My Sweet Deceiver - Chapter 86

The next morning.

An article was published in the newspaper, announcing that New Year’s banquet, which was expected to be cancelled, would be held in the Hall of Sun, as usual. The article’s source was the palace. Tehez looked surprised for a moment, then composed herself. Soon after, she thought of a good way to save Dennis.

Delphin looked at the article and said with a lack of enthusiasm, “They must be trying to deliver a message through the King’s mouth at the New Year’s party.”

“I think so too. Miss Delphine, Would you like to go to the temple?”

“What? Why would we go to the temple…? Are you saying you want to go out now?”

Delphine’s face showed a mixture of surprise and puzzlement. Tehez responded, ignoring Delphine’s raised voice.

“I’ve thought of a good way to save the Prince. It must be done through the temple.”

Delphine looked at her for a moment, her expression pensive.

“Are you trying to infiltrate the New Year’s prayer after the New Year’s banquet?”

“Exactly. You catch on quickly.”

“Princess…”

Delphine’s face wrinkled. Delphine grabbed Tehez’s hands and told her with a face full of concern.

Please, think about Princess’ family who must be worried at the estate… Are you saying you’ll go back into the palace you barely escaped from? It’s dangerous.”

Tehez, freeing the hand from Delphine, stood up. Delphine was looking at her with a bewildered look on her face.

“Of course, I am well aware that it is dangerous.”

“You know that all too well…”

Delphine sounded concerned.

“And I know it’s reckless. but…”

Tehez absentmindedly touched her neck, feeling the rocket necklace Dennis had given her beneath her clothes.

“But if we do it this way, we can minimise the risk. It’s something I have to do alone, isn’t it?”

“…”

“I don’t want to see other people get hurt or their lives threatened because of me.”

It was Tehez’s resolute determination.

For the past few days, Tehez had been plagued with guilt. She felt guilty for betraying and leaving the people who had followed her so far.

And this Princess could only be like this. How could she protect the people when she couldn’t even protect a few people under her?

Such a sense of shame constantly followed Tehez.

The way she sneaked out of the palace with Danielle without even telling her other handmaidens, and the way she tried to sneak away to the manor to save her own life. It was all just ugly.

Thankfully, everyone was safe when they reunited, but if even one of them had been hurt…

Her fist clenched with determination.

If she did, she wouldn’t be able to forgive herself. So she had to step in herself.

Tehez hid such thoughts and spoke to Delphin again.

“If there is a better way than that, tell me.”

“…No, even so…! Do you think the maids would allow you to put Princess in danger?”

Delphine placed both hands on her waist and stared at her sternly as if scolding her. As if mentioning her maids would somehow make her reconsider her bad plan. However, Tehez remained silent, then looked directly at Delphine and spoke in her usual firm voice.

“Why should I ask their permission? I’ll consider it if it’s an opinion, but it’s not a matter that requires permission.”

“…”

Delphine’s face crumpled mercilessly. Tehez was sincere. Whenever this happened, Delphine sensed that Tehez was a great nobleman who had never asked for anyone’s permission. At the same time, Delphine felt very distant from her.

As Delphine stood there silently, Tehez spoke again to Delphine as if driving a wedge.

“If you are not busy right now, Miss Delphine, please accompany me to the temple. I need your presence.”

“…Yes, of course.”

Delphine answered by raising her hands.

With her merchant spirit ingrained in her bones, Delphin didn’t care about social class or status. She could solve most of them with capital, and if it were a problem she couldn’t solve in her line, it would be more efficient for her not to care. Now, since this case cannot be solved even with capital, it was more efficient to give up persuasion.

Delphine and Tehez, who headed straight to the central temple, were able to meet the bishop without difficulty. From the bishop’s room, they could see the newly built temple. A beautiful and sacred building generously paid for by Delphine. The bishop appeared pleased when Tehez’s gaze reached the temple under construction.

“I’m so glad to see you again, Your Holiness.”

The bishop said while holding Tehez’s hand with a sincere face. Tehez also nodded in sympathy.

Of course, the bishop would genuinely be pleased with Tehezes’s presence. She had offered numerous sacrifices to the temple. The recent offerings alone would have amounted to thousands of Louis.

If she really goes missing, like the rumours that spread throughout the capital, the sacrifices she was going to offer in the future would undoubtedly disappear as well, which would be a tremendous loss for the temple.

Looking at the temple that was thoroughly money-oriented, Tehez was rather relieved. The temple will never betray her. However, to avoid making a mistake like the King’s pagan incident last time, it was necessary to appease the temple appropriately. There would be no setback if someone suddenly appeared who wanted to offer more sacrifices, and the temple was switched parties.

