A Saint who was Adopted by the Grand Duke - Chapter 6

“You say, a saint candidate?”

The priests stumbled at the direct question of DeHeen. It is because it is prohibited to take away the candidates from the temple. It was to prevent children with divine power from working outside the temple.

“Well, a saint candidate is a valuable resource in our temple. In principle, absolutely not.”

Having said so far, the priests exchanged glances.

“But it depends on the candidate.”

The priest pulled out a book with the list of candidates for the saints from the third column of the bookshelf and opened it so that it could be seen on the desk.

“If she’s a low-level candidate, it’s possible. Do you have any children you’ve looked at?”

Among the saint candidates, classes were divided according to their status. If any of them were low-ranking candidates from orphans or commoners, breaking the rules was not difficult at all.

“Diana.”

DeHeen’s voice subtly softened. The young priest scoured the list by name. Within a few pages, he discovered Diana’s characteristics, an orphan, lowest divine power. She was even picked from slums.

‘Why do you like this kid…’

If she was a candidate like this, it is not worrisome to give her to DeHeen. Even she disappears, no one will look for her.

However, the priest faltered in fear that DeHeen might find fault later.

“Are you sure you want to take this candidate?”

“She has the lowest divine power. Can I recommend a more useful candidate if you want?”

DeHeen’s eyes sank at the words of the priests who ignored Diana. He could see how Diana was treated in the temple.

Diana’s eyes which seemed empty, came into his mind and broke his heart.

“You must want your tongue to be cut off.”

At DeHeen’s angry voice, the priests gulped. Even though, they thought he couldn’t do anything like that inside the temple, their back became cool, so they hurriedly put their tongue in and shut their mouths.

‘That’s true.’

But Ben, who knew DeHeen well, screamed inside. DeHeen might really cut off the tongue of the new officer, so quickly stepped forward of him.

“No. We will take that child.”

Ben, who had cut off his words firmly, took a million Erin bill and handed it over to the priests.

A large sum of money is enough to cover half a year’s living expenses for the common aristocrats. The priest’s eyes were wide open when they saw it. They gulped down and quickly tore paper with Diana’s name on it from the book.

“Please make sure her name is erased.”

“There will be no difference.”

There was nothing to wait for. Diana’s name was completely removed from the temple’s list. There was no need to report in the upper level.

Even if one of the junior candidates from orphans disappears, no one cares about it.

“What is all this nonsense?”

After DeHeen and Ben left the office, the priests were delighted to sell useless junior candidate at a high price.

If you keep staying in the temple, you can’t throw away your food. It was a profitable business because she was sold at hundreds of times the price they bought.

“You’re not going to donate all the money, are you?”

“Are you crazy? It’s just between us. Let’s split the half between us.”

“Shall we go to a bar tonight?”

“Good-!”

They didn’t even dream that they had sold off the future saint with their own hands. Even the repercussions their actions will bring later.

t/n : AHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHHAHA

***

“Is that it?”

Dana stared at the baggage after she had cleaned up. Before she left, she searched every nook and cranny for the last time, but all she had to keep was her diary.

She’s going to leave her usual training suit behind. Other than that, pajamas, blankets, and writing equipment that were worn out and had to be discarded were all.

After clearing up, Diana sat on the mattress that was plummeted down. Then she slowly looked around the room.

She felt strange because she thought she could never leave this place, even though she has no regrets.

Two days ago, a man from DeHeen came. He disappeared with a promise to pick up Diana tomorrow.

“Can we really go out?”

Diana moved in an unexpected voice.

In the meantime, she prayed countless times to let her leave the temple. However, it never happened, and she was always locked up in the temple and had to face the same end. But she couldn’t believe that she could leave the temple so easily.

The whims of aristocrats are not a day or two. Just as DeHeen said he would adopt her as his daughter, she was worried that he might change his mind.

Even is she really go to the Grand Duke, there are already his twin sons. Well, it was obvious that the children in the Grand Duke family would have grown up without deficiency.

This is what all the aristocrats Diana had to dealt with. With a high nose and pride, everyone but the same aristocrats ignored and trampled on.

She didn’t know she wouldn’t be treated like a human being, even though she was an orphan.

“I don’t care.”

She’s going to look for a way to die anyway, so she just has to hang in there until then.

Thinking about this, Diana went into the corner of the room and crouched down. The time she was tied was too long that she couldn’t sleep when she was lying upright. It was only stable when she held her knee and leaned against the wall.

“Sleep.”

She had to sleep long enough to get away. But she couldn’t sleep at all. She couldn’t even remember when she slept comfortably.

When she fell asleep after her regression, Diana’s dream was prison of spires where she had always been locked up. The memory of suffering there came back vividly. So, it was painful for Diana to fall asleep.

‘Will I be able to sleep comfortably if she gets out of here?”

It was fortunate that she could go out of the temple tomorrow. Diana curled up and put the blanket over her head.

She just hoped there would be no more next day.

***

Early the next morning.

