A Saint Who Was Adopted by the Grand Duke
chapter-146

“The elders are waiting for you. The saint will be tested.”

The paladin calmly replied.

For fairness, it was customary to notify just before the qualification test.

It was actually against the rules for Lucas to inform her of the scheduled date, so Rabienne couldn’t even refute why they brought up the test date.

“…We are receiving important guests right now, so please wait until it is over.”

“It can’t be. Since there is no official schedule, we were told to bring you right away.”

Rabienne tried to delay it, but she instantly realized it wouldn’t work. Gripping the skirt of her dress, she replied,

“I get it. Take the lead.”

In the end, for Rabienne, who could not come up with any countermeasures, only resentment for Esther grew.

There was really no choice but to follow the paladins. Right as she took a stop forward, Lucas hurriedly grabbed her hand.

“The saint will do well. I will be waiting for you to come out.”

Something was pressed against her palm.

Surprised, Rabienne was about to ask what this was, but then bit her mouth shut.

She believed there must be a deep significance if he was trying to deliver it in this situation, so she only thanked him with her eyes.

Following the paladin without even having time to settle down for her tea party, she turned her hand over as she exited the room.

And she sneakily confirmed what Lucas had given her.

‘A seed?’

The size was particularly small, but it was a seed that could sprout a holy flower.

There might be a test to see if she could grow a holy flower, so it seemed that he prepared for it.

‘Maybe it’s possible to cheat.’

The confidence of Rabienne, who, due to her distraught and hectic schedule hadn’t even thought of hiding some seeds beforehand, returned a little.

But that was for a mere while.

Rabienne had to gnaw her teeth at the gazes she felt from all sides.

The saint, the unrivaled presence of the temple, always attracted attention wherever she went, even in normal times.

The sight of Rabienne surrounded by paladins—more specifically, the paladins of the Council of Elders—was perfect to go in and out of wandering mouths.

“To see the paladins of the elders walking around the temple in broad daylight. What in the world is going on?”

“I just heard about it, but it seems that the saint’s qualification test will be held again soon.”

“What? It doesn’t make sense.”

The maids, priests, and junior saint candidates who saw this all began to whisper.

“I think it’s a bit strange too. Is it because her divine power is so weak compared to the saints of the past?”

“Well… There was a lot of talk because of the epidemic.”

Their conversation was not overheard by Rabienne, but this situation itself was a disgrace already.

Rabienne, her face turning red, walked more confidently so as not to be looked down upon by the people.

However, words moved faster than feet, and by the time Rabienne arrived at the test hall, there was no one inside the temple who didn’t know.

“This is it. All the elders are gathered inside.”

Rabienne looked at the building where the paladin had stopped in front of and let out a laugh without realizing it.

“That’s where I had my ordination.”

It was only a while ago that she was happily preparing for her appointment. She never thought she would visit this place again in this way.

“You… You must go in now.”

“Okay. Don’t rush me.”

Rabienne glared bitterly at the paladin. Then, flustered, the paladin hurriedly lowered his head.

“Sorry.”

‘I can’t avoid it any longer.’

But her legs didn’t weaken even the slightest when she thought she was about to take a test.

From now on, no one could help her. Even her family, which had always protected her, was useless.

Rabienne, who would have her divine power tested in front of her elders, was going through the biggest crisis of her life.

‘Let’s go in first.’

It was when she forcibly removed her feet from the ground that she saw a familiar person walking from the other side.

“Don’t tell me… Esther?”

It was the girl who Rabienne had been searching for all morning and waited until her throat was dry.

“You are here now? Ha.”

Rabienne laughed and turned.

Then she shook off the paladin who was holding her and swiftly marched towards Esther.

As the distance between them narrowed, Rabienne recognized the face of the man standing right next to Esther.

‘Is that Noah? Why are you two together? And what’s with that hair?’

She thought he was a different person because his hair color, which was always black, had changed.

The situation was embarrassing for her, but she considered herself lucky to have met Esther before she entered the test hall.

‘The goddess is still on my side.’

Rabienne, whose vitality began to circulate again, rapidly constructed a plan.

“Lady Esther, you are very late.”

“Hello, Saint.”

She scolded her for being late, but she didn’t even apologize. Rabienne instantly frowned.

However, she managed to recompose herself, making a smile.

“Your Highness, what are you doing in the temple? I didn’t know you two knew each other.”

“We know each other very well. Today, I have come as Lady Esther’s guardian.”

“…Your Highness is her guardian?”

The gaze of Noah which was directed at Esther was infinitely kind. It was something he had never shown Rabienne before.

Seeing that, Rabienne’s eyes lit up. She almost cried and asked what their relationship was, but the test that was right before her nose was more urgent.

“Rather than that, Lady Esther, the location of the tea party is over there. I will take you there.”

Rabienne pretended to be friendly and grabbed Esther’s hand. The tone she used was sweet.

Esther, however, firmly removed Rabienne’s hand and responded with a grin.

“No. You don’t have to.”

“What?”

“I didn’t come to attend the party.”

Rabienne, who had been staring blankly at the rejected hand, raised her eyes at Esther’s words.

