Chapter 98: You Are Not Qualified to Take the Child
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 98: You Are Not Qualified to Take the Child
*
“I hope you understand that the tea is late, given the sudden nature of your visit.”
“……”
A chilling atmosphere hung heavy in the drawing room. Gloria kept her mouth shut, her eyes fixed on Veronica in a sharp glare. It was an incredibly rude way to look at the Empress of a nation.
However, Veronica met that gaze with composure. Had their positions been reversed, Veronica might have acted exactly like Gloria.
No, that hypothetical was meaningless. She would never have allowed her child to be taken from her, nor would she have ever done anything to make her child turn their back on her.
“I want to see Mari.”
“I’m afraid I can’t allow that.”
“Your Majesty!”
Veronica replied calmly to the sharp words Gloria finally spat out. When Gloria, unable to control her emotions, raised her voice, the maids standing near Veronica bristled, looking ready to step forward.
“All of you, step outside.”
“But, Your Majesty.”
Veronica raised a hand, signaling for no one to approach. When she went as far as to order them to leave the drawing room, the maids were visibly unsettled.
“It’s fine. Everyone, out.”
“……Understood.”
Vanessa, the head maid, glared at Gloria with a terrifying intensity. But Gloria, who had already lost all sense of reason, only stared persistently at Veronica.
“Please let me see Mari. I am that child’s mother.”
“Then you should have behaved better so the child wouldn’t avoid you.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Gloria asked, her voice laced with confusion. Even as she spoke, her heart had been pounding since moments ago. She couldn't stop thinking about the way Marianne had just turned away from her.
“I noticed scars on the child’s arms and legs. Does the Marchioness know anything about that?”
“That is……”
“So you did know.”
“Ah……”
Veronica’s expression turned icy in an instant. She scoffed, looking down at the trembling Gloria with eyes full of contempt.
“And yet you dare try to take the child back?”
“T-That was the Temple’s…… I had no choice……”
“No child should ever have to be hit ‘out of necessity.’”
“I……!”
Unable to bear the insult, Gloria bolted upright from her seat. Her face flushed bright red as she screamed.
“What does Your Majesty know about me to speak to me like that! You took Cedric away from me, and now you live in luxury as the Empress!”
“……”
At Gloria’s outburst, Veronica’s expression grew even colder. Gloria, startled by her own words, covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide with shock. Veronica responded in a tranquil tone.
“If I had known the Marquis of Lionel had a woman and a child, I would never have married him.”
“I, I……”
“You know as well as I do that you are resenting the wrong person. Furthermore, I have no intention of using my power to crush you.”
Veronica stood up and looked down at Gloria, who was slightly shorter than her. Gloria's shoulders hunched as an inexplicable chill ran down her spine.
“I am simply speaking to you as one mother to another. You are not qualified to take Marianne. Now, please leave.”
“But, without Mari, I……”
“Yes, I imagine it would be quite inconvenient for you. Without the Saintess, neither the Temple nor the Empress Dowager will act as your benefactor anymore.”
“Ugh.”
Gloria’s face burned as Veronica hit the nail on the head. She felt a surge of shame at having been caught prioritizing her own safety over her daughter’s wounds. Gloria bit her lip hard.
“Are you not ashamed to even look at the child? She has already stated she does not wish to return to the Temple. If you understand, then get out of my sight.”
“Ah……”
Gloria staggered as if she had been struck. Veronica watched her coldly before calling the maids back in.
“The Marchioness of Lionel is leaving. See her out.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
The maids, bowing politely, approached Gloria. Vanessa spoke in a tone entirely different from the one she used with Veronica.
“This way, Marchioness.”
“……”
Biting her lip until it nearly bled, Gloria stared at Veronica with tearful eyes. Veronica did not look away.
*
Phew.
The suffocating atmosphere between the two was enough to make even me feel stifled. Taking a slow breath, I organized my thoughts.
The Temple must have protested to Dantalion, but of course, he wouldn't have budged. Is that why the Empress Dowager sent Gloria?
But since she was going back empty-handed, they would soon realize that they couldn't get Marianne back through normal means.
If that was the case, they would become even more obsessed with the plague. They might even spread a larger quantity of the Demon’s Poison to throw the Southern Region into total chaos—at least until Dantalion and Veronica gave up Marianne.
I won't let that happen.
I clenched my fists. I had to heal the South before that happened, no matter what.
“Princess.”
“Yes?”
“I’m okay now.”
“Oh, right.”
I realized then that I had been continuously stroking Marianne’s back. It was because Marianne had been trembling like a fragile fawn ever since she ran into Gloria.
“I’m older than you, Princess, yet I keep showing you such embarrassing sides of myself.”
“No, Dia doesn’t mind things like that at all.”
“Princess……”
Marianne seemed much better now. Still, encountering her biological mother must have been shaking, so I felt I should stay by her side and keep an eye on her for a while.
As I stood silently by her, Marianne asked in a hesitant voice.
“Um, would it be alright if I asked a rude favor?”
“Huh? Oh, sure, it’s fine.”
What kind of favor required such hesitation? I tilted my head, peering at Marianne’s strangely flushed face.
“Could I… call you by your name, just once?”
“Huh?”
My eyes widened at her request.
Why was she asking for permission as if it were such a difficult thing?
Feeling a bit deflated, I looked at the nervous Marianne for a moment before answering readily.
“Of course! Naturally!”
“R-Really?”
“Yes! You can call me whatever you like!”
Abel and Nathaniel already called me by my name when we were alone. Marianne certainly had the right to do the same.
Encouraged by my permission, the timid Marianne’s eyes began to sparkle.
“Cl-Claudia.”
“Yep!”
“……Dia.”
Marianne whispered my nickname and gave a bright smile. Seeing her face light up after being clouded with hidden gloom made me feel a sense of pride.
“Yes, Mari!”
“Hehe.”
When I dropped the title of Saintess I had been sticking to and called her by her name, Marianne scratched her cheek bashfully. We held each other’s hands tightly for a long time.
*
It wasn't long after that when the situation began to take a turn for the worse.
I overheard various nobles whispering as they moved through the palace. As expected, the Southern plague was spreading further.
“I heard the priests aren't enough. Apparently, even the escort knights are falling ill……”
“Do you think it’ll spread to the Capital and cause a disaster?”
“They should have just dispatched the Saintess from the beginning……”
As the situation worsened, public opinion among the nobles began to shift in favor of the Temple’s claims. The suffering citizens of the Empire likely had even louder complaints.
If this continued, Dantalion’s position would be jeopardized. The Imperial Family had already been forced into humiliating decisions several times in the past due to mobs. It seemed likely to happen again.
Having made up my mind, I decided to send a demon to Melissa.
Which demon would be best at persuading Teacher Mel?
[Hmm.]
[Mmm.]
[Ahem.]
[U-hum.]
[…….]
In order, Desmond, Bibi, Dollens, and Luers all cleared their throats. Ilnes didn't say a word.
For starters, I had to count Ilnes out, and Desmond and Bibi were… unreliable. I felt like I should ask either Luers or Dollens.
The problem was that Dollens was inconvenient because he could only talk to me when Dantalion was nearby. Thus, I stared intently at Luers.
[Wh-What?]
You go.
[What?]
You go and persuade Teacher Mel.
[Well, that woman was quite my type, but...]
Good grief.
Luers wasn't exactly reliable either. But there was no other choice. I let out a deep sigh.