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When a person dies, it is common to bury them in the ground.
They are usually buried in cemeteries, and people without money sometimes bury them in the wild. Noblemen have separate family graves, so they are often buried there for generations.
However, some are not buried in the ground like this.
Great men who have accomplished great things, or saints who have lived a life full of faith. Writers who left behind works that will be passed down from generation to generation.
Their bodies are embalmed and placed in a brilliant stone coffin, where they are stored in the basement of the Cathedral.
“I never thought I’d been humiliated for 500 years…!”
The news from Hamilton gave me a shudder.
I didn’t know my body had been standing green in the basement of the Cathedral for the last 500 years!
[T/N: Being kept fresh. Or something like that… I guess. I can’t find anything on the internet]
“What? Why is that a shame? It’s an honour!”
“Doesn’t that mean my coffin—I mean, Dante Renatus’s coffin, will be used as a tourist course?”
“Ayy, no matter how great someone is, who would look at a coffin containing a corpse?”
Hamilton smiled bitterly and shook his head. It was a look telling me he would never do that.
“To be kept there is evidence of historic achievements. It’s an honour.”
“Ah, yes. Later, when you die, I will beg His Highness to keep your body there.”
“Pardon? That’s a bit…”
“See?”
“But, I mean, why are you so ashamed? Dante Renatus might have thought it was an honour for her.”
That’s never going to happen.
I want to return to the past right now, grab Erez’s shoulders and shake it, saying, ‘Why didn’t you bury me, my friend!’
“… Well, let’s leave it at that.”
Hamilton cleared the air after a big cough.
“Does the leader of Dracoism know the seal’s location?”
I tilted my head at Hamilton’s question.
“Do you believe me?”
“About half.”
Does that mean the other half of you doesn’t believe it?
Well, actually, it’s great to believe even half of a claim that has no evidence.
“Isn’t it obvious that Princess has something to do with their scheme? And the leader approached you before.”
After saying that, Hamilton added in shame.
“And let’s just say… the rest is the trust I’ve built up with you…”
Well, that’s a nice thing to say. It’s a bit cheesy, though.
Anyway, Hamilton said he believed in me, so I decided to trust Hamilton and discuss it.
“I think the leader would know for sure.”
I actively voiced my opinion to Hamilton.
Noe is interested in me because he knows I was Dante in a previous life.
There’s no way anyone who knows that doesn’t know where Dante’s body is.
What’s more, if the title of ‘king’ he used to call me meant ‘Krusech’…
“Then what would you like to do?”
“I don’t know. The best way is to burn Dante’s body away.”
“My head is precious, Princess. It doesn’t want to be separated from my body yet.”
Hamilton was saying, ‘If you do that, you’ll be on the guillotine.’ in a graceful way.
“We can’t do anything to the body just by your words. How about setting up a security guard and keeping it more thorough?”
“Oh, do you want to advertise, ‘Hey, I have something important here.’?”
“Hmm.”
Hamilton quietly shut his mouth at my rebuttal.
“Why don’t we steal the body from the Church? We’re not going to open the coffin anyway.”
“I think Emperor Dante Renatus’ll curse us.”
“She wasn’t diligent/. She won’t curse you.”
I don’t know how to curse anyway.
Hamilton frowned and shook his head as if he understood what I was saying as a bad joke.
“No, we can’t do that either. Destroying cultural heritage…”
“Apparently human corpses have become cultural heritage.”
“I would rather tell the truth to the Church and ask for help…”
“Will the Church willingly accept that the corpse of a dragon, a member of the demon’s family, had been lying at the bottom of the Cathedral for 500 years?”
Hamilton’s brow furrowed at my somewhat harsh words and actions. However, he soon understood the words and sighed.
“Well, it’s a story without evidence. At least we won’t be taken away as heresy.”
“Right.”
The Church was more conservative and stubborn than any other organization. They were people who valued honour or face.
It was ridiculous enough that some people respectfully serve the dragon; it was even absurd that they didn’t notice it for 500 years. Therefore, it was clear that they would think of us as heretics who made such an ungodly remark.
“Anyway, I think we should check Dante’s body at least once.”
Noe had said that the dragon’s body was ready.
Those words were annoying, as if they were stuck in my throat the whole time. I was worried that it might be too late to use my hands.
“But, let alone the basement, we can’t even enter the Cathedral.”
“I know. Can you do something about that?”
As I tilted my head, Hamilton’s eyes widened. Well, I thought I’d use a beauty trick in my own way, but I guess I failed.
“Are you asking me?”
Hamilton pointed out the unexpected.
What do you mean by that? Are you asking for a request or an order? Do you want me to be more polite if it was a request?
I rolled my eyes and pondered for a long time, but in the end, I couldn’t find an answer.
“Because I’m not good at making requests… Is there any other way you would like to…”
“No, that’s not what I meant.”
Hamilton let out a small laugh as if it was ridiculous.
“You’re the one who tried to solve everything by yourself. I just thought it wasn’t like you to ask someone else.”
Oh, is that it?
