Chapter 80

“What does it say? Is it a love letter? You’ve already got someone chasing after you?” Grandpa Gordon asked with a worried look as I stared blankly at the elegant handwriting, far too refined for a child.9fc68a4b86ff91c7

“N-No, that’s not it…”bc75c6df1cb33474

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I stammered, caught off guard.95341b80e2d0de9a

Then, suddenly, a a46ed4cf03 crucial detail from 14dfcfea92 the original story 14b5f30841 hit me like 149e35f52f a lightning bolt.cb0ca0619dbfb6a5

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‘The Second Prince… he didn’t show up!’5a3b7fb842917f89

In the original 6a9c7a55b2 plot, the female 60db6ec983 lead and the 33cbc9e801 Second Prince were 18f2a3e591 supposed to meet 84fe0d6c26 today.e2a624ad2d09f453

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It was the day before 9f3161bc79 the goddess’s birthday, and the c9ca073899 Second Prince participated in the 4449c2b146 volunteer event on behalf of 92dc453cfb the injured Crown Prince.488426b674804040

But he hadn’t shown up b7d6d25176 today.d470ee7f94ef8f51

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The reason was clear.01fc9c043a7b8d0e

‘Because I healed him a few days ago…?!’c3d49766ebfe5a11

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But I hadn’t even 940f767570 fully healed him, only 1525ee241f about halfway.20c4a2350940a37b

‘It couldn’t have been easy for him to come here in that condition…’52988c44acf0adda

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Besides, giving 100 Talents as 4cfe52a22c compensation seemed way too much a0531ade91 for the healing I provided.2a40ef400943e550

Frantically, I looked around, 45eb7553d1 trying to spot whoever b60daa3fdf had paid that absurd 9031a18040 amount for the treatment.b4bc1a404333bdc0

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But it was futile. There was no one in f4f20909a5 sight who could be the f2d55c0ded mysterious buyer.4820607ce054effb

‘If I’d known it was going to be like this, I would have just fully healed him…’e6f9cf0ec0172768

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I sank into bb761c3a34 regret, my mind 6a1d049d50 clouded with frustration. As I was wallowing 613cc2d406 in my thoughts, Grandpa 5bf7b1c09c nudged me again, his 1437b97598 curiosity not yet satisfied.8ada8426d9a5c2f3

“So, do you know this kid? Handsome fellow, is he?”afe7cea5eb536997

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“Grandpa.”4053abd4444350ac

“Hm?”eac79903e57c91b2

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“I think the Crown Prince passed by…”80a0167f82f859f7

“What? Crown… what?”632b2bcd07f67b9c

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I sighed deeply, leaving Grandpa’s confusion unanswered.99c5644f7c11a699

On one hand, I was ca7b602ee3 relieved not to have encountered 1de9c19e07 the foul-mouthed Second Prince, but fa0a65e460 on the other hand, I c3806c7b49 couldn’t shake the uncertainty creeping e468e2c52f into my mind. Too many things were diverging cc4c303904 from the original plot—the unexpected 5cdf59ef7d arrival of the Crown Prince, d53926916e my encounter with Ismail… it 56407fde32 felt like the story was 45cf7948b9 veering off course in ways 75603e5247 I couldn’t predict.73a05c62adf5d19a

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At that moment, an 5e5e82af39 announcement from the stage 02f048f6cf interrupted my thoughts.c958c9191e79197d

“Attention. The collection of Talents fb4de1a112 has been completed. We ask all fb2a2ce04d guests and participants f31c361afe to return to 7fd0ad3718 their seats.”469eeb0e97881e5f

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The voice over the 559cd3dac3 loudspeaker brought me back 4a3ce93e31 to the present.aa6534483f63b195

“Let’s hurry back to our seats,” Grandpa said as he quickly packed away the remaining recovery potions.6ebf08a7d17571da

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“Okay!”4a034cf2ebd68183

As I sat down, I a7131f4f0f carefully calculated the total Talents f150549034 we had earned, including the 6f0bce66dd ones the headmistress had confiscated. Meanwhile, I glanced 072f768eaf toward the noble daaedcddf8 families, who were 4816088386 seated at lavishly e1606f8d17 prepared tables in af7deb6d66 front of the f78ce61f9c stage. In contrast, the orphanage children 88329d5d45 sat huddled under a shabby 3db7ded20c tent to the side of 154aa41f5a the stage.eb989be18c2e8673

