I Became The Stepmother Of An Irrevocable Dark Family - Chapter 115
Translator and Editor: Maru and Tea
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Chapter 115
I stood in front of Rere to block her from coming down the carriage step.
“Big Bunny, what are you doing?”
“Rere. Can we go somewhere else for the family outing?”
“Yup! Anywhere is fine as long as we’re together! But why?”
“I’m not really happy with this place.”
At my announcement, the man who had been talking so haughtily before rushed to me. His face turned stiffly pale.
“D-Duchess. What do you mean by that?”
“Just as you’ve heard. I’ve said that I’ll never ever come back to the temple, but you don’t seem to get it.”
At my bombshell declaration, he hurriedly came closer to me.
“Does that mean you won’t come again, or that you’re only going back today due to unforeseen circumstances?”
“I wonder if there are unforeseen circumstances? I visited the temple with a purpose today.”
“Then why…”
Whether he was truly tactless, or pretended to be, the priest grabbed my arm.
His behavior was crude, like a barbarian.
“What are you doing?”
“Please wait. If you just leave like this…”
“Are you going to force me again? Are you threatening me?”
“That…”
“You must have thought that I’d agree to meet the High Priest if you pushed me about like that, didn’t you?”
At that time, I caught a glimpse of other priests nearby. Noticing them looking at us as if they were stalking prey, I remarked in disbelief.
“Don’t tell me you lied about the High Priest banning me from entering the temple?”
The priest’s face turned stiffly pale.
“I guess I’m right.”
“That’s not true.”
“Judging by the situation…it seems like the priests here are getting the same order to take me to the High Priest.”
“…”
“Isn’t that why you’re trying to take me, even going so far as to lie?”
I was convinced when I saw the tense face of the priest in front of me. I must be right, otherwise, that bastard’s face wouldn’t be this stiff.
“If you’re telling the truth, can you swear in the name of God Amideas?”
“…”
“You can’t?”
“…I’m just…”
“There are times when honesty can be a weapon. Who knows if you’re telling the truth, and I’m willing to see the High Priest?”
“Mooom~ what should I do? Are we going to ride in the carriage or not? Are we?”
Meanwhile, Rere was busy pestering me as if finding the situation frustrating.
Perhaps her actions increased the priest’s anxiety, as he hurriedly put his head down and muttered.
“We have been instructed by the High Priest to bring Duchess Petrie to him when she arrives. I must have grown too greedy. All I want is to win His Holiness’ favor.”
I listened to his mumble silently and nodded.
“That’s understandable. People tend to have greed for everything.”
Additionally, the priests’ status had been significantly weakened as a result of the High Priest’s recent involvement in temple affairs.
In the past, they could extort money from worshippers, and even bribe each other to solidify their own standing.
‘I really understand them. They are greedy people who were never worthy of the title of priest in the first place.’
However, just because I can understand them doesn’t excuse them from acting disrespectfully toward me.
“Thank you for your understanding.”
“However. I am still the Duchess, no matter what your intentions may be. It’s true that you threatened and disrespected me.”
“Pardon??”
“As a matter of fact, I’m a person who keeps her word. So I’ll meet the High Priest, but I’ll let him know about you as well. What’s your name?”
“….”
“Are you not going to tell me your name? It seems you realize that you did something wrong?”
Still, he didn’t speak.
Instead, with things not going his way, he was busy glancing around as if he were trying to find a way to escape this situation.
“Just run away, then.”
“Pardon?”
“Do you think everything will be resolved if you leave without telling me your name? Or do you think the offense will die out on its own?”
I extended my arms to Rere, who was still in the carriage.
“Let’s go, Rere. You wanted to see the temple, right?”
“Yeah, are we going now?”
“Yes.”
Rere hopped from the carriage like a rabbit. I turned my attention from the child’s cheerful smile to the priest, who was trying to sneak away.
“You’re not even a frog in a well.* Covering the sky with your hands doesn’t hide your faults. Even if you were to run away, I would still be informing the High Priest about it. I’m sure the High Priest would be happy if I mentioned the fact that you threatened me before running away.”
(*T/N : Idiom for a person who refuses to see the big picture or close-minded)
Then, Ian stepped from the carriage.
