Even if it was only place to stay for a short time, it was a resting place fit for a Prince. The servants who had already arrived in advance laid out expensive carpets, cus.h.i.+ons, and even new seats. Because of the status of the Prince, who could not drink water as he pleased, the servants brought tea sets, water, and refreshments from the carriage that followed them from Austern.

After the priests left the room, Ian said, "Your Highness, Marquis Anais is here."

When he saw Julietta's hard face at the mention of the Marquis, Killian stroked her face rea.s.suringly. "Will you go and rest?"

"Yes." Julietta escaped the room and went into the inner bedroom.

"Let him come in."

After Killian's order was given, the Marquis entered quickly. He looked about the room and greeted the Prince with disappointment after he could not see Julietta.

"Come and sit down."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Killian offered tea and refreshments to the Marquis who looked nervous. "The Archbishop said he would go ahead with the ceremony after prayer time. The Marquis, you should take forty winks for a while. I am guessing you could not sleep at all last night."

When Killian said, Robert's head bowed.

"I'm sorry to have brought you all this way to Vicern, even though you have to hold the funeral of your late wife."

"No, Your Highness. It's okay."

The sympathy he felt when he saw Ivana's body vanished shortly after he found out that she had sent a letter to the Duke of Dudley saying that his daughter was not real Princess Kiellini.

He was upset by Duke Dudley, who had run straight to the Imperial Castle with the letter in his hand, rather than mourning over his daughter's death at all. Christine had entered Prince Francis's palace and not returned, and so didn't know of her mother's death.

He was worried about Christine, even though he thought Christine so like those with the blood of Dudley that it made him shudder. The child's ambition nearly killed Julietta, but he still couldn't give her up.

He quickly became disillusioned with himself, knowing he had to get back from work in Vicern and try to save Christine. 'Can Julietta forgive me like this?' Robert looked toward the part.i.tion where Julietta would be.

At the sight, Killian sighed softly. Maribel would carry out his order. Soon enough, the Marquis would hear the sad news of his daughter's death after the death of his wife.

He wasn't comfortable, but he couldn't leave Christine alive any longer. She had to pay for her crimes.

--------------------

After the noon prayer, the Archbishop offered prayers of blessings to the congregation and tried to return the people. Believers snooped around to speak to him, but he ran out of time due to the preparations for the afternoon ceremony.

He returned to his room when he saw the initiate priests walking around to shoo out the remaining people. He meant to calm down by drinking tea for a while, until the ceremony was ready.

"We are ready for the ceremony, Archbishop." At that time, a young priest, who had been promoted to a regular priest after eight months of probation due to his strong holy power, entered the room.

Paulo looked at his watch. "We're half an hour faster than the needed time. Let's take a break for a while."

The young priest dissuaded him when the archbishop tried to brew tea with a gesture of sitting opposite him. "I'm fine. I have to go because there was a fallen female believer during the prayer time."

"Is she seriously ill?"

No matter how strong he was, he was just a newly promoted priest, and it could be beyond his power. However, the archbishop himself could not come forward and heal at just any time, and so he simply asked in pa.s.sing words.

"I think it's time for her to pa.s.s today. She seems to be an aristocrat of Austern, but I feel sorry for her."

The archbishop felt strange at the words of the young priest. If any of Austern's companions had a sick woman who could hardly have survived the day, the Prince or his attendants would have asked him for treatment, but there was no such request.

The archbishop, who had been lost in thought for a moment, rose from his seat. "Let's go see the sick woman."

The young priest led the archbishop to a small room inside the temple. The archbishop entered a somber room with no light allowed in, despite the warm afternoon sun, and there was a woman lying on a hard bed.

Paulo approached the woman lying in bed and put his hand on her forehead. He stood up and said, praying with his eyes closed for a while. "Her thread of life is almost burnt down."

He didn't know if she would last the night. It was strange that a n.o.blewoman of Austern came to the Vicern Temple ahead of her death.

The archbishop's eyes were slightly enlarged as he looked at the woman lying there with a cautious look. The woman, who had closed her eyes without energy, opened them, and the color of her eyes was a rare green.

Paulo then s.h.i.+fted his gaze to the bedside. Blonde! It was a rare coincidence.

"Let me see Duke Dudley," the grimly skeletonized hand grasped Paulo's priestly suit.

Her request embarra.s.sed the young priest.

"I've already sent a message to the Duke of Dudley, but he said he did not want to come and see anyone he didn't know."

Even at the priest's regretful remarks, Regina ignored him and looked only at Paulo. "Tell him that there's someone here to tell him the truth about Princess Iris Regina Kiellini."

Her whole body was covered with the shadow of death, but her eyes shone brightly.