The Monster Lady and the Holy Knight - Chapter 43

“Nightstar!”

The woman eagerly embraced the head of the warhorse she hadn’t seen in a long time. The horse was massive, its weight easily ten times her own, yet she showed no fear. The horse, seemingly remembering her, merely blinked its eyes and behaved docilely.

“Do we really need to ride? I’d like to walk to get used to the armor.”

The woman, who had been feeding the horse a carrot, asked timidly. She seemed reluctant to climb on the horse. Since there was still some time, they eventually decided to walk to the imperial palace.

Leon looked down at the excited woman and suddenly realized that she hadn’t had a proper tour of Kart since they arrived. Kaisenmeer, the city that concentrated all the wealth and prosperity of the empire, would be impressive even for someone from a large city.

“Can we stop and look for a bit?”

To his surprise, the place where she halted was a weapon shop. Rather than bother to say yes, Leon handed her a pouch of gold coins, and she widened her eyes before smiling brightly.

“Well, if you’re offering, I won’t say no.”

While she thoroughly inspected the small weapon shop, Leon checked the surroundings. A few people were following them, but none seemed dangerous. Still, it was best not to let his guard down. They had long left the territory promised by Heinz, and the Pope was cunning to the end. As he calculated various possibilities, his nerves quickly sharpened. Then—

“It’s a gift.”

The woman suddenly emerged from the shop and offered him something. When he looked down, he saw it was a gray helmet made from Tanbia steel. But understanding what it was didn’t mean he understood why she was giving it to him.

Leon gave her a puzzled look and spoke, almost as if in admiration, “Oh, a gift bought with my money?”

“I used my own feelings, so there’s no need to be too grateful. I bought it with what was left over.”

Her playfulness had grown; her eyes crinkled as she laughed heartily. For a moment, his heart pounded unpleasantly. When he reached out, the steel helmet felt colder than usual. Surely, it was the steel that had the temperature issue, not him. He is, after all, a son of God.

***

Leon Berg is a Holy Knight.

The moment he took the helmet, Veronica felt it deeply. His chiseled face was unreadable. Perhaps he was evaluating the design of the helmet, objectively, without personal opinion.

He was abnormal. When she first met him, she thought he was different from other Holy Knights.

More free-spirited. Like a mercenary, he joked and acted as he pleased.

However, as time went on, she realized it was merely a survival tactic for someone who had spent much time on the battlefield. Even the mercenaries who had come to Bayern were like that. They would be cheerful with just a drink and some warm stew. Since they could die the next day, they developed the habit of enjoying the present.

“I always thought you needed it. It’s dangerous, after all. One day, you’ll thank me for this.”

Leon could remain untroubled despite breaking several minor laws because of this attitude.

But accepting Veronica was a different matter. It wasn’t a matter of human-made doctrine, but of the Four Commandments received by the First Priest. A “corrupt union leading to the creation of life” had to be avoided.

Creation belonged to God, even if humans tried to imitate it. Even if other animals reproduced for the survival of their species, priests were not allowed to do so. Not even instinct could overcome faith. She had heard they underwent almost brainwashing-like training from a young age.

Veronica had once seen a procession of apprentice knights through the window of an inn. They walked expressionlessly, with their eyes straight ahead, unfazed by the biting wind. When girls their age passed by, the muscles in their cheeks stiffened even more, and their brows furrowed deeply, far beyond what was typical for their age. They endured, resisted, and ignored.

This was why Leon, though excited whenever he kissed her, never sought to touch her. No matter how much he pretended to be carefree, he had never abandoned his most cherished belief since meeting her.

If only I could take away your most cherished thing—your faith and your convictions.

“Don’t even think about returning it. You know the saying: A discarded gift wanders an empty cave forever, right?”

Afraid he might give it back, Veronica kept her distance, smiling.

Just as he had recognized her loneliness, she knew his solitude.

Depressed people are remarkably good at sensing each other’s scent.

Until now, Leon had been shaken exactly twice—when his birth mother was mentioned, and when he heard about Mecklenburg’s death.

The weak spot to be exploited was obvious. Boundless affection given freely. A boy who grew up without a place to be affectionate would be easily destroyed by even a small amount of it.

When she turned to look behind her, Leon was following, helmet in hand.

Veronica paused as if waiting for him. The sun sparkled on the snow beneath her feet.

***

When Leon revealed his identity, the tall, black iron gates swung open on either side. Veronica marveled at the enormous garden, beautiful like a kingdom of snow, with well-kept shrubs even in the middle of winter.

“Wow…”

She thought that after seeing the grand cathedral and even meeting the Pope, there was nothing left to astonish her.

But standing before the golden palace that she had only seen from afar left her awestruck.

Not far from the Papal Palace (though she didn’t know the exact distance, both were so large that each was visible from the other), the palace was entirely golden, like a dandelion. It seemed as if the owner of the castle was desperate to flaunt their wealth.

