♡ TL: Khadija SK
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The first place Annette chose to reveal herself was the cathedral.
Theodore didn’t object either, as it seemed fitting to him.
When Annette put the plan into action, she realized it was a far better choice than she had initially thought.
The bishops and priests were the first audience to witness the play of the supposedly love-struck couple, Theodore and Annette.
The cathedral was a very beautiful stage, making it a fitting venue to display this tragedy.
The ceilings and walls were filled with paintings of stories about forgiveness and salvation, speaking of God and his followers.
It was a story about the kind God who would even forgive murderers if one truly repented, showering blessings from above.
There was also an appropriate backdrop, a scene of a pitiable daughter who had lost her father, quietly expressing her miserable condolences.
The paintings were so well done that it was hard to tell whether the girl had lost her father or if she was the one who had killed him.
Annette entered the cathedral, climbing an endless number of steps.
When she passed by the section where the Scheringen family had gathered, the eyes of her relatives turned toward her, but they couldn’t raise their voices in the cathedral.
As expected, they hated her inwardly, but they couldn’t express it to her face.
This was thanks to the aristocratic laws that forbade making a scene in the cathedral.
Besides, Theodore was right beside Annette.
“It seems everyone is waiting for you to engage in the first battle.”
“Be quiet. I need to act so sorrowful now that I can’t speak to anyone, not even you.”
Annette raised her index finger to her lips, giving Theodore a tense warning.
Seeing her slender finger, Theodore laughed quietly.
Because of Theodore’s rare smile, their trivial exchange appeared friendly to others, as if they were truly having an emotional conversation.
Annette was dressed in a black dress and a hat with a veil.
She didn’t even know the face of the marquis, yet she was in mourning attire for her father, who was rumored to have been killed.
Today, Annette was going to shed tears as she called out the name of her deceased father in a moment of remorse.
Of course, no tears would actually fall from her eyes, so the black veil had to cover her dry eyes.
The veil, so thick, faithfully did its job of covering her small face, while also providing an additional, unexpected benefit of sparking curiosity about her conversation with Theodore.
If someone had approached her to talk, they would have known the truth, but that never happened.
No one dared to speak to Annette in the solemn cathedral.
Even those close to the original Annette had no loyalty to console her, so everyone stood silently, distanced from her.
Yet, they couldn’t stop staring, trying to glean a hint of what was on her mind.
No one opened their mouths, but their intrusive inner voices were clearly visible.
In this way, the purpose of keeping silent while still garnering attention was successfully achieved.
Even the cardinal presiding over the mass frequently glanced at Annette rather than at the cross in her hands.
Annette made the sign of the cross with enough nobility that people felt as if she herself were something sacred.
She appeared to be a devout believer.
Of course, the content of Annette’s prayer wasn’t sacred at all; it was filled with complaints to God.
‘Oh God, I can’t be grateful to you until I know why you placed me in this body.’
These loud prayers boiled in her head and faded away as the recitations changed to suit the somber playing of the organ.
Ironically, her anger towards God seemed like grief over her father’s death.
Regardless of the truth of the situation, Annette appeared sorrowful and stunning, with a tragic story behind her appearance.
The man standing beside her made her story reach its peak.
Theodore rarely came to church.
Everyone knew he was far from devout.
But the man who had long abandoned God came to the cathedral with Annette, treating his wife as if she were a revered saint.
He resembled a devoted husband who accompanied his grieving wife—mourning her father’s death—without hesitation, even to uncomfortable places.
Thus, everyone prayed to God while gazing at Annette.
… Then the mass ended.
Theodore posed a question to Annette as people were beginning to leave.
“What did you pray for?”
“I complained to God about you, for summoning me to this world.”
“This is a mass for the dead, not a complaint ceremony.”
Annette raised her eyes, about to respond to Theodore, but someone interrupted her.
It was the very person they had been waiting for.
“Welcome, Your Eminence, Cardinal.”
Cardinal Digrel approached them with steady steps.
He was one of the strongest men in the church and one of the most accepting of secular prayers, such as bribery, for example.
“It has been a while since I last saw the two of you. I pray that the divine also welcomes you both under the wing of His blessing.”
After the formal greeting, Cardinal Theodore indirectly asked,
“Won’t you be attending the communion ceremony?”
“It has been some time since the unfortunate incident, so we are still trying to have a period of remembrance for the deceased away from people.”
The highest-ranking aristocrats and powerful individuals gathered at the cathedral for a meal after the mass.
And even if it was called a “Holy Communion,” it was merely a gathering where sacrifices were made while power and authority were traded.
It was necessary for Annette to attend such a gathering to build a social network, but it was still too much for her to handle, so Theodore refused for the time being.
The cardinal licked his lips as he thought about one of the side wine glasses that would be missing at the communion.
