Chapter 44: Saintess Marianne (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 44: Saintess Marianne (1)
‘Why is Marianne here?’
Since I had changed the original story so drastically, the original flow of events had become virtually meaningless.
In the original novel, Marianne was only appointed as a Saintess and began her activities in the capital after Veronica and the House of Winston had been wiped out for treason.
Before that, she had been busy living in hiding with her mother, Gloria, to avoid the public eye. After all, she was an illegitimate child, a source of shame.
‘Come to think of it, maybe it’s because Dantalion took the throne earlier than in the original, but Marianne received her revelation as a Saintess right away too.’
There hadn't been any official word from the Temple summoning the Saintess yet, but it seemed they had been working behind the scenes without Dantalion’s knowledge.
I mean, look at her, showing up right here in the heart of the capital.
“Little Lady!”
“Ah.”
I was staring at Marianne’s sudden appearance in shock when Sophia’s cry brought my attention back to her.
“Nanny…”
“Are you alright, Little Lady?”
“Is Nanny okay?”
“Yes, I’m fine.”
Sophia rubbed my back with her palm to reassure me. However, her hand was trembling slightly.
I gave Sophia a firm hug. Feeling her warmth, my own body, which had been shivering without me realizing it, finally began to calm down.
“Who are you?”
“Ah.”
Abel asked, his voice laced with wariness as he guarded against Marianne.
Marianne, who had been standing there blankly after spotting me, fidgeted and hesitated, not knowing how to respond to Abel’s question.
“That is, I am…”
“…”
It seemed Marianne knew who I was as well.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be wearing such a guilt-ridden expression.
We had made eye contact at the previous Victory Banquet; she must have recognized me.
“Saintess!”
Just then, someone came running toward us. Silver armor glinted under the sunlight.
‘A Paladin?’
The sun emblem, the symbol of the Temple, was engraved on the armor.
The Paladin, who had light brown hair and green eyes, let out a sigh of relief upon finding Marianne.
“Saintess, how many times have I told you that you shouldn't just run off like that?”
“But, the dark energy…”
“Furthermore, this is private property. No matter if you are the Saintess, you cannot enter without permission.”
“Yes, I’m sorry, Sir Noel.”
Marianne bowed her head at the nagging of the Paladin named Noel.
Behind them, the servants who had come running along with them widened their eyes in surprise.
“Little Lady! Sophia! What on earth happened here?!”
The butler of the townhouse, in particular, looked pale as a ghost.
For a while, Sophia and Abel were preoccupied with explaining the situation to the swarm of servants.
“So that’s what happened. These people also insisted they had to enter because there was something foul inside the mansion…”
The butler shook his head as he explained why he had allowed the strangers in.
Traces of the Ancient Demon still remained clearly in the garden.
Even though Marianne, the Saintess, had purified it, the evil energy that hadn't been fully erased lingered and scattered like ash.
“Please do not approach this area for a while. The Temple will provide protection until the demon’s traces have completely vanished.”
“From the Temple? That would require the Duke’s permission…”
“Then I shall speak with the Duke when he returns.”
The Paladin spoke with the butler as if he were accustomed to such situations. I watched them quietly.
[Ugh, these lackeys of the angels!]
[I hate Ancient Demons, but I hate these guys too!]
Desmond and Bibi’s reactions were consistent. I think they said something similar about the priests who attended the coronation.
I let the demons’ shouting go in one ear and out the other as I stood there holding Sophia’s hand. Abel suggested we head back into the mansion.
“It might be dangerous, so let’s go inside, Dia.”
“Okay.”
The knights who had been guarding me were being treated by the Paladins. Fortunately, it didn't seem like anyone had lost their life.
“U-Um, excuse me.”
“…?”
I was about to head back into the mansion, feeling relieved, when Marianne blocked my path.
“That is…”
“…”
I stared at her, wondering what she wanted to say, but Marianne opened her mouth only to close it again. She couldn't find the words for a long moment.
