C141
As Bianca couldn't take her eyes off the fabric, Catherine's face grew so hot that it was hard to notice the difference with her red hair. Catherine intertwined her fingertips, whispering softly.
"I'm sure it will be a beautiful baby that resembles Bianca."
"It could resemble my husband."
"I think it would be better to resemble the duke. I'm envious. I'm also trying to have children..."
Catherine's shoulders slumped.
Catherine had been married for fewer years than Bianca, but the time of her annexation was much earlier. Moreover, she had never used contraceptives before, so she should have gotten pregnant earlier, but the heavens weren't always fair.
"My husband says it's okay because there's no rush for a successor, but... It's not about having a successor. I just want to give birth to my husband's child..."
"It will happen soon, Catherine. You will be a good mother, and for those who are prepared, the answers will always come from the heavens."
"Thank you, Bianca."
Touched by Bianca's sincere comfort, Catherine took her hand.
Like Catherine, she had been spinning around until now because she didn't have close friends, so she was very happy to have a friend with whom she could openly share her concerns.
And it was the same with Bianca. Bianca in the past was more familiar with envy, jealousy, and disdain. So she turned a deaf ear and acted more arrogantly. As if she couldn't hurt herself no matter how much she fought.
As such, she was moved to receive such pure blessing. It was a peaceful everyday happiness that she had never felt before.
That's right. Now that she thought about it... Bianca then remembered the advice she had given to Catherine. She forgot for a moment as she focused on the story. Bianca added, as an experienced person, with the utmost sincerity.
"And, by the way, now I'm fine, I act like I don't care, but when Catherine gets pregnant, the Count of Davoville will definitely want to carry you everywhere."
"What? No way."
Catherine asked in surprise. A look of disbelief dripped from her round eyes. Bianca looked at Catherine with pity.
If Catherine became pregnant, Bianca could be sure that the Count of Davoville would be no less than Zachary.
And that would be too much.
------------
After the war, not only Sevran and Arno were optimistic. The Vatican also rejoiced in celebrating the victory of the Order of the Paladins.
Not only that. The ordination of Archbishop Francis as cardinal, which had been delayed due to extreme circumstances, also took place.
After Francis's ordination, a council of cardinals was held. All the cardinals delivered a congratulatory message to Francis.
"Hahaha. I'm relieved now. It was a close call. If only I had noticed the existence of the Saint a little later..."
"That's right. Archbishop Francis, no. Now you are a cardinal. Cardinal Francis has done a great job."
The title of Archbishop, which was unconsciously blurted out, was intentional.
Not everyone was in favor of Francis. One of them was Cardinal John, Marceau's father, who had made Marceau support Zachary.
It was good to have Marceau support Zachary. How happy did he feel when he found out that he arrived before the Paladins?
If Francis had any merit in discovering the Saint, John intended to do a great job to fulfill God's will. Using his son Marceau!
However, after hearing the story, Marceau's work seemed somewhat insufficient to claim that he saved Zachary's life. It didn't seem like he helped much in getting rid of Zachary's enemy, the Second Prince Jacob.
Although it was said that Marceau had devised a scheme, there was no visible tangible result.
If the cause is insufficient in the eyes of others, it is enough to listen to the interested person.
Becoming Pope was always a struggle for the cause. If the Saint could say a word that she was able to fulfill God's will thanks to Marceau, whom she sent, it would be a tremendous gain.
So Marceau should be a close confidant of Zachary and be recognized by him...
But Marceau's behavior was lukewarm. Instead of rushing to Zachary, didn't he get injured in the war before Zachary became a duke? In times like these, he should be even more by Zachary's side...
Perhaps, given that the Count became a duke overnight and a collaborator of the future Queen, he felt jealous.
"I thought you were intelligent, you foolish child."
He doesn't know if he even mentioned his name. John's body stiffened at Marceau's betrayal, in whom he had trusted.
Francis had just become a cardinal, and the Pope is still in his right mind, so there is room. John tried to persuade himself, but he couldn't drown out the sharp word that came out of his mouth unconsciously.