“Don’t expect that no one will find you. A lot of the priests and knights here can be witnesses.”
Only then did the priest walk toward me and bow his head deeply.
“I was wrong. So please, don’t tell the High Priest…”
“Let me think about that, Mr. Nameless Priest.”
“…My name is Antonio.”
“You finally tell me your name.”
He moved ahead of us as I sharply replied, and it was difficult to keep the angry look off of my face.
Those who had gathered around as if watching a fire break out also left one by one. Only then could we enter the temple comfortably.
“Wow. Big Bu…no, Mom. Is this a temple?”
“Yes.”
“It’s my first time coming here in my life!”
“Rere came here when she was very young. She also met the High Priest.”
“Ah! I-I know!”
Rere suddenly scowled and nodded vigorously.
“You know?”
“Y-Yeah! Rere is smart, so she remembers everything. Yeah! W-We’ve met before!”
“Really?”
I wondered if Rere was one of those kids that remember things from when they were very small. So I threw a surprised glance toward her.
But Rere looked around with a flustered expression.
“Wow. It’s so white. I can’t wait to see the rainbow flower that has been blessed by God!”
“First of all, let’s go to the High Priest and ask him if it really exists.”
“Yup, yup.”
As we reached the large door at the temple’s main entrance, it quickly opened, allowing us to enter. It looked like an ordinary chapel. Priests were seen in prayer.
Meanwhile, Antonio escorted us at a brisk pace. We walked further, passing through three more doors, until we reached the High Priest’s chamber.
It was so huge that one had to question whether such a space could really exist in the temple.
A statue of a benevolent goddess stood in the center, looking at us. I’d seen a similar statue before, but this one felt different.
Almost like it was alive.
‘What if it’s really alive?’
Perhaps because it was unusually smaller than other statues, such thoughts kept coming to my mind.
“Whoa…it’s pretty!”
Rere stopped next to me and looked at the statue in awe.
She was amazed by the rainbow flowers that surrounded the statue. It was the first time she had seen flowers so wonderful, ethereal, yet looking a little out-of-place as if they had been forced to exist.
“I’m afraid I can only take you this far.”
“What?”
Antonio opened the door and stepped back as soon as we entered.
“His Holiness is inside, and only those who receive God’s permission are allowed to enter.”
Rere and I glanced at one other, not knowing what he meant. We continued to be flustered until Ian, who had been protecting us from behind, entered.
“All of us can enter, though?”
“…In any case, I-I am not allowed to enter.”
I merely nodded since I thought it was temple custom.
Then the High Priest, who had been praying in front of the statue, slowly rose from his reverent position.
“Oh my god. I didn’t expect to see you here.”
“I wouldn’t expect you to react that way when you were the one who ordered the priests to take me to you, Your Holiness.”
“Hoho. I’m surprised you found out about it. I must be greedy because I wanted to see Ms. Leona.”
As I thought, he smiled as if he were a good person and approached us.
“You must be the Princess.”
“That’s right.”
“You may not remember. We met when you were very young, Princess.”
“Yes! I remember!”
“Uh…D-Do you remember?”
“Yes! Rere is very smart, you know.”
The High Priest smiled, as if he thought she was adorable.
“I see. You seem to be a very clever person.”
Awkwardly, the High Priest suddenly stared at Ian with great discomfort.
“I see Your Grace the Duke.”
“It’s been a long time since I last saw you.”
“You’re right.”
Just when I was beginning to question the High Priest’s different attitude toward Ian, he held out his hand to me.
I quietly looked at his hand and made eye contact with the High Priest.
“But why did you ask me to meet with you? I don’t believe you called me here for a pleasant conversation. The priests were desperate to get me to the High Priest by any means necessary. You had to have a reason for wanting to see me this badly, no?”
But he didn’t even seem surprised by my sharp demand.
“I sometimes invite special people here.”
“Special people?”
“Yes. Ms. Leona was a special person from the moment we met. So, you should listen to God’s voice directly.”
How did this guy even sell medicine? He was obviously a swindler.
It was so apparent that my face was stiff.
“God’s voice, huh?”
“It doesn’t cost anything, you just have to take one step. This statue represents the body of a god who once descended to earth.”
Suddenly, I doubted my ears.
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