The Emperor Is My Brother's Best Friend
Ch. 90

Leaving the office, Russell scanned his surroundings and spotted the knight he had recently posted on standby.

Without needing his name called out, the knight approached him swiftly.

Russell walked alongside the knight and inquired about the validity of the information in the report.

"A servant from the Honeywell family asked about the postman?" 

"Yes, Your Majesty. The inquiry came from Lady Honeywell's lady-in-waiting. It doesn't seem like Duke Honeywell was seeking it himself."

"Hmm... I suppose you're right. If Wells wanted to find out, he would have used a knight or a butler." 

Russell mused, glancing around and lowering his voice.

"So, what did the postman say?"

"He likely said nothing. When I delivered the items you sent to the postman, I was cloaked in a robe to hide my face. Even if they knew it was a man, they wouldn't have been able to identify who sent the mail precisely." 

The knight explained that, having come along as guards for the emperor as he traveled, it was easy for him to investigate quietly and report back.

The same knight had delivered the package to Rose Honeywell, this time on Russell's instructions.

"Aren't you curious about what I sent to Lady Honeywell?" 

Russell tested the knight lightly.

"I heard that Rose Honeywell celebrated her birthday last week. Was it not a gift for the celebration?" 

The knight asked without a hint of suspicion.

Russell affirmed this to be true.

He thought it didn't really matter what his intentions were when he sent the anonymous mail.

While Russell had considered this, he was relieved that the knight had no suspicions.

"Your Majesty, the carriage is ready. You can depart immediately." 

Informed by the knight of their departure, Russell followed, involuntarily lifting the corners of his mouth he walked behind the knight.

Rose had indeed received the gift he had sent. 

But why is she searching for the sender? 

Is she curious about the person who sent her an expensive gift? 

Or had she stumbled upon something else inside the album?

"I suppose you remembered as well..." 

Russell muttered to himself. 

The fact that Rose remembered a moment he had kept to himself for over a decade brought a smile to his face. 

With every step he took toward the waiting carriage, Russell's resolve only grew stronger.

---

Life at the Temple of Gloria followed a monotonous routine, with schedules so precise that Rose wondered if everyone in the temple had internal alarm clocks set to go off at the appointed times throughout the day. 

However, today was different. 

It was the day before the final selection of Tristan Gloria, and the schedule deviated from the norm.

"It seems they're not holding an ancestral rite today. Normally, it's time for the mountain climb right about now." 

Lady Dawson commented, echoing Rose's doubts about the unusual schedule. 

Rose nodded in agreement when the high priest stepped forward before the five candidates. "Everyone, thank you for your hard work over the past five days. In just one short week, it may not be enough to become a pure and clear soul worthy of housing the goddess Gloria, but your bodies are now prepared, even if only slightly."

The High Priestess paused briefly to catch her breath. 

"Today is the day to select Tristan's Gloria. Although the schedule extends until tomorrow, today we will finally choose the incarnation of the goddess, and tomorrow we will return to the capital for a ceremony to purify the body."

She closely examined those who might become the chosen ones to embody the goddess and announce the beginning and end of the founding festival.

"The final method is simple. From this moment, you will each enter the Purification Room. It's a place that ordinary people find uncomfortable, but it's a room that cannot tolerate impurity when your soul, mind, and heart enter."

Upon hearing the high priest's words, the candidates began to murmur and shift uneasily. Only now did they realize the significance of the temple's routines.

"You will take turns entering the purification room, where the priest with the greatest divine power in the Gloria Temple will determine whether you are qualified to become Tristan Gloria. First..."

The high priest was about to announce the first candidate to enter when his voice faltered. No name came out of his mouth.

"Oh no! Lady West!"

"Lady West!"

Startled by the sudden cry, Rose, who stood at the far end of the candidates, turned her head. 

Nina, positioned opposite her, had collapsed. 

Nearby priests quickly brought a stretcher and carried Nina away, leaving the other candidates watching with concern in their eyes.

The sudden turn of events left those standing there bewildered. The tension broke only when High Priest Heilman brought the room's attention back with a light applause.

"Don't worry, I'll check on Lady Nina West's situation. Please allow Lady Dilly Cox to enter first."

Nina was supposed to go first, but now, with her sudden collapse, Dilly Cox, who had been next to Nina, took the lead.

Rose found herself last in line.

Lady Cox entered the purification room with an anxious expression, and everyone wondered what would transpire inside and how long it would take.

In less than five minutes, Lady Cox left with only one comment.

"They said I'm somewhat unqualified." 

The young lady who followed her also left the purification room quickly, followed by Lady Dawson.

Rose, waiting for her turn, felt the tension mount as she touched her trembling fingertips to her heart. 

