Chapter 40: The Birth of a New Saintess
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 40: The Birth of a New Saintess
I knew I could count on you, Dantalion!
I cheered inwardly. Dantalion, looking like a prince straight out of a fairy tale in his snow-white uniform, was reaching out his hand toward Veronica.
The noblewomen and young ladies blushed at the sight of his dashing figure. Even to my eyes, he looked incredibly handsome.
“I…”
Veronica was flustered. She had just finished telling him to keep his distance, so his sudden request for a dance clearly caught her off guard.
“…It is an honor, Your Majesty.”
However, she couldn't refuse the Emperor’s request—especially since it was the first dance of the banquet held in his honor. No matter how high-ranking a Ducal Lady Veronica was, some rules couldn't be broken.
With a stiff expression, Veronica reached out and took Dantalion’s hand. Dantalion smiled and led her to the center of the ballroom.
As the two took their positions, the music began. It wasn't the soft, ambient music that had been playing earlier, but a much faster dance tune.
“Oh my…”
“Goodness, they look so wonderful together.”
“Could it be that His Majesty has feelings for the Lady…?”
Veronica and Dantalion were a picture-perfect match. Dantalion’s golden hair shimmered under the chandeliers, and every time Veronica spun, her long hair—dark as the night sky—fluttered behind her.
The two of them looked like the sun rising in the middle of the night. The other nobles seemed to share my sentiment, as they watched the pair with constant murmurs of admiration.
And since Dantalion had chosen Veronica for his first dance, some people were already picking up on his feelings for her.
“Surely not. He probably just chose the Lady because he felt pressured to pick a first partner and she’s someone he’s comfortable with.”
“That’s true. The Lady is His Majesty’s childhood friend, after all.”
Of course, there were those who denied it. Dantalion had acted quite indifferent toward Veronica until now.
It seemed Dantalion had been very careful to hide his feelings until his coronation. If the Empress Dowager had found out, she never would have left Veronica alone.
Now that he was the Emperor, however, he probably didn't feel the need to hide his heart anymore.
“They… they look amazing.”
“…”
Abel was completely mesmerized, staring at the dancing pair with his mouth agape. I was worried his jaw might actually drop off.
The music was slowly coming to an end. As I discreetly scanned the room, I spotted Rosette biting her lip.
Looks like she’s been left out in the cold again. I turned my head away, feeling indifferent.
As expected, the Empress Dowager hadn't shown her face at the banquet. Cedric was still recovering from the injuries he sustained during the duel, so naturally, the female lead couldn't attend either.
How did it go in the original story? I think there was a scene where Cedric and the female lead attended the banquet only to be harshly rebuked by Dantalion.
That part had been quite entertaining, so it was a bit of a shame I wouldn't get to see it because I’d changed the plot.
“Dia, are you here?”
“Grandpa!”
As Dantalion and Veronica’s dance neared its end, Duke Winston approached me. I scurried over to him.
“That Berry fellow, leaving you all alone.”
“Dia was with Abel!”
“Hmm…”
When Abel nervously greeted Duke Winston, the Duke looked down at him with a somewhat dissatisfied gaze.
“Hmph. Dia, aren't you upset with your mother?”
“Nuh-uh, why?”
“Well, I mean, over there with His Majesty…”
“Mommy and the Emperor look so cool!”
“Eh?”
“They look so, so pretty! Like a prince and a princess!”
“…”
I shouted with the most innocent expression I could muster. At my words, Duke Winston’s face soured even further.
I knew very well that Duke Winston opposed a relationship between Veronica and Dantalion. I had overheard the two of them talking not long ago.
It seemed the Duke was trying to subtly plant a negative impression in my mind, but of course, that wasn't going to work on me.
“Haha, our Dia must be very into her fairy tales.”
“Yes!”
Having successfully blocked the Duke’s little scheme, I simply gave him a bright smile.
The Duke wore a disgruntled expression before turning his head. Veronica and Dantalion, having finished their dance, bowed to each other.
Clap, clap, clap. The sound of applause filled the hall. I watched the scene with a sense of pride.
“Hetti, shall we go dance as well?”
“Oh, you really are something.”
Once the Emperor’s dance ended, other nobles began to trickle onto the floor. Vincent and Henrietta also left to join the dance.
Now, all eyes were on who Dantalion would choose next.
