Count Flores, the local Lord, had been suffering lately.
In the Holy City, his status wouldn't count as a major noble, but in this border town, he was practically a local king.
"C-Count... you don't have to do this personally."
"..."
Nearby, a groom watched tremblingly. In their eyes, the high-and-mighty noble lord was carefully wiping the back of a brown mare.
"..."
Unluckily.
The horse dropped a fresh pile of dung right onto the Count's expensive sheepskin boots. The faces of the grooms standing nearby turned green.
Would they be executed on the spot because of this steaming pile of shit?!
"What are you standing there for? Shovel it clean!"
But the Count simply pulled off his boots, tossed them away, and continued smoothing the mare's fur.
The stable was thick with an unbearable stench.
But what could he do?
That woman carrying the Royal Family's most precious gems was someone he couldn't afford to offend!
She claimed that his negligence regarding the bandits' true intentions warranted this; letting him experience the life of a groom was already the height of leniency.
What the hell were living corpses anyway?
Forget it.
Since things had come to this, he might as well caress this mare. Thinking about it, let the big shots handle the major crises. He could hide in the stables smelling horse manure and stay out of trouble—it fit his family's ancestral motto of the "Middle Way."
Thinking this way, the Count felt the smell wasn't so bad after all.
He hoped that after this "punishment," he would never have to see that young groom again. Unstable people were not to his liking.
Inside the room.
Elisa looked over the investigation report brought by the guards.
"Your Highness, tracing the path forward, we easily found several deserted villages."
"I heard that half a month ago, there were missionaries distributing strange pills claimed to grant blessings."
"..."
The young knight knelt before her, paused, and continued, "We couldn't find the pills they spoke of, and I couldn't delve deeper into another country's territory. But I managed to buy silver crosses sold by those missionaries from a local noble."
"..."
That silver cross was very familiar to Elisa.
Holding it in her palm, it emitted a slight burning sensation. In the past, she would have been paralyzed, unable to move.
"Good work. There's no need to scout for more information for now."
"Yes, ma'am!"
"..."
After the knight left, Elisa took out a quill. Dipping it in ink, she began to write.
If expanding territory was to find Silas, then completely crushing the Church was, for the Princess, a matter of both national and personal vengeance.
She had to negotiate quickly with neighboring countries to see their stance... if they refused to assist in the investigation, she might need to use the economic sanctions Silas had written about to teach them a lesson.
Mmh.
That man, though he stared at her feet and breasts every day both a century ago and now, was very clever.
Compared to bloody warfare, Elisa loved this so-called "economic war." She could make countries smaller than Igna submit without shedding a drop of blood.
"..."
She finished the letter.
Elisa glanced out the window. It was nearly dark.
But there was still no sign of Silas returning.
She unconsciously rubbed her temples. Could that annoying nun be up to something extra again?
She had already done that with him. If it came to a struggle now, she would never show mercy. It was only because the Noye Church hadn't left any evidence for her to grab, and their reputation among the people was indeed excellent, that she hadn't used force.
She first went to the stables to check on the Count.
She found the Lord wasn't just paying lip service; he was indeed working in the stables. He had cast aside his dignity.
The crime of negligence was half-real and half-pretext.
The connection between the bandits and the Church of Rome was something even the Holy City only vaguely knew. Even if the Lord's procrastination allowed the bandits to run wild for a while, he wouldn't be blamed too harshly. Since they were hiding in such a place, it technically involved diplomatic issues.
But providing Silas with such a trashy living environment... the personal grudge was very real.
Couldn't he have at least given him an extra blanket?
Because of that, when she was pressed down by that man, her back was itchy and sore from the hay.
Too much!
He actually dared to press a reigning Empress into a pile of straw.
She had to take him back and punish him severely. Once Elisa discarded the fact that he didn't remember, everything else seemed like a benefit.
For example...
