The Saintess Became the Northern Grand Duke’s Daughter - Chapter 19

“The situation has become difficult.”

 

The High Priest furrowed his eyebrows at the Emperor’s reaction.

 

“Your Imperial Majesty. I’ll say this again, but all of that is made up. Liriette was never the real daughter of His Grace the Duke. There is no way there could be such an exquisite and staggering coincidence in the world.”

 

The Emperor thought so too.

 

Most of all, he couldn’t believe the story that the Duke of Windsor-Ice loved a woman so deeply.

 

‘For the guy whose heart has been turned into ice, that can’t be true!’

 

Nevertheless, the Emperor had to accept the story.

 

“Is there any way to prove that story is a lie?”

 

Liriette is 10 years old. She was already an abandoned child 10 years ago.

 

Finding the real mother of such a child is almost impossible. Even if they did find her real mother, they would have no way to prove it.

 

The High Priest said with a puzzled face.

 

“I-Isn’t that the same for His Grace the Duke? There can be no witnesses to lies…”

 

“The Duke of Windsor-Ice isn’t one to tell loose lies without any preparation. He must have had witnesses and evidence to prove the story true.”

 

It was as predicted by the Emperor.

 

The Duke had thoroughly prepared everything.

 

The Duke’s first love and the woman who gave birth to Liriette. A letter she wrote to the Duke before she died. The people who watched her by her side.

 

Of course everything was fake, but no one will be able to reveal it.

 

The Duke wasn’t easy enough to show such a gap.

 

The High Priest distorted his face and said “Ah,” as if he just thought about it.

 

“I heard that the Imperial Family has a magic stone that can confirm that they’re of the same blood. Please use it to tell the whole world about the Duke’s lies!”

 

However, the Emperor’s reaction was cold.

 

“You talk about the Imperial Family’s secret treasures to solve personal problems. How dare you.”

 

“T-That’s not it, the situation is urgent…”

 

“The Imperial treasure can only be used by the Imperial Family.”

 

Even if the Emperor unconventionally allowed the use, it would be the end if the Duke didn’t respond. Even the Emperor couldn’t force him to confirm his paternity.

 

“The reason I took your side in the first place was because there was a legitimate justification that the Duke took away the child raised by the High Priest.”

 

Yet that justification is gone.

 

If he continues to get involved in this under these circumstances, the Emperor will be accused of being overly involved in the succession of noble families.

 

The Emperor said in a calm voice.

 

“I don’t want to get involved in this any more.”

 

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty. How can you say that…”

 

The cunning Emperor didn’t withdraw his foot without gaining anything.

 

“High Priest, do you know what I have done for you?”

 

“…!”

 

“I gave a royal edict with my seal and gathered the nobles of the capital to form public opinion.”

 

Of course, it wasn’t something purely for the High Priest.

 

It was the Emperor who wanted to use all of that to hit the Duke of Windsor-Ice.

 

However, since he couldn’t get what he wanted, the Emperor had to take whatever he could.

 

“I expect you to show due respect to my goodwill.”

 

Those were the Emperor’s last words.

 

The light of the magic stone disappeared.

 

The High Priest grabbed the magic stone and shouted.

 

“Y-Your Imperial Majesty the Emperor! Your Imperial majesty!”

 

Yet no matter how much he shouted, the magic stone didn’t shine again. The Emperor refused to talk to the High Priest.

 

The High Priest, who understood the meaning, was about to throw the mana stone into the wall, but he remembered the price of the mana stone and threw it on the soft bed.

 

Then he screamed, throwing a wooden cup next to the bed.

 

“Aaaagh!”

 

It was a voice full of irritation, anger, and resentment that couldn’t be tolerated.

 

***

 

The High Priest couldn’t overcome his emotions and screamed and collapsed.

 

It was only natural that he had accumulated fatigue from not being able to properly rest while he was on his way to the north, drank the tea that Simon gave him to lower his body temperature, received the Duke’s ferocious spirit all over his body, and was finally abandoned by the Emperor he had trusted.

 

“Hhhh…”

 

The High Priest suffered from a terrible cold. The priests who came with him nursed him with worried faces.

 

Simon, who heard the news from the source he planted in advance, muttered, gently curling his long eyebrows.

 

“I wish you could just die at this point, you terrible pig.”

 

It was better for Liriette and the many people who followed him without even knowing his ugly true color.

 

Unfortunately, Simon’s wish didn’t come true.

 

The High Priest opened his eyes after suffering for a full week.

 

His plump face had turned thin as he couldn’t eat properly while he was sick and his eyes were dark.

