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nChapter 45

nSurely Lloyd had certainly doubted that a few times.

nHowever,

n“Isn’t that why you wanted to keep her by your side because you thought it was the child’s ability?”

n“Stop the nonsense.”

nSparks flew from the boy’s eyes.

nIt was the eyes that had completely broken the string of reason that had been holding on to it, though narrowly.

n“What burden are you afraid of carrying on a child who has never even felt a warm touch?”

nHe couldn’t hide his threatening energy at all this time.

nTo the extent that a jaguar wandering nearby reacts to its owner’s threatening energy and shows its teeth wildly.

n“You’re forcing her to repay the favor?”

n“What?”

n“So are you doing that?”

nLloyd let out a smirk.

n“It’s none of my business. Whether that child has any special abilities or not. Even if she’s a protective shield, I’ll never use it.”

n“…..”

n“Don’t even dream of it. If so, I will inherit the title of Grand Duke immediately.”

nLloyd means that if Tristan made fun of him carelessly, he’ll kill him.

nHas he ever seen such a bastard?

nBut Tristan was used to the situation.

nHe knew and was accustomed to Lloyd’s desire to kill him, so he only replied with a crooked smile.

n“Aria, just touch it.”

nLloyd left without looking back.

nThe jaguar, assimilated with its owner’s feelings, growled and threatened once, then followed the boy.

n“He has a good brain, but he’s very misunderstood. Is it because he was young?”

nAbout the time Lloyd was completely out of sight, Tristan tilted his head and wondered so.

n“He has a tendency to judge hastily.”

n“It’s because he’s still not good at anything. And you said something that could be misunderstood.”

n“I knew he was going to be. It’s cute.”

n“Then you’ll really be killed.”

nIs that cute? Lloyd’s intention to kill was sincere.

nWhen that day comes, it is very likely that he will pierce Tristan’s chest with his sword and say, ‘I’m getting your title, Father.’

nDwayne thought he would never understand his master for the rest of his life, no, even in his death.

n“I was just wondering if the kid had that long-sought after key in Garcia.”

nTristan muttered a little.

n“Yes?”

nDwayne, who had not heard, asked.

nThen Tristan spoke up.

n“That’s enough to marry my daughter.”

n“Who is whose daughter….”

nThat’s your son over there.

nThe Grand Duke’s lieutenant no longer bothered to refute, so he shook his head.

n***

n“Today, priests will come from the Great Temple.”

nAria’s shoulders trembled at Dana’s passing words.

nThe Great Temple of Eden Faith?

n“Of course, is there another Great Temple?”

nEden Faith.

nIt was also the state religion of Garcia, the Holy Empire, and the only remaining religion in the world.

nIn Eden Faith, worshiping other gods other than the one believed in was called heresy and idolatry.

nTo put it simply, it meant that spies from Garcia would come to Valentine’s Castle.

n‘I expected it.’

nEvery person had to ask God for permission to marry.

nOf course, what they meant as permission, was just a formal report saying, ‘We are getting married.’

nSo, priests are coming from the Great Temple of the Eden Faith’s Pineta Branch.

n‘But I know that usually we only need to deliver documents to the temple.”

nAre there times when they come directly to you?

n‘It’ll be fine.’

nAria hid her identity.

nAnd she could get married hiding her identity.

nAfter all, Count Cortez renounced his custody, and Aria was a commoner who now did not even have a birth certificate.

nShould I meet the priest?

n“No, you don’t have to.”

nDana firmly shook her head.

n“Why does our precious lady have to meet the petty priest?”

nPetty priest….

nAria had a shaky expression on her face.

nAnyway, that was rather fortunate.

n‘It won’t be a big deal.”

nAria was relieved, washed and fell asleep.

n***

nAnnoying noises.

nA sharp exchange of words could be heard.

nAria suddenly woke up.

n‘Who is fighting?’

nThe sun has gone down.

nAria looked out the window curiously and went out of her room.

nShe paused her steps for a moment, stood and listened, it was coming from downstairs.

nIt was so far away she couldn’t tell what they were talking about.

nApparently, they weren’t the employees.

n‘Outsiders?’

nThe villa was almost exclusively occupied by Aria.

nBut it was originally a place reserved for the vassals or guests.

nSince the vassals had been sheltering themselves after the Count Beaufort incident, there was a high probability that they were guests from outside.

