The Saintess Became the Northern Grand Duke’s Daughter

Creak.

The door opened, and the High Priest with a terrifying face was seen.

***

After drinking his tenth cup of tea, the High Priest trembled and gritted his teeth.

‘Even if the Duke of Windsor-Ice is the most powerful person in the Empire, he can’t treat me like this. I’m the High Priest whom those who believe in the goddess respect and follow most!’

The High Priest made a decision.

When the Duke shows up, I’ll first accept his apology to dare to make me go through a hard time like this!

However…

“…”

Facing the Duke, the High Priest couldn’t say anything.

The High Priest saw many people in the temple. There were many people who used their bodies among them.

Knights with excellent swordsmanship, Mercenary who was said to have cut down a hundred people, miners who have done harsh work without a break, and hunters who only hunt wild animals.

The Duke had a gigantic and hideous body that couldn’t be defeated even when compared to such people.

In addition to that, there was a lofty and oppressive atmosphere that he had never seen before.

In front of an opponent with overwhelming power, the High Priest changed his stance.

His eyebrows, which had risen as high as possible, naturally went down, and the corners of his mouth, which had been twisted, went up gently.

The High Priest smiled benevolently as if he was never angry.

“It’s truly an honor to meet Your Grace the Duke of Windsor-Ice, the ice shield that protects the Empire.”

The High Priest drew a cross sign with one hand and added his words.

“I’m the closest one who serves the goddess, High Priest Ganuto.”

It wasn’t a fluke that he had been in the high priest position for such a long time.

At this moment, he didn’t look like a greedy human being, or something that had gotten dirty on a long journey.

He just seemed like an infinitely benevolent priest.

Of course, it wasn’t like that at all in the Duke’s eyes.

‘A fly, worse rotten than monsters, is flying around.’

The Duke looked down at the High Priest with ice-cold eyes.

His shoulders instinctively shuddered, yet he desperately managed his expression and turned his head.

Soon, his gaze turned to Liriette, who was standing next to the Duke.

“Liriette!”

At the same time as that voice, Liriette disappeared. To be precise, the Duke moved one step and covered Liriette with his gigantic body.

The Duke spat out a word in a low voice.

“Children should only look at pretty things. If they see something heinous, it’s not good for their emotions.”

“…?!”

The face of the High Priestess frowned, putting it to shame for having managed his expression in front of the Duke.

“So you look at me and say that I’m evil?”

Instead of denying the words, the Duke remained silent.

As if he meant, what would you do if that was the case?

The High Priest was full of rage. It was the first time he had met someone so rude.

He resisted the urge to vent his anger and said.

“It seems that Your Grace the Duke cares for Liriette very much. But no matter how much you like this child, you shouldn’t do this. Please return Liriette to me.”

It was a sad and desperate voice, as if a child had been taken away from him.

At that time, Liriette stuck her face out from behind the Duke.

“Even if you speak to His Grace the Duke, it’s useless. As I said in the letter, it’s my will not to return to the temple.”

The High Priest’s eyes widened.

Because of Liriette’s appearance that he finally saw properly.

The Liriette he saw in two months had changed a lot.

A plump face. A lace dress and a luxurious cape draped over it. Even a jewel-encrusted doll in her arms.

Liriette no longer looked like an orphan cared by the temple, but like a noble child enjoying the luxury.

The High Priest tutted and clicked his tongue.

“Liriette. Looking at you, I can understand why you sent such a letter. His Grace the Duke has certainly dazzled you with all sorts of valuables. Like a kidnapper who lures children away with candies.”

At the word ‘kidnapper’, Liriette’s face turned pale. The Duke’s face didn’t change after hearing the insulting remark.

The High Priest continued.

“But Liriette, you must never make a foolish choice to fall for such a trick. It’s by no means a pure favor that His Grace the Duke wants you by his side. For he covets the divine power you possess.”

“I bet you do!”

Liriette screamed involuntarily.

Only then did the Duke, who had been still, look down at Liriette.

Her sky blue eyes, which were always clear, were filled with fierce anger.

Liriette gritted her teeth.

