The Bewilderment of the Sacrificial Second Princess

Chapter 72: Wegrain School

“Hold on. Are you saying… that they sacrifice royal offspring?”

“Exactly. But these are the illegitimate children of the king with ties to the Faithnum Empire. They are offered as a sacrifice in the annual ceremony.”

“How terrible…”

“The Wegrain Kingdom itself is a good, peaceful country, however, those who are aware of this practice and partake in it are the Pope, the royal family, and some high-ranking nobles. In fact, the wife of a high-ranking noble who gave birth to the illegitimate child of the king was pleased to offer the child to the Goddess.”

I rose from my seat, my unsteadiness caused me to stumble and I stumbled back into a large leather chair with a thud.

My eyes remained wide open, fixed on the floor. Auglia-sama was unaware, and Gauche appeared to have no intention of teaching them. The religious practices of each nation should be honored, even if they clash with personal beliefs.

The Faithnum Empire was completely dedicated to their cause. They would not concern themselves with religion if it did not benefit their country. However, not being involved or interested in it was not something that was respected.

To maintain a state of indifference, one must also balance work, which means that work should always come first. Even in a country where a one-month fast (albeit with a small meal after sunset) is a religious rite, there may be cases where one loses their life if they are ordered to perform harsh labor during the day.

It’s up to you whether you break the doctrine or stick to it. Allowing indifferent people to govern while recognizing religion is, in essence, merely granting the freedom to either uphold or violate doctrine.

It is not surprising that Hillian detests the bloodline of the Faithnum imperial family.

For me, religion is neither something to comprehend nor to sacrifice for, and I have no intention of aligning myself with any religious group in the future.

‘We do not deny or acknowledge your gods, as it is a trivial matter. However, serving our country is more important than where your heart lies.’ … I wonder how much despair Hillian felt upon hearing these words.

Not denying, not acknowledging, just inconsequential. The Faithnum Empire’s orders come first. Should you pledge loyalty to the Faithnum Empire and neglect religion, or should you become a martyr for religion and betray the Faithnum Empire, or should you betray Goddess and submit to the Faithnum Empire?

“I can’t disregard the Wegrain sacrifice ceremony. Yet, it leaves me feeling nauseated and revolted. Despite glimpsing the disguise of truth behind their grins, I must endure it silently and conceal my thoughts.”

“Wouldn’t it have been better if you didn’t know? Well, anyway, as for why we were assigned as bodyguards…”

“…Perhaps the Wegrain Kingdom is searching for the ‘purest’ blood of the Lina Goddess…”

“Unfortunately, that’s just the way it is. But rest assured, we’ll be keeping a close eye on you 24/7. I don’t anticipate any reckless behavior from you, and I won’t allow it. Please be cautious during your stay in the Wegrain Kingdom.”

I don’t plan on telling Auglia-sama about this. It’s best to keep this secret to ourselves. Even if Auglia-sama is good at mediating conflicts, I can’t let him get involved in religious affairs. It could potentially lead to a war.

It’s advisable to prioritize a visit to the Poleinia Kingdom and limit the time spent in Wegrain Kingdom. Fortunately, both kingdoms are located near Baratonia Kingdom. After a visit to Poleinia Kingdom, we can travel through Baratonia Kingdom and make our way to Wegrain Kingdom before returning to the capital. I presume the itinerary has been arranged in this manner. Our aim is to expedite the journey by arranging a conveyance in Baratonia Kingdom.

You can’t really say what you’re silently plotting for the protection target.

“…Thank you, Gauche. Please, try to reduce the time spent in the Wegrain Kingdom as much as possible. Don’t inform Auglia-sama.”

“Besides, I originally had no intention of informing Claire-sama either. I don’t want to spoil your honeymoon. Don’t worry, the Shadows of Nejia will have your back, so forget about this conversation and make the most of your trip.”

I managed a small smile at Gauche’s seemingly playful words, but I still couldn’t rise from my seat.

Gauche seemed to understand that it wouldn’t be wise to linger any longer and left the place.

Before I realized it, the sun was setting, casting a red glow into the room.

To calm myself, I rang the table bell and requested some milk tea and sweets