By Zephyria 
The existence of a saint is undoubtedly special. Unlike the regents who merely chatter about prophecies, she is the one closest to the goddess Gaia, and her abilities are truly mysterious.
Moreover, every time Yuria prayed, visible phenomena occurred, and there were many who had received divine favor and salvation through her.
With such overwhelming evidence, no one could doubt the wonder of the saint.
“…Yes, Johannes. The saint is staying in the imperial palace.”
“Is there any way I could meet her just once? It’s my lifelong wish.”
“Well, I’m not sure about that.”
“Please, I beg you. I must meet the saint this time! In fact, I came as the representative of the delegation for that reason.”
Johannes was obsessively fixated on meeting the saint. Cecile swallowed a sigh discreetly. He understood; Johannes’s situation must be that urgent.
Johannes Albrecht IV was currently suffering from an incurable disease. And a year later, he would die young at the age of 21.
Though he appeared healthy now, it was certain that his condition would deteriorate rapidly in just a few months.
It was clear that no one, except Johannes himself, knew about his illness. His kingdom had no clear line of succession, and there was fierce competition to determine who would ascend the throne.
Fearing that news of his illness might weaken his position in the struggle for the throne, Johannes was being extremely cautious.
He had thoroughly concealed his illness, and this fact would only be revealed after his death. Thus, Johannes’s death came as a sudden shock to everyone. Cecile felt the same way.
At that time, Cecile had crossed over to the Temion Kingdom to attend his funeral. The image of his friend lying in a transparent glass coffin, hardened like wax, was still one of his most vivid memories. Now, seeing Johannes smiling with a vibrant face, he felt a mix of joy, relief, and sorrow.
Cecile knew well how painful it was to keep a secret all to oneself. That made him even more concerned.
“Johannes, how’s your health? Is there anywhere that hurts?”
He cautiously opened the conversation, mixing in the nickname he used to call him as a child. At the probing question, Johannes jumped up and shouted.
“What are you talking about! Absolutely nothing! I’m perfectly fine! Healthier than anyone!”
“I know, I just wanted to check in on you.”
“Can’t you tell by the fact that I came all the way to the distant Berka Empire as a representative of the delegation? Don’t worry, Cecile. Your friend is so healthy he’s practically flying around.”
Then Johannes asked again to meet the saint. He was so persistent that even Cecile, who was listening, felt drained.
Cecile managed to calm Johannes down for the moment.
“I don’t know what you’re expecting, but the saint doesn’t have the ability to heal someone or grant wealth, or change the future. She simply prays and bestows divine favor.”
“So at least the divine favor is certain?”
“Do you think divine favor is something grand? It’s just a bit of luck and well-being. Ultimately, it depends on your mindset. The saint’s prayers just sprinkle a little extra fairy dust on that.”
“Perfect! That’s enough for me!”
“Wow… you really don’t get it, do you?”
The more Cecile talked, the more a headache crept in, and he squeezed his eyes shut. In front of him was still a face filled with longing.
After deep contemplation, Cecile finally let out a long sigh.
“I’ll make a request to His Majesty the Emperor.”
“Awesome! Thank you so much, Cecile!”
“Don’t get your hopes up. The Emperor is quite protective of the saint. He worries that her divine power might diminish and flatly refuses requests from the nobles.”
“Of course! That’s only natural!”
Afterward, Cecile subtly made his request to the Emperor during the delegation’s welcoming banquet. As expected, the result was a refusal.
Upon hearing the news, Johannes was very disappointed and remained gloomy throughout the banquet. Cecile felt very sorry for him and pondered other options. Ultimately, there was no alternative but Alexis.
“Your Majesty. The representative of the Temion Kingdom’s delegation wishes to meet Yuria. Could you grant him just one opportunity?”
“…….”
“He is a very precious friend to me. I won’t ask for this again, so please help me just this once.”
The clear blue eyes gazed intently at Cecile’s face. Under the piercing gaze that felt as if it could penetrate his skin, Cecile could only bite his lips. He didn’t need to hear a response to know. Alexis found this request very unpleasant.
As expected, he flatly rejected Cecile’s request. Not only that, but he also expressed a bit of anger, asking if Yuria was some kind of tourist attraction for the empire. All of it was true, and Cecile could only nod in agreement and step back.
