Chapter 171

Chapter 171

TL: Zimming

Greedy people from all over the empire gathered in front of the courtyard and shouted.

"This is your youngest daughter!"

"Nonsense! Look, such dazzling silver hair and blue eyes my child had! She must be Dubbled's daughter!"

"No. It's me. I am ten years old and was born in Dubbled's Territory. I was abandoned by my current parents."

Nos, who was supposed to calm the people down in the courtyard, looked at them with a cold expression.

I touched his shoulder as he flinched.

"It's not a very good sight for the lady..."

I smiled brightly as he spoke in a worried voice.

"It's alright."

"But......."

Nos was just worried. These are after all greedy people.

Even some father and daughter, who looked alike as if they had the same mold, even came and claimed that his daughter was Dubbled's youngest daughter, and that the child, who looked fifteen, had been abandoned by the Dubbled family.

'Wow, there are so many greedy people aiming for someone else's place.'

I really didn't mind.

Rather, I felt like I wanted to support him and said 'Yeah, that's great! These cute greedy people! Shout more!'

Because Augustine's face, who came to visit after hearing the rumors, became more and more pale.

"Look at these eyes! Isn't it very similar to the young masters?"

"My parents said that a woman with a bloody maid's uniform came to see my current parents and left me to them. This is the coin the maid left with me. It was made by Dubbled right?

"This child has the same birthday as the youngest daughter. I brought this crying child to an orphanage from a mountain in Dubbled's territory. There are witnesses. Calypso, Eric! Come on, tell them in detail what happened that day."

Unlike Augustine, they even gave out evidence.

'Do you think Emeline will be spared?'

Is he now afraid that one of the 21 priests would cause an uproar for bringing a fake child? A formal protest against the central temple by Dubbled would make him lose his candidate status as a cardinal. Right?

I giggled inwardly and approached Augustine, who didn't know what to do. Of course, with my eyes wide open as if I was very puzzled.

"Priest, Priest."

"......Yes, little miss."

"The youngest children keep coming. It's weird."

"......."

"The youngest daughter is Emeline, right? Because you, one of the 21 priests of the central temple, brought her here, right?"

He grunted and glared at the crowd of children and their parents.

"Of course."

"But what if it's a mistake?"

"......Pardon?"

"If it wasn't Emeline, my family would be hurt. My father, who was disappointed, would make a formal protest to the temple... but what if he uses a sword......?"

"......S,sword?"

"Why do think people say Duke is a reckless moth? Of course, I think it's a misunderstanding, but... Just in case, really just in case. But do you know? They said that the battle on the Rhones Peninsula also stemmed from them mocking Dubbled. That battle where 3,000 soldiers were burned to death."

When people panic, they tend to think of the extremes. In Augustine's mind, there must be a picture of the Duke Dubbled with a sword in one hand and a torch in the other while breaking into the temple. Augustine, who had turned white as a sheet, was forced to open his mouth.

"Do, don't worry. How could a servant of God speak a lie? It's Emeline for sure."

'Now it's the time.'

As I touched the communication device in my pocket, Zachary shouted at the signal.

"Yes, lady, don't worry!"

When Zachary, who had already become famous for virtual battle, shouted, the greedy people looked at him.

I applauded him.

"It is said that priests have mysterious powers given by the grace of God? So you can see the future, or know of the truth, right?"

"Huh? Yes, uh... That's right."

"The priest also received a revelation from God and brought Emeline! Am I right?!"

People started shouting.

Those greedy eyes stared at Augustine with a distasteful expression.

I said that so that those greedy people here can hear it. Because there was a rumour.

To those greedy people, Emeline, who became the youngest daughter just because the priest brought her there without any evidence, is a public enemy.

And Augustine the liar was terribly perplexed by the look of disbelief.

'Then in the end...'

"I swear before the God Neliard! Emeline is definitely Dubbled's youngest daughter!"

'He's going too far!'

I shouted with joy inside.

Yes. Keep doing things like this. Do those so that the temple couldn't handle him anymore.

***

When Augustine returned to the temple, fatigue was evident on his face. Unlike the morning, the temple was chaotic. A group of priests approached him as he staggered. It was the priests who supported him in his appointment as a cardinal.

"Is the child you took there really the daughter of Dubbled?"

"You mentioned the name of God and were so sure. How did you say something so hastily? If not, you know what it will be like."

"He donated a large sum of money because of the youngest daughter, but if it turns out that it is not..."

Augustine opened his eyes and looked at the priests.

"A donation?"

"Didn't you know? The Duke of Dubbled donated 50 million francs and will promote you in the thanksgiving festival. It was a sign of gratitude."

Augustine said in surprise.

"50 million francs?"

It was unbelievable that he had donated such a large sum as a token of his gratitude.

There was no one who does not know that the relationship between Dubbled and the temple is colder than the winter's wind.

They believed that the temple was entangled in the death of the Duchess. It was actually true. Even if the temple found his daughter, it was not an easy matter to solve.

"His Majesty the Emperor was very pleased and told the Vatican that he was appointing you for the thanksgiving festival. Of course, if you become a priest there, the chances for you to become a cardinal will be greater, but we can't erase our worries..."

