Come and Cry at My Funeral - Side Story 1

Golden sunlight shimmered like transparent waves across the milky white marble floor.

A woman, her honey-colored hair veiled in translucent white lace, quietly watched the shifting sunlight before finally turning her head toward the cityscape.

The breeze that gently brushed against her veil no longer carried the sharp bite of winter but instead bore a mellow warmth. The button necklace around the woman’s neck swayed lightly in the wind.

From last summer until now, not once had the number indicating her remaining lifespan appeared again on its reverse side.

“Spring’s already here.”

Freesia’s life had continued on, even after the calamity that took place at the palace in the canyon.

And now, having passed the remainder of that summer, fall, and winter, she was once again greeting a new spring. She was watching the lively bustle of the capital unfolding in the distance.

‘Normally, it wouldn’t be this crowded until summer.’

But this year was different. Due to a special occasion, the social season had arrived a whole season earlier.

‘Of course, with the coronation of the new Emperor coming up.’

Even so, Freesia didn’t have the luxury to keep watching the stream of carriages flowing like silver serpents down the boulevard.

After all, her attendant from the capital’s temple had, as always, silently appeared behind her without a sound.

“Your Holiness, it is time to return inside.”

“……”

“Everyone is awaiting Your Holiness in the prayer hall. They are waiting for your blessing, so please, do attend.”

“……”

“Your Holiness. Your Imperial Highness.”

Freesia squeezed her eyes shut beneath the veil without a word.

“…Alright. I’ll head in now.”

The unexpectedly grand titles that kept being addressed to her left her too embarrassed to raise her head. While she had accepted being called Your Imperial Highness due to her biological father’s status… Your Holiness? Not once in her life, even after it restarted, had she ever imagined being addressed like that.

‘Brother… When are you going to find someone new…?’

Accompanied by the attendant, Freesia sighed inwardly toward the relative who must still be in the imperial palace.

Last summer, when they investigated how Canopus had managed to locate and attack the palace in the canyon… the arrows of suspicion had eventually pointed to the High Priest of the capital’s temple.

〈That’s preposterous…! This is slander, Your Majesty! Your Highness! To claim I plotted to kill the His Highness!〉

The High Priest had merely planted a spy to find grounds for discrediting the emperor’s grandson, who was at odds with the temple.

But because of that spy, the imperial family’s party had nearly been slaughtered, and so it was only natural that the High Priest be removed from office. It was also the first step toward cleansing the temple of its corruptions.

‘I understand that it would’ve been unwise to replace everyone all at once…’

…But how had the flames of that change landed on her?

〈You’re appointing me to oversee the temple ceremonies?〉

〈Yes, dear sister. It’s only temporary. Will you do it?〉

〈But Brother, I’ve never studied the doctrine like the priests have. I’ll be exposed before long—〉

When Riegel had first made that request, Freesia had almost instinctively flinched back.

Had she grown up with Riegel from childhood, she might have just fled, crying, “Brother, what nonsense are you talking about?”

But unfortunately, she had grown up a shepherd girl and hadn’t yet learned how to politely refuse such a difficult request from her cousin.

〈Everyone already knows that you were chosen by Adamant.〉

And to make things worse, this cousin had smiled so warmly as he asked, creating an odd, unspoken pressure that left her unable to say no.

〈Just until I finish selecting someone truly capable of guiding the people’s faith.〉

〈Ah… yes, Brother…〉

〈You’ll be staying at the temple instead of the palace, so you won’t have to run into Grandfather often. Maybe it’ll be more comfortable that way.〉

〈……〉

While conducting the ceremony in the prayer hall, Freesia swallowed a sigh as she recalled that conversation.

Facing the Emperor awkwardly and living in a garishly luxurious detached palace had been far more uncomfortable, so at least the temple offered some semblance of peace.

‘Yes. I’ll work hard enough not to be criticized until someone replaces me.’

Surely, once her brother was crowned Emperor, he would find someone new to fill the role.

‘…He will. He must, right?’

It wasn’t as though she intended to stay in the capital forever. Probably.

Just as Freesia was stepping out of the prayer hall and her expression began to cloud, a commotion echoed from the corridor used by those coming and going from the palace.

“Mama! Mama!”

“Nova.”

Her young daughter came running with quick, toddling steps alongside the attendants.