Grant Me Your Grace

“Your Highness, are you awake?”

At that moment, Bertha knocked on the door. 

Startled, Dahlia quickly gathered her clothes lay back down on the bed, and then invited Bertha in as if she had just woken up.

“Come in.”

“Your Highness, I hope you slept well again today…”

Smiling brightly, Bertha stepped inside, but her breath caught in her throat. The child’s eyes busily scanned the Princess’s face.

“Your Highness, the spots on your face are gone!”

Then, forgetting the impiety of her behavior, she leaned closer to Dahlia and examined her face. 

The spots that had so ugly covered her mouth and neck the day before were gone, as if washed away.

At Bertha’s astonishment, Dahlia gave an awkward laugh.

“The skin disease must have cleared up faster this time.”

“Does it hurt? Does it tickle or sting? Does it make it difficult to breathe?”

“Not at all. I feel fine.”

“Hah… Thank goodness, Your Highness, thank goodness.”

Relieved, Bertha was happy, even to the point of tears. She had been so worried about the ugly spots on the princess’ face, which hadn’t even been married yet. 

She had worried every day that they wouldn’t disappear.

Knowing her sincerity, Dahlia cherished this child even more.

“I’m sorry I worried you.”

Dahlia wiped away the tears that had formed in the corners of Bertha’s eyes. 

Bertha buried her face in Dahlia’s arms and shook her head.

“Don’t say that, Your Highness, whatever you want to do is fine, as long as you’re not sick.”

Suddenly, I remembered Hissin holding me the other night. 

Bertha’s innocence, her joy when I laughed, and her sadness when I was miserable, somehow reminded me of yesterday’s Hissin.

Blind. Yes, the two of them were alike in that regard. 

Blindly seeing only themselves and blindly acting for me.

Except that, unlike Bertha, Hissin had licked hungrily at her intimate parts.

Dahlia bit down hard on her lower lip at the erotic sensation of a fleeting memory.

Thoughts of Hissin are becoming more frequent. It was a sign that he was creeping deeper into my life. 

Becoming indispensable.

Whether this was a good thing or not, Dahlia couldn’t answer easily.

“For breakfast, just bring me fig tea and a slice of bread. I want something light.”

“Yes, Your Highness, and I’ll be right back with some fresh water.”

Bertha left the room, smiling bashfully. Alone, Dahlia exhaled softly and clutched the hem of her robes.

✨

The first miracle of God’s gift, the first barley from the lands of Bhunta, has finally been harvested.

The grains had taken root and sprouted in the fertile soil, and within a few months, they had grown quickly and produced a bountiful harvest.

While it was still too early to predict the year’s harvest, the bounty of the first crop was a good sign. 

Farmers in the Bhunta region have been praying to the Nuit goddess in thanksgiving for the first bountiful harvest in a long time.

“This year’s first barley harvest is expected to be more than four times larger than usual, thanks to the Bhunta region.”

Emperor Khankundra smiled in satisfaction at the official’s report. 

Khankundra, who had been in a low mood for some time after the last Shisha incident, seemed to be in high spirits at the good news.

The Emperor continued to leisurely listen to the reports from his ministries. 

From agriculture to trade and diplomacy, none of it was too disturbing for him.

“Early next month, I’m thinking of raising the mine’s output by another five percent.”

“I wonder if that’s too much.”

“The new mineralization we discovered during our recent excavations is quite rich. I believe we can continue to develop it.”

“Good.”

One after another, the bureaucrats reported back, bragging about their dazzling achievements. 

It was unlikely that the Emperor himself would be around to verify them, so a few of them stretched the truth a bit.

No matter the process, as long as the result was the same.

The Emperor was oblivious to this and nodded in approval.

An official from the Royal Family Affairs Committee, which oversees the weddings and marriages of the royal family, stepped forward. 

The official bowed deeply, confident that he could keep the positive atmosphere going.

“Your Majesty. This year, the Princess has celebrated her coming-of-age ceremony, and now that she has reached the age of maturity, I believe we should proceed with the wedding.”

The peaceful atmosphere of the realm suddenly turned cold. 

The smile on Khankundra’s face suddenly turned stiff. 

The air had changed unexpectedly, and the bureaucrat from the Royal Family stood up and spoke at length about the importance of this matter.

