The Saintess Returned to the Emperor’s Arms – Chapter 141

Author: Chewyy

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‘H-He laughed…? Did the emperor just laugh?’

That short chuckle from Herhan echoed like a ringing bell, striking Archbishop Ludovico’s ears harshly.

It felt like he had been slapped across the face.

‘Why… is everyone so quiet…?’

He couldn’t understand the silence of this moment.

He couldn’t understand the looks from the crowd either.

Why were they shocked by his words, glancing around with pale, panicked faces, whispering among themselves?

And the emperor—why was he smiling so confidently like that?

“So… the revival of the alliance… the declaration…”

Flustered, Ludovico mumbled something, trying to continue.

But his voice trembled uncontrollably with an unknown fear, and he couldn’t even finish his sentence—though no one was stopping him.

‘Something is wrong.’

The back of Ludovico’s neck grew hotter and hotter.

The person who was supposed to bring the evidence still hadn’t appeared, and the crowd—who were supposed to condemn the emperor with him—began slowly stepping back, avoiding the stage.

“Archbishop Ludovico.”

At that moment, the emperor spoke.

Just being called made Ludovico flinch in shock, and he dropped the declaration he was holding.

—Flutter. Flutter.

The paper that declared war against the imperial family and the revival of the alliance fell lightly—far too light for the weight of its words.

As Ludovico bent down to pick it up, a pair of footsteps approached.

A shoe stepped down—crushing both the fallen declaration and Ludovico’s fingertips beneath it.

“Ugh…! Y-Your Majesty!”

Unable to pull his hand away, Ludovico groaned in pain under the force of the young man pressing down on him.

The man who was once revered by all in the temple now lay in disgrace at the emperor’s feet, groaning pathetically.

“You have just declared your rebellion against me, on my own empire.”

Still on the ground, Ludovico lifted his head.

The young emperor’s arrogant eyes were almost too overwhelming to face, but Ludovico glared back anyway.

“Th-That’s right!”

The crowd stirred again.

Ludovico clenched his teeth.

He believed he was the only one who could inspire the others who were still too afraid to act.

“As a representative of God and a member of the alliance, I cannot stand by and watch the emperor’s tyranny! Therefore, I must protect the incarnation of Antu from this savage usurper—”

“And how exactly have I been a tyrant?”

“I will present clear evidence here and now!”

“When? Where?”

Herhan remained calm.

In fact, he looked relaxed, as if enjoying a piece of entertainment.

“So, where is this evidence?”

Cornered, Ludovico’s gray eyes darted desperately in all directions.

The one who promised to bring evidence had been here somewhere. The soldiers were supposed to arrive soon too.

“Th-The evidence is right there—!”

He spotted the men who had convinced him earlier in the waiting room, and relief flashed across his face—

Only for it to freeze into shock and terror.

The man who had promised him revolution stood there with arms crossed, watching coldly—

Among the emperor’s knights.

“Ah…”

A faint gasp slipped from his trembling lips.

His shaking eyes, once filled with panic, quickly lost all color and collapsed into despair.

‘It was all… a trap.’

When he raised his head again and met Herhan’s gaze, the emperor still looked down at him with a cruel smile.

“So you denied it so strongly, yet dared to lie to me. Archbishop Ludovico—since when did you become a servant of that filthy alliance?”

“I am not—”

“Was it when you joined hands with criminals and targeted my empress? Or was it long before that?”

“……”

Ludovico realized it then.

The moment he accepted the declaration in the waiting room, he had already taken a bite of forbidden fruit.

He quickly stood up and began backing away from the emperor, who looked at him like a man condemning him to death.

“I… I did not do this. I… I was merely played by a wicked scheme! That man! That man threatened me and used me as his pawn!”

Ludovico pointed at the man standing among the emperor’s knights.

But when the emperor didn’t react, his trembling finger shifted toward the crowd.

“That man is one of them—and that one too! Everyone here is part of the alliance’s leadership!”

Ludovico began shouting desperately.

Whether this was the emperor’s trap or Kyle’s plan to cut off loose ends, it no longer mattered.

Saving his own life was already impossible.

So the only thing left was this—

“If I die, I won’t die alone.”

“That one over there leads the northern communication network! And that merchant leader from Karan provided financial support to the alliance! And that Professor El over there led alliance divisions with his students!”

As Ludovico continued his accusations, the crowd—who had been watching nervously—finally erupted, faces flushed with anger as they shouted back.

“Archbishop! What kind of nonsense is this?”

“N-No, Your Majesty! Do not believe him! Everything the archbishop says is a lie!”

“I know nothing about this! I have never joined the alliance!”

“I did support them—but that, that wasn’t me, it was him!”

“What? When did I ever do that? You were the one who dragged me into the alliance!”

The banquet hall was still as dazzling and magnificent as before, but the dignity of the people inside collapsed in an instant, turning chaotic.

Like a marketplace in uproar, the fire Ludovico had started spread in a flash.

Petty excuses and even pettier accusations surrounded one another.

Shouting and finger-pointing broke out everywhere.

Only after watching their ridiculous quarrel for a while did Emperor Herhan finally speak.

“What an incredible coincidence. Are you saying that all the distinguished guests I invited today just happen to be executives of the alliance? War criminals who corrupted the temple and dared to covet the emperor’s consort? Wow, how impressive.”

The emperor mocked them with an innocent-looking smile.

At that, Ludovico—whose veins had been bulging as he argued—and the murmuring crowd all fell silent, their faces turning pale.

As the emperor said, there was no way this was coincidence.

