The Holy Spirit Appears
Sylvien stared down at Canna in silence.
That was all.
Even though he was looking at a woman who looked exactly like his dead wife, not a single flicker of emotion crossed his eyes. They remained as still and cold as the early dawn.
“Your name?”
He asked in a quiet voice.
“May I know your name?”
What was she supposed to say?
Canna pressed her lips tightly together and lowered her head.
In that instant, Sylvien seized her chin and lifted it, forcing her gaze up to meet his.
Their eyes locked.
They were an impossibly vivid blue. He was still disgustingly beautiful. His presence, as if forged from pure silver, left Canna utterly overwhelmed.
No wonder Juhwa lost her mind over him.
“Please tell me your name.”
The answer came from behind her.
“Tatiana!”
It was Alexei’s voice. The moment she heard it, Canna felt equal parts relief and fury.
“What exactly do you think you’re doing, Duke Valentino!”
Alexei, who had rushed over, grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back.
Sylvien silently shifted his gaze between Alexei and Canna, then tilted his head.
“Tatiana?”
“That’s correct. As you know, Duke, she is a woman with whom I share a very close relationship.”
At those words, Canna wanted to slap the back of Alexei’s head. What kind of nonsense was this man spouting on the very day he was getting engaged to someone else?
“Ah.”
Sylvien let out a short, belated exclamation.
“Tatiana Evgenia. His Highness the Crown Prince’s personal physician and lover.”
A subtle smile curved Sylvien’s lips as he spoke.
“So this is the one?”
“Yes.”
“I see. Forgive my rudeness.”
Sylvien smiled and took a step back. Yet his gaze remained fixed on Canna’s face, piercing straight through her.
“Tatiana Evgenia.”
He spoke the name as if etching it into his memory.
“It was an honor to meet you.”
Sylvien bowed politely at the waist. Then he turned and walked away. Canna watched his retreating figure in silence.
Did he really not notice?
Perhaps he simply thought she was a woman who bore an astonishing resemblance to his deceased wife.
After all, he had seen Canna’s corpse with his own eyes, and he would never imagine it had been a doll…
Even if he believed that, shouldn’t he have shown at least some surprise?
“What are you thinking about?”
Lost in thought, Canna was jolted by Alexei’s sharp question.
“Does running into your ex-husband stir up old feelings?”
It was absurd. Was he actually jealous right now?
“This is not something Your Highness needs to concern yourself with.”
“You are my lover. How could I not concern myself?”
“Lover?”
Canna shot back irritably.
“That delusion is almost embarrassing. Are you indulging in some one-sided fantasy romance all by yourself?”
“Tatiana!”
“Besides, I don’t think that’s something a man who is getting engaged today should be saying.”
“Are you still harping on that?”
Alexei no longer looked sorry. Instead, he sighed as if she were the difficult one.
“This is a contract between the empire and the kingdom, Tatiana. Don’t get hung up on a trivial word like ‘engagement.’”
“I think you’re the one who’s mistaken. That’s not the point at all. Your Highness deliberately deceived me and betrayed my trust. I cannot possibly forgive it.”
“I was afraid of losing you. Have you never considered that I love you enough to do something that foolish?”
“I do think it was foolish.”
“Please don’t treat me so cruelly. You’re not this kind of terrible woman.”
Canna laughed aloud. At this rate, she really did sound like the villainess who had abandoned him.
Ah, so that’s how it is.
If he wanted to paint her as the wicked one, then she would gladly become exactly that.
“If I had truly loved Your Highness, I wouldn’t have let go of your hand no matter what hardships or trials stood before us. But look. Where do you suppose my hand is now?”
Canna held up her empty hand, mocking him.
“My hand let you go, and I have no intention of taking it back. That’s how much I loved you. That’s all it ever was.”
“Tatiana.”
“And never introduce me as Your Highness’s lover in front of others again. It disgusts me.”
Pain fractured across Alexei’s eyes.
“Is this because of Duke Valentino?”
“Where did that nonsense even come from?”
“Meeting your ex-husband again made you change your mind?”
“Good grief. You really know how to push every button.”
Canna shook her head and walked straight past him. There was nothing left to say or hear.
“I told you I can’t give up on you.”
He murmured toward her receding back, his eyes flickering with desperate longing.
“I love you.”
Not even a few minutes after parting from Alexei, Canna had to stop dead in her tracks once again.
This time, Amelia was walking straight toward her.
Startled, Canna hurriedly ducked behind a pillar. Her heart couldn’t withstand any more of these repeated encounters.
I need to get back to my room and hide.
All the major figures of the Aslan Empire had gathered in this palace. Wandering around right now was far too dangerous.
Amelia was walking while chatting with the woman beside her.
