Chapter 88. A Saint who was Adopted by the Grand Duke
Updated: Mar 3
“This is insane. Should I go and split them now?”
Esther seemed truly delighted, which caused his hesitation.
Everything was content and merry after Esther’s arrival, but seeing this caused clouds of gloominess to surround Judy.
Tree bark piled up on the floor as he scratched the poor tree.
“That 7th Prince must have seduced our innocent Esther. Esther is possessed right now.”
Judy unleashed his anger by kicking a stone that stumbled upon his feet.
The tactful Victor heeded the sound and glanced around to find none other than his master, Judy.
Shocked at his young master’s appearance, Victor tried to inform Esther, but in the end, Judy’s motioning with his finger slashing through his neck was enough to dissuade the poor knight.
Dinner time, the same day.
Today, the family gathered to enjoy a meal. It had been a while since Darwin had returned early, so here he was.
“Thank you for the food.”
Esther thoroughly enjoyed her favorite meat, held a knife and made eye contact with Judy.
Judy was staring at Esther meaningfully. He didn’t even touch his plate.
“…?”
Esther wasn't the only one who sensed the unusual atmosphere. Darwin, who took a sip from his glass to lighten his appetite, frowned and spoke to Judy.
“Judy, what's wrong?”
“It’s nothing. I was just thinking about something.”
Judy turned his eyes from Esther to Darwin and dismissed their speculations as nothing.
“But father. Wasn't there a prince who fell ill and was evicted a few years ago?”
Silence flowed the table as Noah appeared in their conversation.
In particular, Esther, who had just met Noah earlier today, nervously gulped down her glass of water.
“Yes. There was an unfortunate prince under the curse of God.”
“Where is the prince now?”
“Well. Why are you suddenly so curious?”
Darwin’s gaze towards Judy sharpened.
Judy brooded over Darwin’s penetrating stare before he eventually sighed and confessed the truth.
“Esther. First of all, I'm sorry. I followed you today.”
Esther hardened as she understood the meaning of his words.
Dennis focused on Judy's words, still working to figure out the current situation.
“Esther left the mansion during the day, and I secretly followed her. The thing is, she met the prince I just mentioned.”
Judy clenched his teeth as Noah's face resurfaced; the bastard who continued touching Esther.
“I think the Prince has bad intentions for Esther. He fell ill and was kicked out of the Imperial Palace, but to meet our Esther? It’s suspicious, right?”
This was the scenario Judy reasoned with after what seemed like hours of thought.
The Prince, who lost authority due to illness, approaches Esther, the daughter of the Grand Duke, and seeks a comeback.
It was a rational logic anyone was bound to think had they not known Noah.
However, Darwin, a person aware that Noah was currently seeking the throne, was more baffled than dubious. He asked Esther,
“Have you truly met the prince?”
“Yes. I met him.”
As Esther noticed something was off with the situation and answered in a crawling voice, Dennis sided with her.
“Don't push her too hard. Esther is surprised.”
TN: Yess, I’m very happy that Dennis stood up for her. They need to calm down a bit and give her a chance to speak for herself <3
In the meantime, he poured water into Esther’s empty cup.
“It’s not that I am angry or disappointed. I was just surprised. So tell me what happened yourself.”
As Esther listened to Darwin’s lowered voice, she also chose to respond honestly.
“I met him at Sebastian's party yesterday. It's been a while since he’s returned, so we spent time with each other today.”
There was no fault except for the fact that they met without asking for permission.
However, the fact that Esther met with a man, Prince Noah at that, was a big complication in Darwin’s book.
“I didn't know you were close enough to meet separately.”
“He is the first friend I've ever made. We share many similarities, so that helped build our close relationship.”
Esther defended Noah with as much excuse as she could muster to overcome the situation.
However, it was not an issue that could be overlooked very lightly.
‘He didn't approach my daughter intentionally, did he?’
As Darwin put strength into his fingers, the iron fork bent very slightly.
Knowing that Noah aimed for the Crown Prince position was more than enough to be wary.
Like Damon, Noah could use Esther politically as much as he desired.
Even more, because he wasn’t aware of Noah’s prevailing agenda, he needed to protect Esther from getting hurt.
“It would be better to keep a distance from the prince in the future.”
“…Yes.”
Darwin always put Esther's opinion before anything, but he didn't even ask this time.
Esther wanted to say more, but she calmly accepted his words. She didn’t wish to go against Darwin’s words.
“I had no idea Esther was close to Prince Noah. You should have at least given me a hint.”
