“Can I continue?”

When Belladonna asked cautiously, Escalion answered.

“Go on.”

“Then, then… Starting from the day I was kidnapped by those targeting jewelry and lost consciousness, I gained holy power instead of losing my voice. Just like the real Saint Belladonna.”

As she mentioned that day, Escalion’s expression quickly sank.

He seemed to be recalling the gloomy and dark atmosphere of Gribblata Castle at that time and their relationship that had sharply diverged and coldly sunk.

“So at that time… You really couldn’t speak.”

“That’s right. And since I lost consciousness again yesterday, my voice has been coming out well like this.”

“That means…”

“Yes, I think I’ve lost my holy power now.”

Belladonna said, shrugging her shoulders just as he had done.

Escalion quietly looked at Belladonna with a still confused face.

It was a face that seemed to be pondering whether to believe these stories now or consider them nonsense.

Eventually, he opened his mouth.

“The reason… for telling me this?”

“Because I don’t want to hide anything.”

At her words, Escalion closed his mouth.

Belladonna continued to speak.

“When I parted with you unable to speak, I was really frustrated. From then on, I thought that if my voice ever returned, I should tell you everything.”

“…”

“Whether you believe my story or not, that’s up to Escalion. I just… wanted to say that. I wanted to honestly share my story. Even if nothing changes because of it.”

Soon, silence fell in the bedroom.

Belladonna blinked with a lighter heart than before after revealing everything. Is this enough…

She felt refreshed yet somehow empty, like having a long-aching tooth pulled out.

“I really don’t know… what to say.”

“I’d feel the same way.”

“It feels like I’m the one dreaming, not you.”

“That too.”

Escalion let out a short sigh-like breath and spoke in a low, sinking voice.

“If this is really true… Why did this happen to you? Where on earth did the real saint go?”

“That’s what I’m trying to find out now.”

“…”

After the brief conversation, silence fell again.

Belladonna spoke up, feeling uncomfortable.

“If you’re thinking of divorcing me because of that…”

“What?”

At her words, Escalion immediately raised his head. He frowned and asked back.

“Why is the conversation suddenly jumping to that again?”

“Huh?”

“Why is divorce coming up when things were going well?”

“Well, that’s…”

Belladonna blinked blankly with her eyes wide open.

Escalion married me thinking I was the saint, but now that it’s revealed I’m not, couldn’t he…?

Escalion raised one hand to ruffle the back of his head and blurted out.

“Please stop talking about divorce. Every time that word comes up, I feel my heart sinking.”

“But still, Escalion, you came all the way here with divorce papers to give me yourself!”

“That’s…”

This time, he stumbled over his words, trailing off.

After sitting with his brows furrowed for a moment, he raised his head to meet Belladonna’s gaze.

“Bella.”

Escalion opened his mouth, looking into her eyes.

“I’m basically a fool who knows nothing about you. Even before hearing this story, in Astanya and in Gribblata, you were always difficult for me.”

Belladonna couldn’t say anything.

“What you’re saying now, of course I can’t believe it. That you in front of my eyes are not the saint of Astanya… It feels like you’re teasing me again, but also like you’re telling a truth you couldn’t tell anyone else, damn it.”

Escalion, who had been speaking calmly, muttered with his head bowed down.

Belladonna bit her lower lip, feeling sorry for him like that.

Indeed, was it too confusing a story? Such a story that even I myself can’t believe…

“But.”

Escalion, who had been bowing his head, said firmly.

“There’s only one thing I know for sure, even though I don’t know anything.”

Belladonna stared at him as he slowly raised his head.

Looking at the golden eyes gradually being revealed, she felt her heart starting to beat a little faster.

“That I love you very much.”

Belladonna felt dizzy and held her breath.

“Whether you’re the saint of Astanya or the daughter of some unknown farmer in the countryside, I don’t care about any of that crap.”

“…”

“I just seem to love this woman in front of me.”

Her lips trembled.

Belladonna bowed her head to hide the tears that burst out without her realizing.

“Even after hearing such an unbelievable story, I’m just glad you’re sitting safely in front of me.”

“…”

Escalion grabbed her chin and lifted it.

“I didn’t mean to make you cry.”

“That was totally meant to make me cry.”

“But it’s true. Whatever you look like, I’ve become like this. That’s why I came all the way here to get you, throwing away all my pride.”

Escalion moved his fingers to wipe away the tears flowing down Belladonna’s cheeks.

It was a clumsy touch, but gentle.

