The Abandoned Princess’ Secret Bedroom - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The clothes on her body were like a soft embrace. Llewelyn woke up and sighed when she saw her changed clothes. When did he move her to his room? It was as if nothing had happened the night before. She touched her neck gently, her skin cool to the touch. The stigma was gone.

Llewelyn sighed. She wanted to think that yesterday’s s*x was a dream, but the unfamiliar clothes she was changed into and the red marks left on the inside of her thighs proved that it was reality.

‘I slept with someone again.’

This time with another man. She felt dirty inside. Like she was being too careless. Fortunately, this time the man was Patron Ernell. In the event of a scandal, it was reassuring that it was Ernel, not Llewelyn, who would lose face. It wasn’t particularly nice to hear rumors about Almondite. He wasn’t the greatest person to be associated with. 

‘The Pope’s illegitimate son.’

Llewelyn sighed. To reassure Llewelyn, Ernel had revealed a fatal secret. Did he say it to reassure her or did he say it impulsively? Or did he lie because he wanted to sleep with her?

Llewelyn shook her head. He wouldn’t have lied. Being the Pope’s illegitimate child, that matter was too great. The reason for telling her his secret was probably to reassure her. In Llewelyn’s mind, Ernel was getting better and better. 

‘It wasn’t bad.’

Llewelyn remembered last night. It felt strange that she thought it was good even though she was dominated by the stigma. She thought it would be bad to sleep with another man, but after her first time, her second time didn’t feel as guilty or shameful. 

“I should go to the monastery… I have to go.”

What if this happened when she went to the monastery? Ever since the stigma was engraved, Llewelyn had been searching for a way to get rid of it. However, there was no way to erase the stigma of a demon. 

She thought it would disappear after doing it once, but it was only temporarily satisfied. Llewelyn sighed.

She wasn’t dreaming of a grand future like before. Was it that difficult to live and die in a monastery, leaving everything behind? After her mother’s death, Llewelyn had given up a lot. But was this truly going to make her give up? 

There was no one to turn to for help. There was no one to consult with. No family, no friends, no lovers. There were only those who would tear her apart with no remorse.

Llewelyn was completely alone.

*

Llewelyn looked at the person on the other side of the table with a terrified expression. After waking up, Ernel had suddenly asked to have breakfast with her.

Weren’t priests forbidden to sleep with women? It would be better if she intentionally distanced herself from him… Even with all his attendants back, the two of them were eating alone in his room.

“This venison is really good.”

“Yes… ”

Ernel was taking care of this and that as if he were a host.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes.”

“In my heart, I wanted to sleep with you until morning, but I moved you to my room because I thought it would be a nuisance to the princess.”

“How the hell did you move me?”

Along with changing her pajamas, how did he move her to the middle of the royal palace? No matter how few people were in Llewelyn’s place, she couldn’t help but run into at least 2 people.

“It’s a secret.”

She shot him an unimpressed look. 

“I can tell you when we get closer.”

Wasn’t this man a kind, courteous, priest known for his faithfulness? Did that mean he shuddered like that just because they slept together once? Llewelyn looked at Ernel curiously. She felt she needed to draw some lines.

“Are we going to get to know each other better?”

Ernel’s eyes widened in response to Llewelyn’s question. She burst into laughter. It was quite nice to see.

“There is so much you can find out about me.”

“…”

“You’re coming to the monastery.”

“I’m not talking about our physical distance.”

“Are you going to keep your word?”

“Did you not want me to keep it?”

Ernel laughed at Llewelyn’s question. Llewelyn replied a little coldly.

“However, we won’t be getting close. That’s not possible.”

Llewelyn put a bite of salad in her mouth. The sour dressing cleared her dazed mind. Llewelyn felt weak towards Ernel, who was more friendly than necessary. She obviously thought he was a good person, but when he suddenly became overly affectionate, it made her suspicious. 

“I apologize for what happened yesterday. That’s why I accepted your invitation for breakfast.”

“Ha!”

“But I hope you don’t use last night as an excuse to think there is something between us. Let’s pretend it never happened.”

Ernel was staring at Llewelyn. There was slight displeasure in his clear eyes. He raised the corners of his red lips and said.

“Llewelyn, you are a thorn in my side.”

“Are you trying to say that all beautifull roses have thorns?”

“I don’t like that kind of analogy, Llewellyn. I just wanted to say that you are a bit stupid.”

“What…”

Ernel got up from his seat and walked over to Llewelyn. As she flinched, Ernel grinned.

“I didn’t use that night as an excuse to make you my lover. I don’t even want to.”

She blinked at him. 

“But when you have friends, you just want to help them. They simply want to do you a favor, as if they have bestowed a blessing on you.”

“…”

“Llewellyn, that stigma. Are you willing to ask me for help?”

“…”

“It is a brand engraved by warlocks and apostates who worship evil spirits. You will definitely need my help.”

Ernel knelt in front of Llewelyn. He gently took Llewelyn’s hand. It was only then that Llewelyn came to her senses. He was too cunning.

She was overly sensitive because of last night’s passion, even though she knew he wasn’t going to harm her. But why was he so kind to her? Was it just because he’s a priest? Ernel seemed offended, but soon reassured her.

“Of course, I understand that you are wary of sudden help. You are right to be vigilant. But I will not make any demands of the princess. I swear.”

Llewellyn looked at Ernel intensely. The priest had a good smile. If she worshiped God and spread God’s mercy, would she become like that too?

“Why are you doing this for me?”

Llewellyn asked. Aside from her asking for help, a vigilant suspicion arose against the kind priest. No one was good for no reason. Wasn’t that the same for a priest of God?

“It’s because I want to get to know you. I’ve been curious about you for a long time.”

But his words could not be understood. Llewelyn thought he was strange. Unknowingly, rude words came out of her mouth.

“Isn’t it just because you liked sleeping with me?”

At Llewelyn’s question, Ernell grinned.

“That’s one reason.”

*

Llewelyn frowned. As she walked, she went over what Ernel had said.

Once the stigma of Asmodeus manifested, it got stronger over time. But when she slept with a man, it disappeared. The cycle was about ten to fifteen days.

‘Once the stigma disappears, the princess will be able to endure for about ten days.’

When Llewelyn said that she had survived for twenty days, Ernel had a serious expression on his face.

‘Also, it is only the person affected and the warlock who cast it that can see the stigma. As well as high-ranking clerics, and priests who became Patrons.’

Fortunately, she didn’t have to hang her hair down or wear a dress that went up to her neck to hide the stigma anymore.

‘The most important thing is that the stigma must not be directly touched by divine power.’

Asmodeus’s stigma resembled the mischievous god, and when he felt the power of the Holy Ghost, he would rebel.

That was the reason her stigma reappeared. After Ernell gave her a ‘blessing’, the stigma felt the power. The stigma that had been dormant was revived, and as soon as Ernel injected his Holy power into her, the stigma ran rampant.

‘Also, if you have intense contact with a man for a long period of time, your stigma may be awakened.’

‘Can I get rid of this?’

‘For now, no.’

Ernell explained.

‘Since it is a stigma engraved by a ‘God’, only the same God can remove it. The Holy Ghost’s power can remove it, but it has not given us a revelation for several years, and no one has the power of the Holy Ghost.’

He said that it would be impossible to get rid of. For now, he said, the best thing to do is to appease the stigma while looking for a way to get rid of it.

‘It would be best if we got married.’

***