I Became a Childhood Friend With the Villainous Saintess - Chapter 167



167 – The Meeting (2)

I didn’t go out for a long walk because I was so tired.

I’ll go out of the palace for a bit and wander around the shopping district, and if there’s any snacks that Sirien might like, I’ll buy a few and taste them.

Because we haven’t had many opportunities to be alone together these past few days.

It wasn’t just Sirien’s story of feeling lonely when not together.

I don’t think it was like this before. It must have been Sirien’s habit that passed on.

Is this what it means when you love someone, you start to resemble them? If so, it’s definitely not a bad change.

Sirien said, munching on honey candy in her mouth.

“Next time, I want to go to the lakeside too. I heard there’s a pretty lake near the Eshik County, so let’s stop by before we go back.”

“The lake? Is there anything you want to do there?”

“We rent a boat and go on a ride together. They say that when the sun sets over the lake, it’s beautiful because it seems like everything around it melts.”

“Boating. It’s great. We have to choose a time when the weather is good.”

“Yeah! I wish it was a warm, sunny day.”

I’ve never rowed a boat before, but I guess it’ll work out somehow.

Surely you wouldn’t fall into the water.

It would have been difficult if the boat capsized, but I thought that it would also be a memory in its own way.

Come to think of it, I’ve never been to the water with Sirien.

No. It’s not like it doesn’t exist at all. I think I’ve been to the stream near the Grand Duke.

It was a shallow place where the water didn’t even reach my knees.

Well, I guess you haven’t been to deep water yet.

I wondered how Sirien would react when she first encountered deep water.

You might see him clinging to you and telling you never to let go.

It must be fun to see Sirien bewildered, and to teach her how to swim.

“Then how about going to the sea later? It’s far from the Grand Palace, but it’s not like you can’t go there at all.”

“The sea? Yes. There is a sea. I want to see the pure white sand beach, and I also want to see if it really tastes salty.”

Sirien’s face was filled with anticipation.

Seeing that expression made me think that I had to take him there someday.

Since meeting Hybras in the Forgotten Forest, I’ve found myself more easily moved by Sirien whenever I see her.

It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but I would say my feelings have become more affectionate.

I thought I was sincere enough until then, but now I felt like my emotions were pouring out without me knowing it.

Now I understand why this phenomenon occurred.

It’s probably similar to the ‘intuition’ I’ve felt occasionally in the past.

As I grew up, I began to be influenced little by little by things like memories and feelings from the original story.

“Is there anything else you want? Is there a place you want to go, or something you want to try? Think carefully. I’ll do anything with you.”

“What, you’ve been really nice to me lately? Hehe. You should have been like that earlier.”

“When have I ever failed to do it for you?”

“No, it wasn’t. Anyway, I feel good. I’ll think about it some more. It’s hard to choose because I think anything would be fun.”

Sirien laughed heartily.

Her smile seemed to brighten the whole world.

The short walk ended, as if by magic, leaving me with happiness.

However, it seemed like it was time to return to reality.

The person I encountered at the entrance to the palace was Karzan Edelmar.

In the original, he was the crown prince who was praised as ‘perfect’.

When I first saw him after a long time, he looked much more haggard.

“It’s been a while.”

* * *

You’ve dried up a little.

The current crown prince looked noticeably haggard.

“Were you waiting for me? You could have left a message.”

“I wasn’t waiting for you. I heard you had entered the palace, so I went to see you and was on my way back. Isn’t it great that we met by chance?”

A cold and handsome man who originally stimulated women’s fantasies.

Her once spotless skin had lost its luster and there were dark circles under her eyes.

Although he never showed such an appearance throughout the original work, it wasn’t hard to guess why.

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Perhaps Ellis’s condition is getting worse.

Sirien took a step forward from me.

“You look a lot different from the last time I saw you. You look tired, but I’ll send you some tea leaves soon to help with your fatigue.”

“I guess I worried you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s just a small consideration.”

“I’m still fine. I just lost some sleep. Since I can’t sleep anyway, I’m working day and night on state affairs, so maybe things are a little better for the royal family.”

The crown prince chuckled.