“You said you were going to attend, didn’t you?”

“Oh right. I forgot to contact you again. Have you been waiting for a long time?”

Esther clapped like it had just occurred to her, and Rabienne’s face crumpled like paper.

“If not for the tea party, what brought you to the temple?”

“It’s a personal matter.”

Unlike the nervous Rabienne, Esther was very laid-back. The latter turned her head and pointed at the paladin.

“It seems like you have urgent matters. Shouldn’t you go?”

Unable to hide the feeling of having been stabbed in the back of the head, Rabienne fiercely glared at Esther.

Her pretensions from earlier had disappeared, and her hostility was openly revealed.

“Do you have anything more to say to me?”

“No.”

The paladins, Noah, and priests watching from afar.

In this situation with so many eyes watching, there was no way to force Esther to go with her.

“Lady Esther, today you feel like a different person than before.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. I wonder if you can still be like that the next time we meet. See you soon.”

Esther laughed at the disappearing back of Rabienne, who bluffed until the end.

Was she just such a person? It was rather pathetic, so Esther didn’t feel anything.

“How is it?”

Noah asked, tapping Esther gently on the shoulder.

“It hasn’t hit me yet. Perhaps when she collapses properly.”

“But is it really okay to participate in the test?”

“Yes. Anyway, once it’s revealed that Rabienne is a fake, she’ll also find out that I’m a saint. It’s just a matter of time.”

Anyway, since an elder and two high priests already knew, it was not a fact that she could hide.

“In that case, it’s better to use it properly.”

Even if they knew who the real saint was, the temple could never have a saint.

That was Esther’s punishment to the temple.

But apart from that, Esther was also nervous.

Noah warmed Esther’s cold hand with his own.

“The door will open after the first test, right?”

“Yes. She asked me to come in when the door opened.”

“I see.”

Knowing how great Esther’s divine power was, Noah was already excited, imagining how shocked Rabienne would be when she saw the overwhelming difference.

“Show it to your heart’s content.”

“Is that okay?”

“Of course. Show them how great you are. They should know who they missed. Let it all out, make them regret it.”

Having calmed down thanks to Noah, Esther smiled, her eyes twinkling.

“It’s finally time to pay it back.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

With interlocked hands, the two walked into the building where the test hall was located.

★★★

Rabienne stood in front of the elders, holding her quivering hands tightly.

The elders who were seated stood up for a moment, bowed to Rabienne, and sat down again.

‘They’re like old foxes.’

The place where more than 20 elders looked down at the same time felt like an exhibition, not a test venue.

Rabienne spoke without hiding her displeasure.

“The 15th saint, Rabienne de Brions. I have been called by the elders.”

A soft voice echoed through the hall.

“Sharon, the godmother of the Council of Elders, greets the saint.”

A pressure emanated from Sharon, who, like Rabienne, was dressed in her priestly garb. It could not be ignored.

Rabienne forced a smile and spoke in a charming way in an attempt to pass the crisis.

“Godmother, there has never been a case where the saint took the qualification test after becoming the saint. Please think again.”

“Yes. Obviously. But there has never been an epidemic like this in the empire.”

Unfortunately for Rabienne, her words didn’t work on Sharon at all.

“Do you really have to do this? This isn’t good for the temple either. If I don’t pass the test, the elders won’t be able to escape responsibility.”

As Rabienne gazed at the elders one by one, she appealed deeply. But everyone turned away from her.

‘The atmosphere is too cold.’

A cold gaze that was too different from usual.

Rabienne embraced her arms involuntarily. Her lips were dry enough to be seen with the naked eye.

“We elders will accept it if there are any responsibilities. I hope the saint will do the same.”

“…….”

“The test will be conducted in the same way as with the previous saints. This test is absolutely necessary in order to get rid of the disgraceful rumors about the saint that have been floating around all the time.”

Rabienne, who spread a disease that did not exist and failed to stop it, had no reason to refuse the test.

“…All right.”

Her fingers gripping the sleeves of her dress were now pitifully tired.

“The first test is to grow hyacinths.”

Sharon beckoned, and with a couple of groans, several priests brought a large flower pot in front of Rabienne.

Inside was a tree almost as tall as Rabienne.

‘I’m confident with this.’

It was one of the saint candidates’ subjects, and it was also a subject that Rabienne had never scored less than first place.

‘Please, I hope the sanctification works.’

Rabienne stretched out her hands in earnest prayer. And squeezed all her divine power out.

As she focused it on the tree, a very faint light radiated from her fingertips.

Ame:*clears throat* I think it’s time… for a song. This is for you, Rabienne!

This is the end

Hold your breath and count to ten

Feel the Earth move and then

Have your heart burst again

For this is the end

You’ve drowned and feared this moment

So overdue, you owe them

Swept away, what you’ve stolen

Let the fake saint falls

When she crumbles

The rest will stand tall

And laugh at her together

Let Rabienne fall

When she crumbles

The rest will stand tall

And enjoy it all together

When the fake falls

When the fake falls

Disclaimer: I am just a mischievous translator. Fans of Adele and/or skyfall, please don’t come after me ^^;