The expression on Marquis Bayen's face hardened. For a moment, he seemed speechless, but he just smiled. Then, with great difficulty, he bit his lips.
“...Holy relic?”
“Yes, I heard that there is a relic that can borrow the power of the goddess. It is also said that only the nobles know where the relic is located.”
“A lion that has been stuck in its den for a thousand years knows everything.”
He burst out laughing as if he was in absurdity, then turned his gaze back to me.
“So, what do you plan to do with that relic? Just as you used the power of the lion to become a Saintess in the past, do you plan to maintain that position with the power of the relic this time?”
Those sharp eyes stared straight into mine as if trying to pierce through me and capture the greed that resided within.
But I did not avoid that gaze. There was no shame in my desire to obtain the holy relic.
“How could I dare use the power of the Goddess for personal gain? I simply wish to protect the Goddess.”
“Protect the Goddess?”
“Yes, the empire has been devastated by the disaster that has continued for 13 years. The cumulative number of deaths has already reached hundreds of thousands, so the number of casualties and victims is beyond calculation.”
“Let’s keep going.”
“Although the disaster has now subsided, I do not think this is the end. A disaster will definitely happen again, and if this situation continues for another year or two, there will be uprisings here and there. Then the empire will be engulfed in even greater chaos.”
"Ha."
The Marquis, who had been quietly listening to me, burst into laughter as if he found it ridiculous.
“That’s funny. Even if an uprising were to occur as you predicted, the ones who would suffer would be the royal family and the nobles. How would that be protecting the goddess?”
“Yes, they will. They will certainly turn their weapons against the royal family and the nobility. They will hate and condemn those who have enjoyed the unchanging peace within the golden fence while they struggle in the hardships of livelihood and the pain of disease. But will that be the end?”
“...?”
“Even after the judgment is over, the disasters will not stop, and the anger of the people of the empire will burn again. They will probably say this.”
“...”
“What is the goddess doing while her subjects suffer like this? Is there any reason for a goddess who does not care for her subjects to exist? Is there any reason for a goddess who does not protect her suffering subjects to be the protector of Catalonia?”
“...”
“Catalonia is a country that has worshipped only one goddess, Hethel, for over two thousand years. Any heresy that dared to cross the goddess’s domain was punished. But will the rules still be maintained even after those who created and continued the rules have all fallen under the blades of the people?”
“...”
“No, they will abandon the goddess who does not care for them. And one by one, they will seek their own god. The empire will be covered in heresy in no time. There will be no more place for a goddess in this empire.”
The Marquis' expression did not change at all as I continued to speak.
He just stared at me with indifferent eyes as if his ears were open.
But I noticed that his hand holding the arm of the sofa was twitching slightly.
A gap has appeared in his heart.
I looked straight into his eyes again and spoke in a firm voice.
“A god cannot exist without believers who serve his will. Do you wish for that, my lord? Do you wish for the goddess who has watched over this empire for two thousand years to be miserably driven out by gods without foundation or substance? Do you not mind being criticized and insulted by the people you have cared for so long?”
I hope that my words will resonate with his filial piety and thus allow me to receive the grace of the holy relic.
Was that feeling conveyed?
“What a noble spirit.”
He pursed his lips gently.
“Although you stole the constellation for your own safety, your reverence for the goddess is truly admirable.”
The voice he spoke in was as warm as the spring breeze of May.
'Did you... do it?'
That's when I had a glimmer of hope.
“But is there any reason to entrust that noble cause to you?”
"...Yes?"
I was startled by the sudden lowering of the voice and just blinked blankly.
He smirked and raised one corner of his mouth, perhaps because he found that sight funny.
“You’re not the only Saintess of Catalon, are you? I believe there’s another Saintess. Your former half-sister, I think?”
My expression hardened at the mention of Melina. The smile on his lips grew a little deeper.
“Let’s listen to the Emperor. Unlike you, who can do nothing without a lion, that woman seems to have real abilities. Why should I hand over the sacred relic to a fake like you when I have the real one?”