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Even the adults who had 1c6ac1df52 volunteered as helpers weren’t allowed d7f54e8135 to sit—they had to stand d3df14f14a at the back of the 28c2492576 tent.80d7529e8623f332

‘I wonder if Duke Kallios and Edwin are sitting further in…’1ab433585e41a259

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From my vantage 540e6bc6c2 point, I couldn’t 8c90e463dd see them, which 2c739540d2 made me feel f5ca7f35ba a little uneasy.ee910e3a7f7b8148

As I bit my lip, 9d2e8d2cf4 my gaze wandered to the 61759ef30f tables of the nobles, adorned 4d9a8feb24 with cool water and decorative 0eb317a327 flowers. Then, I felt 07b8ce2797 a strange sensation, f202644ab4 as if someone df61437b6d was watching me.335be7a85449ee2e

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When I glanced 099eaaa13e around, my eyes 763dde5d9d met hers.53cc7842ff9e23af

White hair as pure d76b44bc11 as snow and dreamy 8df37d00b0 violet eyes.0446287311d41289

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It was Diana.ffc9dae0f1acc10b

She was sitting 4a30bbcc07 not far from 3a889ba554 where I was.0338f43a5b0dddd4

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‘She looks exhausted.’0eda564477a8c756

The front of 9a4122cec1 her booth had 53d50b1e1f been bustling with ab2cdf7288 activity earlier, and a38c952ce5 now her complexion 58c798e6f7 was as pale 6269a60be7 as her hair.a8e2727bb2f48db2

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‘Let’s stay far away from her. I don’t want her fainting c5ccab1176 and then blaming it on 881aeabee0 me!’a003df17ed94bd3c

I subtly shifted 63a211fe68 further away from 81299cb36b her, imagining how 75d3d57e2c easily such an b69847f40f incident could happen.3da66d729747784c

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Just then, someone took 7c61e2f9bc the stage.73bed67ceb905e2c

“Ahem.”22014351b3f253b0

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A figure in white robes 08ea4fba83 stood up to speak.aab68abe9c664155

“May the goddess’s blessing always be with you. I am Pope Montenus.”8d78189cc7e78be2

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It had been several 2eed404768 months since I last 30de7068bf saw the Pope, back bf5bbcb263 when I stayed at 533f41977a the Duke’s estate.da5911cf8ce9a974

The serene, white 422c5c6037 aura that surrounded 4468ea581f him was still 9afef937d5 the same.a0828ec773cc19fc

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After my recent 28b009ff72 encounter with Ismail, 5785318802 who would become 3eaaa2a1cd the next Pope, 5a0e65cd80 seeing the current 539f6e7750 Pope, whose life b547918807 was nearing its dae0553dcb end, felt oddly f31c686174 unsettling.bd129db1c9da366e

‘How did Ismail even become the Pope’s adopted son?’8bc43095ae9f3950

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As I pondered 81845029bb this, I watched 943e674b7f the Pope’s deeply d9de6039bb wrinkled face. But before I could 0f72722f4e linger on the thought, cb97af9c79 the Pope began his e9ef1fa840 speech.65541b171d14b073

“First, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the noble families who took the time to participate in today’s volunteer activities. It is all in accordance 0cc363f936 with the will of the 6a26645293 goddess that we are gathered de3546f7ff here today, to share, to dd64c58280 give, and to learn the f2b5819c67 lessons of kindness…”071eeeb26da12b7c

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I stifled a 4a7a21f56e yawn and tried 133bf71ab0 to endure the bbb5cd5d55 Pope’s long-winded speech.a7b439efdcdfe227

“Ah, Ereia be praised!”657da62ff1e83908

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Finally, with a 44470f6280 chorus of devout c9bbf9b17c exclamations, the speech cc598e9c85 came to an 69f94d8dce end.8f3657f3ea95fd36

“Now, we shall begin selecting the child who has received the most of the goddess’s love today.”0b427d5bc70995ad

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At last, the time 23c880e589 had come to choose b153276c03 the Saintess candidate.200975fd0de9938f

“Magnus, High Priest.”1f7c802735fdacf9

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The Pope gestured 94c0e3906f toward the side 54535a9f89 of the stage.648e0c03fb33ac62

A relatively young priest 63005e0f2e appeared, carrying something as 06d9002cd8 he ascended the steps.655b6e45f278e0cf

