Chapter 67: A Child of a Different Birth
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67: A Child of a Different Birth
‘This is the absolute worst.’
Of all times, Cedric had to return right when Veronica was marrying Dantalion. And as the Empress Dowager’s guard knight, no less?
Protecting the Imperial family was originally a glorious duty. Because of this, high-ranking nobles of count rank or higher often vied for the position of Commander of the Imperial Guard, even if it was just a titular role.
After winning the war, Cedric had consistently served as the Commander of the Imperial Guard. However, at that time, the only Imperial family member left to protect was the Empress Dowager.
While it was natural for Cedric, as the Commander, to guard the Empress Dowager back then, things were different now that Dantalion was here. In truth, the person Cedric should be prioritizing is Dantalion, not the Empress Dowager.
‘Dantalion must have refused him, no doubt.’
Dantalion wasn't crazy enough to entrust his life to Cedric. Cedric, for his part, likely loathed Dantalion enough to make his skin crawl, so he probably preferred to stay put as the Empress Dowager’s guard.
‘Phew, I suppose it’s a relief he isn’t guarding Dantalion.’
The mere thought of the three of them in one place made my head spin. My racing heart began to steady slightly at the thought that things weren't at their absolute worst.
“Yes, I suppose we’ll be seeing each other often from now on.”
Veronica seemed to have regained her composure quickly, as she replied in a steady tone. She stared at Cedric with a calm expression.
As expected, it was Cedric who grew agitated. A fire seemed to ignite within his violet eyes.
“Cedric.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Let us leave it at greetings for today.”
“……Understood.”
When Cedric began to show his volatile temper, the Empress Dowager stepped in to restrain him. He hadn't shown the slightest will to hold back when he was alone with me, yet he tucked his tail quite obediently in front of the Empress Dowager.
‘He really hasn't changed a bit.’
A typical arrogant man with blatant double standards. On top of that, he was the type to be strong against the weak and weak against the strong. He truly was the worst possible choice for a male lead.
“Then, we shall take our leave.”
“Very well. I shall see you again soon, Ducal Lady. And the Little Lady as well.”
“Yes, Your Majesty the Empress Dowager.”
“Yes.”
Hiding as much as possible behind Veronica, I poked my head out and gave a small nod. The Empress Dowager wasn't even looking at me anyway.
My eyes met Cedric’s for a fleeting second, but he quickly looked away with an indifferent gaze.
‘I wonder if the real Claudia would have felt hurt.’
No matter how poorly he treated her, he was her biological father, unlike Dantalion. While I felt no human emotion toward my biological father, the young Claudia might have been different.
‘Well, what does that have to do with me?’
The feelings of the real Claudia, who had already died and disappeared just like in the original story, were unnecessary to the current me.
I also quickly withdrew my gaze from Cedric and walked forward, holding Veronica’s hand.
*
Thud!
The moment they entered the Empress Dowager’s palace, Cedric stomped his foot, unable to contain his rage. The impact from the Sword Master’s kick caused the surroundings to vibrate heavily.
The Empress Dowager frowned and glared at him.
“What do you think you’re doing?”
Now that they were alone, her manner of speech changed. But Cedric didn't care as he spoke up.
“Didn't you say you would take care of things so I wouldn't have to divorce the Ducal Lady!”
“Sigh.”
The Empress Dowager pressed her hand to her forehead at Cedric’s repeated whining.
Since Brainwashing didn't work on a Sword Master, she had no choice but to tame him through persuasion and favors, but even she found Cedric’s extraordinary temper a constant headache.
“If you hadn't lost to Dantalion, the divorce wouldn't have happened in the first place!”
“Are you saying this is all my fault?”
“Then whose fault would it be, hmm?”
The Empress Dowager, retorting sharply, had completely cast aside her mask. Cedric, ironically, was more accustomed to this side of her.
“You told me that if I became a Sword Master, you would let me achieve everything I desired.”
“……Yes, I did.”
The Empress Dowager nodded slowly at Cedric’s words. For a moment, she recalled the day she first met him.
