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(City of Lunarian- Inner Region)

(Imperial Palace Complex- Private Room)

"You may stay here," Saintess Marie gently ordered as she turned to face the squad of holy knights accompanying her.

"Yes, my lady," a female knight with short hair responded.

She bore a faint resemblance to Claire and Saintess Marie could not help but give her another look with an unknown emotion hidden in her gaze.

Saintess Marie\'s personal guards had been replaced a few years ago after it was discovered that their holy aura and strength had regressed significantly.

The holy knights lined up along the sides of the corridor and made sure that no one would approach the room.

Saintess Marie tapped her knuckles against the wooden door in front of her and a warm smile flashed across her face.

Knock! Knock!

"Marie?! Is that you?" an excited voice came from the other side.

The door swung open, and Prince Raul emerged with a wide smile on his face. He wore an expensive black shirt that was adorned with golden threads.

He hurriedly reached for Saintess Marie\'s hand and held it tightly. Marie stared at him with a look of deep affection that made his heart race.

There was no one in the empire who could compare to the saintess\' beauty.

Saintess Marie had shoulder length hair that was completely silver and a voluptuous figure that radiated charm and temptation.

Her lips were full and kissable, and her golden eyes shone with purity and grace. She possessed a cute button nose, thin eyebrows and soft cheekbones.

Prince Raul did not even realise that he was staring for too long until Saintess Marie gently cleared her throat.

"Please… please… come inside," Prince Raul whispered softly as he led his fiancée inside the room and closed the door behind them with a dull thud.

Prince Raul\'s study was surprisingly barebones with minimum decorations and no expensive portraits hung on the walls.

There was only a single desk in the center of the room and a few chairs in front of a crackling fireplace in the corner.

Rows upon rows of books were placed on a wooden bookshelf that stretched across the length of half the room.

Marie walked towards a chair near the fireplace and Prince Raul stood silently by her side as she looked at the flames.

There was a comfortable silence between the pair as Marie bowed her head and seemed to be contemplating something.

Prince Raul did not rush her to speak and patiently waited as the saintess gathered her thoughts together.

"How have you been?" Saintess Marie finally spoke.

"More lords have come over to my side and my half siblings seem to be getting more desperate now that it seems clear that they have no chance to succeed," Prince Raul proudly stated.

"But… well… the only issue… is…"

The prince hesitated for a moment as he stared at his beautiful fiancée who was the perfect image of a pure and kind lady of faith.

"Um… The…. I… I know that you have no choice but is it possible to slow down the arrests? Some of the nobles have been complaining in court," Prince Raul stammered as he spoke.

"My love…" Saintess Marie laughed gently as she beckoned for the prince to lean in closer. She raised up her hand and lovingly stroked the side of his cheek.

​ "I\'m doing this for you… a new emperor will always be suppressed by those greedy noble families."

"You are the future of the empire… we need to make an example out of those nobles who would seek to curb your power."

Saintess Marie\'s eyes shone eerily as she continued to whisper poisonous words in the prince\'s ear.

She stoked his ambition, his pride and his sense of self-worth.

In Saintess Marie\'s eyes, the esteemed crown prince was nothing more than a puppet who danced to the tune of her strings.

Love?

There was no place for love in the heart of the emissary of the Lord of Light. Saintess Marie was prepared to dedicate her life and her entire being to the Varion Church.

No matter the cost.

A face flashed across Saintess Marie\'s mind and for a brief moment the soft expression on her face cracked.

Fortunately, the crown prince did not seem to notice since he continued to indulge in the fantasies that Marie had created about their future together.

The saintess painted a picture of harmony between the church and the royal family where his children would become the leaders of both.

An unprecedent era of Imperial power would begin with him as the first emperor of the new age.

"My dear fiancée… I\'m sorry for ever doubting you… can you forgive me?" Prince Raul humbly asked as he bowed his head.

"My love… there is nothing to forgive," Saintess Marie smiled as she pressed her lips against the prince\'s cheek.

A fearsome blush spread across her face, and she appeared to be a maiden swept off her feet by a handsome prince.

Only the saintess knew that her actions were nothing more than another layer of disguise that she wrapped around her true rotten personality.

"My prince… let us discuss lighter matters," Saintess Marie suggested as she stretched out her hand and felt the warmth of the fireplace.

Minutes slowly turned to hours as the saintess and the prince casually chatted about insignificant topics.

Saintess Marie glanced out of the window and saw that the sun was now beginning to set on the horizon.

"Darling… it is time for me to go," Saintess Marie said sadly as tears began to fall down her cheeks.

"Can you stay for the night?" Prince Raul asked with concern as he grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped her tears away.

"I\'m sorry my love but there are important matters to attend to in the church… I will visit you as soon as possible," Saintess Marie declared firmly.

The lovers embraced under the warm afternoon light and Saintess Marie left the room under the watchful gaze of the future emperor.

The saintess let out a heavy sigh as she walked out of the room as her thoughts began to drift in strange directions.

"You… come and stay by my side," Saintess Marie called out to the short-haired paladin. The female knight quickly obeyed her command and rushed over to the saintess.

Saintess Marie stared at the female knight who obeyed her instantly and was suddenly struck by an overwhelming wave of boredom.

She was no Claire. This woman was merely a fake.

All she possessed was a somewhat familiar appearance but none of Claire\'s stubbornness.

The saintess buried those thoughts in the back of her mind and walked towards the palace exit.

She was followed closely by her squad of holy paladins who stared at the saintess with expressions of reverence and loyalty.