Episode 5 : To his territory
“Sir Escalion Diete? What’s wrong with him? Looking at him today, I see that he looks like royalty rather than a war hero who made great contributions in the war.”
“That’s what it looks like…..! It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a handsome man with such an eye-catching vibe.”
Behind the women’s voices, the voice of a male nobleman followed.
“Perhaps because he was so large and shaped like a statue, he looked like a painting when he stood side by side with the saint.”
“I think he looks good from the outside too. however….”
The voices of the nobles quieted for a moment.
“…..He comes from a commoner background.”
After hearing what they were saying, Hazel clenched hia teeth and tried to run past the wall. But Escalion was faster than him and stretched out his arm to stop him.
The nobles continued their conversation without even realizing that there was someone standing behind the wall.
“I heard his parents aren’t there either? That’s why he received the title of duke right away.”
“No parents? How could someone who doesn’t even know their origins be with a saint…?”
Hazel looked up at Escalion with a nervous look on his face, swallowing dry saliva.
He thought he would be upset, but Escalion was scratching his chin with an unexpectedly interesting look on his face.
“Isn’t it all because of the Pope’s generous generosity?”
“What are you talking about?”
As they listened behind the wall, the voices of the nobles continued.
“The Vatican doesn’t discriminate against people based on their origins.
After the marriage between the saint and the war hero who was a commoner, the Vatican once again revealed the will of the Holy See to treat all citizens of the empire equally and love them all, regardless of rank or status.”
“Oh my goodness….Was it something like that? If that’s the case, isn’t that something worth celebrating? Be happy!”
The man who heard the woman’s words smiled and asked.
“Happy? Do you really think so?”
After a small, wind-less laugh, the woman spoke in a cold voice.
“No way. How could I be happy if the confessional, the only reason I came to the Vatican, was disappearing? The only reason the nobles consistently visit the outdated Vatican and make donations is because of the saint, but the Pope can so easily lose the name of a saint…I think it’s a little surprising.”
“That’s right. Who will listen to my secrets now? I’m so sorry.”
“How can people like us misunderstand the Pope’s feelings? Let’s go.”
I could hear the footsteps of the nobles leaving.
Hazel seemed to have frozen and opened his mouth, looking at Escalion, who was standing still and listening to their conversation.
“All right, Captain….”
Escalion swept his head back with an expressionless face.
“……That’s what my wife used for the nobles. I thought all of her people loved her with her pure heart, but I guess that wasn’t true?”
“Captain, that’s not important right now, they’re behind you right now….!”
“I didn’t say anything wrong. It’s not like I’ve seen the nobles mess up once or twice.”
He tilted his head, touching his eyebrows as if he were annoyed.
<You, Sir Escalion Diete.>
<Yes, Your Majesty.>
<How about marrying the Pope’s daughter, Miss Belladonna Brielle?>
A few weeks ago, he remembered the old emperor who had called him from Griblata to the capital and told him to marry the Pope’s daughter.
The emperor, who kept rolling his dull gray eyes here and there, looked somewhat uncomfortable and dissatisfied.
I knew that he, who was of Commoner origin, was displeased with the fact that he had suddenly received the absolute support of the people of the empire, and I also knew that he was choosing as his marriage wife not a precious daughter from a powerful family, but a saint full of flashy justifications.
At the time, I didn’t want to bother discussing this and that in an uncomfortable situation, so I just answered that I understood….
Escalion later recalled the time when he visited the Vatican to express his rejection of marriage talks.
<This is my one and only daughter, Belladonna. I think my daughter was momentarily enchanted by her beautiful appearance.>
The blue eyes that trembled violently as if they were very frightened, the transparent gaze that made me feel dizzy, and even my intention that made me change my mind without realizing it.
Escalion, lost in thought for a moment, opened his mouth.
“Hazel, we’re leaving right now.”
“What?”
“I changed my mind. Griblata, let’s leave right now.”
When Hazel asked in surprise, Escalion pulled the corners of his mouth into a mischievous smile.
***
Rattling rattling–
The carriage shook with erratic movements.
Bella let out her low breath, feeling slightly dizzy and nauseous.
“Are you dizzy?”
Escalion, who was sitting across from her with his arms crossed and looking out the window, cast his gaze towards her and asked.
Belladonna slowly shook her head.
As soon as her wedding service was over, she could not rest at all, and she got into the carriage and was on her way to his estate. She looked up at him with her resentful eyes.
What was so urgent that you insisted on leaving right away?
“No, it’s not true. Your White face became even whiter.”
He click on his tongue once as he looked at her, then suddenly put his hand out the window and stopped the carriage.
Since it was only his intention to go to griblata after the wedding service, he felt a little sorry.
“Let’s take a short rest here.”
When the carriage stopped, her pounding head seemed to calm down a little.
Escalion, who had raised hia body first, opened the door of the carriage, hopped out of it, and offered her his hand to her.
“Come out and get some air.”
Belladonna nodded and took her hand in his.
Stepping out of her carriage, a cool breeze blew and blew her bangs.
Ah, the cold air makes me feel better…
When Belladonna finally came to her senses and looked around, she saw numerous knights and servants looking at her with worried faces.