“Do you have business with the Little Lady?”
“Ah…”
Abel asked on my behalf. Their gazes met.
“L-Little Lady, I, well…”
Marianne was at a loss, not knowing how to introduce herself.
We were half-sisters with the same father, but we couldn't exactly call each other sisters. Especially not in aristocratic society, which did not recognize illegitimate children.
Nevertheless, Marianne was desperately trying to talk to me.
Why? Out of guilt? Because she wanted to apologize?
But that was a matter between our parents; it had nothing to do with Marianne, the child.
‘Whatever the reason, this is a good opportunity.’
Until the Ancient Demon attacked, I had been thinking of a way to sneak Nathaniel out of the Temple.
And now, someone who could help with that had appeared out of thin air. It was nothing short of a stroke of luck for me.
I put on an innocent, childlike face and beamed at her.
“Saintess Sister!”
“Huh?”
“Thank you for saving me, Sister!”
“S-Sister?”
At my words, Marianne’s eyes widened in surprise. Her purple eyes, identical to mine, trembled.
“You were so cool! There was a big white light and everything!”
“…”
“So cool!”
As I showered her with praise, Marianne’s pale face flushed bright red.
They say praise can even make a whale dance. Marianne, who had been standing dazed, asked with a shy face.
“R-Really?”
“Yes!”
“…”
Since she was born before Claudia, Marianne was probably… seven? Eight years old?
She was still a young child. That would make her easier to handle. Hiding my wicked thoughts, I took another step closer to Marianne.
“Dia, you shouldn't.”
“Why?”
“She’s a stranger. It’s dangerous.”
But Abel blocked me again. Even though he knew she was the Saintess, he was being excessively wary.
This was partly due to the fact that the Temple and Dantalion were on bad terms.
Duke Winston and the Northern region he led had maintained neutrality whenever the Empress Dowager and the previous Emperors clashed, but in reality, they were closer to the Imperial Faction.
So, as soon as Dantalion began to act aggressively, they had become part of the Imperial Faction as if they had been waiting for the moment.
Now that the entire North had joined the Imperial Faction, they couldn't possibly have a friendly relationship with the Temple, which stood in opposition.
As the heir to the House of Count Gideon, one of Winston’s vassal families, Abel likely knew that better than anyone.
“She’s not a stranger! I saw her at the big party!”
“At the big party?”
“Yes!”
Since Abel had come to the capital after the Victory Banquet was over, he didn't know that Marianne had been there.
And since a five-year-old Claudia couldn't possibly understand the complicated affairs of adults, she wouldn't know that Marianne was her half-sister unless she was told directly.
So, I blinked my eyes, acting as ignorant as possible. Abel didn't seem to know that Marianne was my half-sister, but he looked troubled because of the relationship with the Temple.
Stomp, stomp, stomp!
“Dia!”
“Mommy!”
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed from somewhere, and Veronica ran toward us, her face deathly pale.
Veronica had gone to meet Cedric. Seeing that she was safe as well, a sense of relief washed over me once more.
“Dia, are you alright?”
“Yes, Dia is okay.”
She must have heard the news from the servants as she entered the mansion, because Veronica already knew I had almost been hurt.
Her red eyes scanned my body thoroughly. Once she realized I truly wasn't injured, she let out a deep sigh.
“Phew, thank goodness.”
“Yeah, Saintess Sister saved me.”
“Saintess Sister?”
Veronica looked puzzled at my words. Then, she turned her head toward where Marianne was standing.
It was a complicated feeling to be the one to make Veronica face Marianne, Gloria’s daughter, but I had no choice right now.
And just as I expected, the moment Veronica recognized who Marianne was, all expression vanished from her face.
“You are…”
“G-Greetings, My Lady. I am Marianne.”
“…”
Perhaps because she was standing before Veronica, Marianne didn't dare utter Cedric’s surname. She bowed her head, trembling.
A heavy, chilling tension settled over the garden, and no one dared to speak.