I’m a Fake Saintess But the Gods Are Obsessed With Me

“I heard that Reihausd has started working at the temple again.”

I smiled brightly at Kyle’s voice.

“Yes, the priestesses are watching Lane with sincerity.”

The treatment of taking advantage of the outside wind seemed to have had an effect, as Reihausd regained his former condition.

The look in his eyes as he handed me a well-wrapped whip as a gift remained vivid in my memory.

Right. This is the most Reihausd-like look.

“…That’s a relief.”

Kyle pursed his lips with an expression that said he didn’t dislike it at all.

We were now in the hunting grounds of the Kinston Mountains.

Today was the day of the Hunting Festival, and we entered here together as I had talked to him before.

Although Shane sighed again, there was no way Kyle would care about that.

“It rained a lot yesterday, so the soil is wet.”

As I spoke while looking at the floor, Kyle took out the bow without saying a word.

Then he aimed the bowstring and fired straight away.

I hear the sound of something being hit and falling.

The soldiers hurriedly ran towards it,

“What was that just now?”

“A deer.”

He answered succinctly.

As a sword master with excellent visual acuity, he shoots straight at anything hidden at a distance that can’t be seen.

“Didn’t you hear what Sir Shane said? If Your Imperial Majesty steps forward, it will destroy the ecosystem.”

“Is he telling me to do it in moderation?”

He asked me with a listless expression.

When I didn’t react, his lips moved slightly next.

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other, so I can’t help it.”

“…”

“It’s hard for even an emperor to control his desire to impress the woman he loves.”

I chuckled and deliberately looked somewhere else.

Kyle is always like that.

Even though he acts stiff and uninteresting, he can shake one’s heart with just one word or action.

And then.

Suddenly, my horse raised its front paws and started moving its body as if struggling.

I almost fell, and Kyle caught me in his arms. It was then that a large tree fell forward.

Kyle, who quickly mounted my horse, grabbed the reins and turned the horse’s head.

“Aagkh!”

The soldiers’ sounds of surprise were heard.

I turned my head and looked at Kyle.

“I thought something… would happen.”

The black pile fell down the slope and piled up on the tree.

There was only one road, and it separated us from the soldiers.

“Your Imperial Majesty the Emperor, are you okay?”

A knight’s panicked voice was heard.

“I am. It looks like the Saintess wasn’t hurt either.”

Kyle’s firm chest was pressed against my back.

My heart was pounding.

“What should we do? It looks like the road is completely blocked.”

Kyle spoke in a low voice at my words.

“I guess we should go back.”

Suddenly, a rumor floating around in the world came to my mind.

This is also the purpose of Kyle’s participation in this hunting festival.

“Towards Els Valley.”

I nodded.

Anyway, I wasn’t afraid when I was with Kyle.

We rode horses and rode through the hunting grounds.

“Running together like this…”

I heard his voice in my ear.

“I remember one time I was riding a horse.”

Kyle’s words reminded me of a previous incident.

Heat immediately rose to my cheeks.

It was my first time. Holding his strong body…

I didn’t know at the time. That it wouldn’t be the last.

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, blushes.]

[The God of Art, Mond, turns his head with a bitter expression, saying that he only recognizes that part of Kyle’s body.]

“That tree… hasn’t been regrown yet.”

On the road to Els Valley, I pointed to a tree that was charred and becoming a part of nature.

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, smokes a whole candle.]

Looked like he knew what he was being told to listen to.

At that time, I turned off the oracle for a while, and then lightning struck.

“If you think about it, we had so many memories.”

I heard Kyle’s soft voice.

And after a while he asked me.

“But that cave.”

I looked at the cave where Kyle’s fingertips were pointing.

That is the place where we once avoided blood.

“I think I can hear a puppy whining over there.”

“…”

[The God of Justice, Hetuse, puts down his fishing pole, saying that Ciel is manipulating him.]

[The God of Benevolence, Oman, argues that there is no need to be strict, as it’s good for both parties to take a break from the arduous journey.]

