Lord Baby Runs A Romance Fantasy With Cash [EN]: Chapter 262

“Hmph, that Liliel. When I asked her what was going on between you and Crown Prince Sidrian, she cut in, saying, ‘There’s nothing between us?’ Serves her right.”

Until Tiriel said that, gloating, I didn’t think much of it.

But then.

“There’s nothing else, right?”

“Nothing else?”

“…Liliel hasn’t been doing anything behind your back to harm you, has she?”

When I heard those words after her hesitation.

I felt a strange sense of unease.

‘Tiriel dislikes Liliel, but does that mean Liliel would harm me?’

In any case, Liliel was a Saintess, and even if she subtly tried to lower my reputation, she never openly harmed me.

Since the dawn festival, I’d competed with many people for influence in high society, but that never led to actually harming anyone.

But she’s worried that Liliel might harm me?

Does she know that Liliel isn’t a normal person and is using fraud?

If not—.

“I see. You’re okay. That’s a relief. Really… a relief.”

Tiriel’s face was complicated as she muttered quietly.

I quietly stared at her profile before getting out of bed.

“You must be in pain since you’re sick, and I’ve been here too long. I’ll be going now. Make sure to take the tonic I brought.”

Tiriel, who had been quietly watching me straighten my disheveled clothes, hesitated before opening her mouth.

“Lulu.”

“Yeah?”

“…About what I said before. The water management rite.”

“Yeah.”

“Have you decided where to hold it?”

I took my eyes off the mirror and looked at Tiriel.

Our eyes met for a moment.

Tiriel was the first to look away.

“No, you don’t have to tell me. It’s just—.”

“I’ve decided. We’re going to do it in Reikel.”

Tiriel paused and looked at me.

I smiled.

“I’ll come again. You need to get well soon by then, okay?”

“…Okay.”

I carefully tucked Tiriel’s blanket in before leaving the mansion.

“Young Lady?”

Anna looked at my face and asked what was wrong.

“It’s nothing. More importantly, we need to call WBD and SSS as soon as we get home.”

* * *

Water Management Rite.

A rite to govern water, it was a ceremony that was naturally performed before starting the water management project in earnest.

It was an important ceremony even in Earth’s modern society, so how could it be any different here?

They hold K-style ancestral rites [Korean-style ancestral ceremonies] in front of fighter jets, which are products of science and technology, and in the Western world, the Pope blesses them.

‘And then they take pictures of it and publish it in the newspaper.’

So I decided to do that too.

Originally, the water management rite was usually held quietly and in a solemn atmosphere with only a limited number of people in secret to avoid bad luck.

But this time, I was going to open it to the public on a large scale.

In fact, I wasn’t the first to suggest this.

“With Saintess Liliel present, we should naturally receive her blessing! It would be foolish to miss this opportunity!”

“Since it’s a water management rite blessed by the Saintess, how can we end it quietly? Since we have a video stone [a magical device for recording and playing videos], how about broadcasting it live across the country?”

“It wouldn’t be a bad suggestion for the Princess either. It would be a more direct way to engrave in the minds of the people that she is taking on such a large-scale national project at her age.”

The temple, which was on a downward spiral, wanted to increase its power through the Saintess by any means possible.

Since they couldn’t suck honey [benefit] at the last enthronement ceremony, they must be planning to show the dignified appearance of the Saintess at this water management rite.

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea either.”

The Emperor agreed as well.

He, too, wanted to divert the attention of the empire’s citizens elsewhere in a situation where distrust of the imperial family was rampant because of the Empress.

I didn’t object either.

And so, today.

Below the Reikel Mountains, the highest source of the Silant River, which is said to be the empire’s lifeline.

As the dignified and responsible person in charge of major national policies and projects—.

“Oh my, look at Crown Prince Sidrian and Princess Paeraton.”

“Now they’re openly doing that at official events… Oh my, oh my.”

Dignified—.

“Hehe, look at the Princess’s face turning red. It’s the first time I’ve seen her like that. So fresh and cute!”

My dignity…….

Sniff.

Sid gently swept back my disheveled hair.

Even though it was a very important event, Sid’s gaze never left me.

“Stop looking at me. You need to concentrate.”

“I am concentrating.”

“Not on me, on the water management rite! This is being broadcast live across the country!”

When I whispered quietly, Sid stared at me blankly.

“…Do you not like it?”

His purple eyes contained me as if they contained the universe.

“I, I didn’t say I didn’t like it……”

“Oh my, they’re in their own world.”

“Enjoy it while you can, enjoy it while you can.”

“Isn’t this the first time the imperial family has had a love marriage?”

Ugh, seriously!

This isn’t some kind of entertainment program, so why are people adding comments like panelists here and there!

“The Saintess is bestowing her blessing!”

Of course, I was a little pleased that the attention was diverted from Liliel, who was giving her blessing on the platform, thanks to that.

In fact, few people expected anything special from Liliel’s blessing.

Purifying the evil spirits was an amazing feat in itself, but Liliel’s actions after becoming the Saintess were ambiguous.

She hadn’t performed any remarkable miracles, and she was the opposite of being a role model as a Saintess.

Rather, didn’t she commit a reprehensible act of flirting with someone else’s boyfriend, which was quite worldly?

So people were thinking that it would be, at best, the blessing that priests usually give—the so-called ppyorong ppyorong effect [sound effect for magical sparkles or blessings].

That’s when it happened.

Splash—.

Bright light burst out, and the river water soared up as Liliel gestured.

The stream of water that soared as if defying the waterfall spun around following Liliel’s outstretched hand and gently wrapped around Liliel.

