When Seria became a Sterne, she was given a townhouse on the main avenue of the capital, right across from the High Church.
She also received a monthly allowance, as Sternes were expected to maintain a rather opulent appearance and lifestyle.
The allowance was substantial but still not enough to cover Seria’s extravagant spending habits.
She took opulence to a whole new level.
She had a penchant for a particular champagne that cost as much as a bar of gold and took baths in tubs full of pearls.
She’d have a new dress tailored every week, which, of course, meant she needed new handbags, shoes, gloves, and parasols as well.
The amount she spent on jewels alone is sickening.
And because Seria had arranged to pay for most of it in installments, I had been paying off her debts ever since I was reincarnated into her body.
Only last month did I finally finish paying it all off.
Seria was such a beauty that men often showered her with gifts.
However, the majority of those gifts were useless niceties like flowers, gems, lace, and fans.
This meant there was not much on hand that I could give to Callis.
The most appropriate item I had managed to find was the demonstone bracelet.
At least demonstone is still valuable.
And it will remain extremely rare until Lina discovers the demonstone mine later.
After the bracelet had been carefully packaged, I was enjoying a cup of tea with Abigail and the priestess when our tranquility was shattered once again.
The door opened and an apprentice priestess charged into the room.
“We have a crisis!” she cried.
“Calm yourself.” The priestess took a sip of tea.
“What has happened?”
“The Lady Saint has collapsed!”
The priestess shot to her feet, and I rose, too.
But that wasn’t all.
The apprentice was in a panic.
“The constellation steel monolith… She was near it when it began to glow!
It is nearly transparent!”
“What did you say?” I asked.
My heart was pounding like crazy.
This could only mean one thing—Lina had been revealed as a Sterne.
Isn’t this happening too soon?
We were still in the early stages of the original storyline.
How was this possible?
More importantly, Lina hadn’t even stabilized her divine energy yet.
In the story, that was an important factor in her surviving contact with the monolith.
In other words, there was a real possibility that she could die.
A chill ran down my spine.
What would happen to the original story if the main female character were to die?
There was no way to know.
This was something I had never even considered.
“Archduke Berk has requested the presence of the priestess and Lady Seria!” the apprentice continued, her voice trembling.
“Me?”
“Yes, my lady!”
Me?
Why me?
I couldn’t think of any reason to refuse Rouche’s command, so we promptly set off with Abigail close behind us.
No one seems to be talking yet.
With so many nobles from Hanneton and other regions gathered at Castle Berk, any rumors were sure to spread like wildfire.
Whatever happened to Lina, it wouldn’t be long before word spread throughout the entire empire.
“How is the Lady Saint?” I asked as soon as we arrived.
“She has pulled through!” replied one of the maids attending to her.
“Thankfully, His Grace and Lord Hanneton were present in the castle.”
“What a relief,” I said.
The priestess rushed over to Rouche, who was standing by the door, and offered her thanks.
“Your Grace, on behalf of all those who serve the divine, I offer my gratitude.” The priestess took a couple of deep breaths, exhausted from our jog through the corridors of the castle.
“This means that a new Sterne has been revealed.
The Lady Saint, wishing to reciprocate Your Grace’s kindness, will surely agree to stay with House Berk to observe the security of the frozen lake.”
Rouche’s expression turned softer and kinder than I had ever seen.
Had Lina’s suffering stirred feelings within him?
Just when I was thinking that Berk might have human emotions after all, he spoke, shattering my illusion.
“I would prefer to have that in writing,” he said.
“Pardon?” the priestess asked.
“As you know, the protection of the glaciers is a sensitive matter.
It would be best for all of us if you took responsibility and laid down your claim in writing.
Lennon?”
The chief aide, who was standing by, held out a piece of paper and a quill.
“I had it prepared in advance,” Rouche said.
“Please sign here.”
Caught off guard and clearly flustered, the priestess’s eyes darted around the room before she signed the document.
What a strategic move on his part.
I started to sneak silently away, not wanting to be caught up in Rouche’s scheming.
I was looking around for Callis when Rouche addressed me.
“Lady Seria.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
“Did you suffer like this when your abilities first manifested?”
“I did not, but unlike the Lady Saint, I do not possess such strong divine energy.”
Rouche frowned at my response.
Unsure why, I bowed my head.
What?
Did I say something wrong?
“Priestess,” Rouche said, directing his glaring red eyes in her direction.
