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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: The Duke's Growing Suspicion
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‘Are you... kicking me out?’
Unaware of Rima's inner turmoil, Kalarop continued speaking.
“Of course, I'll keep taking responsibility for your food, clothing, shelter, and education. But it might be good for you to earn your own pocket money.”
“That sounds fun!”
Rubens stretched both arms high toward the sky, brimming with enthusiasm.
“What do I need to do?”
“I'll let the servants know in advance, so just help them with their tasks. Pull weeds or assist with cleaning.”
With those words wrapping up his preparations at an easy level, Kalarop sent the children out of the study.
“Ah.”
Kalarop grabbed Rima.
“About what you mentioned back then.”
“Yes?”
“Behind the frame.”
“...Ah! Oh, yes!”
Rima hurriedly straightened her posture.
“D-Did you find it? There was evidence, right?”
“...Yes.”
Kalarop's eyebrow twitched faintly.
But Rima, oblivious to it, patted her chest in relief.
“What a relief...”
“I called you back to tell you that. You can go now.”
“......”
“Is there something else you want to say?”
“Ah, no...!”
Rima bowed her head deeply and hurriedly left the study.
Confirming the door was firmly closed, Kalarop returned to his documents. But something nagged at him, so he looked up again.
The firmly shut door.
The little girl who had been standing there just moments ago.
“D-Did you find it? There was evidence, right?”
Her eyes full of anticipation, her complexion healthier.
Cheeks a bit fuller, pink hair even more vibrant.
That wasn't what bothered him.
“Gonjya-nim. Ige meo-yo...?”
“Teo, teongjang?”
Her pronunciation.
“D-Did you find it? There was evidence, right?”
“What a relief...”
“Ah, no...!”
Her previously slurred speech had become perfectly clear the moment she brought up the frame.
‘Was it easier to pronounce short, simple words?’
The uneasy feeling wouldn't easily fade.
But Kalarop decided to set it aside for now.
She was just a child he'd brought in for sponsorship, after all.
‘It's my responsibility until she becomes an adult. It's not right to form prejudices based on needless speculation.’
Steeling himself like that, he scanned the documents again.
But just then, Muniel's note popped into his mind unbidden, keeping his wariness on edge.
Leaving the study, Rima stared blankly at the paybook in her hand.
The back of her head throbbed.
As if someone had whacked her with a club out of nowhere.
‘...Is he insane?’
Me? Work?
Labor?
‘Doesn't he still suspect I might be his daughter? Anyone can see I inherited my mom's pink hair!’
Growing anxious, Rima fiddled with her hair.
Her beautiful pink locks were inherited from the duke's late wife.
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got.
‘He should be handing me jewels or land deeds right now, and it still wouldn't be enough!’
Pocket money like some kids' game.
And she had to help the servants, with it all logged in a notebook to get paid.
‘I'm the lost daughter of Duke Degladis! Me doing manual labor? That's for servants!’
The daughter of a duke doesn't earn money like this.
‘Finding talent to work in my place! That's the only labor I should do!’
Exploited child prodigies.
Or jewelers in need of money for a sick family member.
Spot them, bestow your favor, and the labor's done.
The rest? Her handsome, capable dad and brothers, plus the male lead and his minions utterly devoted to her, would handle it.
‘All I have to do is enjoy sweet snacks and fragrant tea while waiting! Worrying a few times in between!’
Her unrelenting anger bubbling up in huffs, Rima's ears caught laughter.
Turning toward the sound, she saw Al and Rubens.
Rubens chattered excitedly, face flushed.
“It feels just like being a grown-up! Right, brother?”
“Yeah. It's pretty refreshing.”
Al hid that he'd recommended this, pretending he knew nothing.
“I think it's a good idea. We don't know how important or tough labor is. It'll be a valuable experience.”
“Ooooh! Brother, that's so cool!”
“You're cool too, Rubens.”
Anyone could see they were close brothers.
A heartwarming sight, but to Rima, it was unsettling and dangerous.
‘Why aren't they fighting?’
Why were they getting along so well?
Rima had never seen the brothers fight even once.
At most, Rubens whining for playtime, which Al indulging resolved quickly.
