Chapter 228: Petty Revenge
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 228: Petty Revenge
It was finally the morning we were to enter the Capital.
I sat at the table for breakfast, but my heavy eyelids kept drooping. Across from me, Constine was shoving salad into her mouth, fighting off sleep.
Just as a yawn was about to escape, I caught Countess Arbor’s eye and quickly clamped my mouth shut. As a strict chaperone should, the Countess’s eyes flashed keenly.
“Did you not sleep well?”
“...A little.”
“You must stay alert from now on,” the Countess said, elegantly slicing a grilled mushroom. “Once we enter the Capital, people from either the Empress or the Crown Princess will be waiting. They might already have carriages stationed at the entrance.”
The Countess spoke gravely, suggesting that a fight might even break out over who would get to take me.
Surely it won't go that far, I thought. Though I had considered the possibility that the Marquis might send someone for me.
“Do not worry. I will block them somehow,” Duke Kyle interjected with unnecessary solemnity.
Wait, why you?
The Countess shook her head. “If Your Grace steps in, Cadellina will only get more agitated.”
She gracefully set down the napkin she had used to dab her lips and turned to me. “Leave this to me. I followed you all the way to the Capital specifically to handle this.”
“Then I shall watch and intervene only if the situation becomes unfavorable.”
Seriously, why was the Duke so intent on getting involved?
However, faced with the grim determination of both the Countess and Duke Kyle, I chose to remain silent.
Clop, clop, clop—.
After traveling for a long time by carriage, the gates of the Capital were finally right before us.
“As expected, they are waiting.”
The Countess narrowed her eyes as she peeked out the window. Beyond the bars of the checkpoint, I could see two flashy carriages parked side by side.
“Seeing as there are two carriages, it seems both the Empress and the Crown Princess have sent people.”
The Countess clicked her tongue, remarking that they seemed desperate to get their hands on the Grand Duchess.
Can I even refuse an invitation from the Empress or the Crown Princess here? Choosing one side over the other doesn't seem to make sense in the first place...
Once we passed the checkpoint, attendants standing in front of both carriages approached cautiously.
“The Consort should stay inside for now. If necessary, I’ll say you’re unwell. Cecilia, stay by her side and support her.”
At the Countess’s instruction, Cecilia quickly moved to my side.
A moment later, the carriage door opened. The moment the Countess stepped out, her neck held stiff and proud—
“Oh? What are you doing here?”
“My Lady, the Count has ordered me to escort you back to the estate.”
“...My husband sent you?”
A hint of flustered confusion colored the Countess’s voice.
They didn't come for me?
Puzzled, I stepped out of the carriage. The carriage in front of us was boldly emblazoned with the crest of the Arbor family.
“The Count is very worried. He says you have been away from the estate for far too long and asks that you return immediately,” the attendant pleaded earnestly.
Feeling the weight of the surrounding gazes, the Countess muttered in embarrassment, “It’s my first outing in years, why is he being so pushy...”
Naturally, everyone’s attention shifted to the carriage on the opposite side. This one definitely bore the Imperial crest. Everyone watched with curiosity, wondering if they were from the Crown Princess’s side or the Empress’s.
A man in a blue uniform stepped out of the carriage. Upon seeing him, Duke Kyle furrowed his brow.
“Commander, I have come to escort you.”
Commander?
“My vacation isn't over yet,” Duke Kyle said, his voice dropping heavily.
“How could you just take a leave of absence so suddenly?” The knight gritted his teeth, trying to keep his voice low. “His Majesty the Emperor has been asking for you every single day!”
It appeared a knight from the Imperial Knights had come to drag their Commander back from his vacation early.
What? So no one actually came for me?
“It seems I must stop by the estate and soothe my husband first. He’s been in a state ever since I mentioned Antonel in my letters.”
“Your Highness... I am sorry. It seems we must part ways here for a moment.”
And so, the two people who had made such a fuss about protecting me were quietly hauled away in their respective carriages.
So much for a "fight to take me." No one’s even interested.
I felt a bit strange about it, but it was for the best since the obstacles were gone. We continued our carriage ride toward our destination in a pleasant, intimate atmosphere.
A soaring white spire stood tall, as if piercing the sky. The marble-clad outer walls reflected a dazzling light. The delicate statues carved into every pillar were nothing short of magnificent.
It was a massive axis that, along with the Imperial Palace, formed the heart of the Capital.
Finally, I had arrived at the Grand Temple.
“It has been a long time.”
The High Priest, with his hands clasped together, looked down at me with a haughty expression. “To have you visit the Grand Temple like this is an unexpected honor.”
“Thank... you for... the welcome.”
I spoke while trying my best not to pant.
