She stayed occupied in a silent room that the church provided by the Head Priest; she needs some time to think not just for herself but for the situation she's currently facing. The holiness is an exceptional being that had appeared even before Selena gained the crown of the empress. 

Her presence is the grail of sanctity. She has the power that no one can hold, and an ability that can tell the difference between body and soul. If she didn't exist in this reality, then this world—her story is no more than an inexact replication of her creation.

She sighed as she remained preoccupied with her deep thoughts. She couldn't bring herself to dispose of that problem out of her mind. Of course, she frets that she won't be able to find her way back at this point. 

The sound of her eerie breath made the Head Priest concerned. She seemed distressed beyond comparison. The Head Priest worried that he offended her or he did something she didn't like. Yet, he still falls to the thought about the earlier event, when the empress asked about the existence of a divine Child of God which the people call as holiness.

She doesn't seem to know everything, but maybe the empress is not just what meets the eye. He has heard of her villainous reputation among the nobles who come to the church on a daily basis. 

The empress is perceived as the villainess of the empire. She had done as much disgraceful as to dishonor the Imperial Family, many even state that she's just born wicked. The Head Priest didn't like any gossip in the House of God. That is how Lena, the Goddess of Light died thousands of years ago. 

Yet, he seemed puzzled as well. Are these ridiculous rumors about her even correct? Not only did she was known for being wicked, she is also rumored to have abused her power as the empress, using her authority to ridicule the empire.

Now, he had not seen that so far, he will not believe rumors without seeing a dominant evidence. That, of course, depends on the empress. She looked more troubled than angered.

He coughed and he looked at her directly. "You seem troubled, your majesty, are you alright?" He asked, hoping that she would tell him why she's undertaking a tremendous headache. 

Selena gives a long silence before she stiffly smiles at the Head Priest. "Yeah," she quietly said as she carefully moved her body to straighten her seating position. "Perhaps, can you help me, sir, priest?" 

The Head Priest assisted without fail and he gave her a silent yet agreeing nod. 

This made Selena exhaled. She couldn't believe she would ask the Head Priest, who doesn't know about her dire situation as someone who came from another world, but looking at the priest's confirming face, she acknowledged as she understands his determination. 

It won't hurt much to tell him about her worries, it's not like he'll do anything to her, besides she may not look like it but she's trying to stay as hopeful as possible to surface the eager panic that is building up inside of her. 

It's not bad to talk about her feelings or worries for a while. Maybe it may ease her, and it will make her feel less worried and to accept her situation as well. 

"I... had troubles as of late... A nightmare?" she uttered in a questioning voice. "May I ask if you know any case that is related to someone who died and who got reincarnated into the body of another?" She asked, believing that maybe in a distant reality, if the holiness does not exist, someone may still know about such information. 

The Head Priest showed her a confusing look, so she assumed he didn't know. Selena breathed in and she coughed. "Please, for—"

"Don't jump to closure, your majesty, indeed I was truly confused at first but I don't think I am the right person you should be asking, the church was built to bring redemption for the humanities ignorance thousand years ago, we do not hold the scepter of truth, only the tree of truth can do that," he said trying to be so kind as he gentle snatched her words. 

Shockingly, she was quick to fall out of the mood. Of course, she knew that reincarnation is just a proclaimed mandatory belief. It does not explain anything, even during her time in her previous world.

"Then?" said the Head Priest.

The Head Priest stood up, he then took a paper and pen from the table. It was originally set that way, in case it will be needed. It is also a place where visitors who want to communicate, write letters to someone or somebody outside the church. 

He sat back as he was writing on the paper. Selena had to wait minutes before the Head Priest finally finished. When he was done, he glanced at her and he silently gave her the paper with a written context inside of it folded in two sides. 

"Head Priest, what is this?" she asked.

"I know someone just the right person you can ask about this stuff," he said, and he pointed at the name written on the front of the paper. "He is the previous pope who's currently living his life far ashore. I stored his address at the back so you can find him."

Confused, it made Selena quite unsure, but then, if it's helpful, then there's no need to worry. She must trust the Head Priest. He doesn't lie nor give false information. This made Selena happy. She looked at him and she bowed. 

"Thank you, I don't know what to do without your help, and thank you for listening to my worries. I will surely pay back this favor!"

The Head Priest lifted his right arm and he shook his head. "No need. I am merely helping. It's nothing big, so I hope your majesty may find a light in this shell of darkness."

'Light?' She thought, yes a light is a hope, but Selena didn't have a chance to fill that. There's no light in a room covered in darkness, it's only the shimmers of imagination that are kept. She, who was covered in mud of evil, never shared the same.

Selena is a character that she created. Yet, she finds it hard to live as she does. So, finding light in this empty shade felt like asking someone to die for someone else. 

It's a meaningless defiance. Still, why does she continue? 

"Then, I shall take my leave, Head Priest. I have spent too much already, and I must go back."

The Head Priest simply gives her a nod. "Don't forget, give him that letter and he'll know what to do."

Before she finally exited the room, his last remark echoed in her ears, as if a bird was singing on repeat. "Maybe I came to the right person, after all," she said to herself. 

━━✣━━

The residence of the empress palace, although it's well maintained, it's not the same place it used to be. The servants of that palace would often change weekly, or monthly depending on the empress mood, creating a shorter hand to help to maintain the beauty of one’s lovely place. 

Now, as each footsteps turn vile, the emperor's face grows darker and deformed. He had never walked in this palace, not even after his first night with the empress. Yet, the sight of such a place did not even look half as grand as he had imagined. 

Although, he and she married for political reasons. She is still the former princess of Solen Kingdom. To think she lives in such a pitiful place, she is crazy after all. 

The content of their marriage states one thing. Selena must be treated fairly, and well. If something will happen to her, it will be Alvadiz's fault. Her treatment, both safety, and happiness is the contract proposal that the Solen King made as a condition for their participation to sell high end weapons to the empire..

It will be a total problem if something were to happen to her, not now that her father still lives. Making a peace treaty helped them conquer the remaining land of the west continent. 

The Solen King can take back the land that was lent to them and they can plot revolution. Besides plotting, it will create another era of war. 

He was aware of this marriage, that is why he ignored her, as he remained indifferent. He did not see her with a romantic exchange; he was just fulfilling his promise to her father.

When he was about to enter the Empress Palace, a sound of a hasty horse came unexpectedly running towards the empress residence. 

━━✣━━

Selena looked at the carriage that was ruined by an accident due to the cliff that was near the pathway. She was able to save the coachman, and the horses that were about to fall, but in return, it ripped off her clothes and her shoes were taken with it. 

She breathed out as she looked at the man lying on the ground. "That was close," she mumbled. "We were almost close to a deadbeat there." 

The coachman looked at her. "Your majesty, your dress!" 

Selena confusingly looked at her dress and then she laughed. "It's no big deal. If I didn't notice that and if I didn't jump to save you and the horse, we would all die anyway." 

Life is more important than ludicrous and exaggerated use of wealth. Selena knew that, as the author who has to grind herself to the top in order to survive.

He smiled and bowed at her. "You have my thanks, your majesty! I thought I was a goner, but regardless, you are my benefactor. I will go home telling my family that I survived an uncertain accident," the man said as he started shedding tears. 

The realization of being able to survive that accident was a hope, and he was thankful for that because he still has his family to greet when he comes home. 

Selena smiled and she nodded.