EIITAB - Chapter 32 A Real Saintess
Even If It Is Trampled And Broken
She sighed quietly and thought. Is this too self-conscious? But otherwise, there was no reason for Aslan to attend such an event.
'No. Let's not be too quick to judge!'
She pressed down her excited heart. Doesn't she know very well that he is not a person who acts according to his own thoughts? It hurts a lot to have expectations and then be disappointed, so she shouldn't do that anymore.
Meanwhile, the nobles sitting near Aslan began to whisper awkwardly, clearing their throats as if they were uncomfortable. Of course, he didn't seem to care at all no matter what anyone said or said about her.
Hestia, who had been observing the situation there without realizing it, quickly came to her senses when she heard the director's words coming from next to her.
"Saintess, shall we begin?"
"Oh, that... Yes."
Hestia nodded her head somewhat hesitantly. Feeling glad that she had something to focus on right away, she picked up a glass containing some panna cotta.
Soon the first child's meal began. The boy carrying the food tray looked to be about 15 years old. He glanced at Hestia's face from the corner of his eye, but when their eyes met, he was startled and lowered his head. The blush that started on the boy's cheeks quickly turned red all the way to his ears.
Hestia asked the question sweetly with her smile on.
"What is your name?"
"It's Jack."
"Jack."
After pronouncing the child's name in a friendly tone, she placed dessert on her plate. Then, she lightly pressed her index finger to the exact center of Jack's forehead.
"I wish you good health. God will always watch your path."
"... Thank you, Saintess."
"Bon appetit."
Hestia gently waved her hand to the boy who bowed his head towards her and immediately focused on the next meal. As if they had lined up in order of age, children around Jack's age received their meals first, and they got younger and younger as they went behind.
When she was 10 years old, her native rations ended. She hadn't had any problems up to that point.
"Thank you, Saintess."
"I will eat well, Saintess."
The problem began when the older children finished their meal and the younger children under the age of 10 took their turn. She was a girl who looked to be about 5 or 6 years old, with a swollen expression on her face as if she was seriously distressed.
Hestia, annoyed by this, squatted down in her place to focus her eyes on her child.
"Baby, why are you doing this?"
She reached her hand towards the child's face to straighten her messy hair. And at that moment, the child turned his head.
"....?!"
Hestia was embarrassed.
Is it just her? She did the same with the others who were watching quietly. The director of the orphanage, who was standing with a proud expression on his face at the polite attitude of the students, was taken aback and took a step closer.
"Lilith..!"
The director, who was holding her child's shoulders, looked at Hestia with a helpless expression and drooped her eyebrows.
"She's not really this kind of kid."
It was like an excuse. Of course, the orphanage director knew well that Hestia was not the kind of person who would take issue with this. But the problem was that not only she but other nobles were also present here.
After all, they are pro-royal nobles. If they take issue with Lilith's attitude toward the Saints Hestia, things will escalate considerably. Not only will Lilith be punished, but it could also lead to a crisis in the orphanage's existence.
Hestia also had the same thoughts as the orphanage director. She smiled nonchalantly as if nothing had happened and tried to lighten her mood as much as possible.
'It's okay. She's still a child. There might be something she doesn't like... This child will also be frustrated because she cannot say it coherently. I understand."
Hestia asked, shifting her gaze back to Lilith.
"Lilith. So can I just give you my blessing?"
As Hestia spoke, she placed her index finger toward the child's forehead. And that moment.
"No, I do not want!"
Lilith raised her voice sharply and jerked her head again.
She is now she is only 5 years old. The words of rejection flowed out of her child's mouth without hesitation. Before the director of the orphanage could calm her down, her sharp words poured out of Lilith's mouth like a dagger.
"I also want to be blessed by a real Saintess!"
Hestia's eyes wavered. Her outstretched hand to give her blessing to her child slowly curled at the end, clenched into a fist, and then she fell helplessly beneath her. In an instant, her mood froze. She said that no one dared to open her mouth. Hestia was the same.