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It was a large 5adf261d2f golden censer, ornately embossed, a269e71817 glimmering in the light.362339c2ee23e731

This was the c7c276df4e sacred relic used ca998909d1 to convert gold 4ad3da595a coins into Talents.3a7354a440176628

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The relic had 4d081d6c64 two primary functions:c90f2fcf590dbad2

1. When Talents or gold coins c8ff5f4724 were placed into the censer 9f20e45bfb and incense was burned, it de40623e33 automatically counted the amount, like 0e5a4bc5d4 a calculator.2ca00ca3efe325ff

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2. Gold coins could be b199496465 burned, and after a a97aa9f1d0 few minutes, they would 8972e78732 be transformed into Talents. The reverse could also f4157d93c4 be done.542e37b8e71cb55d

It was said that 21a9e67063 this relic had been d0f184a478 created long ago by 42be9f14df a saint who had f9371f0707 studied alchemy. Its purpose was 3e1c9ee331 to remind those 58e2266758 who served the b534ff59b1 goddess not to eeb9591e3b be greedy.307e7f854a27ddb7

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Because of this, the temple d43b72e3a7 always converted donations and offerings 6a48d4a765 into Talents to prevent misuse.45c0c604669b0c6c

Outside the temple, it was 6af94cfaef strictly forbidden to carry or 4a0caf94f1 use Talents.c5db314eb762b60d

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‘Yeah, right. It’s just a e43964c146 way for them 65ae316abf to hoard the 857f871d64 donations and spend 8afbf7db96 them as they 3cb367d8e2 please later,’ I 6ea1f71974 grumbled to myself c6c9f64e57 as the process 6ccafd16f8 continued.cf4c0ff345904b73

“The first booth we will count is Mia’s, who performed the song,” the announcer declared.9a8ec2941e9e9f7c

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Clink—!f44bd2d7ff68723a

The large censer’s lid 7b4d4ec0f8 was opened, and the 233625eb5a Talents from the first ad6f8fae37 booth were poured in.52d6584a92aeaa5d

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Another priest lit a match 437946dd1c and placed it atop the 9034d9a93d pile of Talents in the 520525ee94 censer.b648e3fbd9967870

The lid of d885bd42cf the censer closed b937367038 once again.ee5bc5b789b77990

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Moments later, thin wisps a1a626bbd1 of smoke began to 2ad4fd4cf5 rise from the small 5e47e19d23 holes scattered around the 0e97e80409 censer.5919453133f68fef

At first, it 9eabff4532 seemed unremarkable, but a1ee45a70d then the smoke 6c969a8d77 began to sway bf3ef2566a erratically, almost as d24a0883ff if it were 0107d4bab0 alive. The tendrils of smoke 4daeabcc99 coiled and merged before f12e1173b5 dispersing again, and finally, 3fe258f83f they formed a distinct 6337e3e507 number in the air.ade7be47cac6244f

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154e5ed1dc372a14734

“Ooh…!”da301bcf63075133

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“It never ceases to amaze…!”3ae7469dc4fac763

People who had been a0252bcbd3 watching in silence let d0d389a8a8 out gasps of awe.26cf44f62dd60fc5

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Even though I had bf61804c98 witnessed this before in 955652e6aa my past life, the 5db337de2b spectacle felt fresh, and f88d562f98 I found myself intrigued 9db41e6041 once again.6baaf735c6fd69bc

“Mia, 154 Talents,” the Pope announced quietly, and a priest standing behind him quickly jotted down the result on a large board.926dad0ffe158e1b

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The counting continued 3c62fd681b swiftly from there.722f19d1bfac4826

“Vincent, 368 Talents.”281aabb90ca7b4e9

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“Sara, 212 Talents.”81e2b0e25dc9616f

One after another, afe27ff967 the talents of b6ff165475 children who had e25e7f5d10 played instruments, danced, afabbab6ba or painted were da037cfa87 measured and recorded.cebb9b78aedbbd95

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Finally, it was time.bbeb5133b1e91330

“Diana, who used her healing powers to cure the sick.”1d420e2714552e4a

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I watched the stage a6fc2a291c intently, tension gripping me.fb6332ad86caae46

Out of the d93110aa12 corner of my c18d390004 eye, I glanced 48f8c44a10 at Diana. She, too, looked nervous.871fd7f837ac3ba2

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‘Please…’2280359dce4df4fc

I had already healed 77d56a3760 the Crown Prince, which 96258231f3 should have secured my 7f777139bb position safely.f6790d837bbd8644

