Born as the Hidden Daughter of a Villainess and the Male Lead

<Episode 73>

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“Allea is the worshiper’s daughter.”

Roberick, with a devastated expression on his face, was unable to utter any response.

It was natural.

The sharp hatred he poured out towards Meinhardt was by no means something that should be said by someone who took those left behind by Arkane’s admirer into his family and gave them the titles of Grand Duchess and Grand Princess of Heilian.

“If one has to shoulder the sins of their family and be ostracized, then not only Meinhardt, but also the Grand Duchess and Allea should not be here.”

Edith spoke quietly, pointing out Roberick’s contradictions.

“But my father covered up the sins of the Grand Duchess and Allea’s family. So all I can say is that I will also cover up the sins of Meinhardt’s family and keep him by my side. Are you still not going to allow this?”

“……..”

Roberick licked his dry lips.

The emotion revealed on his face was none other than embarrassment.

Edith walked away from Roberick and turned towards Meinhardt.

“…….”

Meinhardt was looking at this diss with eyes full of complex emotions.

Edith smiled playfully at him and then spoke in a quiet voice.

“I would like you to leave for today.”¹Why do I feel so satisfied, finally this trash was slapped on the face(⁠＾⁠∇⁠＾⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠♪

“Edith……”

“If you still don’t allow Meinhardt to stay with me, then I won’t talk to you until you do.”

Sensing Edith’s strong tone of voice, Roberick slowly turned around and left without saying anything.

Edith, who glanced at Roberick’s somewhat lonely-looking back, remembered the day she learned the truth.

 

***

²This is a flash back, I won’t put anything but some conversations in cursive writing.

Almost fifteen days had passed since we stayed here together without Meinhardt leaving.

And I remembered the reason why I searched for Meinhardt so much……

After much thought, I decided to ask a question about Mariette.

I’m a person who talks very little and never talks about myself, so I suppressed the overflowing questions and pretended like nothing was wrong, but that’s not it.

“Hey, Meinhardt.”

I couldn’t put it off any longer.

“Please speak.”

Meinhardt looked back at me, answering in an indifferent voice as always.

I put my hands together and slowly opened my mouth while choosing my words.

“………You were close to my mother, right?”

“I was.”

There was no sign of hesitation in his answer.

Yes! This was a rare opportunity to learn more about Mariette.

I gathered all my determination and spoke.

“I know what kind of bad relationship existed between my mother and the Grand Duchess. Everyone in the world called my mother a wicked woman, and I received all kinds of hate and contempt for being the daughter of a wicked woman. But…..the last time you faced Yuhirian, you clearly said that…”

After pausing for a moment, I immediately spoke loudly.

“That you swore with my mother that you would protect her child no matter what.”

“……Edith.”

Meinhardt seemed to sense my intention as I brought up this story, slightly raising his eyebrows and calling my name.

“If she trusted you with the oath to protect her child, then you must know the secret that my mother did not reveal to the world. Maybe you know more than my grandfather.”

But I continued talking without stopping.

Meinhardt said nothing more and just looked down at me.

At that time, all the secrets that could not be put into words were silently buried in his dark eyes, saying, “I am here. Please uncover me.”

Was it my assumption to feel that it was as if an earnest gesture was being sent my way?

“I wanted to know from the moment I became Grand Duchess of Heilian. Mother… did she really intend to harm the Grand Duchess Heilian and the Grand Princess out of pure jealousy?”

[Mariette……What a beautiful child she was. Not only in appearance, but also in soul, there was no thing of hers that wasn’t beautiful in every detail.]

[She learned several times faster than other children her age, and she could not ignore someone who was hungry or sick. Always maintain a fair and generous attitude toward those under her. She was merciful at heart, and despite having a very attentive father that would grant her what she wished, she was not excessively greedy.]

[I guarantee it with my status as the Spirit King. Mariette was never a child stained by evil.]

The story Naiad told me while reminiscing about Mariette was not a mixture of lies.

‘The parents’ sin cannot become the child’s sin. When a person loses everything and falls into the abyss, their fate changes depending on who reaches out to them.’

‘I will save that sinner’s child and prevent him from suffering the same fate as his parents.’

And the image of young Mariette that I saw in person.

[You said Ilipia blessed you? That includes Naiad and Oried…… Is there such harmony? Lore is at work again.]

Arkane, whom she encountered long before, and the one who murmured in a sneer-like manner the Spirit Kings who blessed me.

