Chapter 98: The Mirror Between the Glass
As she left the mansion, Sue ran into another guest. A middle-aged man in a silver priest’s robe. She didn’t know this one.
“Oh, Lady Meli, isn’t it?”
The man, who had been enjoying the garden scenery, quickened his pace as he spotted the mistress of the house. His long beard swayed comically as he ran, but Sue suppressed a chuckle.
“Oh my, it’s Master Rampleld!”
Melaine seemed surprised, as she hadn’t heard that he was coming.
‘Is he a priest from the Grand Temple?’
He looked like one. But looking closer, the embroidery on his robe was slightly different from the ones worn by the priests of the Löhn Grand Temple. It was probably a robe from the Northern Grand Temple.
“Sue, this is Master Rampleld Patrol, the high priest of the Northern Grand Temple. Say hello.”
Melaine quickly introduced him, noticing Sue’s blank stare.
Sue curtsied mechanically at her gentle command.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, High Priest Rampleld. I’m Sue, of the Byron viscount family. Blessings upon the empire.”
Rampleld smiled faintly in response.
“Master Rampleld is also an aide to the Saint who governs the north. Our families have known each other for quite some time. Master Rampleld, this is, as she introduced herself, Lady Sue, the eldest daughter of the Byron viscount family.”
“I see.”
Rampleld replied casually.
He hadn’t even noticed Sue when he had spotted Melaine from afar. His interest was solely focused on Melaine. He had a specific reason for seeking her out.
He spoke, his voice low,
“Lady Meli, have you given any thought to what I mentioned before?”
What he mentioned before?
Sue looked back and forth between them, confused, and Melaine chuckled awkwardly.
“Hehe, you weren’t serious about that, were you?”
Rampleld shook his head emphatically.
“I’ve never joked in my life. Lady Meli, you are definitely worthy of becoming a Saint.”
“S-Saint…”
Sue gasped. She couldn’t believe he had said that.
Saint.
Sue’s eyes widened in shock. Melaine glanced at her and replied evasively,
“As I said before, my holy power is weak, and I’m not really interested in magic. And being a Saint in the Northern Grand Temple, so far from the capital… You know I’m not capable of such a thing, Master Rampleld.”
Melaine, who had been born into a knight family and raised under the protection of her sister, the current Knights Captain, had no interest in magic or becoming a Saint.
But even before that, she didn’t meet the requirements.
A Saint had to be virtuous and pure of heart. Neither Sue nor Melaine Vava could ever become a Saint. It was a position that was far beyond their reach.
It was a bizarre situation, two words that didn’t belong together being uttered in the same sentence, but Rampleld, the only one oblivious to the absurdity, fidgeted with his beard.
“Haha… Lady Meli, Atlantis needs more Saints. The empire’s territory is expanding every day, so we need to guide the new citizens of Atlantis to the right path. And as the high priest of the Northern Grand Temple, I believe you are more than qualified.”
Sue couldn’t help but be impressed.
The high priest of the Northern Grand Temple had terrible judgment.
Well, the high priests in the capital were praising Enzhe for her virtue. Since when had those who were supposed to prioritize God started prioritizing profit? Sue clicked her tongue inwardly.
“Master Rampleld, thank you for the offer, but my dream is to stay in the capital, assist my sister, and dedicate my life to the Vava family.”
Anyone who didn’t know Melaine would have accused her of being insincere.
But she was being genuine.
She admired and loved her sister, Yuna Vava, to the point of worshipping her.
And that was the thing about Rampleld’s offer. She might be rejecting it now, but if Yuna ever asked Melaine to become a Saint, she would rush to a monastery without a second thought.
“Hmm, I see. I understand your resolve, Lady Melaine.”
Rampleld smiled faintly and took out a silver necklace from under his robe. He closed his eyes, as if praying to God, and then, in a gentle voice, like someone soothing a child, he said,
“If it’s meant to be, you will receive God’s calling. And even if you don’t, please feel free to visit the Northern Grand Temple anytime, Lady Meli. I, Rampleld, would like to be of assistance to you.”
***
Something unfortunate happened.
Melaine’s secret relationship with Acrea, which she had asked Sue to keep confidential, was exposed to the entire noble society just two days later.
