Chapter 73: I Want to Help Them

I stared at the small card on the bed that held a sad history. My nose stung with emotion.

“Next time I meet Crown Prince Lucas, I should ask if he has more of the absorber.”

“That sounds like you’ve met him before?”

Xavier raised an eyebrow, subtly pressing for information.

Well, what’s the point in hiding it? I decided to tell the truth.

Though, with some modifications.

“Actually, I ran into him when I went to meet Queen Amin.”

“Did anything happen?”

Xavier’s expression slightly hardened as he met my eyes. His teal eyes were intense.

“Well, something did happen.”

“Something did?”

Ah, his expression just soured.

“Ah, we just talked a bit.”

“Talked? With that raccoon? dog”

“Not a raccoon dog, a raccoon.”

“Raccoon dog or raccoon, it’s all the same. So what did you talk about?”

“Oh, you know. The breeze was nice. He was glad to meet the Saintess. That sort of thing?”

No need to mention him calling me cute or saying I was his type, right?

He pulled my waist with his strong right arm, pressing my body against his knee. His large palm on my waist felt burning hot.

“Is that really all?”

“Of course.”

Heat blazed in Xavier’s eyes. Well, he has every right to be angry after being left with such an extreme stimulant.

Oh, I wonder how Xavier would react if I told him Lucas suggested we divorce?

Would he get angry? Or laugh it off?

I gently brushed aside his bangs covering his straight forehead.

“Um. This is just between us.”

“Between us?”

“Yes. Since it’s about our contract.”

The flames in his teal eyes spread as he scrutinized me. With his fist clenched on his knee, Xavier looked up at me and asked.

“Hah… right. Go on.”

“After breaking all the curses in a year, how would you feel about us divorcing?”

Xavier didn’t respond to my words but caught my hand that was stroking his hair.

“What’s wrong?”

Xavier silently glared at me, then after holding his breath, he moved his sharp jawline and answered.

“I don’t even want to imagine it.”

“Have you never thought about it?”

“Not at all. Is there any need to think about post-divorce now?”

Xavier seemed to have given it no thought.

Since his attachment to me and our marriage weren’t out of love, I suppose divorce wouldn’t matter once the curse issue is resolved.

“…I see.”

When we made the contract, I thought a year was too long, but now it feels so short.

Xavier, who had been staring at me intently, asked quite seriously,

“What do you see?”

“I agree with your thinking.”

“You agree with my thinking?”

“Yes.”

“What exactly do you think my thinking is?”

I smiled brightly as I pushed away Xavier’s arm and escaped his embrace. While cleaning up the scattered catnip on the bed, I changed the subject.

“Did the meeting go well?”

“No. The Crown Prince ruined it.”

A cold smile crossed Xavier’s face, who had been watching my actions with a slightly puzzled expression. Judging by his response, something must have gone wrong.

He got up and started helping me clean up the catnip. With both of us collecting it, the thin pouch quickly became full.

“Then there’s no meeting today?”

“Mm, that’s right. We’ll continue the day after tomorrow.”

“That’s good. Where is His Holiness Melvin? I’d like to see him.”

“Melvin? Why?”

Just as I was about to answer Xavier’s bewildered look—

Bang bang.

“My lady? I’m still out here?”

Good heavens. Maya, you haven’t left yet?

*

I repeatedly apologized to Maya and asked her to take care of the catnip. Maya made a fuss asking if it was poisonous before disappearing down the corridor.

I left the quarters and headed to King Berg’s palace with Xavier.

“Are you not going to answer my question earlier?”

Xavier was the one who had contacted Pope Melvin. He insisted on coming along, saying he was uncomfortable with the two of us being alone.

“It’ll take too long to explain. Let’s listen together when we get there.”

Pope Melvin’s quarters were uniquely assigned to King Berg’s palace rather than the west wing. While this was possible due to the palace’s large size, it also showed how well Berg was treating the Pope.

“Melvin is a diligent Pope, despite everything.”

Xavier, who rarely praised anyone, complimented Melvin. They said Pope Melvin had been collecting funds to care for homeless beastmen and war orphans after the war.

“Can’t cut ties with him.”

I followed Xavier’s gaze to Pope Melvin, who had come out to greet us.

‘He doesn’t need to go this far.’

Pope Melvin was waiting at the door wearing milk-white priest robes. Though I knew he was a good person, his constant smiling face was somewhat burdensome.

“He’s gotten even slicker in just a day.”

I agree.

“Your Eminence, I heard you wanted to meet me. It’s an honor.”