The Spirit King of Wisdom, Lore.

The Spirit King of Darkness who hated humans and brought disaster to destroy the world, and the Spirit King of Wisdom who opposed him.

And Mariette, blessed by the Spirit King of Wisdom.

Naia said that Lore would know everything she didn’t know about Mariette.

The truth indicated by the shattered clues indirectly revealed the answer that behind Mariette’s evil deeds, it was not only because of pure jealousy and a sense of betrayal towards Roberick.

“…I knew that one day, a time like this would come.”

At that moment, Meinhardt slowly raised his hand and lightly covered my head, which was small enough to be completely covered by his grasp.

Then, he withdrew his hand without being able to touch it.

“My Master, Princess Mariette Aydin Bastevan, was blessed with wisdom. And Lore, the Spirit of Wisdom, was the one who knew all the secrets hidden in this world.”

Meinhardt began telling her story in a calm voice.

“His insight was not limited to revealing  the essence of the object, but eventually went on to see into the future as well.”

He saw through the future…… !

[…… Other than this, I don’t know much…… Well, except for the Spirit Kings who are of equal status, there is no spirit that is not afraid of him. He was strict in everything, valued moderation, and was a ruthlessly rational person. At times, it was as if he had the insight to see into the future.]

Recalling the story I heard from Naiad about the Spirit King of Wisdom, I listened to Meinhardt’s story in a daze.

“Mariette, who was influenced by him, was the person closest to wisdom since childhood. And the Spirit King of Wisdom entrusted an important mission to the most outstanding spirit master among those he had blessed.”

The moment he recited those words, his black eyes seemed to glow dimly, filled with sorrow.

“……Edith is probably aware of the fact that Arkane, the spirit king of darkness, hates this world and the humans so much and wishes for all life to die.”

“…….Why are you suddenly mentioning that?”

“Well, I don’t know why, but it’s clear that he had hated all life for much longer that we can imagine.”

It was so vivid.

Unlike the other spirit kings, the deep loathing that seemed to be distorted at its very origin towards him, was clearly revealed in the soft voice hurled at me.

“Arkane has already thrown the world into chaos through countless attempts, and about 70 years ago, he finally brought about a huge disaster that completely turned the world upside down. As a result, the dark Elementalists and those who worship Arkane are loathed in this world. I was ostracized to the point where I could never set foot in this land again.”

Meinhardt said, looking down at my eyes, which undeniably resembled Roberick’s, with eyes full of sadness.

“The man who gave you those eyes abandoned Mariette and chose a commoner woman. She had a dead ex-husband and a daughter with him.”

Why are you suddenly bringing up the story about Chastia and Allea……?

When I was taken aback by the unexpected flow…

“The woman’s original name was Chastia phlium. The surname Phlium belonged to her ex-husband who died a long time ago, and that man was a spirit priest who worshiped Arkane, the dark spirit king who hated life.”

“…….!”

I was so shocked that I couldn’t speak for a while.

“Chastia Phlium and Grand Princess Allea were the wife and children of a dark spirit who disguised herself as a commoner and went into hiding to avoid the world’s rejection and oppression. He was the most evil among spiritists born with the dark attribute.”

Meanwhile, Meinhardt’s story telling continued.

“Most dark spiritists resent and avoid Arkane for giving them a curse rather than a blessing. However, he worshiped Arkane passionately and was loyal to him.”

My head hurt so much that it rang loudly as if something unknown was running wild inside it.

In it, Ashamed, who, despite being the prince of the Empire, was driven to the brink of death simply because his sub spirits were dark spirits.

And thinking back to the reason why my grandfather and Judith were able to earn the title of heroes, and the beginning of the disaster that brought the world to the brink of destruction, I spoke in disbelief and despair.

“How…….. with such a past, even if she became a Grand Duchess and Allea a Grand Princess, they were the wife and child of that spiritist, how were they even allowed to have such status? Does no one know about this?”

The dark spiritist’s wife and, above all, his blood, his biological child became the Grand Princess of the Roshan Empire!

This is ridiculous.

If there was common sense, this would never be possible!

Didn’t the Emperor know about this? Did Roberick deceive the Emperor?

So even though Roberick knew this……

He still abandoned Mariette and choose Chastia?

 

***

TL:

I really wonder how low this creature can go, he amazes me every chapter like WOW!(⁠●⁠_⁠_⁠●⁠)