Diana arranged the bedclothes and sat still. She couldn’t sleep well because she was turning all night, so there are bags under her eyes.

But she felt at ease.

After all the preparations, the officer came to Diana’s room to pick her up.

“Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

The priest led her without asking if all the formalities had already been completed. Diana set along the temple with a bag she had packed in advance.

It was too early to be active, so the way out was quiet. The priest spoke calmly to Diana, who walked silently.

“You have to follow whatever Your Grace asks you to do. No matter what happens, you can’t come back here again. Forget everything what happened in the temple.”

“What if the Grand Duke abandons me?”

“Well, then you’ll have to live on your own. Remember, you’re no longer in the temple.”

Diana swallowed a laugh that was about to burst out. She felt pathetic that she once considered such a place precious.

‘Would I have treated like this even if I wasn’t an orphan?’

She was about to get at the words of the new priest who treated her as a mere object.

“Yes.”

However, she has long given up hope at the temple which is like a gutter. Diana calmed her anger, thinking that even the feeling of anger was a waste.

She hasn’t had any conversations after that. She walked silently following the priest.

At the end of the road, she saw a familiar figure. Diana’s eyes got bigger when she realized it was Ravienne.

t/n : OMG RETREATTTT, rabies is coming

‘Why……?’

Ravienne seemed quite surprised. She looked suspicious when she saw Diana, who went out with the new priest in the early hours.

“Ravienne, you must be going somewhere early in the morning.”

“Yes, I’m on my way to pray for the saint.”

“I’m sure that’s why the saint placed you next to her.”

Ravienne replied with a smile at the priest’s words. And she turned her back right away.

“And where are you going? You’re taking Diana with you?”

“Well…. Actually, this child is leaving the temple today.”

He is a priest who tried to deal with it quietly, but he had no choice but to tell the truth when he met Ravienne.

“What? Where are you going?”

“Grand Duke Tersia. He said he would take her.”

Ravienne’s eyes widened.

“Grand Duke DeHeen?”

She looked puzzled. Well, it’s obvious that Diana and the Grand Duke have nothing to do with each other. Then, Ravienne’s expression tuned sour.

“Why? Did you originally have a close relationship?”

“No.”

“Then what’s the point of taking a kid like you to Tersia family?”

Ravienne’s excited voice was clear. She seemed to have forgotten for a moment that she had to be pretentious. A bitter smile was made near Diana’s mouth looking at the scene.

“I know. Why take a kid like me?”

“It’s a bitter experience. You’re an orphan and don’t have much divine power, so taking you to somewhere……”

Ravienne’s red eyes narrowed. It was a rare moment in which she could see the true feelings of Ravienne who was wearing mask all the time.

Diana looked at Ravienne with a look of yes.

“Oh, Diana. What I just said was a mistake.”

Ravienne quickly changed her expression after she felt the atmosphere was getting cold.

“I’m so sad that you’re leaving. We were pretty close, right?”

In an instant, tears clung to Ravienne’s lashes, which looked as pretty as a doll.

“Is that?”

Diana was watching Ravienne’s pretentiousness. She thought it was useless to forget about revenge, but she wanted to pay her back the pain she suffered right away.

Diana herself was surprised that such feelings remained.

“Surely, Ravienne will be the next saint.”

“Huh? Thank you.”

Suddenly, Ravienne, who was cheered, blinked her eyes in bewilderment. However, she smiled brightly.

“I’m going to be a saint.”

t/n : *vomits*

Diana grabbed Ravienne’s hands. It was the posture that the temple gave out blessings.

“I’ll give you my blessings before I leave.”

“Why?”

Ravienne, who was held by hand, was displeased and poked her lips.

How dare a cheap orphan hold her hand!

However, she had no reputation to resist the blessing, so she kept smiling. After glancing at Ravienne, Diana closed her eyes and focused her mind on the hand.

She, of course, did not intend to share her blessings with Ravienne. Instead, she cursed her with all her heart.

‘Even if I die, I will never be a saint as much as you.’

At this moment, a ray of desire was put in Diana’s mind. She wants revenge. For the meantime, she only hoped that her dark, narrow prison life would end.

But now, she thought she wanted to see the despair in Ravienne’s big face. If she can see Ravienne crying in despair, who firmly believes that she will be a saint….

Diana thinks it’s okay for her not to die, but to find a way to somehow live and get revenge. As long as Diana was alive, Ravienne could never be a saint.

“….. It’s done.”

Diana bowed her head and walked along the new priest again. Ravienne glanced at Diana who is moving away.

“I think the atmosphere is a bit different today.”

She looked up to herself as always. As if she knew everything, her eyes were unpleasant and annoyed.

“Well, what does it matter if we don’t see each other again?”

She thought that for a moment. Ravienne couldn’t bear that Diana got her hands dirty so she wiped them off on her clothes.

“You’re an orphan and stupid, so it was good to use you.”

Ravienne turned around and erased all her memories about Diana. Diana was insignificant to her than the stones on the side of the road.

End of Chapter 6