The World I Was Supporting Was Real

Episode 26. Eirene von Einsberg (1)

The flash of light from the Bible swallowed everything.

It was the only moment when one could feel the sense of eternity as a human.

A sensation as if becoming one with the light, beyond being engulfed by it, as if the soul would be permeated.

The light was incredibly warm, but instead of accepting that warmth, Eirene applied her way of life as it was.

―What if this is the Saint’s scheme?

Could it be a warning to me, using something like magic?

Even if this side is watching the Saint, the other side would surely know that we are keeping them in check, unless they are fools. At least, Eirene thought it was enough to do such a thing.

―But.

‘……?’

Sensing the intense light, which was so strong that she couldn’t open her eyes, disappearing, Eirene cautiously took in the world again.

Nothing… happened?

First, she looked at her own hands. They were intact. Just like before.

The only surprising thing was… Erin, who was clearly in front of her, was now far away.

She couldn’t see because of the light, but she didn’t feel Erin moving away…?

Erin, holding the Bible preciously to her chest as if it were a sacred relic, looked at her with that usual benevolent smile.

“Saint? Just now, what on earth…?”

Before Eirene could finish her question, Erin gracefully bowed and said,

“I hope it becomes a moment of enlightenment for you, Your Majesty. Then.”

And just as suddenly as she had appeared, she vanished.

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“What… was that…?”

Eirene stared blankly at the back of Saint Erin for a long time.

* * *

That night.

The top floor of the imperial palace in Igogodon – the residence of the royal family.

Looking out the window, the view of the fiefdom of the castle of Igogodon was a scenery allowed only to the royal family.

“Hot water is ready, Your Majesty.”

“Yes. Thank you for your hard work.”

A grand bath the size of an ordinary person’s house.

Rose petals were floating on the water, and several luxurious magical items that emitted a soothing fragrance were placed around the bathtub, adding a touch of luxury to bath time.

Eirene, with only a towel barely covering her, slowly immersed herself in the giant bathtub.

Splash-!

Due to the large area, a huge amount of water spilled out as soon as she entered the bath.

It couldn’t be helped. If you put two watermelon-sized objects in, the water level would naturally rise.

“Umm…”

Eirene enjoyed the primal pleasure that the hot bath provided and recalled the events of the day.

The sudden visit of the saint.

The emotion she felt from her, an emotion she had never felt before – fear.

She was not the type of person who was naturally afraid of anything.

Even though she had heard that the deep forest could be dangerous due to the possibility of monsters appearing, she would spend time exploring the forest without any concern, despite being of royal blood.

For the first time, she felt an overwhelming fear of something. The most surprising thing was that the object of her fear was the saint, known as the symbol of compassion.

“What on earth…?”

When the Bible touched her forehead and light emanated from it, her heart almost stopped… but after that, the light quickly disappeared, and she confirmed that nothing had changed.

Was this the word of God?

She didn’t hear any voice in her head. Religious people often said, “The only God Igogodon has left a message,” but Eirene had never experienced such a religious phenomenon.

Although light emanated from the Bible, the Bible was something sacred to religious people, but it wasn’t such an important element to ordinary people like Eirene.

It wasn’t a miracle in itself; using magic to emit light wasn’t a difficult thing.

Nuns generally knew how to use white magic. Needless to say, the saint, who was at the pinnacle of nuns, would be able to do so.

Despite doubting and doubting again… no clear answer came out.

“…Fine. It must have been some kind of incomprehensible ritual of theirs.”

Eirene thought. There were so many things she couldn’t understand about religious people.

For one, the fact that they exposed women’s chests, calling them sacred power pouches.

What on earth were they thinking, doing something so shameless?

It was common sense for a modest woman to avoid excessive exposure, yet the nuns, as if brainwashed by the mere fact that it was written in the Bible, exposed their chests, which Eirene could not comprehend.

After all, the Bible was written by humans.

Not long ago, the saint claimed to have heard new words from God and burned all the religious paintings and statues they held dear. That, too, was not easily understandable.

“Hoo…”

Eirene leaned to the side.

As she turned her body, her immensely heavy and gigantic chest moved along with her.

The once calm bathtub splashed like a tidal wave.

She had no intention of completely denying religion. To quell the people’s dissatisfaction with their current lives, it was necessary to instill hope for the afterlife.

Moreover, although it had calmed down a bit now, recently, the demons had been stirring again, and there was a possibility that monsters would become active again as they did in the past. Therefore, training priests who could use white magic was extremely important.

Although the Bible of the Gwodun Church contained some incomprehensible doctrines like the sacred power pouches, most of them, when interpreted, were ultimately moderate doctrines like “Live while helping others,” “Do not persecute non-believers,” and “Always do your “best in your position.” From the emperor’s perspective, who had to run the country, it wasn’t a religion that was entirely unpalatable.

“Anyway, it’s important to properly establish Linea as the sole holy knight. At least, as long as the saint has truly appeared in our generation, we must never fall out with the Gwodun Church.”

History has shown what happens to an emperor who loses trust.

After organizing her thoughts to that point, with a flushed face, she was about to once again surrender her body to the supreme pleasure that the hot bath bestowed upon humans—

Creak, the sound of the bathroom door opening was heard.

“Your Majesty! Are you here?!”