“...”
“Answer me. If that is the only reason you want to possess the relic, then I can leave it to your sister, who is a true Saintess, to take care of it, right?”
“...”
He waited for my answer with a relaxed expression. But when I still hadn't answered after several minutes, he chuckled and laughed.
“You were talking so well just a moment ago, so why aren’t you answering? Are you embarrassed that your true feelings have been revealed? Are you caught disguising your devotion to the goddess as a way of not wanting to be pushed out by your half-sister?”
This time, I couldn't answer either.
Because what he said wasn't wrong.
Yeah, I didn't want to be pushed around by Melina.
The daughter of the woman who broke into my house before my mother's body had even cooled, took over the room that should have been my mother's, and dared to act as the mistress of the Duke's house.
A child who, relying on his father's love, ignored me, the legitimate heir, squandered the Duke's family fortune, and instead of feeling sorry for me being sacrificed in her stead, laughed at me.
It was only natural that I couldn't stand to see a kid like that get on top of me. It's not that I'm bad.
But it wasn't just for that reason that I couldn't answer his question.
I also had to say that Melina was not a true Saintess, but I had no proper evidence to back up my claim.
'Goddes Ibis.'
It was Melina's back ship, as I guessed. As far as I know, they are the only ones who dare to impersonate a Saintess and use abilities that are beyond the realm of humans.
'But there is no evidence.'
Just when I was having a hard time figuring out how to persuade him, a soft voice rang out.
“I know you already saw through it that that woman wasn’t real.”
He was the Crown Prince.
'The Marquis already knows that Melina isn't real?'
The Crown Prince continued speaking as he made a puzzled expression at the unexpected words.
“I am certain that the woman is not real, thanks to what the Marquis said at the banquet hall earlier. There is no way that the Son of the Goddess could not recognize the Saintess possessed by the Goddess.”
“Oh, come to think of it...”
“Where are the Saintesses?”
“Aha, these women were the saints. To my ignorant eyes, they looked like just flowers decorating a party, and I was very offended.”
What he said at the banquet wasn't just about me.
I was just too scared to really understand.
'Then it's certain that Melina is fake.'
It was at that time that I was laughing in vain at the confidence I had suddenly gained.
“The succession to the empire is quite clear.”
The Marquis nodded his head and said, bursting into loud laughter.
“Yes, that woman is not real either. But if you’re going to give it away, wouldn’t it be better to give it to someone with more power? The bigger the vessel, the easier it will be to use the power.”
“Melina, no.”
“Why? You and your half-sister, they’re all fake.”
He asked, twirling around in response to my urgent request. After a moment of silence, I took a deep breath and spoke.
“I can’t tell you the exact reason without any evidence, but if the holy relic falls into Melina’s hands, it will be a great disgrace to the goddess. My intuition tells me so.”
“Hmm, intuition...”
“I know you don’t believe me, but I beg you. Please lend me the holy relic. I will stop the disaster that has befallen the empire and let the name of the great goddess resonate throughout the continent.”
I looked at him with straight eyes and added urgently.
“If I am not worthy, you may do it in my stead, Marquis. All I wish for is the end of the disaster and the stability of the people of the empire.”
At least I hope you believe that I have no selfish motives toward the holy relics.
Fortunately, the Marquis's gaze towards me gradually began to fade from the mockery and ridicule that seemed to have reached my heart.
He looked at me with serious eyes and then sighed and said.
“Yes, I understand your feelings. But I cannot lend you the sacred relic.”
“Why? I would use the relic for my own personal desires...”
“I know. I no longer doubt your sincerity in caring for this country and its people. The fact that you have given me the choice of whether to use the relic proves that you have no other intentions.”
“...”
“Nevertheless, the reason I cannot hand over the holy relic to you is because you are not worthy.”
“If I am qualified...”
“Qualifications to use the holy relic. The holy relic is an object that condenses the power of the goddess, and only those chosen by the goddess can use it. If a non-chosen person takes the holy relic by force, they will suffer great harm.”