Many unmarried young ladies looked hopeful, wondering if they would be the one.
Those who believed the first dance with Veronica was just a formality thought that the lady Dantalion chose next would be the one he truly had his eye on.
“Oh?”
“He’s just going back?”
However, as soon as the dance with Veronica ended, Dantalion returned straight to the high seat. He acted as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
“Ugh…”
Rosette, who had been waiting for Dantalion’s second choice, turned bright red. The noble girls around her were shooting her cold, mocking looks.
Ultimately, she stormed out of the banquet hall. I clicked my tongue as I watched her retreating back.
“It seems His Majesty has no intention of revealing his thoughts today.”
“It certainly seems so.”
“…”
Actually, you’re wrong. Dantalion was very direct today. He basically broadcasted his feelings to the whole world.
But it couldn't be helped. Veronica hadn't officially divorced Cedric yet.
Of course, now that Dantalion was Emperor, that divorce would probably happen at lightning speed.
Once that was settled, Dantalion would be able to act even more aggressively. At any rate, it seemed the news of Veronica returning to the North had given him the necessary sense of urgency.
“Dia, were you being a good girl?”
“Mommy!”
Veronica came straight to find me after her dance. I hopped out of Duke Winston’s arms and into hers.
The Duke’s expression remained stiff—I couldn't tell if he was upset because I’d been snatched away by Veronica, or because Veronica had danced with Dantalion.
“…I couldn't exactly refuse the Emperor’s first dance.”
“Did I say anything?”
“…”
When Veronica offered a preemptive excuse, Duke Winston spoke grumpily. Veronica subtly avoided his gaze.
I wish Grandpa would just give them his blessing.
It wasn't that I didn't understand Duke Winston’s heart. Cedric had been so cruel to Veronica that it was understandable why the Duke might be wary of her jumping straight into a remarriage with Dantalion.
If it weren't for my knowledge of the original story, I probably would have only thought about getting Veronica divorced and living peacefully in the North, too.
But, any moment now…
Flash!
“…!”
It happened just as I was mentally reviewing the original plot.
Suddenly, something exploded with a brilliant light outside, and a pure white glow flooded through the windows.
“Kyaa!”
“W-what is this?!”
The startled nobles screamed. I also flinched and squinted my eyes before looking out the window.
Damn it.
It was the White Night phenomenon. This was an episode that appeared in the original story as well.
But it wasn't supposed to happen this early. I frowned as I stared out at the exterior, which was now as bright as high noon.
Slam!
Just then, someone threw open the doors to the banquet hall and rushed in. It was Joshua, Dantalion’s aide.
“Your Majesty…!”
Joshua hurried over to Dantalion and whispered in his ear.
I could guess what he was saying, but I ordered the demons to listen in for the details.
“…And so, people from the Temple have arrived.”
“Send them all back.”
“But the Pope himself…!”
When a flustered Joshua raised his voice—a rare occurrence—a group of people dressed in pure white robes swarmed through the open doors.
They were from the Temple. Judging by the silver embroidery on their white vestments, they appeared to be high-ranking priests.
“We have come by the order of His Holiness the Pope, Your Majesty.”
“…You all declined the invitation to the banquet, so what brings you here now?”
“We are overwhelmed by your grace, Your Majesty. In truth, His Holiness has just received a revelation.”
“A revelation?”
Dantalion’s eyes widened. Even though the timing had moved up, I remembered Dantalion being shocked by those words in the original story as well.
“Yes! For the first time in five hundred years, God has sent a revelation!”
The priest’s voice rang out loudly through the banquet hall.
A revelation after five hundred years? Come to think of it, the last time God had sent a revelation was around that same time.
The demons had also mentioned it had been over five hundred years since they last made a contract with a direct descendant of Winston…
Feeling that something was off, I tilted my head. Regardless of my reaction, the priest continued.
“A Saintess has been born to succeed the Empress Dowager!”
“What?”
The nobles began to whisper at the mention of a Saintess.
Since the Empress Dowager had entered the Imperial Palace, no successor had appeared. The priest’s shocking announcement caused a stir throughout the room.
“Who is it?”
As if sensing something, Dantalion asked with a dark expression. The priest shouted at the top of his lungs.
“It is the eldest daughter of Marquis Cedric Lionel, Lady Marianne!”