“Were you unaware that constellation steel is extremely volatile around high levels of divine energy?
The Saint must have known that her body was overflowing with it, as did you.
Why, then, would she go out of her way to touch the monolith, knowing it would lead to chaos in my castle?”
“I assume she did not…” the priestess fumbled over her excuse.
“…did not consider the possibility that she might be a Sterne.”
“So, she touched it out of sheer disregard?” Rouche arched an eyebrow.
He gestured for Viscount Aison to approach.
“Viscount, repeat what you told me earlier.
Why did the Saint wish to touch the steel?”
“Well, the Lady Saint, you see, she has a kind of fixation on our Lady Sterne.”
Me?
A fixation?
Did that mean Lina touched the constellation steel of her own volition out of a desire to be like me?
Because she wanted to find out if she was a Sterne?
Viscount Aison fell to his knees.
His face turned pale.
“It is all my fault.”
“Yes, it most certainly is,” Rouche said, his expression cold and intimidating.
“The fault belongs to all of you tasked with the Lady Saint’s well-being.”
Just then, a priestess rushed in from the next room.
“Your Grace!
The Lady Saint has awoken!”
Lennon leaned in and whispered to Rouche.
“Your Highness, it might be beneficial for your relations with the High Priests if you were to pay her a personal visit.”
“What am I, a nurse?” Rouche retorted.
But Lennon held his ground, and after a moment’s contemplation, Rouche sighed and headed into Lina’s room.
The rest of us followed behind him.
The first thing I saw in the room was Callis sitting at the side of the bed, holding Lina’s hand.
He’s been here with her the whole time?
“Lady Seria.” I jerked away at the sudden sound of a man’s voice spoken directly into my ear.
Close beside me stood the chief aide, Lennon, watching me with knowing eyes.
“Lord Hanneton and I have been taking turns stabilizing the Lady Saint’s divine energy.
Please do not misunderstand the situation.”
“I didn’t—” I started, instinctively trying to avoid any kind of confrontation before sighing deeply and looking at Lennon.
“Actually,” I whispered back, “I almost did misunderstand.
Thank you for clarifying.”
Lennon examined my face, considering what I’d admitted.
“You are quite candid,” he said with a mysterious smile.
“Of course, we must be considerate.
As the most treasured Sterne in the Berk dominion for years, we care a great deal for your comfort here.
If you were to stay with us for a thousand years, I would find a thousand ways to express my appreciation.”
I was about to respond when Lina suddenly groaned, straining to open her eyes.
She looks awful.
Her face was sucked of all its color, her lips dry and cracked.
To anyone who stumbled on her like this, she would appear to be on the brink of death.
The maids were continuously dabbing her face with a dry cloth, but beads of cold sweat continued to run down her forehead.
Lennon was the first to speak.
“Lady Saint, how are you feeling?”
Her dark eyes searched aimlessly, unable to focus.
She looked vaguely toward Callis and mumbled his name.
“Yes, Lina!
I’m here!
Are you awake?” Callis clasped her hand in his.
It took all my might not to rush over there and tear them apart.
“It hurts,” Lina muttered.
“Just rest, Lina.” Callis’s voice was soft and soothing.
“The pain will be gone soon, I promise.” In fact, his voice was so soft and soothing that the maids nervously started peeking in my direction.
“Shall I cut off his hand, my lady?” Abigail whispered to me.
I was straining to hold in a laugh when Rouche spoke up.
“Priestess, as you know, House Berk is extremely busy during the winter.
We simply cannot spare the resources or the time to host this walking disaster any longer.”
For a moment, everyone gaped around the room, seeming to doubt their ears.
Had the archduke just referred to the Saint as a walking disaster?
“Your Grace?” Lina’s voice was almost inaudible, but her eyes were bulging at what she’d heard.
“Lennon,” Rouche said, paying her no notice.
“Inform the High Church that as soon as the Saint is recuperated, we intend to return her to the church where she belongs.”
“Yes, Your Grace.”
Callis sprang to his feet.
“Archduke Berk!
Your treatment is far too harsh!
The Lady Saint did no harm.
It is only she who suffers.
To speak in such a way before an ailing woman is most un—”
“Am I not allowed to speak as I please in my own castle?” Rouche stepped forward, sneering, and gestured toward me.
“Speaking of patients, your betrothed is not in good health either.
Have you not considered that your priorities might be misplaced?
Some of our noble guests likely think you intend to marry the Saint, not Seria Sterne.”