Their connection went back a long way. When Cedric, an illegitimate child, was wandering the streets after being rejected by his biological father, he met the Empress Dowager, who was then being revered as a Saintess at the Temple.
Recognizing Cedric’s talent instantly through her contracted demon, the Empress Dowager had willingly become his patron. In fact, it was entirely thanks to her that an illegitimate child like him was recognized by his father and received the family’s support.
The condition for her patronage was that Cedric would eventually become a Sword Master, or reach a level close to it, and win the war.
Having fulfilled all those conditions, Cedric had enjoyed many privileges with the Empress Dowager’s backing.
“But didn't you hate the Ducal Lady? That marriage was the final condition I set.”
The Empress Dowager had urged the marriage with Veronica to dilute Cedric’s lowly origins.
Since Veronica had also felt an attraction to Cedric’s different nature at the time, it had been easy to push forward. The problem, however, had been Cedric himself.
Having suffered all sorts of humiliation as an illegitimate child since he was young, Cedric loathed and detested nobles more than anyone. And he hated Veronica, the Ducal Lady who was essentially the pinnacle of nobility—to a degree that even the Empress Dowager found excessive.
Yet now, he was this furious over the divorce. Human nature was truly unpredictable.
“You know how I am. I never let anyone take what has entered my hands.”
“So what do you plan to do? Are you going to snatch the Ducal Lady back? And what about that girl, Gloria?”
Hadn't she already used the Temple to have Gloria and Marianne revered as the Holy Mother and the Saintess so they could be fully utilized?
If Cedric’s whim led him to not marry Gloria, it would cause a major problem. The Empress Dowager looked at him with a scowl.
“I will marry Gloria.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
“But Veronica must not become the Empress.”
Cedric’s eyes gleamed. The Empress Dowager tilted her head at his words.
“It seems it will be difficult to stop that now.”
“Veronica cares for her child to a fault. If something happens to that child, she will lose her mind.”
“She’s your child too, and yet you’re going to harm her again?”
The Empress Dowager laughed as if amused. But Cedric didn't even blink.
“Hmm, it is interesting, but……”
The problem was that they had already tried it once and failed. They hadn't expected Marianne to be passing by that area by chance.
“I believe we should handle it properly this time.”
“Yes, I was actually thinking of something myself.”
She had been wondering who to use as a sacrifice, and that child seemed like the perfect choice.
The Empress Dowager, finding herself in agreement with Cedric, wore a deep smile.
*
“Mom, are you really going to marry Dad?”
“…….”
In the carriage returning to the Temple, Marianne asked Gloria quietly. Her tearful gaze was fixed on Gloria.
“Mari, do you dislike your dad?”
“No, it’s not that……”
At Gloria’s question, Marianne thought of Cedric.
Actually, since she had grown up without a father, meeting Cedric for the first time had been awkward.
But her dad was kind to Marianne. And he was a very good person—even more so than the dad she had secretly imagined.
Despite that, a part of Marianne felt uneasy. The face of her half-sister, whom she had met by chance recently, also came to mind.
“I’ve always wanted a younger sibling.”
“Mari……”
“But when she grows up, she’s going to hate me. What do I do then?”
“…….”
When Marianne asked with a sob, Gloria couldn't give an answer.
Though still a young child, Marianne was bright. Gloria couldn't bring herself to hide the truth from her.
The kind child had been happy to hear she had a younger sister, but she soon became dejected. She had realized on her own that she wouldn't be able to have a good relationship with her sister. Gloria, though bitter, felt the same way.
“She is a child of a different birth from you anyway.”
“But……”
“You must never think of that child as your sister. Do you understand?”
“…….”
Gloria spoke with an unusually firm tone. Marianne fell silent.
‘But……’
Marianne had already met that child. That cute and lovely child who shared half of her blood.
She couldn't forget the way the girl had reached out to her with a bright smile. The sister she had been waiting for, even while feeling guilty, was so very beautiful.
‘Claudia……’
Marianne murmured the child’s name with a bitter expression.
Soon, the carriage carrying the two of them stopped in front of the Temple.