“You heard it wrong.”

I answered Kyle firmly.

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, looks with resentment at your firmness.]

We have a destination now!

“…Alright.”

Kyle replied regretfully.

***

It was getting dark when we arrived at Els Valley.

It is the same scene as when I first purified it.

Lots of stones, and…

“One thing has changed.”

Kyle approached the black tombstone set among the stones.

I followed him.

He stood in front of the black tombstone and pursed his lips.

“The emperors of the Empire historically and customarily arrange a test for the crown princes.”

“A test for the crown princes…?”

“They will test them to see if they have what it takes to lead the Empire, and if they pass, they will be given trust and a reward. But the Emperor was so weak that he had no time to do so.”

There was nothing engraved on the black tombstone.

“It was only after he passed away that he called me in to give him that test.”

The rumors floating around…

“Am I truly qualified to lead the Empire?”

It was said that the ghost of the dead emperor was wandering around Kinston.

This wasn’t because they were dissatisfied with the current emperor’s politics, but rumors were going around.

But maybe that was just a plot to lead Kyle here.

“…”

He placed his hand on the headstone.

The black tombstone began to glow softly when he touched it.

“Did His Imperial Majesty the late Emperor prepare this?”

Kyle nodded his head.

“He certainly did.”

After a while, something covering the surface of the tombstone was washed away, as if it were raining, and gold letters were revealed.

[Water flows from low places to high places.]

I tilted my head at those enigmatic words.

Water flows to high places, not low places?

The valley water that went down far away clearly had different levels.

Naturally, it flows from high upstream areas.

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, realizes the meaning and closes his mouth.]

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, follows behind Hessed.]

“…Your Imperial Majesty,”

“I have to solve this problem myself.”

A clear will stood out in his deep red eyes.

I stared at him, nodded.

This is a test given to him by the late emperor, and I must not interfere.

Kyle thought for a while.

He looked up at the sky and stared at the flowing water.

“How about you cool off for a moment?”

I leaned against the shadow of a rock and spoke to him.

He came and sat next to me.

There was a cool breeze blowing so it wasn’t hot, and there were clouds floating in the sky.

“You know. Even though Melanie is the youngest, she has excellent leadership skills.”

“Leadership?”

“The ability to lead everyone. She has a strong determination but also a softness that pulls at your heart.”

“She resembles you.”

I smiled brightly at Kyle’s words.

“You say all good things resemble me.”

“Because you’re a good person.”

“Your Imperial Majesty is a good person too. Melanie says she wants to be like you.”

“That kid?”

When Melanie and Kyle were together, the silence was like a static background.

They were a father and daughter who didn’t say anything to each other.

That’s why my words seemed surprising.

“Haven’t you noticed? She often asks the priests about Your Imperial Majesty’s achievements.”

“…”

“The feelings of trusting and liking someone can’t necessarily be conveyed through words.”

A faint line twitched at the end of his lips at my words.

His basic expression was as if he was tired.

“I see.”

And after a while he stood up.

I looked up at him with puzzled eyes.

He hasn’t been sitting for a while, but he’s already standing up because…

“I wasn’t planning on getting your help, but I got the hint.”

“You mean…”

“I think I solved the problem.”

After a while, Kyle came closer to the headstone.

And then his lips moved.

“Water doesn’t flow backwards. But to see it flowing backwards.”

Kyle lay down in the opposite direction of the water flow.

In his eyes, the water flowing upstream seemed to be flowing backwards.

“I can move.”

I spoke as I approached Kyle.

“Is this a lesson that everything depends on how you decide? His Imperial Majesty the late Emperor is saying that depending on how you look at it, there’s nothing that can’t be achieved…”

As Kyle ran his hands down his sides, he noticed the flaw that wasn’t visible when he was standing upright.

He stood up again and dusted himself off.

“Or, he might be saying that even an emperor shouldn’t spare himself from seeing low.”

Kyle pulled out his sword.

And he put the sword into the groove.

In an instant, a wave occurred and the tombstone split in half.