Francis had been in Sevran's social circle for over a decade. There was no way he couldn't read the restrictive twists hidden in John's virtuous words. Francis responded with a deliberately more modestly inclined head, as if scratching the feelings of Cardinal John.
"How can that be my virtue? After all, wasn't it thanks to the good support of the Paladins?"
For a brief moment, the two exchanged sharp looks. However, thanks to the blessings of the other cardinals who followed, the tension quickly sank to the bottom of the water.
"By the way, did you say he was appointed duke this time? From a knight to a duke... Except for the founding period, this is unprecedented in any kingdom."
"He is a talented person, so maybe that's why God chose the Saint to save him."
The topic of the story shifted from Francis to Zachary. Sir Henry, the paladin who returned from the crusade, didn't hesitate to praise Zachary at every opportunity.
He is an excellent knight, his wife is very considerate and listens to the opinions of his subordinates... Later, even the trivial lifestyle of waking up early in the morning and sleeping late at night was praised enough. Thanks to that, there were endless things to talk about.
The cardinals recounted the stories of Zachary they had heard, one by one, and all agreed that he must be a hero important enough for God to give a revelation.
How did such a friendly conversation happen? A cardinal, who was constantly lost in his thoughts, carefully brought up the topic.
"But it's strange. The war ended, isn't the duke's life safe now?"
"Yes. Who could be against him?"
"Then why is there still no response from God?"
"Now that I think about it..."
The atmosphere that had been so lively until a moment ago ended instantly and was swallowed by anxiety.
Everyone whispered and looked at each other.
The Saint who sees an unhappy future through divine revelation tries to change the future. In a way, it can be said that it is for the happy future of the Saint herself, but also a prerequisite for the future that God desired to come true.
Therefore, to reward the hard work of the saint who achieved the desired future, when God's will was fulfilled, God created a miracle and blessed the saint.
Several records of miracles remained in historical records, such as clouds fluttering like purple curtains in the sky, flowers blooming in spring, and the night sky shimmering like noon. The truth was that God expressed His will in one way or another.
The absence of the miracle is equivalent to God's will not yet being fulfilled.
The cardinals, realizing too late, bowed their heads and looked at Francis. Their eyes seemed to drip nervousness.
"Did the Saint not say anything? Did she notice any signs...?"
"I didn't hear anything, but..."
Francis's face hardened as well. Delighting in the idea that things had gone well after the war ended, he hadn't considered miracles after God's revelation.
The cardinals began to discuss among themselves.
"Perhaps there is a personal threat to Duke Arno that we are unaware of."
"Being a duke doesn't mean he won't go to war, so there will always be personal threats..."
"No, so are we supposed to send the Paladins every time? Nonsense!"
"What should we do? Should we ask Sevran not to send Duke Arno to the battlefield? They won't listen anyway."
"That's why we should have brought the Saint to the Vatican. Didn't this happen because she wasn't directly administered by the Vatican?"
"How can you bring someone who is already married to the Vatican?"
Francis frowned as if it didn't make sense. Since the subjects and times expressed by the Saints are different, it wasn't necessary to enter the Vatican just because someone was a Saint.
The founding story of the Kingdom of Castile was one such example.
The first king of Castile was the leader of a group of fishermen, and while taking a walk to clear his mind from a fight with another tribe, he accidentally found a white seashell.
Inside the white seashell were five other seashells, and at the same time, there were five tribes that had friction with him.
This was the story of the founding of Castile, which through the union of the five tribes, managed to establish the Kingdom of Castile.
But it has a background story. It was his young daughter who gave meaning to the seashell that the first king of Castile found. She was Saint Hanna.
Her mission was to convince her father. And Saint Hanna achieved God's will with her own power.
On the day of the founding of the Kingdom of Castile, the waves were filled with fish and shellfish all day long. The people of Castile rejoiced at the abundance of food. That was the miracle God gave.
