The Oblivious Saint Can't Contain Her Power: Forget My Sister! Turns Out I Was the Real Saint All Along! Volume 3 [Parts 1 to 8] by Almond

Author:Almond
Language: eng
Format: epub

Chapter Three

(Carolina)

Days passed in a blur, and before I knew it, the day of the noble assembly was upon us. The Ruby Imperial Palace was alive with a palpable buzz, teeming with members of the aristocracy from every corner of the empire, all of whom had convened for the occasion. As the proceedings got underway, I found myself somewhat detached from the fervor, secluded in the Emerald Palace as the assembly’s deliberations unfolded without me.

I cast yet another anxious glance at the nearby clock, my finger absently tracing the delicate rim of my teacup. Were Ed and the others making any headway at this critical juncture? With Teodore and the emperor at Ed’s side, there was no logical basis for my worry, yet it incessantly nagged at me regardless.

If only I could have been there to witness the debate firsthand. Unfortunately, the assembly was (with a few notable exceptions) exclusively for men. Hereditary peeresses and the empress could attend, but wives of peers and princesses were typically barred—a stark reminder that politics was still very much considered a masculine domain.

Despite the fact that I had little more to add to the conversation, I couldn’t shake off a sense of injustice, being excluded from a process that was, in every essential way, centered around me. But alas, that had been their reasoning for disallowing the exception in the first place.. The members of the assembly weren’t supposed to know that the Faith Council proposal concerned me directly. It would’ve raised more than a few eyebrows in the opposition if I had been present. “Foolish” would’ve been the kindest word to describe me if my unneeded presence had jeopardized the very proposal meant to benefit me, so I’d chosen to wait patiently, albeit with a heavy heart.

My anxiety surged, and a small bit of it slipped through my lips as a quiet murmur of, “Oh, I just hope it’s going well...” Owen and Marisa, who had been silently standing by the wall, seemed to stir at my words. After a brief, knowing glance between them, both stepped forward.

Owen was the first to speak. “If I may, Your Highness.” Marisa seemed to silently echo his plea, her gaze fixed earnestly on me. Though her impassive visage generally gave away little in the way of emotion, at this moment it betrayed a very palpable sense of determination.

Their formality (not to mention their apparent nervousness) had me at a loss, which prompted me to encourage them to speak freely. They nodded gratefully, and as they prepared to speak, the tension in their faces tightened further; their nervous gulps were the only sound in the otherwise silent room. This is...some atmosphere, I thought.

Bravely, Owen broke through the silence once more. “I hope you’ll excuse my impertinence, but I’d like to speak regarding the personal time you recently granted us. The reason Marisa and I both took time off before the assembly...was to meet with our respective siblings.”

The revelation struck me like an icy shock. “What?” I whispered.

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