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Chapter 83
The Perfect Sacrifice
2022.09.16.
The empire had many devout nobles.
The saint, having just had a private audience with the emperor, was preparing a purification rite and deepening ties with devout nobles. Of course, these meetings were held in secret.
“Ah, my goodness. You cured my skin disease! Saint, you are my benefactor. How dare anyone question your qualifications as a saint?”
“It’s all right. This is also something I, as a saint, must bear.”
In particular, the saint used her powerful holy power to heal nobles, and so she gained very zealous followers.
“Doesn’t the saint also run a foundation and donate for orphans? Just watching over people as a saint must already be exhausting.”
The saint smiled gently at the noble’s praise.
‘She truly is a saint. She expects nothing in return for any of her acts.’
And so another follower was made.
Cardinal Simon escorted the noble who’d become the saint’s follower and returned to the chapel. Normally the saint would have gone back to her chamber, but she was still in the chapel.
“Saint, why are you still in the chapel?”
“I have a personal favor to ask of you, Simon.”
“Of me?”
“Yes. I’ve already chosen the next person to invite. When I call her, I’ll need your help with something.”
The saint lowered her eyebrows and put on a troubled expression. Her slightly downcast eyes looked fragile, as if they might fill with tears.
“I hope my request doesn’t make things difficult for you, Simon…”
“My role is to carry out the saint’s requests. Just tell me.”
“In that case, I’d like you to invite Duchess Blanchet’s wife to the temple next time.”
“Y-Yes… Duchess Blanchet’s wife…?”
Simon was surprised at the unexpected choice and looked uncomfortable.
‘Why Duchess Blanchet’s wife of all people?’
“Saint, Duchess Blanchet’s wife might not want to come to the temple. With the purification rite coming up, wouldn’t it be better to invite someone else?”
“There’s an odd misunderstanding between Duchess Blanchet’s wife and me over the Miryu Juuti matter.”
Sadness surfaced in the saint’s blue eyes.
“I want to make sure the duchess doesn’t harbor any unnecessary misunderstanding toward the temple.”
“But Saint, the duchess might refuse the invitation…”
“That’s why I need Simon’s help. If the invitation bears His Majesty the Lord Protector’s seal, wouldn’t the duchess find it hard to refuse?”
For a moment, the face of Cardinal Berto—who had been dismissed to a minor post—flashed across Simon’s mind when he looked at the saint’s beautifully soft face.
‘Cardinal Berto was expelled for something unrelated to the saint…’
Cardinal Simon asked with concern.
“Saint. Duke Blanchet is a fearsome man. Because of what happened before, you need to be very careful about inviting the duchess. Even if she comes, one faux pas and it could be disastrous.”
“Why would I ever offend them?”
Saint Stella smiled brightly.
“I’m not so petty that I’d fail to understand someone beneath me. Just like a mistress doesn’t fuss over a maid’s every move.”
“St—Saint.”
“Simon, did I say something wrong?”
At Simon’s bewildered expression, Stella’s face fell like a child’s.
“I was taught that in the temple the saint is the most honored person…”
Indeed, scripture describes that the god’s chosen one—the saint who can hear the god’s voice—is the highest of people.
‘But that’s just phrasing from scripture.’
Stella, who had been treated like a princess in the temple, often made strange slips of speech. This was probably one of those times.
“No, it’s not wrong. But you must be a little more careful around Duchess Blanchet’s wife. Do you understand?”
“I’ll do my best to fulfill my duties as a saint.”
‘Simon worries far too much,’ Stella thought, then took out a hand mirror and checked her beautiful face.
‘After all, he already knows the real me.’
Though the Miryu incident tangled things up, Stella had already won him over—starting with polishing his shoes and capturing his attention.
Their eventful honeymoon had ended.
‘It was so short it felt like waking from a dream.’
Whenever she thought that, she looked at the ring on her finger—the ring Johan had newly matched to the color of his eyes.
“I love you, Estelle.”
Every morning after returning from the honeymoon, Johan would confess his love to her.