n“I think it would be better to eavesdrop.”

nIt was intuition.

nAria stalked down the stairs and put her ear to the door where she heard the voice.

n“Shh, lower your voice. What are you going to do if someone is eavesdropping?”

nWhat a surprise.

nAria pulled her ears off for a moment and pressed down over her fluttering heart.

n“You’re worried about everything. How can anyone hear what’s going on in the room?”

nIt sounds very clear.

nThe voice was mediocre, but the gentle tone that caught her ear had the power to focus the audience.

nIt’s like a person who makes speeches.

n‘Well, it sounds like an accent I’ve heard a lot somewhere……’

nSomehow she was used to it

nIt was when Aria was tilting her head.

nTheir conversation continued.

n“Brother doesn’t know either.”

nBrother?

n‘It was a priest from Garcia.’

nShe quickly discovered the identity of the opponent.

n“I can’t believe you’re sending Garcia’s precious talents to Valentine’s.”

nSend talent?

n“Don’t you know that there is no choice. In the world, there must be darkness in order for light to exist.”

n“But to say it’s an apprentice, it’s nothing different than a hostage!”

nHostage?

nWhat are they talking about?

n“I can’t let those children become infected with evil. How thoroughly I have managed to prevent them from learning evil since they were young!”

n“Still, you can’t live in a temple for the rest of your life. For those children, if you think of it as a kind of training…”

n“It’s too early. It’ll be too early. Are you saying that because you don’t know how quickly children get into their surroundings?”

nAria was at loss as she listened to their conversation.

n‘Sending a child from Garcia to Valentine’s.’

nLooking at the prospect of talent, did they send a candidate for a new priesthood?

n‘I never heard of it.’

nEven Aria, who knew most of the rumors that had spread in the world, had no idea what they were talking about.

nThat said, it was a top secret that should not be known to anyone.

nMost of the things related to Valentine were top secret, though.

n“If you send an apprentice to Valentine’s, they will surely become tainted with evil, commit sins and fall. I guarantee!”

nWell, that’s a bit….

nAria, who is living well at Valentine’s Castle, was a bit dumbfounded.

nGarcia’s strict standards of goodness have always been difficult to follow.

n“Then let’s do this. Have you ever heard of a child who developed divine power late this time?”

n“Are you talking about that aspiring knight? His name is…. He, with the name of an angel.”

nAn angel’s name.

n‘Gabriel?’

nAria stiffened.

n‘The commander of the Holy Knights of Garcia.’

nIn her past life, he killed tens of thousands of people.

nHe took the lead and slaughtered the people of the Pineta Empire.

nThe dead bodies were cut, ripped, and frozen by his hands, and they were lying scattered on the side of the road.

n“All of this is God’s will!”

nHe constantly shouted with divine power in his voice.

n“Knights of the Kingdom of God, do not be shaken. What you are doing is only a process of purifying the soul!”

n“Do not hesitate to kill them! They are already tainted and cannot be undone. The only way to save them is to free them from the bondage of their tainted bodies!”

nIt was madness to justify his blind beliefs.

nEven if she dies, she will never forget that scene.

nThe voice of the mad knight commander was still vivid in Aria’s ears.

n‘No, no.’

nShe immediately shook her head.

n‘I can’t be sure.’

nIs there one or two people with angelic names in Garcia?

nGabriel, Michael, Raphael, others. In the Holy Empire, the names of angels were commonly borrowed.

n“They said he came from the lowest place.”

n“Ah! We can send that child!”

nThe priest who insisted that no one could be sent to Valentine’s spoke with a voice that suddenly became brighter.

nThe lowest place.

nA place full of all evil in the world.

nIf he was born and raised in a corrupted place anyway, they wouldn’t mind sending him to Valentine’s.

n“It’s good. The divine power that was developed after growing up is a very unstable power.”

n“Before, he told me to give him a chance to hone his skills. He wanted to become strong quickly. There is no one like him.”

n“Haha, of course. I’m relieved now.”

nWith those words, the door was about to open.

nAs soon as the doorknob turned, Aria immediately clung to the wall.

n“Maybe with a little bit of luck, he’ll volunteer himself.”

nHer body was hidden behind the door, and the footsteps of the priests were getting farther and farther away.

n‘Something about the conversation… ‘

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