Chapter 136
The Tragedy of The Villainess
ð Listen to Post
***
âItâs divine power, Lina. Calm down.â
âDivine power? If itâs divine power, itâs nothing. I donât want it. Does it make sense?â
âDonât cry, Lina. Itâs only three months, and the priests said itâll be over in just three months..â
Lina burst into tears and nodded.
3 months.
It was three months. That limited time was the hope that sustained Lina.
After three months, the sacred child would be transferred from her body to the sacred tree. This was exactly what was normally recorded in the Bible.
So, Lina only had to endure three months.
Kalis had a complicated look on her face. Before he came in, he spoke to priest Jubelud. He was told that as soon as Lina heard that she was pregnant by divine power, she just fainted. Her body and mind had become so weak that she could not bear the shock.
The priest also said that Lina continued to look for Kalis. So he said to make sure that what he said was also comfortingâ¦
ââ¦Lina.â
It was unknown if it was his divine power, or the divine power of Lesche Berg, or Seriaâs. They wonât be certain until after 3 months.
Kalis rubbed his dry face and opened his mouth.
âYou didnât hear whose divine power is tied to it, did you?â
ââ¦I didnât hear.â
The fact that two divine powers could be combined was something that Lina had learned while taking the class. Kalis spoke in a slow voice.
âHe said it could be my divine power or the divine power of God.â
Lina finally looked relieved.
âIâm glad if itâs Kalis⦠I was scared that it might be a total stranger.â
âIt could be Godâs child.â
The reality of having an unwanted child out of the blue was too much to handle, but if it was someone she didnât know, she would have felt cursed.
âLina. Iâll tell you in advance.â
ââ¦Hmm? Tell me what in advance?â
Kalis continued to speak slowly.
âIt doesnât matter whose child it is, I will take responsibility for the child.â
***
âWhat are you thinking? Grand Duchess.â
At Linonâs words, Seria moved her meaningless gaze from the window.
âI didnât know I would have a child with another woman.â
ââ¦Grand Duchess, please!â
âWhat?â
âDonât say that because it hasnât been confirmed yet. My heart is about to drop.â
It was not an exaggeration. Linonâs face was really pale.
âWhy do you look so pale?â
âNo, His Highnessâ¦â
âLesche? Whatâs wrong with Lesche?â
Linon hesitated and said.
âI donât think the Grand Duchess has seen this, but His Highness went out to the frontier earlier and was in a bad moodâ¦The Berg knights were frozen for a while, unable to speak. The sturdy knights did, but what about the soft and feeble me?â
âHmmm.â
The call from the temple about Lina and the report from the demon defense post came at the same time. Lesche decided to visit the border first.
Seria thought about going with Lesche, but â¦.
She wasnât sure she could handle the atmosphere.
It was surprising that Lina had come back, but she even came back pregnant. And it was even more unimaginable that the child may be the result of Seriaâs divine power combinedâ¦. After she heard that, she thought it was ridiculous, absurd, amazing.
âHow is that possible?â
âBetween me and Lina?â
Of course, Seria was also a Stern, so she could at least remember most of what the Bible said. She also knew that there were several instances in the Bible of children being born out of the union of divine power.
Who in the world reads the Bible and could predict this would be their story?
It was her ex-fiancéâs wife and childâ¦
The more she thought about it, the more she was appalled, but still, that was the extent of it.
It was ridiculous.
But there was a possibility that Linaâs child may have combined with Lescheâs divine power.
So it could be Lescheâs child. â¦.
Her mood plummeted. She felt like the floor caved in. So she thought itâd be better to go to the Great Temple first. The priests were restless, and it hadnât been long since she received the Stern insignia.
âThe b*stard Tuban said this isnât in the book.â
âHe even took my precious blue diamondâ¦..â
Seria stared out the carriage window at the fast passing scenery.
If, indeed, it was Lescheâs divine power.
How would he react?
***
âYour Highness. Please check again tomorrow morning.â
Alliot said as he looked at Lesche. Alliot had yet to hear the secret message from the Great Temple. So he didnât know why Lescheâs complexion was so somber.
Still, it was only after the primary confirmation of the boundary line that he was able to ask.
ââ¦Your Highness. Did something happen to the Grand Duchess?â
Lesche asked as he put his sword into the case.
âAlliot.â
âYes, Your Highness.â
âAre there any women who prefer a man with a child?â
âI donât think there are.â
Lesche swept his hair roughly.
He didnât even know why there was even a hint of divine power in his body. He didnât know why Berg was one of the Grand families.
If he hadnât been one of the heads of the seventeen families, he wouldnât have been able to take that precious Stern as his wife. Lesche thought about Seria as he took off his cold constellation gold armor.
He was going crazy.
***
Priest Jubelud was relieved to see Lina in much better shape after meeting Kalis.
