Ch.58Heresy (1)

“Cl… early… this should be a cause for celebration…”

Is this not a sin?

Those were Armand’s words upon hearing that both the Duchess and the Duke’s sister were pregnant at the same time.

Of course, he barely managed to swallow the last part without letting it escape his lips.

“…We should congratulate them.”

“Yes, that would be appropriate…”

Count Leclerc sighs beside him, agreeing with Armand.

Though the Duke’s child may be illegitimate, for a Duke who has the military’s support and numerous achievements, there’s absolutely nothing that vassals without territories can do.

Of course, Leclerc’s eldest son did receive a barony from Claude, but that was solely his son’s fief, completely unrelated to Leclerc himself as the father.

“To be honest, Miss Chloe has no blood relation to the Duke whatsoever.”

“Still, they were raised under the same mother.”

“That’s… true.”

Leclerc’s attempt to reduce this to a simple affair of adultery instantly dissolves at Armand’s rebuttal.

Blood relation doesn’t matter. Even without blood ties, if they were raised by the same mother, they should rightfully be considered siblings.

This is a marriage difficult for even modern people to accept, let alone those in medieval times.

“”Haaaaah…””

Leclerc and Armand sigh simultaneously—Leclerc worried that the House of Burgundy, which his family has served for three generations, might be pointed at by others; Armand concerned that the Duke might receive divine punishment.

After their sighs, neither says anything more.

What’s the point of speaking when all that would come out would be lamentations?

Knock knock—

“…Come in.”

At that moment, the knocking sound cleanly breaks the awkward silence, and both men inwardly rejoice at finding an excuse to escape this uncomfortable situation.

Leclerc suppresses his joy and grants permission to enter to whoever is outside the door.

“I present myself to Count Leclerc. I’ve come with a message for Bishop Armand.”

“Oh? What is it?”

Armand always has the habit of telling his subordinates his destination when he goes somewhere, and thanks to that, the servant with business for Armand seems to have found him quickly.

“His Grace the Duke of Burgundy says he has a favor to ask of Bishop Armand.”

“…I’ll go right away.”

Armand slightly furrows his brow upon hearing this, then slowly nods.

To be assigned as the bishop of an important city like Dijon, one must not only have sufficient theological knowledge but also excellent political acumen. There’s no way Armand wouldn’t notice Claude’s intentions in summoning him at this timing.

‘Probably… related to Miss Chloe’s child.’

It’s likely something like asking for his blessing, or to perform a baptism, or something along those lines.

Naturally, he could treat the child well personally, but baptism would be difficult. According to Canaan Church doctrine, an illegitimate child is literally one who should not have been born, and baptizing such a child would incur too much political burden.

Of course, the loophole of declaring the child an orphan could allow for baptism, but given the background of the child’s mother and the Duke, they wouldn’t want that at all.

“Haaaaah…”

To be appointed to Dijon at a time like this—though returning to his hometown was something he had wished for his entire life, it has now become somewhat tarnished.

Can’t accept, can’t refuse… how difficult.

“Well, I’ll be going now.”

“…Good luck.”

Leclerc also vaguely senses why Claude is summoning Armand at this timing, but as an outsider to this matter, he refrains from speaking freely. Except to offer comfort.

……….

Click-clack—

[Chloe, I’ll keep Armand’s attention while you deliver this letter to Jeanne in the underground prison.]

“Brother, really… if you have to be concerned about the eyes of your subordinates for something like this, it somewhat damages your dignity…”

However, Armand’s prediction was off the mark.

While partly correct, Claude’s true purpose was to smuggle Jeanne out.

The Canaan Church, which has been paying close attention to the witch who impersonated a saint, hasn’t left Jeanne alone, and consequently, many watchers have been placed around the prison where she’s confined.

If this were the Canaan Church of a few hundred years ago, they would have simply infiltrated the underground prison and killed Jeanne, but as mentioned earlier, their influence has diminished significantly, so they can’t take such risks. The authority to punish traitors belongs solely to the monarch.

“Well, I still need to keep Armand occupied.”

That fellow has been going in and out of the underground prison every day to meet Jeanne. Sometimes as many as eight times a day.

If I were to leave such an irregular unattended and then happen to encounter Armand in the underground prison while meeting Jeanne, it would be quite troublesome. The necessity of keeping him occupied is unavoidable.