“...Are they hurt?”
“Yes, it is also called... divine punishment.”
Previous Next
“...Holy relic?”
“Yes, I heard that there is a relic that can borrow the power of the goddess. It is also said that only the nobles know where the relic is located.”
“A lion that has been stuck in its den for a thousand years knows everything.”
He burst out laughing as if he was in absurdity, then turned his gaze back to me.
“So, what do you plan to do with that relic? Just as you used the power of the lion to become a Saintess in the past, do you plan to maintain that position with the power of the relic this time?”
Those sharp eyes stared straight into mine as if trying to pierce through me and capture the greed that resided within.
But I did not avoid that gaze. There was no shame in my desire to obtain the holy relic.
“How could I dare use the power of the Goddess for personal gain? I simply wish to protect the Goddess.”
“Protect the Goddess?”
“Yes, the empire has been devastated by the disaster that has continued for 13 years. The cumulative number of deaths has already reached hundreds of thousands, so the number of casualties and victims is beyond calculation.”
“Let’s keep going.”
“Although the disaster has now subsided, I do not think this is the end. A disaster will definitely happen again, and if this situation continues for another year or two, there will be uprisings here and there. Then the empire will be engulfed in even greater chaos.”
"Ha."
The Marquis, who had been quietly listening to me, burst into laughter as if he found it ridiculous.
“That’s funny. Even if an uprising were to occur as you predicted, the ones who would suffer would be the royal family and the nobles. How would that be protecting the goddess?”
“Yes, they will. They will certainly turn their weapons against the royal family and the nobility. They will hate and condemn those who have enjoyed the unchanging peace within the golden fence while they struggle in the hardships of livelihood and the pain of disease. But will that be the end?”
“...?”
“Even after the judgment is over, the disasters will not stop, and the anger of the people of the empire will burn again. They will probably say this.”
“...”
“What is the goddess doing while her subjects suffer like this? Is there any reason for a goddess who does not care for her subjects to exist? Is there any reason for a goddess who does not protect her suffering subjects to be the protector of Catalonia?”
“...”
“Catalonia is a country that has worshipped only one goddess, Hethel, for over two thousand years. Any heresy that dared to cross the goddess’s domain was punished. But will the rules still be maintained even after those who created and continued the rules have all fallen under the blades of the people?”
“...”
“No, they will abandon the goddess who does not care for them. And one by one, they will seek their own god. The empire will be covered in heresy in no time. There will be no more place for a goddess in this empire.”
The Marquis' expression did not change at all as I continued to speak.
He just stared at me with indifferent eyes as if his ears were open.
But I noticed that his hand holding the arm of the sofa was twitching slightly.
A gap has appeared in his heart.
I looked straight into his eyes again and spoke in a firm voice.
“A god cannot exist without believers who serve his will. Do you wish for that, my lord? Do you wish for the goddess who has watched over this empire for two thousand years to be miserably driven out by gods without foundation or substance? Do you not mind being criticized and insulted by the people you have cared for so long?”
I hope that my words will resonate with his filial piety and thus allow me to receive the grace of the holy relic.
Was that feeling conveyed?
“What a noble spirit.”
He pursed his lips gently.
“Although you stole the constellation for your own safety, your reverence for the goddess is truly admirable.”
The voice he spoke in was as warm as the spring breeze of May.
'Did you... do it?'
That's when I had a glimmer of hope.
“But is there any reason to entrust that noble cause to you?”
"...Yes?"
I was startled by the sudden lowering of the voice and just blinked blankly.
He smirked and raised one corner of his mouth, perhaps because he found that sight funny.
“You’re not the only Saintess of Catalon, are you? I believe there’s another Saintess. Your former half-sister, I think?”
My expression hardened at the mention of Melina. The smile on his lips grew a little deeper.
“Let’s listen to the Emperor. Unlike you, who can do nothing without a lion, that woman seems to have real abilities. Why should I hand over the sacred relic to a fake like you when I have the real one?”
“...”
