TGDHC Chapter 176

Chapter 176 – Seal Released (2)

That night, a strategy meeting was held in the secret study of the East Wing.

Present were Annette, Loic, Norton, Enolius, and the priest Miel.

Everyone looked serious—except Miel, who couldn’t hide his excitement.

“Your Highness is finally about to manifest holy power!”

He cried out while making the sign of the cross.

“White light! Even ordinary priests’ holy power isn’t visible to the eye. If Your Highness begins to properly use it, just how incredible will your abilities become…!”

“Quiet.”

Loic, who was carefully holding Annette’s hand, frowned slightly as he looked at the bandage on her finger.

“It looks like a deep cut. Shouldn’t you just let a mage heal it?”

“It’s really just a small cut. And you said small wounds are better healed naturally.”

Enolius clicked his tongue and looked at Miel coldly.

“Well, this proves the Grand Temple is a group of frauds.”

“Watch your words.”

Miel snapped back angrily.

“If not, then what about that woman—Kathren or whatever—who’s pretending to be a saint while the real saint is standing right here?”

Enolius continued sharply.

“She proudly says she came from the slums. Do you really think someone like that could fool everyone and act as a saint alone? The High Priest must be involved too.”

Miel’s face turned red, unable to openly admit that the Grand Temple was corrupt.

“I only met Lady Kathren once, but she seemed warm and kind.”

“And a fraud,” Loic said coldly.

Miel fell silent.

“But why would the Grand Temple do something like that…?”

“They were probably afraid rumors would spread that the divine oracle was wrong, weakening their position,” Loic said.

“Or they were worried the Empress’s influence would become too strong,” Annette added.

“The Temple and the Empress constantly keep each other in check. They probably didn’t like that I, a marquis’s daughter, was being called a saint.”

That had been around the time her father aligned himself with the Empress.

Loic gently stroked the back of Annette’s hand, worried she might be hurt.

“I’m fine,” she said softly. “I’m not hurt by it.”

“I will help Your Highness reclaim the position that was stolen from you,” Miel said sincerely.

“Sorry, but being the Grand Duchess is enough for me.”

Loic’s expression brightened slightly at her words.

“As long as the dragon isn’t targeting my holy power, I don’t even want to know more about it.”

“But Your Highness is the true saint!” Miel said, looking shocked that she could dismiss such a sacred calling.

He looked around for agreement, but Loic, Enolius, and even Norton all looked indifferent.

“Your Highness, possessing this level of holy power is unprecedented in the Empire’s history.”

Annette held up her injured finger.

“If it’s so strong, why can’t it even heal this small cut?”

“Holy power doesn’t work on oneself.”

“Exactly,” she shrugged. “So it just means I’d have to spend my life healing other people.”

And if she ever failed to help someone, she would feel guilty.

Being a saint praised by everyone sounded like a prison.

If she showed anger, people would say, “How can a saint get angry?”

If she earned money, they’d criticize her for seeking profit.

If she spent money, they’d accuse her of being extravagant.

“I don’t want to become a saint.”

She looked at Loic, and he nodded firmly.

“If you do not wish it, we will hide it forever.”

Surprisingly, no rumors had spread outside the castle that she was a saint.

Inside the castle, however, everyone already treated her like one.

“At least I want to learn how to control it.”

Loic looked at Miel.

“Teach the Grand Duchess how to handle her holy power until the dragon problem is resolved.”

“My holy power is very weak… You would need the High Priest’s level to truly guide her.”

“So you’re useless?” Loic asked flatly.

Miel quickly added, “I know the theory very well!”

“For now, it’s enough if her holy power doesn’t burst out randomly.”

Annette nodded.

“I just want to understand my own strength.”

Miel’s eyes lit up.

“I’ve already applied for permission to visit the Grand Temple’s library. There are records of past saints that may help.”

He looked deeply moved.

“To think I would guide the true saint…”

Loic, watching him with displeasure, ordered that Norton must always accompany Annette whenever she met Miel.

Later That Night

It had been an exhausting day.

Seeing Annette struggling to stay awake, Loic suddenly lifted her into his arms.

“Loic?”

“You’re tired. Please lean on me. I’ll carry you to your room.”

“I can walk.”

“Please let me use this as an excuse,” he said softly, kissing her forehead. “I’ve wanted to hold you all day.”

“…Alright.”

Her fatigue melted under his sweetness.

Ignoring Enolius’s disgusted look, Loic carried her through the East Wing corridor.

Then—

The garden ahead shimmered with light.

“Loic, look!”

He changed direction toward the main garden.

The flowerbed where the Blueine flowers had been planted was glowing softly.

“Wow…”

Loic sat on a bench, placing Annette on his lap.

“It’s amazing that flowers can glow on their own.”

The Blueine flowers swayed in the breeze, their light flickering like tiny fairies.

“They resemble you, Annette,” Loic said gently.

“Blueine?”

“They shine on their own and melt the cold around them. And…”

He looked into her eyes.

“Their blue glow reminds me of your eyes.”

“How do you speak so beautifully?”

Loic laughed quietly.

“There’s probably no one else in the world who says that about me.”

He leaned his head against her chest, and she gently stroked his black hair.

Then she spoke softly.

“I… saw my real father’s face.”

Loic lifted his head.

“Countess Selvanis gave me his portrait.”

Annette told him about her father and the locket she received.

It was difficult for her to say.

Her status as an illegitimate child was known publicly, but she had never spoken it herself.

“I hesitated about telling you.”

“Why?”

Because in this world, illegitimate children were treated as incomplete.

And she had become Grand Duchess despite that.

Loic hugged her tightly.

“That doesn’t matter at all. I’m just grateful you were born into this world.”

He said he wanted to see her father’s portrait someday.

“I’ll show you.”

She felt a strange sadness whenever she looked at the portrait—perhaps because she had seen his nameless grave.

“Let’s visit him together someday,” Loic said gently. “I want to thank the man who allowed you to be born.”

She nodded quietly.

“I also have something to tell you,” Loic added.

“What is it?”

“…Soon.”

“Soon? Not now?”

“I want it to be a surprise.”

He smiled and kissed her as the flower fragrance drifted around them.

Late That Night

After Annette had gone to rest—

Loic walked down the stairs of the underground prison.

Norton and Enolius followed behind him.

They moved to the deepest cell.

Inside the iron bars, someone stirred.

“G-Grand Duke…?”

Dirty hands gripped the bars desperately.