Children of the Holy Emperor

Hello? My name is Seo Yi-seo.

I’m a regular employee at a gaming company who loves romance novels.

One day, during the alpha test of the [Homunculus Integrated Engine] in my personal space [My Home], I met a man.

He introduced himself as a storyteller who travels through dimensions, aspiring to become a grand rule that governs all stories, eventually reigning as the king of tales. At first, I thought he was completely insane.

But then, he told me an incredible story.

Our company’s finely crafted integrated engine had become a great rule that composes various dimensions. The first MMORPG created with this engine, [Pangaea Chronicle], became one of the most splendid and vast dimensions among many others.

After that, I traveled through various dimensions with the storyteller, engulfed in blue butterflies.

He showed me various constructed worlds like Pangaea Chronicle, countless natural worlds, and even a few small natural dimensions created by his stories.

After witnessing those vivid scenes, I had no choice but to believe him. If his words weren’t true, I’d be suffering from severe schizophrenia, lost in perfect hallucinations.

The dimension’s storyteller said,

He wished for the stories he created to gather and become a massive rule that shapes dimensions, just like this [Homunculus Integrated Engine].

But he mentioned that one of his most important stories, which he had been working on diligently, was falling into disarray.

So, he asked for my help. To become the new saintess in a world where the main character had vanished and the villain ran rampant, and to save the world within the book.

I had no reason to refuse. He guaranteed my safety, and besides, as a romance fantasy enthusiast, who wouldn’t dream of stepping into a novel’s story at least once?

But I had forgotten an important fact.

Many protagonists struggle to return to reality. And in most cases, they gradually assimilate into the world, eventually reaching an ending with the novel in some way or another.

***

Time flew by incredibly fast.

Seo Yi-seo was suddenly released from a torture chamber and brought to a large church. Guided by the hands of kind-hearted priestesses, she received extraordinary treatment.

She was bathed, dressed in white, luxurious clothing, and fed refined meals. Every day, she joined the priests in the chapel for mass and memorized thick, incomprehensible scriptures.

In this whirlwind of activities, she suddenly found herself sitting demurely in a grand church, donning a white veil, waiting for some ceremony.

Judging from the circumstances, it seemed to be her inauguration as a saintess.

The majestically decorated church was filled with a multitude of people. Nobles in luxurious clothing and dignified high priests continuously approached to offer their congratulations.

‘What is all this…’

So many things were happening one after another, it was dizzying. Seo Yi-seo couldn’t even begin to guess how her future would unfold.

As she stared blankly into space, a man quietly approached and spoke to her.

“What happened? Isn’t this very different from our plan? Why have you suddenly become the saintess?”

Seo Yi-seo’s eyes widened in shock.

The man was clad in a lavish robe that covered his body and face, leaving only his smooth lower jaw exposed. However, she recognized his voice distinctly.

He was the young man who had guided her to Salon de Merci when she first arrived in this world, another avatar of the storyteller.

“…Writer!”

Tears welled in Seo Yi-seo’s eyes.

“Why, why did you only appear now? Writer!”

“Shh!”

The man glanced around cautiously and whispered softly.

“Many eyes are upon us. I’ll read your thoughts, so just think your responses, don’t speak them.”

Seo Yi-seo swallowed hard and nodded.

“It was unavoidable that I couldn’t contact you sooner. You were detained within the palace, a place where I had no means to reach you independently. The palace is the absolute realm of the Holy Emperor. A space where I can neither enter nor interfere.”

Seo Yi-seo, having personally experienced the Holy Emperor’s terrifying powers, understood that the storyteller must have had no other choice.

“But our plan has gone seriously awry. Why were you suddenly taken to the palace? Weren’t we supposed to lay low until the Grand Festival Mass of the Nativity?”

I don’t know. Suddenly, Prince Morres came to the dressing room looking for me. He said he had something to ask about a butterfly design.

“Prince Morres… as expected, he was the unpredictable factor!”

Yes. He came with a group of knights and insisted on taking me to the palace. I had no choice but to agree to undergo the Trials of the Saintess right there.

“But why didn’t you undergo the Trials of the Saintess? How did you suddenly become a saintess without doing anything?”

I don’t know, Writer.

Suddenly, the villain of this world appeared and turned me into this.

But listen. Do you know what the Holy Emperor did to me?

He completely blocked my inventory and arbitrarily manipulated my sense of pain. I thought I was going to die from the pain that day!

“……!”

The man swallowed hard.

“…I never imagined he could tamper with the rules of the constructed world like this. My predictions were slightly off. Proceeding with the plan as is seems to be too risky now.”

What do we do now?

What should I do next?

“Just follow the original plan for now – reveal the Holy Emperor’s scheme and become the saintess. The [Minor Edict] I placed on you seems to still be intact, so use it judiciously. It should ensure that those around you won’t treat you too harshly.”

What? Writer! What are you talking about?

You’re not going to rescue me from here now?

“Stay within the Order for the time being, and another opportunity will arise soon. I will find time to come back for you. Until then…”

“Wait!”

“Farewell, and good luck!”

Seo Yi-seo, in a panic, reached out to grab him, but just like when he arrived, the man quickly disappeared into the crowd.

No, Writer! Wait! If you leave like this, what am I supposed to do!

