Yuna's voice grew even gentler than before as she watched me reach out and take her hand without hesitation.
She struggled for a moment before finally letting out a long sigh of relief.
"Your Highness, why must you do this?"
"Oh? What have I done?"
I maintained my smile and simply watched her.
Under my gaze, Yuna looked me directly in the eyes. Time seemed to freeze in that moment until, after a long silence, she finally spoke.
"Your Highness... do you intend to carry out reforms?"
She knew?
Did Hilda tell her?
As if sensing my thoughts, Yuna shook her head.
"It was not Hilda. Everything you have done today proves that you are planning something major."
Hearing this, the smile on my face became difficult to maintain.
She actually knew?
No, there was no way she could have obtained this information so easily!
"Where did you hear this?"
"Your Highness, while this Temple appears majestic and solemn, it is actually full of leaks. While your every move might not be perfectly replicated, those who want information will not lose their source just because you replaced a few nuns."
At this, Yuna gave a bitter smile.
"Your Highness, while the nobles cannot directly do anything to you, if you try to rush headlong into solving the current troubles of the Kingdom of the Moon, I fear you will face collective resistance from the nobility."
"..."
I fell silent at her words.
As expected, the aristocratic circles were not to be underestimated. Even if the Cavendish family was foolish, there were bound to be clever people in other families who had noticed something.
This news had reached Yuna's ears in less than a few hours.
The situation in Brilliant City was much worse than I had imagined.
"Yuna... you telling me this isn't just a simple warning, is it?"
Yuna's attitude had shifted suddenly, clearly indicating that this was more than just a warning.
It was a calculated move.
"I support your reforms, Your Highness. The Kingdom of the Moon has been decaying for too long. The glory of Brilliant City has not been seen for centuries. However, Your Highness, you are moving too fast."
"Yuna, are you telling me this because you truly consider me a friend?"
I looked into Yuna's eyes, wanting to hear the words from her own mouth.
And Yuna did not disappoint me.
"If Your Highness does not reject me, I am willing to be your eternal partner and friend. Likewise, I am your loyal knight!"
Yuna spoke the first part while standing and looking me in the eye, but for the second part, she dropped to one knee on the ground and looked up at me with a serious expression.
"No matter the time or place, I, Yuna, am your loyal knight and your close partner and friend. I swear it on my honor as a Temple knight!"
Looking into her eyes, I saw nothing but steadfast faith.
Her words were not false. At least to me, she was not lying.
Furthermore, if she truly did not want to be close to me, she would not have revealed that the other nobles had already received word of my plans.
If she were on the side of the nobles, she would have kept that information hidden from me.
"Yuna, stand up. From this day forward, you are truly my knight and my friend."
"Thank you for your trust, Your Highness."
Yuna stood up and gazed at me.
"Your Highness, whether as a friend or a knight, I must offer my counsel."
"Speak. Since we are friends, there is naturally nothing to hide."
"Please pause your current reforms. Do nothing more for now, or you will easily provoke the interests of the aristocratic circles."
"You mean... you want me to stop the reforms?"
"No, I mean you should wait and see for the time being. You have already played your pieces. Now, you must wait to see which nobles lose their patience and step forward."
Those words did not sound like they came from a single person's thoughts.
Could it be... that the Von family wants to board my ship?
"Is this your idea, or is it the decision of your... family?"
"It is both."
Yuna's gaze was solemn as she lowered her head slightly.
"Your Highness, the pieces have been cast. Some nobles are still observing, while others have already caught wind of your intentions. If you take any further action, I fear these nobles will truly use their power to suppress you."
"I understand. However, Yuna, this does not feel entirely like a friend speaking. I suspect... you are representing the general decision of the Von family rather than just yourself, aren't you?"
I smiled, turned back to my bed, and sat down, looking down at her from my elevated position.
"Yuna, I want to know your true thoughts."
"...Your Highness."
"There is no need to say more. I only want to know if what you said before was true. Do you truly consider me a friend?"
"If I may, I wish to be your friend."
Yuna looked up, her gaze never wavering.
"In that case, I believe you. I will temporarily pause my actions and wait to see the results."
"Thank you for your trust, Your Highness."
As she spoke, a trace of hesitation appeared on Yuna's face.
"What is it? Is there something else?"
"Your Highness... I wish to use my military merit from this battle to exchange for a Divine Oracle from you."
Exchanging military merit for a Divine Oracle?
"What is it you want?"
"I want a Divine Oracle that allows me to decide my own marriage."
Hearing this, I could not help but frown.
It seemed that even after becoming a Guardian Knight, she was still not in control of her own life. This was likely a reflection of the low status of women in this world.
Despite being a Guardian Knight, she could not even make decisions about her own marriage?
She even needed my Divine Oracle.
It made sense. After all, my Divine Oracle was equivalent to an imperial decree. No matter what the Von family wanted to do, once the Divine Oracle was issued, they would have no legitimate reason to refuse.
"Very well. Bring me a scroll for the oracle."
I gave the order to a young nun nearby, and soon, a Divine Oracle scroll was brought to me.
These scrolls were like imperial edicts, usually blank until the Saintess wrote upon them by hand to make them official.
They could not be forged, so there was no need to worry about fakes.
【By her military merit, Guardian Knight Von Yuna is granted autonomy over her marriage. No one shall coerce her. This Divine Oracle is hereby decreed.】
I then added the signature at the bottom.
【Luo Li Saint Sariel, June 17, Year 927 of the Holy Calendar.】
Once I finished writing, a faint golden light appeared on the scroll. All the characters shimmered with a golden glow before fading away.
The ink on the paper solidified in that same instant.
The young nun took the oracle and respectfully held it with both hands as she stepped down from the divine platform to present it to Yuna.
"Yuna, congratulations. From this day forward, you are free."
Rate on N.U.