‘The original story really has changed.’
The change must have begun even before he confessed; thinking of that felt strange to her.
She gazed absentmindedly out the carriage window as the wind wrapped around them.
‘We’re almost at the Roium mansion.’
Originally, Regent Isabella had invited her immediately after the wedding, but because she went on a honeymoon, she was arriving considerably late.
‘It feels like the Miryu affair was a long time ago now.’
As soon as she arrived at the Roium mansion, Diana came out to meet her.
“Estelle! I missed you!”
“Me too.”
It seemed Diana had been waiting outside even before Estelle arrived. She hugged Estelle tightly, her eyes bright like a puppy’s.
“Mother is waiting in the drawing room.”
Diana poured out everything she’d been holding back as they walked, though there was fatigue she couldn’t hide from her face.
“Are you pushing yourself too hard?”
Estelle had heard the Roium kingdom’s position had become more difficult after Miryu Juuti’s suicide. Diana gave a bitter smile.
“…It’s not like it’s Mother or Prince Hessen. What could I possibly find hard?”
“Still, it could be hard enough.”
“Really? Even so, when I see Mother or Prince Hessen I can’t say I feel worn down. I thought everyone was getting better, but they must have been quite shocked.”
For the Roium kingdom, who had spent so much time together like family, Miryu’s death must have been a huge shock.
“My mother stays working all day, Prince Hessen sits alone and talks to no one. I’m worried our family might be permanently broken like this.”
Diana’s voice cracked as she neared the drawing room. Estelle took Diana’s hand and said,
“It’ll get better.”
“Do you think so?”
“Yes. You have Diana—Regent Isabella and Crown Prince Hessen have you.”
Diana’s eyes widened.
“Do you think so? There’s not much I can do.”
“Sometimes just having someone beside you is enough to help.”
“Well, that’s natural for family.”
Diana laughed shyly. For a moment, Estelle felt a pang of envy at Diana’s effortless talk of ‘family.’
“Because you have family who thinks of you that way, you’ll be okay.”
Estelle had always wanted a family.
‘Is Johan my family now?’
It felt a little awkward. A husband is family, but—
‘So have I already managed to make my wish come true long ago?’
“Long time no see, Duchess Blanchet.”
Regent Isabella, whom she saw after a long time, looked much more haggard than before.
“I’m very sorry for only apologizing now, given the Roium kingdom’s recent turmoil.”
Regent Isabella bowed and apologized again.
“The Roium kingdom did not act with ill intent, but it is true that we aided Miryu Juuti without knowing her true nature. I am very sorry for the trouble caused to Duchess Blanchet.”
Roium had many ways to avoid taking responsibility, but Isabella did not. She continued.
“Roium will compensate Duchess Blanchet to the fullest. If there’s anything you need, please tell me.”
Isabella’s refusal to dodge responsibility felt regal.
“I’m fine. Above all, you’ve tried to respond appropriately whenever issues arose.”
“But even so, I proceeded with the wedding without considering Duchess Blanchet’s feelings. That’s an unchanging fact.”
“For me, Regent Isabella’s apology suffices.”
Since Roium had prepared compensation, there was no need to wring more from them.
“Duchess Blanchet’s gracious attitude only makes me more ashamed of my past.”
Guilt appeared in Isabella’s eyes as she watched Estelle closely. Slowly, she placed something on the drawing-room desk.
“In addition to Roium’s official compensation, this is a personal gift to Duchess Blanchet. I hope it will be of help.”
“This is…”
“Yes. It’s an account at the United Kingdom Bank.”
Estelle was impressed as she looked at the bankbook.
“An account with no name on it…”
It was a secret account, and the amount was extraordinary.
‘How many zeros is that?’
Even for a duchess, it looked like a large sum.
“It’s not comparable to your personal fortune, but there will be times you need money you can spend freely. You’ll be able to use this amount without any restrictions.”
“They must already have been badly hurt officially by this compensation…”
“You helped stop the kingdom from being ruined by hiring the wrong person. Roium regards you as an incomparable benefactor.”
