CH 13

Edited by Spade

13.

I looked silently at Seamus. Suddenly, he turned his head towards me and looked at me with warm eyes. It was as if his cold gaze toward Jerome had been a lie.

But his expression was firm. He seemed to be waiting for my answer.

“As I mentioned earlier, I'm not a child, father. Sometimes people need their own time alone.”

“…Lucia.”

Seamus looked at me with a wounded expression at my words.

Why were you looking at me with such a sad expression? It's unsettling.

Of course, unlike me, who had a personal and independent nature, the previous Lucía had the typical personality of the loved youngest child, so I understood why this change in me felt bitter to him.

Still, everything I was doing now was for Seamus, to prevent the future where he dies. He didn’t even know that.

“...The temple is nice. The landscaping is well done, and it's quiet. I feel refreshed. It's just for a day, father.”

I smiled widely to persuade Seamus. My facial muscles, which I usually didn't use, trembled at the corners of my mouth.

Perhaps my smile had an effect because Seamus's face loosened up a bit. Yet, he still seemed hesitant.

“Yes, Seamus. Lucia is an adult now, so it's okay for a day.”

My mother, who was watching her children bickering without saying a word, spoke up for me.

“And since Lucia seems to be okay now, you should go back to your wife and daughter. They must be worried,” Emma added, and only then did I remember the existence of Abigail and Rosalyn that I had forgotten.

I wondered how Rosalyn was doing.

In a way, the baptism would have been the biggest event of her life that she wouldn't have twice. Although Abigail was the protagonist of the event, what did a newborn baby know? Honestly, the parents were the protagonists of the event.

At the end of the event, when I collapsed, didn't the perfect event go wrong? If you looked at it, it wasn’t my fault, but God's fault.

Anyway, it would have been a very meaningful event for Rosalyn, and I felt really good that I had ruined it. Was I such a bad person, finding pleasure in someone else's misfortune?

But what could I do about it?

“Well, I guess so. But…” My brother glanced at me.

I couldn't understand why the unparalleled empath Seamus Chase was acting this way. He needed to go and comfort his wife, who was upset about the ruined baptism due to his sister.

“I'm sorry, father. I ruined Abigail's baptism. How sad Rosalyn must be...”

That was a message implying that he should go home and console his wife. But Seamus waved it off, saying that he didn't need to worry about that kind of thing.

“You didn't do it on purpose, and you're not someone to blame in this inevitable situation, so you don't have to worry about it.”

...He sure was thick-headed. I shook my head at Seamus's blind faith. They had been married for so many years, but he still didn't understand Rosalyn. Not only Seamus, but also our parents were nodding their heads as if his words were correct.

They all didn't know who Rosalyn really was. How much pretense did she have to put up with?

I boasted that I had read a novel from Rosaline's point of view and thus understood her a little better. Since she was the female protagonist, the novel did not describe her character in a negative light.

However, if I were to describe Rosaline's character as I understood it... even if she didn't openly resent me, she must have had a heart full of resentment.

She was someone full of self-pity. She was sure to wonder why she, who already suffered from being separated from her beloved, had to endure another trial and why God was so cruel only to her.

No one would believe me if I said these things now.

“...But since you want to be alone, I'll leave you for today.”

As I was pondering what else I could say to persuade him, Seamus spoke the words I had been hoping to hear.

“What about Samantha? Don't you need an attendant?” my mother asked with a smile that looked just like Seamus's, but I shook my head. 

“It's okay. She probably needs a day off sometimes, and it's not like it's a big deal for one day.”  Samantha was quick-witted and efficient, but the fewer people who knew about this, the better it was for keeping the secret. 

“Well then, I'll be on my way. Take care of Lucia for me.” 

After Seamus said his farewell with a look of displeasure towards Jerome, he left the room with our parents, and I let out a sigh of relief. 

Finally, I was free. 

“What a lovely family. It looks great, young lady.”  

“Well, thank you.” 

