FTA Ch 11

<Episode 11>

 

Although Gloria was disregarded in aristocratic society, the fact that she was a saintess did not change.

Surely, if one looked, there would be noble families willing to use her to elevate their status and influence.

If she allied herself with such families, Gloria might achieve her goals much faster.

No, she didn’t even need to rely on another family in the first place.

If Gloria demanded a title, even the Emperor couldn’t easily refuse her.

In other words, she had plenty of alternatives.

There was no reason for her to choose the fallen grand ducal family, which had lost power for long ago, nor any reason to associate with a cursed person like him.

Yet, why…

 

“Stop overthinking. What if you get sick from all this worrying?” Gloria said.

 

No matter how he thought about it, the deal heavily favored her losses.

However, the words welling up to his throat could not be spoken, so he remained silent.

 

“Hm? You need to focus on getting better.” Gloria said.

 

Gloria’s gentle smile as she spoke, like soothing a child, left him with no choice but to nod.

Maybe Gloria was the savior sent by the gods to rescue someone like him, who had endured such a miserable life.

 

* * *

 

Time passed quickly.

It had already been fifteen days since Gloria started living with Leonad.

During that time, there were no particularly notable incidents.

The days were unusually peaceful to the point of unease.

Gloria took out a sheet of paper with her plans written down and began rereading and organizing them.

 

[1. Recruit the Grand Duke]

Gloria drew a firm line through the topmost item on the list.

Then, she scanned the rest of the items, neatly written below it.

 

[2. Find a house — preferably as far from the capital as possible.]
[3. Leave the capital quietly and settle elsewhere.]
[4. Bribe the temple priests — is this even possible?]
[5. Meet the Holy Emperor.]

She reviewed the long list of items that followed, eventually letting out a sigh.

Hesitating, her quill lingered over the second item, then struck through it with bold lines.

 

“I’ve already submitted a request to the guild, so the housing problem will soon be resolved.” Gloria said.

 

The problem was what came after that.

Gloria recalled a painting she had seen during her childhood education at the temple.

It depicted a small boy standing before a colossal monster.

The boy, facing the beast with its sharp teeth bared, held nothing but a stone in his hand.

Only a single stone.

For the young Gloria, it seemed incredibly foolish to face such a monster with just that.

 

“But I’m no different.”

 

Although her weapon was far better than the boy’s stone, Gloria’s situation wasn’t much different.

Facing the twin powers of the Empire and the Temple, she needed a weapon much sturdier and more formidable than a mace.

 

“That’s why I recruited Leonard.”

 

Yet, even the power of the Grand Duke’s family wasn’t enough to topple the Empire and the Temple.

Therefore, she needed more than just Leonard.

she had to acquire another weapon.

 

“For now, I’ll align myself with the temple.” Gloria said.

 

Gloria planned to leave the capital and build her power within the temple once Leonard recovered.

When the temple’s influence rose, the Empire would naturally seek to check its power.

So far, the Empire and Temple had precariously coexisted thanks to Gloria, but the balance would shatter the moment she tipped the scales.

She intended to instigate a fight between the two colossal powers and watch with satisfaction as they clashed.

If one side collapsed as a result, that would be ideal. But if not, it didn’t matter.

In any case, both would exhaust themselves in the struggle.

All she had to do was wait for that moment.

 

“I will demand justice for the lives of my friends.”

 

This was the ultimate goal behind everything.

Gloria resolved herself once more and let her gaze fall to the last item on the paper.

 

[15. Find out who my biological parents are.]

 

It was an item she had written and erased numerous times, leaving visible marks on the page.

Gazing down at it with lingering attachment, Gloria eventually closed her eyes, heavy with resignation.

 

* * *

 

A grand office, decorated almost excessively.

The Crown Prince Alexion massaged his temples with one hand, frowning.

His old comrades and confidants stood silently before him, watching his frustration.

Demonion, heir to the Duchy of Chromatina, and Kais, master of the Northern Tower, remained steady under Alexion’s tired gaze.

 

“It’s been about fifteen days since the saintess left the marquis’ residence.”

Recently, the temple’s priests had been visiting the imperial palace incessantly.

They vehemently insisted that the rumors branding Gloria a fraud were baseless slander meant to defame her.

They demanded that the saintess be entrusted to the temple’s care immediately.

Alexion had been losing sleep trying to handle them.

 

“The situation has become troublesome,” Alexion said in a voice heavy with weariness.

 

“His Majesty has ordered the saintess to rejoin the First Subjugation Unit.”

 

The first to react was Demonion, who furrowed his brows deeply.

 

“I fail to understand,” Demonion said, his tone puzzled.

 

“Why would His Majesty issue such an order at such a critical time?”

 

A monster subjugation operation near the southern border was scheduled to take place in a week.

While the war against the monsters had entered a lull, it was far from over.

It wasn’t the time to chase after a woman who fled after facing scandal.

Especially when that woman was engaged to someone else…

As the thought crossed Demonion’s mind, he forcibly pushed it away.

 

“…Viscount, I trust you remember the oracle declared by the Grand Temple Imperius?” Alexion said, his voice heavy with intent.

Before Demonion could process why the oracle was suddenly relevant, Kais intervened.

 

“A child born of the lowest place will bring infinite glory and prosperity to the Empire.”

 

That prophecy was etched in every citizen of the Empire’s memory.

 

“Precisely. That child will bring unmatched glory to the Empire,” Alexion affirmed, his expression darkening further.

 

Then, almost to himself, he murmured

“But the prophecy never said there would only be one child.” Demonion replied.

 

Even Alexion, who had been his close friend for a long time, felt a chill run down his spine at that moment.