How To Win My Husband Over - Chapter 30

Episode 30: Never Betray His Holiness

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

I smiled brightly and followed the Archbishop to the promenade near the vineyard yard where the auction was taking place.

Not long ago, I thought I should keep a distance from the temple as much as possible, but it seemed that it would be better to observe while maintaining a moderate relationship than that.

Wouldn’t it be possible to find out who Cesare’s spy networks are?

I don’t know how things will turn out in the future…….

Cesare was no less predictable than Isaac.

Even if things go my way, or if I have to spend the night with Isaac, and the cancellation of my marriage becomes difficult, and therefore the assassination of Ellenia is postponed, or the day comes when Isaac trusts me completely.….

The opponent couldn’t let his guard down in front of Cesare.

He might think I hit the back of his head and get angry and do something crazy.

“I heard Cardinal Valentino is going to visit this year’s gladiatorial festival.”

You keep bringing up topics that I want to forget as much as possible. Phew, I hope he doesn’t comes here because of an accident.….

“I was actually expecting you to stop by the temple as soon as you came to Earendil.”

“Oh…….”

“Of course, I understand that the conditions have not been favorable. The lady wasn’t feeling well, and…… I hear you’ve been through a lot.”

The archbishop, who added leisurely, turned to me with a gentle smile. It seems that he has no intention of going into the main topic.

“I didn’t feel good. You’re not someone who to be treated so lightly here. Lord Omerta was a man I valued too, but I couldn’t help but feel angry.”

It sounded like a light joke.

But why does it sound like a question?

I smiled brightly at his benevolent smile.

“I’ve never been treated so lightly. Everyone is very kind to me. Lord Isaac is always too sweet to me.”

The archbishop raised one eyebrow slightly, but smiled as if he knew it would happen soon, and continued on.

“You are indeed the angel of the Sistine.  There is a sense of humility with an unparalleled generosity.”

“Don’t say that. I appreciate your concern.”

“No matter how cold-hearted a carnivore may be, it is only natural to melt into the Sistine lark of the nobility. It’s a pleasure to see a special bond already building between you two. It’s just that….”

Sistine’s angel, lark and dog-like nicknames should only be given to my father’s mistresses.

I tilted my head trying to keep a smile.

The archbishop, who hesitated, whispered in a low and serious tone.

“You know the sacred principles of confession better than anyone else. If there is anything that is hard to bear, please feel free to visit the temple. The temple of Earendil will not betray His Holiness.”

If I didn’t know anything, if I didn’t know what the end of the world was, I might have accepted it as a pure favor.

It’s just that, out of loyalty to the Pope, he’s reaching out his hand because it’s a pity that I have to endure in this place, where I, the princess of Romagna was being admired of.

Or maybe he’s just trying to use me as an ambition to leave the North and get inside the Sistine Chapel[1].

Either way, I wouldn’t step into the confession of the temple.

“That’s very kind of you to say. Thank you very much.”

“It’s only natural. The North is a ruthless and cold place, so it’s hard to find kindness even if you’re a believer.”

“Did you stay only in the North?”

“Earendil is my hometown, but I also stayed in Romagna on a small pilgrimage during my childhood. I was blessed at the Franciscan monastery. When the Holy Father was still a cardinal, I had the honor of speaking briefly.”

Right. Did he say he was Freya’s uncle?

If this archbishop is not just an ambitious priest, but an insider of our family, that’s a pain in the ass.. Should I pray that it’s not?

“…… Blood can’t lie. It must have been done because the Holy Father had a will, but it seems that the only thing I can do for the spilled water is to take care of it with all my heart and body.”

Huh? What kind of bullshit is it all of a sudden?

I turned my head in bewilderment.

When the strange archbishop suddenly clicked his tongue and I turned my head towards the direction he was looking, I saw an unfamiliar sight where my in-laws gathered in one place for the first time in a long time.

Father, what are you doing here? Did you come after your son?

The combination of the Duke of Omerta, who was the best knight of Britannia until he suffered a chronic shoulder injury, and Isaac, who had a reputation for exceeding his father’s prime, was quite a vicious combination.

They stood with their arms crossed in the same way, arrogantly glaring at each other with the same red eyes, and smiling leisurely, making it even more eerie.

It seems that it is the inheritance of the paternal side that ruins the warm atmosphere by coming to the place where others play.

As soon as I hesitated for a moment whether to go close or not, the archbishop moved first.

The sight of a tall archbishop, like a pole, moving gracefully with the purple Sudan robe and approaching the rich man in an atmosphere of running away with frightened spirits felt unnecessarily pious.

“I’m glad you got back safely, Duke. Did you solve the territorial issue well?”

