Chapter 55: Claudia’s Resolve
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 55: Claudia’s Resolve
If they were talking about Cedric’s daughter, that would be me—the one currently possessing Claudia’s body... but.
It didn't seem like they were talking about me. I had never saved anyone, after all.
‘They must be talking about Marianne.’
During Dantalion’s coronation, many nobles had heard that Marianne was chosen by God as the Saintess.
So, while the Temple had not yet officially presented Marianne as the Saintess, many nobles were already aware of her existence and the fact that the Empire had a new Saintess.
“I heard about it too. They say she’s been using her divine power to treat people in the slums.”
“It really seems a new Saintess has been born in the Empire.”
We were in a private room, but the walls were thin, and my hearing had been sharpened by my contracts with the demons, so I could hear the nobles' conversation clearly.
Furthermore, since the nobles couldn't see anyone else, they were speaking quite loudly and freely.
If Vincent or Veronica had been here instead of Brandon, they would have heard everything just as I did.
“I heard the Temple is going to officially appoint her as the Saintess soon.”
“But Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is still with us...”
“It can’t be helped. Her Majesty lost all her divine power during that previous incident.”
“Ah, the poor woman...”
The Empress Dowager’s reputation among the nobles was quite good.
Most of them didn't know her true nature, and since many were devout followers of the Temple, they were even more devoted to the Empress Dowager, who was their Saintess.
‘And then there was that incident before she entered the Imperial Palace.’
Before becoming the consort of the Emperor before the last, the Empress Dowager had attended a hunting festival as a representative of the Temple. She was said to have been severely injured while stopping a rampaging demonic beast.
The Temple announced that due to those injuries, she would never be able to use divine power again. This sparked a wave of public sympathy, and the sentiment that the Saintess who had lost her power should be welcomed as the Imperial Consort grew even stronger.
‘She couldn't use divine power from the start, so what a load of nonsense.’
Thinking about it now, it was absurd. She had made a contract with an ancient demon and couldn't use a speck of divine power.
It was obvious she had staged the whole incident to become the Imperial Consort. She was a formidable woman, indeed.
“Dia, which strawberry dessert do you want to eat?”
“Huh?”
While I was distracted by the conversation in the next room, Brandon and Abel seemed to have been agonizing over the menu.
As Abel read through the menu with a grave expression, Brandon spoke seriously.
“Let’s just order everything.”
“Shall we?”
“...”
They really had money to burn.
I started to say something but swallowed my words. They weren't the type of people to change their minds just because I said something.
“Dia wants to eat dis and dis.”
“Yes, yes. Uncle will order everything for you.”
Brandon, his eyes turning into hearts, nodded quickly. Thanks to that, we didn't have to waste money and manpower by ordering every single item on the menu.
“And, I want to buy some for Grandpa and Mommy too.”
“Oh, our sweet Dia.”
“Dia really has a kind heart.”
“...”
It’s not like I’m buying it with my own money, so what’s the big deal?
While Brandon and Abel were ordering various things to take back as gifts, I turned my ears back to the next room.
“Anyway, it feels a bit strange that an illegitimate child is the Saintess.”
“Oh my, you shouldn't say such things so carelessly.”
“Still, the Empire has its dignity to maintain...”
“Ahem.”
As expected, Marianne’s background seemed to be an issue. It would likely follow her for the rest of her life.
The ones at fault were the parents who had an illegitimate child—specifically Cedric. Yet, the nobles only glared at the child, who was merely the evidence of that infidelity.
Of course, since Cedric himself was an illegitimate child, it seemed he was getting his fair share of criticism this time as well.
‘In any case, the Empress Dowager will try to maintain her power by using Marianne and Gloria.’
Not just Marianne, but Gloria as well had begun to be revered as the mother of the Saintess. This was, of course, led by the Temple.
As the female protagonist of the novel, she was exceptionally beautiful, and her story with Cedric seemed to evoke sympathy.
Of course, people with their heads on straight viewed it negatively, wondering if it wasn't just an affair in the end, but the majority did not. Just as the original novel had been popular.
‘Well, Gloria was also a complete victim.’
To reiterate, Cedric was the bad guy. Gloria was just a victim, like Veronica.