“Answer me. If that is the only reason you want to possess the relic, then I can leave it to your sister, who is a true Saintess, to take care of it, right?”
“...”
He waited for my answer with a relaxed expression. But when I still hadn't answered after several minutes, he chuckled and laughed.
“You were talking so well just a moment ago, so why aren’t you answering? Are you embarrassed that your true feelings have been revealed? Are you caught disguising your devotion to the goddess as a way of not wanting to be pushed out by your half-sister?”
This time, I couldn't answer either.
Because what he said wasn't wrong.
Yeah, I didn't want to be pushed around by Melina.
The daughter of the woman who broke into my house before my mother's body had even cooled, took over the room that should have been my mother's, and dared to act as the mistress of the Duke's house.
A child who, relying on his father's love, ignored me, the legitimate heir, squandered the Duke's family fortune, and instead of feeling sorry for me being sacrificed in her stead, laughed at me.
It was only natural that I couldn't stand to see a kid like that get on top of me. It's not that I'm bad.
But it wasn't just for that reason that I couldn't answer his question.
I also had to say that Melina was not a true Saintess, but I had no proper evidence to back up my claim.
'Goddes Ibis.'
It was Melina's back ship, as I guessed. As far as I know, they are the only ones who dare to impersonate a Saintess and use abilities that are beyond the realm of humans.
'But there is no evidence.'
Just when I was having a hard time figuring out how to persuade him, a soft voice rang out.
“I know you already saw through it that that woman wasn’t real.”
He was the Crown Prince.
'The Marquis already knows that Melina isn't real?'
The Crown Prince continued speaking as he made a puzzled expression at the unexpected words.
“I am certain that the woman is not real, thanks to what the Marquis said at the banquet hall earlier. There is no way that the Son of the Goddess could not recognize the Saintess possessed by the Goddess.”
“Oh, come to think of it...”
“Where are the Saintesses?”
“Aha, these women were the saints. To my ignorant eyes, they looked like just flowers decorating a party, and I was very offended.”
What he said at the banquet wasn't just about me.
I was just too scared to really understand.
'Then it's certain that Melina is fake.'
It was at that time that I was laughing in vain at the confidence I had suddenly gained.
“The succession to the empire is quite clear.”
The Marquis nodded his head and said, bursting into loud laughter.
“Yes, that woman is not real either. But if you’re going to give it away, wouldn’t it be better to give it to someone with more power? The bigger the vessel, the easier it will be to use the power.”
“Melina, no.”
“Why? You and your half-sister, they’re all fake.”
He asked, twirling around in response to my urgent request. After a moment of silence, I took a deep breath and spoke.
“I can’t tell you the exact reason without any evidence, but if the holy relic falls into Melina’s hands, it will be a great disgrace to the goddess. My intuition tells me so.”
“Hmm, intuition...”
“I know you don’t believe me, but I beg you. Please lend me the holy relic. I will stop the disaster that has befallen the empire and let the name of the great goddess resonate throughout the continent.”
I looked at him with straight eyes and added urgently.
“If I am not worthy, you may do it in my stead, Marquis. All I wish for is the end of the disaster and the stability of the people of the empire.”
At least I hope you believe that I have no selfish motives toward the holy relics.
Fortunately, the Marquis's gaze towards me gradually began to fade from the mockery and ridicule that seemed to have reached my heart.
He looked at me with serious eyes and then sighed and said.
“Yes, I understand your feelings. But I cannot lend you the sacred relic.”
“Why? I would use the relic for my own personal desires...”
“I know. I no longer doubt your sincerity in caring for this country and its people. The fact that you have given me the choice of whether to use the relic proves that you have no other intentions.”
“...”
“Nevertheless, the reason I cannot hand over the holy relic to you is because you are not worthy.”
“If I am qualified...”
“Qualifications to use the holy relic. The holy relic is an object that condenses the power of the goddess, and only those chosen by the goddess can use it. If a non-chosen person takes the holy relic by force, they will suffer great harm.”
“...Are they hurt?”
“Yes, it is also called... divine punishment.”
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