CH 33

I swallowed my saliva.

‘There are so many people.’

High Priest, Kendrick, and Arthur Raniero were seated in a circle in the center, followed by the priests.

As soon as I made eye contact with my father, I took a deep breath. 

‘B, breath—’

Facing my father’s face again reminded me of the terrible memories of my past life.

Those eyes that looked at me with contempt.

I paused for a moment because I felt nauseous.

Arsene grabbed my hand and lowered his head slightly.

“…Are you okay?”

“Ung.”

I nodded my head. And looked up again.

“Linsy.”

My father, who made eye contact with me, jumped up from my seat with my eyes wide open.

The High Priest stopped my father from standing up.

“Be quiet, this is the place where God is worshiped. We do not allow any disturbance.” 

At the High Priest’s words, my father sat down again with a dissatisfied expression on his face.

I got my courage back and walked over to the round table in the middle where the three were sitting.

“Linsy.”

Kendrick smiled slowly at me as if he had noticed I was nervous. The fine lip rose slightly.

As Arsene and I stood still, Kendrick spoke again.

“The political marriage between the wolf and the bird clan was decided after consultation with Arthur Raniero, the head of the bird clan, so the temple cannot intervene on this matter.”

The High Priest nodded. 

“Political marriage is possible! The point is that he kidnapped Raniero’s child!” 

My father countered with a bloodshot.

Kendrick spoke in a soft voice, soothing an angry child.

“Calm down, Arthur. I was just about to say that.”

“…Ehem.”

My father sat down and glared at me.

I cast my eyes down in a cold sweat at the stinging gaze.

“Since the head of the two clans attended the meeting, the issue was transferred to the temple, right?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

The High Priest nodded. 

Dispute settlement through the temple is considered as consent to transfer the matter itself to the temple if both clans are present. 

Clans who oppose this will be expelled from the Federation.

Kendrick, who once more pointed out what everyone here knows—except me and Arsene— spoke. 

“Let’s hear from the person involved, Arthur.”

Kendrick beckoned to me.

I took a deep breath and took turns looking at my father, the High Priest, and Kendrick. 

And slowly opened my mouth.

“I don’t want to go back.”

“What?”

My father hit the round table as if he couldn’t understand it, raising his blood vessels and asking back.

I frowned slightly at the grim gaze.

“I want to… marry Arsene in Yeckhart.”

“What nonsense are you talking about… come here now, Linsy!”

My father shouted at me with his eyes wide open as if he were very angry.

My father must have thought I was really ‘forced’ to be kidnapped.

That’s why he asked for dispute settlement.

Usually, the temple doesn’t ask for dispute settlement.

The right to solve the problem is not only transferred to the temple, but as long as the temple intervenes, it is no longer a problem for the two clans alone.

Nevertheless, my father’s intentions for asking the temple for help were clear.

‘Because he thought I was kidnapped, he asked them to get me out of wolf territory.’ 

Because he can’t invade the wolf clan’s territory or  formally protest against Yeckhart.

But when I said I wouldn’t go, he seemed quite surprised.

He probably thought that if I met him, I would cry because I wanted to go back to Raniero right away.

But there’s no such a chance. 

I will never go back to Raniero.

“It’s a kidnapped child. That kid can be crazy. She’s only seven years old.” 

My father turned his gaze to the Priests and the High Priest and spoke as if appealing.

“She’s seven years old, but smart and clever. You better know she’s not the kid who doesn’t know what she’s talking about.”

Kendrick laughed.

“I don’t know what you did to kidnap that little girl—”

“Okay, be quiet.”

The High Priest rang the golden bell.

His kind gaze touched Arsene for a moment, then turned to me.

“Linsy-nim, may God bless you.”

“May God bless you.”

I bowed with one hand on my chest.

The High Priest laughed. 

“I think we need Linsy-nim’s help. Did you get kidnapped as Raniero insisted, or did you follow Yeckhart like their claim?”

“I begged him to take me. I want to go to Yeckhart.”

Kendrick tucked a note in the center of the round table.

It was the note I handed Kendrick the first time I met him.

‘You still had that.’

“This is the note that Linsy gave me when she first met me. The paper of the note is a high-quality piece of wood that grows only in the territory of the bird clan, which is enough to prove that Linsy wrote it herself before leaving the house. Of course, the handwriting test at the temple has been completed, so I think Yeckhart can get rid of the stigma of kidnapping a child.” 

Kendrick said leisurely.

Only then did I realize that last week’s handwriting test was for handwriting verification.

The High Priest took the note, narrowed his eyes, and carefully opened his eyes.

