TVOWW 49

Chapter 49

Unfairly Rude

Priest Berto looked at the Saint with a pleading, sorrowful gaze.

“Responsibility… that’s such a sad word,” Stella said, holding Berto’s hands and looking at Johan with a mournful expression.

“I wish Duke Blanchet would show mercy.”

“Is that your judgment as a Saint?”

“Of course, I cannot force Duke Blanchet to forgive. I can only ask,” she replied.

For a moment, it felt as if all the light in the room poured onto Stella.

Stella, pleading for mercy on Johan’s behalf, looked perfect—like a saint straight from the scriptures. Anyone devoted to God would have been moved to tears. Even Berto, whose life was hanging by a thread, momentarily lost his sense of urgency and marveled.

“That mouth—”

Johan’s cold sarcasm shattered the saintly atmosphere.

“—don’t you know how to give a proper answer?”

With a terrifyingly stern expression, Johan stared at Stella. The entire room seemed crushed under his presence. Estelle, standing by Johan, looked at him tensely. Naturally, Stella’s reaction was even more pronounced.

“It’s my fault,” Stella said, her eyes wide with a tearful expression, her shoulders drooping pitifully.

“I’m sorry, Berto.”

“Saint?”

Berto swallowed hard. Estelle looked at Stella with a puzzled expression.

‘Is that all it takes?’

This priest seemed close enough to Stella to speak on her behalf.

‘Shouldn’t he at least try a bit harder to help?’

Even if Johan made this a problem, there were limits. A Saint of Stella’s stature should have ways to intercede.

Stella finally released Berto’s hands.

“I guess I was foolish to come this far. There’s nothing I can do at the moment.”

“Saint… then I—”

“Duke Blanchet, my heart is ready.”

Despair flashed in Berto’s eyes as he looked at Stella’s back.

“Punish Priest Berto as you see fit, Duke Blanchet. But…”

“Is that your decision?”

“…Yes.”

Other priests around swallowed back tears. Berto knelt, bowing his head.

Johan rose gracefully and walked toward Berto.

“The Saint says I can do as I wish. What do you think?”

“…I take full responsibility for everything, as the Saint has said,” Berto said gravely, closing his eyes.

“I will take responsibility with my life. Surely, Duke Blanchet will be satisfied with that.”

“What kind of delusion is this?”

Johan smirked and pressed his foot hard against Berto’s knee.

“What could I possibly gain from your life’s worth?”

“Ugh—!”

Berto’s face contorted in pain.

“Since you don’t seem to understand, I’ll tell you something,” Johan said, grabbing the back of Berto’s head to make him look up.

“When the Blanchet family was reinstated, I made a new family motto. Have you heard of it?”

Johan drew a dagger from his waist. The sharply honed blade moved lightly in front of Berto, as if mocking him. Even Berto, who had seemed ready to die, now trembled in fear.

“[Even if spring comes, do not forget winter.]”

The dagger swung swiftly toward Berto.

Slash!

“Ahhhh!”

Berto screamed, but no blood spurted.

A strand of Berto’s brown hair, cut by the dagger, floated slowly in the air.

“W-What is this…?”

Berto hurriedly touched his face. There was a faint trace of blood on his hand, but he was not dead. The dagger had merely grazed his hair and cheek.

‘He… didn’t die?’

Berto stared at Johan in astonishment.

The dagger, leaving no blood, rested in Johan’s hand as he smiled elegantly.

Even seeing that alone could make someone faint with fear.

“I told you,” Johan said,

“…your life’s worth means nothing to me.”

Berto hiccupped as Johan spoke lazily.

“Go back to the temple and report. Remember who you are dealing with.”

Berto understood: he was to return to the temple and finalize whatever compensation needed to be sent to the Blanchet family.

“Yes, sir.”

“Next time, there won’t be anyone to negotiate for you,” Johan warned.

Berto nodded repeatedly, his face pale.

Johan turned and walked slowly toward Estelle. The other priests rushed to Berto’s side.

“Are you all right, Priest Berto?”

“I… I barely survived…”

Johan approached Estelle, asking something gently. Estelle smiled and nodded, and the mood shifted sweetly from the previous terror.

Berto, clutching his brown hair to catch his breath, nodded.

‘So the rumor that she’s fake… seems untrue.’

At that moment, Berto noticed Saint Stella.

He had expected her to comfort him, but she was staring blankly at the Duke and Duchess Blanchet. Johan, holding Estelle, gestured to the servants.

“See the guests out.”

A clear order to dismiss visitors.

Johan’s gaze turned to the saint, who stood quietly.

“I hope I never see the Saint again.”

“Duke Blanchet… I also—”

“If you cross me one more time,” Johan’s deadly gaze pierced Stella,

“I’ll even kill a Saint if necessary.”

Originally, a banquet was prepared for the Saint and her party. But their mischief had caused a gap, and I decided to take a long-overdue visit to the trees.

Johan asked, concerned:

“Are you sure you can go alone?”

“My ankle is fine after treatment,” I replied, feeling energized.

‘Divine power really is incredible.’

I understood why so many priests cherished the Saint as a treasure.

But calling the Saint just to recover my ankle?

‘I’d rather just deal with the pain.’

I asked Johan, who refused to leave my side:

“Don’t you have other things to do?”

He pressed his temple, thinking.

“I can do it after we walk through the garden.”

“The Blanchet gardens are safe. Go do your work, Johan.”

He only moved after I insisted we meet again for the banquet.

‘Lately, Johan doesn’t want to leave me,’ I thought.

It wasn’t unpleasant, but secretly planning things became harder.