“……”

Overwhelmed, Seo Yi-seo aimlessly gazed at the church entrance where he had vanished.

“…You jerk…”

With no one to hear her feeble reprimand, tears streamed down her face.

You jerk! How can you just leave someone like this?

Who did I trust to come this far? Who suffered all those hardships because of you!

“…You irresponsible… Such a jerk!”

Sobbing bitterly, Seo Yi-seo clutched at the veil covering her face, rubbing her face in despair. Her sudden, reckless behavior caused a stir among the people, but what did she care!

Left alone in this strange world, a world lurking with a terrifying villain!

That’s when it happened.

“Why are you crying? Are you hurt?”

Startled by the question, Seo Yi-seo instinctively turned and was shocked into silence.

“A… fairy?”

There stood an ethereally pale girl.

With a porcelain doll-like innocent face and shimmering silver hair, a white lace veil similar to Seo Yi-seo’s was delicately draped over her.

The girl’s clear grey eyes, like polished crystals, looked at Seo Yi-seo with concern.

“The inauguration ceremony will start soon, followed by a long ceremonial mass. You won’t have much time to rest for a while, so if there’s anything wrong, you should tell me in advance.”

Gosh, even her voice is so clear and pure!

She was shockingly, almost dangerously heartwarming.

“I, I am just…”

As Seo Yi-seo stuttered without forming coherent words, the girl tilted her head, then moved closer.

Soon, her tiny hand gently grasped Seo Yi-seo’s. As Seo Yi-seo felt the frail warmth of her touch, a white light suddenly burst from the girl’s fingertips.

‘Oh…’

The soreness from rubbing her eyes with the coarse veil eased, and she felt an overall improvement in her condition.

Above all else.

‘…It’s comforting.’

Wrapped in this warm light, Seo Yi-seo felt a sense of solace.

‘This is divine power…!’

She had experienced a similar force in the torture chamber not long ago. However, while the Holy Emperor’s use of it felt like a merciless trap constricting her tightly, the power emanating from this girl felt like unbounded affirmation and encouragement.

As her sobbing subsided, the little girl examined Seo Yi-seo quietly before speaking up.

‘This girl must be the false saintess!’ Seo Yi-seo realized.

But why? Contrary to what she had heard in stories and read in texts, this little girl seemed to radiate with all the goodness of the world, shining so brilliantly.

Her turning evil? Becoming a key for the Demon King’s advent?

That’s ridiculous!

‘I… I knew nothing, and I was about to fight against such a kind child…’

Tears began to flow again.

Then, once more, the girl’s hand emitted a white light, enveloping Seo Yi-seo in its warmth.

Confused, Seo Yi-seo sniffled and asked,

“I don’t feel any physical pain now, so why do you keep using your divine power?”

The girl tilted her head.

“Hmm. Someone said that when our hearts are hurt, our bodies recognize this pain and actually feel it. So, if we heal the body whenever it feels pain, wouldn’t the heart feel a bit less pain too?”

“……”

“If we warm the body, wouldn’t the heart feel a bit less cold too?”

“Uh… um…”

What is this? A healing girl who seems like the ultimate healer in the realm of recovery?

Is this what a saintess is supposed to be?

Seo Yi-seo blinked her eyes.

Hey, Mr. Writer. Are we sure we’re on the right track here?

This novel might actually be about something else. You know, like those clichés where the youngest princess adores me! Or, I received the youngest princess’s favor, and now everyone is obsessed with me!

“Are you feeling better now?”

The girl tilted her head and asked Seo Yi-seo, who had finally stopped crying.

Charmed anew by her adorable demeanor, Seo Yi-seo made up her mind.

Let’s protect this girl!

I will care for her, and then become her friend!

If the world inevitably revolves around this false saintess, perhaps clinging to her and surviving till the end is a viable option.

It’s not about finding another way to save the world. It’s about protecting this girl from turning evil.

‘Let the Demon King and the villain come at us! I’ll protect her! Think I can’t do it?’

Seo Yi-seo clenched her fist towards the sky.

Listen up, Holy Emperor, Mr. Villain from another world!

If she comes to like me, can you still treat me the same way?

If I protect her and she cares for me, can you still harm me carelessly?

Hmph! No way!

***

Nate, who had been gazing into his teacup, suddenly looked up in surprise.

“Hmm? Why are you asking? Is something wrong?”

“No, nothing…”

He felt an inexplicable chill.

Why? He had preemptively dealt with those intending to harm Sisle, but why did he have this unsettling premonition that something was going awry?

“Did you do something again this time?”

“…Me?”

His troublemaker son appeared momentarily confused before breaking into a cheerful smile.

“Oh, yes. I just mentioned that I’d be going on a business trip. After the birthday celebration, I’ll be heading to the north.”

“The north…”

“Yes, to the Border Count of Siegmund’s territory. There’s something I need to investigate for the Monster Special Task Force.”

“……”

Nate looked at his son enveloped in a sense of unease.

Then, his naive son added with a proud look,

“Oh! You don’t need to give me any expenses for the trip. I’ve already secured them. Leave it to me!”

Did I do well?

With a smug expression, his son gulped down his tea and then added with a sigh, “I’ll bring back souvenirs too!”

“……”

Really, is everything going to be alright…

Nate slowly raised his hand to his forehead.