1. White Rose Waltz (1)
The Empire was a very wealthy and strong country. A place that does not invade, but also does not allow invasion. In the eyes of the surrounding countries, it was truly an invincible country.
What happened to those that had been aiming for this place for a long time? Like an ant that crawled on a tree it couldn’t climb, they fell into a swamp of miserable defeat.
However, when historians looked back and recorded it, what was suspicious was a surprising number of victories.
To be precise, a record of victory due to natural disasters.
Strangely, during the invasions the Empire received, there was not a crisis that they were on the defensive.
In every era, great sages made wise decisions, but miraculously, there were many victories that included nature.
For example, floods and droughts in enemy camps, untimely earthquakes and flooding of rivers. Victory, from nature, as if heaven helped the empire.
With this, people called the empire a country where G.o.d helped. As the status of the name increased, various religions naturally entered the empire, but they did not become very popular.
It was because there was already a divine being that the people of the ancient empire believed in and followed.
However, as time pa.s.sed, this existence disappeared hidden somewhere in the back of history, and the Sun Bridge and the Foundation of Light, which came from other countries, took its place.
Now, most of the Empire’s people have not remembered the one existence their ancestors followed in ancient times.
It has been said that G.o.d is determined according to the faith of the believer. The boundless fall has reached it and it has fallen to an existence that has just collapsed a long time ago.
“What a joke.”
Sitting on the throne, she closed the book.
The woman crossed her legs and lazily swept her hair. The woman’s long hair was as bright and brilliant as the sun.
But as she clicked her tongue, her face was full of disapproval. Even so, the woman was so beautiful that no one could take their eyes off her.
Those who looked at her did not dare to meet her eyes.
The woman’s eyes of different colors blinked calmly.
“I’m going to burn this stupid book.”
Francia lifted the thick book lightly and tossed it to the floor. Thud. A heavy sound rang out, but none of the topless paladins paid any attention.
Francia crossed her legs while sitting on the throne.
“Burn it.”
Someone quickly lowered their head. That is to say, they will not speak of this book ever.
As of today, this history book, which is precise enough to be used as a textbook in educational inst.i.tutions, will disappear from history.
The one who occupied the throne in front of them was the one who held such power.
The throne.
This refers to the seat of the highest. The only person in the empire who could use it.
However, it was different now. A different authority than the imperial family, she is the one and only king of this huge Foundation of Light.
The temple’s sun. She was ‘the Pope’.
However, the look on Francia’s face after taking her seat of power was nothing short of boredom. She was tainted with terrible boredom.
Everyone in the entourage knew. The young pope, who was once a saint and the leader of the war, has not only helped the Foundation of Light to regain its former splendor over the past seven years. But has led it to enjoy more power.
That their absolute, who took off her sh.e.l.l and took the place of ruler, rarely smiled.
In fact, an elderly bishop called on clowns from all over the country to long for her benevolent laugh.
As a result, he would be leading a lonely temple in a rural area by now.
“I’m curious.”
Everyone tensed up and listened closely to Francia’s words.
“What happened to my instructions?”
At the low pitched voice, the person closest to her stepped forward.
He once served the pope in disguise, no, the now saint. He was a high-ranking priest who had returned to the position of the second-in-command of the temple.
He was weak as a child of light, but had a sparkling appearance. He could jump into a cliff without hesitation at Francia’s words.
“What you instructed three years ago…… We are now at an intermediate stage.”
“What do you mean?”
“Yes. The capital city and surrounding areas. Furthermore, not only has it safely settled in large cities, but the ripple effect is increasing day by day.”
The priest raised his large gla.s.ses. Francia looked at his gla.s.ses and clicked his tongue at the face that came to mind. It’s not a very welcome face, but she couldn’t help but think of him out of reflex.
“This is the responsibility of the Foundation of Light’s branches located throughout the empire, and is spreading to the public at the risk of life and death. The final step is soon. In other words, it would take much less time to spread to the end of the empire than it did at the beginning……you can look forward to it.”
After the priest reported, he looked down at the floor for a while. He couldn’t see Francia’s face, so he didn’t know her reaction either.
He was anxious on the inside.
“That’s right.”
Francia nudged her chin. Then she stopped wriggling her hand.
A nonchalant but friendly voice pa.s.ses by her ear. It was a remnant of her longing.
No, it wasn’t. During the day when she said that, Francia’s body was full of wounds, and her wounds healed slowly due to her weak strength.
Francia would have been disgusting. Even so, that smile always seemed calm.
That little warmth would have been her salvation, ‘she’ would never have known that.
Francia’s mind suddenly returned to a time long ago.
She used to dominate her eyes and ears like this when she closed her eyes, a figure that mysteriously never appeared in her dreams.
The time when Francia was temporarily held captive in Domulit Mansion. The days when Iana was the only one on her side there. There was a time when she didn’t know that Iana was her king.
It was a day when Iana, who was not particularly smiling, smiled a lot.
So Francia did her best with clumsy feet, which she learned for the first time in her life. She hoped her sister would smile one more time.
