Lure in the Box - Chapter 1
It was a gloomy day with heavy rain pouring down.
The sound of the thick raindrops hitting the ground was fierce, like gunfire. The weak umbrellas were soon destroyed by the terrible storm.
Despite the weather, the temple was bustling. People who had lost family members, those suffering from the aftermath of horrific accidents, those fleeing debt, criminals shamelessly hoping for acquittal, and victims of domestic violence who had escaped gathered here, each with their own desperate reasons, seeking salvation.
“Number 120!”
The priest’s loud voice called out the number. A man who pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket hurried forward, while those with later numbers sighed.
Most of them were commoners, and even some slaves could be seen among them.
Amidst them, Sianne stood out sharply. While the lower-class people only gave their names to receive a number, she handed over her passport and ID to the priest. A mint-colored passport from the Principality of Sedin and a white ID proving her high status.
Several eyes were drawn to the vibrant-colored items peeking through her dripping black robe.
“She’s royalty!”
Someone shouted, and the gathered crowd immediately started buzzing.
It was surprising enough to see a noble in the temple, let alone royalty.
“Quiet down!”
As the room grew noisy, the priest shouted, and those in desperate need of help quickly quieted down at his command.
The priest ripped off a number and handed it to Sianne, the royal clad in a black robe.
“I know you are of high status, but we will not be giving you any special treatment here. This is a temple. Everyone is treated equally.”
It meant that no one, regardless of rank, would receive special treatment.
“Is that fine with you?”
The priest asked Sianne one more time to confirm her intention.
Sianne took the number and answered with a nod. She thought that just being asked this question was already special treatment.
[Number 244]
The dauntingly high number made her feel dizzy for a moment.
“Number 121!”
Fifteen minutes after number 120 was called, the next number was announced.
Sianne involuntarily let out a sigh.
Calculating 15 minutes per person, four people per hour, there were 123 people ahead of her. The wait time was about 30 hours and 45 minutes, roughly a day. Considering that the temple didn’t operate at night, she estimated the wait time to be at least three days.
“This is insanity, insanity…”
Sianne bit her lip in anxiety and stomped her feet impatiently.
She had run here without an umbrella and was soaked from head to toe. She had no change of clothes. She came alone and hadn’t had time to pack. All she could do was shiver and hold on to her waiting number.
Exactly one hour later,
Sianne Heartperion collapsed, shivering in her rain-soaked robe before fainting with a high fever.
It happened just as the High Priest was entering the main corridor connected to the temple’s entrance.
The priests, who were about to hide the collapsed princess like discarded trash, quickly bowed their heads upon seeing the High Priest.
“It’s the High Priest! Please, High Priest, save us…!”
A few who recognized who he was cried out as if in a fit. The priests who had been bowing quickly moved, busy trying to chase away the curious crowd gathering. The temple’s main corridor became as chaotic as a marketplace.
Amid the chaos, Sianne was left lying in the middle of the corridor.
The High Priest, dressed in a white robe, walked over to where Sianne lay unconscious.
“What is this?”
He asked in a tone as if he were looking at a strange animal in a zoo, or perhaps something odd and discarded.
At the coldness in his voice, the beggarly people who had come to seek salvation looked terrified. Not receiving mercy from the High Priest was akin to a death sentence for them. The temple operated by unanimous vote, and if even one High Priest opposed their salvation, it would be denied.
“I asked what this is.”
“She’s a princess of the Principality of Sedin.”
A priest who had been struggling to control the crowd rushed over and explained.
“A princess?”
“Yes. We confirmed her passport and ID. There were no signs of forgery. She is definitely a princess of Sedin.”
Listening to the priest’s explanation, the High Priest knelt down.
The corridor fell silent in an instant.
He examined the unconscious princess and then slid his hand inside her robe. The crowd began to murmur again, filled with curiosity. The supposedly chaste High Priest was touching the princess without hesitation. How entertaining and intriguing this situation was.
Meanwhile, the priests were having a hard time, raising their voices to silence the unruly crowd.
The High Priest, under everyone’s watchful eyes, calmly pulled out the princess’s passport and ID from her robe. Standing up straight, he carefully examined them.
“She really is a princess?”
“Y-Yes… Quiet down! Quiet!”
The priest, unsure if the High Priest was speaking to him or just musing aloud, once again shouted at the crowd.
Another priest, somewhat calmer, hurried over to the High Priest and added more explanation.
“We followed temple protocol and gave her a waiting number, but we didn’t expect her to collapse.”
“Oh, really.”
“We’ll take her to the infirmary immediately.”
“No need. Take her to my office.”
“Excuse me? Is that okay?”
“She’s a princess, after all.”
The High Priest chuckled and lowered his voice, whispering the reason.
“I’ve never seen a princess in such a ridiculous state before.”
“H-High Priest! You shouldn’t say that…”
“Why not?”
“There are many eyes watching.”
“That’s why I whispered.”
Whispering one last time, he left with the princess’s passport and ID in hand, his white robe elegantly draped without a drop of water on it despite the weather.
For a moment, the crowd’s gaze was fixed on his retreating figure. Then, they scattered, and their chattering resumed. The priests repeatedly shouted for quiet.
