The Saintess Became the Northern Grand Duke’s Daughter

The High Priest prepared to leave for the capital without delay.

Noelle, who naturally got away from the High Priest’s attention, let out a sigh of relief.

‘I was prepared to be severely scolded by the High Priest, but I’m glad he went over like this.’

After confirming that no one was around, Noelle put her hand inside the scarf Liriette had given her and removed something.

A necklace with small jewels.

Surprisingly, the person who gave the jewel was the Duke of Windsor-Ice.

Before leaving the castle after talking with Liriette, the Duke called Noelle.

‘Why did he ask to see me?’

Is it because I’m a priest sent by the High Priest, so he won’t forgive me? Or is he trying to threaten me not to think of meeting Lily again?

Entering the room with all kinds of disturbing thoughts, Noelle opened her eyes wide.

He was a dazzlingly beautiful man.

However, he looked too big, too cold, too scary to admire.

‘Lily said that the Duke is definitely a good person…’

Noelle could never use the word ‘good’ for this formidable man.

She lowered her head with a frightened face. The Duke held out his hand to the trembling Noelle.

What he held in his large hand was a necklace with a small jewel attached to it.

Noelle, widened her eyes, as if she was asking, what the hell is this? to the Duke.

“It’s a magic stone that can transmit sound. I’ll give the other one to Lily, and you can use it whenever you miss that girl. It’s not like you can’t talk at all, I’ve heard, so maybe you can ask each other how you’re doing.”

“…!”

Noelle opened her mouth at the unexpected gift.

The Duke added an explanation to Noelle, who showed a clear expression of bewilderment.

“I’m telling you that you’re important to Liriette, so don’t make it complicated.”

Noelle received the magic stone with trembling hands, hung it around her neck, and covered it with the scarf Liriette gave her.

Noelle mustered up the courage to tell the Duke.

[It’s as Lily said. The Duke really cares about Lily.]

The Duke didn’t know sign language.

But with a keen sense, he could tell what Noelle was talking about.

“Yes. Liriette is such a lovely child.”

A different answer came out than she asked, but Noelle laughed.

The moment he put the word ‘Liriette’ into his mouth, the Duke’s cold eyes warmed up.

Noelle moved her hand happily.

[Thank you. Please make Lily happy.]

This time, the Duke got it right.

He nodded his head with a face meaning, of course.

Noelle was sincerely relieved that Liriette was here.

***

The High Priest put on a thick fur cloak and got into the carriage.

Of course, his appearance was quite different from when he came.

His face was cut in half by the bitter cold of the north and the bullying he suffered at the Duchy of Windsor-Ice. He looked like a sick person.

Priests lined up behind the High Priest’s carriage.

Meanwhile, Noelle was there too.

The carriage started moving.

They’ll reach the gate in half a day, then they’ll be farther away from the north in an instant.

Crunch.

Noelle, who had stepped on the white snow, turned around and looked into the distance. Windsor-Ice Castle was visible in the distance.

‘Lily’s house is over there now.’

She was happy even though she was separated from the only precious person she shared her heart with in the temple.

For there was a belief that Liriette would be happier than when she was in the temple.

Noelle murmured in a muffled voice.

“I will pray to the goddess every day for you.”

So, please be happy.

My dear and precious little sister, Lily.

At that time, Liriette received a necklace of the same shape from the Duke.

Liriette touched the necklace with her trembling hands.

‘If he finds out that Noelle has a necklace with a magic stone on it, her position will be severely compromised, so I can’t contact her hastily.’

It would be difficult for Noelle to keep in touch with her secretly in a temple where so many people come and go.

Even so…

‘I’m connected to Noelle.’

That alone warmed her heart.

Liriette said with a smile on her teary face.

“Thank you very, very much. Duke.”

The Duke stared down at Liriette and narrowed his eyes slightly.

“I’m glad I was helpful.”