It was also the day when the word waltz, which was no big deal, was carved deep into her lungs.
“Doing well?”
Francia asked in a trembling voice. However, this tremor was so small that no one in this place even noticed.
Alas, she was living with a very thick mask now. She waited patiently for a hand to remove this mask.
“Yes. At least in large cities and small and medium-sized cities where people gather, there will be no one who doesn’t know about it.”
The high-ranking priest in front of her, Francia’s right-hand man and closest aide spoke in a clear voice.
“The only G.o.d enshrined since ancient times. ‘Blue Rose’. No one regards the n.o.ble being as insignificant anymore, Your Holiness.”
“…… What about the village of the Blue Rose?”
“Reconstruction is going well. Residents are also doing their best to help reconstruction. The forest has already been cut down to make a road. As planned, three more years and it will be a great city.”
She thought she was about to shed tears as she heard what she had done and accomplished for seven years.
But she didn’t cry. No. She couldn’t cry unless there was someone who could take her tears.
‘Sister…….’
Everyone, go.
At Francia’s firm command, everyone disappeared from the altar. All that was left was her sitting alone on the throne.
“…… Sister, are you watching?”
She murmured the call in a low voice that would not be heard. Even if she calls like this. She knows that no matter how desperately she calls, the call goes unheard.
Only 7 years have pa.s.sed.
During the long wait she had to wait, only 7 years.
The child cried. Francia, the child in her heart who couldn’t grow, wept bitterly for her sister to come back.
However, there was no movement on the young pope’s face, who knew the authority on the throne and wielded the sweetness of power.
Seven years ago, after everything was over, the Empress came to her senses and saw Iana. However, the Empress could not find the Blue Rose that finally granted her wish.
That was a given. Because she wasn’t in this world.
Perhaps to compensate for this, the Empress showed generous treatment to the roses. Yes. It was a reward. Grat.i.tude for the existence that fulfilled her lifelong longing.
Thanks to this, the Foundation of Light, led by Francia, was able to freely expand the church unlike the past, which was often controlled by the Emperor. The Empress turned a blind eye to Francia’s plan to advocate a new G.o.d.
No, the Empress did not hesitate to encourage it.
In addition to that, the fact that Hernim and Domulit, who had each lost their heads, did not collapse was also due to the Empress’ mercy.
Francia also did not touch Domulit. She didn’t hear from Iana what to do with that family.
The punishment is by the king she obeys.
Francia blinked her eyes slowly.
“…… I miss you.”
How many times has she mumbled this in 7 years? Francia didn’t know anymore. Because the days are too long to count.
Among the roses, the one with the most vitality was the Red Rose.
“Sister, do you like my present?”
However, among the roses, the longest blooming rose was the White Rose.
“Sister…… My G.o.d.”
Because she has to survive longer than anyone else and live while healing the one and only existence.
“No one will ever forget Sister.”
Francia’s voice faded as if swallowed inside.
“…… All the people will remember Sister.”
Francia squeezed her hand and then opened it.
“I want you to think of me.”
The little child living in her heart cried out loud. Before she knew it, the baby bear escaped from her body and grabbed Francia by the leg.
Callisto was anxious.
“It’s alright.”
Francis bowed her head and smiled.
“From now on, I will be alright.”
It was like a mantra she uttered to herself.
After saying that, Francia raised her head. She stared at the dark s.p.a.ce between the pillars, where the light was not vivid.
“What are you doing there?”
Unlike the dignified voice in front of the paladins a while ago, a comfortable but hoa.r.s.e voice came out.
Someone walks quietly in the darkness where it seemed that no one would be there.
It was a walk that went well with his calm appearance. His quiet appearance like a shadow was rather like an a.s.sa.s.sin’s attempt, but in reality he was a strikingly beautiful young man.
However, the gaze trapped in his gla.s.ses was indeed sharp, like a forged knife.
At the same time as Iana left, the man started wearing gla.s.ses again. However, the reason seemed different from before. Because he seemed to have locked himself up behind it.
Francia just stared at his appearance, which had not changed at all compared to seven years ago.
“Is trespa.s.sing your hobby?”
“Either trespa.s.sing or infiltration. You know very well that either is not difficult for me, right?”
Francia glanced at the rose who had the same situation as her.
“Why aren’t you old? I feel bad.”
“Who are you to talk? You are in the same situation.”
They already knew. With the departure of their king, their time has stopped.
“I mean, even if I don’t show old age, I’m in a position that was considered sacred. Would you be uncomfortable living with that face?”
“Even if that’s not the case, I heard rumors that I bathe in the blood of criminals in prison. Is it your doing?”
“No? Why would I do useless things?”
He had a neat face today. What’s good about that neat look, what makes him so popular.
She remembered clearly the image of Lenag surrounded by the ladies at the imperial banquet a few months ago. Of course, along with his image of leaving without even giving a glance.
In the social world, Lenag was a heart-breaking marquis, longing for his missing fiance and was alone for a long time.
Indeed, that statement was true, but for Francia that was not even funny.
“Has it been once or twice that you have spread false rumors?”