Your Highness, The Lady You’ve Abandoned IS the Saintess!

—Going back a little in the past.

‘I’m afraid I cannot trust you, holy knight, or should I say, Firman Adler, the church’s loyal dog.’

Maynard was not surprised by the words Berland’s uttered coldly towards Firman. The young lord had already told him about the knight beforehand.

On the other and, the person in concern himself, Firman, seems to stare at Berland with much surprise.

Maynard was initially surprised upon hearing about the knight’s circumstances, but conversely speaking, they also allowed him to connect all the dots.

Berland, the current vice captain of the 2nd Knight Brigade, also uses the intelligence unit of the Jenner Ducal House to report all sorts of information to the crown prince—a very reliable friend-cum-confidant of Maynard.

Finding suspicious how a holy knight was able to mix in among Aileen’s security escorts, especially with the knowledge of the king, Berland had the circumstances of the saintess ceremony investigated, along with Firman’s background.

Everything became plain and clear after that.

In the first place, Maynard and his father, the king, were the fools for not having considered that possibility.

(We should have been suspicious when the pope told father that Lina is the one likely to be chosen.)

There is no doubting the potency of Lina’s healing prowess. Considering the precedence of the past saintesses having strong healing powers, the anticipation for her selection was indeed well-founded. However—

The church also desires the saintess for themselves.

The memory lapses due to the departed previous saintess selection being a half century ago has made them forgot that.

There is no way to tell who the saintess will be prior to the selection. If there is, they wouldn’t have this much of a hard time. However, because they plotted to have Maynard discard Aileen to get engaged with Lina, at the very least, the church seems knows that Lina, is not going to be the next saintess.

And because they proposed to the king to hasten the annulment of Aileen’s engagement, they must have judged the ducal lady’s likelihood to be the saintess as considerably high.

Of course, the only ones who knew must be the Pope and a limited number of his close associates.

There are also the clergymen at the saintess selection ceremony who did not show any doubts of the ducal lady’s selection.

(Then…, they mixed a holy knight amongst her escort guards, huh.)

Of course, they wouldn’t have known that Aileen would choose to return to the duchy. But still, the pope would still slip one of the church’s associate to her side one way or another.

All for the sake of drawing the next saintess into the church’s bossom.

Although, there is no telling if Firman becoming Aileen’s lover was part of their plan.

They were also able to confirm something judging by the look on Rev. Robert’s face. At the very least, the reverend was aware of everything, else he would’ve definitely reacted to the label, the church’s dog.

Firman Adler may be a mere holy knight but he is also someone closely involved with the church’s higher ups. One could say that he had several other missions other than serving as the pope’s personal guards. Berland was already aware of several clergymen colloquially referred as the church’s dogs, but he certainly did not expect Firman Adler to be amongst them.

‘How far was ruse and how far was truth, holy knight?’

The pope plotted to take Aileen away from Maynard.

If that’s the case, which part of the holy knight’s proclamation of love Aileen was the truth, and which part was a lie?

(I may not let you off easily depending on your answer.)

Maynard also hurt Aileen. Even if he had a reason, that doesn’t change the truth. But if the Firman’s love for the Aileen was all a lie, he will not forgive him. Regardless of not having any right to be angry.

Aileen has always been straightforward and pure. She was never good at seeing through people’s lies. She is, for better or worse, very easy to deceive, which is why the prince did not want her to be the one chosen as the next saintess.

Seeing Firman avert his gaze from him, Maynard grip his fists. He would have liked to jump at him here and now, but they were running out of time.

‘Robert, I’m afraid to say, but I do not trust you. I will not have it with you citing the jurisdictions of the church. The victim here, Aileen, was a normal citizen and not affiliate of the church. Although no longer, she was still my fiancée before. I will not hear any complains either. Let us go, Berland.’

Maynard left the room taking Berland with him.

The only ones left behind, Robert and Firman, cast their eyes down in silence. Meanwhile, Selma, who overheard everything at a distance, watched the prince’s back as he left the door and whispered to herself.

‘…I’m seeing you in a better light, highness. 

Please do save that lady of ours.’