If anything, I felt sympathy for her, as she would continue to be harassed by Cedric and used by the Empress Dowager and the Temple.
And yet, even I was in a position where I had to bring her and Marianne down to save House Winston.
‘It hurts my heart, but it can’t be helped.’
It would be best to take action before their influence grows any further and threatens Dantalion and Winston.
Since I had spirited Nathaniel away, radical factions like Diandre wouldn't be able to drop a bombshell on us out of nowhere. Still, the power of the Temple was not something to be ignored.
“Here, Dia. Go ahead and try some.”
“Okay.”
However, I couldn't listen to the conversation any longer because the desserts had arrived.
Looking down, I saw an incredible number of desserts filling the table.
Even though I had tried to keep the order small, it was still this much. I let out a sigh.
“Dia, shall I feed you?”
“What are you talking about! As her uncle, I should be the one to do that!”
“...”
I just want to eat by myself.
Muttering indifferently to myself, I reached out with my fork and took a bite of the strawberry cake.
Then, I heard a pained voice from beside me.
[Ugh, I want to eat strawberry cake too... Ah, that tart over there looks divine.]
“...”
Come to think of it, Desmond had a huge weakness for sweets. Surprisingly, Bibi had no interest in such things.
“Hmm.”
It might be time to get Desmond a real body.
What would be good? A dog? A cat?
He’s been inside a teddy bear for so long that it’s hard to imagine him as an animal.
Should I let him choose for himself?
As I was calmly musing to myself, a deafening explosion shook the surroundings.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
“Dia!”
“My Lady!”
Abel was the first to shield me, and Sophia quickly turned around to embrace both Abel and me.
“Kyaaaah!”
The high-end cafe was thrown into chaos in an instant. Along with people’s screams, more explosions followed in succession.
‘What’s happening?’
I was dazed, unable to grasp the situation. Then, Desmond’s booming voice echoed in my head.
[Get a grip, Master!]
‘...!’
At those words, I suddenly realized that someone had intentionally committed an act of terror.
Could it be that they were targeting me again?
But if that were the case, nothing else had happened other than the building shaking violently.
“Go find out what’s happening outside.”
“Yes, sir!”
Brandon ordered the guard knights with a grim face.
Because Duke Winston was very worried about me going out with Brandon, he had assigned a great number of guard knights to us.
“Um, outside...”
“...!”
Abel, who had been shielding me, looked out the window and whispered softly. My gaze followed his.
The outside was burning. The most luxurious and grand street in the capital was in flames.
“It’s a terrorist attack! Those Apocrypha bastards have committed a terrorist attack!”
Someone shouted loudly. Apocrypha was a famous group that appeared in the novel.
They were an anti-Temple faction that committed indiscriminate acts of terror. They were also an organization that worshipped demons and researched forbidden magic.
In the original story, they appeared as a terrifying group that threatened the protagonists alongside Dantalion. But to me, now that I knew the secrets of the Temple, my impression was different.
“Dia, let’s head back to the mansion for today.”
“Okay.”
“We’ll definitely come back next time, alright?”
“Uh-huh.”
Brandon and Abel, seeing my dark expression, mistook it for disappointment and tried their best to comfort me.
But I wasn't upset because I couldn't finish my sweet desserts.
‘Apocrypha might actually be a staged act by the Temple.’
Apocrypha, the demon worshippers.
Since the only symbol of demons to the people of the Empire was House Winston, no one thought that Apocrypha, which became active after the fall of the Ducal House, was a faction connected to anything else.
I had been the same when I was just a reader. But things were different now.
‘The Empress Dowager, who commands an ancient demon, the Temple that supports her, and Apocrypha.’
It was too suspicious to just let it go.
Furthermore, in the original story, the more chaos Apocrypha caused, the more the reputation of the original protagonists grew as they resolved the incidents.
It would likely be the same this time.
As I approached the carriage under the protection of Brandon and Abel, I stopped in my tracks.
“Dia?”
“Uncle.”
“Yes?”
“...”
I stared up at Brandon for a moment.
Then, I reached out my hand, pointed toward the burning street, and spoke.
“I want to help dose people.”