If the newlywed couple, who held the titles of Grand Duke and Duchess, were to attend, the meeting…
“Everyone will be eagerly awaiting the presence of His Grace, the Grand Duke.”
“Thank you for your concern. However, my wife is still in a period where she needs to recover in many ways, so I ask that you excuse us this time.”
“It seems there is no choice then. In the next Holy Communion, I look forward to seeing you with Her Grace, the Grand Duchess… I mean, I look forward to offering my blessing to both of you together.”
The cardinal bowed his head, trying to steal a glance at Annette’s face under the veil, but she lowered her head to greet him as well, so he couldn’t see any expression on her face.
Instead, due to his hesitant stance when he said the words “Grand Duchess,” the cardinal’s doubts were only revealed.
The only thing the cardinal could see was an emerald ring gently placed on the ring finger of Annette’s left hand, but it was an answer enough for those who knew the significance of that ring.
Maria’s ring would certainly stir up a commotion among the people today.
“I will definitely try to attend next time. But since we’ve already met now, I have something to discuss with you.”
“I don’t think I’ll be able to give you much time due to my participation in the communion ceremony.”
“It’s something related to the Cathedral of Rigens.”
The cardinal’s gentle smile disappeared.
The Cathedral of Rigens was a stain he had to bear in history.
Thanks to his unique political acumen, Digrel gained a position within the church and rose to high ranks.
But like all those who gained great power, he fell into pride and vanity, entering the world of gambling.
In his days of drinking and gambling, the cardinal helped finance the construction of a new cathedral that was under construction.
As a result, an unprecedented situation occurred where a cardinal diverted funds intended for the cathedral’s construction.
The cathedral remains incomplete as an abandoned building to this day, and many who supported him fell into bankruptcy.
The cardinal used his power to make it an unofficial church that did not appear in historical records, but no one knew that.
It was no wonder Digrel’s reputation declined after that incident.
So, it was natural for the cardinal’s expression to collapse quickly after hearing about the cathedral from the person standing before him.
“What does the Church of Rigens have to do with—”
“It’s unfortunate that the construction has been delayed somewhat. As someone who loves Laider, I can’t bear to see such a building remain unfinished. So I wanted to ask if it would be possible to complete it if I were to offer donations.”
“Donations?”
Digrel’s sullen face flushed with joy.
He couldn’t leave the cathedral in ruins either, so he searched everywhere for a patron who could fund it.
However, no one was willing to give money to Digrel, whose political power had weakened.
Because of this, it was difficult for him to restart construction once it had stopped.
“Approximately how much do you plan to donate?”
“As much as necessary to complete the work, of course.”
Digrel, who was about to fly with happiness, restrained himself before asking another question.
The fact that Theodore had previously ignored religion and hadn’t made a single donation was widely known in the empire, so why did he suddenly want to complete the cathedral at such great cost?
Sensing the question, Theodore smiled and gently held Annette’s hand.
“My wife is very devout. The grace of the divine helped her through tough times, so she said she wanted to do something in His name as well.”
“The divine will surely understand your feelings, Your Grace, and will promise you only happy times from now on. Let’s set aside some time to discuss this matter in detail.”
Digrel immediately accepted the offer because if he couldn’t complete the Cathedral of Rigens, he would remain a pathetic cardinal in history.
“Even the divine would be pleased with the completion of the cathedral, but is there any way I can compensate you for your sincere faith?”
Digrel was a political man more than a devout one.
The construction of the Cathedral of Rigens could not be halted a second time.
Therefore, to complete the project, a more certain guarantee was needed than the Grand Duchess’s faith.
If someone donated a large sum of money, they would surely have something to ask for in return.
“If I can be of any assistance, it would be an honor for me.”
Annette, who had not said anything until now, opened her mouth for the first time.
“But if you give me the outer walls of the cathedral, I will consider it an even greater honor.”
“Do you mean to donate the altar?”
“Yes, I want to adorn it with the names of the two families.”
It was very common for nobles to build an altar on the church wall and decorate it with ornate paintings to showcase their prestige.
Having their names inscribed on it was a source of pride for them.
Engraving the family name on the wall was a simple task that could hardly be called a request from the cardinal’s perspective.
“Will you be using the name of the Grand Duke and the Schiringan family name?”
“No. Since the donations will be made under the name of the Grand Duke, it would not be appropriate to include the Schiringan name as well.”
“So…?”
Degrelle hesitated for a moment when Annette mentioned the name she wanted to have engraved on the altar.
He doubted whether she was serious, but she didn’t seem to be joking.
“And I have another favor to ask of you…”
At that moment, Annette revealed her true purpose for visiting the cardinal.
Digrel, who had said he needed to attend the communion, lost track of time and focused on what Annette was about to say.
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