“Now, for the sake of future friendship with our neighbors, the marriage of the princess is inevitable, Your Majesty.”

The Baran nation had risen through military might and wealth, but it was also a nation that had ruled or kept its neighbors in check through the strong bonds of marriage.

A prince who has fallen behind in the line of succession, or a princess who has no prospects, could only sow seeds of dissension by remaining in the palace. 

Under imperial law, they were usually sent away as soon as they came of age to find spouses in other lands or vassal states.

Other Princes had already done so for Dahlia, so it was time for Dahlia, who had come of age this year, to choose a suitor.

“A marriage. Marriage…”

Khankundra muttered as he stroked his saintly beard.

Her divine powers had kept Dahlia locked away in the Princess’s palace, but he couldn’t keep her in Baran forever.

But he couldn’t change the laws of the land for the sake of a Dahlia. Khankundra’s mind raced for a good idea.

Dahlia’s blood would be tied to Baran until her death.

Then the high priest Aaron stepped forward to address the troubled Emperor.

“How is the country of Surha, Your Majesty? It is said to be a country of faithful believers in the gods, and its royalty is trusted by the people for its good governance.”

Though smaller than Baran’s capital, Surha was a strong nation. 

It was a country at the end of a continent, but not a bad place to cement ties through marriage.

One of the leading nobles, Moudat Osahar, was also in favor of the High Priest’s plan.

“Surha is situated in the center of the continent of Misilan and has many trade advantages, so it would be of great benefit to the nation of Baran if we were to deepen our bonds through marriage.”

The bureaucrats nodded in agreement.

“How can we send Her Highness to such a rural and inferior country?”

Mindhu blatantly refuted the high priest’s opinion.

“Surha is a country that, despite its favorable local conditions, has closed its gates, barely sustaining itself on domestic trade, a country that has neglected trade and diplomacy, a country that has turned its back on everyone.”

“But trade and diplomacy can be cultivated, and finding a country that is so faithful…”

“Politics is not an act of faith, High Priest.”

The surrounding air turned cold at Mindhu’s bluntness. He stared straight at Aaron.

“If faith were such a priority, we would have made the Princess a nun, not a bride.”

“Your Highness, what a…!”

Aaron’s voice was about to rise.

“I agree with you, my lord.”

Crown Prince Saltar, who had been watching the scene, added his support to Mindhu’s opinion.

“Faith is important, of course, but the marriage of a Princess is an important diplomatic tool, not just an act of finding a mate. There are many things to consider.”

It was the first time the Crown Prince and Mindhu had ever agreed on anything.

The Crown Prince openly sided with the Chancellor, and the bureaucrats slowly sided with him. In the end, Aaron was forced to give in.

Mindhu stood before the Emperor and said, “Your Majesty, how is the Kingdom of Hayad doing?”

“The Kingdom of Hayad?”

“Yes. The Kingdom of Hayad is located at the headwaters of the Teremun River, where the land is fertile, and it is at a key point of transportation, so trade and movement between nations is brisk. It also has excellent engineering and architecture, and there are many possibilities for future development…”

Mindhu raised his head, his thin lips elongating.

“It seems right to me that you should send the Princess to strengthen that bond even further.”

The Kingdom of Hayad was a country that Mindhu’s cousin had opened up to trade years ago. 

With stronger ties between the two countries came the promise of favorable taxes and other benefits.

With the promise of a secret payoff from his cousin, it was only natural for Mindhu to want to get his hands on Hayad.

For the Emperor, of course, Hayad was a very good option. 

The Kingdom of Hayad borders the northern border of Baran, and the two countries had a long history of interference in each other’s internal affairs.

The current ruler of the Kingdom of Hayad had ascended to the throne with the help of the Baran Kingdom.

‘Even if we send the Princess, we can always get her blood without difficulty.’

Perhaps this was the reason Saltar raised his hand to speak of it.

“The Kingdom of Hayad. Not bad.”

Khankundra nodded in satisfaction.

“Good. You shall send an envoy to the Kingdom of Hayad soon. The Princess is now of age, so it shouldn’t take long.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

Mindhu bowed his head, and the others bowed deeply as well. A sneer crossed Mindhu’s lips at the way things were going.