It was a not very funny joke.

The crown prince changed the subject, as if he had thought so too.

“Don’t look at me like that. I’ve just been busy lately.”

“I don’t think Miss Ellis’s condition has improved much.”

“Unfortunately, that is true.”

The crown prince glanced towards the palace.

His gaze was directed towards the direction of the sponsor.

Well, if he was talking about Ellis, the only place to do it was at the sponsorship.

To him, this place called the palace is a place that only has negative images.

“Would you mind if I stayed for a moment? I won’t take up too much of your time.”

“Until dinner… … there’s still some time left.”

Sirien glanced at me.

I know you’re asking me if it’s okay with you, but I can’t disagree.

The crown prince also looked at me, so I nodded in response.

“Let’s go. I’ll listen.”

In fact, even for the imperial family, this meeting with Kamigin was a risky decision.

The Demon Race is the main enemy of humanity, recognized by the Pantheon and even imperial law.

The mere fact that he attempted to negotiate an agreement with Kamigin would be enough to give his enemies an excuse.

Nevertheless, the reason the Emperor accepted this meeting was simple.

The Crown Prince’s power was growing faster than expected, and he clearly had no good feelings toward the current Emperor.

It is safe to say that the emperor, feeling a certain sense of crisis, made a decision.

It was possible for Sirien to have one foot on each side of the Emperor and the Crown Prince because she was the ‘Archangel of Illencia’.

The worst case scenario that the two powers can imagine. Even if an armed conflict breaks out between them, Illencia will not intervene.

The only time Sirien would actively intervene in central politics would be when other powerful ministers rebelled against the imperial family.

A great noble who would not become an enemy even if left alone. Moreover, there was no fool who would break the shield that could be most relied on with his own hands in a moment of crisis.

“I could have actively condemned this meeting with Gamigin. If I had spoken up, the nobles of the north and the west would have raised their hands in my stead.”

“But you didn’t. … … You know, if you asked me my political opinion, I wouldn’t answer.”

“Surely I don’t know that. I know that Ilencia is the commander-in-chief of the Western Border and that she only watches over Gamigin, and has no political intentions. I will clarify this later in an official capacity.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

First of all, traffic control was completed.

No matter what happens in this meeting, there will be no bloodshed for Syria.

The Emperor has no reason to turn us into enemies, and the Crown Prince will not target Illencia.

While those two remain silent, there would be no noble with the audacity to speak the name of the Grand Duke of Illencia so carelessly.

This meeting will end in failure anyway, so the less there is to be talk about it, the better.

Sirien asked.

“What do you think, Crown Prince? Will there ever come a day when we can achieve peace with the Demon Tribe, as Gamigin said? Do you also wish to have a dialogue with the Demon Tribe?”

“It will be difficult. It won’t happen overnight. In fact, it’s not that important of a problem to me. I don’t think His Majesty has high expectations either.”

That’s exactly the question I wanted to ask.

I tried my best not to get involved when those two were talking, but Sirien made me feel better.

In the original work, the crown prince was a character who actively supported and empowered the female protagonist.

In comparison, the current situation is virtually one of walking the anti-Malo route.

I wanted to know the Crown Prince’s intentions before the original heroine was possessed.

“It may seem funny for me to say this, but in the end, it’s all just politics. Peace with the Demons? If necessary, I’ll do it, otherwise I’ll fight. I don’t have any great convictions.”

“It means a means, not an end.”

“That’s an accurate expression. There’s no such thing as fulfilling one’s dreams in the role of royalty. In other words, I also have something I want from this meeting.”

The crown prince paused for a moment to consider his words.

There was only one thing he could hope for from this meeting.

“I’ve tried everything I could within the empire. I’ve tried medicine, I’ve tried divinity. I’ve tried supernatural powers, herbs, magic. It’s no exaggeration to say I’ve tried everything humans can do.”

The person who makes the current crown prince rely on even the demon tribe.

The only person who can completely change the character of Karzan Edelmar.

All his changes came from one person.

“Find out with Gamigin if there’s a way to cure Ellis. Perhaps… … this will be my last desperate attempt.”