Episode 102 – The Social Gathering (2
by Afuhfuihgs
Episode 102 – The Social Gathering (2)
*
A few days ago, that unidentified doctor who helped Dena came to treat Tess, and…
Mella, lost in thought, was choosing refreshments and tea to serve the doctor.
,That doctor possessed the Saintess’s divine power.’
Even though she had lost her powers as a Saintess long ago, there was no way she could mistake that sensation.
Unless a new Saintess appeared, Mella herself was the most knowledgeable person about that golden divine power.
That power that allowed her, a mere country girl who lost her village to monster attacks, to become a member of the Hero’s Party.
With the Saintess’s divine power, curing Tess would be no problem.
Whenever her daughter’s condition worsened, Mella lamented how wonderful it would be if she still had the Saintess’s divine power.
Of course, if that were the case, Edward and Tess would never have been born, so it was a meaningless thought.
However, no matter how you looked at it, the doctor was clearly a man, but she wanted to know how he obtained the Saintess’s divine power, and if there was a way to artificially obtain that power, Mella wanted to hear about it from him.
Of course, he was extremely wary of others, especially priests of the Goddess Church, so he wouldn’t easily tell her the story, but at least she could try, she could beg and plead.
Mella carefully placed the luxurious tea leaves and soft refreshments she had chosen for her conversation with the doctor on a tray and slowly headed towards Tess’s room.
Mella, who was about to knock on Tess’s door, noticed that the door was already slightly open.
Carefully pushing the door open to look inside, she saw Edward kneeling next to Tess’s bed, holding her hand.
The doctor was nowhere to be seen.
Thankfully, Tess’s face looked much more comfortable than before the doctor had arrived.
Mella entered the room and asked Edward.
,Is Tess okay?
,…Yes, mother. She’s going to be alright now. But she needs to rest…
,I see… That’s a relief.
Mella put down the tray and approached Tess.
Whatever unknown force was tormenting Tess might have disappeared, but Tess’s body, which had become so weakened, was still critical and so frail.
Mella took a steady breath and stroked Tess’s hair as she slept, saying.
,Edward. That doctor…?
,He’s already gone.
,So soon? We haven’t even thanked him or paid for the treatment,
Edward was startled and replied.
,Oh, that’s right. I was too out of it.
Edward carefully released Tess’s hand, got up from his seat, and said.
,I’ve made a foolish mistake. I’ve already received help twice, I can’t just let him go like this, I’ll go after him quickly.
,Do so. I’ve prepared some good tea and refreshments, so if you bring him back, please guide him to the guest room?
,I will.
Edward nodded and hurried out of the room.
In the quiet room after Edward left, Mella carefully approached Tess and placed her hands on her forehead and body.
,Yes, I’m sure of it…
She could feel the all-too-familiar golden energy circulating within Tess’s body.
Especially on Tess’s forehead, the lingering divine power left by the doctor was even greater, allowing her to clearly sense what abilities he had used.
At that moment, Mella felt something strange as she touched Tess’s forehead.
,…This is,
Even if it was the same type of divine power, there were slight differences between each person.
You could say it was a slight individuality shown in their personality, habits, and the way they used their divine power.
Since there couldn’t be two or more Saintesses in one era, it wouldn’t be possible to make a direct comparison, but it was clear that this golden divine power would also reveal its own individuality.
But this divine power circulating in Tess’s body now… it was familiar, too familiar.
It wasn’t just familiar because she was the former Saintess.
Rather, it was a fundamentally familiar energy.
As if this divine power was her own.
Mella slowly removed her hand from Tess’s forehead.
A small amount of divine power stuck to Mella’s fingertips like a puzzle piece and fell off.
Mella was shocked by the faint energy she felt in her hand.
Without a doubt, this was Mella’s own divine power.
,No way… How could this be…
Mella stared blankly at the small amount of divine power in her hand.
Then, she skillfully wrapped it up again and returned it to Tess’s body.
Mella got up from her seat and followed Edward downstairs.
She had to bring that doctor back.
However, the doctor had already left and could not be found anywhere.
*
Since that day, Edward’s attempts to meet Baron Salvier to find the doctor had repeatedly failed.
Every time he visited the Baron’s mansion, citing reasons such as wanting to repay him and deliver the treatment fee, he was refused, being told that he could not meet him.
Mella had even gone herself once or twice, but she was only told that the Baron was away.
She even began to suspect that Baron Salvier was intentionally avoiding her and Edward.