The real problem was how to convey this fact to Johannes.
In any case, Yuria’s divine power could not cure Johannes’s incurable disease. Johannes simply wanted comfort, and his desire was just too earnest.
Cecile pondered and pondered.
This might be their last meeting. He couldn’t just let his long-time friend go like this.
The face of the deceased Johannes kept flashing before him. Knowing his future made Cecile’s heart even heavier.
“Right, divine favor isn’t the only thing that can provide comfort.”
Cecile made a difficult decision. He would endure the pain for Johannes’s sake.
That evening, Cecile returned to Peridot Palace and began to make all the necessary preparations. After taking a painkiller in advance, he called Johannes to his chamber.
When Johannes entered with a gloomy expression, Cecile dismissed all the attendants in the room and sat down facing him. He first served him warm tea to help calm his mind.
“Johannes, unfortunately, there’s no way to meet the saint directly.”
“…I figured as much.”
“Instead, I asked the saint to pray for you. I told her to pray for Johannes Albrecht IV.”
Johannes’s eyelids shot up. Perhaps surprised by the unexpected answer, the sorrow on his face began to lift, and a glimmer of light started to return.
Cecile took a deep breath.
“So this is… the answer the saint received from God. You must not tell anyone. Can you promise me that?”
It was unfortunate, but he had no choice but to borrow Yuria’s name for a moment. After all, Johannes would never have the chance to meet Yuria, so he thought this much would be acceptable.
“I promise! What is it? Hurry up and tell me!”
“You are currently suffering from a serious illness. You may feel fine for now, but soon you will take your last breath. In eight months from now, on October 16th.”
“What? …I’m going to die that day?”
Johannes covered his face in disbelief.
No, in fact, he had vaguely suspected that it would be hard for him to live long. But knowing the exact date of his death was a bit difficult to accept.
“…Oh my God. God knows even such things.”
“Are you receiving treatment?”
“No, no one in the kingdom knows about my illness. Instead, I was diagnosed abroad. I’m secretly taking medication.”
“Is there really no way to cure it?”
Johannes shook his head. He rubbed his face roughly with his palm, his eyes brimming with tears.
“They said there’s no way. It’s a disease where the lungs harden like stone. Right now, I’m managing with medication, but if I ever develop a tolerance… I won’t be able to stop it.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”
“Is there nothing else, nothing more you can tell me? Like whether the child my wife is carrying is a prince or a princess. Or who will be the next king of Temion.”
“Your child will be a handsome prince. They said he looks just like you.”
“Ah, I see. It’s a son, a son.”
Johannes was overwhelmed with emotion, wearing a face that was hard to tell if he was smiling or crying. The image of his wife, who had just become pregnant, came to mind. There was nothing more heartbreaking than dying without seeing his child’s face.
“I heard that the next king of Temion will be Dietrich.”
“Looks like it will be the eldest brother then.”
“Dietrich will be a great ruler.”
Cecile firmly grasped Johannes’s shoulder and added his advice. The reason he revealed the future to him was to encourage him to prepare for death resolutely. He couldn’t just wallow in sorrow like this.
“Johannes. When you return to the kingdom, let Dietrich know about your condition. Trust him and ask him to take care of your family.”
“Yeah… I should do that.”
Johannes had now reached a state of slight resignation. He slowly stood up and patted Cecile’s head.
“Thank you, Cecile. Still, thanks to you, I feel like I’m getting a grip on things. I will give up the throne. With so few days left, I can’t waste them on futile matters.”
“Johannes. If you ever need help, just let me know.”
“Yeah. I hope you have a peaceful night too.”
Johannes soon left the chamber. As soon as Cecile heard the sound of the door closing firmly, he bent over and released the breath he had been holding.
“Ah, ugh.”
His heart raced uncontrollably and tightened. The price for revealing the future had officially begun.
Thanks to the painkillers, he had been able to endure until now. Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, as soon as Johannes left, the pain surged in like a flood.
Was the goddess Gaia greatly angered? The extent of the pain far exceeded Cecile’s expectations. The agony he had felt when his flesh was torn and his heart was stabbed was being vividly recreated.