“I’m worried about Crown Prince Alexei’s lover. Everyone knows how completely obsessed he is with her.”
They were talking about her.
“I wonder what she looks like? I heard she’s terrifyingly beautiful… They say she oozes sensuality from every pore, and men drop dead at the slightest gesture from her!”
Sensuality? Canna rolled her eyes, mortified.
“The most beautiful person I ever knew was Canna. I wonder if this woman is as pretty as she was?”
Sadness colored Amelia’s voice.
“Ah, you never saw Canna in person, did you? By the time you arrived, Canna was… already dead.”
The woman beside her answered in an innocent tone.
“No, I have seen her.”
Canna’s body staggered.
“I have seen her. She was a very beautiful woman.”
That voice…
“Really? You must have seen her portrait, then.”
Canna clenched her fists tightly.
It was Juhwa.
Juhwa was right there.
“Anyway, I’m worried. I’ve liked Crown Prince Alexei for a long time… I never thought he was the type to keep a mistress.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I liked that he was a handsome man who didn’t seem interested in women, but suddenly he has a lover…”
Their voices grew distant. Canna pressed a hand over her pounding heart.
I didn’t realize Juhwa had come too.
She had expected they would meet eventually, but not this soon.
Maybe it’s for the best.
After all, she needed to have an honest conversation with Juhwa at least once.
Even though she knew Juhwa had tried to kill her, Canna still couldn’t bring herself to hate her without reservation.
A perfectly ordinary seventeen-year-old girl had entered this body and, over the course of twelve years, slowly yet irreversibly broken down.
And this body remembered every single moment of it…
“Doctor Tatiana.”
On her way back, hurrying along, she ran into yet another person.
Again?
She was sick of stopping every few steps. But fortunately—or unfortunately—this time it wasn’t someone from the Aslan Empire.
“Priest Astan.”
He was a priest from the Great Temple stationed at the palace. Since he had pestered her several times before, Canna immediately felt displeased.
“You’ve grown even more beautiful since I last saw you. Your face is positively glowing. Did you use some special tonic?”
“Is that supposed to be a compliment?”
Canna replied icily and tried to walk past him. But he grabbed her wrist and stopped her.
“It’s His Highness the Crown Prince’s engagement ceremony tonight, isn’t it? It must be a painful evening for you. I could offer you some comfort.”
“I don’t need it, so let go, Priest Astan.”
“That’s exactly why it never works with you, Doctor Tatiana. You have so many good qualities, but your personality is the problem. You’re far too strong-willed.”
He clicked his tongue sharply, as if scolding her.
“Can’t you be obedient just once? It’s because you lack that gentle, pliant charm that His Highness went looking for another woman.”
Canna stared at him with hollow eyes.
She wasn’t even angry anymore. Recent misfortunes simply flashed through her mind like a panorama.
Her reunions with Ren and Orshini, Yeon-woo’s doll, Alexei’s engagement, Juhwa.
Compared to those, this was nothing.
“Are you even listening to me?”
When Canna remained silent, Astan’s grip tightened. Her wrist throbbed painfully.
“Where did you learn such arrogance that you won’t even answer a priest?”
Without thinking, Canna’s face twisted into a scowl.
The stench of alcohol was overpowering.
No wonder he was being so aggressive today—he was drunk.
“Where did you learn such rudeness, Priest?”
“What?”
“If you hate being ignored, then stop approaching me. That way neither of us has to feel unpleasant.”
With that, she irritably yanked her arm free.
In that moment, her nails raked across his face.
“…Ah.”
Astan let out a belated groan. He touched the scratch on his cheek, then glared at her with eyes blazing with fury.
He’s going to scream.
Canna let out a resigned sigh.
Tatiana Evgenia’s life was already ruined anyway. Maybe she should deal with this bastard properly before running away…?
…But why is it still quiet?
He didn’t shout. In fact, he had completely shut his mouth.
Puzzled, Canna studied his face.
Priest Astan wasn’t looking at her.
His eyes were wide open, fixed on something beyond her, as if he had sobered up in an instant.
What on earth did he see?
In that instant, Priest Astan dropped to his knees with a heavy thud. Then he flattened his entire body against the floor.
His back trembled violently. He convulsed as though gripped by pure terror.
A strange premonition swept over her.
Priests of the Great Temple did not fear even the emperor. There was only one being in this world that they feared.
Only one.
“I-I greet the Holy Spirit… May the blessings of God descend upon this land.”
Three years ago, the being who had turned the Great Temple into a bloodbath.
The fallen priest who had driven out the old Holy Spirit, torn apart the enforcers who protected him, executed every priest who resisted, and displayed their severed heads as a warning.
The new Holy Spirit who had carried out a bloody reformation.
He was standing right behind Canna.