Chapter 189

TL: Zimmings

Cecilia and I left the party together. She was moved by my actions for a while, but soon she looked around the party hall with an anxious gaze.

“Are you okay?”

“What?”

When I asked with a nonchalant expression, Cecilia’s expression showed concern.

“You’re going to be in trouble. Especially with those rumors circulating that can’t be put into words…”

“Rumors that I’m Cecilia and dad’s illegitimate child? Don’t worry. That’s why I’m trying to make the rumour disappear.”

“Really?”

I nodded.

“In fact, rumors are very powerful. If I leave it alone, it will be more severe, and after Cecilia ascends to the throne, the nobles will rise like a swarm of bees saying that they must prove my birth. Since there is no way to prove about my birth in this empire, Cecilia will eventually be branded as an unholy empress. That’s why I set an example so that no one would be able to circulate the rumours again.”

I raised my eyebrows and continued.

“Fortunately, there are people who I can set as an example.”

“If it’s an example…….”

“For example, those stupid siblings who I dumped the tea at.”

“…No way.”

I covered my mouth with both hands and chuckled.

“They won’t be able to stand still because they’ve been insulted in public. If they see me act like that to protect you, they’ll stupidly fuel the rumours!”

“That poor sibling didn’t even know it’s a trap.”

I denied it quickly.

“If they decided to reflect and stay quiet, it won’t happen. So this is an opportunity, not a trap!”

Cecilia smiled and nodded her head. Although she looked at me with disbelief in her eyes.

‘Go and spread the word.’

Then Dubblede can come to the front. I was going to destroy them so that no one could bring up the rumours.

‘That way, I can make Cecilia the empress with peace of mind.’

Placing her as an empress was a kind of reward.

She was a loyal servant of my mother, and she was also with her in her last moments, trying to protect her. I want to at least give her the best treatment.

But of course, it was also for my desires.

“There is only one time when someone could enter the central temple. On a national wedding.”

“So if there’s a national wedding…….”

“Yes, for the national wedding, the empress’s parents are invited to the temple. Cecilia’s guardian is Dubblexe, so if she becomes the empress, His Excellency and the Lady can enter the castle.”

Remembering the chairman’s words, I gripped the hem of my dress tightly. Considering the current situation, it will take at least several months for interpretation to occur. And looking at my previous life, the content of the prophecy could be guessed.

‘To announce the existence of Mina.’

But it is too early for the prophecy to come.

The time when the prophecy came about Mina was when I was already seventeen.

So it’s fair to say that the revelation came earlier because I changed something.

‘That’s probably good.’

The change itself was welcome. Without change there will be no improvement.

‘The problem is timing.’

If Mina, the true child of fate, descends, I’ll lose my status as child of fate.

It cannot be denied that the child of fate title has been a shackle that has bound my life up to now, but at the same time it has been a shield. The reason the Duke of Marche and the Pope do not touch Dubblede is because of me, the child of fate.

‘When Mina comes, everything will change.‘

Both the Duke of Marche and the temple would be our enemy.

So, I need to find out the time when the prophecy will be interpreted, and make Dubblede stronger until she arrives.

I stared at the giant religious paintings hanging in the hallway.

‘I won’t lose anything anymore.’

I swear.

***

Me and Cecilia talked in a separate room given by the Imperial Palace for candidates.

“The first test was held before the lady came.”

“What about the test?”

“We were questioned by the Empress Dowager……The judge was the Empress Dowager, so I guess I didn’t get a good score. Only Lady Amboise had a good score.”

Cecilia sighed.

“Javelin worked hard, but it was not enough.”

“Well, great. You can get points in the remaining test. Even if the first test is like that. The Empress Dowager will not be able to exercise her power on every test.”

“Yes.”

“I wish I could know the contents of the test…”

The moment I muttered, the door opened and my aunt entered.

“It is to win the heart of the Deglid.”

“Aunt!”

As I got up, my aunt smiled and pinched my cheek slightly.

“You’re feeling better, aren’t you?”

“Yes. Thank you for being here for me.”

“Originally, it was what I was supposed to do. Don’t you need more rest?

“I’m healthy! But if it’s Deglid…”

I blinked as my aunt sat down and answered.

“The emperor’s aunt. After losing the battle to the throne, she lived quietly, but in reality, he controlled the old noble faction.”

“So this is what Empress Yvonne did?”

“Yes. She wanted to ruin this competition. If Deglid stepped forward, they would think that they could get a hold of her. But even the Empress Dowager and the Emperor cannot do anything.”

I said, “Hmm.” and nodded my head.

“But she’ll be a fair judge.”

