Chapter 13
“Why? Why are you smiling like that?”
Litia asked, feeling pricked by his words.
“Just because. You look like a rabbit caught in a trap. Did you really look everything up?”
“I—I told you I didn’t look anything up.”
“That’s a shame.”
Caliph gave an ambiguous answer. Even as he said that, he kept smiling brightly. What was making him so happy?
No way. Litia grew even more uneasy at Caliph’s unreadable reaction. No, that couldn’t be it. There was no way an Orb would appear here. No matter how unlucky she was, it couldn’t be that bad. If anything, it would be better if he weren’t a noble at all.
Litia moved her lips several times, wanting to ask, but eventually gave up. Instead, she changed her train of thought and spoke.
“Caliph. I already said this, but just like you said, you won. I’ll deal with you and take responsibility, just as you want. But before that, there’s something I want to ask.”
“What is it? Go ahead.”
“…For now, let it only apply when we’re alone together.”
“Hmm…”
“I don’t know if you’re aware, but I’m a saintess candidate. A body meant to become Tenia. I’m favored by the High Priest, too. I don’t want to get caught up in rumors. On the other hand, it could be troublesome for you as well if our relationship were revealed. I’m not saying this just for myself—it’s for both of us.”
“So you want to keep it a secret?”
“Yes. That’s… okay, right? It’s not difficult for you, is it? At least during the candidate period…”
Litia pleaded earnestly.
Caliph stared at her as if examining her expression.
Most of what she said wasn’t a lie, but for some reason, she felt tense.
If she avoided his gaze, it felt like he would suspect something, so she deliberately met his eyes even more directly.
After a long moment, Caliph finally spoke.
“If I do that, will you listen to my proposal too?”
“Huh? What proposal?”
Since she had made a request first, she had no right to complain if Caliph did the same. Still, she had already lost a bet to him once before.
Feeling uneasy, Litia hurriedly added,
“N-not anything too difficult. My request isn’t that hard either.”
“It’s easy. It’s nothing.”
“Then you can say it.”
“Tell me your real name someday. And if you promise never to run away, I’ll agree.”
“……”
“See? Easy, right?”
Why was he so obsessed with her name? She had lost count of how many times he had asked.
Even though she had repeatedly told him it was her real name, he seemed not to believe it at all.
If it was “someday,” then maybe it wouldn’t matter much.
Until she became Tenia, he could control her holy power whenever he wanted, so she couldn’t run away anyway.
Just as he said, it really was an easy… request.
But it had been easy back then, too.
“There’s no other meaning to it, right?”
“Do you think you’ll get fooled again like last time?”
Caliph said cheerfully, as if reading her thoughts.
Litia’s gaze hardened again, but she soon accepted it and nodded.
“I mean it literally. No hidden meaning.”
“Really? Don’t change your words later.”
Caliph nodded.
“…Alright. Then I think we’re done talking, so can you take me back now? I need to return.”
Litia slowly pushed him away. Somehow, during their conversation, she had ended up pressed close to him.
Every time she stepped back, Caliph had moved closer. In any case, her strength had returned now, so she needed to go back.
“As you command.”
At that moment, Litia grabbed Caliph’s arm.
“Ah, um…”
“Yeah? Say it.”
“Next time.”
“Hm?”
“If I want to find you again next time, how do I do that?”
Caliph tilted his head. Then he smiled lazily and said,
“If you want me to, I’ll come to wherever you are.”
“How would you know what I want? I’ve been looking for you for days already.”
“I know. Now that you’ve allowed it, that won’t happen again.”
Caliph spoke decisively, brushing a brief kiss against Litia’s hair once more.
Litia frowned.
“…Then are you saying you knew I was looking for you and didn’t show up on purpose?”
She didn’t want to misunderstand him, but that was exactly how it sounded.
Caliph’s silence only encouraged her suspicion.
“…So you really did it on purpose.”
“Sorry.”
Caliph said quietly, belatedly.
But his tone didn’t sound apologetic at all.
“……”
“I needed certainty too, just like you. I won’t do that anymore, so will you forgive me?”
As if trying to placate her, he rubbed the back of her hand.
It was the kind of gesture only people with an intimate relationship would make.
It wasn’t unpleasant, but she wasn’t used to such private behavior either.
In the first place, neither in the past nor now had she ever had someone she shared that kind of intimacy with.
Litia looked down at him quietly, then moved her lips.
“…Fine. Let’s call it even. Once each. I really have to go now.”
Caliph took Litia straight back to the banquet terrace, just as she wished.
“Thank you for bringing me back. And thank you for returning my power.”