‘Johan must be busier than I am.’

Curious about when he found time for work, I turned to the trees.

“So, Tree, do you like the compost as you wanted?”

-You didn’t have to treat us so well.

-Yeah, even if we were neglected like before, it would have been fine.

“Lies! You were giving me side-eye all the way up here.”

The trees pretended not to notice.

-Which tree gave our little one a hard time?

-What a rigid tree! Shameful!

-If that tree confesses now, maybe we’d have less dishonor…

“We know you were all talking back then,” I said.

All the trees that had worried about me stood ready.

-You remember that too…

“It’s fine. It means nothing to me.”

Honestly, I thought their help was already more than enough.

“I’ll just walk through the garden for a bit before leaving.”

-The garden? Are you trying to use your fairy power?

“Yes. Whenever I have time.”

Fairy powers differed by individual, so even the trees couldn’t fully understand.

I could now unconsciously use my fairy power.

‘They said it’s a power that performs miracles.’

That’s why the trees suggested using the garden.

‘It’s supposed to nurture love while tending flowers.’

I wasn’t sure how love and fairy power connected, but the trees’ advice wasn’t useless. Practicing consistently seemed wise. Understanding my fairy power would give me my own weapon.

-“Carefully touch the bushes over there.”

In the lush bush, early summer roses were budding.

“Like this?”

-Focus a bit more!

I concentrated on the rosebud. Pale green leaf patterns appeared on the back of my hand.

From across, the priests’ angry voices were heard:

“How dare you treat the Saint this way! The Blanchet family even disrespects God!”

“Yes, we must inform His Majesty and prevent the Duke from acting further.”

They hadn’t left yet?

‘Everyone acts so differently around Johan,’ I thought. Even here, in the Blanchet gardens.

“Not everyone can understand God’s will,” Saint Stella murmured sadly.

“Please keep this secret from His Majesty. You’d be sad if you knew what I went through.”

“Saint… after such humiliation…”

“Their attitude is so different from that fake,” I thought, peeking from the bushes.

“Duke Blanchet is one thing, but what did that fake believe to mistreat the Saint?”

“What did the Saint do wrong? She even came to heal small injuries that would have healed on their own after a few days’ rest.”

“Honestly, Duke Blanchet seemed more disrespectful because of that fake…”

These were familiar complaints; I didn’t think much of it.

‘The temple thinks the same.’

Berto remained quietly standing out.

“Berto, didn’t you suffer the most? Say something.”

“Ah, I…”

“Leave Priest Berto alone. He didn’t need to suffer because of me…”

Another nearby priest scolded.

“What nonsense! The Saint should not blame herself.”

“The real problem is the fake who controlled the Duke! Deserving of God’s punishment…”

I listened to each priest’s complaint carefully.

‘So that’s what they were thinking.’

Soon, I would meet Johan at the banquet.

‘I’ll remember to tell him.’

Suddenly, a beast roared loudly.

Kwaang!

The priests were terrified; some fell back.

They looked at the monster in fear.

“Ah! That… foul monster…”

It was the black panther beast I had seen in the Duke’s territory.

‘Ah, they’ve arrived.’

Erich approached, leading the black panther beast.

“Why haven’t the guests left the mansion yet?”

“Saint… said her leg hurt for a moment…”

The priest answered nervously, glancing at the panther, which growled menacingly.

“Shouldn’t you remove that vile beast? It’s dangerous—!”

“This is the Blanchet mansion. I have no reason to listen to guests,” Erich snapped.

“Isn’t it dangerous?”

The panther opened its mouth, revealing sharp teeth.

“Calm down, everyone,” Stella said, swallowing hard as she stepped forward.

“It’s safe since the Duke is raising it.”

She slowly approached the black panther.

“Hello, nice to meet you, I am—”

Grr!

The panther barked, seemingly annoyed at her words.

Eek!

Stella closed her eyes in fright and crouched. Fortunately, Erich restrained it with a leash.

“You won’t face any more trouble once you leave the mansion,” Stella said, fixing her veil and hair, looking at Erich gracefully.

“But as a Saint, I cannot just accept help without offering some in return.”

She carefully opened her skirts and smiled gently at Erich.

“Do you need my assistance with anything?”

“If you leave now, that would be the greatest help,” Erich replied curtly. I couldn’t help but admire him.

‘He’s really… equally rude,’ I thought.

“But I feel like you might still need my help,” Stella said, grabbing Erich’s hand. White divine energy seeped under his gloves.

Erich flinched and pulled back.

“What are you doing!”

“Sorry, as a Saint I can sense others’ pain,” Stella explained.

“That’s nonsense…”

Erich angrily removed his gloves, his blue-gray eyes shaking.

“Burn scars… all over…”

There were burn scars beneath his gloves.

‘So the family Betty mentioned… was Erich.’

Though she had called him “brother,” I wondered if it was really Erich.

‘It really is Erich.’

Now I understood some of the hostility he directed at me.

He checked his other hand for scars, then stared at Stella blankly. She smiled gently at him.

“Did my help at least help?”

“…You truly are magnanimous, Saint.”

“I received help as well.”

“Do I look impressed by you? Truly a different mind, your eyes are strange too.”

Erich clenched his teeth, drew a sharp knife from his sleeve, and cut his hand. Blood began to flow over the newly healed skin.

“Why… your hand…”

“Obviously because of you, Saint,” Erich said, cutting the other hand.

“Your generosity should be reserved for followers, not someone like me.”

I remembered Betty’s harsh words:

‘Erich… his personality is terrible. Not just because he’s my brother. Truly… rude.’

Betty was right.