Chapter 132
At Miliod’s statement, Kierne put on a deliberately surprised expression.
“Is that true?”
With a voice laced with admiration and awe, he lavished praise on Miliod.
“As expected, you’re truly remarkable. Honestly, I was at a complete loss. How to find a master…”
But now that the cardinal was offering to help, he said it put his mind so much at ease, and he trembled with feigned emotion, wondering how he could ever repay this kindness.
Hata, who had been rolling around beside Chesha, let out a snorting laugh.
As if dying of laughter, it even pounded its front paws on the sofa with loud thumps.
Chesha also swallowed a hollow laugh.
‘He’s fallen right into it.’
Miliod had walked straight into the trap Kierne had set.
Just as he had fabricated a fake biological father, Miliod would put forward a fake master.
And to make his lies seem plausible somehow, he would run around everywhere, working himself to death.
Kierne would leisurely watch that spectacle, only revealing his true identity at the very last moment.
The image of Miliod in despair was vivid in her mind.
‘What a truly twisted pervert.’
Unaware that he was trapped in the coils of a snake slowly tightening around his throat, Miliod grew triumphant.
“Of course, it’s not an easy task. But for the count’s sake, I can manage that much.”
At those flattering words, Miliod, who had been floating on air, belatedly pulled Kierne along.
“Let’s continue the conversation in a quieter place.”
“Yes.”
Kierne grinned as he disappeared with Miliod.
Ishuel, who had been watching the scene with arms crossed, wrinkled his nose deeply.
“Ah, what? Do I have to unpack everything again?”
Grumbling that he always did whatever he wanted anyway.
“Don’t you think so too, little sister?”
Ishuel plopped down right next to Chesha, seeking agreement.
“But what’s with the puppy?”
He commented while looking at Hata, who was lost in laughter, then scooped it up and started teasing it in earnest.
With hands kneading the palm-sized puppy like dough, Hata flailed about, yipping and meowing.
Chesha rescued Hata from its plight and, in exchange, let Ishuel play with her hair instead.
While Ishuel braided her hair, Chesha glanced around.
‘Come to think of it, where did Carha and Theo go?’
They should have been helping out a bit here and there while Ishuel packed.
Theo, with his personality of volunteering for the grunt work, would naturally come and lend a hand.
But neither of them was anywhere to be seen.
She was just starting to wonder.
Belzeon, who had stepped out briefly for some business, returned with a little guest.
“Chesha Basilian!”
Despite the maid’s attempts to stop her, the girl came dashing over, clenching both fists tightly, her already large eyes widening even more as she asked Chesha.
“A-are you really leaving?”
The girl speaking in that strange polite tone was Aran Skaya, the princess of the Skaya Kingdom.
The warm milk tea, with plenty of milk added, was fragrant.
Sip. Aran took a sip of the milk tea and glanced at Chesha.
Due to Aran’s sudden visit, Chesha ended up having a slightly early teatime.
To avoid the chaotic space where packing was underway, Belzeon personally set up a teatime spot for the two children.
Once they were left alone, Aran became extremely shy.
Chesha watched Aran, who couldn’t sit still and kept twitching.
Judging by the time of her arrival, it seemed she had rushed over right after the prayer meeting ended.
“Um…”
Aran set down her teacup and finally opened her mouth.
“Thank you.”
“…?”
It was baffling why she had been using that odd speech pattern all this time.
She was attaching polite endings to her usual informal speech.
Chesha waved her hands dismissively.
“Just talk normally!”
“Is that okay?”
When encouraged to speak comfortably, Aran mumbled.
“You’re such an amazing being. I thought I shouldn’t treat you the same as before.”
Aran’s face flushed red like a ripe fruit.
“That day, I saw it too. The flower rain you created… It was so beautiful, and also…”
Aran swallowed hard.
Her golden eyes fixed directly on Chesha.
“It was sad.”
“…”
Chesha was a bit surprised by Aran’s words.
Most people praised the flower rain that day as a wondrous sight.
They lauded it as a flower rain demonstrating the divinity of God.
Even though it was brought about by fairy power.
This was the first time someone had said it was sad, similar to how Chesha herself had felt.
“I… I want to get closer to you… But you’re leaving…”
Aran fidgeted with her fingers.
“We were supposed to talk about the crown too, weren’t we?”
In exchange for introducing her to the witch, Chesha had proposed giving her the crown.
Feeling a slight fondness for the princess of Skaya, Chesha said generously.
“I might not leave!”
“Really?”
“Yes. But what did you do today?”
She was curious about what happened on the second prayer day.
Aran’s face brightened with joy as she quickly replied.
“Today was ordinary. We just offered prayers.”
Since it was young children gathered for prayer, it didn’t last very long.
The second prayer ended in a disorganized atmosphere.
The protagonists of the prayer meeting were the absent Basilian Count’s family.
Everyone gathered was busy talking about the Basilian Count’s family’s astonishing martial prowess, the miracle shown by the adopted child, and their declaration of non-attendance at the prayer meeting.
Even the holy priests and holy knights seemed eager to join the conversation.
They didn’t dare show it outwardly, but it was clear they were attentively listening to the participants’ chatter.
“But still, all of that is being regarded as God’s miracles.”
Aran chattered on, then said in frustration.
“You’re a fairy, though.”
The maritime kingdom of Skaya was a nation founded by pirates.
As a rootless country, their faith was far behind.
They had only attended this Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly because of the witch.
Perhaps because of that, Aran’s thoughts about fairies seemed a bit different from the typical continental people.
Chesha had always been branded as a heretic.
Hearing Aran’s comforting and caring words made her heart keep opening up.
‘This kid’s pretty decent, huh.’
If Itar had been even half like Aran, she wouldn’t have ended up in the heresy interrogation room.
Thinking of Itar, who was probably undergoing intense mental reeducation right now, Chesha nodded.
“It’s okay. It can’t be helped.”
When she answered maturely, Aran clenched her fist tightly.
Then she suddenly slammed the table.
Of course, with her small fist, it made a tiny “thud” instead of a bang.
“…You!”
Aran trembled all over, then blurted out in one breath without pausing.
“You’re so cute and mature and pretty and amazing!”
Truly an adorable fairy, she said, bouncing around, and inevitably, Itar’s image overlapped with Aran’s in Chesha’s mind.
‘Surely she won’t turn out like Itar…’
Pushing aside a tiny bit of unease, Chesha waited for Aran to calm down.
Then she asked for the necessary information.
“Do you know Remi by any chance?”
“Remil? That prince of Hebaton that Cardinal Miliod supports?”
“Yes.”
“Of course I do.”
Aran grinned and asked.
“Why, should I kill him for you?”
“…”
“Just kidding.”
Chesha knew well that the aggressive princess of Skaya was joking in a way that was half-serious.
Chesha held her forehead for a moment, then waved her hands to stop her.
“That’s not it.”
She quickly looked around, shaking her head.
After confirming once more that no one was there, she whispered to Aran.
“I can’t take the crown right now.”
The situation had become too complicated.
Even if Hailon supported Chesha.
If a fairy, a heretical being, won the prayer meeting, it would spark fierce backlash within the Holy Empire.
So Chesha thought.
‘Do I really have to win to get the crown?’
There were various methods in the world.
Since she’d already dragged in the fake father impostor, Chesha decided to choose a slightly different approach.
A method to take out both the cardinal and the holy king in one blow.
“Help Remi win.”