'Is the Imperial family and the pope entangled in some way?'

Now it's become really hard to get out of it. If Emeline was found not to be the youngest daughter, it was no longer his problem alone. The status of the Neliard religion will collapse, and the whole country will be turned upside down. Augustine's hand trembled.

***

Augustine secretly called Emeline into a dark alley.

"What were you talking about in the mansion? Did they suspect you? Are you saying that they will test the magical powers of the children who came?"

"I..."

"Useless thing!"

He roared as Emeline flinched, but he pulled the child back with an angry face.

"Shouldn't you be grateful and work your best? If you were being fed, you should know how to keep them!"

Augustine's eyes glistened with anger. Emeline said with a puzzled expression on her face.

"I, there's nothing I can do. I told you so before. My mother is not a maid. I'm not Dubbled's youngest daughter."

"Emeline."

"B, but, You can't lie. You're a bad guy!"

Emeline wept and shook her head.

"This stupid child. The child of fate was an orphan like you too anyway. So, if you take good care of them, Dubbled will fall into your hands and mine!"

"......."

"Do you want to be a beggar again? When you go back, you will live a more terrifying life than before. I'll make sure of it!"

"I, I will come to the temple."

"So what if you accuse me? The imperial family, the Vatican, and the central temple were entangled in this incident. The emperor took money from the Duke of Dubbled and appointed me as a priest. Do you think your words will damage our honor? Watch your words."

"A temple should be a holy place... "

"To protect the neliard religion, would the lives of the people matter?"

Just then, a child approached Emeline who was weeping.

"Is it enough?"

"Yes."

Augustine looked at the child in surprise.

'That voice is clearly...!'

Leblaine, who took off her hood, handed him something. Augustine gritted his teeth.

"You, you must have set a trap for me!"

Leblaine shrugged, and Augustine stared at the two children with bloodshot eyes.

"Emeline, you stupid child! Do you know whose side you are taking?! If you had simply helped me, you would have become the Dubbled youngest daughter...!"

"When did I ever say I wanted to be a Dubbled child? I just wanted to find my father!"

"Do you think the Duke of Dubbled is comparable to your biological father?"

Emeline was stunned. Leblaine put his hand on Emeline's shoulder and said,

"Sir, do you know how a child who lived as a beggar is?

"What?"

"They're smarter than idiots like you. They knew that swallowing too much would hurt their stomach."

It was Emeline who taught Leblaine that.

Emeline snorted and folded her arms.

"If you are a little clever, you would've notice that she didn't want to be a Dubbled in the first place."

The first time Leblaine approached Emeline was when she came to the mansion. She said she knew her biological father and brought up a story she had never told anyone.

"Did your mother call your biological father 'Hen'?"

"How did you......!"

"Like I said, I know your biological father."

Of course, it was because Leblaine had heard the story from Emeline in her previous life.

Emeline was also once worried about it. Her days at Dubbled seemed like a dream.

She had luxurious meals, warm clothes, friendly servants, and a beautiful family.

It was everything she ever wanted, so she hesitated to join hands with Leblaine.

But Leblaine showed her the scene when the priest swears by the name of God. Because Leblaine knew that she wouldn't enter a ship that was about to sink.

'I learned all of my life skills from Emeline.'

And as expected, Emeline took her side. Augustine gritted his teeth as he looked at the little villains with shameless expressions.

What they had in their hand must be a magic tool for recording. It was sold at the Magic Tower, so it was not difficult to find even a child.

'I can't kill the children. But at least I could persuade Emeline.'

Otherwise, his neck was in danger.

"Alright, deal with me before handing it to the Duke of Dubbled. I'm the cardinal candidate, so if you want riches or anything..."

"That's not it?"

"What?"

Leblaine pointed into the air. Frowning his brow and turning his gaze to where she was pointing, he saw...a tree?

"What tree... w, wait a minute!"

There was something small hanging from the tree. Leblaine smiled brightly.

'Mina said that it was called a CCTV.'

And the video was sent to...

***

[So what if you accuse me? The imperial family, the Vatican, and the central temple were entangled in this incident. The emperor took money from the Duke of Dubbled and appointed me as a priest.]

The people gathered in the plaza were buzzing as they looked at the floating screens.

[Do you think your words will damage our honor? Watch your words.]

Those who heard Augustine's next words started to shout,

"Oh my God...!"

"No way. How could a priest do such a terrible thing!"

"The child is pitiful."

"Where are we supposed to report this again?"

"Dubbled! Let's notify Dubbled!"

At that time, there was a commotion in the Imperial Palace and the temples as well as they looked at the scene. The emperor, who saw the situation through a magic mirror, exclaimed.

"Stop the transmission right now!"

"We couldn't do it..."

The court mages said with a pale face.

'How in the world did they do that?'

A video suddenly started playing for some time and it was transmitted to the magic mirror.

'What kind of mage could do it...!'

It was a powerful magic that was very hard to break. The emperor grabbed the back of his neck and shouted.

"Ask the pope to come in. Get that crazy priest right now!!"

It was a result of a legendary collaboration between Veronica and Trigon.