After Lord Theodore and I escaped from the arena, it was almost time for my ceremony, so we returned to the Grand Basilica. I changed into the robes again in the dressing room, and while I waited for my turn, Prince Oz came to visit me.
With a cheerful smile, he complimented me effusively, but I’ll skip that part because it was way too embarrassing.
All this consideration makes me feel guilty! I thought, forcing an awkward smile.
Prince Oz sent everyone away, then bowed deeply to me.
“Saint Evelyn, I should’ve done this sooner. I apologize on my brother’s behalf. I know full well that an apology won’t make it right, but I really am very sorry...”
“You shouldn’t have to apologize for that, Prince Oz.”
“But I stood by, unable to stop my brother’s foolish actions! My brother is such a...stupid piece of crap!” the prince growled, blood dripping from his trembling fist.
I paled. “Prince Oz?!”
When he noticed my shock, he hid his fist behind his back and faked a smile. “Ah, don’t worry about it. I’m fine.”
“You’re clearly not!” I protested.
I went behind him and gently caught his fist. I wasn’t sure whether this was disrespectful, but he’d have to forgive me! This was an emergency!
“Saint Evelyn?!”
I’d been about to cast Rejuvenate on the bewildered prince when I reconsidered and decided to try my specialty spell instead.
“Diagnose.”
As I chanted the analysis spell, several dark-red orbs emerged from the wounds where his nails had dug in. I absorbed them into my own body and fidgeted nervously, wondering if he, like Kira, would call them gross.
Instead, he just watched in silence, eyes wide.
Well, that helped. Slowly, I traced through his memories up to this point.
Now, let’s see... Alex, the crown prince. Right. Alex, the crown...prick? Clown prick?! What the heck?!
Prince Oz’s recent memories had been completely taken over by the evolution of his brother’s title. Flashes of Prince Alex’s dumb face, laughing and crying, trampled through every single memory with enough force to destroy Prince Oz’s brain.
Had he been living like this?
This much suffering would drive anyone insane. How had he been managing on his own all this time? The image of his haggard figure, sitting in his wheelchair and muttering, floated to my mind.
Also, what’s this about a “Saint Inviolability Pact”? Sham saint? Idolatry? And there’s Mary’s execution...
Other faces joined Prince Alex’s disembodied head: Prince Igna’s, the high priest’s, Mary’s... Like a swarm of insects, all crawling around as they pleased, all buzzing as they devoured Prince Oz’s prodigious brain.
I concentrated and listened carefully.
“Diiiiiiieeeee!”
“First of all, she’s not a girl anymore. She’s twenty-eight this year, an old hag way past marriageab— Gwuh!”
“Clown Prick. The high priest might be a genius.”
“Did you just make a phallic joke at the expense of your prince?! That’s lèse-majesté!”
“I’ll kill them! No, I’ll boil them in a pot first so they suffer horribly, then kill them!”
“I see! You’re taken with me, aren’t you?!”
“Saint Evelyn is my granddaughter!”
“Ah, what a beguiling woman I am, fought over by two princes!”
My goodness! This is awful!
A cacophony of jumbled memories reverberated in the most chaotic mess I’d ever seen.
This poor thing!!!
Tears gushed from my eyes. Prince Oz noticed and immediately offered me a spotless handkerchief. What a mensch. He was nothing like his brothers.
“Th-Thank you very much,” I mumbled, sniffling.
“Saint Evelyn, why are you crying?”
“You’re so young, so handsome, and still you’ve suffered so much,” I lamented.
Sniffling, I chanted the Rejuvenate spell at last, and Prince Oz’s wounds closed fully.
When he thanked me, I couldn’t stay silent. In a trembling voice, I said, “Your Highness, stand proud. You’re a sane and admirable man. The only one of the princes who can claim that, in fact.”
“I’m...the only one...?”
“The people of the Holy Kingdom of Snasile are fortunate to have such a marvelous prince!”
“I’m...sane. And marvelous...” Prince Oz repeated, his eyes growing bright. “Thank you, Saint Evelyn. I feel like I’ve finally awakened from a terrible nightmare.”
“Prince Oz...”
“Our country was blessed to have you as its saint—beautiful, kind, a light that chases away the darkness.”
I was momentarily speechless at his intelligent gaze and demeanor. Ah, this feeling... Yes, I recognize it now. This is what it feels like to be in the presence of an exceptionally rational person!
The only other person I’d ever met who was on the same wavelength as Prince Oz was Kira.
Prince Oz brought a hand to his chest and smiled. “Thank you for your efforts for our nation,” he continued. “May your future path be blessed.”
Oh. My heart. I wasn’t sure how to properly respond to royalty, but...I figured I should speak from the heart.
“I shall pray for your happiness as well, Prince Oz.”
“You shall?” He seemed surprised. The prince’s brow softened, and he said, “I am fortunate indeed to have such an extraordinary saint praying for me.”
Really! I want you to be actually happy! From the bottom of my heart, I prayed with all my might to the Mother Goddess. May his path be blessed with more marvelously sane people!
“Oh, I nearly forgot,” the prince said, beaming. “Saint Evelyn, there are people waiting to meet you.”
“People? Are they crazy too?”
“They are not,” he assured me sympathetically. “You must’ve suffered a great deal...”
Not as much as him.
“I know I am the brother of the man who treated you so cruelly, but...Saint Evelyn, would you allow me to escort you this once?”
His Highness would be personally guiding me to these not-crazy people, apparently. I had no reason to hesitate, though, and nodded.
“Yes. Gladly.”
I lowered the thin white veil over my face and gently took Prince Oz’s hand.