“Hello, thank you for making time for me.”

Melvin, who greeted me with an angelic face, shifted his gaze from me to Xavier.

“My, the distinguished Duke has come along. You’re glowing. Is this the newlywed effect?”

“Pope Melvin, keep it to verse one.”

Despite the growling, there was clear goodwill in their exchanged glances.

‘They really are close friends.’

I smiled inwardly and entered the room with them.

The Pope’s quarters had a separate luxurious reception room. I was surprised to see cool soda water on the sofa table.

‘Lemon soda instead of tea!’

They even have carbonated drinks here! Amazing!

Taking a sip, the bubbles slid down my throat like a bobsled.

Ahh. This is killer. My throat tingles. My nose feels clear.

“Your Eminence, do you like it?”

“Yes! It’s delicious! How did you get carbonated water?”

“An acquaintance of mine lives in Borgio, famous for its mineral water. They send some occasionally for drinking.”

“Wow, that’s a good friend.”

“Yes. A very kind and smart fellow. Almost too kind, actually.”

Wondering if Xavier knew this person too, I glanced at him, but he just shrugged.

While I happily drank my lemon soda, Xavier and Melvin caught up in their own way.

“But there’s no special treatment. As a Duke, I feel wronged.”

“That’s right. You’re the one who sent the donations, yet I’m getting this treatment.”

“Melvin, that’s because you’ve been taking care of the homeless for over ten years.”

“Oh ho. Since when do you give compliments?”

“I acknowledge what deserves acknowledgment. I know well the sacrifices of Melvin Joshua Grave.”

Something flickered in Melvin’s eyes.

“Living to hear praise from Xavier Auguste. The newlywed life must be good?”

“Your Holiness.”

Hearing that persistence, I felt I needed to address it and called out to Melvin. There was a clunk from the glass on the table. Startled by the sound, Melvin waved his hands and laughed good-naturedly.

“Oh my, Your Eminence. I apologize. I won’t mention it again.”

“Yes. I trust you won’t.”

I came to see Pope Melvin today because I had something important to ask. After responding gently so as not to hurt his feelings, I called to him again.

“Your Holiness.”

“Yes. What is the reason you wanted to see me, Your Eminence?”

“I’m curious about that too.”

Melvin adjusted his posture and listened to me. Xavier, sitting beside Melvin, also turned to face me.

Under both men’s gazes, I slowly opened my mouth.

“I want to find a way to store the Saintess’s holy power.”

“……”

“……”

Naturally, both men’s reactions were immediate.

Looking at the two men’s considerably surprised expressions, I continued speaking.

“Like when I visited the Eternal Snow Mountains, I don’t want to keep having trouble because I can’t handle the holy power well. And it’s too precious an ability to only heal others through touch. So I’d like Your Holiness to help.”

“May I ask why you thought of this?”

Melvin’s face, now devoid of playfulness, looked unfamiliar. It was the most serious expression I’d seen from him. Feeling slightly pressured, I answered calmly.

“I met the Queen and Prince of Berg. I can’t just watch Xavier and the young prince suffer every night.”

“Do you understand what that means, Your Eminence?”

“I don’t know exactly. But I do know that at least I can help them.”

Xavier’s eyes widened and trembled slightly. Melvin listened to my story quietly without much reaction.

“You know who made this absorber, don’t you, Your Holiness?”

“Yes, I do. It’s my acquaintance who lives in Borgio.”

Melvin lowered his eyes and slowly shook his head.

“But that was a failure. There hadn’t been a Saintess for exactly 100 years, so there was no test subject. So they tried to extract holy power from Goddess Maha’s holy relic, but failed. At that time, it could only absorb holy power from those who had received it from priests.”

“Ah.”

“The Empire’s emperors were the ones who stole that absorber. Since then, the temple doesn’t work with the Empire.”

“I see. That’s good then. Because now you have me, a saintess.”

Xavier, who had been silent until now, looked at me and advised.

“Even so, you have no obligation to break the beastmen’s curse, it’s definitely not an easy task, Yuria.”

“I know from what I’ve heard. They say we have to go to the Cursed Land.”

Yes. I suppose I’ll have to go there someday.

I felt foolish for thinking I could leave Xavier anytime once I broke the curse with the Saintess’s power.

As things stand now, I can neither cure him nor leave him.

Both have become difficult tasks for me now.

As I silently looked into Melvin’s eyes, he asked,

“You understand well, Your Eminence. But no Saintess has ever gone to the Cursed Land before. Will you still go?”