Why did he make such a big deal out of a simple compliment? It felt like he had an ulterior motive. 

“I'm sorry for saying that I would dispatch a priest to the Count's house without consulting the young lady. I should have said something before I spoke, but it came to me suddenly.”

Jerome apologized to me with an apologetic expression.

In fact, there was no need to apologize. It was a satisfying and sudden plan that made me a little surprised, but I understood why God had said that Jerome would be of great help to me.

But, well, it would be better to consult with me from now on, so I just shrugged my shoulders in response.

“Then, I will report to my superiors and return afterwards. You can rest comfortably in this room until then. Would you like me to show you another room if this one is too small and uncomfortable?”

I shook my head at Jerome's thoughtful suggestion.

This room, decorated like a hospital room, was certainly smaller and had a harder bed than the rooms in the mansion, but it was luxurious enough for me, who had also lived in a windowless studio apartment.

“It's okay.”

“Then, please make yourself comfortable. I'll leave one of the priests here, so if you need any help, feel free to ask.”

As I watched Jerome leave the room, I became lost in thought.

My first impression of him was that he was very scatterbrained, light-hearted, and careless. But at that time, I thought maybe he was better than I had expected, and he could do things well…

“Oh.”

Thud. Jerome hit his head on the door as he opened it.

...Why did he always have to reset his image by doing something like this just when he started to look good for doing his job well? How could a person be so clumsy? He seemed to be pretty good at coming up with decent ideas in a short amount of time, so it didn’t seem like he had a bad head.

But then again, some people are smart but still clumsy. Maybe being smart or not had nothing to do with it.

Anyway, that must have hurt a lot.

Jerome looked at me, chuckled, and rubbed his forehead before leaving the room.

Ugh. Seriously.

It was as I was shaking my head that a young-looking woman walked into the room. Was she in her early twenties?

With her orange-brown hair shimmering and her green eyes twinkling, she greeted me in a bright voice that matched her lively image. "Hello, Saint! My name is Caroline Hupert, and from today on, I'll be by your side as your guardian!”

Why was she...blinking her eyes more than necessary like that?

I wasn’t sure what to expect from her, but the excitement and passion that sprouted from Caroline's eyes like lasers felt very burdensome.

She was supposed to protect me. If it was just for a moment until Jerome returns, there was no reason to say something like that.

‘Could this be the new priestess who was dispatched to the Count's residence that was mentioned earlier?’

Although it seemed a bit overzealous, it was definitely easier for me to deal with women than men. It was a pretty appropriate choice. Jerome, even though he looked like that, still had some sense.

“I will do my best, Saint! Whatever it takes!” Caroline shouted with fists clenched and full of passion.

Did she really need to be that passionate?

Although she had a slightly different personality than Jerome, I couldn't help but think that the priests in this temple were all beagles.

I cautiously opened my mouth, feeling my head pounding. “Uh, yes. I will definitely rely on you, priestess. By the way, wasn't it supposed to be a secret that I received the trust?”

It was a word she brought up to sort out her titles. Caroline kept calling me 'Saint', which would soon give me away. Of course, it was okay now that we were alone, but her voice was so loud. Before long, it seemed like the whole world would know that I had received the trust.

“Oops! I, I made a mistake...! Please forgive me, Saint, no, young lady!” Caroline apologized, unsure of what to do. If I added another word, she looked like she would have kneeled down and begged.

“What forgiveness... It's okay. It's something you can handle if you're careful from now on.”

When I calmed her down with a slightly tired voice, Caroline looked at me with teary eyes. “How merciful you are, Saint, no, young lady...”

Merciful? Embarrassed by the sudden praise attack, I turned my gaze to the window for no reason. The scenery outside was worth seeing. But the curtains were all closed, so I couldn't see outside at all.

Feeling a bit frustrated, I tried to get out of bed with the intention of pulling back the curtains and opening the window, but Caroline freaked out and stopped me.