Chapter 29: RMLIP

Chapter 29

“While I’m gone, please don’t climb out the window, Your Grace.”

“You don’t have to keep stressing it. I have no intention of doing that.”

“And don't go crawling through the ventilation ducts either!”

“I said I understand.”

As if I could actually believe that.

'It’s not like I can block those vents, either.'

For several days, Lishid had been sleeping in late, and I’d worried he might have caught a cold.

Only to discover that the moment I fell asleep, he had been sneaking around through the ventilation shafts.

The shock of learning that...

'Even thinking about it now makes me want to scream.'

One night, I woke up thirsty before dawn, and the moment I locked eyes with Lishid quietly crawling out of the vent...

I was pretty sure I'd never forget it for the rest of my life.

I genuinely thought I was in a horror movie.

"Enough nagging. Hurry up and leave, Young Lady. I think your maid will be here any minute."

"Young Lady!"

No sooner had Lishid finished speaking than Zenis's voice came from outside the door.

"I'm going, I'm going! You don't have to tell me."

After tidying my hair one last time in front of the mirror, I turned back to Lishid.

"You remember, right? If it looks like someone is coming, you must grab the pillow and blanket and hide in the ventilation duct!"

"Ridiculous. Weren't you just telling me not to go in there?"

"That's different. There are conditions attached."

I repeated the warning before heading toward the door.

"See you later, Your Grace."

After waving goodbye to Lishid and stepping outside, Zenis stared at me with widened eyes.

"My goodness... Young Lady, you look so... modest today."

"Right?"

If I was going to apologize, then there was only one rule.

First: modest.

Second: modest.

Third: modest.

Imagine someone showing up to apologize while wearing an extravagant formal outfit covered in sparkling jewelry.

'That would be a little inappropriate.'

This morning I had dismissed all the maids who came to dress me up and instead chose the simplest, plainest dress I owned.

I tied my hair into a single low bun as well.

"Let's go, Zenis."

Together, we boarded the carriage headed for the Grand Temple.

Zenis would only accompany me as far as the temple.

You could say she was the Duchess's assigned watchdog, making sure I didn't wander off after finishing my business there.

'She could've assigned someone else, though.'

Since this was an official visit to the Grand Temple, it seemed she'd chosen my only personal maid, Zenis.

After finally eating a proper breakfast for the first time in a while, I climbed into the carriage, and drowsiness quickly overtook me.

But just as I was about to close my eyes, I suddenly sat upright.

"Zenis."

"Yes?"

"Why are... people wearing those hats?"

For a moment, I thought I was seeing things.

Outside the carriage window passed several hats I recognized all too well.

The very same ridiculous flower hats that Duke Blandiche had thrown away—hats I'd quietly kept in my room ever since.

"Oh? You didn't know?"

Zenis looked even more surprised than I was.

"Those hats are all the rage among commoners these days."

...What?

"But why...?"

"Your portrait was published in the newspapers, remember? Both the Imperial Gazette and the civilian papers."

She continued proudly.

"Not just your portrait. The civilian newspaper also ran an article about you, and people absolutely loved it."

Of course I remembered.

That small article written by the reporter using the pen name "J."

At the time, I'd only thought it was bad news.

I never imagined it would lead to this.

'In the original story, Airel was even stoned by commoners.'

Not metaphorically.

They literally threw stones at her.

"Even so, Zenis... people wouldn't start copying my hat just because they saw my portrait, would they?"

"Of course they would! I don't know how this will sound, but do you know how rare it is for a high-ranking noble to openly stand on the side of commoners? And on top of that, you've started making regular donations to orphanages."

"What? How do you know about that?"

"The donations to the Imperial orphanages are publicly disclosed every week in the Imperial Gazette for transparency. Don't tell me... you donated without knowing that?"

"...Yeah."

'I only started donating right after transmigrating because I thought it might help someday. I had no idea it would all be printed in the newspaper.'

While I was still embarrassed, Zenis continued.

"Anyway, I think another reason is that your flower hat is affordable enough that even commoners can buy one."

She smiled brightly.

"Though, of course... starting now, they're probably going to become expensive!"