He didn’t dare to say that the magic stone he gave to the two of them was a treasure passed down from generation to generation in the Duke of Windsor-Ice.

Because it wasn’t particularly important.

***

Simon said.

“The High Priest has completely left the north through the gate.”

It was the enemy’s retreat that they had hoped so much for, but it wasn’t something to be happy about.

“As the priest named Noelle said, there is a possibility that the trial will be held as soon as the High Priest arrives in the capital.”

“There is nothing wrong with that.”

The Duke has made numerous proofs and witnesses that Liriette is his own daughter whom he had lost.

In such a state, it was useless for the High Priest to talk about things like the Duke coveted Liriette’s divine power, threatened, appeased, and brainwashed the child. 

Since the Duke was her biological father, it was natural for him to have Liriette.

“But just in case, I will prepare to respond to the trial.”

Simon’s ‘preparation to respond’ included many things.

It meant that he would watch everything, including what kind of judge the High Priest went to, and what strategies he devised to lead the trial in his favor.

The Duke nodded his head and added.

“Take a look at his weaknesses as well.”

Even so, the High Priest was a religious person respected by tens of thousands of people. That’s why the Duke calmly sent him back instead of cutting his head.

Because if he touched him, the aftermath that would come back was considerable.

The Duke lowered his eyes and continued.

“But on the contrary, the High Priest will be criticized more harshly the moment his disgrace is revealed.”

That was the time when the High Priest die. So that he would never again appear in front of Liriette with that ferocious look.

Simon smiled and turned his foxy eyes.

“That’s a great idea.”

Now that he has said what he needed to say, it’s time to say what he wanted to say.

“What about Liriette?”

Simon let out a small sigh at the Duke’s question.

“Miss Liriette also worked without a break today.”

***

A few days ago, Liriette spoke to the Duke.

“Duke, please give me a job.”

The Duke furrowed his eyebrows.

“If it’s a job, the maids would be giving it to you.”

Liriette said that staying in the castle without doing anything seemed reasonable, so she asked the maids for work.

The maids couldn’t refuse Liriette’s request and laughed together while doing things like flower arrangements and pizza making.

Recalling that time, Liriete lowered her eyebrows.

“Everything the maids give me is so easy and fun. I want to do a better job than that.”

Liriette continued to speak towards the Duke, who narrowed his eyes as if he was wondering what he was going to say.

“The Duke has done too much grace for me.”

He became overtly hostile to the High Priest, and he even lied about Liriette being his fake daughter.

The Duke said that if the High Priest held a trial, he would tell the whole world that Liriette was his daughter.

He said that was the most effective way to protect her from the High Priest.

Liriette agreed to do as the Duke wished, but that didn’t mean that her sorry and grateful feelings had disappeared.

“I want to return the favor to the Duke.”

He asked in a lowered voice.

“So, are you saying you want to repay the favor by working?”

“Yes. I want to give you something more valuable, but I have nothing right now.”

Her voice was so earnest that it was hard to refuse.

But the Duke couldn’t nod his head to do so. He didn’t want to do that.

“Liriette, did you forget? I decided to tell people that you’re my daughter.”

Even if she’s a fake daughter, a daughter is a daughter.

“If I treat you like a maid, people, including the High Priest, won’t believe me.”

Although it was quite plausible, Liriette replied as if she had expected it.

“Maybe you don’t have to worry about that? Even if I’m the daughter of the Duke, I’m still an illegitimate child.”

The unexpected words made the Duke’s eyes widen.

Liriette had met many nobles in her previous life, so she knew a lot about them.

If a nobleman had a child out of wedlock, especially if he had a child with a commoner, they weren’t recognized as nobles.

On the contrary, they were often ignored, saying that they were of dirty blood.

“That’s why even if I work in the castle, no one will look at me strangely.”

Liriette put her hands together and continued her words.

“Please give me a job. Not something I can do like play, but a real job instead. Please.”