About five minutes later, two priests moved Sianne.
It feels like my throat is torn. My head hurts. My body aches. My limbs droop under the weight of my soaked clothes. I can even faintly hear the sound of water droplets falling.
Where am I?
Sianne groaned as discomfort flooded her body and opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry, but she could still make out her surroundings. Realizing she was sitting on a hard wooden chair with a desk in front of her only made her discomfort worse.
“What is this… why am I…?”
Her voice was horribly hoarse, as if her throat really had been torn apart.
“I told you to fix her properly.”
Someone sitting across the desk clicked their tongue. It was a rich baritone, with the languid tone of an elegant noble. It was pleasant to listen to.
“Only lower-ranking priests are currently at the temple, so we couldn’t properly heal her.”
“Where did all the higher-ups go?”
“They were all summoned by the Empire.”
“Ah, because the prince was said to be sick.”
“Yes, which is why the temple is currently overwhelmed with work.”
“Seems like there’s no choice. I’ll have to heal her myself.”
Heal? Who? Me? Who is this in front of me? Why?
Sianne’s mind was foggy as she tried to make sense of where she was and what was happening.
“Pull yourself together.”
The person in front of her tapped her forehead lightly.
The touch wasn’t particularly gentle, but she could feel a divine power. The noble force that only those blessed by the gods possessed. The cool yet soft energy instantly soothed the pain that had been overwhelming her body. Her blurry vision became clear.
It was only then that Sianne saw the man sitting before her. His silver lashes fluttered under ash-gray hair, revealing deep, dark eyes. His appearance was stunning.
She almost lost herself, wondering if she was dreaming, but she gathered her thoughts and met his gaze.
“Thank you.”
A short word of thanks slipped out reflexively. It wasn’t the typical gratitude of a noble toward the gods. It was simply a sincere, human thanks.
The man propped up his elbows, clasped his hands horizontally, and rested his sharp chin on his interlaced fingers, smiling.
“Why would a princess like you come here alone?”
He asked kindly, but Sianne forgot to answer.
His smiling face looked like a divine creation, carved with perfect precision. It was the most beautiful face she had ever seen, even surpassing the emperor and duke, who were said to be the most handsome men in the empire.
“Stop staring at my face and give me an answer.”
“…What did you say?”
“I asked why you came here alone.”
It wasn’t until he asked twice that Sianne finally regained her composure, taking a deep breath to maintain some dignity befitting a princess.
“What happened to me?”
“You collapsed while waiting with your number. I felt sorry for you, so I brought you to my office. When you didn’t regain consciousness, I healed you with divine power.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s the mercy of the temple. You should thank the gods.”
“Yes, I should thank the gods.”
He chuckled lightly.
“So, why did you come here?”
It was already the third time he had asked, persistently. Sianne calmly replied.
“The reasons for seeking the temple are obvious. Seeking salvation or at least some help.”
“What kind of salvation or help does royalty, who lacks for nothing, seek?”
At his somewhat aggressive tone, Sianne clenched her hands beneath her robe. Her lips moved, but she couldn’t bring herself to reveal the truth. It wasn’t something she could easily share with just anyone. She needed to confide in someone trustworthy, who would keep her secret.
Like the High Priest.
Sianne belatedly observed the man she was talking to. Beneath his handsome face, he wore a perfectly tailored black three-piece suit. It finally dawned on her that he wasn’t dressed as a priest.
“Who are you? If I can’t trust you, I can’t tell you my situation.”
“You’ve come for help, yet you’re so guarded.”
The man’s smile faded as he leaned back leisurely in his chair. He fumbled on his desk until he picked up a lighter. He took out a cigarette from his suit pocket, flicked open the gold lighter, and lit it. He took a deep drag and then exhaled smoke. Through the swirling smoke, his dark gray eyes half-closed lazily.
There’s no way he’s a priest.
Certain of this, Sianne’s eyes filled with wariness as she subtly leaned back.
“Who are you?”
“I’m a High Priest of the temple.”
“Wouldn’t a High Priest wear a white robe embroidered with gold thread?”
“High Priests wear civilian clothes sometimes too.”
“…”
“If you don’t believe me, should I put on my priest robe again?”
He tilted his head lazily as he took another drag from his cigarette.
What kind of High Priest is this…?
Sianne’s brows furrowed.
The clothes aside, his behavior was completely off. Even the priest who had been shouting at the entrance seemed far more devout than this man in front of her.
“I went out of my way to heal you and even moved you up the consultation list, and you keep giving me that look?”
“That’s because I can’t trust you…”
“He really is a High Priest. Even if he doesn’t look like it. I’ll vouch for him.”
A priest who had been quietly standing nearby approached Sianne and explained. It was the same priest who had given her the waiting number earlier.
“Is he really?”
“If you keep doubting, should I call number 245?”
“…I believe you. I’ll tell you everything.”
“Of course, go ahead.”
He smiled kindly, and Sianne took another deep breath. She could smell the acrid scent of the cigarette, the same kind the duke used to smoke.
Sianne’s expression hardened as she opened her mouth to speak.
“Help me break off my engagement.”
