* * *
Since that luncheon, the Grand Duchess really handed me all the rights held by the royal consort.
But managing a palace wasn’t as easy as I thought.
Even though I had experience as a duke, the customs here were different, and so was the way of working. I fumbled around a bit at first.
Thankfully, it was Hugo, the head attendant, who taught me the royal consort’s duties.
If it had been someone else, I probably would’ve gotten scolded for wandering into weird places.
Hesia, unlike his carefree, playboy-like self from before, seemed curious seeing me study like this.
But as if sticking to his promise not to interfere with whatever I did, his only comment was:
“You’ve been busy lately.”
That was it.
I half expected him to whine about how we barely had any time alone and how we couldn’t even see each other’s faces properly these days.
But his unexpected reaction only surprised me, and so, I’ve been steadily studying for four days now.
There were more duties as royal consort than I had imagined, but thanks to Hugo and a few other high-ranking palace officials dividing up the tasks, it wasn’t all that difficult.
As I carried out each duty, everyone around me only had praise to offer.
Hesia said he didn’t care if I drained the national treasury as long as I wasn’t bored, so there was no one to stop me.
At least within Hesia’s palace, there wasn’t a single person who opposed me taking on the role of royal consort.
If anything, they seemed pleased.
“Doesn’t it bother you that someone of unknown status and origin is meddling in palace affairs?”
I had asked once, only to receive nothing but positive responses.
If someone else had done this, people would probably suspect they were scheming for power.
But since it came from Hugo, I had no choice but to trust him.
Recalling that conversation, my hands continued working.
Just as I was finishing today’s documents, loud footsteps echoed outside, and I paused.
“What’s going on?”
I muttered to myself, but Hugo, who had been helping me organize the papers, answered.
“It’s probably the preparations for today’s regular heretic subjugation. It gets noisy around this time. If it bothers you, I can tell them to quiet down.”
“No, that’s not necessary. Hugo, I’ve finished everything. Could you check them for me?”
I lifted my head as I spoke, just after signing the final document.
“You’ve finished already?”
“Well, there wasn’t that much to do.”
Speaking casually, I handed the documents to Hugo and stood up.
Through the thin window, I could hear the commotion outside.
I slowly approached the window and swung it wide open.
Hot air and a jumble of voices brushed against my cheek.
“A subjugation, huh…”
I quietly looked down at Hesia, chatting with the knights, and let out a long sigh.
The heat made my throat dry.
Feeling around for water, I casually asked Hugo, who was still checking the documents behind me:
“Do lovers of princes or princesses ever accompany them on subjugations?”
“Pardon? Yes, quite often, actually. If it’s an emergency subjugation, it’s dangerous, so they usually don’t. But on regular subjugation days like today, it’s more like training, so lovers often tag along.”
Hugo paused mid-sentence, realizing something. I could feel his stare burning into my back.
The tingling sensation made me scrunch my nose in amusement as I turned to face him.
“Could you tell me where today’s subjugation is happening? I want to go ahead and wait there. As a surprise, you know?”
“It wouldn’t be an issue for you to go, but considering safety, wouldn’t it be better to tell His Highness and go together?”
“It’s fine. I’m stronger than I look.”
It had been a while since someone worried about my weakness, so my heart fluttered pleasantly.
I remembered the affectionate words from long ago, when people fretted over how frail I was.
Lightly curling my fingers, I took the papers from Hugo’s hands and skimmed through them.
When I looked up, Hugo’s eyes were wide as a rabbit’s.
“And I’m quite favored by the gods, you know. Heretics can’t so much as touch a single hair on my head.”
Hugo’s lips parted slightly, and after scratching the back of his neck, he nodded.
“Very well. I’ll tell you. But even saints face unforeseen dangers, so I suggest you go around the time the knights arrive. If it’s not rude to ask… may I inquire about your ability?”
It wasn’t such a sensitive question, so I chuckled and leaned against the window.
It was a question I’d heard often right after people found out I was an Apostle.
After that, well… I became notorious enough that everyone knew about me, so no one bothered to ask.
Smiling faintly, I whispered with a hint of excitement, as though revealing a secret for the first time:
“Wherever I wish to go, I can go. Whatever I wish to have, I can hold. That’s my ability.”
“I seem pretty loved by the gods, right?”
I asked, lifting the corners of my mouth dramatically.
Hugo agreed with that assessment.
He said it was true—I was blessed by the gods.
A power that could suppress both my own freedom and that of others, that meant the gods had truly given me everything.
The priest who first explained my ability had said the same thing.
“It seems the gods truly love you, young master.”
It was a phrase I had forgotten for some time.
