# 15
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* * *
“This is Diana’s room.”
Once I had changed, I walked around holding the hand of Diana, who offered to show me around the castle.
I finally reached Diana's room.
But that wasn't the concept of the room I knew.
The bedroom, bathroom and dressing room were connected to each other, and there was also a games room and a small living room.
One wall was filled with children's books, and there were also piles of dolls and games.
Above all, everything from the furniture to the props was luxurious and beautiful, and they all seemed to be of the highest quality.
It was the first time in my life that I had seen a space filled with such beautiful things, so my mouth dropped open.
I had sneaked into noble palaces many times, but most of the time I was busy searching for secret places in the dark due to missions.
Moreover, since I had never sneaked into the room of such a young noblewoman, I felt like I was in another world.
“Noona, come here!”
Before I knew it, Diana climbed onto the bed and patted the seat next to me, urging me on.
As I approached cautiously, watching the maids watch, Diana picked up a story book from the bedside table.
"Read it to me! Princess!"
From the bright shout of words, I could tell it was a children's book about the princess Diana used to talk about in nursery.
At that time, the maid seemed to be trying to dissuade the young lady from asking me for a difficult service.
But I thought my chance had finally come.
‘If they knew I could read, they might allow you to continue serving Diana.’
If I was going to stay in the Duchy, I wanted to be with Diana a little longer.
With a happy heart, she quickly picked up a children's book with a fancy cover depicting a princess wearing a pink dress.
“Diana.”
"My mom !"
The Duchess opened the door and looked at me and Diana with a friendly expression.
“Were you trying to read a book?”
“Yes, Noona will read the book!”
“I'm sorry, but I think your princess needs to go somewhere with your mother for a while. Can she read the book later?”
I suddenly realized that I was on Diana's bed, and I quickly put down my book and got down to the floor.
'I haven't really shown my usefulness yet.'
I was impatient and wondered if my job position was already set.
As I wiggled my fingers and watched, the Duchess asked me to come out.
“I deserve it too!” After calming Diana, who was trying to catch up with him, he went out into the hallway.
Where are you taking me?
Will I end up breaking up with Diana this way?
A feeling of anxiety and nervousness appeared in my young body.
I unconsciously put my finger to my mouth.
then.
“No need to worry.”
The Duchess gently took my hand as if to prevent me from biting my nails and led me into the room.
I was surprised to see a woman dressed in pure white standing inside.
'Oh. …?’
When the Duchess saw me confused, she laughed a little and said:
“Countess Marietta even sent me a personal message, please heal the scars on her body.”
These words reminded me of Bianca, who left the inn and repeatedly urged Duke Elad to continue summoning the priest.
Although the Duke was upset with Bianca, he promised, so I figured I might be able to meet the priest at least once during my stay at Elad Castle.
'But it's been a few hours since we arrived...'
Moreover, instead of going to the temple, the priest came directly.
“Is this the baby?”
“Yes, it is her.”
The Duchess led me behind a screen on one side of the room.
“Take off your clothes here and change into a dress.”
Then I backed away from the section so as not to cause any inconvenience.
Apparently they thought I would hesitate to show the scars on my body.
Moreover, when it comes to priests, it is common for them to be men, but when I saw that they called a female priest, it seemed like they were taking care of me, a girl, even though I was young.
From Bianca to the Duchess.
I didn't know what to do with the warm respect and kindness that I had never felt in my past life.
As the thought crossed my mind that all this was because I had not ignored Diana, I regretted my past life even more.
'I really need to do better from now on.'
With this promise in mind, I quickly changed my clothes, approached the waiting priest, and carefully knelt down.
Although I have never received any treatment from a priest, I have seen it done this way sometimes when I visit the temple to gather information.
The priest smiled when he saw my tense expression and placed his hand on my forehead.
Soon, a warm light burst from her hand.
Shrrrrrrsh, shrrrrrrsh —
I was filled with excitement as I closed my eyes, waiting for my body to become clean, when I heard a strange sound in my ear.
Every time the warm light tried to surround my body, I heard a strange sound again, and at the same time, I cautiously opened my eyes as a gentle energy disappeared everywhere.