Tehez looked at the expensive tea as she calculated her moves.

“I think you will know it well in the temple.”

At Tehez’s suddenly thrown words, the bishop looked at her.

“What are you talking about?”

“Wouldn’t the rumour spread openly that His Highness’ private property was in Herzan?”

The bishop, who was bewildered, answered with a benevolent smile as if he had smelled the money.

“Yes, indeed. The temple is not usually concerned with such worldly matters, but I have heard passing words about it since you mentioned it, Your Holiness.”

“No one knows the exact amount of private property, Bishop.”

Tehez bluffed to the bishop, not knowing the scale of the fortune because Jacques did not return. She had enough of that. The bishop was no fool.

If the King’s personal treasures were really there. And if the King was forced to step down by the rebels. Who will own those treasures?

The implication in her words, mentioning the amount of the offerings, didn’t go unnoticed by the bishop, who smiled wryly. Apparently, he had arrived at the same conclusion as her. The entire amount of the King’s offerings or at least a portion.

“Is that so? I don’t know much about worldly matters like that.”

The bishop replied, his eyes lighting up as they rested on a small painting hanging on the opposite wall. Tehez looked up and looked at the wall the bishop was looking at. Although small, the size of two palms combined, the painting was a valuable work of art sold for a considerable sum at an auction a few years ago. A work depicting angels and Nate, the religion of Valloise, sold for a fairly high price at an auction house a few years ago. The bishop seemed to be disappointed with the small picture hanging on the large wall.

“Nevertheless, the temple is always full of those in need… If the temple had more resources, it would be even better.”

“Of course, Your Holiness.”

Who was really hungry?

Tehez pretended not to notice the bishop’s gaze and turned her head away. The bishop raised the teacup and passed the tea. It was clear that he was trying to hide his satisfied face after the calculation.

“Would you like some more tea? The temple will always be wide open to believers. If you have something on your mind, come visit us anytime.”

“Of course.”

Seeing the bishop’s face, Tehez smiled. Negotiations were successful.

Upon returning from the temple and informing Daniel and Eli of the plan, the opposition was fierce, as Delphine had said. Eli, in particular, wept as if she had heard that Tehez would die tomorrow.

“Princess, please! How can you go back into the palace when you barely escaped? You should order us to do it instead, right?”

“Well.”

Tehez shook her head sceptically. Some critical tasks required her personal intervention.

She couldn’t ignore the fact that there might be a spy leaking information somewhere, which was crucial for both secrecy and minimising risks.

It was most rational for Tehez to act alone.

She couldn’t reveal all her worries and anxieties. Even her slightest unease could easily spread among the maids.

Tehez simply put her foot down.

“Anyone who opposes my plan still has time to speak up. I will generously provide severance pay.”

“…”

“Looks like nobody is there. Then let’s proceed like this. And don’t tell anyone else about this. It is still top secret.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Delphine looked at them with a face sympathising with their backlash. And when the handmaids left, she finally sighed and followed them out. She seemed to be relieved.

Left alone in the room, Tehez habitually touched the necklace hanging around her neck. As her irregularly beating heart was soothed by the caress of the necklace, a sense of calm washed over her.

Just because she was her, it wasn’t that she was ignorant of her fears. She was afraid. That was Tehez’s honest feelings. That’s why she desperately ran away from the palace, even though it was cowardly, to protect her life. Yet, at the same time, she couldn’t leave him because she loved him.

“It is love, huh?”

Tehez felt a bit ridiculous hearing herself say those words out loud.

An insubstantial, unprovable emotion made her change like this, unaware of her other purpose in her whole life. She was crazy about him. As Max said, she really was crazy.

If Max had seen her, he would have jumped up in surprise.

By now, he should have explained to Richard why she didn’t go to the estate.

Even though his words were harsh, he was a warm person.

It seemed that Tehez could hear Max’s screaming and angry voice in her ear. A small smile formed on Tehez’s lips. Max acted like someone who was seeing her firm determination for the first time when they were in the carriage.

It was understandable. On the surface, she would have looked like his pitiful sister, who married the Prince to succumb to her father’s pressure. So, it must have been surprising for Tehez to say she couldn’t leave her husband alone.

Her one-sided crush on Dennis since childhood was a secret that not even Danielle, who had always been by her side, knew. Of course, everything had been revealed now. But still.

Tehez wanted to see him face to face.

(To be continued in the next episode)

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