# 121
"It cannot be the ruler's temple. The temple cannot be allowed!"
“Why?”
“No one has ever survived after challenging the temple!”
Historically, temple and politics have always gone hand in hand.
There were several attempts to oust the temple and monopolize power, but each time it ended with the fall of the enemy.
The temple was not just a gathering of priests, it was also a gathering source of support for the people.
This fact has been repeated throughout history, and no emperor dared to challenge the temple.
The words of Sirius, who vowed to do anything to win Djaren's heart, were fraught with danger. Most importantly, if Sirius decides to do something, he is truly capable of carrying it out, especially with the power he has now.
"Don't ever think about it! Don't even dream about it!"
“Hmm...”
"Don't fight the ruler! Never!"
“If he can't fight with the ruler...”
When Dearyn saw Sirius's seriousness, the latter no longer insisted on his opinion.
“Okay, tell me, I’ll prepare for it.”
“I will try to win Dyaren’s heart.”
“…huh?”
That was a very normal solution.
Diarine couldn't believe her ears.
Is this really the solution that Sirius came up with?
“As long as you don't hate it.”
“…huh?”
He didn't even put too much pressure on her.
She was used to facing Sirius when he lunged like a mad dog, but she didn't know how to respond when he backed away so suddenly.
“Do you hate that I make an effort to win your heart?”
“Oh, no... not that... just...”
“You hate him?”
“Not exactly...”
Dearyn began to feel very nervous, it was not even in front of the Emperor that she felt this way.
She couldn't look into his eyes, and was twisting her dress nervously.
“But, even if I tried, I wouldn’t accept...and I don’t want to leave things like this and feel guilty...”
“You don't have to feel guilty, Diarren.”
“But...”
“Just trying to get closer to you makes me happy.”
After desperately escaping, she once again found herself in a dead end.
Lately, Sirius had been stalking her a lot. When you look back, you have nowhere to run.
She couldn't say “Do what you want” or “Stop”; She just bowed her head.
She also couldn't say “it'll be different when you meet a really good girl” to Sirius, because she realized that true love was forbidden to princes.
'But, still, I can't.'
If she wasn't a priestess, her life would be empty and nothing.
No matter what Sirius gave her, she didn't want to be an outcast or out of place.
The answer to Ceres' feelings will never change.
In a future that contained nothing but rejection, she didn't want to offer hope.
But at the same time, happiness lay in this moment, so how could she stop?
Her feeling of confusion and anxiety increased.
“First...we have to survive, and then we have to think.”
It's not time to talk about love, but to fight for life.
The Emperor has recognized Sirius as crown prince, but he has not gotten rid of the second prince yet. Any assassin could try to kill Sirius at any time.
“…hmm?”
But isn't this the case on the battlefield or in the palace?
Sirius always lived under the threat of assassination.
He may have been helpless when he was young, but now he has become the strongest warrior who can easily fend off assassination attempts.
“Will he still be alive...?”
Dearyn looked at Sirius and whispered.
Physical strength was a stronger weapon than I expected.
And those who watched today's concert noticed this as well.
Although he is currently weaker than the Second Prince, if his supporters gather, he may surpass the Second Prince's influence, and may weaken the Third Prince a lot.
I remembered the Emperor's mysterious words about the Third Prince.
'What did he mean by the third prince?'
Still don't see the connection.
Certainly the Emperor did not say absurd words; he had a purpose.
“What do you think the reason was?”
“Hmm...”
The Third Prince, the Second Prince Endean, the priest, and the girl.
Even when saying these words out loud, it was very difficult to find a connection between them.
Sirius tried to think for a long time but couldn't find a clear answer.
“First, if we just look at the priest and the girl thing, it looks like the second prince had an affair with a priestess.”
"Yes."
“So saying that seeing the Third Prince next to the Second Prince would be interesting...”
Dayarin repeated the Emperor's words, but suddenly stopped while speaking.
She couldn't believe this was possible, and her thoughts couldn't follow.
But Dearyn knew the secret of Charlotte's holy power, which others did not know.
'If only Charlotte wasn't just an ordinary person with holy power, but a priestess.'
Dearyn's thoughts began to spin rapidly at this sudden possibility.
With this premise, the Emperor's words made perfect sense.
But it was a hypothesis so frightening that he was afraid to utter it.
“I think I understand.”
“What's wrong?”
Sirius, who didn't know that Charlotte held holy power, was still confused.
Deyarin had to explain the situation carefully, because this might be an insult to the royal family.
She moved her lips several times as she chose her words carefully, then she said in a low voice for fear that someone would hear her:
“The Third Prince...”
“Yes.”
“He seems to be the son of the Second Prince.”
“!”
Finally, Sirius moved his eyes, trying to piece things together.
The Emperor's answer was already in his words.
If Charlotte were a priestess, she must have met the prince. It is common for a relationship to occur between a young, good-looking priestess and a prince.
The child born from that relationship carries the symbols of the royal family.
He is eligible to enter the palace. What is the second prince's reaction? What happened that the Emperor accepted the Third Prince as his son?
It is a secret that no one except those involved can know.
"That might not be the case. If it was father and son competing... why would anyone do that?"
The Emperor's words made sense in terms of events, but they did not explain the actions of others.
If the Third Prince was the son of the Second Prince, why would the Second Prince deny his child? Why did the Emperor accept this child as his son? Why are father and son fighting over the throne?
“There are parents who see their children as competitors.”
Sirius said suddenly deep into thought.
The Emperor passed through Dearyn's mind.
The Emperor looked to Sirius not as a father and grandfather of his lost child, but as a gambler recovering a card he had forgotten.
The Emperor was pushing towards a conflict with the Second Prince.
Now Sirius's situation was unstable, so he gave him additional strength to fight evenly.
Deyarin frowned.
She felt like she was being pushed into a game run by others, but she knew there was no other choice.
The priority now is for Sirius to fight the Second Prince and consolidate his position as the Emperor desires.
Thus, the Third Prince was isolated.
“Did the Emperor get rid of the Third Prince?”
To be sure, they had to solve the Emperor's puzzle.
There was a heavy silence between the two, there was no way to know the answer.
At that moment, the silence was interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Who's there?”
The two exchanged glances.
It was a party still in full swing.
Is this someone who came early to stand in line? Or is he a killer who came running?
There is no need to be afraid no matter what.
Sirius suddenly opened the door without answering.
"Yes!"
The person outside the door was surprised and jumped.
“Huh?”
Diarine opened her eyes wide.
Charlotte was standing at the door. She came alone, without a maid.
Did she come to tell them something after she found out what was happening?
“Sorry for the late hour. I came quickly to tell you something important. Please excuse the inconvenience.”
Charlotte was pale and anxious.
Dearyn checked the place behind her, making sure no eyes were watching.
The corridor was empty with no servants as everyone was busy with the party.
“Come in.”
No matter why Charlotte came, she was the one who helped Sirius previously.
If Charlotte had not planned to rehabilitate Unit 8, we would have lost Ceres.
Now that Sirius was the First Prince, the Third Prince became an opponent in the struggle for the throne. But they were able to listen to him.
Charlotte sat in the farthest seat on the sofa.
It was uncomfortable to see someone who was used to sitting in the prestigious seat retreat like this.
Dearyn sat next to Sirius and glanced at the table, not knowing where to look.
“We also just walked in, so we can't serve tea.”
“No! No, I didn’t come for that. Just thank you for letting me in.”
Charlotte nodded very reverently at Dearyn's words.
“What did you come to tell us?”
Kanan Diarin hesitated to ask, but Sirius intervened just in time.
Charlotte entered, nervous, and swallowed dry saliva.
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