CH 130

‘It’s not comparable.’

Rabienne’s divine power that Evian sensed was insignificant compared to Esther’s that he had experienced before.

He was at a loss as to how to explain this, so he bit his lips shut.

“Tell me the truth.”

However, when Duke Brions strongly urged him, Evian calmed down as much as possible and revealed.

“The potential I felt at that time was on a different level. It was like a huge whirlpool, and I couldn’t see the end, but this… It’s like a regular jar.”

“There’s that much of a difference?”

Duke Brions had hoped it would be similar, but when he was told that the difference couldn’t even be measured… He let out a deep sigh and groaned.

“Father, what does all this mean? What are you trying to check?”

Rabienne grimaced when she realized her father was here to check something specific, and not simply because he was concerned about her health.

“Evian, leave.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

After sending Evian out of the reception room, Duke Brions sat facing Rabienne; his expression was firm and complicated. At the somewhat unusual appearance, Rabienne urged.

“Father?”

“Evian is a doctor, but he can sense divine power.”

“Like a priest?”

“Yes. I didn’t believe it at first either, but after verification, it’s true.”

Rabienne looked displeased when she heard that Evian had sensed her divine power. She swept her hair in annoyance.

“If my divine power could be contained in a jar, then who’s is like a whirlpool?”

Looking at Rabienne’s greedily shining red eyes, Duke Brions was briefly troubled. He had brought Evian to the temple and directly verified his ability, so he could have confidence in his assessment of Esther.

And now that he knew the difference between their divine powers, he thought he shouldn’t hide it from Rabienne any longer.

Additionally, it came to his knowledge that Rabienne’s position in the temple was weakening recently. She would be in greater danger if the epidemic spreads, so it’s vital to have the real one.

“Have you not found the owner of the revelation yet?”

“Yes. She’s not from inside the temple, so it’s not easy to find.”

“There’s a child you doubted last time. The grand duke’s daughter.”

“Oh, I’ve checked and it isn’t her.”

Instantly, Duke Brions’ eyes narrowed.

When she said that she had already checked, he was confused for a second as to whether he was wrong.

“It’s not? How did you check?”

“I ordered a paladin to bring blood. It’s not her.”

“Was it really the child’s blood?”

Duke Brions did not miss this and questioned with a serious expression. If Rabienne had ordered someone else to obtain the blood instead of doing it herself, there was a possibility that person swapped it. 

“Yes. The blood is obviously…”

Rabienne, who was about to naturally say that it was really Esther’s blood, hesitated for a moment and tightly closed her lips.

Her blood-red eyes began to fill with suspicion about Khalid.

‘No way?’

He was appointed a paladin and that was his first mission.

The thought that he could have fooled her never crossed her mind.

Then… the idea that Khalid might have been closer to Esther than expected sprouted.

“Did he trick me?”

Feeling stupid for missing the first thing she should have been able to easily suspect, she flicked the nail on her index finger with her thumb.

“Looks like you have doubts.”

“I think the paladin may have deceived me.”

Rabienne regretted that she was so easily relieved when she was most strongly suspicious of Esther. 

“I’ll have to call Khalid and check again.”

Rabienne’s red eyes, now cloudy with doubts and irritation, turned to her father.

“However… Why did Father think that the blood I drank might not be hers? Even I overlooked this.”

A sudden visits and examination.

And even this awkward conversation.

Rabienne’s voice grew colder as she figured there must be something.

“The truth is…”

Duke Brions paused for a moment, then made up his mind and continued.

“Until recently, Evian was a doctor of Tersia.”

“If it’s Tersia… Now, wait a minute. Then, she was the one he was comparing to me?”

“Yes.”

“Ah.”

Astounded, Rabienne let out an empty laugh.

Then, with her pride unbearably hurt, she banged her fist on the table several times. 

“He says my divine power is inferior to hers?”

As such, the potential of divine power was a matter of pride for saint candidates. Rabienne, who had not lost her composure throughout, choked up and raised her voice.

“It can’t be. She was a junior candidate. She can’t compare to me. A child like that is a whirlpool. Isn’t that Evian guy a quack?”

Duke Brions wanted to believe that too, but all the circumstances said that Esther was his daughter and the 15th saint.

He still couldn’t bear to tell this to Rabienne, so he pretended to have discovered it by accident.

“I have already checked with other priests. He is not a quack.”

“Father.”

“If the blood might have not been hers, why don’t you check it again?”

A frustrated Rabienne pounded her chest. She asked loudly, almost yelling.

“She is now the grand duke’s daughter. Even if she’s the real one, it’s a really big problem. How are we going to get her?”

Duke Brions had been mulling over this issue as well.

The most feasible way would be to file a paternity suit, but he hid it for now, since he couldn’t tell Rabienne about it.

