TMKWPL CH 27

Chapter 27

• ────── ✦ ────── •

The Children Wants to Become the Saintess

“Ho? Is that so? Then I shall write the name of the recommended person and put it in the box.”

Headmistress Norcia looked at Lucia with a playful, interested smile.

“Now, for the sake of fairness, would the final nominee please come forward?”

As everyone knew, Lucia hadn't said a word. Yet, by some twist of fate, she found herself standing on the podium. With eyes as dull as a dried pollack, she moved like a machine, reaching into the box and pulling out slips as names were called.

One by one, the representatives were announced and written on the chalkboard behind her.

Dove Class: Mera Literin

Duck Class: Serdin Poppin

Lucia watched blankly as the proactive women she had just shared a table with secured their spots. As she continued her mechanical task, she handed over the slip for the Goose Class.

“Goose Class: Lady Ringnail of the Bashav family. Congratulations.”

Envious gasps and applause followed. Finally, it was time for the Sparrow Class—Nia’s class.

The Bashav name echoed in Lucia's mind. They were the family that would seize power once the current short-lived Imperial line ended and the Prime Minister retired. Even though Lucia had lived in the mountains before her regression, she knew the names of the families that had ruled the Empire.

Bashav, Poppin, Literin...

Wait. Were they all at her table? Was it a coincidence? These seemingly kind women... could they be connected to the Temple?

Lucia surreptitiously peeked at the slip already in her hand for the Sparrow Class: Susha Whitney.

Bashav, Poppin, Literin, and Whitney. Without fail, these were the names of the families that became the pillars of the Empire after Lucia's retirement in her past life. Did they really participate in the living sacrifice of the Saintess?

Lucia watched the women smiling brightly as they were congratulated. Even she could tell their smiles seemed genuine. She didn't know how they had bonded in the past to become the Empire's elite, but if the catalyst started here, in this kindergarten...

But instead of Susha Whitney, she would become the representative for the Sparrow Class.

She began to filter through the slips in the box. A normal person would have to look at each one, but Lucia was a Grand Sword Master. To distinguish the slips without looking, she closed her eyes and focused all her senses on her palm, selecting the slip with the absolute lightest weight of ink.

Thus, the use of a Grand Sword Master’s sensory techniques in history was used in cheating on a kindergarten ballot.

Lucia pulled the slip and handed it to Headmistress Norcia.

“Oh my! Congratulations, Lady Lucia. It seems the final winner is you.”

Applause broke out again. Despite the warm atmosphere, Lucia kept a stony face, watching Susha Whitney to see if she looked suspicious. However, the blonde, cute-looking woman simply looked disappointed for a second before offering a bright, congratulatory smile.

It didn't look like a grand conspiracy, yet.

Lucia sat back down. Marien worriedly handed her a handkerchief. Lucia’s forehead was drenched in sweat, pushing her human limits of sensitivity to feel ink weight had taken a physical toll.

As she reached for the handkerchief, the Headmistress’s voice rang out again.

“Now then, the Temple’s Baptism Ceremony should be over by now. The children must be waiting. Everyone, please move to the classrooms. Thank you for your hard work.”

Lucia dropped the handkerchief.

“Lady Lucia?”

“…… the Temple’s Baptism Ceremony?”

“Hmm? It was written in the notice. Did you not know?”

“……!!!”

Only then did the white-clad figures she had glimpsed beyond the window flashed through her mind. They weren't just random priests, and they were there for a reason. Gripping her racing heart, Lucia bolted out of the meeting room faster than anyone else.

• ───────── ☽༓☾ ───────── •

In the Sparrow Class.

Emily (the teacher) stared at Nia with eyes that looked like they belonged to a zombie. She had the hollow look of someone who had visited both heaven and hell in a single morning.

Her long-planned schemes had been ruined by Lucia. After days of despair, she thought she found heaven when she was assigned as a head teacher yesterday due to a sudden resignation. Then, she saw the black-haired child and realized she was back in hell. Countless memories of tormenting Lucia at the Academy replayed.

I was crazy. Why did I bully her back in the Academy? How am I going to avoid her during pickup time?

When Lucia brought Nia to the Sparrow Class earlier, Emily had luckily managed to hide beneath the nearby podium. But could she rely on such luck every time? At this point, she was seriously considering acquiring a turtle shell to wear over her back.

Watching her, Yvonne whispered to Nia.

“That teacher... her eyes are weird.”

“Mmm...”

It was free time. Five children were sitting at a round table, drawing or doing origami. A boy with golden curls, and cute like a little Cupid, held up a piece of gold paper.

“I might be the Saint,” he said seriously.

“What are you talking about?”

