36 - Aggression
The word Saintess still hung in the air like a thunderclap. Inside the modiste, no one dared to breathe too loudly.
Five Holy Knights remained kneeling before Mariana, their white armor gleaming beneath the afternoon light filtering through the tall windows. The surrounding noblewomen stared in stunned disbelief.
Saintess. The Grand Princess of Forebros.
The revelation rippled through the crowd like wildfire. Mariana stood frozen where she was. Her thoughts were screaming.
This is bad. This is very, very bad...!
Her peaceful outing had somehow transformed into a political catastrophe involving the Church, the Crown Prince, and half the city as witnesses.
The captain of the Holy Knights slowly rose from his kneeling position. His expression remained respectful. But determined. “Grand Princess Mariana,” he said calmly. “We request that you accompany us to the Luminaris Chapel immediately.”
Mariana’s mouth opened slightly. “Immediately…?”
The captain nodded. “The Pope himself has arrived.” That sentence alone sent another wave of shocked murmurs through the room.
“The Pope?!”
“Why would the Pope come here?”
“He never leaves the Grand Basilica!”
The priest standing beside the knights stepped forward. “Our Holiness received word regarding the divine resonance test performed yesterday,” he explained solemnly. “Upon hearing the results, he traveled personally to confirm the matter.”
Mariana felt her stomach drop.
Divine resonance test. So the Chapel already knows everything.
Her mind raced.
The Pope personally came? That means… they’re serious about this...
The priest continued. “The Holy Father wishes to witness the Grand Princess’s divine power himself.”
Mariana’s hands clenched slightly against the fabric of her dress. Her instincts screamed danger. The Church did not simply ask Saintesses to come. Historically, they took them. Sometimes politely. Sometimes not.
Grand Duchess Darelene’s voice cut through the room like a blade.
“That will not be possible.” Every head turned toward her.
She stood tall beside the velvet sofa, her pink hair shining beneath the sunlight like a crown of fire.
“The Grand Princess is my daughter,” Darelene said calmly.
“She will not be escorted anywhere without the consent of House Vernon.”
The Holy Knight captain inclined his head respectfully. “We understand your concern, Your Grace.” But his tone did not change. “However, matters concerning the Saintess fall under the jurisdiction of the Temple of Astrid.”
Darelene’s eyes narrowed slightly. “That may be true in theory.” Her voice grew colder. “But you seem to have forgotten something important.” She gestured lightly around the room. “You are currently standing in Forebros territory.”
The room felt colder. The captain remained silent for a moment. Then he spoke again. “Our orders come directly from the Pope.”
“And my authority,” Darelene replied smoothly, “comes from the Grand Duke of Forebros.”
The tension in the shop thickened. Several noblewomen quietly backed away from the confrontation. This was no longer gossip. This was politics. Dangerous politics. Mariana stood helplessly between the two sides. Her brain had officially stopped functioning.
Please stop fighting over me.
The Holy Knight captain straightened slightly. “With respect, Your Grace,” he said, “we cannot leave without the Grand Princess.”
Behind him, the other knights subtly shifted. Not drawing weapons. But ready. The implication was clear. Darelene’s expression hardened. For a moment, it seemed like the situation might escalate.
Then, a quiet voice spoke. “You seem rather confident.”
Everyone turned.
Crown Prince Zafiel was still seated comfortably. One elbow resting on the armrest. A half-eaten sweet in his hand. He looked… relaxed. Too relaxed. His amethyst eyes lifted toward the Holy Knights.
“Confident enough,” he continued calmly, “to make demands inside a Grand Duchy.”
The captain bowed slightly. “Your Imperial Highness.”
Zafiel set the sweet down on the plate beside him. Then he stood. The room seemed to shrink the moment he moved. His posture was casual. But something in the air shifted.
The Holy Knights felt it immediately. Pressure. Not aura. Not killing intent. Something subtler. But far more dangerous. Zafiel slowly walked forward until he stood beside Mariana. His presence alone made several of the knights tense.
The Crown Prince looked at them calmly. Then spoke. “You will step back.” The words were simple. But the tone beneath them carried unmistakable menace.
“Grand Princess Mariana,” he continued coolly, “is a member of the imperial nobility.” His gaze sharpened. “And you are currently attempting to escort her by force.”
The captain stiffened slightly. “That is not our intention.”
“Is it not?” Zafiel tilted his head slightly. His expression remained pleasant. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks very much like coercion.”
The Holy Knights remained silent. The Crown Prince’s voice softened. Almost conversational.
“Allow me to clarify something.” His gaze swept across the armored knights.
“You are standing inside Forebros, one of the most powerful higher nobles of the Empire.” He gestured lightly toward Mariana.
“And the woman you are attempting to take away is their Grand Princess.” Then his smile vanished.
“If you forcefully remove her from this territory…” His eyes turned cold. “… you will be declaring war.”
The words fell like a guillotine. War. The noblewomen gasped quietly. The Holy Knights’ expressions stiffened.
Zafiel’s voice remained calm. “The Empire will not tolerate the abduction of one of its royal nobles.” He folded his arms. “And if the Temple of Astrid believes otherwise…” His smile returned. “… they are welcome to test that theory.”
Silence swallowed the room.
The captain of the Holy Knights looked visibly shaken now. Because the Crown Prince had just said something extremely dangerous. And extremely true. Grand Duchess Darelene stared at Zafiel.
For a brief moment, she looked genuinely surprised. She had expected the Crown Prince to remain neutral. To observe. Not intervene. But instead, he had drawn a line in the sand. Darelene slowly stepped forward. Her voice was calm. But firm.
“His Imperial Highness is correct.” The Holy Knights turned toward her again.
“If my daughter is taken against her will,” she continued, “Forebros will consider it an act of aggression.” Her golden eyes gleamed coldly.
“And when the Empire learns that the Temple of Astrid has seized its sole Grand Princess…” She paused.
“… I assure you the Empress will not remain silent.”
The implication was unmistakable.
Empire versus Church. A war no one wanted. The Holy Knights exchanged uneasy glances. They had come expecting a simple escort mission. Not a political nightmare involving the Crown Prince and a Grand Duchess threatening imperial retaliation.
The captain finally spoke again. Carefully. “We… will report this matter to the Pope.”
Zafiel smiled pleasantly. “Please do.”
The knight bowed stiffly. Then gestured to his men. One by one, the Holy Knights stood. The confrontation was over. For now. But the tension remained thick in the air.
And standing silently beside the Crown Prince, Mariana felt a terrifying realization settle in her chest. This situation had escalated far beyond her control. And somehow, Zafiel had just positioned himself directly at the center of it.