Chapter 76
76
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Even as the King saw Rosa's sulky expression, he turned to Dakota with a smile plastered all over his face.
"Would you excuse us for a moment?"
Dakota barely managed to hide his delighted expression as he left the room.
As soon as Rosa was left alone with the King, a surge of sorrow seemed to well up within her.
When Rosa's eyes turned red, the King reached out and gently cupped his daughter's cheek.
"You've been very upset lately, haven't you, my dear?"
"Hic..."
She burst into tears immediately.
The King hugged his eldest daughter and patted her back.
"But don't worry, my dear. God has surely prepared something for you."
Rosa blinked her tearful eyes.
It was because she remembered what Joy had said to her once.
"God is preparing something for Your Highness."
Rosa asked, sobbing.
"Has... Has God already chosen Lilin? Will He give me... Will He give me something too?"
"Of course, my daughter."
There was not a hint of hesitation in the King's voice as he answered, so Rosa once again recalled Joy's voice.
"Your Highness will receive Foresight."
Then she thought about Joy.
An child with such great Divinity that she could aim for the position of High Priest of Earth in the future, an child who had sprouted before her eyes, unlike other priests who did not show any special abilities.
If that child could recognize her Divinity, perhaps...
'Wouldn't Mother recognize it too?'
So, with a trembling heart, Rosa opened her lips.
"But Ea promised Lilin a very great power, didn't she?"
"Yes, that's right."
"But you'll give it to me too... You'll give it to me too?"
The King did not doubt that Rosa was the owner of the Foresight that the High Priest of Earth had spoken of, but the problem was that he could not know the timing of its manifestation.
'Unlike the Divination with a set date, she will wait anxiously for her Divinity, day after day...'
As the Sacred King himself, he could imagine that heartbreaking wait.
But it was also difficult to ignore his young daughter, who would be tormented by comparing herself to her sister.
'The wound will be deep...'
In the end, the King cautiously uttered ambiguous words that he would not normally have said.
"But not all Sacred Kings of Ruelle received their abilities from Ea, did they?"
Since the Princess was young anyway, he thought it would be difficult for her to grasp the hidden meaning in that.
He was about to turn the conversation around at that point, but at that moment, he met Rosa's eyes.
Rosa stopped crying and looked straight up at King Oblin.
"Actually... Actually, I had a dream."
"...What?"
No matter how bold she was, she had only just celebrated her seventh birthday.
Rosa's lips trembled as she imitated Divination, believing the words of a child from the servants.
"Terra is going to give me Foresight."
So that her daring courage would not be in vain, the King asked with trembling lips.
"Did Terra come to you too? Did she speak to you directly?"
Rosa couldn't help but smile.
Because the King had clearly said, "To you too?"
"Did Terra come to you too?"
The Earth God Terra had never come to her, but she might have already given Divination to the King or someone else.
Rosa carefully answered so that the lie would not grow uncontrollably.
"I don't know who it was. But I heard a voice. A voice saying that Terra would give me Foresight..."
"Thank you, Terra..."
Rosa knew because the King was so happy that he didn't ask or question her any further.
'Joy was right...'
She would really gain Foresight.
Ruelle would gain a Seer for the first time in centuries.
It was on a different level from the current King's and the previous King's insignificant Healing Power.
'I will have the continent at my feet...!'
When that time comes...
When that time comes.
'Hestia, who became my servant with a one-day Divination, the Magical creature that should have been mine, the love of the people... You who took everything away...!'
I'll crush you first, you who acted so high and mighty just because you gained a trivial ability a little earlier.
'Lilin Rostel La Perca.'
Rosa smiled with tearful eyes as she thought of her sister's name.
She, who had only ever lagged behind her sister since birth, was finally on the verge of her first victory.
* * *
Three days since Kashian came to the royal castle.
I was somewhat impressed by his attitude in front of my parents.
"In my opinion, the Princess's Divinity is already too deep and strong, but what do you think, Baha High Priest?"
For a guy who would say "Hey" as soon as he opened his mouth, wasn't he really polite?
