The Saintess Returned to the Emperor’s Arms – Chapter 123

Author: Chewyy

Who is your master

Inside the emperor’s carriage.

As she left the temple, Riella’s body continued to tremble.

Herhan wrapped his arms around Riella’s shoulders as if to calm her down.

There was still work to be done in the temple.

Greta, who had fled, had to be found, and the temple’s collusion with the Alliance had to be uncovered.

But that was now the responsibility of Herhan’s capable subordinates.

In the meantime, the two of them decided to stay at the grand estate of a local lord not far from the temple and monitor the situation from there.

“Sir Jess’s contribution was truly great. If we had known a little later that the princess was in collusion with the alliance and had reported me, I wouldn’t have been able to leave the temple so easily.”

Riella continued speaking, leaning her head on Herhan’s shoulder.

“You said there was someone who gave crucial testimony?”

“..….”

“Shouldn’t we meet that witness in person? Even though Captain Asion will know how to conduct a good investigation—”

“Stop, Riella. You need to rest today.”

Herhan’s voice, as he dismissed the idea, was still filled with tension and worry.

Riella looked up at him with deep affection, thinking to herself:

‘If anyone needs rest more than me… It’s you.’

He had struck down those who sought to exploit her with a single blow.

He had risked his life to make a declaration to the world.

It must have been harder for him than anyone else.

* * *

The carriage soon arrived at its destination.

In front of the magnificent mansion, those who had been notified in advance that the emperor was coming were lined up neatly.

“I greet you, Your Majesty the Emperor and Your Majesty the Empress, the Sun of the Empire.”

The old count, with a kindly expression, approached the two and bowed his head again.

“We heard that the verification ceremony at the temple went smoothly today. It is truly an honor to receive His Majesty and Her Majesty Blinite, a descendant of Ann.”

“Rumors spread too quickly.”

A cold wind blew from Herhan’s answer.

With the attention of the entire nation focused on this matter, it was only natural that the rumor would spread faster than the Emperor’s carriage, but this was something Herhan was not happy about.

“Oh, I’m sorry.….”

The count, who was flustered and at a loss at the fact that he had upset the emperor, chose to change the subject.

“We have prepared everything for your stay. We have completely refurbished the interior as of yesterday, and we have selected only the best servants to serve you two.”

At first glance, the people the Count was pointing to were servants who appeared to number at least fifty people.

Riella felt uneasy.

It wasn’t because the large number of servants was burdensome.

After all, the palace had even more servants

What worried Riella was something else.

‘His Majesty will surely want to check each and every one of those people.’

As expected, Herhan, who had gone forward with a stiff expression, pretended to encourage the butler at the front and began examining him.

He would no doubt go on to examine every servant, one by one.

To make sure that not a single suspicious person could approach them.

Seeing that, Riella knew she had to intervene. She stepped in front of the count.

“Please leave about five people to help with cleaning and meals.”

“Yes? But….”

“I feel uncomfortable around a lot of people.”

After speaking to the Count, Riella held Herhan’s hand tightly so he couldn’t object.

“I want to spend some quiet, cozy time with you, Your Majesty.”

Herhan stared at Riella and nodded in understanding.

The hand that was verifying the servants while exhausting its strength was held tightly by Riella’s small, warm hand.

* * *

After the count left, Riella unpacked and organized their things inside the mansion.

When she came out after a bath, Herhan was nowhere to be seen.

“Your Majesty? Where…”

While wandering around the mansion looking for Herhan, Riella spotted him in the scenery outside the window.

He had been walking the grounds, assigning imperial guards to every spot, and was still standing in the middle of the garden, talking to Jess about something.

Riella sat down near the windowsill with her chin resting on it and stared at Herhan intently.

‘He told me not to worry about anything.’

From the moment he had carried her down the temple’s high platform to the time they arrived at this mansion, Herhan had whispered reassuring words in her ear.

It’s all over now. There’s nothing to be afraid of.

But while he was comforting her, he was silently shouldering all the remaining fear and burdens himself.

Even after sending Jess away and returning to their bedroom, it was the same.

Even though Riella went to bed early because she couldn’t overcome her fatigue, Herhan sat on the edge of the bed and stroked Riella’s forehead a little before going back to the window and pacing around restlessly.

She thought she’d fall asleep the moment she lay down, but instead, she only felt more unsettled.

Because something that should have been there—something she needed for peace—was missing.

So Riella got up and walked over to Herhan, who was standing by the window.

