The priest, who had not yet fully grasped the situation, asked in confusion.
“The Duchess Blanchett tell you to come?”
“Yes. She said that the saint had created an opportunity to formally apologize?”
“As this is a meeting of people who will become important in the social world in the future, I really wanted to capture the sight.”
The confused priest moved to convey the news to the saint. However, it was not only Viscount Albert and his wife who came. The nobleman who arrived later asked the priests.
“This is the temple where the saint said she would officially apologize, right? Can you guide me?”
The faces of the priests turned white as they saw the carriages continuing to arrive without knowing the end.
‘Didn’t the Saintess invite only Duchess Blanchett?’
‘How on earth is this going on?!’
* * *
At Stella’s private prayer room.
Stella was chatting with her three close noble ladies in a luxurious room that would have been found in the home of a great noblewoman.
“-Duchess Blanchett is really great too.”
A noble lady spoke in an upset voice.
“Even though she knows that it is a misunderstanding that is difficult for the saint herself to explain, she remains completely silent. In particular, she said that the saint had no one to defend her…”
In the current social circles, there were more people who took the saint’s side. This was because Mireyu, the source of all problems, committed suicide in recognition of her sins, and in her will clearly stated that the saint had done nothing wrong. In the empire, as there were many believers who followed the Holy Kingdom, they did not want to see the saint in a bad light. Additionally, there were many people who were reluctant to completely deny Estelle’s existing notoriety. Of course, there were some people who wondered how incompetent the saintess was and that she had been deceived by Mireyu.
This was precisely why Luigi, Saint Stella’s ardent defender, became angry at Estelle.
“Actually, I don’t like the fact that Duchess Blanchett continued to refuse the saint’s invitation and only moved after His Majesty the Holy Father begged her to do so. This is a blatant disregard for her saintliness!”
“Don’t be like that. Wouldn’t that be possible if there was a deep misunderstanding?”
“But, saint, Duchess Blanchett is no one else but a person who has benefited from the temple and the saint! She should have recognized the saint from the moment she treated her like her own personal maid…”
Stella actually defended Estelle.
“Personal maid is too much of an interpretation. I know Luigi cares for me, but it’s just that Duchess Blanchett was sick and asked for my help. As a saint, it is natural for her to help the sick.”
“Not only did she banish the saint as soon as she was cured, but she also immediately rejected her offer to become her friend.”
Luigi became even more angry at Stella’s defense.
“She said she wasn’t feeling well, so she called the saint again. From then on, she did not even say thank you, but shamelessly picked on the saintess’ faults…”
“The Duchess said she tried to teach me her lessons…”
“Oh my! What right does Duchess Blanchett have to teach a saint? She just wanted to do whatever she wanted because her saintly lady was nice, and she found fault with her and didn’t even thank her! How is that any different from being her personal maid?”
The other ladies around nodded as if they agreed with Luigi’s words.
“You’re right, that’s not normal. She took advantage of the saint’s inexperience with the empire to harass her.”
“She can tell from the fact that the saint almost got falsely accused. It looks like she is trying to cleverly pretend that she is a duchess, but to those of us who are familiar with social circles, her intentions are clearly visible.”
“Still, I want to believe the Duchess. There is no way a person would do something so evil.”
Luigi sighed at Stella’s good-natured and stubborn response.
‘I’m really worried about the saint.’
Perhaps because she had lived in a temple for so long, Stella was excessively naive and ignorant of people’s malicious intent.
‘I have no choice but to protect you.’
“Even if the saintess committed an insolence. Still, isn’t the saint a benefactor who cured the duchess of her illness? Is there anyone anywhere in the world who treats their benefactor like that? She can’t make an effort to repay the favor.”
At that time, the priest opened the door to the prayer room and came in.
“Holy Lady, your guest has arrived.”
“Ah, I guess Duchess Blanchett has arrived now.”
Stella was nodding her head and smiling, but she looked full of fear, as if she was somehow frightened.