But what would have happened if Hanna had been consecrated as a Saint and immediately belonged to the church? Would the Kingdom of Castile have ever been founded?
To achieve what God wants, the Saint does not have to be bound by the Church. In the Church, the only way to obey God's will is to support the saints to be free and do as they please.
Considering Bianca's state and circumstances, it made no sense to ask her to return to the Church. And above all, Bianca didn't want that.
Other cardinals agreed with Francis's response and began to approach the situation from a different angle.
---------------
"Isn't it God's will for Duke Arno to survive? Perhaps there is a feat that the Duke of Arno has to accomplish..."
"That also makes sense, but..."
At that moment, the Pope, who had been silently listening to what the cardinals were saying, spoke up.
"Brothers, the Saint is the Duchess. Not Duke Arno."
The cardinals were suddenly enlightened by the Pope's words that pointed out the point.
Yes. That's right. It was Bianca, not Zachary, to whom God gave the will to change the future. Absorbed by Zachary's strong presence, they couldn't think of another way.
The future that God desires. The future that Bianca wants. Is that really a future where Zachary doesn't die? Could it be that Bianca was mistaken?
It may have been that what God wanted in the first place had nothing to do with Zachary...
"It seems that the Saint still has work to do."
The Pope raised his head and looked at the ceiling. The painting of God on the ceiling of the cardinal conference room gazed at them with a merciful look.
Soon the Pope turned his gaze back to the cardinals. As if he had made a decision, his eyes shone with determination.
"Let us first talk to the Saint about the revelation. Because it was a small miracle, she may have overlooked it, thinking it's not a big deal because it was overshadowed by the war."
All the cardinals nodded in unison because it was the right choice. In the first place, there were few options to take an active role in matters related to the Saints.
But the Pope's proposal didn't end there. He made a shocking suggestion with a resolute face.
"And we send archbishop-level personnel to Arno's estate. Somehow, this also happened because I didn't have close contact with her, so I need a point of contact who can communicate directly with the Vatican."
"An archbishop? But the archbishop..."
The joys and sorrows of the cardinals intertwined. For the cardinals, the diocese was a kind of land expansion game. They all fought to expand their power even a little bit.
But suddenly, there's another archbishop?
Cardinals with vested interests would not be happy with the emergence of a new force. On the other hand, for the cardinals who have no vested interests, this may be an opportunity. Besides, being in charge of the Saint, the benefits couldn't be compared to those of other archdioceses.
Despite being aware of the situation, the Pope was quite natural. In the midst of the confusion of the cardinals, he responded calmly as if nothing had happened.
"Now, Arno's territory is a duchy. It is sufficient condition for an Archbishop to be sent. Furthermore, it is the territory where the Saint resides."
"What if Duke Arno refuses? He may not like the growing influence of the Church on the estate."
"Since it is a matter related to the Saint, the Duke of Arno will not disregard our offer. On our part, we have to make some adjustments considering the Duke's face."
When the Pope said that, the cardinals had no choice but to nod their heads.
The Archbishop, who would somehow head to Arno's estate, had to be their own power. The eyes of the cardinals gleamed.
God's will has not yet been fulfilled. If that's the case, there are many opportunities to serve God's will...
How can they recommend their own person? All the cardinals began to make plans. Their heads filled with plans were too cunning for a priest, but there was no greater saint than a kind smile.
The Pope simply smiled at the enthusiasm of the cardinals.
------------
While Bianca dedicated her free time to prenatal education, a letter arrived from the Vatican.
Now that she thought about it, Francis had become a cardinal. Bianca, thinking it was a regular greeting, took the letter.
However, the seal sealing the letter was the Pope's seal. Startled, Bianca checked the seal two or three times, but the Pope's seal was still there.
Bianca carefully opened the letter. Her brow furrowed slightly, focusing on the content of the letter.
Zachary sat next to Bianca. To see Bianca's face once more, he had come in place of Vincent, using the letter as an excuse. Bianca's mood was unsettling, so Zachary asked.
