Chapter 30
- A Terrible Irony
January 30, 2024
"High Priest!"
The Clerics who were listening from behind were surprised by Dietrich Lester's sudden confession and tried to stop him.
The embarrassment was all on the other Clerics.
Of course, it was true that the maid sitting on the bed had outstanding beauty.
But they had the dignity of a Cleric to maintain!
"I, I've seen so many women... b-but you're like a god-given a-angel..."
The High Priest, somewhat lacking in perception, had no idea what Shed's expression was like behind him.
But at that clumsy reaction, Liana relaxed slightly.
'He didn't notice the Black Magic...?'
What was reflected on his face was a shockingly pure and honest admiration.
Dietrich's eyes didn't have the thick, sticky emotions that Godwin Baron had shown.
"T-the Duke has such a b-beautiful woman as a maid..."
"High Priest Dietrich Lester."
Then, a chilling voice cut off the conversation.
At the cold voice that called his name with his title, Dietrich raised his head sharply and turned to Shed.
"I asked for treatment."
Shed's face was more grim than usual.
The smile that had bloomed on Dietrich's lips faded at the chilling gaze.
"Ah, a-ah. Yes...!"
Dietrich hurriedly pushed up the glasses that had slipped down his nose and held out his hand to Liana.
"C-can I hold your h-hand?"
At Dietrich's request, Liana was startled and looked up.
"I-it's for an accurate examination. N-not for any other reason..."
Dietrich added a word when Liana hesitated.
"I'm really okay. I'm much better..."
Liana retreated as far back as she could, forcing a smile.
But.
"Didn't you have a high fever even in the early hours of yesterday?"
Shed looked down at her with his arms crossed.
He knew Liana's condition.
Shed's cold gaze dragged her to the stand.
Liana felt as if she was trapped in a perfect iron cage made by the people around her.
There was nowhere to run.
In the end, she quietly placed her trembling hand on Dietrich's hand, like a beast being dragged to the slaughterhouse.
'Please...'
The High Priest's hand felt as hot as a blazing flame that would burn her.
Strong Divine Power flowed into her body.
Instantly, the Divine Power collided with the Black Magic and twisted.
A nausea that made her feel like she would vomit surged up.
Pain spread along the path where the Divine Power passed, as if a sharp plow was scraping her flesh.
The Black Magic and Divine Power collided, and it felt like she would explode from the inside at any moment.
Liana bit her lip and endured.
"Hmm, that's strange..."
Dietrich's eyebrows furrowed as he examined Liana.
Shed, who was watching him, took a step closer and asked.
"Strange?"
"I-I can feel Black Magic..."
Her heart sank.
Cold sweat that she couldn't hold back dripped onto the back of her hand.
As expected, there was no way to hide it.
There was no way to hide Black Magic in front of a Cleric...
"The Heretic attacked with Black Magic, so could it be the aftereffect of that?"
Then, one of the Clerics interjected.
Dietrich's eyes rolled around in the air before stopping on Liana again.
Liana tried to compose her pale face.
She felt like her consciousness would snap at any moment if she relaxed even a little.
Then Dietrich slowly let go of her hand.
The pain that had overwhelmed her disappeared in an instant, and she could breathe.
Liana breathed heavily, trying not to overdo it, and calmed her burning insides.
"Umm, th-that might be it."
Dietrich nodded, stroking his chin with a serious expression.
"Y-your name is... Liana, was it?"
At Dietrich's question, Liana raised her blurry eyes.
She nodded, afraid that her trembling voice would be heard if she opened her lips.
Dietrich turned his head and looked at Shed.
"I-I don't think I can c-cure the wounds caused by Black Magic with my Divine Power."
"You can't cure it?"
At the High Priest's bold declaration, Shed, who had been watching from behind, slowly unfolded his arms.
At that slow movement, the Cleric next to him flinched and took a step back.
The atmosphere was unusual.
"It seems that all the Clerics are just flashy on the outside and have nothing on the inside."
Shed muttered lowly through gritted teeth.
It was a small voice, but it was clear as if he wanted them to hear.
At that, one of the Clerics couldn't stand it and stepped forward.
"Duke Lester. Watch your words."
No matter how great the power of the Duke's family was, the High Priest was not in a position to be treated like this.
Besides, Ideana was in desperate need of the Clerics' help right now.
Then the Duke glared at the Cleric.
As if the chilling gaze was pushing him away, the Cleric flinched and took about half a step back.