“Melaine, I heard the news. Congratulations.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
It wasn’t that they had voluntarily revealed it, but rather, it was closer to a deliberate exposure by Enzhe Lopetrefer.
Enzhe spoke in a loud, clear voice, in the middle of the crowded hallway at Full Bloom,
“What do you mean ‘what are you talking about’? I heard everything. You’re engaged to Duke Reeves, right?”
The noisy hallway fell silent. Sue, watching Melaine’s usually bright eyes dim, tried to stay calm and spoke first,
“Duke Reeves… You’re talking about Duke Reeves Acrea, right?”
“Who else would it be? Hmph, Melaine, why didn’t you tell me sooner? …I’m hurt.”
Those were her words, but her haughty tone betrayed her true feelings. Only Sue and Melaine knew that she was sneering and mocking her.
“…Yes, that’s right. I’m engaged to Duke Reeves.”
Melaine had no choice but to officially confirm her engagement to Duke Reeves Acrea. Sue, flustered, unconsciously pouted.
The news of the engagement between Duke Reeves Acrea of the Acrea grand duke family and Lady Melaine of the Vava marquis family spread through noble society like wildfire.
Woo Acrea expressed his discomfort at Enzhe’s outburst, but there was no official condemnation from his family.
Melaine Vava would soon become the Duchess of Acrea.
Melaine instantly became the center of attention, thanks to the unexpected news.
All the students at Full Bloom started liking Melaine. She hadn’t had a bad reputation, aside from her association with Sue Byron, but even putting that aside, no one would dare to treat the future Duchess of Acrea poorly.
The funny thing was, even the girls who had met in the basement of the glass garden were the same. Sue felt a wave of dizziness as she saw them flattering Melaine with bright smiles, without a hint of awkwardness.
‘Melaine, the Duchess of Acrea? How is that even possible?’
Sue was the most panicked by the news Enzhe had revealed and Melaine had confirmed.
She stood alone in the empty classroom, her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the setting sun.
She had assumed that it was a family matter. And she had vaguely guessed that it was related to marriage. Both Yuna and Melaine were unmarried, and Melaine was at the age where she should be looking for a fiancé.
But she had never expected it to be Reeves Acrea, one of the three grand dukes.
Because Reeves Acrea was the older brother of the second male lead and a major supporting character who influenced the protagonist couple in the novel, and Melaine, like Sue, was just one of Enzhe’s pawns.
‘Is the novel different? Or was there something I didn’t know?’
As she was pondering the cause and effect, the classroom door opened. Melaine entered, her face slightly haggard.
“Sorry, I’m a little late.”
“Not at all. I was just looking at the sky.”
Melaine was exhausted from the constant flattery of the nobles, even though the engagement hadn’t even been officially announced yet.
She had barely spoken to Sue since the news broke, so she had deliberately sought her out after class. She had decided that she should explain the situation to the daughter of her family’s ally.
Melaine smiled wryly at her unchanging fake smile and approached her.
“The engagement announcement was made much earlier than planned, so I thought I should at least explain it to you briefly.”
“Oh, a brief explanation…”
Melaine licked her lips and continued,
“To be honest, I was surprised too, because our family hasn’t had much interaction with the Acrea family. You know, the day Master Woo came to the salon to pick me up?”
Sue clearly remembered. Melaine and Acrea had become noticeably close after that day.
“So you heard about the engagement that day.”
Melaine nodded at her composed tone.
“Yes. I never dreamed… that I would be engaged to His Grace, the Duke of Acrea. I thought it was beyond my station.”
“Beyond your station? Lady Melaine, you’re the daughter of the Vava family, the leaders of the Knights. You’re more than qualified to be the Duchess of Acrea. Congratulations on your engagement.”
Sue felt relieved, finally saying the words she hadn’t been able to utter for the past ten days.
It was perfectly normal for men and women to get engaged before reaching adulthood in Atlantis noble society. Or rather, it was more accurate to say that it was families, not individuals, who were engaged.
“It’s my sister, not me, who leads the Knights. But thank you, Sue.”
Sue looked at her brilliant smile, as radiant as the golden sky. She always felt a pang of envy whenever she saw it.
One is clotted blood, and the other is a golden sunset.