Chapter 28: 28

‘The perpetrator is Viscount Verdor.’

Viscount Verdor? Is he talking about Paris, the second son of Duke Leraff? We are not close but I’ve greeted him several times at evening parties. He is not pursuing a pious career but I heard he and his father Duke Leraff are both papists. 

There are those among the nobles that pursue priesthood like Rev. Robert, but there are also those who have strong connections with the church despite not doing so. That’s what they call them, Papists. To put it lightly, they are loyal adherents of the Rias Religion, but to put it bluntly, they are Anti-royalists. They vigorously insist that the kingdom should not be headed by a king but by a pope.

‘Why would Sir Verdoll do such a thing?’

Paris is twenty years old and has a fiancee of his own. I don’t believe him to be foolish enough to kidnap me to forcefully make me his wife.

‘We won’t know his reasons for certain until we make him talk, but according to Berland’s investigation, Viscount Verdoll has a ship currently anchored at Greed Harbor, the closest one to here.’

‘A ship?’

‘This is just Berland’s and my speculation, but we think that there are foreign influences at play.’

I see. When you think about it, that does sound probable.

No one in the kingdom should be stupid enough to kidnap a saintess to make them his wife, but if it comes from the outside, that’s a different story. Of course, it’s a serious diplomatic issue that could turn into a full-blown war with a single mistake, but there are some countries still willing to take the gamble.

Just what are saintesses, really?

If foreign countries desire it so much, at the very least, the royalties of different countries do know what they are.

It frustrates me to think how others know what they are while I, who was chosen for the undertaking, don’t know anything.

‘…Are saintesses targeted that much?’

‘I guess they are. That’s why the royal family uses all the kingdom’s means to protect the saintesses. They pull them towards the royal family because that makes them much easier to protect.’

‘However, father said that it might be much safer in the duchy than the royal capital though…’

‘That’s not quite correct, but he’s not entirely wrong either. At the very least, the manor in the duchy is much easier to protect than the duke’s manor in the capital. There are fewer people, and it’s also easier to guard. However, it’s not completely safe. The safest place for a saintess is probably either the castle or the pope’s cathedral.’

‘Why do they aim for saintesses?’

This is repetitive but, I don’t have any strong abilities at all. I’m just a normal ducal lady with a wee bit of healing prowess. Although I may have political worth, I don’t think it’s so significant enough that I would be targeted both externally and domestically.

Maynard gave me a troubled look and reached out his hand to lightly pat my head.

‘You see. Saintesses, are human sacrifices.’

Suddenly, I swallowed my breath.

 

 

Maynard who saw me pause for a breath repeatedly patted my head even more.

‘It’s alright. Don’t worry. The future where Aileen has to make a sacrifice will never come. I will never let that happen.’

So he says gently but there’s no possible way I could feel at ease with just that.

That’s quite the explosive statement he dropped! A bombshell of a statement in all shapes and forms.

Maynard, do you wish to crush my heart?

There’s no way you could possibly gloss those things over with gentle head pats!

Explain it more!

When I kept staring at him, Maynard looked to be quite troubled and began kneading words into his vocal cords.

‘The first time a saintess came to the kingdom was roughly eight hundred years ago. Back then, the entire continent was embroiled in conflicts.’

I know that. It was written at the founding of Lamberth Kingdom after all. The Saintess then, healed wounds and erected barriers by praying, and had saved the kingdom, right?

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Even children know that much. You’re not trying to fool me, are you, Maynard?

When I puffed up my cheeks, Maynard smiled wryly.

‘Don’t be cross. You see, that story about the founding of the kingdom may be true, but that’s not all there is to it. The truth is, the Saintess then prayed to god for the protection of her precious people in exchange for her own life.’

‘Her own life?’

‘That’s right. Saintesses are beings that sacrifice their lives when the kingdom is at peril. Saintesses putting their lives on the line to pray makes the gods move. The reason why our kingdom was not invaded during the entire eight years hundred years of war was because of that. The only reason a country much smaller and militarily weaker compared to others was not invaded was because of the saintesses. That’s why the royal family is so adamant to protect saintesses and also why other kingdoms desire saintesses so much. Saintesses are kingdoms’ strongest defense.’

Saintesses only need to be there for the kingdom—I see. That’s why they keep saying that.

I was shocked by the things Maynard told me but strangely I felt satisfied as well.

I’m still suspicious whether my prayer can really convince the gods, but saintesses’ real strength comes in perilous situations. Given that it is only relevant in moments where I could lose my life, it does make sense why I felt no changes in my abilities after being chosen as one.

‘Only the royal family and the church, and even then only a few people, know this. Truth be told, even saintesses themselves can’t know this. After all, they are just as normal ladies as any other can be. Wouldn’t they feel frightful if they learn that they are human sacrifices?’

Maynard still kept caressing my head.

He probably didn’t want me to know either, but ultimately, chose to disclose it to me too. I wanted to know after all, and he was aware of how obstinate I can become when I want to know something.

‘Aileen. I didn’t want you to be chosen. When you were chosen by the orb that day, my mind went completely blank. I wanted… I wanted your selection to be a mistake.’

Don’t tell me Maynard’s flustered face during the selection was because of that?

He was not shaken by his abandoned fiancée becoming the saintess, but rather because the person he didn’t want to be chosen was chosen instead.

‘Don’t worry. I will definitely protect you. I won’t let you be taken away by other countries. I won’t allow wars to happen either. I will definitely protect you even if I have to bet my life on it.’

‘Maynard….’

‘Yeah?’

When I called his name, he smiled at me with so much dear.

Maynard. Is it just me or did those words before sound like a confession? I’m just imagining things, right?

I was about to ask him just that but stopped myself and hastily replied Nothing. 

I was shocked to hear that Saintesses are human sacrifices but I didn’t take as much mental damage as I thought I would.

I mean, for some reason, it felt like everything made sense.

Maynard said that he will put his life on the line to protect me, but I feel like when things become so perilous, I might just sacrifice my life to protect the people dear to me without any hesitation.

Of course, just thinking about that kind of moment brings a shiver down my spine but… doesn’t the same goes for the saintess of eight hundred years ago?

She was put on a choice whether to save herself or those dear to her and she chose the latter.

That’s why, although I was surprised about saintesses being sacrifices when I heard more about them, I felt convinced.

So, Maynard. You don’t really need to make that kind of face, you know?

You know me well, right? I’m quite brash.

Besides, when things go wrong, you’ll come to save me like today, right?

So I’m really fine.

There’s no need to make such a sad face.

 

Because if in the future, a time will come when all is lost, I’m sure I will not regret whatever happens.

 

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