Before, she could only be forced; now, could she reverse the roles? Thinking about it, if she stood there and disdainfully extended her toe for him to worship, it felt... like it would be very enjoyable.
Right?
She should rightfully ride on top of him. Let him see the strength of royalty and a succubus!
"..."
Leaving the Lord's mansion.
Elisa called the guards to prepare a carriage and personally headed to the convent. That stinky nun—this ends now. If she kept chirping, Elisa would smash her tits flat.
If she has the guts, let her show her tentacles in the convent!
Elisa had thought it through thoroughly.
Her Sandman powers could be used anywhere, but the nun was different.
"Just who is this guy? Is the confession booth open only for him?"
"Exactly, my legs are going numb from standing. If his sins are that big, he should go to court."
"Actually... I was at the very front, and I seemed to hear some strange sounds... Mmh, like someone was crying."
"What? The confessor cried? I didn't hear crying, just clap, clap, clap... like someone was slapping themselves. Maybe the sinner is in real pain. Forget it, the sisters said the booth will open again tomorrow. Sigh, it's just that it might not be the Arch-Nun listening tomorrow."
"..."
On the way, Elisa encountered many people discussing how the confession booth had been occupied by a certain person for a long time.
The Arch-Nun?
That nun. Can't even handle a small thing like this; does she have to waste so much time?
Elisa didn't care much.
Arriving at the outskirts of the convent, she told the guards to wait by the carriage.
She entered the convent openly.
At the confession booth, some people had left out of impatience. But many were still waiting.
It wasn't like what she heard on the road—someone hogging the booth. The line moved forward every few minutes.
"..."
Elisa's unique aura and appearance attracted many stares. She didn't care; her nose twitched.
"Move."
The next second, she forcefully pushed through the crowd. She squeezed to the very front.
"I just don't know how to face... eek?!"
The woman confessing inside was startled by the door being suddenly shoved open.
"..."
Elisa still didn't care. She lifted the small window of the partition and saw a similarly surprised nun inside.
"You... how can you just barge in?"
"..."
Not the Arch-Nun. Just an ordinary sister.
The musky scent in the air was very faint. Ordinary people probably couldn't smell it.
"What are you doing? This is where the Church performs holy confession..."
"..."
Elisa used her Sandman power. The nun went silent; the people in line and the woman confessing all tilted their heads and fell asleep on the spot.
"Before this, who was here with your Arch-Nun?"
"...A groom with a very handsome smile."
"What did they do here?!"
"...I don't know. The groom seemed to have a lot to say. The Arch-Nun is very responsible. Perhaps he has a tragic past; her eyes were red when she came out."
"Did they... do it here?!"
"I don't know. But the clergy of the Church vow to devote their lives to the Merciful God. The Arch-Nun would not do such a thing. Even though she is beautiful. The Noye Church is not to be desecrated."
"..."
Actually.
Elisa already knew the answer the moment she walked in. It was pointless to ask a hypnotized ordinary nun.
That scent of sexual union belonged exclusively to him.
"..."
Elisa didn't choose to wake them up immediately.
She didn't want to deal with them.
She followed the scent to the living quarters of the convent.
"Hah... so much again."
Slurp~
"Mr. Silas, I'll... give you a paizuri."
"..."
Elisa's hearing was very sharp.
She felt what she should do was burst in and demand why. Not use her power to hide her presence.
She couldn't see anything. The door didn't happen to leave a crack for her.
But she could hear everything.
"Ah... you came so suddenly. Did it feel good?"
"I... I want to feel good too."
"..."
She could imagine it all based on the flirtatious gasps and words.
"I am your wife... even if you stay soft and just keep it inside without moving, I'll be happy."
"Ugh, as expected... it gets hard again. If Mr. Silas is tired... just holding me is fine. Hah... so deep... gluck."
"..."
Why didn't he argue?
Wife.
If the nun saying "He is my husband" was true... then what was she?
The first Empress in history to be dumped by her husband on her wedding night?