Kendrick and Arthur were looking at each other without hiding their murderous look. 

The High Priest, who had been talking with the priests for a while, came back and sat down.

I looked at him with a gulp.

The High Priest looked at the paper on which I had written something through his one-piece glasses and said.

“First of all, there is no physical evidence that Yeckhart intentionally kidnapped her, and I can’t say it’s kidnapping because I can see that it was Linsy’s will. However, she is too young to make a clear judgment, and she still needs her guardian” 

“…..”

“Since I agree with Raniero that she is too young to make a good judgement yet, I am sending Linsy—”

I quietly listened to the words coming out of the High Priest’s mouth, then I opened my mouth slightly. 

‘No.’

No, I can’t go back to Raniero.

My father had a triumphant expression on his face as if he had already won.

Rarely, Kendrick’s expression was slightly wrinkled.

I grab Arsene’s hand.

Then I opened my mouth, looking at the High Priest clearly.

“I’m Linsy Raniero. I’m seven years old. I don’t want to go back to Raniero because Mrs. Bellin abused me while I was in Raniero’s mansion. I know my situation clearly, and—”

Arsene must have been very nervous, so he held my hand with a firm expression.

“I like Arsene so much that I want to marry him.”

I glanced at Arsene.

‘Are you ready?’

As I whispered, Arsene nodded with a rather firm expression on his face.

I grabbed Arsene’s cheeks with both hands.

The High Priest, Kendrick, my father and other priests, looked at us with bewildered expressions.

I bumped my lips with Arsene. 

It was really short, but everyone in the temple clearly saw us kissing.

‘Is it working…?’

After a short kiss, I glanced back at the others.

‘Originally, I was only going to tell them that Mrs. Bellin abused me—’ 

Then only Mrs. Bellin might end up being fired from the mansion.

In addition,

It was after the age of ten that my father abused me, so there was no trace of abuse left on the body of seven years old.

So I used the ‘secret weapon’ Tristan told me.

Poppo. (T/n : 뽀뽀 means kiss.) 

“…..”

“…..”

Everyone looked blankly at the two of us as if they were speechless.

It was Kendrick, of course, who broke the silence.

“Look, they say it’s good. The political marriage is going to happen anyway, so wouldn’t it be right to marry them, High Priest? Don’t you think so, Arthur?”

“…What the hell have you done to her…!”

My father trembled with rage.

I flinched and shivered.

Kendrick, keenly aware that I was scared, turned away and said.

“Well done, Linsy. You can go now.”

“What are you talking about? She should be here!”

Arthur hit the round table.

Kendrick narrowed his brow.

“Didn’t you hear what Linsy just said? She said she didn’t want to go back because she was abused in Raniero. High Priest, can you let the children go?”

“I will allow it.”

Two priests came up to us and took my hand carefully.

Arsene and I walked out of the hall holding the hands of the priests tightly.

As soon as I came out, I sighed.

The hands that were holding Arsene’s hands were slippery with sweat.

“Please wait here.”

The Priests led us outside and went straight back.

Arsene and I nodded obediently.

“I, I did a good job, right?”

“Ung, but why didn’t you ask me?” 

Arsene titled his head. 

“I thought you’d ask me, so I prepared a lot.”

“I know, everyone must have been crazy.”

I looked up at the sky blankly.

Now I really had no choice but to pray to God.

Please let the High Priest change his mind.

It was then. 

“…Linsy?”

I slowly turned my head to a familiar voice.

‘No way, this voice—’

Arsene also naturally turned his head along with me.

There was a long shadow before me.

I looked at the face of the boy who suddenly appeared in front of me and frowned.

“…Gale?”

Gale Raniero. 

He was my half-brother and the next candidate of successor for the Raniero family.

Galel, who turns 12 this year, is much taller than me and Arsene. Not to mention the size.

We didn’t get along well and Gale hated me unilaterally.

It was because I had a strong ability. 

He was afraid that he would not be recognized as a successor because of me.

So he avoided people’s gaze and annoyed me often.

‘I really hate him.’

I can’t believe I have to meet Gale. 

I let out a sigh.

Maybe he followed my father to the temple.

“They said you were kidnapped. But what are you doing here?”

Gale said this provocatively.

He looked at Arsene with sneer. 

“That’s… with this smelly dog next to you.”

“What?”

Arsene jumped to his feet.

I grabbed Arsene quickly and sat him down.

There’s nothing good about fighting Gale in this situation.

Kendrick and Raniero must be in talks over me in there anyway.

I can’t give Raniero an excuse.

Then, Gale was grabbing my wrist.