It was a huge shock to them to see the already skinny and white saint getting off the carriage, turning even whiter.
They were much more accustomed to that tall, strong master holding her small hand.
The knights and servants looked blankly at their master and his wife, who were in stark contrast at first glance.
At that time, a maid who got off the carriage she had left with approached her and asked her carefully.
“Are you okay, ma’am…?”
Madame? M-me?
Belladonna blinked her eyes.
The maid met her bewildered face and quickly lowered her head.
“Ah, my name is Cindy and I will be serving you from now on! Normally, I was going to go back to the master’s castle and give you formal greetings, but I ended up saying hello in advance like this.”
The maid who greeted her was a cute child who exuded a calm but lively aura.
Belladonna mustered up all her strength and gave her the kindest smile she could muster.
“Ah…….”
Cindy’s cheeks blushed, happy to have her beautiful hostess.
Escalion, who had been holding her hand until then, blurted out.
“Enough of the greetings, Place a piece of cloth for my wife to sit on. She should sit down and reat.”
Oh, no, I’m fine…
Belladonna quickly stretched out her hand to try to stop him, but Cindy’s movements were quicker.
Without hesitation, she turned around, took out several thick blankets from the servants’ carriage, and spread them out under a nearby tree.
“Ma’am, please rest in the shade.”
Belladonna gave Cindy a grateful smile and then sat down on the blanket she had laid out for her.
Umm….
Hey, when everyone looks at me like that, I feel very….Wouldn’t it be uncomfortable…?
Belladonna looked up with embarrassed eyes at Escalion, the knights, and the servants who were only looking at her.
Escalion, noticing the signal of rescue in her eyes, placed his hands on his waist and turned to look at them.
“When you’re done with the sightseeing, you can rest on your own.”
“Oh! Yes….yes!”
“All right!”
As the knights and servants creaked out of sight, Belladonna stretched out her legs and leaned her back against the tree trunk.
Hah…..
“Is this your first time traveling long distances?”
Escalion asked, plopping down next to her.
Bella also nodded her head.
In her previous life, and even after becoming Saint Belladonna , she had never experienced traveling far away in a carriage. In her previous life, she lived in a small farmland, but after becoming Belladonna, she was confined to the Vatican…
“It may be hard, but just be patient. My damn fief was located at the very end of the northern border, the furthest away from Astanya.”
“……..”
“If you’re going to give it to me, please give me a better territory. Out of the many territories he is holding onto like a greedy old man, you gave me the most disgusting one.”
What?
Belladonna looked back at him with her eyes wide open.
T-that statement just refers to His Majesty the Emperor…!
But Escalion looked down at her with her very nonchalant face and shrugged her shoulders.
“What do you think? They said that other people will tell you everything they can’t say to you anyway?”
But…..
“From now on, you will stop doing that and only listen to me for the rest of your life.”
At Escalion’s lightly spoken words, Belladonna felt as if her heart was being tightened.
It was a fact known only to her and Pope that her marriage to him lasted only three months. It was clear that he had not even anticipated that his marriage would end so quickly.
“What were you thinking about that made you so serious?”
Escalion’s hot, large fingers touched Belladonna’s forehead.
Belladonna blinked her eyes and slid behind her as he gave her strength, resting the back of her head against the tree trunk.
He lowered his hand from where it was on her forehead and spread it out to cover her eyes.
“If you’re very tired, sleep a little.”
I’m not sleepy…..
Belladonna shook her head, cupped her eyes, and took his hand away.
“……You are more stubborn than I thought?”
Escalion rubbed his lower jaw and looked at her closely.
Oh no…..
Belladonna quietly avoided his hot gaze and looked at the distant sky. Ha, the sky is pretty…
“If you are not sleepy, i will sleep.”
Escalion moved his large body to lie down, using her knees as a pillow.
Belladonna was shocked in her heart and looked down at him lying on her knees. what is this!
“It’s chewy and doesn’t has texture fluffy.”
Escalion let out a sigh.
Am I a pillow?
“I’m going to get some sleep. Marriage was harder than I thought. There are a lot of things to worry about.”
Escalion, who muttered in a low voice, soon closed his mouth and began to breathe evenly.
Oh, you really sleep like this? Isn’t it heavy?
Bella looked down at him with a dumbfounded look on her face. She looked down at the man who had his own way, and she couldn’t help but shake her head.
It seemed much better to fall asleep like this and keep quiet, than to stay awake and keep spewing out words that would destroy her soul.
Woossh~
The wind that blew just in time shook the delicate branches of the tree she was leaning against up and down.
The leaves, unable to withstand the wind, fell into her field of vision. The delicate green leaves rustled and moved in a soft parabola before slowly falling to the ground.
‘Freedom.’
At that moment, Belladonna felt strangely free.
Is it because it is not a farmland that is narrow and full of the smell of dirty sweat?
Is it because she escaped from the stuffy Vatican, which kept squeezing her as she kept a secret that no one knew about?
Belladonna quietly exhaled.
• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •By Esraa• ❁ • ❁ • ❁ •