'Is it just politeness...?'
Even the content of his words made my parents extremely happy, so my father soon answered with a beaming face.
"I feel it sometimes too. The Princess has Nigel's Sacred object, 'Tears of Baha', and when it touches the Princess's skin, it sometimes creates a wave of Divinity."
"Really?"
I didn't know about it, so I interrupted and asked, and my father smiled.
"It's a subtle wave, so you won't be able to feel it yet. It's easy for me to grasp because the Sacred object is Nigel's."
It was really fortunate that the previous fake Sacred object incident was resolved so easily.
'I'm glad I revealed the secret to Father back then...'
As I recalled the past and felt relieved, Kashian chimed in.
"That's right, Baha High Priest. Indeed, I could clearly see that wave as well."
"Indeed."
As my father nodded, Yan added.
"Yes, it's even more so in the morning when Your Highness has had enough rest."
"You already know that much about the Princess?"
My father seemed very pleased, so it must have been easy for Yan to speak up.
"Baha High Priest. Your Highness's Divinity is already sufficient to perform the ritual. The ritual can be performed as early as today, so I was wondering if I could offer more practical help instead."
This time, my mother asked.
"What do you mean by practical help?"
"Your Majesty."
Yan turned to my mother and answered.
"I heard that Your Highness's Healing Power for external wounds has already been tested several times. There's no reason to waste limited Divinity by repeating the same thing, so let's practice healing internal injuries right away."
At that moment, my mother's eyebrows twitched.
"Healing internal injuries?"
Yan nodded and answered.
"Yes, Your Majesty. It would be good to save a sick animal and practice manipulating Divinity."
I chimed in to help Yan.
"I once stopped Gabriella's cough, but I'm afraid to suddenly test my Healing Power on someone I don't know. I'm also afraid that bringing a sick person into the royal castle will spread the disease."
"So, you want to practice with animals?"
I nodded as if I had discussed and decided with Yan in advance.
"A sick animal..."
My mother slowly repeated Yan's words, then began to speak.
"Priest Cassian, to be honest, my Healing Power is weak. I get physically exhausted just by using it once or twice a month when I absolutely need it."
Yan was clever enough to listen quietly without interrupting my mother's words.
"So, wouldn't there be a limit to the Princess's Divinity as well? But I don't really like the idea of testing it on animals..."
"As I said earlier, if it's in the morning when Your Highness has had enough rest."
Everyone's surprised gaze turned to Kashian because he dared to contradict the King's words.
'Don't go overboard...'
Even as I lamented alone, Yan's voice continued.
"Your Highness will save one sick animal every morning. If you continue to train, you will save one person each in the future. Among them will be Your Majesty's servants, Your Majesty's knights, Your Majesty's family and friends."
I thought our plan to bring forward the ritual would fail as my mother got angry.
Unexpectedly, my mother burst into laughter.
"You're a young priest, so your spirit is great."
Yan was still confident, whether he knew his mistake or not, but fortunately, my mother did not show any displeasure.
"But I am also pleased that you already respect and expect so much from my daughter. So, will you promise to make what you said now a reality, to do your best?"
Yan simply answered resolutely.
"God has already promised, so I dare not add any more words."
This time, my father burst into laughter and said.
"I'll save an animal. It's better to start small, right?"
"That's right, Baha High Priest."
As my father nodded, Yan winked at me.
Of course, we had a different purpose in mind.
"Mom, but you know."
My mother turned to me with a face still full of laughter.
"Yes?"
"The priest also said that I can perform the ritual right now."
"Rostel, that's..."
Just as Yan had been acting as he pleased since entering this room, I decided to do the same.
"When I can perform the ritual without cutting myself."
In other words, I would heal any unspecified patient.
"Move up the ritual. I can't wait until spring. Even at this moment, someone may need my help, right?"
"But..."
My mother probably wanted to postpone this ritual as much as possible for Rosa's sake.
'But she can't say that in front of the priest.'
In the end, my mother answered.
"Let's think about it a little more... and talk about it again next time."