Blasphemous Grace - Chapter 13

He vowed revenge upon the world.

In this world where his innocent parents died early and only those who sought to use him were plentiful, the only lovely thing had been that one girl.

Clutching his heart, weeping his eyes out that day, he finally realized.

The fact that he had loved that child.

It was too small and insignificant a feeling, and the first of its kind he had ever felt, so he hadn’t been able to define it, but he had loved that child.

And so, until now, he had prepared for his long revenge.

I wish this world would perish. Thoroughly.

The two great empires? He was thinking of using the holy water to send people to the abyss, so that such things would vanish without a trace and everything would be overturned.

And the plan was nearing its end, so why… why now.

“You…”

So you are Delonas. That princess.

Why did we have to meet like this of all ways.

‘If I tell you who I am, we can’t be friends.’

Remembering the girl from his childhood who had said that, his heart felt like it was tearing apart.

Delonas, who knew my identity and still hid me. Why you?

Of all people, like this.

“I thought you were dead…”

If I had known you were alive, I wouldn’t have made the holy water.

I wouldn’t have made you this miserable…

He clutched his head.

It was only decades ago that the Beakin imperial family had forced Archion’s royalty—even the Pope at the time—to lick their boots, heaping even greater humiliation upon them and laughing at Archion.

Grudges had already piled up enough, and everyone—not just inhuman beings like Lekia, but even ordinary people—wanted the thorough destruction of Beakin’s last bloodline. Everyone was mad.

And in the very center of that madness were us.

You, as the princess to be violated, and I…

As the Pope who must violate you.

“…….”

He was biting his lip.

A sound came from afar. Looking back, it was a priest. He had told them to leave him alone, but they couldn’t even wait that long before seeking him out again.

Of course, making it so they couldn’t do anything without finding him was part of his plan.

But now, even though that plan had succeeded perfectly, he felt no joy at all.

Because all of this had led to your ruin.

“What is it?”

Finally, as he spoke, the priest’s face lit up as he approached.

“A noble family nearby says the divine power in their well seems to have weakened. It seems you need to take a look… They are very devout believers.”

The one speaking with a “hehe” laugh was one of the chief priests who followed Lekia.

Barely suppressing the urge to twist his lips into a sneer, he nodded.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, I will prepare immediately. Please rest a little longer. For the Empire and Lady Ephina!”

Watching the priest disappear into the distance, he thought:

…Well.

This empire—at least this damned empire—I will definitely bring to ruin.

And in the midst of it all, I will definitely save her.

This time, I will hide you and protect you, he vowed.

***

Replenishing the divine power in a noble family’s well was nothing to Ian.

So, after a quick visit to the noble district, he returned to the temple.

He intended to stay by her side as much as possible.

Now that High Priest Lekia had branded her with the Dream Mark, she would be dragged into dreams or have nightmares every time she slept.

Especially the more she came into contact with the priests possessing the divine power of Ephina, the God of Dreams, the more she would be inevitably pulled into dreams.

And dreams have a way of connecting to reality.

‘……!’

He bit his lip, thinking of what had happened in the communal bath.