LADAD Chapter 1. Love, As Deadly as Death.

'I send my representative, so serve him.'

There is a sacred maiden in Escliffe.

'One with black hair and black eyes shall connect me and you, and shall bring prosperity to Escliffe.'

The sacred maiden was a woman famous for having black hair and black eyes, unlike the empire's people who were all blonde. But her fame didn't come simply from her exotic appearance.

"Does she really not age?"

"Not at all. I saw her 10 years ago, and I saw her again the day before yesterday, and she looked exactly the same."

The sacred maiden does not age. For 200 years now, she has maintained the same appearance.

"Oh come on, if it was 10 years ago, you probably don't even remember properly."

"Look at Rickson."

"Ah, Rickson... That's right."

Even the man who had observed for nearly 30 years, declaring he would see if she really stayed the same, eventually gave up. No matter how much time passed, the woman who boldly appeared every year at the temple-sponsored rituals looked exactly the same.

"Every time I see her, her skin is as taut as a baby's. How can her skin be so soft and smooth?"

Normally, she would have been accused of being a witch, but the sacred maiden was a special being. That one sentence alone justified everything.

"Honestly, after 200 years, isn't it time to believe?"

If you were to pick the faction with the worst relationship with such a sacred maiden, it would be the Escliffe imperial family. The temple always used the excuse of receiving divine revelations to easily oppose the imperial family by putting the sacred maiden forward. But even the imperial family couldn't object to the sacred maiden's existence.

This attitude from the imperial family made the empire's people believe firmly in the sacred maiden's authenticity.

"Black eyes and black hair. She seems like a foreigner."

"Well, that's true."

Rather, public opinion was moving toward the point that doubting for 200 years had been excessive.

"......"

Yes, now we've reached that point.

The man who had been eavesdropping on their conversation from behind pulled a robe over his head. Under the robe, transparent emerald-green eyes sparkled with menace.

"Rodan."

The man who rose from his seat exited the bustling tavern.

"Yes, my lord."

A shadow that had been hiding in the darkness stepped out from the building's shade and revealed itself. And gazed at its master.

"You're in quite a foul mood."

"......"

"Do not follow me."

The man who had shown his displeasure turned around with graceful movements, leaving Rodan behind. Rodan's gaze followed the noble bearing that the shabby robe couldn't hide.

His name was Ivan Wade Escliffe. The 15th Emperor of Escliffe.

"I said no!"

A sharp voice cut through the air. Like small animals often do, she showed an excessively aggressive stance toward something she disliked and was wary of.

"I won't wear it."

Getting her to change clothes was this difficult every time. The mute servant sighed deeply. Since he couldn't speak, consoling her was even more difficult.

"Sacred Maiden."

Then, maid Louise Skipper appeared. Her voice was gentle and soft.

"It's prayer time. You must go."

Of course, it was a voice she put on to persuade the woman before her. Because there wasn't much time left.

"My name isn't Sacred Maiden. I told you to call me by my name."

"I definitely refused last time too. The High Priest would have a fit if I did that."

Louise rejected the proposal the woman before her had offered with a kind but firm voice. Her family's livelihood depended on serving the sacred maiden. She didn't want to be punished just for calling her by her name.

"Why should calling me by my name be a sin?"

But the precious lady seemed to have no thought of considering such feelings.

The maid was about to order the servant to forcibly change her clothes when—

"I came to escort you... Are you fighting with your servant again, Sacred Maiden?"

She definitely hadn't sensed anyone approaching, yet the door was open. The two people who had been arguing froze in surprise at the same time.

"You may leave now."

It was High Priest Aaron Skipper. He was certainly a man who had lived as a priest for many years, but strangely, he gave off the aura of a warrior. Just like now, when he moved without making a sound.

"Yes, High Priest."

Louise and the servant pretended not to notice the desperate gaze clinging to them and hurriedly left. They were afraid that they might get caught in the crossfire.

"You threw another tantrum asking to be called by name, I suppose?"

Aaron asked with a smiling face. Shame and anger appeared on the woman's face in turn.

"My name isn't Sacred Maiden. So I only asked to be called by my name, but how is that wrong?"

After confirming the door was closed, Aaron's eyes curved softly. It was certainly a smile, but it was also a warning. His smiles always came with threats.

"......"

Knowing this, the woman's body stiffened like a cornered mouse.

"From what I can see, you already know what you did wrong."

The smile disappeared from Aaron's face in an instant. The man's cold expression made his meaning clear. It was a warning.

"I'm not the Sacred Maiden."

Looking at that face, it became difficult to bear the rising anger. So even if she couldn't protest loudly, she had no choice but to say the words that Aaron hated and was most wary of.

"Why aren't you the sacred maiden?"

"My name is Amelia..."

