[You kept praying these two days. You were asking for help. Crying without making a sound.]
Leticia’s complexion turned white. The look in Julios’ eyes changed as he stared at her.
[So it’s true that the Saintess did it.]
[N, no. That’s not…]
[Ha, what a demon. To such a young child. She should pick someone her own size.]
Julios spoke in a ferocious voice. Surprised, Leticia’s shoulder’s trembled. Julios quickly smiled kindly.
[Ah, are you surprised? I apologize. It’s not something for handmaiden.]
But she couldn’t help but be surprised. Tears welled up in Leticia’s trembling eyes. Julios was surprised.
[Handmaiden, why are you crying? Could it be because of me?]
That was the first meeting between the two.
At first, she was just afraid of Julios.
Because he was the one who noticed her mother’s abuse. Besides, the way he got angry was too ferocious.
[I apologize. I didn’t say anything about handmaiden. I’m not the kind of person who uses harsh words like that.]
He even followed Leticia around after that.
[Why is your leg lame? Are you hurt? Could it be that she hit you again?]
[It, was my fault…that’s why.]
[What’s with that! What great mistake was it to make a person’s leg look like this!]
[Hiik!]
[Really, if I make my little brother King, I’ll throw it all down…handmaiden? Where are you going! Why are you running away again!]
But at some point, Julios felt comfortable.
Everything was a first. Getting angry on someone else’s behalf, healing her wounds, and worrying about her.
For Leticia, who had been suffering from her mother’s abuse all her life alone, he was the first to extend a kind hand.
After that, they stayed fairly close for a full month. One day, Julios abruptly said.
[Baby handmaiden, would you like to visit the Principality with me when my work is over?]
[Principality?]
[You said your parents are dead, right? How about living in the Principality from now on?]
Julios said to Leticia, who was taken aback by the sudden proposal.
[I’m not saying this because it’s my country, but I really like the Principality. It’s a shame that my country doesn’t have money. It will gradually get better. There are many people who will cherish baby handmaiden.]
Despite Julios’ persuasion, Leticia was unable to leave the Empire.
[I…I can’t go. The Saintess won’t allow it.]
[Okay, I see.]
Julios spoke to Leticia, feeling sorry for a long time.
[I’m sorry, but I can’t help it. But, I’ll definitely see you again later. When you come to the Principality, look for me.]
And she found out shortly after. That the day they’ll meet again would never come. That day was the last. Julios couldn’t return to his hometown either.
‘Because his remains are still in the Empire.’
Seven years ago, Josephina killed Julios and hung his body over the gates.
Then, after burning the corpse and crushing it into small pieces, the bone fragments were offered to the Goddess.
Naturally, Dietrian had always wanted to retreive the remains. Even after their marriage, he repeatedly requested repatriation of the remains, but Josephina ignored them all.
[The remains of dirty sinners must be purified by the Goddess!]
She argued. And that wasn’t all. Josephina took the remains hostage and threatened Dietrian several times.
[Prince Dietrian will have to turn the people of the Principality into slaves to pay for his sins! Otherwise, the remains of His Highness the Prince will be destroyed!]
In the end, Dietrian gave up his brother’s remains to protect his people.
The day the answer came back that the Empire had given the remains as food for the beasts.
Dietrian didn’t show up to the bedroom all night.
Although their marriage wasn’t normal, he always fulfilled his husband’s duty and stayed with her.
His absence was the first time after the marriage, so Leticia waited for him with a strange and fearful feeling.
Early in the morning, there was a lot of hazy fog.
Leticia eventually set out to find him. She then found him in front of Julios’ tomb at the back of the palace.
[Brother, I’m sorry. Brother, I’m really sorry.]
Leticia couldn’t say anything at the sight of his back crouching down and letting out a cry close to a moan.
***
“The Prince surely forgot about the end of the abolished Prince Julios!”
And just in time, the priest’s voice broke through her thoughts. Leticia, who was trying to escape the villa through a secret passageway, had no choice but to stop.
“That cheeky man’s bone fragments are still in the central temple! Everything was protected all thanks to the grace of the Saintess!”
Leticia, who had been frozen for a moment while holding on to the handle, turned her head with a swish.
“Do we have to give his bone fragments to the beasts to make you come to your senses?”
A fire broke out in Leticia’s eyes.
‘Are you trying to threaten Dietrian with Julios’ remains again?’
A hot rage rose to the top of her head.
She wanted to jump right into the drawing room and slap the cheeky priest.
When she thought of Dietrian, who was enduring the humiliation in front of him, she felt dizzy.
She also remembered the back of him crying painfully in front of his brother’s grave.
Leticia closed her eyes tight and caught her breath.
‘I will never, in this life, let it be like that.’
Leticia, who was staring in the direction from which the shouting came from with cold eyes, turned her body.
‘Let’s go to the central temple.’
The central temple of the Empire. The remains of Julios were there.
‘I’ll steal Julios’ remains and return them to Dietrian.’
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