“Yes. She is not attached to either the Emperor, Empress Dowager, or even Empress Yvonne, so if Cecilia gets a good score in this test, no one will question her abilities.”

Good.

I made eye contact with Cecilia and said.

“Let’s get first place in this test!”

“Can I win his heart?”

“Of course!”

And so, I called my trusted allies.

[Yes, lady.]

[Tell us!]

[What should we do?]

My three maids.

“Resources about the Deglid. Find out what her weakness is. And check how much money I have.]

[Why the money?]

Yuna asked in a puzzled voice, and I gave a refreshing answer.

“I have to use some bribes~!”

[Aha!]

[You are still smart.]

[You realize at a young age that bundles of money are sharper than knives, as expected of my little girl~!]

I shrugged my shoulders, as the maids were deeply moved by me.

My aunt and Cecilia looked at me with puzzled expressions.

But the next day, when I saw the announcement on the bulletin board, I shuddered.

[Lady Constance and her recommendator, Count Obir, defiled the Holy Land with a dishonest request……they were expelled.]

If it’s a dishonest request, it’s a bribe.

‘How can money not work?’

I was stuck in the filthy world for a long time, I folded my arms with a look of astonishment.

“They won’t take bribes.”

I frowned at Cecilia’s words, who were looking at the bulletin board together.

“That’s a big deal. I don’t get along well with honest people.”

“What if the results are honest and fair this time?”

“The world is dirty, but if you are honest and upright by yourself, what will be left?”

When I asked with an innocent expression, Cecilia chuckled.

“We’ll have to think of another way… Um, what would be good?”

“Let’s wait for a meeting with Deglid in the afternoon. If we see her for ourselves, we might think of something.

I said, “Yes.” and turned around with Cecilia.

“But where is the meeting place? If possible, it would be nice to have a place where I, who is a child, can talk comfortably. Drinking is-”

“Oh my, Lady!”

As I was muttering, I heard a familiar voice from the other side. It was the candidate supported by the Empress Dowager, Lady Amboise’s voice.

“Hello, Lady Amboise.”

“Yes. Have you been well?”

“Of course.”

“That’s a relief. I was worried that you might be thinking about what happened at the last party.”

She was talking about me humiliating the siblings. I pretended I did not know anything and smiled.

“If it’s about you calling me a commoner don’t worry! I erased it from my memory.”

You must be embarrassed by that.

Lady Amboise’s face flushed red.

“It wasn’t about, well… Thank you for forgetting.”

“Yes.”

“I hope you can erase the trivial memories and live a pleasant life. You don’t know how worried I was because you were sick. Everyone didn’t write you a letter because it might interfere with your recuperation.”

Phew.

She started her attack again. What she was trying to say was ‘Even if you were sick, people didn’t write you a letter? Even if you’re a Dubblede, it is proof that none of the nobles accepted you.’ I raised my eyebrows and answered.

“Thank you for caring so much. I always admired Lady Amboise because I heard from my peers that you have a wonderful personality.”

Didn’t you have a bad relationship with the nobles too? People around us, who understood the meaning of my words, covered the raised corners of their mouths with their handkerchiefs.

Lady Amboise laughed awkwardly.

“Is that so? I’m grateful to them.”

Then she nodded her head and walked past me. As I shrugged, Cecilia asked with a surprised expression.

“You’re very good at quarrelling.”

“I’ve been ridiculed many times in my first life. And in my third life, I was trained to fight by Emeline.”

As I chuckled, Cecilia burst out laughing.

“I heard from Tri, she said that Emeline is a great kid.”

“It was hellish training…”

“What? You didn’t fight back!? This fool!”

“It’s not like that, I think they’re only joking…”

“Leblaine, you can’t be this gentle when you want to beat someone. To win an argument, you must first change your mindset. Come on, follow me.”

“Huh…?”

“I’ll train you so that your opponent will feel like chewing razor. We will cut them into pieces with our tongue.”

“Chewing on a razor… I don’t want it…”

“You should! Kids like us, once we lose, are seen as losers!”

Recalling a bitter memory, I felt goosebumps on my body.

Cecilia and I went to the break room. About an hour or two later, the servant summoned the candidates to the hunting grounds for a face-to-face meeting with Deglid.

I tilted my head as I walked to the hunting ground holding hands with Cecilia.

‘What, hunting ground?’

It seemed that Deglid was an unusual person.

When we reached the hunting ground, we saw a tall old woman with gray hair among the young girls who arrived one step before us.

“You’ve come a long way to meet me. Nice to meet you. I’m Deglid Louerg”

When I saw the Deglid, I hardened.

“Lady?”

Cecilia looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“Someone I’ve seen… Cecilia, I know her.”

Very well too.

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