This place is ridiculously huge.
Only after crossing a vast plaza and climbing a long flight of stairs was I able to reach the entrance of the Grand Temple.
Furthermore, the Blenheim Knights were denied entry. Leaving behind Tiern and the knights, who were huffing with indignation and ready to draw their swords, I followed the Holy Knights inside.
The High Priest, standing at the top of the stairs, had stared down at me with a sharp, piercing gaze the entire time I climbed. It was a welcome clearly marked by displeasure. Behind him, priests in white uniforms stood in an imposing line.
Their reaction is quite blatant.
Exchanging greetings with the stiff-faced priests was only the beginning. Under the High Priest’s guidance, I was forced to tour every single chapel and prayer room, none of which I had any interest in.
“This is a place Your Highness frequented often as a child. Do you remember it?”
Everywhere we went, the High Priest made sure to bring up my "childhood." It was clear that under the guise of a tour, he was trying to force me to recall memories of being the "Fake Saint."
It was incredibly petty.
Is he trying to get revenge for the donation last time?
I wanted to tell him to just hand over the library pass already, but I followed him silently to avoid arousing suspicion.
Finally, after being shown every goddess statue erected on the grounds, I was able to get a cup of tea in the High Priest’s office.
“By the way, I am curious as to what reason brought the Grand Duchess of Blenheim all the way to this distant Grand Temple.”
Took him long enough to ask.
While my anger was simmering, Constine, who was beside me, brought out the prepared statement.
“Her Highness expressed a desire to make a donation to the Grand Temple.”
“That is... joyful news.”
The High Priest’s lips twitched slightly. “After hearing that the donation to the Grand Temple was handled differently last time, I was worried this old man had somehow offended Your Highness.”
As if remembering that moment, a blue vein popped on the High Priest’s forehead. It seemed the aftermath of the 251 Danir had been quite significant.
“As the High Priest knows, am I not a believer who has been sinful toward the Goddess from the start?”
Feeling a bit better, I looked at the High Priest and smiled. “I acted out of a narrow-minded heart, but I came to regret it later. So, I followed the Saintess here to make up for my sins, even if only a little.”
After a moment of suspicious scrutiny, the High Priest finally pulled his lips into a smile. “The Goddess is one who always opens her arms to those who repent.”
“If possible, I would like to donate specifically to the Grand Temple’s library. I heard from the Saintess that the library is quite dilapidated.”
“The Saintess said that?”
The High Priest glanced back at the Saintess sitting next to me. There was a hint of reproach in his gaze.
“The Saintess is so pure in her pursuit of learning that she is somewhat indifferent to the Grand Temple’s household affairs. Of course, the library is important, but the priests’ vestments are also worn out and need replacing...!”
I cut the High Priest off. “It’s because there is a priest close to me who is very interested in the library. For his sake, I would like the donation to be used for the library.”
“And who might that be?” the High Priest asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Priest Miel here, who came from the Pogen Temple.”
Miel, who had been standing in the corner, took a step forward. “A servant of the Goddess greets the High Priest.”
“Oh, Priest Miel. It has been a very long time.”
The High Priest, who had been walking around with us for nearly an hour, only now pretended to recognize Miel.
“Unfortunately, the northern temples do not have many books...” I spoke up on Miel’s behalf. “Priest Miel said he applied to visit the Grand Temple library several times but never received a response.”
“Dear me, it seems the processing was delayed because we are so short-handed,” the High Priest offered a blatant excuse.
“I promised that I would use my influence as Grand Duchess to ensure he could borrow books from the library. Would that be possible?”
“The books in the Grand Temple library are extremely precious...” The High Priest’s voice trailed off noncommittally.
“If borrowing is difficult, it would also be fine to arrange a seat for Priest Miel in the library,” I said, my lips curving into a soft smile. “It makes no sense for a priest so devoted to his studies to have to stop his training just because he lacks books, does it?”
I continued, “Or perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea for him to transfer his affiliation to the Grand Temple this time. He’s been guarding the Pogen Temple alone for far too long. Don't you agree, Priest Miel?”
“Haha,” the High Priest let out an awkward laugh. “...No matter how precious the books are, could they possibly be more valuable than a priest’s enlightenment? It is fine for him to borrow a few volumes.”
In the end, after securing permission to visit the library and borrow books, we left the office.
“Miel, are you on the High Priest’s bad side?”
We were walking down the hallway toward the library under Constine’s guidance. “He seemed very quick to draw a line when I mentioned transferring you to the Grand Temple.”
When I asked Miel, he gave an awkward smile. “The High Priest does not particularly like priests like me.”
“What kind of priest is 'like you'?”
“A priest of humble birth who has nothing.”