EIITAB - Chapter 30 < Stephan Ceretto >
Even If It Is Trampled And Broken
At that time, she did not attend both the first and second parts and was only in the temple.
'But he said he was worried about me and came to the temple on purpose!'
This year, there was a high probability that we would meet at an orphanage rather than a temple. When she left the temple, she did not bring any formal clothes because she had no intention of returning again.
However, the temple sent her a robe to wear on the day of the charity event. Angela steadily helped her get dressed, even though she had a disgruntled look on her face.
"The saying that clothes are wings is a lie. Look. What good can these plain clothes do? The clothes will benefit the Princess."
"A person who has enlisted in the temple knows that frugality should be considered a virtue. How can a priest wear extravagant clothes?"
"The Princess is not just a priest, you are a Saintess!"
Angela added with a quiet grunt of her own.
"I'm sure Saint Anessa is going to go dressed up gorgeously."
"She is as she is, and I am as I am. That's enough, Angela."
Hestia laughed as if she couldn't stop her, then looked at her reflection in the vanity mirror.
Her complexion became paler than on the first day of her regression, and the color of her lips became lighter.
'It's not bad, but that doesn't mean it's in very good condition either'
Since she had to hide the fact that she was terminally ill anyway, she thought it would be better to apply a bit more makeup.
"Angela, can you paint my lips a little redder?"
"Oh my, what's going on?"
Although she was surprised, the maid smiled brightly and tickled her lips with a brush, as if she liked what Hestia was trying to do.
"But did you know what I asked you to do?"
"Ah, you mean Sir Stephan Ceretto?"
Angela nodded her head and continued her sentence.
"You're famous these days, aren't you?"
Angela began to tell the story, distilling as much information as she could out of it, distilling it down to her main points.
"He is not a central noble, but the second son of a local noble family. They were a famous, devout believer family in the area."
"Okay?"
Going back a few generations, she says, he's family even produced a high priest.
"But that was only then. It is said that sometimes children who are born with divine powers have limited abilities. It is said that since the person who became a high priest, there has been no one who has risen above a low-level priest."
Hestia nodded her head and diligently showed that she was listening.
"As a result, the family fortunes gradually declined. I've heard he's more of a fallen aristocrat who just keeps his name now."
Hestia tilted her head.
"But how do you know such circumstances so well?"
And so quickly. No matter how much she asked Hestia to find out, it was not easy for her to find out so quickly since Angela was not a member of the Intelligence Guild. So she also asked without much expectation.
Then Angela snorted slightly at her and playfully swaggered as if it was no big deal.
"I told you. It's famous. In social circles these days, if you don't know him, you're a spy."
"Okay?"
Angela smiled as she looked at Hestia's round eyes and began to tell her what she knew one by one, as if unpacking a bundle.
"It seems like whenever a party is held somewhere, people hear about it and attend like ghosts. I heard there's no place you don't go?"
Because I'm a person who likes parties.
"On top of that, you have top-notch looks and are very friendly, so I told you everything."
Hestia quietly nodded her head. She didn't really want to think about it, but the face of Stephan Cerreto, who proposed to her in her last life, came to mind.
Blonde hair like honey mixed with sugar, green eyes. Slightly droopy eyes and semi-curly hair. He seemed to be made of pale colors, and whenever their eyes met, he gently folded his eyes and smiled.
'A man like the gentle spring breeze.'
That was the Stephan Cheretto that Hestia remembered. He was caring, gentle, and light. The way he speaks, his hands, and even his gestures. A man who is completely opposite to Aslan Kalati.
Hestia, who had been making the comparison in her mind, was shocked.
'Why am I comparing him to that man again?'
Hestia narrowed her brows and tightened her pursed lips.
Perhaps it was because the only man he had known in her life was Aslan, so she felt like all standards were set for him.
Meanwhile, Angela continued her words.
"But it seems like he has a hard time blending in. It's a bit difficult to explain in words.... You know it too, right? These are the kind of people who explode in a somewhat awkward way."
