Chapter 24
Chapter 24
"Hi, Harel! How are you feeling?"
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"Good." Harel smiled.
"Did you protect me, Miss Angel?"
"Yep. An angel protected you." I patted his head to calm him down, then turned to Luciana.
"I sent someone to call for them." Luciana had guessed what I'd have wanted, and she had already called for the doctor and Kais.
Kais immediately returned at the speed of light! He had probably drunk his food. When he looked at Harel, it was the first time his frozen expression had melted.
"Harel!" Kais pulled him into a hug.
As I saw them, I felt an ache in my heart. It was nice to have siblings. 'Well, not Priscilla's adopted siblings.' The doctor quickly returned.
"Kais, he needs to be treated," I said to Kais, who was hugging Harel, and barely got him off. When I saw Kais affectionately look at his brother, I was proud of myself for saving Harel. 'Thank goodness.' Although I cared about Miltiades, I had felt bad for the male lead when I had read the novel. After all, he had lost everything.
"He'll be fine. Calm down," I said.
Kais was still silent, but he nodded in response. The doctor then looked over Harel and called for the priest. The two of them observed every part of Harel's body and debated with each other.
'What's going on?' I thought the treatment would be quick, but it kept going on. Eventually, I couldn't hold back and called the two of them over. "How's Harel? Is there a problem?" He looked fine on the outside, so I didn't know why they were debating.
The priest responded to my question, "He's healthy right now, but there's one problem."
"A problem? What is it?"
Kais's expression grew dark. The priest nervously looked at the doctor until the doctor nodded. He then opened his mouth. "We don't know the cause, but he periodically needs to be purified with divine power in order to live a normal life."
"Purified?" 'It's a simple prayer any priest can recite. Why is this a problem?'
"However, it's not your average prayer. I've been purifying him this whole time, but he never woke up…" The priest trailed off.
"So you're saying that only high priests have the power to purify him?"
"Yes."
There were many priests around the continent, but high priests were rare. "What if he doesn't get purified in time?"
"His body will quickly get weaker. If he can't hold on, he'll die."
'Did this happen because I saved him with divine power?' I waved the two of them off, and they left the room. Harel had woken up for a bit, but he fell asleep again.
"…" Kais was silent. No, he didn't have anything to say. I could tell he was thinking. Perhaps, he was thinking of kidnapping a high priest and threatening them as they traveled. 'Tsk, I guess I have to take matters into my own hands.'
"I'll help you."
Kais made a face. "Who do you think you are?"
'Who do I think I am?' I flicked my fingers as Luciana sighed.
She said, "Miss Amelia Priscilla Lux Vios Rahel is the saintess of the Holy Empire."
"Did you hear that?" I was an amazing person. I held my head up high, and Kais was quiet. I knew that with his personality, he would never ask for help. He was too proud. However, he had saved Priscilla, so I was trying to repay him! "Don't worry about your brother. I'll help out as much as you need." I smiled at him, but he was stone-faced.
"How long will you help out?"
"Forever!"
"Do you think that's possible?"
"Why can't I?" He was looking down on me. "There's no way I'll run out of divine power."
Kais growled at me like an injured animal. "I don't want your pity."
He was saying such mean things. "What do you mean? You should be accepting anything right now. Isn't it important to save Harel?"
"…" He had nothing to say, so he shut his mouth. But his defiant eyes didn't change. His pride wouldn't allow him to bow down to anything. Despite this, I tried to get closer.
"And this isn't pitying. I'm Harel's guardian angel." I had no reason to help out like this because of pity. There was only one reason I was helping him. I wanted to save Harel!
Kais still looked at me in disbelief, but it didn't matter. I went straight to the point. "So Kais, it looks like you're uncomfortable with my pity." We made eye contact, and I smiled at him. "Pay me back." His eyes changed. "This is a deal. Let's do an equal give and take." 'Let's keep each other safe.'
Even though I said all that, Kais couldn't shake off his misbelief. "What can I do for you?"
"Prove that you can be useful." Although his words were a bit brusque, he was quite innocent. "One usually invests in something one thinks will succeed. I'll bet on your future. What do you think?" I extended my hand toward Kais.
He silently looked at me for a while, then grabbed it. "…Fine." I smiled at his agreement, and his expression froze. In a rough voice, he said, "I won't let you regret this."
"I'm looking forward to it."
* * *
Kais was finally on my side, but I started thinking again. There were slaves in this world. The laws for slaves were different for each land, but slaves were illegal in the Rahel Empire. However, it was only illegal to have slaves in the empire. If someone brought a slave from another country, the laws wouldn't affect them. So if a person had a subjugation seal on them, they would be considered a slave in Rahel. And slaves were treated horribly.
"We need to get rid of the subjugation seal…" Kais's seal was something the crazy magician had personally created, so it was unusual. Right now, I didn't have a way to remove it. "It'll be difficult if the magician isn't of a higher level."
Since Miltiades hadn't done anything to Kais yet, it seemed like he didn't know about the subjugation seal. However, it wouldn't take long for people to find it. I didn't know how Miltiades would act once he found out. So… I had only one option. "Luci."
"Yes."
"Do you know what Callian likes?"
"…?"
I had to attack first!
* * *
Callian liked pomegranate jelly. It was a relief that we liked similar things, and it was easy to get some.
"I heard you called for me…" Callian scratched the back of his neck as he tried to figure out what was going on.
I smiled wider on purpose. "Callian."
"Yes, Saintess." Callian seemed to look at me in awe because it was the first time I had called him by his name. It didn't seem like much, but I understood his feelings. He had been talking with Luciana. I took out the pomegranate jellies. "This."
"What is this?"
"A bribe."
"…" Callian's face grew rigid. He was contemplating if it was fine for him to accept.
I didn't give him time to think and placed the pomegranate jellies in his hand. "Callian, do you like me?"
"Yes, I do."
"Then you'll help me, right?"
"Excuse me…?" Callian looked at me in confusion, but it was too late.
"I'll believe in you!"
"Huh…?" Callian blinked a few times.
Luciana held her forehead and sighed as I pressured him. "Great!"
All that was left was the decisive battle. 'How could I make it happen?' I started thinking about the strategies, but it seemed like I didn't need to.
"Looks like you guys are having fun." Although his voice was peaceful, Callian froze at the violent energy it contained. Miltiades blatantly stared at Callian. "I heard you had something to do." Miltaides's cold glare was murderous. "But you're spending time with my daughter."
Callian awkwardly laughed at Miltiades's sarcastic remark. "Your, Your Majesty—"
"Is this the important thing you had to do?"
"No, Your Majesty. Let me—"
"Do you regularly meet up to talk? Behind my back?"
Callian couldn't do anything but beg. "That's not it, Your Majesty. Please listen to me…"
"What more do I need to listen to?" It was the first time I saw Miltiades interrogate Callian. Miltiades seemed upset that Callian had ditched him. I walked between the two to separate them and hugged Miltiades. "It's Daddy!" When I wrapped my legs around him and looked up, I saw his expression soften. "Hehe."
Miltiades hugged me back as I laughed. He then asked me with his softened expression, "What were you two talking about?"
"Huh? How handsome you are!"
"…" Miltiades silently looked at Callian.
Callian immediately nodded at my urging. "Yes! Your Majesty is the most handsome man in the world!"
"See, what did I tell you?" My dad was the most beautiful person in existence.
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