Apparently the pious archbishop was as accustomed to the disturbing appearance of the Omerta father and son as those who had suffered from the world around him.

While his father responded to the archbishop with an unexpectedly cool attitude, Isaac glanced at me once and immediately turned his eyes away.

It had a bloody look, as if warning for some reason not to approach him.

Arrogant bastard all the time. He asked me to come with him, but what else is wrong?

Are you afraid that I was complaning about you with the Archbishop? Or maybe I’ve been plotting something?

“Ruby, this way…….”

At some point, Ellenia, who came close, grabbed me and took me to the table I had been seated earlier.

Although she had an expressionless face as always, I was a little worried because she looked somewhat unusual.

Isn’t it just a normal thing for that rich man to do that?

“Ellen, uh….….”

“Don’t mind and leave them alone. It’s always like that when they meet.”

A chuckle of laughter echoed from the opposite side of Eleania’s cold advice, not advice.

Of course it was Freya. It’s weird if she’s not here.

Phew, she’s just having fun as if it’s her daily life……. I’m kind of jealous.

“The Duke, who was also looking at the paintings for the auction, is tormenting Iz again. There are many things here that he will like, should I bid for him and give it as a gift?”

“Stop it. I’m sick and tired of the pile already.”

“Still, he sent me a present after coming back from Hamelin, so I don’t want to be rude not returning the favour. Madam, do you like painting?”

It’s a painting. It’s all a picture.

By the way, did he bring all the presents for his children’s childhood friends because she went to Duchy? That’s a little too much information. Tch

“I like it, but I can’t appreciate it well.”

“The Duke loves painting. How about milady bid for one and give it to him as a gift?”

Well, that’s not bad advice, but I’m sure my old family friend Freya would hate my husband if I did.

Besides, I don’t have any money. The dowry that I brought here, as a rule, can be used as I please, but it’s the way it’s supposed to be.….

Ugh, it’s my fate.

“I think milady has a better eye than I do…… I’ll just watch.”

“Aww, I just learned a little over my mother’s shoulder. Isn’t Rome the Arts Center?”

Meanwhile, a servant in a white uniform approached, removed the empty glasses, and served a new drink.

It was wine, not pomegranate juice like before.

As soon as I reached out to the wine glass, ignoring the food on the plate, Ellenia suddenly turned right back at me without warning.

“Let’s stop talking about paintings. Ruby, there’s something we were discussing earlier.”

“Yes…?”

“I’d like to hire a new maid dedicated to Ruby. My family servants have been around for a long time..… I’m going to choose a child who has no connection to the royal capital at all.”

I was a little surprised.

You’re hiring a new maid for me? With a fresh new face?

“Well, I…….”

“Actually, my brother said it first the other day, but I think it’s a good idea too. Marchioness Furyana was asking Freya if she knew someone she could trust.”

It’s unbelievable. Did Isaac really suggest it first?

Usually, servants in the same area went round and round and round.

However, if she’s a young maid from another country who has no connection to the royal capital, they may be a little immature, but it may be much better for me.

She wouldn’t know anything, I can teach her, and since I’ve just come in, she wouldn’t have a lot of prejudice, and it’s probably easier to make it on my side because I’m an outsider.….

I won’t have to bribe Lucille.

It just takes a while for Freya to arrange it.

Freya smiled coolly over the wine glass as I glanced at her, hiding the speck of smugness.

“I’ll ask you to send me a letter of introduction first, so I can decide after seeing it then. From what I can tell, I think a mature person would be better.….”

“No, I want someone who is on the younger side.”

“But Ellen, milady may think differently…….”

Freya said just that much.

I thought for a moment that she choked while swallowing wine in a hurry.

Perhaps the same was true of Ellenia.

“Frey?”

Freya, who had been stiff as if the screen had paused for a moment without speaking, put down the wine glass as if tossing it roughly.

The nervous rupture of the crash caused a shudder in my spine.

“F…”

“Uh, huh, huh!”

The dark red blood splashed on the white tablecloth.

Everything happened in a flash.

It was such an unexpectedly shocking sight that we all seemed to have stopped thinking for a moment.

“Lady!”

I jumped up with a reflex scream.

Freya slowly raised her head as I approached in a hurry and held her shoulder.

The beautiful purple eyes were filled with great fear and shock.

The next time she coughed up blood, I saw someone approaching me in a hurry pushing me roughly and holding her, and I felt something cold, stuffy and irritating, beginning to choke me.

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

[1]The Sistine Chapel had great symbolic meaning for the papacy as the chief consecrated space in the Vatican, used for great ceremonies such as electing and inaugurating new popes.

So the term ‘Sistine’s lark’ and ‘Angel of Sistine’ means the lark and angel belonging to the Sistine Chapel which is very sacred.