Having resolved the matter, he felt extremely satisfied. Back in his bumblebee days, when he saw humans coming to the temple with their pleas, he used to think that the Goddess listened so well to those tediously repetitive stories. But becoming the one solving them, what he experienced was quite different.
Breaking through frustrating situations was good, but most of all, the humans coming to express their gratitude was incredibly adorable. Rou smiled brightly as he ate chiffon cake accompanied by black cherries.
Just then, Brukisel, who had disappeared into the curtain behind the throne, walked out. Since he’d been watching the throne continuously, Rou was able to notice it first.
‘Did our eyes meet?’
Rou’s suspicion soon became certainty. Those red eyes were looking directly at him. Rou was overjoyed. Though they’d stayed in the same space continuously, this was the first time their eyes had met like this. A different light appeared in Rou’s eyes.
He wanted to offer him congratulations. Not from the position of the High Priest conveying the Emperor’s birthday or the Goddess’s blessing, but simply wanting to say one thing to Brukisel. That he sincerely congratulated him on his birthday.
Today, when he should be the protagonist, Rou had been so focused on conversations with others that he hadn’t exchanged a single word with Brukisel. So even if he didn’t receive a response with kind and affectionate eyes, he wanted to offer his greeting.
Rou quickly chewed and swallowed the sweet dessert filling his mouth. He wanted to offer him birthday congratulations, but as if reading his intentions, Brukisel soon turned his head. And just like that, he descended from the throne and left the banquet hall entirely.
“Wh-where is he going?”
“His Majesty doesn’t enjoy banquets.”
“Don’t worry, High Priest. The party will continue even after His Majesty leaves.”
The humans, worrying about something completely different from Rou, only offered words that weren’t comforting at all. Rou followed Brukisel’s retreating figure with his eyes, but his stride was as fast as he was tall, and he disappeared from view in an instant.
Rou felt quite gloomy.
Even if he didn’t rejoice at seeing the belt, it would have been fine if he could just keep seeing Brukisel. It would have been fine if he stayed nearby, if he could watch over him from afar and pray for his good fortune. Now that he’d left, it felt like even his last hope had disappeared.
Feeling like he’d turn into a bumblebee if he continued feeling this way, he grabbed a handful of the black cherries piled before him and bit into them, filling his mouth. But even as the refreshing fruit burst in his mouth, Rou’s hollow heart wasn’t easily filled.
‘I’m not even hungry. Why do I feel like this?’
Even Rou, who was on the dull side, noticed his own mood, so there was no way Lilian and Rosaria beside him wouldn’t notice. The two women who had already reached the pinnacle of high society immediately picked up on Rou’s state of mind. The two quickly rolled their eyes to see who was leaving the party, but seeing no one except the Emperor, they must have missed it.
“Haa…”
Rou sighed without realizing it. So heartbroken, he didn’t even notice Het coming out from behind the curtain with a pale face, running busily somewhere.
“High Priest, do you have some worry?”
“It’s all right to confide in us. Please speak comfortably.”
“Yes. They say if you share your worries, they’re cut in half.”
If you shared your worries, there would just be two people worrying. Rou thought wouldn’t that double them instead, but he didn’t want to argue with the women who were being kind to him. Having lived with numerous sisters, Rou was a bit weak to affectionate women.
“Mm.”
Since Rou hesitated instead of firmly refusing, the women’s eye-smiles deepened.
It seemed like a very interesting story would emerge.
Rou quietly accepted a sweet sugar candy made from violets. Perhaps orange peel had been added, as the fragrance lingered in his mouth for a long time. Rou remained silent until the sweet aftertaste faded, then carefully opened his mouth.
“You know, if someone said they wanted to receive something as a gift, but that wasn’t sincere, what should one do?”
Rou had tried to speak indirectly as if it weren’t his own story, but to the two women’s ears, it was far too obviously the High Priest’s story.
The two women exchanged glances again. It seemed the High Priest had someone on his mind. There hadn’t been any such rumors in society. The two women’s eyes sparkled at this interesting story.
“…Ah, perhaps they truly desire something else?”
“Yes. There must be something else they want.”
