C113
"Actually, every time the prince approaches, I get nervous. As you know, my husband is serving the first prince. The second prince doesn't have a good relationship with the first prince... The source of forest fires is a small ember. I'm afraid that a little thing related to me could cause a big problem... As I'm timid, I have no choice but to feel nervous."
Catherine nodded several times as if Bianca was right. Odelli, who was listening attentively to the story by her side, asked as if it were strange.
"Is there something going on with the second prince? It's not a matter of one or two days, but... Has the second prince ever flirted with the countess?"
"... Yes."
Bianca cautiously responded. It wasn't something to talk about out loud. Upon hearing Bianca's answer, Odelli's eyes sparkled intensely.
"Then my brother would have known... I'm sorry, Countess Arno."
"No. It's not the prince's fault."
"No. It's my brother's fault. If my brother had given a stronger warning beforehand, that wouldn't have happened in the tournament. Anyway, my brother is too soft."
Odelli clicked her tongue. It was clear whom her disdain and pity were directed at. Gautier and Jacob, both of whom were very frustrating to Odelli. The former was at least welcomed as a family member, but the latter was insignificant. Her lips curled up, and she lashed out at those who weren't there.
"He didn't give too much importance to the tournament. Tournaments are men's festivals. He would have taken it for granted that it wasn't a big deal. In a crowd of spectators, with no acquaintances, does it make sense to hand a rose to the wife of an opponent? It's obvious that people will talk about you... Words may be romantic and all, but in the end, it will be a scandal. Without even considering how embarrassing it will be for a woman to receive unwanted attention, they are simply intoxicated with the satisfaction of confessing."
Odelli frowned and waved her hand forcefully. However, the problem was that even with a grimace, her face was beautiful, and the irritation didn't easily show.
Somehow, Odelli didn't look very happy when she received the rose from the Knight of Castile. Since she appeared in the social world until now, she had been attacked by this kind of thing.
Catherine's face brightened. Then Catherine, realizing that receiving roses wasn't a good thing, asked hesitantly.
"Why does the first prince leave the second prince alone when they're not friendly towards each other? The second prince is quite old, wouldn't it be better to let him go..."
The relationship between the two was so strange that Catherine questioned it. Half-brothers with little age difference. Jacob didn't openly reveal his greed for the throne, but he also didn't hide his hostility and resentment towards his older brother.
Normally, the general norm was to separate him from the capital by sending the second prince into exile, but Jacob lived in Lahoz and freely traveled with other nobles.
Catherine's question also piqued Bianca's curiosity. When Bianca and Catherine's curious gazes turned to the princess, Odelli smiled and answered as if she thought it was absurd.
"Because my brother wants to be loved. That's why he leaves the second prince alone. Because my father doesn't want conflicts. He pretends to be the good elder son."
It was a sarcastic tone, but a part of her voice seemed somewhat bitter.
"But what does this mean?... It's good filial piety while my father is alive. But when my father dies, the love my brother wanted to receive will end, won't it? By then, the second prince will have increased his power. Jacob is not afraid of my brother. Because he knows my brother's gentle personality. The king should be feared, but my older brother only wants to be loved..."
Although Jacob's mother was the second queen, technically Jacob was an illegitimate child. As it was a situation where they had to be grateful for retaining the title, it would have meant that the royal family had fulfilled its duty.
Bianca seemed to understand why Odelli knew all this, but she couldn't calmly tell Gautier to kill Jacob. It was because Gautier was her older brother, and at the same time, it was she who received the most love from the king. It was clear that Odelli's words of seeking practical benefits instead of the king's love would feel like selfish resentment.
"So, my father... My father believes he has sinned against his son. To be precise, against my mother and the second queen... As you grow older, you gradually look back, leaving only regrets. That's why he can't make a decisive decision. Even in an ordinary aristocratic family, such succession structure is undesirable..."
Perhaps because Bianca and Catherine belonged to the faction of the first prince, Odelli was so sincere and open-minded.
Through Bianca or Catherine, this could reach the ears of Zachary or Marceau, and thus perhaps exclude Jacob from Lahoz.
Upon Odelli's words, Catherine exclaimed with admiration. Catherine's eyes sparkled to the point of being heavy.
"The princess really knows a lot and is very considerate."
"I have a lot of free time. I don't want to get married, so I don't have to take bride lessons. Embroidery, in fact, is really rat poison for me. I don't have the skill for it. So, in my boring free time, I read a book or two or blankly think about this and that. That's why I just talk a lot about nothing."
Odelli spoke lightly, as if it were just a book or two or a blank thought, but Bianca, who knew the future, admired Odelli's conjecture. In fact, the future goes as Odelli imagines... And Bianca had to stop it somehow.
