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nChapter 68

n“You must not be late for prayer.”

nVeronica said with a soft smile to let him go. And she sent Gabriel, who bowed his head, smiling until the end.

nThe moment the telecommunication sphere was disconnected, she returned with a cold face, feeling no emotion.

n‘It’s not ordinary….’

nPrayer.

nFor the Garcia native, prayer was almost as natural and habitual as eating. So, to always pray together means to share their daily life that much.

n‘I don’t know if praying with my dog is intentional or not. I feel very bad.’

nVeronica felt as if she was somehow about to lose her own dog.

nBut, she’ll be worrying for nothing. Because she clearly confirmed the trust and affection deeply rooted in Gabriel’s gaze.

nShe was sure.

nThat girl couldn’t and will never be more important in Gabriel’s life than Saint Veronica.

n‘The first time is always imprinted in the memory.’

nVeronica thought so and walked out of the room.

nBut then, by chance, she overheard the priests’ conversation.

n“He was known as a reputable missionary.”

n“I only knew he was spreading the doctrine of Eden Faith by establishing orphanages.”

n“Everyone would have believed so.”

nNaturally, she heard the story of Count Chateau.

nIt was because the rumors about him spread widely in Garcia. In particular, he was the most trusted by the Pope among the nobles of other countries, so the shock was even greater.

n‘There were even rumors that he would flee to the Holy Empire if he could.’

nHe was the one who showed such loyalty. He was about to change his nationality.

nVeronica overhears those words, and she is deeply saddened by it. She had kept an eye on him because she thought he would work well and be a good collaborator.

n‘Is that a trick….’

nIt was such an unnatural death.

n“Ha, he’s doing such a wrathful thing. How can you experiment with powerless and weak children who were born as human beings…”

n“He fell to hell because of the devil. Even if he dies, he won’t be comfortable.”

nExperiment?

nVeronica listened to the words and she appeared before the priests without hesitation.

n“Ah, Sister Veronica.”

nAfter she responded with a benevolent smile to the priest who greeted her warmly, she cut to the chase.

n“Then what about the children in the orphanage?”

n“Well. It’s very complicated. It’s a foreign business, but it’s also an orphanage affiliated with Eden Faith.”

nThe priests seemed to be contemplating whether to manage the orphanage directly with the Emperor’s permission, or whether to leave it alone.

n‘This is quite….’

nAfter a moment of thought, Veronica made her decision, and said,

n“Actually, at a time of hesitation like this, shouldn’t it be time to care for the children who must have been deeply wounded?”

nWith a very sad expression.

nAs she laid her hand on her chest with sad eyes that seemed to shed tears at any moment.

n“I want to go and help myself.”

nShe volunteered to be the manager of an orphanage that lost their master.

n***

nAria recalled the necklace, which she had forgotten for a while.

nVeronica’s necklace, which she wore around her neck naturally, had no effect so it was forgotten as it was.

n‘Carlin said it was cursed.’

nIt was the necklace she found by chance while searching for the relic.

n‘Infused with the magical powers, it gave no response.”

nBut it was understandable. It’s because that necklace was found on the site of what was once a temple of Garcia. She wondered whether it would react properly to divine powers.

nNo, it was most likely.

nAria fiddled with the transparent jewel on the necklace.

n“Gasp, gasp. Sorry for being late.”

nThen Gabriel came in through the door of the prayer room. Running like someone is chasing him.

n‘You don’t have to run….’

nAria was a little puzzled.

nBecause the two had gathered in the prayer room to pray.

nThere was absolutely no need to apologize for being a little late to prayer. It wasn’t like they had an appointment to meet.

n‘But it’s true that I’ve been waiting for today.’

nAria pulled out the card as she held out the necklace to Gabriel, who took a rough breath.

nCan you pour divine power here?

n“This jewel?”

nShe nodded her head.

nAs if it wasn’t a very difficult request, he gladly spilled divine power on the necklace.

nThen, the transparent crystal shimmered in a brilliant golden color as if gold had been injected.

n“Kuk!”

nAt the same time, Gabriel let out a small groan and hurriedly removed his hand from the necklace.

nWith that, the jewel became transparent again.

n“Just now….”

nHuh?

nAria blinked her eyes curiously, as if she knew nothing. She actually didn’t know what really had happened.

nIt was similar to when it was infused with magical powers, except that something slightly different happened.

n“Just…just now, it felt like this jewel was trying to suck up divine power on its own…”

nWas it his first time experiencing it?