“Holy woman, may I come with you? Even Duchess Blanchett would not be able to behave carelessly in front of Luigi Carlstein, the flower of society.”
“Or should we all move together? Now, I need to take a look at the Duchess’ face. I want to see what on earth she was thinking when she did such a thing to the saint.”
“It’s okay, everyone. If you’re having a hard time, I’ll ask you for help. I also gave Luigi a bell here so I could call for help.”
Stella smiled and waved a small bell. Luigi was deeply immersed in the sight of Stella standing up resolutely.
‘As expected, the saint is different. This person is real.’
Stella said to the priest.
“Please guide me to where Duchess Blanchett is.”
“Excuse me, saintess. The guest is not Duchess Blanchett.”
“What?”
At that time, another priest came running into the prayer room.
“Come on, saint! The nobles came all at once. What did she mean when the saintess said she would formally apologize to Duchess Blanchett…?”
Stella’s face stiffened slightly.
“Well, I don’t know about this.”
Stella quickly approached the window of the temple. There were many carriages lined up outside. The nobles descended gracefully below.
‘Why are those nobles…’
At that moment, among the numerous carriages, one of the most ornate and beautiful carriages entered the temple. It was a carriage proudly bearing the emblem of the Blanchett duchy. Estelle got off the temple with her pretty platinum-blonde hair, which looked unusually light pink in the sunlight, fluttering. And she exchanged greetings with other nobles who were happily waiting as if she had been waiting. As if she were the main character.
‘…Estelle Libertan!’
As if Estelle felt her gaze, she looked up at Stella in her direction. Estelle smiled sweetly and waved her hand at Stella.
“Oh! It’s the saint!”
“There you are! Actually, today is my first time seeing the saint.”
Stella smiled kindly at the nobles’ reactions. But she wasn’t completely fine on the inside. She laid a trap to slander Estelle, but if the situation changes like this, if she does something wrong, everything could go wrong.
‘What are you doing with a fake subject?’
* * *
Stella’s expression was just gentle.
‘I still don’t know what’s inside.’
But it didn’t matter. Because she just had to do what she wanted to do.
‘Laying the foundation for discovering the secrets of the temple.’
As soon as she finished greeting Stella, the priests nearby came up to her and started talking to her.
“Hello, Duchess Blanchett. Thank you for coming to the temple.”
Although they were welcoming several unexpected guests, the priests’ expressions were somewhat harsh. One of the priests said with a stern expression and slightly furrowed eyebrows.
“By the way, Duchess, even if the Holy Lady formally invited the Duchess, it is against the laws of the Holy Kingdom to carelessly invite outside guests.”
“Yes, me?”
“The guests all said they came at the invitation of Duchess Blanchett.”
She tilted her head with an incomprehensible expression and took out the letter the saint had sent.
[It seems like there was a minor misunderstanding between Duchess Blanchett and me. It’s all my fault. Since we have had so much time together, could you give me a chance to clear up any misunderstandings?
As a saint, I don’t mind suffering from these misunderstandings.
However, I am afraid that false rumors will spread throughout the empire and another victim will arise for no reason. If the Duchess finds it difficult to come alone, it is okay for her to bring people she can rely on.
I hope you will trust me more as I have the courage to prepare the place and take responsibility for all risks at the temple.
-With the grace of God Atea.]
Stella encouraged her to come alone in her letter. It was written so vaguely that she couldn’t even bring anyone else. Most people would have received this letter and come alone or accompanied by a few trusted escorts.
‘Of course I’m not that kind of person.’
It was the saint’s fault that the saint wrote ambiguously.
“The saint said that if it was difficult for me to come alone, I could bring people I can rely on. She said she would prepare a space for that, so I thought it would be good if as many people as possible could come.”
The priest who checked the contents of the letter reacted sharply.
“Duchess Blanchett, according to this letter, may I trust that you have disbelieved this shrine?”