“Leave that to me and just check. It would be nice for the two of you to get to know each other a bit.”

“Be close… she was an orphan who grew up in the slums.”

“She is now the grand duke’s daughter.”

Duke Brions coaxed Rabienne, who was very displeased, persuading her to meet Esther in person.

“Let’s keep in touch.”

With that, he left the waiting room.

Although at a loss over her anger at Esther, Rabienne put on a mask again and took a deep breath.

“Bring Khalid.”

On that order, the maid brought Khalid.

“Did you call?”

He came right in front of Rabienne, went down on one knee, and waited for her commands.

“Khalid.”

Rabienne called Khalid’s name in a voice as sweet as candy.

“Yes, Saint.”

“Did you trick me?”

“What are you talking about…”

Khalid lowered his head deeper towards the floor, trying to hide both his expression and his eyes.

“Look at me.”

Flinching at Rabienne’s chilling command, he raised his face. The eyes of the two collided in the air.

“The blood that was brought to me then. Was it really Daina’s blood?”

“Yes.”

Rabienne did not miss Khalid’s shaking pupils.

“Can you swear to the goddess?”

“…….”

When the goddess was brought up, Khalid couldn’t lie anymore.

His other knee touched the ground, and he pressed his head against the floor, begging for forgiveness.

“I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to deceive you.”

“You, you really tricked me? How dare you?”

“…Sorry.”

“Ah… Whose blood was that?”

“It was the blood of cattle.”

Surprisingly, Rabienne didn’t get angry. Instead, she smiled more brightly and brought her face closer.

“Why did you do that?”

Hearing the tender voice, Khalid felt like he had become a sinner for a moment, and he didn’t know what to do.

“I did not understand the order to bring blood. I felt like I was doing the wrong thing, so I made my own judgment.”

“Khalid, you are a paladin. There’s nothing for you to judge. Just do what I tell you to do.”

Whispering softly into Khalid’s ear, she threatened.

“If you can’t do it, I’ll kick you out right now. Answer me with certainty.”

“I can do it, Saint.”

If Khalid, who had already become a paladin, was kicked out, it would be a dishonorable retirement.

He wouldn’t be able to live with his head up for the rest of his life.

“I will not forgive you if you disappoint me one more time. Not only you, but all of your family members. They will all be charged with treason against the temple.”

“Saint! That…!”

“You brought it upon yourself.”

Rabienne’s voice, which was still captivating, did not go well with the eerie content, which made the gap even more pronounced.

“Oh, give this to Prince Damon. He would know if you said it’s from me.”

She passed the small bottle she was carrying. It contained a colorless, odorless liquid.

Looking at the transparent liquid, Khalid swallowed.

“Khalid, this is the second order I give you in the name of the saint. You know what I mean, right?”

“Yes. I will definitely deliver it.”

Khalid nodded as he took the vial and exited the room.

His pale face was contorted with anguish.

Esther was now going to the shelter every two days.

Right now, she was in a carriage with her twin brothers, heading to the shelter.

“Writing classes started at the shelter yesterday.”

“Really? Shall we take Jerome with us on the way?”

“Sure.”

The three stopped the carriage near the slum to take Jerome.

The atmosphere in the slums was different from before. It no longer looked like a slum.

But as soon as they went inside, they saw an amazingly long line.

Esther tilted her head and asked Judy, who had good vision.

“Judy, what line is it?”

“Umm… There is no end in sight.”

It wasn’t just people from the slums that stood in line, other commoners were also present. 

The three exchanged curious blinks before walking forward, intending to check what it was. 

Dennis strode ahead with his long legs, and Esther and Judy followed slowly.

After a while, they found out the reason for the long line of people.

“Is that a well?”

Shockingly, people were lining up to draw water from the well that Esther had repaired.

“The entire line is for water?”

“Yes. I’ve even asked the person standing at the end over there.”

Dennis, who had gone ahead, told the story he had heard while holding back a laugh.

“There are rumors that the water in this well is very mysterious. There are people who say they feel better after drinking it, even making them smarter?”

“What? It couldn’t be.”

Did the divine power that flowed in when the well was repaired have something to do with it?

Somewhat embarrassed by what Dennis had told her, Esther moistened her lips with her tongue and tilted her head.

“Anyway, drinking clean water will reduce the risk of getting sick. It’s good.”

It wasn’t just clean water. There was definitely divine power, so it would likely be of great help in preventing infectious diseases.

Esther, Judy, and Dennis happily looked around the slums, which had changed a lot thanks to their efforts.

However, there was someone watching Esther’s company.

Or rather, two people. They stood far away, wearing dark black cloaks.

“What do you think?”

“I don’t know yet.”

It was High Priest Kyle and Joffrey.