I said, glancing sideways in embarrassment.
“Now I’m thinking of getting help from people around me, paying attention, and living like that.”
“Really? I’m glad to hear that.”
Hamilton said with a benevolent smile. I don’t know why he’s smiling kindly.
Our age difference was not big enough for him to look at me with those eyes.
“It would be a good idea to report this matter to His Highness first and discuss it.”
“As expected… Caesar knows everything.”
“Of course, I’m acting at his command.”
Yeah, I know. I knew.
But I’m afraid that Caesar will be angry, saying, ‘You jumped into a dangerous business on your own without telling me.’
“About what danger almost happened at the meeting earlier… please wrap it up in moderation before delivering it…”
I put my last hope on Hamilton.
But who is he? He’s just an inflexible man.
“What? Why should I wrap it up? I will give him a thorough fact so he won’t misunderstand.”
If Caesar gets mad at me for this later, let’s just say it’s Hamilton’s fault.
With a forced smile, I decided to do so.
***
Since Caesar found out that I was digging behind Dracoism, I couldn’t hide it from Leonard.
Even if Leonard rarely got mad at me and always said good things like an angel, there was no way he wouldn’t feel sad.
So, a few days later, I confided to Leonard the whole story of Dracoism.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you earlier. It was difficult to say because there were only speculations without certainty.”
“Well, I see.”
As expected, Leonard listened to me with a nod without getting angry.
“Actually, I was wondering when you would tell me.”
What?
I opened my eyes wide at the unexpected words and looked at Leonard.
“What?”
“I knew that you have Agoth to investigate Dracoism.”
“Ugh… Since when?”
“Perhaps from the beginning.”
Leonard looked at me in embarrassment and smiled like an angel.
“Everything that happens in this mansion comes to my ears.”
“Wow… I was too complacent, Duke.”
“You’re welcome.”
I cradled my face in despair, and Leonard patted me gently on the shoulder.
Right. Leonard is like the owner of this mansion.
Agoth’s conversation with Everett. Me going out to meet Everett. It must have all been reported to Leonard.
“Why didn’t you ask me when you knew?”
“You didn’t tell me first.”
“That’s-!”
“Weren’t you trying to keep it a secret?”
Leonard asked with a broad smile.
Ugh, don’t smile like an angel like that, Brother. My conscience hurts.
“But I’m glad you told me in the end. You tend to get things done independently without consulting the people around you.”
“Ugh… my image is really bad, it seems.”
But come to think of it, I’ve always been like that.
Even when Caesar was kidnapped, I acted with my judgment.
It was my arbitrariness that brought Agoth.
I didn’t even tell my father or Leonard about my first meeting with the empress. I never said before that I’d decided to become the crown princess.
‘Everything was a solo move…!’
“Anyway, yes. You want to go to the basement of the Cathedral and check Dante Renatus’s body?”
“Yes, that’s right.”
I didn’t mean to ask Leonard for help, but Leonard quickly started thinking about what he could do.
“If His Highness hears this news through the viscount, he may be able to arrange a New Year’s ceremony next year at the Cathedral.”
“New Year’s ceremony?”
Every year, on the first day of the New Year, a ceremony was held in the chapel inside the imperial palace where the Holy Spirit was enshrined. It was a big event in which the imperial family, as well as the nobles, participated.
“But does Caesar have such powers?”
“Well, His Highness’s health has deteriorated a lot these days. It’s almost as if His Highness is acting on his behalf.”
“I didn’t know.”
“Of course. It’s because they keep these things from leaking out.”
Leonard put his index finger to his lips as if telling me to keep it a secret.
“I think the empress was able to conspire to such a plot because she was sure that His Majesty would not interfere.”
“Caesar… must be having a hard time right now.”
“Probably.”
That’s too bad.
At this time, I can’t be there to comfort you.
“Even if the New Year’s ceremony is held in the Cathedral, will I be able to go down to the basement without being detected?”
“I guess I could do something about it.”
“You?”
“All the knights will be sent to the escort service. I’ll let you in when the Red Knights patrol the underground entrance.”
“Ugh. Will Sir Dalton allow it?”
“If His Highness steps up, wouldn’t we have no choice but to allow it?”
Caesar… what did you do to Dalton so that a person with such a personality will be in a state where he has no choice but to allow?
“It’s strange that everyone believes in my words and moves like this.”
I laughed bitterly and muttered.
There were so many hands around me that it was funny that I had struggled to do it all by myself.
Why didn’t I know in my previous life?
“Even if everyone in the world doesn’t believe in you, I have to. I’m Helena’s brother.”
Leonard replied with a broad smile.
This side of him hasn’t changed since long ago.
The only one who taught me that brothers like this could exist; without killing each other, coveting and not being jealous.
“I’m glad I was born as your sister.”
I approached Leonard and hugged him tightly.
Leonard seemed slightly surprised by my reaction, which I’d never expressed much. But soon, he hugged me tightly.
‘It’s nice to have a family.’
Even though I knew it was a childish thought, I felt so warm in my heart.