“Don’t mention it.”
“Caliph, you’re not attending the banquet this time either, right?”
Caliph nodded.
Litia, feeling a bit envious of him, turned to leave.
“By the way.”
“Yes…?”
Holding onto the curtain, Litia asked nervously.
“You don’t remember everything from that day, do you?”
“What? What do you—”
Just then—
“Isn’t it wonderful? Ha, really. I think I should rest a bit before going back in.”
“Me too.”
Startled by the noisy voices from inside, Litia turned her head. Thinking they might be coming this way, she peeked through the curtain slightly. Two young ladies hurried past. Relieved, she turned back—
But Caliph was gone.
As if he had never existed in the first place, he disappeared without leaving anything behind.
“…Ah.”
So he didn’t remember everything. Of all times to disappear after leaving her with questions.
She couldn’t shake the suspicion that he had done it on purpose.
Thanks to that, Litia was able to finish the banquet safely and return home.
Even after he disappeared, the holy power inside her was fine. Throughout the rest of the banquet, she checked again and again, afraid it might disappear once more. Only after lying down on her bed at home did she finally relax.
What was she supposed to do now?
“……”
Litia lifted her hand and touched near her left shoulder.
Smooth bare skin, with nothing to feel.
“Just because. You look like a rabbit caught in a trap. Did you really look everything up?”
“What do you mean?”
“Who knows.”
What had he really meant by that?
“Miss, it’s Emilia.”
Emilia knocked on the door.
“Oh, come in.”
Litia slowly sat up.
Even carrying a tray with a teacup and teapot, Emilia hurried over with quick steps.
“It’s a refreshing tea. You looked like you had a headache earlier, so I brewed some peppermint tea.”
Since Litia had been holding her forehead the whole time in the carriage earlier, Emilia must have misunderstood. Still, her chest had felt tight, so she was grateful.
“Thank you, Emilia.”
“You’re welcome.”
Litia drank the tea Emilia offered. Perhaps it had been chilled with ice—coolness spread through her mouth instantly, leaving a refreshing feeling.
Without realizing it, Litia let out a relieved sigh.
“Do you feel better now?”
At that, Litia smiled gently.
“Yeah, much better. This is exactly what I needed.”
“Hehe, that’s a relief! You don’t usually like banquets, Miss. But you’ve been attending them so often lately that I’ve been a bit worried. It’s good to ease the master’s concerns, but I hope you’ll think about your health too. Just look at all these invitations.”
At Emilia’s words, Litia turned her head.
On one side of the table, invitations were already piled high. On top of that, there were donation events she would need to attend diligently starting tomorrow, and soon there would be a meeting between the current Tenias and the saintess candidates.
A true hellish schedule was beginning. Still, the more she attended, the more Duke Mont relaxed his surveillance, which was a good thing.
“It’s fine. If it were really that hard, I would’ve rested at home. After staying in my room for so long, going out like this feels better lately. You don’t have to worry too much.”
On the other hand, she was curious.
What kind of existence was Tenia, so revered by everyone?
Was she truly a sacred being, just like in the original story?
More than that, what Litia really wanted was a more independent life than she had now.
She didn’t feel like she would actually become Tenia.
What happened that day bothered her too, but even if the original Litia didn’t die, Kamiya would still appear.
Even if things flowed a little differently, as long as Kamiya didn’t die, wouldn’t she become Tenia? So rather than getting caught because of some mistake now, it would be better in many ways to be eliminated outright when the final announcement came.
If she were discovered now, they would surely push her into marrying the Crown Prince immediately. That was why she almost wished Kamiya would appear soon. Then the issue with the Crown Prince would be resolved, and everything might fall into place.
Should she look for Kamiya herself? She was said to be from the slums, right?
As she was thinking, Emilia’s voice broke in.
“Yes, I’ll do that. Miss, as long as you’re okay, I’m happy with anything!”
“Thank you.”
Litia looked quietly at Emilia, her only ally for now. Emilia blushed slightly and smiled shyly.
“Ah, Emilia.”
“Yes, Miss.”
“There’s something I’m curious about.”
“Please ask, Miss.”
“Those people called Orbs.”
“Yes?”
“If I want to learn about them, would the temple be the best place?”
Litia knew that the temple stored many books and forbidden texts that the library didn’t carry. It was even said that there were things there that didn’t exist in the imperial palace.
She knew that nobles rejected them, treated them as different beings, and hated them—but she needed more accurate and detailed information.
In the world-setting she knew, there wasn’t a single mention of markings, nor anything similar.
“…Orbs? Why are you suddenly curious about that?”
