Chapter 73 - You didn't fall in love, did you?
Translator: Yonnee
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There was no other person he could have imprinted on-but it didn't make sense.
After returning to this world, he had been guided by his wife, but this alone wouldn't have induced an imprint.
It's impossible for imprint at will, but there was, in fact, one such phenomenon that would make it possible.
Only when the mind and body of both people were to become one, then the condition for imprinting would be met.
"...It may be when I had kissed her with such force while I wasn't entirely conscious."
He could infer from the faint memories he had and the traces he had left on her that day.
In the past, whenever he received her guiding, he was not of the right mind. He was completely consumed by the urge-the need-to covet her and make her his in such a raw manner, devoid of any aristocratic dignity.
After each time, once he came to his senses, it's impossible not to feel a sense of shame from his actions.
At that time, he could not completely trust his wife yet and he could barely even breathe, but in the end, he succumbed and leaned into her embrace. He could not look into her eyes properly out of shame and cowardice.
Before leaving the Closch Barony, he checked her lips. Throughout the whole time he was there, that small wound bothered her, leading him to hover around her.
That aside, it was him who had inflicted that wound onto his wife. Just the thought of that made it feel like his chest was being stabbed.
"Huu..."
Taking a deep breath, he moved his halted legs once more.
Learning that the saintess's guiding didn't work on him made him pleased, but for a moment, he rubbed his chin and thought about it, anxious.
If he had truly imprinted on Irene, he felt regretful of the fact that he left her at that place.
He had no idea how exactly it happened, but he knew one thing clearly.
He must hurry back to her.
Walking through the corridors, he came across a few priests who were walking briskly. At the sight of them, Ciel recalled the high priest-the one and only person who could hear the voice of God.
If he were to visit the high priest, he might find a clue.
Instead of returning to the crown prince's office, he headed down the opposite direction. Even if he caused the saintess to black out, and even if he might end up receiving backlash in the end, it did not occur to him to turn back.
At first, his gait was that of a graceful saunter to maintain one's noble dignity, but this soon accelerated. As Ciel left the palace, he was almost running.
Before the coachman could even open the carriage door fully, Ciel told him,
"Head to the temple."
"Yes, Your Grace."
* * *
Jace gazed upon the saintess, who was now lying on a bed in a designated room for very important guests in his palace. He used his ability over water to wipe the sweat trickling down her brow. A transparent stream of water appeared out of thin air and wiped only at the sweat before disappearing again.
The priest who had accompanied the saintess said that she must be taken back to the temple, but Jace had rejected that forceful suggestion.
The mere presence of the saintess in his palace filled him with an unknown sense of pride.
"Your Highness."
The chief attendant entered the room carefully and stood next to the crown prince.
"Right. Tell me, where exactly did the Duke go?"
Ciel said that he would come back to bring another priest, but he did not return. Jace only belatedly noticed that the duke had disappeared, and so he had instructed the chief attendant to find his whereabouts.
"Well... It has been a while since he left the palace's grounds, Your Highness. It could be that he left right after the Saintess had collapsed."
"Huu. Just what in the world is going on with him."
Jace already knew that Ciel had changed, but he couldn't understand the man's behavior.
More importantly, the saintess had reacted strangely when she had tried to guide Ciel. There was a look of absolute disbelief on her face.
Jace had been unable to take his eyes off her, so he couldn't remember what kind of reaction Ciel had at that time.
He couldn't believe his own actions-that he was paying attention to only the saintess. He was taught and brought up on the doctrine of being fair to all, anytime and anywhere.
The fact that he could not remember that moment clearly due to his emotions weighed heavily on his conscience.
"Chief Attendant, be sure to keep everyone's mouths shut about this. It might become detrimental to Ciel if a rumor goes around unnecessarily."
Jace couldn't even stay fair towards Ciel, and this made him feel frustrated.
"Yes, Your Highness. I've already instructed the servants properly."
"What did the priests say?"
"It's still the same. They're asking for Your Highness to return the Saintess."
"I'll write a letter to the temple myself, so deliver it later."
"Yes, sir."
Jace rose from the chair beside the bed where the saintess was lying and returned to his office for a moment. He quickly wrote a letter addressed to the high priest, closed it with the crown prince's official seal, and handed it to the chief attendant so it could be sent to the temple.
Right after that, he wrote one other letter and sealed it firmly. He handed that to the chief attendant as well.
"Send this to Duke Leopardt."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Send it in secret."
"Understood, sir."
After the chief attendant left, Jace hurried back to the saintess's side.
The moment he held her limp hand, her energy flowed into him.
Oh, how sweet this sensation was.
All complicated thoughts in his mind momentarily flew away.
