Chapter 52
52
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Two weeks prior, Temple of Shamash.
"Are you saying there are no special records left? Even though red birds appear in so many murals and icons?"
Nigel Grand Duke asked Shamash High Priest as if he couldn't believe it.
Shamash High Priest smiled with red eyes that resembled the royal family.
"You know that our Temple of Shamash suffered the most damage during the Twins War."
"...So, there are so few historical materials left?"
"This is quite embarrassing."
The Grand Duke, frustrated by the High Priest's attitude of simply trying to laugh it off, added,
"Shamash High Priest. A red bird that looks exactly like the one in those images has appeared in the royal palace. That bird is constantly following the young Princess around."
Then, Shamash High Priest's red eyes widened slightly.
"Why don't you bring the bird here sometime?"
The Grand Duke shook his head.
"The bird expresses its intentions by nodding or shaking its head. But when I asked if it would come here with me, it said no."
"Hahaha," Shamash High Priest burst into a somewhat exaggerated laugh.
"Even if it's not a bird of Shamash, that's quite remarkable. Please treat it well, Your Highness."
In the end, the Grand Duke had to rummage through the archives alone, searching for any possible records.
But as Shamash High Priest had said, there was nothing.
'The pictures of the red bird here are just the ones I've seen in books countless times...'
On the day he left for Nigel without any results, Priest of Derato came out to see him off, bowing his head like a sinner.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of help, Baha High Priest."
"Why should you be sorry? I'm the one who's more sorry. I didn't realize the Temple of Shamash had lost so much."
But the Grand Duke knew what Derato was apologizing for.
'He must be thinking that if his eyesight had been normal and he had seen Yan himself, he could have been of some small help.'
The acolyte he had brought happened to be the least experienced and youngest in the Temple, so he was of no help either.
Despite repeated refusals, Derato apologized again.
"I am truly sorry, Baha High Priest."
"Don't mention it."
The Grand Duke stopped Derato like that and got into the carriage.
Then, he looked at the Celestial Steeds with a fresh perspective.
'The Baha Temple has so many records of the day Baha sent down the Celestial Steeds...'
It was truly a shame.
* * *
"So, we can't come to a definite conclusion about Yan?"
It was the day he returned after going through Troyne and Nigel.
The Grand Duke sighed softly at the King's question.
"It is true that Sun God Shamash raised red birds, and their appearance is similar to Yan. However, detailed records about it were lost long ago."
"Oh dear... I made you take a fruitless trip with your busy schedule."
The Grand Duke gently took King Oblin's hand.
"A fruitless trip? How could anything done for our daughter be in vain? Shamash High Priest welcomed me very warmly as well."
Then, he comforted his wife, who looked disappointed, for a long time.
"You should have seen Yan getting along with Ibiza. Our daughter is the one Yan is so attached to."
Even though the Grand Duke was probably the most disappointed to return empty-handed.
Then, the Grand Duke suddenly asked,
"By the way, was it Chelsea Morello? The Princess's maid today."
King Oblin nodded without much thought, but was startled by her husband's next words.
"I don't like her. Is there no one else to replace her?"
Although she was the Princess's maid, she was an employee of the royal palace.
The Grand Duke had never expressed his opinion on the affairs of the royal palace like this before.
'He only barely participates in the major and minor royal events that he must attend as the King's consort.'
King Oblin tried to hide her bewildered expression as she asked,
"Did Chelsea... make a mistake with you? Or did she do something wrong to the Princess...?"
But the Grand Duke's answer was quite firm.
"It's only a suspicion for now, but yes. If there is no suitable person among your people to replace her, I will ask Chessware Countess to stay in Ruelle."
That would not do.
Chelsea and Beatrice were the ones the King had carefully selected and placed in those positions.
They were women who had been well-educated in decent families, but they were not from great noble families like Count Chessware.
'They must be people whose families cannot object even if they are dismissed overnight.'
Oblin knew very well how much the Grand Duke, the King of a country, gave up and stayed by her side.
But she was the Sacred King of Ruelle before she was the Grand Duke's wife.
'Nothing is more important to the Sacred King than Divination.'
In other words, protecting her daughters' secrets was more important to her than anything else in the world.
King Oblin looked at her husband with a painted smile.
"Chessware Countess must have work to do in Nigel, so that won't do. If you dislike her that much, I will call someone else."
The Grand Duke replied gently.
"Thank you."
"But will you tell me what Chelsea's fault is?"
So now it was her turn to press him and find out what Chelsea had done wrong.
But King Oblin, who had asked confidently, closed her mouth tightly at his answer.
"The possible charges against Chelsea Morello are embezzlement of royal property, contempt of royalty, and blasphemy."
This time, there was no time to hide her embarrassment.
Because her husband, the High Priest, would not casually mention 'blasphemy'.
'If she is guilty of even one of those three, Chelsea will be subject to deportation.'
The relaxed face of the King hardened.
"What... what did Chelsea do?"
* * *
The same night.
Chelsea Morello's steps were light as she left the palace.
'Your Highness has become so gentle these days.'
The young Princess's temperament was so great that the King had to have two maids, but children eventually come to their senses.
'I'm glad I held on until now...!'
She was delighted by the changed attitude of the Princess when she boarded the carriage to leave the palace.
There was a figure in the dark carriage, and Chelsea was so surprised that she almost fainted.
"H-huh...!"
But soon, a familiar voice rang out.
"Chelsea."
Barely managing to recover from her shock, she looked up, and in the faint light seeping through the carriage window, she saw a face she knew well.
"...Y-Your Majesty?"
She couldn't read the King's expression because of the darkness.
Instead of answering, the King handed her a heavy pouch.
"There will be an incident in the royal palace. I'm sorry, but I can't protect you from it. There is someone else I must protect. Can you understand?"
Understand? An incident?
Chelsea couldn't even grasp what the King was saying.
'But...'
The other party was the King.
No matter what she answered, the situation would not change.
When Chelsea barely nodded, the King continued.
"Take this carriage and go home, pack a few simple belongings, and leave immediately. The coachman will take you to Bikrin. Next, go to the port and look for a ship called 'Marioloy'. Tell the captain, and he will take you to the place where you will live."
It was like a bolt from the blue.
'What did I do wrong? Did Princess Your Highness say she didn't like me?'
Chelsea didn't know anything, so she didn't even know what to ask.
A gloved hand gently held her trembling shoulder.
"Thank you for taking care of my baby all this time, Chelsea. I've put in several years' worth of living expenses to help you settle in your new home. So, don't return to the capital for at least three years."
The King left the carriage abruptly, leaving behind a pouch full of silver coins.
'I'm sorry, Chelsea.'
But King Oblin had prepared everything so that she could be ready for such an event at any time.
A place to send employees when the twins' secret was discovered or at risk of being discovered, the necessary preparations, and even the personnel to immediately fill the vacancies.
'The Princess doesn't wear the Sacred Bracelet on the days Chelsea works... On the days Chelsea works, the bracelet the Princess wears is a fake, and no Divinity can be felt.'
That was Chelsea's crime, according to the Grand Duke.
'There's no way Chelsea knew about something even I didn't know.'
But there are many people in this world who want to touch the Sacred object even once, and her husband mistook Chelsea for one of them.
'But if I can make it look like Chelsea was the culprit...'
Then she can protect her daughters.
She can protect the secret of Divination.
The reason why the fake bracelet exists without her knowledge...
'Gabriella or Icarus must know.'
In the dark night, the King's steps to the main palace were hurried.