nGabriel stuttered, visibly embarrassed.

n‘I think what Carlin said was true.’

nThis jewel responds to divine power. It was a jewel that ate divine power. Aria has only magical powers, so she hasn’t seen any effect yet.

n‘Well, it seems that even now, the divine power is not being effective at all.’

nThere seems to be something.

nAria looked down at the transparent jewel, immersed in her thoughts.

nThen Gabriel asked.

n“What is this necklace?”

nI picked it up by accident.

n“Where?”

nThe lowest place.

nBut she couldn’t tell the truth.

nThen because it was Garcia’s item, and it seemed like it would be taken away because it had to be returned to the Papal Palace.

nCarlin accidentally picked this up, but I asked for it.

n“Who is Carlin again?”

nThe shaman of this castle.

n“Shaman… What? Shaman?”

nMaybe Gabriel didn’t know until now.

nStill, it seems that he has been in this castle for quite some time, but his expression is like he had never heard of it before. His information power is so low. He was not interested in anything other than getting really strong.

n‘I’m a fool for thinking for a moment that he might be the Pope’s spy.’

nGabriel seemed to be shocked by the fact that there were criminals proudly in the Grand Duchy.

n“How on earth… Whoo, never mind.”

nDid he think that Valentine, who is the source of malice, is doing what it is supposed to do?

nHe frowned slightly, not wanting to ask more details.

n“Actually, it’s a shame that I was sent for purification, but I don’t have that much divine power.”

nReally?

n“Um, yes. The priest sent me here because he saw the potential for a big growth after seeing my changing eye color, but…”

nGabriel apologized, saying, ‘I am still inexperienced, so I don’t know exactly what this jewel is for’.

n‘Well, I see.’

nAria, who already knew how far Gabriel would rise one day, was meekly convinced.

n‘Did he say he was the same age as Lloyd?’

nBecause he was still young

nThe use of the jewel was something he had to learn later when he became an adult. There was enough time.

nIt is too risky to be seen by a priest other than Gabriel.

nAre you going to keep it a secret between the two of us?

nAria secretly forced him to shut up and looked up at him. She had a persistent gaze.

nShe was thinking that she would erase his memory if he did not keep a secret.

n“…..”

nGabriel couldn’t take his eyes off of the flower-like eyes that looked straight into his eyes for a moment. The scenery he saw that day flashed through his mind for a moment.

nStained glass penetrating the dazzling light of the five colors, soaring birds, the sound of grasshoppers and a faint smile….

nThen he hurriedly averted her gaze and nodded his head.

n“……Yes, it’s a secret.”

n***

n“Today, you’ll meet the Elder Madam.”

nElder Madam, Young Madam. It was an unusual name.

nHowever, Aria and Sabina liked it so much that they planned to continue being called that in the future.

n“Every other day, you go to see the Head and the Madam.”

nAria nodded her head. To be precise, it is the process of treating insomnia and treating a body that has not fully recovered.

nBut she doesn’t know how it would look to others.

n‘Maybe I looked like a child sleeping one day in her mother’s room and the next in her father’s room….’

nShe doesn’t think so. But she had a strong conviction that it must have been reflected that way, and she felt uncomfortable.

nIt was when Aria had a trembling expression on her face.

nCloud said.

n“The Grand Prince will be very upset.”

nLloyd?

nBecause I monopolize his parents?

n“…No. What’s wrong with that?”

nCloud showed an absurd response.

n‘No, because he’s still fourteen.’

nA teenage boy who still has six years left before his coming-of-age ceremony.

n‘I don’t know about the Grand Duke since they don’t get along, but how does Sabina know if he’ll be jealous inside?’

nHowever, Cloud answered Aria’s guess with a blunt expression. It looked like he was saying something really stupid.

n‘Well, to make Cloud look like that.’

n“It means that he seems to be waiting for Young Madam to come.”

nOh, he meant that Lloyd will be upset that she didn’t just go to Lloyd?

n‘Things like that happen, too.’

nWell, but. Visiting Lloyd’s bedroom in the middle of the night….

n‘A little something, isn’t it?’

nAria glared at Cloud.

n“Why are you looking at me that way?”

nWith a puzzled expression on his face, he said, ‘Ah.’ He let out a stupid exclamation and shook his head.

n“The Grand Prince will never look at the Young Madam with those eyes.”

n“….”

n“You’re still ten years old. You look like a very young child about the same age as his younger brother.”

nCloud was honest.

nThat’s very…..

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