# 98
Dearyn taught Sirius how to cry slowly instead of screaming.
“Just say ‘here’ and bury your face in my shoulder.”
"thus?"
Sirius buried his face in Dearyn's shoulder and hugged her. His cheek was rubbing her shoulder.
After obtaining permission, he felt as if he had the opportunity, and he clearly expressed his happiness.
“Less hugging.”
“It's hard.”
“You're good at everything else, but this is hard!”
Dearyn felt that Sirius was becoming more adept at deceiving her.
Sirius raised his head and looked at Dearen with eyes full of astonishment.
“It's real.”
“…”
Can he stay like this?! His eyes did not blink, not even for a moment.
Diaren realized that from the beginning he knew how to play the role, until it seemed as if everything was part of a terrifying trick.
“Are you leaving me here?”
“…It's hard, but I can.”
She was thinking of backing down and getting away from the situation.
“It's been a long time...it's over...”
She felt like she wanted to leave Sirius and go.
But she didn't hate him or reject him, just at that moment, she felt a strong desire to escape responsibility.
“If you can do it, then we're done. Let's go.”
Then Dearyn took his hand, carefully adjusted his appearance, and then held him with her arm.
Inside the palace, women prefer to walk with their arms crossed, because walking too far apart might seem unnatural, so Dearyn intertwined her arm with Sirius' arm.
But just before the door opened, Sirius suddenly said:
“There's someone outside the door.”
"person?"
Is he a killer?
Deyarin's steps froze and stopped near the door.
But Sirius shook his head and opened the door forcefully.
"Oh, my God!"
“Ahhh!”
"Yes!"
People fell into the corridor as the door suddenly opened.
Deyarin opened her eyes wide and looked at the fallen people.
There were people Deyarin had seen before, some she had encountered once or twice on the way, and some who were completely unknown.
“What are you doing here?...Count Letty O.”
“Ahaha! Letty? No, we didn’t say that, did we? We should call him Hulian.”
Among these was also Hulian.
“Leite, the legendary Duke of Rituo,” but in reality, there was nothing legendary. In front of her was only the drunk Hulian.
When Deyarin was serving as a priestess, she wouldn't even dare to look at the Duke of Retiu, but now, after she was a Deyarin priestess, she looked at him with disdain and crossed her arms in front of her chest.
“Yes, Hulian, what were you doing here listening to this visit as if you were spying?”
“No, because I heard the sound of crying...”
"…Yes."
Dearyn looked at Sirius quickly and gave him a nod. Sirius stared uncomprehendingly, but suddenly reached out to bury his face in Dearyn's shoulder as he had practiced.
“Here.”
“Oh, what did you do?”
“Why would you say something like that?”
Although the acting was weak compared to last time, the loud sound of crying had already spread, and everyone had fallen into the trap.
Holian kept apologizing for his strange behavior.
“Oh, sorry, but where are you going after all this crying?”
“I will go to the temple to seek some rest.”
“Do you know the way?”
Hulian looked happy, and his eyes sparkled.
“No…actually, I don’t know.”
“Then, let's go together! The road is too complicated!”
“Yes, we will be walking for a long time.”
Deyarin retreated due to the excessive enthusiasm of the people around her.
Was it right for her to drag herself after crazy crowds like this?
“Also, on the road or at the temple you may encounter people from the Second Prince’s family.”
"Yes…."
I hadn't thought about this aspect.
She had always been trapped in the Third Prince's Palace, so she had never thought about this possibility.
At least in this place the new members of the Third Prince's class could have been more friendly, but if she met someone from the hostile party, the Second Prince's family, she couldn't predict what would happen.
She didn't know how much she could deal with these people, especially since she didn't know anything about politics within the palace.
“So, can you guide us?”
"Of course! Let's go!"
Houlian simply took the initiative and offered his arm to Deyarin.
It was normal for the person walking in front to accompany the person he considered more important, but Dayaren smiled and politely declined. Because she knew that would mean Sirius would have to accompany another woman.
“Sirius doesn’t like to be in front...”
“Oh, yes. Right.” Hulian did not insist on the matter further, and gently pulled his arm.
“I heard you didn't even give a kiss on the back of Lady Arrian's hand at the opera?”