“The Goddess Assir came to me in a dream last night. And they’re doing a baptism today. My mother said lots of kids become the Saintess candidates after that.”

The boy folded the gold paper into a triangle and held it to his forehead like a crown. The children, unaware that a Saintess had to be a girl, imagined it to being a hero or a dragon slayer.

“Really? I want to be one too, but I already got baptised when I was a baby. I guess I’m not it. Too bad.”

Usually, children are baptised shortly after birth, but the Empire encouraged later baptisms to unify citizens of different backgrounds. For the Temple, these so-called field trips were a way to scout for the potential Saintess.

“No, don't you know? The Saintess is a girl, and she has black hair!”

“Really? I’m a boy, so why did the Goddess show up... Hey! You have black hair!”

The Cupid-like boy pointed at Nia. Every child at the surrounding tables turned their heads. They had been curious about the black hair but were too intimidated by the adults to approach earlier. Now, the rumours about the Saintess amplified their curiosity.

Nia stiffened at the mention of black hair, and shrank back toward Ivonne.

“Nia, what’s wrong?”

Ivonne, who had been focused drawing a portrait of her soulless teacher, looked confused. As Nia tried to hide, the other children crowded around.

“Lady with the pitch-black hair, what’s your name?”

Unlike Ivonne, who stared them down, Nia’s eyes darted around and murmured,

“……Nia……”

“What? What did you say?”

“Nia……”

“Your voice is too small! I can't hear you. Is it because of this black hair?”

The blonde boy reached out and grabbed a lock of Nia’s hair. Nia’s entire body began to tremble. This was exactly what she had feared. In the slums, the bullying always started with her hair. It escalated, turned violent, and when they grew bored, she became alone again.

I just have to bear it. Mommy is at home. Vernon, Gillie, and Heath are there too. I shouldn't want more.

As she tried to endure, she remembered the Headmistress’s words

“Gift your mother with the stories of what you did today. It will make her very happy.”

But these painful, scary stories could never be a gift for her mother. The thought of having nothing happy to tell Lucia made her eyes well up with tears.

“Geez! She said she’s Nia! How many times does she have to tell you? Are you picking a fight?!”

Ivonne swiped the boy’s hand away from Nia’s hair and shouted at the top of her lungs. The other children, remembering how Ivonne had handled Gederin yesterday, flinched back. The blonde boy clutched his slightly reddened hand, tears forming in his eyes.

“N-No, that’s not it……”

“Then what?!”

“I... I wanted to ask Nia to give me the number one blessing if she becomes the Saintess... I was trying to be friends first……”

“You’re a dummy! Don't you have manners? Use your words. If you touch her first, then it will hurt!”

 Ivonne scolded, having just used her own hands to hit him.

“I’m sorry... I’m Roy Whitney. Will you be my friend?”

Nia, who had been hunched over with her eyes squeezed shut, slowly lifted her head. Roy’s small hand was extended toward her.

Really? He wants to be Nia’s friend?

Roy’s green eyes were warm. He looked like he was about to cry if she didn't take his hand. This was a first for Nia. She glanced at Ivonne, who was already back to colouring as if nothing had happened.

Nia hesitated a moment longer, then gently took the tips of Roy’s fingers. Roy beamed, showing off his cute front teeth.

“Then, if Nia becomes the Saintess, you’ll bless me first, right?”

As Nia tilted her head in confusion, another child asked,

 “But what does a blessing do?”

“My mom said you live a long time without getting sick.”

Suddenly, the children realised the value of a blessing.

“Wow, then will my runny nose go away? I want to be second!”

“Then my shrimp allergy will go away! Third!”

“Fourth!”

The children who had been hovering nearby began thrusting their short arms forward, eager to shake Nia’s hand. Nia, who had never experienced such positive attention in her life, blinked in shock.

Tap.

Ivonne put down her crayon with an air of authority.

“Hey, you guys. What if Nia isn't the Saintess? And even if she is, I’m her best friend, so I should be first. Right, Nia?”

Nia nodded quickly, agreeing with anything Yvonne said. Watching the commotion, Emily let out a weary, lopsided smirk.

Saintess? If you kids mess with her, you’ll be lucky if you aren't exiled from the country. You little runts.

Emily had heard about the Gederin incident this morning. She knew Lucia must have done something. It usually took ages to investigate smugglers who hid evidence for years, but in a single night, the port had been scoured, evidence seized, and the family exiled before dawn. It was a terrifyingly efficient purge, as if the Emperor himself had ordered it.

If Lucia, who wielded that much power, found out that her old enemy was her daughter’s teacher...

Emily began to pull her carefully styled hair in despair. 

Chapter 26

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Chapter 28