âDid Marquis Haneton tell you that? Heâs taking responsibility for the child?â
âYes. But Iâm a little sorry for Kalis. All he was thinking about was getting divorce.â
Priest Jubelud nodded at Linaâs comment. After exchanging a few more words, he left the room.
âThen rest well, Saintess.â
However, priest Jubelud felt complicated.
Marquis Haneton had yet to request his divorce from the Saintess. And he still couldnât forget about Seria.
Furthermore, he did not mention that it might be the sacred power of Stern and the Grand Duke Berg.
However, Kalisâs response was understandable.
That it could be his child instead of from the other two.
But if the child was from the other two people, wouldnât it be completely different stories?
Since Lina had just returned, her bodyâs shock still hadnât worn off, and her spirit was weakened by the shocking news of her pregnancy.
They had to wait at least a week. After feeding her delicious food and replenishing her body with good medicine, if Lina regained her strength, it wouldnât be too late to let her know the truth then.
The priests were also scared that the Saintess might faint.
âSaintess. Look out the window.â
âThe moon is red today.â
âI heard the Saintess appeared under the blessing of the moon.â
At the priestsâ tantalizing words, Lina also looked out the window. She was afraid of the moon, but also curious. What in the world was that moon, and how could it take her away and bring her back?
ââ¦â¦.â
Looking at the red moon, Lina suddenly frowned a little. She stretched out her hand. Strangely, looking at the red moon reminded her of a treasure that she had forgotten all about.
It was that beautiful necklace with a bright red gemstone encrusted in the center and a star carved in gold.
It was Seriaâs necklace.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
She suddenly remembered what she had said to Seria on the Tshugan plains.
âWhen you divorce later, you will return it to His Highness the Grand Duke, right?â
She said it hastily because she wanted it, but on second thought, she shouldnât have said that to Seria. If she were to divorce Kalis, Seria would not have thought of it that way either.
Moreover, thanks to Kalis, she was able to calm down and think positively and accepted this situation.
She even had a new realization after experiencing the extraordinary event that she had been given a child through the union of divine power, and that it might even be Godâs child. She was truly a testimony of God.
âThe world I was originally from had a Bible, and I found a story similar to mine there. It makes a little more sense if I think about it.â
The Priestsâ eyes lit up at the words âSaintâs original world and the Bible.â Lina spoke to the priests and found stability on her own.
There were two Stern, or three, who were precious, but there was only one Saint.
There was nothing she could tell Seria to have an equal friend relationship.
If she apologized for her previous rudeness, and if Seria generously accepted her apologies, they could get to know each other slowly.
If she became a normal and lovely friend, Seria may give her the necklace as a gift. Eventually, Lina regained some of her former exuberance.
âKalis has a strong sense of responsibility.â
The priests opened their eyes wide at Linaâs words.
âI saw him running like crazy from the entrance from the temple entrance to here. He came to see the Saintess.â
âIs that so?â
Kalisâ words sounded reassuring, âIt doesnât matter whose child it is, Iâll take responsibility.â He was also a friend who had taken care of her and treated her well in this strange world.
Lina smiled and raised her stiff body.
Sheâd spent a few days in the dim light, and she wanted to walk. It was late at night, but it would be nice to visit Kalis and have a nice conversation.
Lina took her steps. The place where Kalis was was close to the building where Lina was. The patrolling holy knights also gave way to Lina.
If it was the Hanetonâs castle or mansion, the servants would have been guarding the bedroom, but this was the Great Temple. So there was no servant who dared to guard it.
Only Hanetonâs aide was sitting there.
âSaintess?â
The aide jumped up as soon as he saw Lina. He looked puzzled. Lina remembered the aide and said lightly,
âIâm here to see Kalis.â
âAh⦠the Marquis is sleeping.â
âAlready?â
Lina was about to leave, feeling disappointed. But then she suddenly realized that something was wrong, because of the aideâs behavior, like he was trying to keep her out of Kalisâs room.
It was suspicious.
âSaintess? Ah, the Marquis is really sleepingâ¦!â
ââIâll just look at his face. Itâs okay, right?â
âSaintessâ¦!â
Without any time to stop, Lina opened the bedroom door. However, contrary to Linaâs vague expectations, the bedroom was quiet and frozen. Moreover, Kalis was closing his eyes on the bed quietly, just as the aide had said.
âHeâs really sleepingâ¦â
The aide sighed, inwardly relieved.
It was the moment when Lina was about to turn around with an embarrassing look. Kalis covered his face with both hands with a low moan. The face reflected through the gap of his hand revealed his deep agony. Tears flowed down from his tightly closed eyes.
âKalisâ¦.?â
The moment a panicked Lina hurriedly walked to the bed where Kalis was lying.
âSeriaâ¦â
At the name Kalis called out in a cracked voice.
Linaâs feet came to a halt.