 

The benevolent appearance that dazzled everyone in the world disappeared, and his greedy and cruel true nature was revealed.

 

The priest who had been guarding the High Priest all the time said with a face full of joy.

 

“You’re awake, High Priest. Shall I get you some water? Or a meal…”

 

Slap!

 

The High Priest slapped the priest on the cheek.

 

His touch was so strong that anyone would wonder if he was someone who had been ill for several days. Before the priest could scream at the sudden pain, the High Priest’s hand flew once again.

 

Slap!

 

This time, it was stronger than before.

 

Both of the priest’s cheeks were swollen red.

 

However, the priest didn’t shout at the High Priest as to why he was beating him. He didn’t even ask what he did wrong.

 

For when the sky rains heavily, no one asks why.

 

Slap! Slap!

 

The priest silently endured the violence of the High Priest.

 

It wasn’t until the priest’s face was swollen to the point of horror that the High Priest lowered his hand.

 

“Huft, huft.”

 

The High Priest felt that the anger that had stirred inside him like a storm had subsided a little. And the return of the reason that disappeared because of the messed up body and emotions.

 

The High Priest opened his mouth with cold eyes.

 

“Bring Noelle right now.”

 

***

 

Liriette’s room.

 

In the bright sunlight coming through the window, Liriette was on her knees with her hands touching.

 

It was the time to pray every morning after breakfast.

 

She had to purify her body and mind when she prayed, and she was only to give her thanks to the goddess.

 

But right now, Liriette’s little mind was extremely complicated.

 

‘Sir Simon said that the High Priest isn’t feeling well and won’t be able to come to the castle for the next few days.’

 

Even so, when Liriette recalled the High Priest, she wasn’t relieved.

 

‘What should I do if the High Priest really shows up with His Imperial Majesty on his back? And then he really throws out a war…’

 

Liriette immediately shook her head.

 

‘That won’t happen. The Duke said that too.’

 

The duke said that he had no intention of avoiding a war with the emperor because of this. But after that, he added his words.

 

[There is a high probability that that won’t happen. Since I said you’re my own daughter, the Emperor has no justification to take you away from me. He’s not stupid enough to wage a war without a cause.]

 

Liriette recalled the Duke’s words and put strength into her hands.

 

‘Please, as the Duke said, may His Imperial Majesty take his hands off this matter. So I hope the High Priest will give up taking me here and disappear.’

 

It was then.

 

She heard a knock.

 

When Liriette was praying, no one entered her room. Thus she opened her eyes with a puzzled face.

 

Simon, who entered her room, said.

 

“I apologize for entering while you’re praying.”

 

“That’s okay. What brings you here…”

 

Soon Liriette opened her eyes wide.

 

“Has the High Priest arrived?!”

 

But Simon shook his head.

 

“In place of the High Priest, one of the priests he sent has come.”

 

“A priest?”

 

“Yes. However, the priest asked to meet Liriette, not His Grace the Duke. Even just the two of you.”

 

Simon said absolutely no, yet the priest asked with an anxious face.

 

“She asked me to tell Miss Liriette her name. I agreed, just in case you were in a close relationship with her when you were in the temple.”

 

No way.

 

Liriette’s heart started pounding.

 

“The priest’s name is Noelle. Would you like to meet her?”

 

“Yes!”

 

Liriette answered without hesitation.

 

 

The place Simon took Liriette to was the drawing room where she had talked with the High Priest a few days ago.

 

“Can’t we just meet in my room?”

 

Simon answered Liriette’s words.

 

“When you have a private meeting with a guest, it is better to use the drawing room. There are magic stones with various functions installed in the reception room. Some of them nullify the power of other mana stones.”

 

“…!”

 

Simon lowered his eyebrows at Liriette, who opened her eyes wide.

 

“I know that Miss Liriette has a close relationship with the priest named Noelle, but she’s sent by the High Priest. Please understand that I’m trying to be careful in preparation for an unexpected situation.”

 

Simon was concerned about what Noelle might do to Liriette by using something like a magic stone.

 

There’s no way Noelle will do that to me.

 

Liriette held back what she wanted to say.

 

Knowing that the innocent words of a child only cause more concern than belief.

 

She looked at Simon instead and said.

 

“Thank you for caring for me.”

 

Simon narrowed his fox-like eyes gently.

 

“It was nothing.”

 

He said, opening the door.

 

“I’ll be standing outside the door, so call me anytime if anything happens.”

 

“Yes, I will.”

 

Liriette replied in a sharp voice, and she entered the room.