And it certainly wasn’t part of Lord Kyle’s grand plan.

At last, everyone realized the truth—this entire situation had been orchestrated by the emperor.

“Ugh! M-Move!”

At that moment, someone in the crowd lost their senses and suddenly ran toward the exit.

Starting with him, everyone in the hall began to panic and scatter in all directions.

They tripped over each other, fell, and even stepped on those who had fallen as they rushed toward the doors.

“If you wish to live, return to your places calmly.”

Despite the polite words, soldiers with gleaming swords had already surrounded the banquet hall, sealing off all escape.

As if declaring their defeat, Herhan spoke again.

“If your lives are precious, obey my command from now on. Come back and show me your faces.”

At his low command, everyone trembled as if struck by lightning.

They glanced desperately at one another, but all they could share was deep helplessness.

“How delightful. To finally face those who have been lurking in the shadows, spying on me all this time.”

Herhan looked at each bowed head before him one by one.

“It seems my warning wasn’t enough—even after blood was spilled in the middle of the temple.”

At last, the emperor revealed his true intent.

Immediately, one terrified man dropped to his knees and cried out desperately.

“Your Majesty! No! Not me! I was foolish and once followed the alliance, but the moment I learned they threatened Her Majesty the Empress—the descendant of Antu—I abandoned them!”

His desperate plea stirred the crowd.

Soon, the man beside him knelt down, then another, and another—until even an old gentleman behind them fell flat to the ground, all confessing at once.

“Me too! I’m the same!”

“I am first and foremost Your Majesty’s subject! How could I side with those who oppose the imperial family?”

“I abandoned the alliance long ago!”

“If you spare me, I will swear my loyalty again and reveal all of the alliance’s crimes!”

Herhan couldn’t even laugh anymore.

With just the slightest push, they had all collapsed.

Perhaps the alliance itself had always been nothing more than a castle built on sand.

He ordered the soldiers to bind Archbishop Ludovico, who was still trembling with anger, and to count those who had surrendered on the ground.

“Is there no one else who wishes to surrender?”

Each time Herhan casually offered leniency, more people—realizing the alliance’s complete defeat—bowed their heads in submission.

Even so, a few still stood in the corner, glaring fiercely at the emperor.

“And you?”

At Herhan’s gesture, they flinched—but did not lose the madness in their eyes.

“The alliance will one day regain its former glory! Lord Kyle—and our descendants—will carry on that will!”

“And that ‘will’ still means you refuse to give up your greed for my empress?”

“Her Majesty is the great incarnation of Antu. Even you, Your Majesty, cannot claim her as your own!”

They lifted their chins proudly, nodding as if convinced of their righteousness.

They thought such boldness would shake the emperor.

But Herhan simply frowned as he counted them one by one.

In the heavy silence, he narrowed his eyes.

What he said next was nothing more than a bored remark.

“So only eleven remain? I expected at least several times that number.”

“…!”

“I wondered how great this ‘alliance’ was—but it turns out to be rather trivial. How disappointing.”

At those words, their proud expressions twisted into confusion.

“You’re right about one thing. My empress is so merciful she seems almost heaven-sent. She made a request of me—that I spare the lives of those who surrender willingly today.”

Step. Step.

As he spoke, the emperor descended from the stage.

“I can’t refuse her request. Honestly, I was worried—what if everyone knelt? If I had no one left to strike down…”

Herhan’s gaze toward the remaining men gleamed like a predator licking its lips.

“How would I satisfy this anger of mine?”

Those already kneeling trembled, afraid to even meet his eyes.

The emperor’s footsteps passed them and stopped before the eleven remaining men.

“Eleven, huh. To keep my dignity, I suppose I should deal with at least this many myself.”

“Th-The merciful incarnation of Antu would never tolerate such tyranny from Your Majesty—!”

Before the man could finish, the emperor’s sword flashed.

The blade stopped just beneath his chin, drawing a thin line of blood.

“Know your place, thief. Do not dare speak of what is mine.”

The man couldn’t continue.

More terrifying than the pain of steel cutting flesh was the emperor’s fierce voice tearing into his very soul.

“You’ll be the eleventh. Stand at the end and watch carefully the miserable end of your greed.”

* * *

The hall had turned into complete chaos.

Kyle lowered his head deeply, biting his lip as he continued arguing with a soldier.

“I’m not an invited guest. I came in here by mistake. Please, let me leave.”

“Did you not hear His Majesty’s command? No one may leave until all the criminals have been taken away.”

Kyle shut his eyes tightly.

Behind him, the eleven prisoners were being dragged away one by one.

He deliberately avoided looking at them and thought to himself.

‘Idiots.’

Not just them—everyone.

Archbishop Ludovico, already bound in chains and dragged outside… those who had thrown themselves to the ground just to save their own lives… and the last eleven who had stubbornly stayed, only to provoke the emperor’s wrath.

‘Impressive, Herhan. I didn’t expect you to set up such an interesting trap.’

Even though he tried to act calm and confident, the situation was still troublesome.

Among those who surrendered, there were people who knew his identity. If he couldn’t escape now, it would be the end.

Like a fish caught in a net, things would only tighten around him.

There was no choice but to escape before that happened.

‘Damn it.’

Just then—

“You must be very shaken, Your Majesty the Empress. I will escort you safely outside.”

“What will happen to these people?”

“There is no need to worry. His Majesty will handle everything. He said it would be best if you did not see this.”

“I see. Alright.”

Amid the chaos, a clear voice cut through everything, instantly snapping Kyle’s senses awake.