Herhan didn’t even realize she was up until she gently hugged him from behind.

“Is there anything interesting outside?”

At the question mixed with complaints, his broad back shook once and he let out a snicker.

Riella finally felt like she was resting.

This—this was what she had needed.

His large, warm body.

The sound of his soft, sweet breath.

“Did I give you too difficult a task?”

“A task?”

“Protecting me.”

“A task, huh?”

‘I’d protect you even in death. If that’s a lifelong assignment, so be it.’

Even though he was told to relax, Herhan did not take his eyes off the outside.

The mansion grounds were dark.

Despite the tight security—knights posted on every wall, in every yard, at every gate—Herhan couldn’t let his guard down.

It was then that Riella, who had been hugging his back, stepped in front of Herhan and covered his face with her palm.

“I meant, look at me.”

Her fingers on his sharp jaw guided his gaze downward.

Only then did Herhan slightly bow his head and meet Riella’s eyes.

Riella furrowed her brows as if she were complaining. ‘I’m right here. Where else are you looking?’

“The task,” she said again.

“…..”

“It’s over now.”

Herhan’s eyes, which had been tense the whole time, finally relaxed.

“You kept all the promises you made to me. So stop now.”

His languid gaze turned to Riella.

Anger, pain, worry, fierce determination—all the emotions that had stormed in his blue eyes now quieted, focused entirely on her.

Riella was very grateful for that.

That she could be the one to fill those beautiful eyes.

Riella lifted her brow and pulled Herhan’s head down further, kissing his eyelids.

Soft lips brushed against his eyelids, and Herhan smiled.

His grip, which had been stiff the whole time and holding the windowsill, relaxed and wrapped around Riella’s waist.

“Let’s leave the security here to those guys. They’re all trustworthy.”

“I can’t fully entrust you to anyone.”

“Do people like that even exist in the first place?”

This time, Riella burst into laughter and asked.

There was no answer to be heard.

Even if he brought the strongest and bravest knight in the world, Herhan would not be at ease.

Because that’s who he was—so full of care and longing.

“There’s no one but you, Your Majesty. You’re the only one I’d entrust myself to.”

Riella stood up straight, raised her head, and stared at him intently.

Their eyes met in front of the moonlit window.

Her gaze burned like fire—shy yet bold, careful yet unhesitating.

So Riella approached Herhan and kissed him on the lips.

Herhan didn’t rush.

He simply let her come to him, letting her set the pace.

It wasn’t a kiss where they touched briefly and then parted ways, but rather a kiss where they slowly covered each other and felt each other softly.

As the breaths passed between them became so sweet that Herhan began to lose consciousness, Riela slowly pulled back.

He couldn’t help but sigh in longing.

Riella looked into Herhan’s eyes again.

Riela’s lips, flushed from their kiss, glistened in the moonlight as she confessed:

“You are my master.”

At those words, Herhan paused for a moment.

That was the confession he had once made to Riella.

“You are my master.”

He had been so overwhelmed by Riella’s greatness—her very existence—that he willingly offered himself as her servant.

And now—

“…What?”

“You heard me.”

“I didn’t.”

“You did.”

Riella blinked her lovely eyes and spoke again.

Slower and clearer than before.

“You are my one and only master.”

Herhan immediately hugged Riella, and she clung to him willingly.

Herhan moved with long, wide strides and placed Riella down on the bed.

And at the same time, he poured out onto it.

The crisp new blanket made a rustling sound.

In the bedroom that had just been renovated, all the furniture was new, and the scent of perfume wafting through the room was something Riella had never smelled before.

Far from “home,” in a strange land where even the air felt unfamiliar, the only thing Riela recognized was the heat of Herhan’s body holding her close.

“Your majesty…”

Herhan held her gently, carefully, as if embracing a fragile goddess

And when their eyes met, emotion surged in him.

‘I have you.’

He even shouted that fact to the whole world today.

But he couldn’t forget the eyes that looked back at him then— full of doubt, resentment, jealousy, as if to say: Do you deserve to have such a precious thing? How greedy of you?

Even after stepping down from the temple platform, that fear clung to him.

He had used blood and power to claim her, but was that really enough?

Could he really deserve someone like her?

But now there was no need to suffer so much.

“Say it again, Riella.”

Herhan asked through breathless kisses.

“Who is your master?”

The force of his desire left Riella breathless.

“Riella.”

Herhan’s urging was persistent.

Clinging to him, Riella finally answered:

“My master… is you, Herhan. Only you.”