Chapter 144

Even though I knew that I was not the child of God’s prophecy, I suddenly came to recall my past when they came up with the same interpretation of God’s prophecy, even though it was clearly different from the past.. Somehow I felt terrified by that.

When I looked at the High Priest, I could see him turning up his red lips slightly.

There seemed to be a smile in his light green eyes staring at me for a while, then his mysterious voice rang through the conference room. His voice that seemed to echo strangely sounded as if it was ringing in their ears, which made them quiet in no time.

“Well, what I have just said is the official position of our temple.”

“… That means you have a different opinion from them.”

“That’s right. As Tertius, the third root of Vita, I think both Aristia Pioneer la Monique and Jiun Graspe are the children of God’s prophecy.”

“Do you think that makes any sense? That’s nonsense!”

Earl Larnier suddenly stood up and shouted at him. Gazing at him indifferently, the high priest replied coldly, “Each of God’s prophecies has its own meaning. Any claim that one God’s prophecy supersedes another is just nonsense. I think that Pioneer and Graspe were given their middle names respectively according to God’s will. If so, both of them who have received their middle names from God can be said to be the child of God’s prophecy.”

“I understand what you mean, Your Eminence, but I can’t believe it easily. Haven’t you verified that Lady Monique here is the child of God’s prophecy, right? On the other hand, Graspe only just received her middle name, but she has no abilities. I think it’s absurd that the two are equal. ”

When Marquis Enesil said that, the pro-emperor faction members nodded all at once.

The high priest, who turned around and looked at Jiun who was seated at the bottom of the table, said with a soft voice.

“Graspe.”

“… ”

“Are you already feeling the power that Vita has given you? Why are you silent? ”

‘The power that God has given her?’

I tilted my head a bit. Even before my return, I don’t think that happened. She was often called the child of God’s prophecy, a mysterious woman, or a woman loved by God, but I have never heard that she showed any special capabilities.

‘But suddenly what the heck is the high priest talking about? Did she hear God’s prophecy like me?’

The emperor, who was sitting with a tired look, suddenly leaned forward and spoke. His blue eyes sparkled with curiosity.

“She received God’s power? Is that true? ”

“I don’t know if you haven’t realized it yet, or if you are keeping silent on purpose. But I can feel the divine power in Graspe.”

‘What? Divine power? ‘

Everybody looked at Jiun, stunned. I was no exception.

Divine power. Does she really have the divine power that only six high priests possess in the whole continent, which is the evidence of God’s blessings? Is there anything in common between the two contrasting figures, the high priest wrapped in a white robe and Jiun in a dark blue dress?

As if she felt uncomfortable at the intense gaze of the participants, the dark-haired girl trembled. As she didn’t show any sign of opening her mouth, with her head down, the participants turned their attention toward the high priest.

Nodding seriously, he said, “I wouldn’t describe her divine power as comparable to another root of Vita, but I still feel it, although it is not complete. I can swear it in the name of our God.”

Both the pro-emperor and the noble factions kept silent, at a loss about what to say.

How much time passed? A cold voice rang out on behalf of the emperor who was lost in serious thought. The crown prince said, “It seems that everyone has nothing to say anymore. Prime Minister, I think we have taken care of today’s agenda thanks to the high priest’s testimony. Let’s wrap up the meeting.”

“Yes, Your Majesty. Is there anyone who wants to speak more? ”

“… ”

“Nobody. Then, like the crown prince said, let’s wrap up our meeting at this point. We’re going to discuss the next agenda item tomorrow morning. ”

When Duke Veritas announced the end of the meeting, the emperor and the crown prince immediately left the meeting. Subsequently, the nobles present at the meeting began to leave one by one.

I looked back at the place where Jiun was sitting. She was already heading out of the conference hall, escorted by an attendant. Her waving dark hair faded away. Carried away by her eye-catching dark hair, I turned my head at the sound of somebody’s whispering into my ears.

“May the blessings of life be with you. You are beautiful today, Lady Monique.”

“Your Eminence.”

When I tried to respond to him who was smiling brightly at me, my father stood up and blocked him. My father bowed to him politely and said firmly, looked back at me, “I have got something to tell him, so go and wait for me at the wagon.”

“Yes, Daddy. Please forgive me for taking my leave first, Your Eminence.”

“Fine. As our God Vita has allowed me to meet you like this, I think we can see later again.”

“Thank you. Goodbye.”

When I left the conference hall and arrived at the wagon, I seriously thought about what had happened during the day.

The pro-emperor and the noble factions.

God’s token and the divine power.

I and Jiun.

Pioneer and Graspe.

And he.

When I was lost in thought for a long time, the door of the wagon opened wide. I felt sorry for my father when he smiled faintly at me, even though he looked exhausted. Without me, he would not have been that busy.

“You look good in that dress, honey.”

“…Really? Thank you, Dad,”

“Yes. In fact, I was sad because you always seemed to be timid and discouraged. But I was happy to see you acting and speaking out proudly today. So, keep going like this.”

I only smiled awkwardly. I still had pride as a great nobleman’s daughter and the first among the daughters of nobles, but I have rarely boasted of it since I came back from my past.

Unlike in the past, when I could always act arrogantly and proudly as the next empress, I could not act recklessly now because of various restrictions. If I wanted to show my pride, I could at any time, but as I was trying hard to be freed from my status as the crown prince’s fiancee and succeed my family, my reckless actions would only diminish such hope.

However, I could not get out of the circumstances so easily. I was still the crown prince’s fiancée, so I could not be completely free.

That’s the situation I was faced with today. If I had just kept silent, without acting proudly, I would have been insulted, but I could have taken one step away from my relationship with the imperial family. However, I had no choice but to stand on my pride as long as my father granted me the right as the head of the family in an emergency, and as I was virtually representing the interests of the pro-emperor faction.

In the past, I would not have lost my pride as a great noble family even if I had lost my life, but now it was more important for me to keep those precious people around me than keeping my pride. I was willing to suffer any humiliation for that cause.

“… Tia. ”

“Yes, Daddy.”

“I’m sorry. I promised to give you more time, but I can’t afford it anymore. Let me ask you again.

What would you want me to do? Do you want the empress’s crown or do you want to be the successor of our family? ”

He was staring at me seriously as if he was determined. I hesitated for a moment, but I already had the answer.

“…I am going to be the successor of our family.”

“Are you sure? Got it. I’ll do my best to help you. ”

“By the way, Daddy.”

“Go ahead.”

“Why do you want to respect my opinion? If you don’t send me to the imperial family in this situation, Jiun will get the empress’s crown.”

I could understand his offer to help when I was the sole candidate of the empress because he could find a substitute for me among the daughters of the pro-emperor faction members.

But now the situation is different.

I was perplexed at his offer to help me without any objection. As someone who knows the truth about Jiun, he could not answer like that if he thought about the interests of the pro-emperor faction.