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But Diana was the heroine. You never knew what kind 9e0a2d49bc of plot armor she might 0298687861 have in a critical moment.5d7e6f4988b41a35

Clink, clink, clink, clink—!67af1f610f95fdde

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The amount of Talents 32f3efecf9 pouring into the censer ee416c6647 from Diana’s booth was 3e47a3dd0d greater than any other 5a033042e7 booth before hers.45b91f8eae32ca64

“Wow, how much did she collect?”752de42919f31c54

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“No kidding. I couldn’t even think f527cd1a4e about standing in line 363fc0c896 for her.”82c9788ec0e03e55

“Well, of course, a Saintess candidate is different…”829ec14011105d3c

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The murmurs of bda8d7edef astonishment rippled through 5cb4e780fd the nobles who b57776857a were watching.a28682901be8824a

“Wow…”fc967951c8b34e6e

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“Diana is amazing.”9c420d25979dfbeb

“Does that mean she’s going to be the next Saintess?”9c0a99263164b3cc

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Even the orphanage children sitting d49fb530c3 beside me were whispering in 9a5c049d8c awe.7a5e091b1dc812d1

Hearing their remarks 8a1a0a9a04 only made my e06572aa69 anxiety creep up c5543612de further.05ba9a1105a4383f

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Click.ec4cd8d0f7e6b098

Finally, the Talents and the 9b16435fbc incense were poured into the 52e788747c censer, and the lid closed.8c8ed22598475817

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Moments later, a faint stream 5208dbf544 of smoke began to rise, f11920ce6c swirling together before solidifying into 1706abb60c a number.974ecf0c45b2357b

770bcf95210b83329b6

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“Diana, 770 Talents.”99a834b3948b0d53

Applause erupted among the bf2c82a436 nobles as soon as c1c26897d2 the Pope announced the 9f19fc8b63 result.66fca6e5a20cf5b4

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It was a record-breaking number.33b0d399ac788470

‘She healed that many people?!’6749cff7a386adc1

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I was stunned 2460c028d2 by the unexpected a5166ee705 number. I had anticipated no 122af28fc4 more than 500 or 58f0546131 600 Talents at best.b6766c6ae1f325a7

And yet, there it was—770.ae319b03a3958df6

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‘How is that even possible?’99e3e611aa34a68f

Frowning, I stared at 59f1f2c398 the count Diana had d8fc90ad25 earned, then let out 77fb7f6f35 a small sigh of 03094327d0 relief.a34f78e4558243ad

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“Haa…”4c99d6503d2ce55f

In the end, aa6a09e1c6 it didn’t matter.818b7a8fcfac2dd6

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Even though the heroine’s 5d99fc7890 plot armor had boosted 8f4ddb9a35 her total far beyond 55b97d1862 what I had expected…2e0654bf52937678

‘I still won.’ba43dbc1eb49bd7b

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I could be certain now.32bb80b718971330

Just as the Pope, who 9ac40ce50d had maintained an impassive expression e5ccb60412 throughout, was about to call fce0d5bcf2 the next contestant—ed88f5160e300dea

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“Wait! Stop! This is outrageous!”585d53f7bfd08fe0

A thunderous voice 4a56559e21 suddenly echoed through 2b114928af the hall.a05313bcc664b0b7

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All eyes, including 1710c2167f mine, snapped toward 8d3459c817 the source of 4cefa3ce38 the commotion.878479827f766af8

It was a middle-aged 2070f5fbea man who had jumped 54f4951d70 to his feet, his a2ecd30ab6 face pale as he 397c93aca1 shouted.be0f6b597697daf9

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“Your Holiness! There’s been a mistake! The numbers are wrong! According to the 12f83abb78 records, this can’t 1ad744ab26 be right…!”e25603f0e56e4c68

The Pope’s expression c713b7ef2a darkened as he d1350071ed warned the man.a6f5ae6a7b47e051

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“Marquis Barelotte, objections to the Talent count must be addressed after the event has concluded…”03f77ed880e3a09e

“But there’s been a theft at Diana’s booth!”d801805ed71e08d0

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Marquis Barelotte completely disregarded the a2d22b9544 Pope’s words, shouting at the 9e55e20fcc top of his lungs.c69f05e2fe503f3e

“One hundred Talents are missing!”1669fa2dff04c3e9

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