“…”
Palace rumors were spreading very quickly. Dearyn closed her mouth and continued walking silently. The best way to deal with rumors is to ignore them and move on.
“This is the way.” Hulian did not insist more, but continued to walk more quickly. Dozens of people walked behind him, as if they were an army.
In the palace, battles are not fought with fists, but with the tongue and prestige. Sirius's combat ability was not a weapon of much use in the palace. In this sense, his escorts from the Third Prince's Palace were a powerful support. Once out of the Third Prince's Palace, the situation became more stable.
On the way to the temple, there were people from the Third Prince's Palace and others from the Second Prince's Palace.
“It's not a time for rituals, but they are very faithful.” Hulian muttered something like a snort. From someone like Hulian, who didn't seem like he would head to a temple in his life, this was a strange comment.
But the people in the Third Prince's Palace, who always went to the temple to pray, obviously only exchanged light greetings when they passed by. However, there were those from the Second Prince's Palace who looked at them with sharp gazes.
“It seems that their relationship is not good.” “The factions have long been divided, so this is not surprising.”
Surely, if the division had started since Sybian's birth, the wound would be deep enough.
“But I did not expect that they would show such open hostility.” “Recently, the situation has been getting worse. The Second Prince is finally starting to... seem to be seeking to consolidate his position.”
Even Hulian, who seemed unconcerned about anything, had to be careful with his speech. Although he spoke indirectly, Dayaren completely understood what he meant. Endlessly postponing the appointment of the Crown Prince was the reason.
After the disappearance of the first prince, it was expected that the second prince would become the crown prince, but the appearance of the third prince changed everything. As the Third Prince's power increased, the Second Prince began to make great efforts to become the Crown Prince, exploiting all means, and his advisors were leaving nothing to chance.
Dearyn pulled Sirius's arm and walked quickly to hide his face as much as possible. Sirius was the final blow against the Second Prince, so it was best to hide him. Since people were walking around, it would be difficult to recognize Ceres from afar. It was fortunate that Hulian suggested to accompany them. If I can get some good wine in the future, it would be better if I gift it to him.
“We've arrived. We'll wait outside.” Hulian took a step back in front of the temple.
“Why?”
“If we come in smelling of wine, the priests will get angry.”
As expected, Hulian was smelling of wine today as well. Even if Deyarin had been a priestess, she would have blamed him.
The temple waters seem to have receded a lot. She couldn't doubt that the person who drank was going to the temple from the beginning.
“Then I will go and come back.”
“Yes, make sure you get it out before you come back.”
Hulian stayed at the entrance, and some people entered the temple together.
But they did not appear to be among those who regularly visit the temple to pray.
"What is this?"
“These are the ruler’s sacred tears. We collect them so that we do not forget that the ruler is always watching us and crying for us. Wipe your finger with them and place them on your forehead.”
"Wow, interesting. Do I do this? And what is this?"
“Yes, that's right. This is the food the ruler gave us, and we collected the grains as a symbol of it. You can take a grain and put it in your mouth.”
Deyarin was kindly explaining and helping them one by one.
The druid side of Deyaren, which had been forgotten for a long time, had resurfaced after a long time.
People seemed to enjoy the new experience as they laughed merrily as they entered the temple.
Dearyn approached Sirius, who remained behind them.
“Is this your first time here?”
"Yes."
Dearyn took Sirius's hand, and almost began to teach him as she did with the others, but suddenly she stopped when an idea came to her mind. Instead, she grabbed the holy water and applied it to her forehead and then to Ceres' forehead.
Sirius looked at her in astonishment, blinking his eyes.
“The governor cares for you and cries for you.”
Then she put three pills on his lips. Sirius opened his mouth and gently took the pills with the tip of his tongue.
The soft, red feel of his tongue brushed against Dearyn's fingertips before disappearing between his lips.
She left the soft, sexy touch on her fingertips.
Dayarin was taken aback for a moment, but she regained her focus and continued praying.
“May the ruler fill your heart with peace.”
This was a blessing from the priest given only on special days.
Deyarin was praying more sincerely than ever, wishing that the ruler would touch this unfortunate man with his care.
She was silent for a while, hoping that the fate of his life would not be painful anymore, and she prayed with deep sincerity.
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