However, even if he was avoiding them, they couldn’t say anything.
He was a kind person who repeatedly suffered damages from the Boldiras family but could never refuse to help.
But he was also human, so it was only natural that he would be reluctant to meet them, who had repeatedly caused damage and inconvenience, and had only made shameless requests.
However, Mella couldn’t help but feel impatient.
She was convinced that the divine power the doctor possessed was not only that of a Saintess but also her own.
She had to find him and hear his story.
In fact, Mella didn’t want to come to the social gathering.
Seeing Edward standing on the stage of the Imperial City’s banquet hall was a very proud moment as a parent, but at the same time, with the suspicions about Jennifer still unresolved, revealing himself in front of so many people required being prepared to endure the gossip of other nobles.
Even Robin was barely able to perform his normal duties, and other noble ladies who used to visit often for tea had almost stopped coming to the mansion, so it was a serious matter that even Mella could tell that considerable doubts were being raised about the achievements of the Boldiras family and the Hero’s Party.
Nevertheless, Mella steeled herself and decided to appear at the social gathering.
Of course, she also wanted to see her wonderful son, but more than that, it was to meet Baron Salvier.
Robin also nodded, saying that Duke Villard, the head of the noble faction, wouldn’t just leave them alone, so it would be alright.
She didn’t know much about politics, but if Robin had done well so far, there would be at least one family who would be on their side even in this situation.
So, Mella and Robin tightly held each other’s hands in slight tension and entered the banquet hall with anticipation.
But the situation was much more serious than Mella had expected.
It started with the news of Duke Villard’s death.
Robin was visibly flustered by the sudden tragic news.
As Duke Villard’s right-hand man within the noble faction, he didn’t have much interaction with other families.
Thanks to the fact that other nobles who followed Villard’s words automatically submitted in front of Robin’s family, who were from the Hero’s Party, Robin, who lacked political sense, didn’t need to build relationships with other nobles.
However, the story was different if Villard disappeared.
It was the moment when all his political connections, which he had relied on while ruining his relationship with the Emperor’s side, disappeared in an instant.
And the result came to the two of them immediately.
At this moment when they should be freely moving around, enjoying the food, and having conversations,
No one spoke to Robin and Mella.
It was unprecedented for a Count’s family to receive such disregard.
Perhaps it was the first time in this empire’s history of only 20 years.
Robin was shocked and froze on the spot, unable to move.
Mella also found it difficult to endure the whispers and the sharp glares that pierced her as she passed by, but she didn’t freeze like Robin.
Because she had a purpose for being here.
Mella forcibly ignored and shook off the gazes around her and approached Baron Salvier.
She was tormented and scared by the thought that he might also be avoiding them because of the words and rumors about Jennifer, but Mella slowly moved her feet towards him, recalling the kind appearance that Baron Salvier had shown.
As she approached him, surrounded by numerous young ladies, she felt as if the sharp glares of the other young ladies were piercing every corner of Mella’s body like hundreds of arrows covering the sky in black.
Mella barely opened her mouth and called out to him.
However, Baron Salvier’s attitude was very different from Mella’s imagination.
Even his cold eyes, which seemed indifferent.
For some reason, Mella’s heart ached as if it had been cut by that sharp gaze.
But an even greater ordeal soon appeared.
The Emperor intervened in Mella and Baron Salvier’s conversation.
When she came to her senses, Mella was heading to the outdoor terrace with the Emperor and the Baron.
Mella was worried about whether she would be able to tell the Baron her business in front of the Emperor.
Even Mella, who lacked tact, could tell that Baron Salvier was refusing to talk to her.
He wouldn’t suddenly get up and leave in front of the Emperor, so perhaps this place with the Emperor was the only opportunity to ask him about the doctor.
However, Mella wondered if it would be a good idea to talk about the Saintess’s divine power in front of the Emperor.
Mella also knew that Duke Villard, who was close to Robin, did not have a good relationship with the Emperor.
And if she had a secret conversation with the Emperor and the Baron, especially on the terrace where their 모습/moseup (appearance) was clearly visible, she was also worried that it might seem like she was sucking up to the Emperor as soon as Villard died.
Perhaps that was what this Emperor was aiming for.
Mella, whose head was filled with various thoughts, tightly closed her eyes.
She couldn’t escape from here anyway.
The three people sat around a pure white marble table on the terrace where a cool breeze was blowing, facing each other.
.
0 Comments