Chapter 56: Nathaniel’s Ability
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 56: Nathaniel’s Ability
Soon, the priests and paladins would arrive with suspicious haste.
Marianne would take center stage, leading the rescue efforts. I couldn't just stand by and watch the Temple and the Empress Dowager’s faction soak up all the praise.
So, I spoke up to Brandon, whose eyes widened in surprise.
“What are you saying, Dia? It’s dangerous to stay here.”
“Nuh-uh! Mommy said I gots to help people who have owies!”
“Hmm.”
Veronica hadn't said those exact words, but the fairy tales she read to me every night were full of such sentiments, so it wasn't technically a lie.
Brandon, who was gentler than the other direct descendants, looked conflicted by my words.
I thought I might actually be able to convince him, but then—
“We’ll take care of things here, so Dia, go home now.”
“Abel!”
Abel scooped me up and shoved me into the carriage. Sophia, who had followed him inside, pulled me into a tight hug.
Forced into the carriage like that, I scowled and turned my head toward the window.
“Neigh!”
To make matters worse, the quick-witted coachman set the carriage in motion the moment I was inside. The carriage sped away, leaving the burning streets behind.
[This is for the best, Master.]
‘Sigh.’
[Master is still young. If you were seen running around a place like that, what would others think?]
‘Hmm.’
As I sat there fuming, Desmond clicked his tongue and spoke.
Now that I thought about it, he was right. If a mere five-year-old child were seen roaming a fire scene claiming to help, the House of Winston would likely be criticized rather than praised.
‘I wonder if Brandon will do okay.’
It felt a bit mean to say, but Brandon didn't seem as reliable as the other direct descendants.
Of course, he was still a Winston, so I was sure he would handle his duties calmly.
[It’s alright, Master. You just need to go back, eat lots of yummy things, and wait!]
‘Sigh, I guess I have no choice.’
Shaking my head, I returned quietly to the mansion.
*
“Dia, are you alright?”
I was back at the mansion with Sophia when Veronica returned and checked on me.
Naturally, I was fine. Although Apocrypha had carried out a terrorist attack in the capital, they hadn't directly targeted the building I was in.
“Uh-huh, Dia’s otay.”
“Phew, what a mess this is...”
Veronica wiped the sweat from her forehead. It seemed she had rushed back as soon as she heard the news of the attack.
I had been worried that Veronica, who was out preparing for the trial, might have been caught up in the chaos, so I was relieved to see her unharmed.
“Grandpa and your uncles will be late because they’re helping the people who were hurt by those bad men.”
“Mm-hmm.”
“They’ll all come back safely, so don’t worry too much.”
“Otay.”
Fortunately, since Brandon had been near the site of the attack, the House of Winston was taking the lead in the rescue efforts.
The Temple would eventually arrive and play its part, but there was a world of difference between the Temple and Marianne getting all the attention versus sharing it with us.
Relieved, I snuggled into Veronica’s arms. She smiled and looked over my pile of shopping bags.
“Now then, did our Dia buy lots of pretty things?”
“Uh-huh.”
“I wonder if Brandon picked out good things for you.”
“Next time, Mommy come too.”
“Yes, Mommy is sorry she couldn't go with you.”
Of course, I understood how busy Veronica was, but the young Claudia wouldn't.
So, I pouted my lips as if I were sulking, and Veronica scrambled to soothe me.
“I’ll give you a present instead.”
“...?”
A present?
I looked at Veronica curiously, and she smiled as she held something out to me.
“Oh!”
“I got permission from my brother for that pendant you said you wanted before.”
“Mommy, thank you!”
I beamed and hugged Veronica tightly. She pulled me into her embrace in return.
“Mommy’s the best!”
“Really?”
“Uh-huh, uh-huh!”
With this, I had collected all five gems.
Although one had become worse than useless due to an unfortunate accident, I was glad I had managed to secure another one.
‘I’ll have to think about who to give this one to.’
I grinned, clutching the pendant in my hand.
Suddenly, I heard a commotion in my head.
[Ugh, in the end, that guy...]
[Things are going to get quite turbulent from now on...]
‘...?’
Their reactions were ominous.
I felt a sense of doubt as I listened to Desmond and Bibi muttering.
They hadn't said anything like this even when I got Ilnes.
‘What is it? What’s wrong with Luers?’