Bianca's mind became complicated by the horrible future that was once again openly revealed. If she thinks about it, many things have changed since before. Her relationship with Zachary. Her relationship with her father and brother. The relationships with everyone around her...
So, the future can also be changed. Bianca whispered with strength as if trying to convince herself, but there was nothing she could do about the growing anxiety in her heart.
If you think about the same thought over and over again, your initial conviction disappears somewhere, and doubts project in front of you. There were limits to one's own thoughts.
Bianca was convinced that she had come back to save Zachary, but now it was unclear whether it was really God's will or if she was going crazy. On the first day she returned, the prayer she had offered to God echoed in her ears like a buzzing sound.
"I am forever grateful for your mercy, for forgiving my sins and granting me the desire for resurrection. My faith in you is unwavering, and I promise to act according to your will... Sincerely, I swear upon this second life you have granted me."
"Was it really... God's will?"
Bianca whispered quietly, as if to herself. What she needed was the conviction of others. This would allow her to run forward without trembling and without looking back.
So, she reflected on Odelli's words on the way to the church and accepted them. Her return is a miracle from God. And the Great Bible, which recorded the words, deeds, and miracles of God, existed only in the Church. There were a total of three large churches in Sevran, but there were no large churches near the Arno estate. She had to pass through the Great Church of Lahoz to resolve the curiosity about her return.
The time she had left until Zachary's death was not long. Bianca's pale green eyes trembled.
----
It didn't take long to reach the church.
After a few gates, they stood in front of a church surrounded by an imposing tower. A magnificent and splendid building that cannot be compared to the monastery where Bianca entrusted her body in her previous life.
The church was whiter than the white citadel of Lahoz. A sense of alienation as if it were isolated from the world. As if it were something sacred.
When Bianca and her group were about to head towards the side entrance of the church, they encountered a group of knights circling around the church. Odelli's escort, who noticed the unknown knights, stopped the group for a moment and said.
"What kind of knights came to the church...? Princess. Please wait. I will go and find out."
"........."
Bianca, who not only was not interested in her surroundings but had many things on her mind today, didn't pay attention to them. But when she turned her gaze, she found a familiar face among the knights.
Bianca's eyes widened.
"Why is Robert here?"
The question didn't last long. It was obvious.
"Yes. Of course, Zachary sent him..."
-----
Somehow, he sent them. Zachary's voice, saying that it was his duty to worry, resonated in Bianca's ears.
She should have realized earlier that when he said worrying was his duty, it was also his duty to take action.
Bianca's face was so hot she couldn't bear it. How would others see her? This was too much.
With a small sigh, Bianca prevented Odelli's knights from approaching the group of knights led by Robert.
"They... are the knights from our territory. Don't worry, they are not strangers."
Bianca's face blushed. The princess's knights were surprised, but by including Gaspard as an escort, they had roughly guessed how much Zachary loved Bianca. They quickly agreed and stepped back. Of course, that was more embarrassing for Bianca.
"I suppose Count Arno really cares for the Countess."
"It wasn't supposed to be like this..."
Bianca responded awkwardly to Catherine's admiration. Odelli realized why Bianca was wandering around with an escort like this through the conversation about Jacob, so she added that it was natural.
"In the capital, the more escorts, the better. Having many eyes can be annoying at times, but it also helps, right?"
Odelli was right. Wasn't there a history of wandering without an escort once before and getting into trouble? Bianca nodded slightly.
As if Robert and his group had found Bianca, their eyes met for a moment. Robert seemed as moody as usual. He still didn't like being involved in Bianca's affairs. But still, he came here. Bianca laughed.
Robert's face twitched, perhaps embarrassed by Bianca's smile. Bianca waved her hand to greet him and followed the princess into the Church.
She heard Robert grumble behind her, but she really didn't care. Because it was obvious what he was going to say.
Well, he would probably complain that he's wandering around the church even though he has a lot of work to do just because she went to the church.
Bianca felt like crust would form in her ears due to his curses.
Indeed, what Robert thought about Bianca was true. However, it was a little different from Bianca's thoughts about him. Robert looked behind Bianca as she entered the church, puzzled, and murmured in disbelief.
"I thought she wasn't sociable because she was always alone... Madam, if she wanted, she could have been with other people..."
-----
The interior of the Great Church was filled with a quiet stillness and the scent of incense. The sunlight streaming into the hall through a tall stained glass window shone brightly. The aisle on the edge of the abbey was not lit by sunlight, but instead, candles were lit. The candles glowed and cast their long shadows on the wall.
Catherine silently admired as she looked up at the high ceiling of the aisle. Bianca, too, was mesmerized by the interior of the Great Church, which was as splendid as the exterior. If the castle of Sevran was majestic and elegant, in the Great Church, one could feel an infinitely delicate praise to God.
