Neither Cassia's tone nor her actions resembled someone asking for a favor.
“What kind of request?”
“If you don't mind, may I use your bedroom first, Duchess?”
Cassia never hesitated to ask for this difficult favor.
The high priest of Easta was the one who was confused by the saint's bold request.
“My Holy Lady!
This is not permissible.
We will prepare a bedroom as soon as we can.”
“No, I especially want to stay in the Grand Duchess’s bedroom.
I’m sure she will understand.”
I looked at her in shock, unable to hide my displeased expression.
My gaze met Cassia's, and she raised an eyebrow and looked at me calmly for a long time.
Why?
Why would you make such a rude request, and where does this confidence that I would agree to it come from?
'Are you blackmailing me with the holy sword?'
I suddenly remembered the Holy Sword Issar.
At this moment, this was the only thing she could use against me.
'Ah, if I hadn't taken the money, I would have returned it to you right away.'
I didn't want to be at her mercy like this, regardless of whether she was the rightful owner or not.
But, unfortunately, in this situation, all I had was this response: “Of course!
I will exchange with you.”
At my words, the high priest looked at me and gasped.
Cassia smiled at the corner of her mouth as if she was anticipating this.
"I'm very religious, you see.
She's the first Saint to appear in the empire in hundreds of years, isn't she?"
“Of course we should honor her,” I almost said, but I swallowed the words and folded my hands on my chest.
Covering my weakness with faith was the last remnant of my pride.
“I'm touched.
It seems that rumors can't be trusted.”
I looked sharply at the high priest, who was looking at me and the saint alternately with an affected expression.
As I expected, the rumors were not good.
“If the Duchess has no objection, will you dine with us, Saint?”
The high priest said, looking at me with an excited face.
It was a dinner date I didn't know about.
But under silent pressure, I nodded with a smirk.
“I apologize, I am abstaining from food for prayer now.”
"Oh, my God!"
That was lucky, but I made a sound that sounded exaggeratedly sad.
But I was jealous of Cassia.
I also didn't want to eat dinner with the high priest alone.
Why do they impose things on me that I did not ask for without consulting me?
“So, you two talk.
I want to rest because of the long journey.
Please come with me.”
“Okay, is this what you want?”
The High Priest summoned a priest at Cassia's words.
Cassia gave us a slight nod and followed the priest who came to accompany her.
A slight smile crossed her face as she greeted him.
At that moment, I suddenly felt a bad feeling come over me.
'If Cassia is here to search for the Holy Symbol, has she asked to use my room because she is afraid that I will search for it too?
Did she ask to switch rooms because she thought I would search for the symbol in my room like I did in the Temple of Esther?'
It was a reasonable guess.
I was sure Cassia knew the sacred symbol was here.
'Does Cassia know the exact location of the sacred symbol?
Is he really in my room?'
If my guess is correct, it means that the sacred symbol was coincidentally located in my chambers in both the Temple of Esther and Estha.
I sighed deeply, sad that I wouldn't be able to use my original room.
“You seem tired from the long journey, Duchess.”
The high priest noticed my sigh and asked me carefully.
“That's true, but I'd really like to explore the temple.
Can I wander around while my room gets ready?”
“Yes, of course you can.
I will summon a priest to accompany you.”
"No, no need.
That might be more annoying."
The high priest paused to think about my words.
He felt my gaze on his pressed lips, and smiled embarrassedly.
“In fact, we rarely open the temple to the general public, so there are off-limits areas for those not dedicated to serving the ruler.”
Forbidden areas for non-consecrated people?
This piqued my interest.
Usually, important things are hidden in such places.
“Then, it would be better if a priest who knows the temple well accompanies me.”
I nodded as I answered.
I was hoping he would be someone I could easily convince.
On the instructions of the high priest, a priest entered the room.
“Accompany the Grand Duchess well.”
“Yes, sir.”
A young looking young man nodded towards me in greeting.
I nodded slightly and followed him out of the reception room.
I was followed by Amy and Mary, who were waiting for me outside the room.
For fear of being restricted in my actions, I told the guard knights to stay in front of the reception room.
Since the temple was not yet opened to other VIPs like me, the guards agreed with my words and did not follow me.
"Ma'am, how was the saint?
We just met her as she was coming out and we saluted.
Imagine, the saint remembered me!"
Amy spoke excitedly.
The quiet Amy was always turning into someone else in front of Cassia.
I couldn't say, 'Maybe she remembers you because you're the servant of the person who stole her sacred symbol,' so I settled for a nod.
The priest accompanying me was noticeably silent.
I expected him to explain the history of the temple as the priests of the Temple of Esther did, but he did not.
His name was Aaron.
He briefly answered my questions.
“You can't go there.
It's a no-go zone.”
This was the most important sentence he ever said.
The temple was full of forbidden areas, everything was forbidden!
“Why is this a restricted area?
There doesn’t seem to be anything, can’t I come in?
Please?”
“No, forbidden.”
He was firm.
I asked him several times, but my pride was hurt so I stopped talking.
“Enough now.
It's no fun here, and the priest looks like a robot.
I'll be back.”
“Robot?”
His expressionless eyes sparkled as he watched my complaint.
'Is he a little crazy?'
“What?”
“How did you know about the robot?”
Suddenly, he grabbed my shoulders and shook me.
"What do you do?"
Amy and Mary rushed over and grabbed his arms, trying hard to separate him from me, but he, like someone who had lost his mind, would not let go of my shoulders.
He shook me so hard the world seemed to sway.
Why?
Because I know robots, I said robot!
What else was I going to say, you foolish priest?
“Leave me!”
I screamed at him, but he didn't care and continued to shake me hard.
“Who sent you?
Who sent you?”
“I am Grand Duchess Esther!”
Who sent me?
If I were to find out who sent me, would it be Leon?
Or Lucas?
I don't know.
I had a headache from the shaking.
Some priests intervened and forcibly removed him from me.
“Ma’am, are you okay?”
Amy and Mary asked me how I was doing and they were in a miserable state.
My dress, already dirty from the crowd, was in even worse condition, and my carefully styled hair was now ruffled.
I looked at Aaron angrily.
How could such a silent person be so crazy?
I returned to the reception room with the priests.
The guard knights approached, startled when they saw us.
They asked Amy and Mary sharply what had happened.
“I'll explain later.
Amy and Mary are terrified, so leave them.”
The guards retreated with angry eyes and grumbling expressions at my command.
But they did not stop trying to understand the situation, and they asked the priests who accompanied me.
Amy and Mary started apologizing and crying.
“I'm fine.
And you two, how are you?”
“We're fine.”
The high priest quickly entered the reception room.
Within moments, his wrinkles increased.
“Duchess, I am so sorry.”