I almost replied,

"It was only a few days ago that you were shouting anyone who wore one of those hats would ruin their marriage prospects..."

But I held my tongue.

No matter how much I liked joking around, this wasn't the time.

'I almost feel grateful to that reporter J.'

It was embarrassing to receive so much praise for something that should have been ordinary.

Still...

I'd be lying if I said it didn't make me happy.

With more than half of the temple's believers being commoners who now supported me, the Grand Temple would have a much harder time making unreasonable demands.

Everything had seemed to go wrong one after another.

Yet somehow...

I'd stumbled into unexpected good fortune.

'Well... that's not the only reason, though.'

Feeling strangely emotional, I leaned against the carriage window and looked outside again.

Children, adults, the elderly—men and women alike—

Countless people walked through the streets wearing flower hats, smiling brightly.

Simply changing my perspective had completely changed how the hats looked.

The hats I'd once considered ridiculous no longer seemed laughable.

Instead...

'They're beautiful.'

Warm sunlight shimmered across the colorful flowers I had once dismissed as tacky.

The petals swayed gracefully in the breeze, so harmonious that I couldn't look away.

The smiles beneath those wide brims were just as beautiful.

Though the hats cast their faces in shadow, their smiles seemed dazzling enough to outshine the sunlight itself.

'...Maybe I was the one who was prejudiced.'

The dreamlike scene gently tugged at my heart.

For quite a while, I simply stared out the window, quietly holding back the emotions welling up inside me.

"Good luck, Young Lady! I'll be waiting here!"

Zenis called out encouragingly as I stepped down from the carriage.

"Thank you, Zenis."

I smiled brightly at her before taking a small, steadying breath and walking toward the Grand Temple.

'From here on... I absolutely can't make another mistake.'

I had to make up for what I'd done.

The temple gates had only just opened, and worshippers were already bustling about.

After looking around, I approached one of the Holy Knights guarding the entrance and presented the letter the Duchess had given me.

"I'm Airel of House Blandiche. I've been granted permission to enter the main sanctuary."

"Please, go right in."

After checking the letter, the Holy Knight immediately opened the visitor's entrance.

That was when I heard loud shouting nearby.

"You! You! Finally, I've found you!"

What's going on?

I turned toward the commotion.

"Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for you?! Because of you... you lying bastard...!"

A man stood there, his eyes bloodshot with rage.

And in front of him...

'...The High Priest?'

High Priest Erkael stood calmly before him.

The man screamed hoarsely,

"You're all being fooled! The temple is fake! Every last one of these people is nothing but frauds!"

"You must stop this!"

One of the Holy Knights hurried forward to restrain him.

But the man let out a savage roar and shoved the knight away.

Then he reached into his waistband and pulled something out.

'That's...'

A knife?

'No... that man!'

The moment the realization struck me, I was already moving.

Everything happened in an instant.

And yet...

It felt unbearably slow.

The man swung the knife.

At the same time, I shoved the High Priest with all my strength.

The two of us crashed to the ground together, rolling across the floor.

My vision spun several times.

"Your Eminence! Are you alright?!"

The anxious voices of the Holy Knights rang faintly in my ears.

The High Priest raised a hand, stopping them.

"...Are you unharmed, Lady Airel?"

Only then did I realize...

I was lying in his arms.

More precisely—

I had landed right on top of him.

"Ah."

I quickly lifted my head.

'What happened to that man?'

I immediately looked back.

The knife lay on the floor.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

The attacker had already been completely subdued by the knights.

Even so, he continued struggling wildly, shouting toward the High Priest.

"I'll kill you! You demon! I swear I'll—!"

"Such blasphemy!"

The Holy Knights hurriedly covered his mouth.

But by then...

The High Priest's face had already gone cold.

'This is bad.'

No one would be in a good mood after hearing something like that said to their face.

Realizing I was still sprawled on top of him, I awkwardly climbed to my feet.

"Ah... I'm sorry."

I hurriedly brushed the dirt from my dress.

The outfit I'd carefully chosen to look neat and modest was already a complete mess.

Letting out a quiet sigh, I extended my hand toward the High Priest.

"Can you stand, Your Eminence?"