"... Hmm."
Hestia made an ambiguous statement that was neither positive nor negative. Angela naturally continued the story.
"Sir Stephan Ceretto is said to be that kind of person."
Since they were not from a family that settled and lived in the capital, it seemed that it would not be easy for them to blend into the mainstream.
"Ladies say they like Lord Ceretto because he is a pleasant and gentle person, but I don't think men say that. In other words, in order to blend in with men, one must have a strong friendship developed through growing up together from a young age or going through hardships together in the Order of Knights. Otherwise, it would have been possible only if there was business merit or something worthy of respect. Usually, the eldest son takes over the family line. The second son, Sir Stephen, doesn't seem to fit in well with the gentlemen's crowd."
According to Angela's explanation, the second or third sons of the Ceretto family are rarely born with divine powers. In such cases, it is said that many people enter the temple at a young age and live as priests at temples in local areas.
"But Sir Stephan doesn't seem to have enough spiritual power to become a priest. He was ordained a knight, but his skills were mediocre..."
"I see...."
Hestia's brows suddenly narrowed as she nodded her head reflexively, trailing off at the end of her sentence. A question suddenly came to mind.
"How on earth did such a person come to the capital?"
If the family is not that powerful, its financial situation will not be good. Families with money usually run merchants, businesses, or mines and naturally solidify their position in the social world. In the noble family of Ellsworth, the fact that the second son and younger sons were knights or priests meant that the family could not afford to take care of them all.
'Of course, there are many people who choose that path for fame.'
However, from what Angela said, it seemed like the Ceretto family had no time to pursue fame.
Therefore, it would be difficult to come from the provinces to the capital, and there would be no money for a long-term stay.
In her previous life, she had never heard of Stephan practicing swordsmanship separately, nor had she ever seen him. He focused solely on social activities. In place of Hestia, who was not in good health, he said that he would maintain her position as her 'fiance', and even then, it was often rumored that he swept up all kinds of social parties.
At the time, she was completely focused on that, so she didn't hear the details, but Angela said.
"Lord Ceretto is selling out the Princess! You need to say something sharp!"
Hestia has heard indignant comments a few times. If we had to guess from the situation, it was highly likely that Stephan was talking about Hestia's condition in order to establish himself in the social world.
"Does he have any relatives in the capital?"
"I heard that's not the case."
In fact, Hestia's words were a muttering that was close to talking to herself. But Angela thought she was asking her, and immediately opened her mouth as if she had heard something about it as well.
However, since this part was close to speculation, the tone of voice was a little more subtle.
"There are rumors that someone is helping him behind his back."
Hestia took a deep breath without responding.
'That's right. Otherwise, Stephan, who is not currently Hestia's fiancé, would not be able to show her face to the high-ranking nobles' party.'
Hestia asked again as indifferently as possible.
"Then do you know who is behind him?"
"No. As far as that..."
Angela trailed off with an apologetic look on her face. Since she didn't particularly intend to grab her book, Hestia, seeing her reaction, lowered the tips of her eyebrows with an apologetic look on her face.
"It really helped me just to know, Angela. So you don't have to make that face. Thank you."
However, it seemed that Hestia's words were too heavy for her to bear, so Angela glanced at her and continued her words.
"But Princess, it's definitely not because I don't have the ability to figure it out!"
Hestia smiled slightly.
"I don't think so."
"Phew, then I'm glad. I was so worried that the Princess would think I was incompetent!"
"No way. Would I treat you like that?"
Angela laughed. In a much more relaxed atmosphere, her maid grumbled.
"Of course not. Oh, by the way. Everyone, including me, was secretly wondering who was behind Sir Stephen. But it seems no one found out."
"I see."
Hestia swallowed her sigh and nodded her head. The story continued. It was mainly about Stephan's personal affairs. Nevertheless, Hestia continued to listen closely to Angela's story. She didn't listen to a single word, but chewed and swallowed it as if she was going to digest it properly.
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