"Amelia Escliffe."

Aaron abruptly cut off her words.

"The surname that follows belongs to the imperial family."

Amelia Escliffe. The woman revered as a sacred maiden was someone who, despite not being royalty, shared the royal surname.

"The name too, you couldn't have had if you weren't the sacred maiden."

His words were right. Black eyes and black hair were nothing more than those of a foreigner in this land.

"If, as you say, you are not the sacred maiden."

"......"

"Then everything about you is false. Even that name Amelia, you have no right to have."

Aaron spoke mockingly. By no means was this the attitude of a priest serving God's representative.

"Isn't that right?"

His criticism of facts she had tried to forget was quite harsh. Amelia hid her trembling hands inside her sleeves.

"Then who are you?"

Aaron asked. Amelia couldn't give any answer and quietly lowered her gaze.

"Are you feeling a bit calmer now?"

Aaron keenly noticed that Amelia had lost her fight. He put on a smiling face again. The man's eye-smile was creepy.

"Now hurry and change clothes, then move to the prayer room."

Aaron gave his command leisurely.

"I don't want to."

However, Amelia's stubbornness was not to be underestimated either.

"Shall I have you forcibly changed?"

The smile disappeared from Aaron's face. Faced with the expressionless man, Amelia's pupils trembled finely.

"High Priest!"

Just then, a priest came running frantically to find Aaron.

"There's a fire between the north gate and east gate. The fire is quite large..."

"Let's go at once. Mobilize everyone nearby."

Aaron, who had been confronting Amelia, hurriedly turned around.

"This is why today's prayer will be difficult. Rest well."

But just before opening the door and taking a step, he looked back at Amelia and said,

As if her stubbornness all along had been because she knew such a thing would happen.

"Ah, Sacred Maiden knew this would happen..."

"Sacred Maiden knows everything. Let's go."

Aaron answered with a slight smile. He was terribly skilled at shaping public opinion. Click, the door closed with a sound. Amelia clenched her trembling hands tight with fear and anger.

"What would I know?"

It was ridiculous. If Amelia could really hear God's voice and know the future, she would have wanted to know first when Aaron would drop dead.

"Ah."

Amelia, who had been looking down, suddenly raised her head. And she hastily put on a hooded robe and began running outside.

"Mobilize everyone nearby."

There was a fire between the north gate and east gate. If they had mobilized even the guards due to lack of hands, perhaps the security at the north gate closest to her bedroom had become lax. That's what she thought.

"Huff..."

Even if she couldn't climb over the high wall, if there was just no one guarding the gate. While running and breathing hard, Amelia smiled with a brightened face.

"......"

However, that smile didn't last long. The guard had briefly left his post, but the gate betrayed her hopes by remaining firmly closed. Only the moonlight gently drifting from the sky showed the gate locked even with chains.

Amelia bit her lips tight and looked up at the gate with resentful eyes. At that moment, she sensed movement beyond the high wall where the outside couldn't be seen.

"...What."

Just as she thought it was strange, a head suddenly appeared over the wall. The unfamiliar figure, sitting astride the wall, spotted the woman glaring at the gate and hesitated.

"Who are you..."

At the troublesome question, the man smiled awkwardly. Even under the robe's hood, only that expression was clearly visible.

"The High Priest's lackey?"

Of course, even in the awkward lie, the ruler's arrogance that subtly leaked out was difficult to hide.

"...Liar."

For Amelia, who hadn't met many people from outside, she didn't have the ability to discern his specialness. She was only perceptive enough to notice his lie.

"And you?"

Despite being caught in his false identity, the man shamelessly asked a question. At that moment, Amelia was swept up in subtle confusion.

Who am I?

Amelia had nothing that should have been established while growing up. She had simply grown up with the name 'sacred maiden.'

"Everything about you is false."

I'm not false.

"Even that name Amelia, you have no right to possess."

That's not true. Amelia tried to shake off the words drifting in her head. However, it was difficult to deny that without being a sacred maiden, she had neither a surname nor a name.

"I am..."

But still. No matter what anyone said, she was Amelia. Amelia lifted her chin with a determined face and pulled her hood back.

"I am Amelia."

"......"

"I've revealed my name, so before I scream, you should also take off that hood and reveal your proper identity."

At Amelia's words, the man chuckled softly. And with a careless hand, he brushed off the hood that had been covering his head.

"......"

Then eyes that sparkled like stars set in black met eyes that shone like summer's greenery.

"Ivan. God's servant."

Golden hair as bright as gold, green eyes that sparkled clear like quality gemstones. A nose bridge as if carved and red, smooth lips. The man was a perfect specimen of beauty.

The tender flower petals planted in the garden swayed in the blowing wind. As if welcoming the visitor who had come to the prison blooming with flowers.