be with you…”
Life in the monastery was incredibly fulfilling.
It was a stark contrast to her royal life. Rather than discussing nationwide affairs, she would carry firewood or assist with cleaning the monastery alongside Iggon instead of dispatching soldiers. Rather than mobilizing farmers to increase food production, she kneaded and baked the bread that would fill her belly.
Living.
For the first time, Eirene was enjoying life as a human.
To be born, to help others, working for something to eat, organizing her experiences before drifting to sleep…
Such an ordinary life, yet it felt like the most passionate time of her life.
The only thing she wasn’t part of—was prayer.
Every time she saw Iggon kneeling before the indistinct portrait, praying quietly, she thought about it.
What if…
If I believed in Guoden Church… in Lord Igguoqueden…
Could I see the portrait too?
Could I share in the sight he held?
Not out of any revelation about faith, but purely for the desire to see the same vision as that man…
Eirene couldn’t help but smile wryly. If a god really existed, she felt like she was predestined for sin.
“It’s finished.”
“You worked hard today too.”
“No, it’s time to pray. I think we should eat dinner soon.”
“Well. I’ll help.”
“Alright.”
Wishing for the peace and stability of the Empire, a clean succession for the First Princess, and a smooth royal inheritance…
Having lived solely for that, she thought for the first time about wanting to walk alongside someone else.
That someone being a man.
The word that tied all these thoughts together—happiness.
Eirene felt extremely happy. The thought of reclaiming her position as Emperor felt increasingly distant.
However, just as the saying goes that there is no paradise for those who have fled—
Her happy times in the monastery would not last long.