“Let’s see… as reported, there are watchers over there, but they’re all careless, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

Claude didn’t know it, but Chloe is exceptionally skilled at moving without being noticed.

The reason Claude selected Chloe was because she’s one of the most trustworthy people, and above all, being essentially a maid, the watchers wouldn’t view her with suspicion.

But Chloe doesn’t think that way at all.

‘I mustn’t be caught.’

Having grown up avoiding others’ eyes as much as possible except for her brother, Chloe naturally thinks she should avoid the watchers’ eyes this time too. Even the eyes of the soldiers guarding the underground prison.

With her unique stealth ability and quick movements, Chloe evades the eyes of both the Canaan Church watchers and the soldiers, and infiltrates the underground prison.

……….

‘If I go this way… it’s over there.’

With her keen night vision, Chloe doesn’t lose her way even in the dark underground prison.

Normally, she would have to walk guided by a soldier with a lantern, but Chloe, determined to carry out her brother’s orders thoroughly and perfectly, doesn’t reveal her identity even to the soldiers who are on the same side.

“Father in heaven of all people, today again I—”

‘…I found the right place.’

Hearing Jeanne’s voice, Chloe feels both relief at having found the right place and irritation at the grating sound of prayer.

She could tolerate an ordinary prayer, but that voice praying as if wailing is extremely annoying. It makes her want to sew that mouth shut.

Tsk… I’ll just quickly deliver the letter and—

“—Uuugh!?”

‘What, what is this… again.’

Chloe, who was about to quickly deliver the letter and leave, flinches as she suddenly hears Jeanne’s retching sound, just like before.

Not a light dry heave like when I had morning sickness, but a violent retching as if her insides were turning over.

“Huek… ueek… this presence… Chloe…”

“…Ha.”

I thought I was quite confident in my stealth, but I still have a long way to go.

Chloe, who had intended to observe the situation a bit longer due to the unexpected development, steps forward upon hearing Jeanne’s words.

“Wh-what’s going on… are you here to eliminate me…”

“…Shut up, it’s nothing like that.”

Dismissing Jeanne’s speculation with a single sentence, Chloe narrows her eyes and slowly scans the inside of the cell.

Rough stone floor and walls… a room with no ventilation… nothing but a desk and a bed.

But the bedding on the bed is quite luxurious, so her health doesn’t seem to have deteriorated much.

Normally, just sleeping in an underground prison a few times would make one suffer from all sorts of diseases.

“Then why—”

“I came… to deliver a message from my brother.”

At the mention of “brother,” Jeanne instantly catches her breath, and seeing Jeanne’s pupils, Chloe’s mood worsens considerably.

Those eyes… they’re the eyes of someone imagining a person they admire. The same look in my eyes when I imagine my brother while looking in the mirror.

…Yes, that’s right. This psychotic fanatic doesn’t know her place.

“You, don’t you want to get out of here?”

“What do you—”

“Take it. It’s a letter from my brother.”

“From the Saint!?”

Chloe hands Claude’s letter through the bars. Of course, she had already opened and read the contents long ago.

Jeanne hastily picks up the Saint’s letter that had fallen to the floor and scans its contents with manic eyes.

“Ah, aah… aaaah…!!”

“Seems you’re quite pleased with it. So, will you leave?”

About ten seconds later, hearing Jeanne’s ecstatic exclamations, Chloe asks her intention with a displeased face.

“Of course I must! This is the Saint’s revelation to cut out the rotten religious establishment and—”

‘How noisy…’

The rotten religious establishment is of no concern to her. She just wishes this unpleasant madwoman would shut her mouth.

Why on earth does her brother want to release this woman? Is there really a need to create a heretical group within the country by this woman’s hand?

“Alright, that’s enough. If you want to leave, wait about three days. We need to prepare for your extraction, support supplies, and a disguised identity.”

“Yes, yes…! Thank you… thank you so much.”

“Don’t thank me, thank my brother—”

“What? I am thanking the Saint.”

“—…Right, I’ll see you in three days.”

Chloe, who was about to scold Jeanne but ended up feeling awkward instead, leaves the underground prison hurriedly with a flushed face.

Jeanne tilts her head as if finding Chloe strange, staring at her back until she completely disappears from sight, then resumes her prayers. However, the object of her devotion is no longer the Father in heaven but the Saint.

“Saint… thank you, for the noble mission you have given me… I will certainly fulfill it…!”