“It’s a misunderstanding! Why wouldn’t I believe in saints and temples? I am also a citizen of the empire living under the light of God Atea.”
‘Why would I trust you?’
But she smiled brightly.
“The saint was worried about misunderstandings spreading. So, after thinking about it, I thought that the quickest way to realize the saint’s good intentions would be to invite as many people as possible and make the place as possible.”
“…”
“Because the date was so tight, I didn’t have time to tell the temple, but it’s still a way to fulfill the saint’s good intentions, right?”
The priest, who seemed speechless, finally spoke.
“B, but the saint has never written a formal apology to the duchess. But it seems like all the nobles came because they misunderstood…”
“Yes? The saint said it was all her fault.”
[It’s all my fault.]
She pointed to the saint’s emblem and smiled brightly.
“Look here. The saint said it herself.”
“Well, that’s a formality…”
“Then, priest, you think the saint lied?”
The priest’s expression hardened.
“Well, is that possible?”
“Then what’s the problem? If I know the saint, she is a merciful and good person and would not dwell on misunderstandings caused by her own letters.”
The priests retreated hesitantly, and the nobles around them could be heard whispering.
“It is true that the saint formally apologized here. I was skeptical…”
“That’s right. Even if she made a mistake, the reason she makes so many mistakes is because she lacks the qualities to be a saint…”
‘Hmm. My victory.’
* * *
“Duchess Blanchett.”
The priest secretly called her to the temple garden.
“She says she has something to say to the Duchess in a moment before she goes before the people.”
She left the crowded chapel and headed to the garden where Stella was waiting. It was near a small lake behind the temple garden. Stella, who was looking at the lake, saw her and put her hands together.
“Ah, Duchess Blanchett. You’re here.”
Then Stella smiled faintly.
“I had no idea that the Duchess would misunderstand my letter so much. I’m not familiar with the etiquette of nobles, so I guess I wrote it to mislead people.”
“Oh my, did I misunderstand something else?”
“Yes, I was a bit embarrassed because many nobles came contrary to my intentions.”
She smiled sweetly at Stella.
“Well, what should I do because I’m sorry?”
“It’s okay. It was my fault for writing the wrong letter.”
Stella smiled mysteriously and pointed to a corner of the garden.
“Do you mind if I show you around the temple garden for a moment?”
“Sure.”
The temple’s garden was modest, unlike the Blanchett family’s garden, which revealed the dignity of an aristocratic family. But it gave off a more honest and innocent atmosphere.
“This is the garden where I first saw John. I am glad that I can now introduce it to the Duchess.”
“What?”
She opened her eyes wide, wondering what she had just heard. The saintess opened her eyes wide as if she was surprised.
“Oh my goodness. I accidentally changed John’s name…”
Rattle-
“I am truly sorry if I offended the Duchess.”
‘Huh?’
There was a strange rattling sound near the sleeve of the saintly robe.
At that time, the saint stumbled on a stone near her and fell. Her delicate arms touched the floor, and the hem of her pure white skirt was stained with dust.
“Ah, saint!”
She heard people coming from behind as if they were waiting.
“Duchess Blanchett, this is…”
Stella cried in a pitiful position and stretched out her hand to her. As soon as she grabbed the hem of her dress she felt a sick feeling in her throat.
‘Why all of a sudden?’
Last time they held hands, this had never happened before.
“Saint, I, Cough!”
She fainted, coughing up blood from the corner of her mouth. She heard the saint and the people running towards her call out to her in astonishment.
* * *
Inside the chapel.
Viscount Albert waited boredom for the Saint and Duchess Blanchett.
‘When are you going to apologize for misunderstanding?’
At that time, one of the nobles who followed the fast-moving priests hurried into the chapel.
“Everyone is in big trouble right now. The saint may have harmed Duchess Blanchett just now.”
“What?! What is that-”
“The duchess, who was alone with the saint, suddenly vomited blood!”
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Translator Note:
Hello there! This is RJR. I hope you liked it <3
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