‘This is weird. According to what I wrote, they should be shoving swords and magic at each other to decide who eats snacks with me first...’
Ah!
Her face paling, Rima bolted down the corridor.
“...Wow, she's fast.”
Rubens admired Rima dashing past them.
“Guess she's healthy now.”
“Yeah.”
Al smiled faintly.
“From what I heard earlier, her tongue seems fully healed too.”
“You think so too, brother?”
Rubens pointed at himself, saying he'd noticed too.
“Her pronunciation was super clear just now. Must be the money.”
“Money?”
“Grandma Muniel said it before. Money's a cure-all. Most things can be solved with it.”
“Haha, true.”
Al glanced in the direction Rima had run, a meaningful smile on his lips.
“Must've been quite the materialistic ailment.”
Back in the guest room, Rima rummaged through the bookshelf. She pulled out the bundle of papers hidden behind the books, where she'd jotted down the novel's settings.
‘I wasn't worried since it's still early in the story...’
Her fingers quickly scanned what she'd written.
“...This!”
Her finger finally stopped.
“Right! This! Magic addiction!”
The Degladis family were the heroes who led victory in the war 40 years ago, but suffered the horrific side effect of magic addiction.
And it passed down through their blood to their children.
Those afflicted with magic addiction in the Degladis family were always angry, quick to excitement, and lost their morality.
‘Magic addiction is something I, the saintess, can cure. In fact, I'm a saintess whose holy power is sealed.’
The sealed holy power in Rima's body purifies the magic, clearing their minds. Sensing it subconsciously, the Degladis people become obsessed with Rima.
“But why...”
A crushed voice leaked from Rima's lips as she glared piercingly at the settings.
“Why are they so... peaceful?”
Word spread that the saintess would hold a weekend morning mass for the first time in ages. People flocked to the capital from across the empire.
Wearing white-and-black mass veils on their heads and clutching worn rosaries from childhood, they offered prayers.
“Everyone.”
Muniel, dressed in her white sacred robes after so long, began her blessing-filled sermon to the packed temple.
“Please, do not come to weekend morning service so early.”
The faithful, awaiting the saintess's words, thought they'd misheard.
“The great god in heaven blesses your health and sleep-ins, so do not drag this old saintess out on weekend mornings.”
I'm getting on in years now, not like I used to be.
But those temple priests won't even bring a chair.
My back aches, joints throbbing everywhere.
I shouldn't have flying-kicked the late emperor's head 40 years ago.
“......”
“......”
The congregation's faces gradually stiffened.
“Cough...”
Amid it all, snoring came from somewhere.
“Look over there.”
Muniel pointed sadly at a spot with a regretful expression.
“That poor child, dragged here early just to hear a saintess's words, is suffering like that.”
“Nng...”
Nibelria, asleep in Kaleo's arms, whimpered.
The mass veil on her head had long become a blanket, drool trickling from her slightly parted little lips.
“Listening to my sermons won't get you into heaven. Nor will it absolve your sins.”
The saintess made the sign of the cross, clasping her wrinkled hands.
“Look around you and practice consideration and yielding. That's the shortcut to heaven. Especially those smoking on the streets—they're straight to hell, and I won't let them rest even after I die.”
And so the saintess's mass concluded.
Leaving the temple, Kaleo let out a held-back sigh.
Nibelria still slept peacefully in his arms.
“I think it every time, but why is Mother a saintess?”
“I think it's great.”
Seletrina gazed at the long line stretching out.
Muniel's unconventional sermon was shocking, but she didn't neglect her duties.
“You've come a long way. From now on, pray at your local temple and practice that devotion as love for your neighbors. That's a guaranteed ticket to heaven.”
“Are your knees alright? I'm getting older too, so I understand and empathize more now.”
“Oh dear, you came without breakfast? Make sure to eat properly from now on. If your parents drag you to the temple, run away properly.”
Muniel placed her hands on the heads of the far-traveling faithful, bestowing blessings.
Meeting each one's eyes, listening to their stories, offering words just for them.
“Thanks to you, ma'am, the temple doesn't wield power under the guise of faith anymore, and the imperial family no longer has to watch the temple, so they focus more on the people's livelihood.”
Good is good, Seletrina said with a bright smile.