"I'm carefully choosing my words, but should I be more polite to those who can't even help?"
The Cleric realized that he had stepped forward recklessly, and he closed his mouth. If he added more words, it felt like his head would be cut off.
"Since you seem to be very incompetent here, I hope you will show your competence elsewhere."
Shed threw his gaze towards the door as if telling the Clerics to leave.
Dietrich looked at Shed's expression and then turned his eyes to Liana.
Liana maintained a calm face while enduring the internal injuries caused by the strong Divine Power.
"I-I heard that the Heretic came to see Liana... W-what did the Heretic say when he came?"
As if he was afraid that Shed would chase him away, Dietrich adjusted his glasses and spat out words faster than usual.
Liana swallowed dry saliva over her sore throat and parted her lips.
"I don't remember..."
It was a clumsy excuse. But there were no other excuses.
"Y-you don't remember?"
"That day, I wasn't feeling well... I knew someone was there, but I wasn't in a state where I could have a conversation."
Liana barely uttered her voice, suppressing the pain that had accumulated inside.
Then the doctor who had accompanied her nodded.
"Of course, that would have been the case. It probably would have been difficult to even accurately identify who the other person was."
In fact, her condition was so bad that it was a miracle that she had woken up.
Besides, when the Heretic came, hadn't she just woken up from a coma of several days?
It was impossible to have a normal conversation with a body that had suffered a high fever and serious injuries.
"I-I see..."
"High Priest Dietrich."
Then Shed called the High Priest's name as if urging him.
Dietrich sighed deeply at Shed, who was calling him as if threatening him, and nodded.
"A-alright... Let's look into s-something else. Well, may God be with you."
Dietrich shrugged his shoulders and hurried out of the room with the Clerics.
Shed watched them leave and then turned his eyes to Liana.
Liana lowered her eyes, feeling guilty towards him, and closed her mouth tightly.
"......"
After staring at her for a moment, he immediately turned and left the room.
When everyone who had followed the Duke left, Liana was left alone in the room.
"Cough, cough...!"
Only then did Liana hurriedly grab the handkerchief next to her, cover her mouth, and cough.
Bright red clots of blood splattered with the cough, soaking the handkerchief.
She curled up her trembling body and breathed shallowly.
The lungs that had been torn apart by the Divine Power ached as if they had been torn to shreds.
It felt like she was swallowing knives and needles every time she breathed.
She covered her mouth with a handkerchief to prevent the sound of coughing from being heard outside and spat out blood several times.
Until the white handkerchief was soaked red, she was alone.
As always.
She was moved to a small room next to Shed's bedroom.
After that, the nightmares she had forgotten continued to visit and torment her at night.
It felt like her father would open the door at any moment and stab her in the chest with a knife.
It also felt like the hands of the dead were reaching out from the floor to grab her and drag her to hell.
But she didn't cry.
There were not enough tears to be swayed by nightmares or old memories.
Liana just stayed up all night with her eyes open, waiting to adapt to the scent of her hometown that filled her body.
The funny thing was that she didn't hate the painful scent of her hometown.
Even though she had experienced such terrible things, she felt a deep nostalgia for this landscape.
It was a strange thing even for her to think.
The warm sunlight of her hometown that came through the window, the flower buds of the lemon tree that were already budding, the birdsong that she had been familiar with since childhood, the soft breeze unique to this place that she felt on her skin.
Even the orange roof seen beyond the collapsed white wall was heartbreakingly beautiful.
Perhaps the curse placed on her was not just Black Magic.
She hated the things she loved, and she loved the things she hated.
She feared and pitied Ideana, and she wanted to run away and stay at the same time.
It was a terrible irony.
"Liana! Are you feeling a little better today?"
Then a highly excited voice woke her up.
When she turned her head, the maid who had brought the meal was opening the door and coming in.
The maid Zanette, who had red hair, was in charge of Liana's meals and small errands since she came here.
"It must be so hard and uncomfortable. You can't even get up and you're stuck in bed like this!"
Zanette said in a sweet voice, placing the tray on the bed table.
The excessively loud voice echoed in her head, which was throbbing with a headache.
Liana looked at the maid who was making a fuss and smiling.
Exaggerated and brazen eyes. A cold attitude compared to her tone.
Liana knew this type of person well.
'It means that we are also having a hard time and are uncomfortable because of you. It must be nice to be in bed all the time...'
Liana was clearly being hated.