Her mouth felt dry from the tension during the carriage ride. Butterflies seemed to be dancing in her stomach.

Was this how a monkey in a traveling circus felt? Veronica reflected on her childhood, when she would tightly clutch a coin and eagerly rush out to see the rare birds or rabbits brought by visiting gypsies, her mouth agape in wonder. “You reap what you sow,” they say, and this was no exception.

According to Leon, today happened to be the day of the council meeting, meaning all the nobles in Kart would be gathering to see her. Veronica was, for the day, the rare animal on display.

“Is all that really solid gold?”

Veronica’s first words after dismounting from the carriage came out as she gazed at the palace, her mouth hanging slightly open.

Leon, who had taken her hand to help her down, replied quietly, “That’s what they say. Because of thieves who chip pieces off every night, they melt new gold to refill it every year.”

“Really?”

Well, it was the palace of a thousand-year-old empire, so it might make sense to build golden pillars…

“You think it’s real?”

When she looked up at him in disbelief, Leon let out a chuckle. Only then did she realize he was joking to ease her tension.

“It’s probably gilded. There’s no way they could handle the weight if it were solid gold.”

“But gilding would make it even easier to steal, wouldn’t it?”

Suddenly, Leon stopped walking, and Veronica thought he might be inspecting the wall more closely. Just then, a booming voice caught her attention.

“Her Highness, Johanna III of the Imperial Family of Kaisenmeer, Daughter of the Golden Sea, Princess Johanna, is arriving!”

Among the flurry of words, Veronica heard the term “princess.” Startled, she turned her head and saw a young woman with radiant features approaching, flanked by imperial knights. Veronica had never seen such a magnificent dress and dazzling accessories. The woman sparkled so much that it was hard to look away.

A very low voice warned her then, “Bow your head. Do not meet the princess’s eyes.”

Following Leon’s advice, she quickly looked down. In the meantime, Princess Johanna gracefully approached.

“Greetings to Your Highness the Princess.”

“Sir Berg, lift your head. Must we be so formal between us?”

Princess Johanna extended her hand, gloved in smooth white fabric, toward him in a friendly manner. Without hesitation, Leon stepped forward and…

Veronica’s peeking eyes widened like a rabbit’s.

Leon bowed and kissed the back of the princess’s hand. It seemed improper, as one of the knights in a golden cloak frowned.

“Your Highness, with all due respect, this man is a Knight of God.”

“Not anymore. Sir Berg is a hero of Kart and a subject of the great Kaisenmeer.”

The princess smiled brightly. Veronica stood frozen in place. It was the confidence and elegance that only someone who had grown up deeply loved could possess. It was the charm she had tried her whole life to mimic. The carefree aura that only the naturally blessed could exude flowed from the princess like sunlight.

Then, as if sensing her gaze, the princess looked over. Veronica hurriedly lowered her eyes.

“Oh my, those eyes… So this is the ‘Bahamut’ I’ve heard of. The one who supposedly hides beneath human skin.”

The princess’s voice was as beautiful as jewels rolling, but her words were as sharp as fangs. As Veronica lowered her head to hide her expression, Leon spoke for her.

“She is not someone who requires your attention. The assimilated one is not a citizen of Kaisenmeer.”

“Still, she must have been human once. The fate of those who foolishly fall into heresy is indeed pitiful. But it’s admirable that she wishes to repent now, even if it’s late.”

The sound gradually receded. The distance remained unchanged, but it felt as if a glass wall had been placed between her and them.

‘Not someone who requires your attention…’

They exchanged a few more words about nobles she didn’t know. Leon smiled often, and his downcast eyes were fixed only on the princess.

He could probably see it too. The scent of those brilliant spring flowers blooming from Princess Johanna.

What is this feeling?

I hate it. This feeling.

Veronica dropped her gaze to her toes. She felt out of place, as if she had entered a space where she didn’t belong.

“Actually, Sir Berg, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you. Can you spare me some time?”

“It would be an honor if Your Highness grants me your precious time.”

It wasn’t until Leon showed signs of following the princess that her ears caught their drifting conversation. Veronica looked up in alarm. Then what about her? Was she supposed to go to the audience chamber alone?

“It will take some time for His Majesty to finish discussing the important matters. In the meantime, make sure ‘that’ stays only in the reception room.”

As if reading her mind, the princess instructed a maid.

She had been disregarded for being a woman before, but never in her life had she been treated as an object. Veronica turned her shocked gaze to Leon. But he merely glanced at her without so much as a token reassurance that he would be quick.

His indifferent look was entirely different from how he regarded the princess. He made no effort to smile for her. Because she wasn’t worth it.

Now, she stood there, having even forgotten to bow her head, watching the two of them disappear into the distance. Her heart ached as if it were bound tightly. It seemed laughable now, how excited she had been since last night just because of the armor.

What weak spot had she thought she alone knew? Such things paled miserably in the face of those truly loved.