She couldn't help but wonder about herself.

Could I even be Tristan's Gloria?

Within her rested the soul of an ancient, malevolent monster that once ruled the continent. How would her body, housing that dormant spirit, react in the purification room? 

Can the priest recognize the evil spirit within me?

Lady Dawson, when leaving the purification room, shared a regretful sentiment with Rose.

"I thought I lived a good life... but I don't think that's enough to become Tristan's Gloria."

"Next up is Lady Rose Honeywell."

Having had the high priest called, Rose, leaving Lady Dawson's farewell behind, walked hesitantly toward the purification room.

As she stood before the door, a priest in plain robes, who had previously carried Nina out on a stretcher, rushed toward High Priest Heilman. 

Rose watched the priest speak with the high priest from her vantage point at the door, noticing a sudden change in the high priest's expression.

"You may go in." 

The priestess guarding the door spoke as she opened it to allow Rose to enter the purification room.

Before stepping inside, Rose glanced once more at the scene outside. 

Just before the door closed, she caught a glimpse of the High Priest, who had requested everyone's understanding, and hurried away.

The door shut firmly behind her, and Rose turned her attention to the interior of the purification room. 

From the outside, it appeared rather compact, but in reality, it felt more spacious. Perhaps it was the all-white décor that created a sense of vastness.

"Hah, I feel a bit out of breath."

Rose mused, tapping her chest lightly with her fist.

She sensed a heavy presence in the room, as if it were weighing on her, though not to the point of rendering her immobile. 

Walking was difficult, like trying to lift her feet from a quagmire.

As Rose regained her composure, a familiar voice greeted her.

"Welcome, Lady Rose Honeywell."

It was the voice of the priest responsible for assessing Tristan's Gloria qualifications in the Purification Room. 

Without initially checking the priest's face, Rose bowed her head. 

"Greetings, it's an honor to meet you..."

Rose lifted her bowed head and finally took in the priest's visage. 

In the center of the all-white room stood a woman dressed in a matching white priestly robe, her smile warm and gentle.

Unable to contain her surprise, Rose pointed with her finger and stammered out.

"Uh... That, um... You..."

Seemingly unperturbed by Rose's reaction, the priest continued with a smile.

"Isn't this not your first time meeting me? Have you seen me in the plaza?"

"You are a priest?" 

Rose managed to ask through her surprise.

"Fortune-telling is my little hobby. My name is Kate. Please feel free to call me by name." 

The priest introduced herself, but Rose remained taken aback, struggling to find her words. Kate patiently waited for her to regain her composure.

Her eyes narrowed as she observed Rose. 

"Rose, are you feeling a bit overwhelmed here?"

"Ah, yes... A bit. It's hard to breathe..."

Rose didn't deny it. Her expression was calm, as if she understood the reason behind her discomfort. 

Surprisingly, it was Kate who seemed taken aback by this revelation.

"Do you know what's inside you?" 

Kate pointed to Rose's heart and approached her. 

"The malevolent presence in there... Did you know of its existence?"

"I... knew. Not too long ago."

"Oh my, how... No, why...?" 

Kate found herself at a loss for words this time, but Rose didn't delve into details.

"Rose, does this presence cause any strain on your body?"

"No, it doesn't."

"Hmm, really?" 

Kate was intrigued by Rose's response. She let out a long sigh and touched her forehead as she continued speaking. 

"Honestly, Rose had one of the purest and clearest souls I've ever encountered. Back then, when I glimpsed into the plaza, I was curious about the foreign presence within... But now, seeing this... Ah, this..."

While discussing the malevolent energy she observed within Rose, Kate's expression suddenly shifted to one of bewilderment, as if she had been struck on the back of her head. 

She had encountered this malevolent entity before, on the day she ventured to the capital to investigate a strange incident at the Imperial Palace. 

The same malevolent energy she had seen on a deceased body was now residing within Rose.

Kate instinctively covered her mouth with her hand. 

"Oh, dear... That..."

Stunned, Kate abruptly ceased speaking, apprehensive that her ominous words might unsettle Rose. 

Rose's demeanor appeared somewhat composed, although it seemed as if she was holding something back.

"Kate..."

Rose called out to her with a desperate tone. 

"This presence within me... will it eventually cause a catastrophe in Tristan?"

Kate, taken aback, responded with a question. 

"What are you saying...?"

"I'm suffering because of this thing in me. I always wonder what it's going to bring about. And why can't His Majesty do anything about it? Is it because of me?"

"What are you talking about...?" 

Kate replied incredulously, hoping that Rose was just speculating along those lines and did not happen to know what was to come.

Rose persisted. She needed answers.

"Back then, when you showed me the crystal ball during the fortune-telling, I saw everything that appeared in it."