Bianca clicked her tongue as she looked at the carved reliefs on the wall one by one.
Then, a humble priest approached them and greeted them.
"Thank you for visiting the church. My name is John, the High Priest who will guide you today. May God's blessings be with you."
"May the glory of God be with you."
Odelli and Priest John looked at each other and made a signal. Bianca and Catherine also greeted behind Odelli in the same manner. John said gladly.
"If you want to look around the church, I can show you around."
"What do you think? Do you want to look around?"
Odelli asked Catherine and Bianca. Bianca shook her head, remembering her business.
"I don't think I have the energy for that."
"True. The Countess Arno is not in good health."
"If the Countess of Davoville wants to do it, she can go. All I have to do is pray and wait."
"I'm fine too."
Catherine also admired the splendid interiors of the church and the overwhelming grandeur, but that was it. Catherine preferred to be with Odelli and Bianca than to tour the building. Odelli gathered the opinions of the three and presented them to John.
"Then we will ask for blessings."
"Will the princess wish for His Majesty's health as usual? I will prepare candles to honor his well-being."
"Please. What wish would the Countess Arno and the Countess of Davoville like to make?"
In the church, they prayed and burned candles engraved with blessings. It was believed that the smoke from the candles ascended to the heavens and conveyed human desires to God.
Odelli used to come to the church at least once every fifteen days to pray for the king's health. She had been doing it for the past 10 years. People around her used to joke that "His Majesty must live a long time so that she can enjoy it for a long time too," but it's difficult to come to the church constantly just for that. Although she muttered about this and that, she certainly loved her father.
Catherine didn't have to think for a long time. It was because her husband was the only one she would pray for.
"I would like the same, please. I want to pray for my husband's health."
"I would like a candle to prevent my husband's transgressions. Since he has been in many wars..."
Bianca also chose a candle for Zachary.
She hesitated for a moment between choosing health and not, but in the end, she decided on a candle to ward off his misfortune. It was ridiculous to worry about his health since Zachary has never been sick. It was exactly the opposite of Bianca, who had to stay in bed frequently. Instead, it was more comforting to protect oneself from the unfortunate shadows of assassins that came from the battlefield every now and then.
If it had been the old Bianca, she would have been skeptical about making such a wish. It's not like God grants you a wish just because you ask for it... But now Bianca believed in the miracle of God that brought her back. If there was even a small chance, she wanted to desperately hold onto it.
"Then I will prepare it. Please wait a moment."
Upon hearing the request from the three, John smiled kindly. At that moment, Bianca, who was noticing when it would be a good time to speak, hinted at her request.
"Oh, and maybe..."
"Yes. Feel free to speak, believer."
John's serene atmosphere made difficult words easy to pronounce. Perhaps it's because he cares about the hearts of those who believe in religion. This allowed Bianca to ask questions without hesitation.
"If I have any questions about doctrine, who should I meet with?"
"About which doctrine are you curious?"
"About miracles."
Odelli and Catherine, who couldn't understand why Bianca was curious about that, tilted their heads. John, who continued to smile, also had an unusually puzzled expression.
"Even ordinary priests like me are very aware of the case of miracles, but it should be an archbishop to explain the principles of miracles in a convincing way. However, the Archbishop is very busy..."
Said John. These days, the Archbishop was in a dilemma due to the choice of an offering for the Vatican. As he was completely deprived of food and drink and was determined to choose the offerings, the probability of accepting Bianca's request was extremely low.
Although he didn't dare to speak, his wavering gaze made it clear that the meeting was impossible. So he couldn't go ahead and say yes. Bianca had many things to verify, such as why she was chosen, why she returned, and if there was a precedent that managed to change her future. And this was the only place where she could confirm it.
Bianca's heart raced. The king's orders, let alone the name of the hero Zachary, could make the archbishop move.
There are things she has prepared for such a moment, but... Bianca's heart pounded hard as there was no guarantee that the archbishop would change his mind with this.
Although she longed to meet the archbishop, she had to hide the fact that she was desperate enough to give up everything. Bianca, who tried to conceal her feelings, spoke with elegance and courtesy.
"I beg you to know that I am being rude because I am in a great hurry. I am not recklessly requesting the precious time of the Archbishop. I brought something to show my faithful and sincere heart."
Bianca signaled, and Yvonne approached from behind with an ebony wooden box. John, who took the wooden box in a daze, looked at the wooden box with an even more embarrassed expression.
He received it, but this wouldn't change the Archbishop's opinion. On the contrary, he might get angry. Trying to buy his loyalty with money... If that were the case, he won't be able to do exactly what he doesn't convey.
Bianca, noticing John's ups and downs, hastily added.
"It's not an ornament, but it is very precious. Please, tell it to the archbishop."
Tags:
TWB (Novel)