‘I tried not to show my anger, though…’

She thought of cutting off the relationship with the High Priest after calmly conveying what she has to say.

However, the moment she met his serpentine eyes, her heart boiled and her anger rose.

The Duke’s low voice came to Liriette, whose face was distorted.

“So, didn’t I tell you that it’s not good to see things that are too ugly?”

“…”

“Get some rest.”

Saying that, the Duke took another step and covered Liriette. The Duke’s wide back covered the High Priest.

Only then did Liriette feel her rough breathing calming down.

Like a small animal hiding in a safe nest.

Feeling Liriette was reassured, the Duke looked at the High Priest.

The High Priest had his mouth open with a face as if he had seen something he couldn’t have.

‘Liriette rebelling against me!’

Liriette was an extremely obedient child. No matter what the High Priest said, no matter what punishment he gave, she never disobeyed.

To think that such Liriette screamed at him. Most of all, he was most shocked by the fact that the contents of the letter from Liriette were real.

A sense of betrayal crept in on him.

‘You shameful bitch, even though I raised you!’

The High Priest gave up the idea of gently coaxing the Duke to end the conversation in the best possible way.

Let’s take Liriette away as soon as possible and punish her until she bows her head. I think that will relieve some of my anger.

For that, the High Priest took out the weapon he had brought with him.

“Your Grace the Duke. To be honest, I have something I brought for smooth conversation.”

“…?”

“This is the letter I received from His Imperial Majesty the Emperor.”

“…!”

The High Priest was delighted to see a subtle change take place in the Duke’s expressionless face.

‘As expected, I’m glad I brought this.’

He began to read the rolled up paper with a triumphant face.

“Liriette is the child of the goddess whom the High Priest cherishes and takes care of. Even if it’s the Duke of Windsor-Ice, who is called the ice shield of the empire, no, who is respected by many, him taking away such a child is an act that will never be forgiven.”

The High Priest raised the corner of his lips and continued.

“If he doesn’t return the child to the High Priest, he will be held responsible by the Imperial Family for the heinous act.”

“…!”

At those words, Liriette, who was standing behind the duke to catch her breath, turned pale.

The Emperor, he was an unexpected variable.

Liriette jumped out from behind the Duke again and shouted.

“I just told you. It’s not that the Duke is forcing me to stay, I just asked to stay here!”

The face of the child with reddened eyes seemed sincere to anyone.

However, the corners of the High Priest’s lips rose as if to weaken Liriette.

“Who do you think would believe that?”

“…!”

“Instead of listening to a ten-year-old and nodding their heads, people will think. That His Grace the Duke succeeded in brainwashing an innocent child.”

The High Priest turned his gaze toward the Duke and continued.

“Not only His Imperial Majesty the Emperor. Many nobles in the capital feel the same way.”

The High Priest didn’t come here without any preparation. He sowed the seeds before coming out.

The priests spread a rumor that ‘The Duke of Windsor-Ice kidnapped Liriette because he was greedy for divine power.’

So, in the current capital, not only the Emperor and nobles, but also the commoners knew about this incident.

Under these circumstances, if the Duke doesn’t return Liriette, people will think that the Duke has taken a child away from the High Priest.

The Duke will face great criticism, and the Emperor will seize this opportunity to attack him.

The High Priest smiled, showing his white teeth.

“Are you willing to risk it all just to have a child, Your Grace the Duke of Windsor-Ice?”

“…”

The Duke’s face didn’t shake at all despite the constant rushing words.

Yet not for Liriette who was next to him.

She trembled with her face drained of blood.

‘I asked the Duke in my previous life too. Please help me leave the temple.’

The Duke tried to fulfill Liriette’s request.

He conciliated and threatened the High Priest, and when that didn’t work, he offered to give him a huge amount of money.

However, the High Priest rejected them all.

He judged that if he held the divine power of Liriette, he could have more in the future.

‘But not now.’

Unlike her previous life, the present Liriette couldn’t use divine power.

Many people gave up their expectations, saying that Liriette wouldn’t be able to use her power as it is.

Thus, Liriette thought that, unlike then, the High Priest would let her go easily.

It was a naive illusion.