Dennis also added a comment. He seemed saddened Esther hadn’t told him anything of this.
Maybe Esther was not aware, but the three's overprotectiveness for her was immense.
A precious daughter and sister that they couldn’t take their eyes from.
Despite the fact that they lived together for only over a year, the three could never hand her to someone else.
Noah's thorny path was more than likely to be expected in the future.
“If the Prince wants to see you again in the future, I’ll go with you. I'll teach him.”
Judy was more than fulfilled as he openly bore hostility towards Noah. He thought Darwin’s words were very appropriate.
After tha, Esther barely managed to finish her meal. Although she didn’t recall whether the food entered her nose or mouth.
She refused to eat dessert and returned to her room. She sat on her bed on the verge of tears.
“Everyone must have misunderstood Noah.”
Esther had never doubted Noah's intention because during their encounter at the sanctuary, he was in a position that required her help.
Although it was understandable that her father and older brothers were suspicious of him, it was still very upsetting.
As Esther collapsed on the sheets, Shur slithered from his cushion and nudged his small head into her palm cutely.
“Shur. What should I do now?”
Esther, comforted by the adorable Shur, patted his head and stared absent-mindedly.
In the meantime, the stigmata lightly glowed on the back of Esther’s hand. Strangely, it always appeared any time she made physical contact with Shur.
Esther weighed between her family and Noah, then nodded at the easily initiated conclusion.
“They’re still my family.”
Although Esther liked Noah, he was not as precious as the family who gave her a new life.
Family was the top priority for Esther. She wouldn’t meet Noah if Darwin told her not to.
Esther snuggled her face into the pillow, vowing to keep her distance from Noah in the future.
She felt like a thunderbolt striked her out of nowhere right after meeting him.
After her thoughts sorted, the conversations from earlier resurfaced her mind one after the other.
Emotions overwhelmed the girl’s heart as she witnessed Noah’s desire to regain his rightful position.
It was frustrating how she had to let go of his hand while simply hoping for no difficulties to arise.
“I want to do something too.”
She wanted to make it impossible for the Temple to touch her or bring her back to that hell.
However, she couldn’t move recklessly whilst bearing the Tersia surname.
If Esther acted poorly in any way, Darwin would be the one to receive the hit. Absolutely no harm should reach her family.
“…Wouldn't it be alright to form an association?”
Esther agonized before blinking at the provident notion.
The procession of commoners she witnessed during the Saint’s funeral emerged to her mind.
They shed tears for the saint whom they have never met or benefited from.
As such, for the people, the temple was like a spiritual pillar. That so-called spiritual pillar was the very threshold for the common ones.
She wanted to take advantage of the timing and create a small relief organization.
If she were to create a separate location for them to carry out their beliefs, the spiritual domination which locked them to the Temple would gradually fall apart.
“I have enough diamonds.”
The diamonds compiled from the mine were gradually processed and stored in the warehouse Esther had purchased.
She had no desire for anything to spend her fortune on, so she left the mine be. It seemed now was the time to put Darwin’s gift into use.
***
A few days later, a night where the moon shone exceptionally bright. The misty yellow moonlight illuminated the Temple whole.
The 4 High Priests, dressed in their priestly garments, gathered inside the temple. Determined expressions existed in their faces.
Their representative, High Priest Lucas, locked the Temple door and sprinkled the blood of the lamb across the atlar.
“Please, let our prayers reach the Goddess today.”
As the ritual came to its end, the High Priests greeted each other before the altar. They stood on the north-south defense, respectively.
The moment the clock signaled the hour, they all simultaneously knelt down and proceeded praying earnestly.
“I fervently pray to the Goddess. Have pity on us who have lost our way, look down on us, and let us know of the Goddess's agent.”
Lucas repeated the prayer in a reverent tone.
Meanwhile, the moonlight leaked into the stained glass of the Temple and shone against the High Priests.
They were proven High Priests in terms of their capacity after the many tests given to them.
As they chanted their prayers simultaneously, the air around them quickly altered.
As the sacred power of the Priests flowed into the altar, the statue of the Goddess began to glimmer softly.
These prayers consumed a lot of sacred ability, so they could do their best only once every two weeks.
With every plea, no response resonated from the Goddess. It was rare for an answer to appear in the first place.
Still, They couldn't stop praying. It was essential they find a clue of the next Saint.
Today was one that proceeded without much expectation. However, when Lucas recited his prayer for the seventh time.
A revelation rose as a clear voice rang in his head. Lucas’s eyes widened.
“Everyone… Did you hear that?”
