Chapter 106
The cardinal led Chesha and Belzeon to a room that resembled a reception parlor.
The reception room, covered in the Holy Empire’s characteristic smooth white marble, felt cool and chilling.
There were wide windows, but with the curtains drawn, the outside was barely visible, making it feel even more so.
The subordinate priests the cardinal had in tow stood like shadows against one wall.
Their downward gazes were incredibly grating on the nerves.
The cardinal filled the teacups with tea.
Belzeon openly furrowed his brows upon checking the tea set arranged on the table.
Strongly brewed black tea, large tea foods, overly big and heavy forks and spoons.
There was nothing suitable for a child to eat.
Considering that whenever they were served tea anywhere, there was always a separate preparation of warmly heated milk for Chesha’s portion, small tea foods, and child-sized utensils.
Right now, this cardinal bastard was being extremely petty and mean-spirited.
There was nothing to say in the face of the hostility emanating even from the tea table.
“……”
Belzeon let out a small sigh, then cut the tea food in front of him into small pieces and placed them on Chesha’s saucer.
His deliberate act of caring for the isolated Chesha made the cardinal’s brows twitch slightly this time.
However, the cardinal quickly smiled softly.
It was a smile as if to say he would overlook a minor breach of etiquette, which only served to infuriate Chesha and Belzeon even more.
‘But doesn’t that kid have nothing to eat either?’
Chesha looked at the child seated across from her.
The boy sitting next to the cardinal had his hands neatly folded on his lap like a doll.
He seemed to have no intention of touching the tea table from the start.
From the moment she had glimpsed him from afar, she had thought he looked frail.
Up close, he was so frail that it bordered on concerning, as if there might be something wrong.
A pale face, skinny arms peeking out from under the loose sleeves, and a dark expression.
His overly prim demeanor, uncharacteristic of a child, was also unsettling.
His rigid, breath-holding posture even hinted at a touch of compulsion.
The boy had been stealing glances at Chesha since earlier.
Chesha stared openly at him, and when their eyes met, she widened her eyes and glared.
‘Don’t mess around.’
Whether her inner voice was well conveyed in her gaze, the boy immediately let out a small gasp and bowed his head deeply.
While Chesha was asserting dominance, the cardinal finally opened his mouth.
“I am called Milliod.”
He gracefully held his ample sleeve with his other hand and sipped the tea elegantly.
Milliod, who swallowed the tea silently and quietly, said.
“I had hoped for an opportunity to converse at least once.”
No matter how much authority Belzeon had been delegated as the next Count Basilian, handling affairs no different from an adult.
He was still not of age.
Calling such a Belzeon aside with the young Chesha for a conversation could hardly be seen in a positive light.
Chesha glared at the cardinal with axe-like eyes.
Belzeon calmly waited for the cardinal’s words.
“This child is….”
The cardinal paused mid-sentence and looked at the boy with a momentarily displeased expression.
It was because the boy had flinched the moment attention turned to him.
The cardinal placed his hand on the back of the boy’s small hand and continued.
“He possesses divine power. A divine power strong enough that he could become a holy priest right now without any shortcomings.”
Considering that it would grow even stronger with age, he was indeed a talent worth boasting about.
The cardinal gazed steadily at Chesha and said.
“I believe he possesses the qualities most suited for this Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly, which seeks devout children.”
“So, Your Eminence.”
Belzeon asked, striving not to reveal a twisted smile.
“Are you hoping that Basilian does not participate in the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly?”
“No, well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say that….”
The cardinal trailed off ambiguously in response to the direct question.
However, the intent he was trying to convey indirectly was ultimately what Belzeon had pointed out.
Perhaps he thought that a mild threat toward children would make them cower in fear.
But far from being scared, when Belzeon precisely dissected and exposed his inner thoughts, the cardinal couldn’t hide his discomfort.
“I don’t believe the criterion for devotion is divine power.”
“That may be so, but.”
The cardinal responded somewhat irritably to the prolonging conversation.
“Isn’t it difficult to call the Basilian County a devout house?”
“……”
Belzeon narrowed his eyes thinly.
It was an expression identical to the one Kierne made when something displeased her.
Chesha thought as she ate the muffin pieces Belzeon had cut for her.
