Chapter 249 - THE ONE COMMITTED A CRIME

Prince Gerald was furious as his subordinates didn't listen to him.

'Why isn't anyone listening to me?'

"What nonsense are you spouting? Can't you see I'm ordering you to imprison her?" he barked at the soldiers.

The soldiers were confused.

"B-but, Your Highness…"

"That's not needed." The Head Priest calmly interrupted. "If needed, we will all go to the palace to meet the king. I also have to inform him that you illegally came to this place."

Prince Gerald flinched. "Wh-at?! What do you mean by that?"

The Head Priest, who was known for his wisdom, calmly looked at him. "Did you forget, Prince Gerald? You don't have enough authority to enter this place."

Prince Gerald confronted him, "I had come to seize you for your crime."

"It's the King who will decide who has sinned and who has not." The Head Priest glanced at the soldiers. "Take us up to the palace."

"Yes, Head Priest!" the soldiers replied instantly.

Prince Gerald's face turned purple. He was beyond enraged.

"Wha-! You are my men. How dare you listen to others' commands?"

The Head Priest shook his head upon seeing the incompetence of the young man. "It looks like Prince Gerald cannot control his own men and yet he wants to possess the power of something he doesn't understand. How pitiful!"

"You!" Blue veins popped out in Prince Gerald's face.

The soldiers came to their prince's rescue.

"That's not true, Head Priest. It's just Your Highness sometimes loses control of his anger and makes mistakes. We don't want him to be punished. We were just looking out for him."

As if things couldn't go any worse than this.

"Shut up you all!" Prince Gerald roared at those soldiers as he lost his face in front of the Head Priest and the silver-haired woman.

He stared at the Head Priest and commented, "Fine, I will believe that the blessed child we have is the fake one and this is the real blessed child. You brought the blessed child to us and did not even tell us? What's with this secrecy?"

Veronica gulped. She didn't like this rising tension in the air.

The Head Priest knew he couldn't stop Veronica from going to the palace after she was revealed by Prince Gerald. If he wanted to hide her, she would end up in prison later.

He replied, "I'm not obliged to answer you. I'll talk to the King."

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The Head Priest and Veronica were taken to the palace.

Veronica didn't have the time to admire the interior design of the fancy palace. She was profusely sweating in front of the King of Utahill.

The King of Utahill, King Graham the fourth, was sitting on the throne. His shining blonde hair dimmed the golden throne. His blue eyes landed on Veronica.

"So, you are the blessed child?" His deep voice rumbled in the throne room.

Veronica flinched. She was so scared that she couldn't talk.

Noting her situation, the Head Priest answered on her behalf.

"Positive, Your Majesty. I brought her to the library to give her history lessons."

King Graham the fourth didn't seem angry. His expression was well hidden.

"You met her and yet you forgot to inform me. Do you think you did a good job, Head Priest?"

"I met her yesterday. It's not that I didn't want to tell you. The fact she doesn't want to live a luxurious life is what made me unable to say so. The blessed child wants to lead a humble life among the children of Goddess Juvena and protect them with her power. How can this humble old man defy her wish?"

"That she wants to protect the children of Goddess Juvena is a good thing. However, who will protect her?"

"Y-Your Majesty, I'm Veronica. It's an honor to meet you."

Veronica stepped forward and bowed to greet the king. She didn't wish for the Head Priest to face every question because she was too weak to face them.

"Please don't concern yourself with this lowly being. I can protect myself from danger."

"Haah! A lowly being? Is this what you have taught her, Head Priest? How can the blessed child call herself a lowly being?"

King Graham the fourth slammed the golden handle of the throne.

Being chastised by the king, Veronica lowered her head even more.

'Oh no! I just wanted to calm him down but he got mad. What should I do? I'm scared!'

"Please calm down, Your Majesty. She is still a child who never met a powerful man. That's why she is nervous and merely made a mistake. Please don't take it to heart."

The Head Priest tried to appease the king.

His calm expression and serene voice cooled off King Graham the fourth's temper.

"The blessed child, look at me," he demanded.

Veronica gulped and raised her head. As her emerald eyes met his blue ones, he squinted his eyes.

"What's your name?"

"It's Veronica, Your Majesty."

"Veronica, are you scared?"

"…Yes, Your Majesty."

"You have nothing to fear. From this palace to the dust of this kingdom, everything belongs to you. Everything you wish will be yours. What are you afraid of?"

"I have no interest in earthly possessions, Your Majesty. The more I will have these, the more I will fear losing them."

"I see. That's a very noble way of thinking. There is no surprise since you were raised in the temple."

The king's impression of Veronica improved. His fierce eyes glanced at her gently.

"You said you can protect yourself. Do you know how to fight?"

"Your Majesty, even if someone doesn't have the martial arts training, to protect oneself, they can fight with what they have."

"I understand what you mean but that only applies to normal people. However, you are different. Even if you and I see you just as a regular woman, your enemies won't see you like that.

"In their eyes, you are the blessed child who is getting in their way. They will do anything to eliminate you.. Even my regular soldiers are no match for them. What can you do?"