At the sound of the maid urgently calling for her, Eirene slightly frowned and turned her head. Being disturbed during a bath was one of the things she hated most in the world.

“Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me during my bath no matter what?”

“II’m sorry! But right now… something big has happened…!”

“…?”

And upon hearing the maid’s next words, Eirene froze in place, her eyes wide open.

“Prince Ares has started a rebellion…!”

* * *

“Huff, huff…”

Following the maid’s guidance, Eirene hurriedly dressed and was running through the dark forest path, having escaped the palace.

Prince Ares’s rebellion.

Since childhood, he had shown exceptional academic aptitude and learning ability, making him the most cherished child of her deceased sister.

At one time, he was highly anticipated as a new talent who would bring prosperity to the royal family. However, as he grew older, he neglected the study of royal governance, which was expected of someone born into royalty, and instead immersed himself in researching inefficient political systems like the republic, which were used in ancient times.

It didn’t matter. The de facto successor, the 1st Princess Yuria, was learning the art of ruling.

Even if something happened to her, there was still the 2nd Princess Linea, so there was no need to put Ares on the throne.

But.

The fact that he, so timid, would lead a rebellion was still hard to believe.

The most unbelievable thing was――

‘That I didn’t know about it?’

If it was enough to start a rebellion, it should have reached my ears…

Was there something I missed?

Not someone else, but me??

No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t think of any force that would back him.

And the others. Where were the 1st and 2nd Princesses and what were they doing?

For a moment, she thought it was all a dream, but-

“Find the Emperor!!”

“Capture the witch who defies the times and offers her as a sacrifice to the heavens!”

The cries of the angry rebels made her realize once again that this was reality.

“Your Majesty! This way!”

At the moment when she was following the soldiers who were protecting her out of the royal castle.

―Thud

“……!!!”

One of the soldiers leading her fell, struck by an arrow.

After that, a barrage of arrows began to fly towards them.

“Your Majesty! Take cover! Hurry!”

The remaining soldiers immediately showed themselves to respond, but… the situation was too unfavorable.

‘Damn it…!’

Eirene hesitated for a moment, then quickly moved on her own.

“The Emperor is escaping! Over there!”

* * *

“Huff, huff…!”

The dark night streets of the besieged castle.

She kept running through the narrow alleys, but… she could feel her sense of direction fading away.

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There is a carriage at the southern gate’s outpost. I just need to escape on it…!

“They ran this way! Search everywhere!”

“Don’t let the emperor escape!”

‘Damn it…!’

Is this the end?

The final conclusion of my life… to be killed by my son, the son of my sister whom I raised in her steady, in a rebellion?!

‘Don’t make me laugh…!’

Eirene bit her lip hard. Hard enough to draw blood.

But all she could taste was the metallic tang of blood, and it didn’t solve anything.

I need to escape… Beyond that alley, she could faintly see the light of torches.

Quickly turning her head, she saw the same light there too.

‘No…!!!’

Blocked in front and behind.

At the moment she was about to be caught here without a doubt!

“This way!”

“…!!!”

Eirene instinctively threw herself towards the direction of the voice.

With a clatter, she heard the sound of a wooden door closing, realizing she was now inside a building.

The room was… too dark to see clearly.

“Please be quiet! Here, under this.”

A man’s voice. Yes. It was a man’s voice.

Eirene hid under the table as he instructed.

Soon, she heard someone roughly pounding on the door.

“What is it?”

“Hey. Have you seen a person? A woman with blonde hair wearing a ceremonial dress.”

Thump, thump.

Eirene’s heart pounded so hard it felt like it would burst, but she somehow managed to cover her mouth with her hand to stifle her breathing.

“No. I’m a heavy sleeper… I didn’t hear anyone passing by.”

“If you see her, report to the palace immediately. Despite her pretty face, she’s committed a very heinous crime. Got it?”

“I will remember.”

After the door closed and the sound of soldiers moving in unison subsided…

The man lit the lantern and approached Eirene.

“You can come out now.”

Eirene slowly emerged from under the desk—

‘…!’

For the first time, she could see the man’s face.

Black hair and black eyes. Hair aside, it was the first time she had seen someone with such deep black eyes.

She was momentarily surprised by his appearance, which resembled that of a foreigner from the distant Eastern Continent. But she quickly realized he was a religious man.

After all, he was dressed in the distinctive attire of a priest and held a Bible in his hand.

“…I owe you.”

“It’s nothing. Are you being chased?”

“Yes.”

“Did you commit a crime?”

“….”

Should I tell this stranger that I am Empress Eirene and that a rebellion has broken out in the royal palace?

No, of course not. There is no one in this world I can trust.

Even so, his eyes seemed friendly. This was a moment when she had to take advantage of his goodwill.

“I did not commit a crime. I was framed.”

“I see.”

“Do you believe me?”

The man smiled gently.

“Yes. It is God’s will not to doubt people recklessly. So…”

“Rinasita. That is my name.”

Eirene skillfully uttered the alias.

The man smiled again, as if grateful, and extended his hand to Eirene.

“I believe you, Rinasita. My name is… Igeon.”

“Igeon?”

“Yes, Igeon.”

What a unique name.

Without much thought, Eirene took the man’s hand.

That was my first encounter with him.