‘Anyway, it seems Basilian is a strong contender for victory.’
Enough for the cardinal to resort to such unseemly tactics.
While the family’s influence played a major role, the attitude and behavior of the participating child were also important.
Thus, he had deliberately seated Chesha here to break her spirit.
But now, since it wasn’t bending to his will, he must be in a bind.
‘In that case, he’s probably going to show something even more impressive.’
Chesha watched the cardinal’s efforts with interest.
The cardinal tapped the back of the boy’s hand, who had been sitting silently all this time.
Then the boy moved his lips.
“…I am Remil Lu Hebaton, the ninth prince of the Hebaton Kingdom.”
A small voice flowed out like a whisper.
The Hebaton Kingdom shared a border with Hilderd and was known to be blessed by the gods.
It was because many children with divine power were born there.
As a result, it maintained very amicable relations with Hilderd.
And amidst that, a prince had been born with exceptionally strong divine power.
It must have been a cause for great joy in the Hebaton royal family.
Winning the Fairy Queen’s Crown at the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly would allow them to boast across the continent that the Hebaton royal family was chosen by the gods.
“Since the gods have bestowed divine power upon me…. I wish to become proof of divinity.”
Remil, who had been speaking slowly, glanced at the cardinal.
Then the cardinal summoned a priest standing behind him.
The priest unhesitatingly extended his forearm and drew a dagger from his pocket to make a light wound.
Blood welled up from the skin.
As red blood dripped down, Remil placed his hand on the forearm.
A white, holy light spread softly.
It was the healing of a holy priest.
“Ah, O God….!”
The wound healed instantly without a trace.
The cardinal wore an expression of utmost ecstasy at Remil’s divine power.
The holy priest who had wounded his own arm also had a face full of admiration.
“……”
In contrast, Belzeon and Chesha, who should have been astonished and praising the miracle, remained indifferent.
And understandably so, as they were well accustomed to the sight of Hailon using divine power lavishly.
When the expected reaction didn’t come, the cardinal cleared his throat.
At the signal to show a new feat, Remil whispered with a pale face, breaking into a cold sweat.
“I can also infuse divine power into withered flowers to make them bloom anew.”
A holy priest pulled the vase on the table toward Remil.
It was ridiculous, like some circus trick.
But Chesha couldn’t laugh.
Because Remil’s condition was anything but normal.
And for some reason, strangely enough….
‘Why do I sense fairy power?’
From Remil, who was using divine power, she felt a very faint trace of fairy power.
There was no possibility that Remil was a fairy.
All fairies were female, after all.
While Chesha tilted her head inwardly, Remil brought his hand to the flower in the vase.
He used divine power once more.
The moment white light arose and enveloped the flower.
“…!”
Chesha stood up from the sofa.
And leaped onto the table.
With a thud of landing, the neatly arranged tea set shook into disarray.
But ignoring that, Chesha dashed across the table and grabbed Remil’s wrist.
Their eyes met.
Bloodshot pupils stared straight at Chesha.
Chesha, seeing her own reflection etched in the trembling pupils, said.
“Stop.”
The white light flowing from his hand grew stronger.
Chesha shouted at Remil.
“Stop right now!”
“N-No, I can’t, I c-can’t….!”
Remil screamed and twisted his body.
Just as the pure white light from his hand was about to explode.
Chesha infused him with strong power.
As the fairy power suppressed the divine power, the light hesitated for a moment.
“Chesha!!”
Belzeon, who had leaped over the table in one bound, quickly pulled Chesha into his arms.
At the same time, with his other hand, he struck Remil’s solar plexus.
Thud, with the intense sound of the blow, the white light that had been about to dye everything around vanished with a fizzle.
Remil fainted on the spot.
No one in the reception room could speak in the face of the situation that unfolded in an instant.
Only Belzeon’s ragged breathing continued.
“…What is this nonsense?”
Finally, having steadied his breath, Belzeon asked in an extremely calm manner.
However, Chesha, held in his arms, saw it very clearly.
“Didn’t my little sister almost die just now?”
That Belzeon’s eyes were rolling with composure.
Just like when he detonated the bomb at the Basilian family’s townhouse.