Then I met the priest's eyes, and they were trembling as if there had been an earthquake.
"What happened?"
asked the Duchess, who looked equally puzzled.
I don't know exactly, but there was something strange about the situation.
“Well, that’s... my holy power is not running through her body, it’s like she’s jumping...”
She looked as if she did not understand what the priest was saying, and then her face hardened.
My body also froze in shock.
“The holy power is not working.”
I had never heard of someone who could repel holy power.
Although priests who can use holy power are rare, and it is difficult for commoners to receive the cure, all citizens of the empire receive blessings in the temple at least once upon their birth.
Me too, I must have been lucky in the orphanage when I was young.
'. …No, did you really receive it?'
“Uess scum!”
I forgot it for a moment in my mind.
The director's cursing voice rang out.
For some reason, a feeling of unease swept through my entire body.
* * *
“Are you hungry? Diana will be waiting for you, let’s go.”
said the Duchess kindly.
I was embarrassed and grateful that they paid this much attention to a child who was nothing special.
But I was so shocked by what happened a short while ago that my expression did not calm down.
The priest tried to inject me with divine power several times, but the result was the same.
This was repeated until sweat poured down his forehead, and finally the Duchess stopped the priest.
The priest then suggested that it was because his divine ability was less than that of the other priests, and that he should summon another priest.
But maybe they both know.
Maybe things won't change.
The Duchess told the priest that this was a secret that only we knew, and she asked the priest to remain silent. When the priest left, I spoke to him kindly.
〈Our duchy also has a wizard who specializes in healing magic. If holy power doesn't work, you can heal with magic power.〉
She seemed to think my dark expression was due to her disappointment at not being able to erase the scar.
Well, since I was still young, it was difficult for me to properly realize the seriousness of the situation that the holy power was not working.
She assured me that she would erase all the scars on my body, and I was speechless.
It wouldn't be surprising if she thought I was unlucky to reject sacred energy, but she seemed rather worried about me.
How could he be so cute?
Was Diana so beautiful because she grew up under such a warm person?
The bright sunlight behind her turned as orange as the color of her hair.
As I was looking at this scene in a daze, I suddenly felt like I was going to burst into tears.
When the Duchess saw my face, she stopped suddenly.
“Oh, by the way, I'm not supposed to give it before the meal...”
She clicked her tongue and took something out of her pocket.
“Now, it's a magic potion that makes you feel better.”
I opened my mouth without realizing it.
What the Duchess gave me was a small chocolate bar wrapped in a shiny wrapper.
“It'll really make you feel better, so try it quickly.”
When I was as hard as ice and had no intention of receiving it, the Duchess smiled, opened the wrapper, and put the chocolate into my mouth.
'. …sweet.”
It was something I had never seen before in an orphanage.
And in the past, even when I was a ar, if I received it by chance, it was so precious that I couldn't even bite it and melt it.
“Do you feel better now?”
Suddenly I remembered the person who gave me the chocolate with an indifferent expression and asked him.
When I first saw him, I thought the Duchess and him didn't look alike.
For a moment, his face seemed to intertwine with the Duchess's.
And then I realized.
Her kindness is like the aura that emanates from her.
“I feel really good, thank you.”
I answered in a tear-filled voice, something I couldn't bear to say at the time.
* * *
The place we arrived for lunch with the Duchess was a conservatory located in the back garden.
It was clearly the middle of winter with snow piled up outside, but when I opened one of the thin glass doors and stepped inside, it was clear spring weather.
Warm, comfortable air and a glass roof that reflects sunlight.
Water flowed forcefully from an indoor fountain decorated with blooming flowers and vines.
I felt like I could hear birds chirping from somewhere.
“Oh my God, is this heaven?”
I looked around with wide eyes and found Diana waving her hand.
“Noona, sit here!”
As I ran towards Diana, who was hitting the seat next to me, I flinched and stopped.
Allen was sitting on the other side of the table.
“Hello young master.”
I mustered up the courage to say hello first, but what I received was a cold look.
He was the same age as Jack, so even though he was only a ten-year-old boy, his eyes were very fierce.
If I were a normal eight-year-old child, I would have been frightened and wanted to cry right away.