“You must have had a hard time alone hiding such a huge secret all this time.”

Belladonna nodded, trying hard to hold back the tears that kept coming.

Escalion chuckled as he looked at her.

“You look like you’ve been through a lot. You’ve worked hard.”

He grabbed Belladonna and pulled her into his arms.

Belladonna embraced his broad back tightly, welcoming his warmth.

Between their pressed chests, a low voice resonated.

“What do you want me to do? Whatever it is, I’ll do it for you.”

Belladonna sniffled instead of answering.

What I want…

“Would you like me to help reveal to everyone that you’re not really the saint of Astanya? I’ve received an annoying title from His Majesty the Emperor, so my voice is louder than others. I thought it was a completely useless position, but it might be useful.”

“That’s…”

“Or if you want me to just keep my mouth shut and not make a fuss, I can do that too.”

At Escalion’s nonchalant words, Belladonna burst into a small laugh.

Escalion hugged her even tighter.

Belladonna, nestled in his warm body, slowly opened her mouth.

“I haven’t thought about whether to reveal the truth or bury it yet. Because if that fact is revealed, it could cause great confusion in the Elinerus Empire.”

“That’s true too.”

“Right now, I’m trying to figure out why I was reborn in Saint Belladonna’s body. For now, I think I should start with that…”

Belladonna briefly explained about the traces of the saint she had found so far, the key, and the records and the potion she thought was medicine.

Escalion just listened to her story silently without any response.

“So now, there’s only one key left.”

“Bella, to be honest, I…”

Escalion, who had been sitting without answering until then, opened his mouth.

“I’d like you to stop all that investigation or whatever and come back to Gribblata with me. With you drinking poison this time and the wounds on your body, I’ve realized that this place is no longer safe for you.”

Belladonna quietly raised her head.

“I don’t care at all what you look like. Whether you’re a saint or not, whether you can use that damn holy power or not, whether your voice comes out or not… I just want to take you in my arms back to my castle.”

“Escalion…”

“Honestly, it’s hard for me to hear about those dangerous things you said you did here. If something really bad had happened, I…”

Escalion let out a sigh as if trying to suppress his rising anger.

Before he could explode again, Belladonna quickly opened her mouth.

“I understand.”

“…”

“I wanted to go back to Gribblata with you too. Really.”

Escalion quietly lowered his golden eyes to look at her.

“This is really true! You don’t still doubt my sincerity after I’ve told you everything like this, do you?”

“Alright, I got it.”

He raised one hand and placed it on top of her head, ruffling it somewhat roughly.

Belladonna squeezed her eyes shut at her messed-up hair.

Escalion pulled her back into his arms with a low groan.

“Then let’s go back, to our home.”

Belladonna nodded and burrowed deeper into his embrace.

Let’s go back, to our home.

She herself felt that Astanya was no longer safe for her.

The investigation about the saint was something she started feeling she should do while waiting for Escalion, but now that he was back, she strongly wanted to follow him back without thinking about anything else.

‘But…’

In Escalion’s broad chest, Belladonna secretly frowned.

He had returned as she had so wished, and now all that was left was to go back to Gribblata with him, but strangely her heart didn’t feel at ease.

What is this uneasy feeling?

‘Is it because I didn’t finish the investigation perfectly? Or because I lost my holy power again…?’

Although she couldn’t exactly identify what this feeling was, Belladonna forcibly shook her head.

Now that Escalion is by my side like this, this is enough. Belladonna tightened her arms around him even more.

For now… this is enough.

The next day, Belladonna blinked her eyes as she looked around the neatly tidied room.

Whatever Escalion had said to the Pope and how he had said it, he had left to meet the Pope as soon as dawn broke, and returned with a calm face, casually blurting out.

And really, the priestesses who followed him in packed her belongings one by one and moved them all outside.

Belladonna felt dejected and dropped her shoulders.

‘I never knew leaving could be this easy.’

By this point, her past days of struggling to escape this place felt utterly futile and fleeting.

Belladonna fiddled with the hem of the clothes she was wearing and then got up from her seat.

I probably don’t need to say goodbye to the Pope separately, right? After Escalion discovered traces of violence on Belladonna’s body, it would be equally uncomfortable for both parties, so she didn’t feel like meeting him.

Besides, he might try to forcibly hold me back somehow…

Let’s run away quickly before I change my mind!

Belladonna hurriedly moved her steps towards the papal court garden where Escalion would be waiting.

“Saint!”

At that moment, someone’s voice calling her was heard from the other end of the corridor.