Seeing that Keira got quiet, Aster felt hope in his heart that maybe he had persuaded Keira with his words and that she decided to stay with him in the palace. He quietly called out.
"Keira?"
"Okay..."
"What?" Aster was stupefied by Keira and could not comprehend what she meant by it.
"Okay, I will stay here." Keira softly says.
Upon hearing those words come out of Keira's mouth, she was pulled into a tight hug by the male lead.
"You're not lying?"
"Mn."
Aster tightened his arms, squeezing the petite Keira in his chest. He buried his head on her neck as if he were to merge Keira's body with his on the spot.
'Even if you're uttering lies right now, at least at this moment you said you were willing to stay with me so I can continue to delude myself and hope one day that those lies may perhaps become true.'
Even so, if she were lying just to escape this current situation, I won't allow her.
"You can't take back what you said." Aster quietly whispered in Keira's ear, making her shudder from his deep husky voice.
Aster finally pulled back after holding her for some time.
"Let me escort you back to your chamber."
Keira only replied, "Okay."
Then they both went back to the palace.
...
System 999: [Host, are you really planning on staying in this world?]
Keira: [Huh? What are you talking about? Of course not!]
System 999: [Then, why have you said those words towards the male lead?]
Keira: [Did you see how desperate he was? No matter how much I try to reason with him, knowing him, he would never hand the Manpasikjeok.]
System 999: [So what should we do Host?]
Keira grinned and laughed in the empty bedroom.
Keira: [If he isn't willing to hand it, then of course we should steal it!]
System 999: [I wish you luck Host (≧∇≦)/]
Keira looked around the room, trying to find a pen and paper so she could devise her plan in obtaining the Manpasikjeok. After opening drawers and looking through the tables, no papers nor pens were found so she decided to ask some palace workers to get her some paper and a pen.
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As she was opening the door and trying to make her way out of the room she was stopped by two royal guards.
"What seems to matter?" She peered at two guards that stopped her.
The royal guard replied, "Your Saintess, we were asked by His Royal Highness that you may not take a step out of this room."
Keira was taken aback by the guard's words and she began to ponder why Aster would restrict her movements after she had 'agreed' to stay in this place.
Her face gloomed and said, "Then may I ask the reason why?"
"His highness said that it would be best to stay in the room because your return has already been widespread throughout the kingdom and many people would come bugging you and some may even pose as a threat."
Aster's explanation almost left no way of refutation but in Keira's eyes, he was being unreasonable. In the end, Keira gave up for the time being.
"Then just bring me some blank papers and a quill."
The royal guard responded with a yes and saluted. Just as Keira was about to head back inside, a soft yet clear voice resounded at the end of the hallway.
"Keira?"
Keira looked back towards the hallway at the call of her name. Keira's eyes widened and her pupils shook.
The person quickly strode forward and stopped right in front of Keira. The two guards were reluctant to stop this important person so they let this person interact with Keira. They thought this was fine as long as Keira remained inside her room.
The person looked at Kiera in disbelief as he could not believe his own eyes that Keira was standing right in front of him. Although they look nothing alike from the previous Saintess Keira, they spent months together and fought life and death together. Even the current surprise expression of the girl in front of him is exactly the same as the Keira he knew.
He came here after hearing from his other subordinates and the rumors that Keira was back and was residing in this place. He came to fact check the rumors and he was greeted with this. Of course, he had doubts and that is specifically why he came, so he can clarify if this was indeed her or a person that could act exactly like the Saintess Keira and has the same powers as her but with that said, it was near to impossible to have the same powers with other people.
"Keira?"
"Fritz." Keira replied after recovering from her initial shock.
"Keira, I- Are you truly Keira?"
"Yes."
"How?" Fritz glanced at Keira's whole appearance.
Knowing that she could not respond with 'Oh, I was sucked by this system and for some reason was brought back to this world after I have already completed it.' So she only replied with the best response she could come up with.
"I don't know either."
Fritz retracted his steps and asked with a raised brow, "Wait, how could I be certain that you are indeed the Keira I fought the war with?"
Keira sighed and just turned around, opening the door to her bedroom.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Fritz held Keira's small risk, stopping her from her track.
Keira looked back at Fritz again before saying, "Well we could not chat here all day in front of my room right?"
Keira proceeded to open the door and move aside, signaling for Fritz to enter. Fritz continued to stare at Keira because even this gesture was the same as the Keira in the past.
"Are you going to continue to stand there or will you come inside?"
"Ah yes, pardon me."
The royal guard that was just watching however stopped Fritz from entering.
"I'm sorry your excellency, but I'm afraid I cannot allow you to enter inside."
Seeing the situation, Keira stepped in and stated, "Who are you to stop my guest? I believe His Highness's words were to refrain me from leaving my room and stop those people who might bother me. Fritz would not bother me or are do you dare say that he is a threat?" Keira menacingly squinted her eyes as she stared at the two men.
"Absolutely not your Saintess!" The two guards said in unison as their expressions turned into a panic.
"Then one of you leave, bring the things I asked earlier and bring out some refreshments in my room. Bring some sweets too." Keira said those words before she closed the door in front of her after the both of them entered.
When the door closed, the two guards looked at each other before one of them said that they would inform His Highness first as His Highness previously stated that they should inform them whenever someone tries to approach this door. That's why he stationed two guards, so one could stay when the other was sending the information.