"What does it say?"
"It's about appointing the Arno Territory as an archdiocese. They will send an archbishop. There is no change in the amount of tribute, and there will be no interference in the territory..."
"Then they will be welcomed with open arms."
Zachary shrugged. It was a very profitable proposal for the Arno Territory to have an archbishop and no increase in tribute.
But Bianca's expression didn't easily resolve. It wasn't just that. Her eyes seemed to be piercing through the letter, and the hand holding the letter trembled.
Zachary noticed that the letter wasn't just about the archdiocese. What the hell did the Pope say...? Zachary asked again, cautiously.
"Your expression doesn't look good, Bianca. Is there something going against your heart?"
"When God's will is done... Miracles happen... Since you are alive, ask if any miracles have occurred."
Bianca stammered. She seemed very surprised.
After all, she had never seen anything resembling a miracle. To put it bluntly, it's a miracle that the people around her haven't been gravely injured in this war...
She killed Jacob and won the war, and Zachary survived. She thought everything was settled, but when she realized it wasn't, her eyes darkened.
Zachary understood the situation as well. His face was also stained with shame.
"There were no miracles."
"Yes. There were none. Nothing actually happened..."
"So, does that mean that God's will has not yet been fulfilled?"
"How?"
Bianca's face contorted in tears. Thanks to being forced to eat after becoming pregnant, her flushed cheeks turned pale. Bianca panicked, not knowing what to do.
"If there is another threat to your life..."
All sorts of disturbing thoughts ran through Bianca's mind. She tried to think positively due to prenatal education, but it wasn't easy to relax, just like when the king suddenly summoned him.
"Will he invade Aragon again? Or maybe there is an ongoing civil war?"
"Bianca. Bianca. Calm down."
Zachary quickly stood up and approached Bianca. Bianca was so terrified that her face was pale, and her jaw was trembling.
Zachary grabbed Bianca's shoulder and held her in his arms. His large hands gently stroked Bianca's shoulders and back, trying to calm her.
"No way. Don't worry."
"But..."
"I won't take a single step out of the territory until you give birth. Then, nothing will happen. Don't worry too much..."
All urgent matters, including the appointment ceremony, have been roughly dealt with, so the other details can be handled by the commanders.
The problem is the invasion of the border, though... The aftermath of the ongoing war also caused great losses in Aragon, and Jacob, who had been in communication with them, also died. Aragon will not be able to form an army again in the near future.
Even if something significant happened that required his participation, his determination not to leave the territory remained the same.
What happened after leaving Bianca alone last time? The estate was invaded, and Bianca, pregnant, found herself in a dangerous situation...
Bianca wasn't the only one feeling desolate about this war. Zachary convinced Bianca with a firm voice.
"Forget about God's miracle or your duty as a Saint for a while until you give birth. If something goes wrong with the child now, you will also be in big trouble. There is nothing more terrible for me than that."
She was a wife he had somehow recovered in his arms again with great effort. It would be a big problem if her body got hurt. Zachary comforted her, terrified at the thought of something happening to Bianca. It was a consolation that was almost like a plea.
"Yvonne's wedding is coming soon. Let's only think of auspicious and good things. Alright?"
"...Yes. But you have to keep your promise."
"Trust me. I, Zachary of Arno, am a man who keeps his word."
"Is that so?"
Bianca chuckled and smiled a little at Zachary's urgent and boastful outburst.
After talking with Zachary, her anxiety lessened, and her mind calmed down.
She wondered if God not only wanted Zachary to be saved by Bianca but also wanted something more. Though she couldn't decipher what it was.
Much has already changed from the life she dreamt of. If it continues like this, the day may come when she fulfills God's will. She just doesn't know when that will be.
She thought it would be much better to peacefully pass the days rather than anxiously waiting for that moment with a pounding heart.
Bianca, who was much more relaxed than before, nodded slowly.
"It's alright. Let's just think of good things."
Tags:
TWB (Novel)