Rou picked up another sugar candy. He hoped the sweet flower fragrance would soothe his wounded heart.
When the High Priest couldn’t quite compose himself, Lilian and Rosaria were rather flustered. Did he truly harbor feelings of love? Moreover, from the looks of it, that person seemed to be coldly rejecting the High Priest’s courtship.
It was a seriously amusing situation, but at the same time, utterly outrageous. To reject the High Priest’s pure love like this. If it were them, they would have been honored and claimed the High Priest.
Rosaria sent a secret signal only Lilian would understand. Fortunately, Lilian also gestured back that she actively agreed. Comforting a man aching from love was easy. If the High Priest came with wounds, they could heal them with warm affection.
“At times like that, asking directly is best.”
Lilian began to create the situation. Rosaria quickly joined in.
“Ask their true feelings. Ask what they really want.”
“Would that help?”
“Of course. Being direct is always best, isn’t it?”
It was a new proposal. Jes had always strongly opposed meeting Brukisel, and Yan, though not as much as Jes, would fill his entire face with a troubled expression. In that respect, the two women’s proposal was excellent. Rou had no talent for speaking in roundabout ways to begin with.
Besides, Rou really had many things he wanted to ask. Was his gift really that bad? If so, what did he truly want? Why did he dislike Goddess Kaine so much? And to make him happy, what on earth should he do?
There were many questions he wanted to ask. Rou moistened his throat with tea that was fragrant but had no sweet taste at all.
“Thank you.”
At the High Priest’s pure smile, the two women smiled most contentedly. For such a beautiful boy to be the High Priest with power—they couldn’t stop smiling at their lips in anticipation of the future to come.
“You smile with Goddess Kaine’s eyes.”
Rou said that looking at Lilian’s eye-smile.
“You hold Goddess Kaine’s lips.”
And looking at Rosaria, he said that.
It was the highest praise that the High Priest, and only the High Priest, could give.
Could they really receive such praise? The two women were dumbfounded and speechless for a while. Rou left words about seeing them again, stood up, and walked vigorously in the direction Brukisel had disappeared.
* * *
As soon as Het entered the banquet hall, he frowned. Mac, who had been both a long-time rival and colleague since he’d just joined the Imperial Knights, blocked his path. The annoying bastard who had been irritating at every turn, and when Het lost his job at the Imperial Palace, had smugly taken his position.
“What? Can’t you get lost right now? I’m here to assist the High Priest…”
“Hah, well. That won’t do.”
“What?”
Het was about to use force to remove the eyesore. But the moment he heard the words that came from his mouth, all his fighting spirit was extinguished.
“His Majesty is waiting.”
His spine grew cold, and his hair stood on end. He wasn’t even in charge of assisting him anymore—why, why! For what reason on earth! Was he asking to see him!
Het wanted to forget both dignity and chivalry and scream as he ran out of the banquet hall. Perhaps because he’d grown accustomed to the kind and gentle High Priest, from the moment the Emperor was mentioned, he began to feel newly tense.
“Wait here.”
The place Mac guided him to was none other than the Emperor’s office. During his time as an aide, Het had only brought people to this place, never thinking he himself would be that person.
“W-wait. Here?”
“Yep.”
Mac called Het in, left only halfhearted words, and left. Damn it, damn it! Even knowing he’d been called in to be screwed with, Het trembled as he waited for the Emperor, wondering if perhaps the Emperor had really summoned him here.
Outside, the Eucharist ceremony seemed to be in full swing. Het felt so regretful that he couldn’t witness that glorious scene of the High Priest with his own eyes. The best rebellion he could manage was to press his ear against the wall and steal a listen to the unidentifiable humming resonance.
“Hk!”
At the suddenly heard footsteps, Het immediately jumped away from the wall. He hadn’t expected to hear words of welcome from the Emperor he was meeting after so long, but he was even more on edge than usual. Well, of course—he’d received the blessing of Goddess Kaine, whom he so despised.
Het fervently prayed that he would order him to get lost from his sight right now, but Brukisel…
“You’ve completely become the High Priest’s person.”
…only left those ominous words. Naturally feeling his life threatened, Het wrapped both hands around his own neck.