Smiling vaguely, I waited for the right moment and teleported to the location Hugo had mentioned.
Hugo’s expression, seeing me dissolve into light and vanish to wherever I pleased, was a familiar one.
It was the same look painted on the face of the first duke in the portraits at the ducal manor—a follower witnessing a miracle, face filled with awe.
Thinking about that lingering image, I positioned myself somewhere hidden from the heretics’ sight.
I quietly sat down, opened the parasol Hugo had thoughtfully provided, and waited for Hesia.
“He’ll be so surprised.”
At first, he’d definitely be flustered, running around in confusion.
But eventually, he’d be so happy, he wouldn’t know what to do with himself.
And then, even while smiling like an idiot, he’d scold me for coming to such a place in this heat.
Imagining his expression vividly, I pulled my knees up and rested my face against them.
I hummed a little tune, ignoring the grotesque cries of the heretics.
✽ ✽ ✽
“Vivi’s been so busy lately.”
“I see.”
It was the tenth time she’d heard that line.
Miranda, dragged here by Hesia under the excuse of being the vice-commander of the knights, was now hearing it for the fifth time in a row.
Their love-struck prince seemed completely unaware that he’d been repeating himself.
With a gloomy expression, all he could do was mutter “Vivi” over and over.
The first few times, Miranda had listened sincerely, but after five times, who wouldn’t start thinking, So what?
Her expression dead, she found herself wishing the heretics would just show up already.
As if answering her prayer, the keen-eyed sniper posted ahead shouted:
“Heretics spotted up ahead! And… and there’s a person next to them holding a parasol…?”
“What?”
“There are heretics, but there’s also a person?”
The knights stirred.
Miranda’s eyes, dull from exhaustion, instantly regained their sharpness as she looked ahead.
She wondered if the sniper’s eyes had gone bad, but sure enough, there really was someone standing there with a parasol.
“What the… Who in their right mind would—”
“Ah, that’s Vivi.”
“You must be the bravest man alive.”
Hesia shot Miranda a sharp glare as she suddenly changed her tone, but his dazed expression returned as he urged his horse forward.
His lifelong companion, the horse Juno, surged ahead without hesitation, while the knights left behind scrambled to follow, whispering in confusion as they ran.
“Did she say him?”
“Isn’t he supposed to be at the palace?”
“How did he even get here? He has no horse, no knights with him… Don’t tell me he came alone?”
“Come on, no way…”
“…No, seriously, look around—there aren’t even any other footprints. What the hell is going on?”
As the knights’ confusion grew, Hesia, having raced ahead faster than anyone, leapt down from his horse and landed beside Vivisian.
Vivisian, who had known they were coming long before they arrived, greeted Hesia with a relaxed expression as the man half-fell into him.
“Sha.”
Unlike Hesia and the knights, who wore light, practical clothing for ease of movement, Vivisian was dressed in garments so luxurious and elegant, they were the type only a beloved royal consort would wear.
The vibrant, flawless clothes stood out, making it hard to believe they were standing in a wasteland—a barren land corrupted by heretics where not even grass could grow.
Hesia, staring blankly at Vivisian—who looked ready to walk into a palace banquet at any moment—stammered as he asked:
“v-Vivi? Why are you here? Weren’t you supposed to be at the palace? Who the hell brought you out here? No one under my command would dare. Did you use your powers? Isn’t that dangerous? Are you okay? Is it too hot? Wait, no, that’s not—”
“Calm down, Sia,” Vivisian cut him off smoothly.
“I’m perfectly fine. You forget, I’m a Saint. A being loved by the gods. Being near heretics only makes me stronger.”
He spun slowly in place, showing off his unblemished form, causing Hesia’s face to flush a deep red.
“I-I never thought I’d see you in a place like this… How did you even know to come?”
“Well, I’ve been doing some consort duties behind your back, with His Majesty’s permission.”
“…What?”
“Apparently, it’s common for the royal consort to participate in heretic hunts.”
“…What?”
“Of course, it’s unofficial since I’m not the recognized consort yet. So, I asked Hugo if lovers sometimes tag along on these raids, and he said they do. So here I am.”
“…What?”
Despite knowing how ridiculous this all sounded, all Hesia could do was repeat the same dumbfounded word.
From beginning to end, Vivisian’s words were nothing short of shocking, yet his expression remained serenely composed.
How… how does someone like him even exist?
It was all so surreal, so sweet, it felt like a dream.
“…I love you.”
The words slipped out as a mumble Hesia couldn’t hold back.
At once, the knights coughed awkwardly, and a heretic howled in the distance.
Vivisian, shading Hesia with his parasol, burst into bright, genuine laughter at the messy, overwhelmed confession.
* * *