“What is that……?”

“I’ve never seen such a sight before. It’s as if the river is responding to the blessing—.”

People murmured in surprise at the sight they had never seen before.

But that was only for a moment.

Even the exclamations and murmurs subsided.

People stared blankly up at Liliel.

The mysterious and beautiful sight captivated all their senses.

The stream of water reflected in the sunlight was iridescent.

Liliel’s silver hair, wrapped inside, shone more brilliantly than the stream of water.

Soon, her closed eyes opened—.

The revealed golden eyes were shining so brightly that they looked different from usual.

As if they weren’t human eyes.

“Prepare. Despair will soon come.”

A strange voice flowed from Liliel’s lips.

“The origin of the highest place.

The mire of the lowest place.

The forest of the most common place.

The abyss of the most exclusive place.

After three crises, an evil spirit will be born that swallows and reverses the world in the end.

Beware.

The evil spirit will dig into your gaps in the guise of supreme good, in the most lovable form.”

Liliel’s lips closed.

Silence filled the ritual site.

The stream of water that had been surrounding Liliel quickly subsided, and the priests next to her were startled and supported her.

Only after that magical moment was broken did people open their mouths.

“This is, could it be…….”

“A prophetic revelation?!”

The repercussions of those words were enormous.

“N, no way……. How long has it been since a revelation was given.”

“Wasn’t that something that only existed in legends or the Bible?”

“A real revelation…….”

“As expected, the Saintess…….”

People swallowed hard and looked at Liliel.

Liliel’s eyelids fluttered, as if she had lost consciousness at the same time as giving the revelation.

“Saintess! Are you awake?”

The high priest shouted in a hurried tone.

Liliel opened her mouth, breathing heavily.

“What on earth is…….”

It was Liliel’s usual voice.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes. What happened? I felt strange when I was about to give the blessing. It felt like something was passing through my body…….”

“It matches the reaction recorded when giving a revelation!”

“Oh, God…….”

“Don’t worry, Your Holiness. It’s just that God has conveyed His words to the world through your mouth!”

The priests couldn’t hide their excitement, their faces flushed red.

“A revelation really came down?”

“If so, then Liliel, no, Lady Liliel, is indeed chosen by God—.”

I walked past the noisy people and approached Liliel.

People were reacting with pure surprise to the divine revelation, but this incident would soon affect me as well.

‘Everyone knows that Liliel and I have a bad relationship because of Sid.’

Those who are quick to calculate were already glancing at me.

‘There’s no way Liliel, who uses fraud, is a Saintess.’

So there’s no way she received a divine revelation.

I don’t know what happened, but I’ll think about it later.

‘Here, I need to show that I’m not on bad terms with Liliel.’

It’s important to lay the groundwork in advance so that I don’t get caught up in media manipulation.

Especially since this moment is being broadcast live across the country.

“Lili.”

“Lulu.”

Liliel smiled at me.

I smiled back and nodded before saying to the Emperor.

“Your Majesty, a revelation has been given during the water management rite; it is a blessing for the empire.”

“Hmm.”

“The Saintess has done more than just give a blessing. We must escort the Saintess and interpret the revelation—.”

“No.”

Liliel stopped me and shook her head.

“It would be best for the water management rite to proceed as planned.”

“In this situation?”

“The water management project is an important project directly related to the livelihood of the people. It wouldn’t be good if the rite ended vaguely in the middle. And…… I don’t know why, but I feel like we should.”

“…….”

‘This is strange.’

I thought Liliel would naturally tell us to stop the water management rite here.

That’s because the next step was the moment I would be in the spotlight.

As the person in charge of this water management project, it was the procedure to go to the water source and perform the final ceremony.

‘But she’s deliberately sending me?’

She must be plotting something.

‘It would be better not to go.’

But Liliel’s ‘I don’t know why, but I feel like we should’ effect was truly amazing.

“You feel that way; could it be the will of God?”

“Since the Saintess has just become a channel of God…….”

Not only the priests, but even the nobles were chattering with expectant voices.

‘The imperial citizens who aren’t here would be even more so.’

I can’t not go in this situation.

I nodded.

“If Lili thinks so, it would be best to continue.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

Liliel smiled.

I turned around and moved away from the platform to prepare to move.

“Lulu.”

Sid grabbed my arm.

“Something’s wrong. It’s definitely a trap.”

“It’s okay.”

“Then I’ll go with you. It’s my job to protect my master.”

Even though nothing had happened yet, his face was desperate as if something had happened.

I smiled.

‘Because you said that—.’

“I’m going alone.”

Sid had already made a great sacrifice because of me.

If something like that happened again, I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself.

“Lulu.”

“Dad, I’ll be back.”

Dad frowned.

I shrugged.

“It’s nothing. It’s just one of the original water management rite procedures. It’s all being broadcast from here, so you can watch it. You know I’m good at riding horses, right? Who taught me how to ride?”

When I winked and spoke cheerfully, Dad reluctantly nodded.

“Still, I’ll go with—.”

“No. The original procedure is for the person in charge to take all the responsibility and go alone.”

A priest chimed in next to me at my words.

“The Princess is right. If we conveniently change the procedure as soon as the revelation is given, God will be angry, saying that we’ve become arrogant even though He gave us a revelation.”

“Arrogant? What is God—.”

Dad started emitting a fierce aura, so I quickly pulled on his sleeve.

Dad twitched one eyebrow as if he didn’t like it, but in the end, he closed his mouth and stepped back according to my wishes.

‘Good.’

That’s how I got on the horse alone.