As the last day of returning to Aster Palace approached, I became nervous and overly sensitive due to my failure to find the Holy Sword.
I began to search the temple openly and carefully.
The priests were avoiding me, running away quickly when they saw me.
Even the high priest, who visited me daily to ask how I was doing at first, completely disappeared.
“Where the hell is he?!”
I shouted angrily, pacing around the room nervously.
'Isn't there supposed to be a secret device in the statue or something?
If it's not that precise, shouldn't it at least be under the bed?'
I couldn't hold back my anger, and I started jumping around the room.
My debts, my allowance from Leon, and my dreams of making money mixed together, making me feel very depressed.
It was very unfortunate to spend a whole week cooped up in this boring place.
"Praying for health?
Hell, health!
He's in perfect health!
And world peace?
To hell with him!"
Click-
At that moment, the wood floor cracked and part of it opened slightly, rising from one side.
“What?
I’m not heavy enough to break the floor so easily.”
I muttered sheepishly and squatted down.
I pressed hard on the raised part.
'I hope I don't have to make up for this out of my pocket money.'
I felt tears almost falling from my eyes as I thought that nothing was going as it should.
As I was about to call Amy to fetch the priests, I caught a glimpse of something shining in the darkness between the cracks in the wooden floor.
My heart almost jumped out of my chest from the intense beating.
With trembling hands, I pulled hard on the raised wood.
The cracked floor easily collapsed under my hands.
'Found it.'
In a narrow space that could barely fit a single sword, there was a long object wrapped in a worn and dirty cloth.
I was sure it was Essar.
I suppressed my rushing emotions, and pulled the long thing out with trembling hands.
I felt that all my suffering during this time had been made up for in one moment.
I silenced my loud voice as I hugged the sword tightly.
I wanted to scream with joy, but I maintained my appearance for the sake of dignity.
Knock-!
“Ma’am, this is Amy.”
“Wait a minute”
I quickly hid Essar under the bed.
“You can come in.”
“Ma’am…ah?”
Amy entered with Mary, and they made a pained sound at the sight of the broken floor.
They looked at me and the floor alternately with wide eyes.
“I was in a bad mood recently.
I got angry and stomped on the floor, and I became like this.”
I laughed embarrassed.
Amy opened her mouth half-open, and did not respond, but made a vague sound.
Then she regained her composure and asked me: "...Are you okay?
You're not injured, are you?"
“Yes, fortunately, I'm completely fine.”
“I will call the priests.”
Amy nudged Mary, who came out and spoke.
Amy approached me with a worried expression, and grabbed my arm to support me as I sat on the bed with a frown.
“Amy, will you report my tantrums in the temple to Calsen?”
I looked at the broken floor with a faint voice and asked.
“What?
What do you mean?!”
Amy screamed in exaggerated panic.
“You know.
My hysteria is reaching its peak here.
But for my sake, can’t you keep it a secret?
I’m already in a bad situation… You know, sometimes we get angry for no reason.
Maybe I’m getting sensitive because the Duke is not by my side.
How would the Duke feel if he knew about it?”
“Ma’am, this is a misunderstanding.
How dare I betray the one I serve...”
'Even if you pretend to be ignorant, I know that you are as old as you are about everything.'
"It doesn't matter if you report my movements.
It's normal.
You were a princely palace before I arrived, so it's normal for you to work for the Duke more than me.
Kalsen is watching me because he's worried.
I understand that.
I was reckless at first.
But here at least, can't you think about me a little?
You know, my relationship with the Duke is starting to improve."
Amy was biting her lips, unable to raise her lowered eyes.
I held her hand tightly and smiled gently.
She looked at me in amazement, and I looked at her with eyes full of confidence.
“Madam...”
While she was hesitating to call me, the priests whom Mary had brought rushed into the room.
They were shocked by the scene, and did not speak, but looked at me warily, lowering their heads whenever our eyes met.
“I will propose to the Duke to resume support for the temple.”
The priests raised their heads at the same moment.
At the same time, someone ran out, most likely to inform the high priest.
After a while, the high priest, whom I had not seen for a while, despite his state of health, appeared and ran straight towards me.
“Your Highness, are you okay?
I heard that a small accident happened, so I came running.”
“Not because of the talk about support?”
I laughed as I hit the target directly.
But the high priest, either not listening or pretending to do so, began to direct the priests to repair the floor.
He seemed to be scolding them severely for the mismanagement of the guest room, even though he knew it was not their fault, as if he was trying to calm me down.
“The temple is very dilapidated.
There are many places in this condition.”
I said that while lowering my eyes sadly.
“I will also suggest supporting temple repairs.”
Since I found the Holy Sword, speaking is easy.
What is the problem with making suggestions?
Leon will reject them all by acting like an idiot.
Idiot armor is the best, right?
I looked at the high priest as he bowed to us until he looked as small as a bean, then I returned to the main palace where Leon proudly stood.
'Your beautiful wife brought the perfect holy sword for Leon.
'Get the money ready!'
“Where's Leon?”
Leon was not among those who came out to greet me.
While I was looking for him, Calsen, who seemed to have come on his behalf, spoke: “Master is taking a nap now...”
‘Should he be taking a nap now?’ Of course, I knew it was a lie, but I felt bad.
‘I suffered for a whole week!’ Even though my intentions were not pure.
I felt my pride hurt because it seemed like I was the only one waiting for Leon.
I wanted to show that I wasn't waiting for him either.
“Who?
Ah, Leon?
Did it look like I was looking for him?
That’s not the case at all.
I prayed very hard, so I’m very tired.”
But the looks I received from people were not normal.
I felt my face heat up and ran to the bedroom.
My puffy lips have not subsided even with time.
“Ma’am, what do we do with this?”
While I was sitting on the sofa thinking about how to punish annoying Leon, Amy asked me with an annoyed expression as she held the Holy Sword in both hands.
Of course, she didn't know it was the Holy Sword, and was only disturbed by the dirty cloth covering it.
Fortunately, she didn't ask where this thing suddenly came from, but she had been treating it like garbage ever since we started packing for the temple.
She even had to pull it out from under the bed where she hid it without asking me.
“Put it on the desk.
And tell the others never to touch it without my permission.”
I was waiting in the bedroom for Leon to wake up from his nap and call me, but the outside was dark and no news came from him.
“Amy, it looks like the Duke has had a long nap.
Can you check if he has woken up?
And also ask when dinner is.”
Amy came back soon, but her expression was not good.
I frowned, feeling bad, and looked at her mouth.
“My master has been awake for some time, and is now studying with Mr.
Brooke in the library.
And as for dinner... he said he would eat it alone.”