Chapter 6

Benjamin, a priest dispatched to the barren land of Lanark in the western part of the empire, which had been turned into a wasteland by drought, felt something touch his forehead and looked up to the sky.

He then widened his eyes.

Raindrops had started to fall from the sky, which had not seen a single drop of rain no matter how many prayers had been offered.

"It's a miracle..."

Benjamin, who had been pained by the suffering of the famine and thirst-stricken people, clasped his hands and thanked the gods.

"What... what is happening here...?"

The emperor, upon receiving the news, stood in front of the empire's map and let out a voice of confusion.

"Perhaps it is related to Lady Iris's awakening as the Holy Maiden."

The high priest, who said this, also looked at the map with an expression that could not hide his surprise. The map detailed the "miracles" reported from various regions.

Rain had fallen in Lanark, where even Mina's power had failed to bring rain, water had sprung up in the deserts that had spread across the territory, bedridden patients had awakened, and new sprouts had emerged from the barren soil. These "miracles" had been reported simultaneously from all over the country.

"When Lady Mina awakened as the Holy Maiden, there were some reports of 'miracles.' However, they were not on this scale. Lady Iris's power might be unprecedented among all the Holy Maidens in history."

Upon hearing this, the emperor looked at the high priest with a gleam in his eyes.

"Indeed, I must marry Iris to Edgar at all costs. We must bring Iris into the royal family as soon as possible. It would be the height of folly to let a Holy Maiden with such power slip away. What is Edgar doing?"

"He has been unconscious since a while ago."

The emperor clutched his head at the answer from the chief steward.

"How pitiful... Wake him up before I get there!"

"As you wish!"

As the chief steward ran off, the emperor smiled to himself. If he could obtain and fully utilize Iris's power, achieving the ambitions passed down through the royal family might not be a dream.

"Satanford... I will surely reclaim that paradise, which we once lost, for this empire in my lifetime."

Edgar, who had been lying in bed, was shaken awake and immediately scolded by his father.

"How long are you going to keep sleeping, you fool!"

"Father... please, tell me it was all a dream."

The emperor dismissed his son's heartfelt plea.

"It's not a dream. This is reality. Mina, who became your wife, turned out to be an impostor, and Iris, whom you abandoned, was the real one. Moreover, Mina killed your mother, the empress, and Iris is innocent. Face the reality already."

Edgar sobbed pitifully.

"Huh, ugh... Why... Why did this happen?"

"It's because you lacked the discernment. If you think about it, the empress was right. She opposed Mina becoming your empress until the end. You were blinded by a trivial infatuation and fell in love with a wicked woman, ignoring your mother's words. This is the result."

After thoroughly tearing into his son's heart, the emperor suddenly changed his tone.

"Iris has petitioned for a reprieve in your divorce from Mina and Mina's execution."

"Iris...?"

Edgar, who had been crying, asked in surprise, and the emperor nodded firmly.

"Yes. Iris truly understands you. She knows you, a kind person, would be troubled. It's admirable that she still cares for you even after what she's been through."

"..."

"Edgar, think about it again. Did Mina truly love you? Was she not just blinded by power and approached you out of greed? If she loved you, would she have killed your mother so cruelly?"

"That's..."

"If you continue as is, you will remain married to the one who killed your mother. Wouldn't it be better to divorce her quickly and welcome someone who truly loves you?"

Edgar's mind was filled with the image of Iris from his childhood. Reflecting on it, Iris had always been graceful, elegant, and beautiful, and Edgar had indeed liked her.

However, as she grew, she displayed her talents and became smarter and more academically excellent than Edgar, leading him to gradually feel inferior.

At that time, he met the bright and lively Mina. The adorable Mina listened to his complaints, comforted him, and sometimes even got angry with him. These experiences, which Iris would never have shared, were enjoyable, and Edgar spent more time with Mina than with Iris.

As his feelings for Mina grew, Edgar found Iris increasingly distasteful. However, Iris continued to serve him without change, even when he neglected her.

Perhaps he was the one who was wrong. He had been the one to neglect Iris first. In his infatuation with Mina, he had not realized how badly he had treated Iris.

"Father, what should I do?"

"Hmm. Decide as soon as possible. Cut ties with the wicked woman and discern who truly deserves your love."

However, whenever Edgar tried to think of Iris, Mina's smile still lingered in his mind.

"I need more time to think."

The emperor clicked his tongue at Edgar's words.

"Think carefully. For example, imagine this: if Iris were to become someone else's, how would you feel?"

"Iris...? That's impossible. Iris loves me. There's no way Iris would be swayed by another man."

The emperor realized for the first time that his son was more foolish than he had thought. Despite being given various official duties, his recent neglect of duties was attributed to his infatuation with Mina. However, it might have been Iris who had been handling Edgar's duties all along.

This is why he was deceived by a false Holy Maiden, the emperor cursed inwardly, but he did not have the time to point it out.

The emperor was now even more determined not to let Iris go.

"You can't know that. Iris is beautiful. At this very moment, another man might be reaching out to her. What if Iris takes his hand? What if a man stronger, smarter, and more handsome than you stands beside Iris? Would you be okay with that?"

Wiping away his tears and blowing his nose, Edgar considered his father's words.

To Edgar, Iris had always been one of his possessions. She handled difficult and troublesome tasks for him, was a beautiful woman suitable to be by his side, and was the perfect lady to take out in public.

The thought of Iris belonging to someone else had never crossed his mind. Just imagining it made him feel very uncomfortable.

Edgar felt a growing sense of unease in his chest. He sensed that if he conveyed this feeling to his father, the emperor, the conversation might finally progress. The emperor leaned in, relieved to see his son's determined expression.

"You don't want anyone to take Iris from you. That's because you truly love Iris."

"I love Iris...?"

"If you don't want to lose her, you must act quickly. It will be too late if you regret it after someone else takes her."

Despite the emperor's impatience, he waited patiently as his son deliberated. When Edgar finally looked up, the emperor felt relieved.

"Thanks to Father, I have finally realized. I love Iris too. I won't let anyone have her. Where is Iris? I need to secure her right away."

"That's right. That's the way to go. High Priest, bring Iris here immediately!"