[That’s... ahem. You’ll have to experience it for yourself.]
[He’s right. Words won't do it justice.]
‘Hmm.’
I had a bad feeling about this.
Ilnes was already a pretty strange fellow; I wondered what Luers was like for the demons to react this way.
I felt uneasy, but there was nothing I could do. I just stayed in Veronica’s arms as she rubbed her cheek against mine with an awkward smile.
“Dia, shall we finish having some dessert together?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“You were sad you couldn't finish your strawberry dessert, weren't you?”
Having heard about what happened at the cafe from Sophia, Veronica immediately ordered the servants to prepare some desserts.
Come to think of it, I had originally planned to pack some sweets from that cafe.
‘I was going to bring some for Nathaniel, too.’
How well could that Ilnes possibly be taking care of him?
He probably just lazily told the servants to bring whatever food was available.
Nathaniel had been trapped in the Temple all this time and probably never got to eat anything delicious; it was so pitiful.
‘It can't be helped. I’ll just have to take good care of him myself.’
There were plenty of delicious things at the mansion, too.
I made up my mind to secretly pack some desserts before meeting Nathaniel tonight.
*
“Heave-ho.”
I was slowly getting used to sneaking out at night.
Perhaps because the terror attack in the capital was no small matter, the Duke, Vincent, and Brandon had still not returned to the mansion.
It looked like they wouldn't be back until morning.
“Phew.”
Because of that, Veronica must have thought I was anxious; she spent the whole time playing with me so I wouldn't be gloomy. She had no idea that, in reality, I was the one playing with her.
“Whew, that was exhausting.”
Shaking my head, I headed toward the place where Nathaniel was staying.
I had my spoils with me—the desserts I had secretly set aside during the day.
[I was the one who wanted to eat that!]
“I’ll let you eat your fill later.”
[When on earth is ‘later’?!]
“Well, someday?”
[Master!]
Desmond huffed, staring at the pound cake with envious eyes.
But even if Desmond got a body, he’d probably just be a cat like in the original story. Was it okay for an animal to eat stuff like this?
I looked back and forth between the pound cake and Desmond, who was currently inside the teddy bear, with a skeptical gaze.
Since Desmond was clearly looking forward to it, I decided it was best not to mention my concerns.
Having made my decision, I gave a small knock on the door to Nathaniel’s room and carefully opened it.
“Nathaniel?”
“...”
I wondered if he would be crouching somewhere other than the bed again, but fortunately, he was sitting quietly on the bed today.
Seeing me, Nathaniel jumped to his feet.
“Promise... kept.”
“Yeah, I kept it, right?”
“Yes. Dia... came.”
Nathaniel nodded and gave a faint smile.
His face glowed white in the moonlight. His smile was just as pure and innocent as the light.
“Hmm, have you been eating well today too?”
“...Dia, hurt?”
“Huh?”
I was looking around to see if Ilnes had been bringing him food properly when Nathaniel suddenly asked in a serious tone.
I turned my head back to look at him, and he reached out, stroking the area just below my jaw.
“Here. A wound.”
“Ah.”
I must have bumped into something while rushing into the carriage earlier.
But seeing as even Sophia and Veronica hadn't noticed, it was more of a tiny scratch than a wound.
As I looked down in embarrassment, Nathaniel’s thumb pressed gently against my jaw.
“Wound... hurts.”
“Eh?”
“Mustn't hurt.”
“...”
I felt an indescribable energy. It was as if cool water had lightly brushed against my face.
Is this Divine Power? I stared at Nathaniel in surprise.
“Did you heal the scratch?”
“Yes.”
“Can you use Divine Power?”
“Yes.”
“...”
Nathaniel kept nodding at my questions.
I thought he was only capable of having Divine Power forcibly injected into him and then letting it explode, but to think he could use it so naturally.
Perhaps Nathaniel had been a naturally gifted talent with Divine Power from the very beginning.
That must be why he was able to endure all those cruel spells and the Divine Power to become the Temple’s Ultimate Weapon.
‘Maybe he’ll be of great help to us, too.’
He might not be able to use power as massive as when he was the Ultimate Weapon, but Divine Power was still a rare and precious ability. Nathaniel would surely be a great asset to Winston and me.
At the same time, I felt a chill at the fact that I was immediately thinking such calculating thoughts.