"Hey, Lilith! What are you talking about!"
The orphanage director quickly came to his senses and raised his voice to Lilith. He even glared at the child as if to tell her to shut up and not say another word.
"But Director!"
But Lilith didn't notice the sign. Among the embarrassed adults, a boy named Jack, who was the first to receive food, rushed over and covered Lilith's mouth with his hand.
"Are you crazy? What are you saying now? Shut up."
Since he was the oldest among the students admitted, he seemed to be quick-witted. The still young Lilith puffed out her cheeks, quite displeased with what everyone was saying to her.
Lilith whined, removed Jack's hand covering her mouth, and continued speaking again.
"But that's what the nobles over there said!"
Children are innocent, and that is why they are sometimes cruel.
'Oh yeah. I see.'
Hestia looked at the situation directly. She looked back at the nobles with an expressionless face. Perhaps because they were pointed out by Lilith, they were all reluctant to make eye contact with Hestia.
This probably means that they spread her story so carelessly that even the child knew about her. Hestia caught her breath. She said.
"The real saint that Lilith speaks of is... You must mean Annette, right?"
She tried to force herself to calm down, but she never felt better and she just kept sinking. She had no idea what her own expression would look like now. However, it was difficult to move the stiff facial muscles as desired.
"Teachers, there is only one Saintess anyway..."
"Hey!"
Jack raised his voice before Lilith made an irreparable mistake. Then he immediately lowered his gaze and focused his gaze on Lilith.
"Shut your mouth. Don't you understand?"
"Why, why are you angry?"
Perhaps because she was scared, Lilith didn't open her mouth anymore.
"Hiks, hiks!"
However, she seemed to be experiencing a combination of fear and sadness, and clear tears quickly filled her eyes.
"Oh really."
Jack clicked his tongue once in his mouth as if he was annoyed. Then he lifted Lilith up and placed him next to her. The boy looked at Hestia and bowed his head with a blunt expression.
"I'm sorry, Saintess. It hasn't been long since this kid woke up, so she seems to be half asleep. I'll put her to sleep again."
Jack continued calmly.
"I'm really sorry for making you feel bad."
Hestia parted her lips.
"It's okay."
She barely managed to get out my hoarse voice.
"Really, It's okay."
Is this something she says to a child who is crying because he or she was scolded? Or to yourself?
Her violet eyes became slightly clouded as she repeatedly whispered words of comfort that were not known to whom. Her wetness drained her breath as she barely managed to compose her expression.
She knew it too. Annette's popularity has been increasing among the kingdom's citizens recently. Unlike Hestia, the reason was that she indiscriminately bestowed blessings with her holy power. Hestia received a harsh education from childhood. Her main point was that no matter how much she was a Saintess, her blessing containing her holy power should not be used carelessly.
She didn't understand when she was young, but as she grew up, she came to somewhat accept it. Her issue of equity was more important than she thought. But Annette seemed to be an exception. She did not follow the temple rules. She gave her blessings as she pleased.
Hestia felt quite shocked by Annette's actions. She was embarrassed at first, but later took a step back.
'Hehe, who can stop Saint Annette?'
However, Hestia's blessing was still controlled. For her, her spirit was incomprehensible.
'That's what ultimately made this difference.'
Hestia continued her words, looking at Lilith with a somewhat sad look in her eyes.
"It's okay if you don't necessarily receive my blessing. Lilith will be happy."
Without saying a word she returned her smile to the child who was staring at her and she opened her mouth again.
"Because God would want that too."
After she finished speaking, she looked at Jack and gave a small nod of her head. This meant that it was okay to go now. Jack nodded to Hestia once more and quickly turned around, gritting his teeth.
No one caught the boy. Jack walked away quickly, holding Lilith in his hand. Hestia could not take her eyes off their backs. She felt like something inside her had collapsed.
"Jack, what did I do wrong? I really want to receive a blessing! Then let's go to Gloria!"
"How can you say that? Do you know what our orphanage will look like now because of you?"
Hestia smiled bitterly.
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