‘It’s good to have it!’
A secret identity and a stash like this made it convenient to use while going about incognito.
‘Honestly, maybe I should run away now.’
Money accumulates into a weapon to be used someday.
“Of course, we’ll thoroughly calculate the losses and reclaim them from those responsible.”
Isabella’s eyes flashed like a beast’s.
“Especially the Holy Nation—since they spread falsehoods during Roium’s official events, they must pay an appropriate price.”
“If you need my help, tell me anytime. Roium alone may have trouble facing the Holy Nation.”
“How could Roium show such kindness…”
“It’s not mere kindness. I too will ask Roium for help with my own debutant preparations.”
No matter how great Roium was, it could not match the Holy Nation.
‘I should confirm the saint Estella is really who she says she is.’
And whether someone was going about as a saint while disguised.
“Estelle, thank you.”
Diana’s eyes filled with tears as she held Estelle’s hand.
“Even though someone deceived you, we were among those who helped make your life hard. I can’t believe we did such a thing to someone like you…”
“Indeed.”
Even Isabella nodded in agreement, and Estelle turned away, uncomfortable with their earnest eyes.
Nearby, a tapestry on the wall caught her attention. It depicted the monotheistic deity Athea destroying the world’s evil—Chaos.
‘It’s in the scriptures and often in the studies of antiquity.’
When Chaos tried to destroy the world, Athea destroyed Chaos and then fell into a deep slumber, leaving behind angels to guard the world.
‘The current Holy Nation carries on the will of the angels and leads the world.’
Thump—
Though the tale wasn’t new, Estelle’s heart unexpectedly raced. Isabella noticed.
“Would you like to hear the myth behind that tapestry?”
“Oh, yes. It’s about ancient myth. Do you like ancient myths, Regent Isabella?”
“It used to be a topic of interest of mine. That’s why I keep a few rare items.”
Isabella smiled faintly and said, almost with wonder,
“How interesting a coincidence.”
“What do you mean?”
“This tapestry was a gift from the previous Duchess Blanchet. The late Duchess Blanchet had a great interest in antiquities.”
The previous duchess—the wrongfully deceased mother of Johan.
“Mother, Estelle seems to like that tapestry.”
Diana, who had been quiet, spoke up.
“Take that tapestry for yourself.”
“Oh, I’m fine—”
“I didn’t have much else to give, so if you like it I’ll give you everything.”
Estelle started to refuse, but Diana brightened and raised her voice.
“I’ll send that tapestry and the other antiquities from the mansion to you.”
“Oh Diana.”
Isabella called Diana to admonish her sternly.
“Do you think that would be an adequate present? Who are you planning to pin such a gift on?”
Wait a second, everyone.
“A proper gift should fill about three carriages.”
“As expected, Mother. That’s a generosity beyond me.”
“Right. To rule a kingdom, one must be like that. I’ll contact the kingdom and have several carriages’ worth of relics and presents from my private store sent.”
Hold on a moment, everyone.
“Then Mother, let’s contact other allied kingdoms and gather their relics too. Something better might come up!”
“That’s my daughter. Hurry and wrest some treasures from other kingdoms!”
“I’ll take the Roium knights and go threaten them with unpaid bonds!”
Estelle truly worried about Roium’s future.
“So.”
The demon’s purple eyes flashed slyly.
“You’re prepared to give anything to cure your wife?”
“I never said that.”
Johan sneered at the demon, twisting his mouth.
“You’re the sort who twists others’ words even though you have ears.”
“Ha, how admirable.”
Even a demon who had lived for eons found humans like Johan unusual.
“But even I, a demon, cannot discover what curse that woman bears.”
Of course, even among demons, no one had fallen into a demon’s hands like Johan, nor had anyone else used the power of Chaos so effortlessly as if it were their own.
“In such cases, there’s an easy option. Whatever curse or price is required, you can satisfy it with a sacrifice.”
“There’s such a thing?”
“Fae.”
The demon split his lips into a grin and chuckled.
“Offer a fairy as a sacrifice.”
