A Saint Who Was Adopted by the Grand Duke

Side Story 23: Debutante (VI)

“Yes. Last month, I went to a territory owned by the imperial family to do relief work, and I saw her at the treatment center there.”

Sharon added that she wouldn’t have known if she hadn’t met by chance, she continued cautiously.

“It has been three years since she came to the treatment center. She is doing the labor of caring for the sick with divine power at a fixed time every day.”

When nobles were sick, they visited temples or received treatment from excellent doctors, but commoners and slaves who could not do so had to go to the treatment center to receive help.

“How did it look?”

“Well…”

After hesitating for a moment, Sharon honestly confessed what she had seen.

“It seems that there were people who found out where Rabienne was assigned after the public trial. While working, she was beaten and her leg broke.”

Esther listened silently.

“It’s so broken that it can’t be healed with divine power, so she can’t walk on her own. After that incident, she was moved to the treatment center.”

‘…Rabienne can’t use her legs.’

Esther was at a loss for words at the unexpected news.

“Her previous beauty is gone, and she is entirely in a daze. No matter who spoke to her, she only mumbled to herself that she is a real saint.”

In the end, the image of Rabienne, who must have gone mad instead of acknowledging her situation, was pictured in her mind.

“…If she used her divine power every day, her lifespan would have been shortened a lot.”

“I guess so. Besides, she donates blood every other week, so she won’t live long.”

“Are you saying that Rabienne became a blood donor?”

The imperial palace always kept a certain amount of blood for the purpose of saving lives or researching diseases.

People with poor livelihoods sometimes sold their blood, but they usually received volunteers from among the slaves as blood donors.

“It seemed so. I saw a needle in her arm.”

It was ironic that Rabienne, who used to draw and use Esther’s blood, now lives as a blood donor.

“Maybe it’s because it’s Rabienne that I’m listening coldly. Am I bad if I don’t feel sorry for her at all?”

“It can’t be. The child’s sins against the saint and the empire cannot be repaid in any way.”

Sharon squeezed Esther’s hand tightly.

“At least she is doing something to save people.”

A confused Esther lowered her eyes slightly when she heard Noah’s voice from behind.

“Esther, who are you talking to?”

Noah, who went out to find Esther, stopped when he saw Sharon.

“…It’s been a while.”

“Your Highness has become very dependable. I’m glad you look healthy.”

As if looking at her own children, Sharon’s eyes became affectionate.

“Looks like this old woman took too much time. Go in, both of you.”

Esther turned around at the thought of her family waiting in the hall, then looked at Sharon with a moment’s hesitation.

“You’re not going to leave without saying anything, are you?”

“Someday, when I leave again, it will be after the temple has been taken care of so that it does not interfere with the saint, and after my successor has been decided.”

Sharon’s and Esther’s gazes, telling each other not to worry, crossed.

“Then, see you soon.”

Bowing her head slightly, Esther walked away with Noah.

Sharon put her hands together as she watched the two move away in an instant.

“Saint, just live your life.”

Tears welled up in the blue eyes filled with much remorse.

Sharon prostrated on the ground, bowing to Esther and Noah, who had already disappeared.

★★★

Esther and Noah returned to the banquet hall and sat at a table with no one around.

“I don’t know how many people I’ve talked to today.”

Esther slumped in the chair and let out a weary sigh.

“Are you tired? Drink this.”

Noah felt sorry for Esther and handed her one of the glasses of barley tea on the table.

“Thank you.”

Esther, who happened to be thirsty at the moment, gulped down the drink without question.

“…Huh? Eup.”

“Wait, this doesn’t smell like barley tea, does it?”

Although Noah hurried, Esther drank it all before he could grab hold of the cup and checked it.

“Is it beer? Did I give you beer?”

“I guess so.”

Esther blinked in surprise at the fact that this cool, hollow-tasting drink was beer.

“What if I get drunk?”

“Look at my hand. How many fingers do you see?”

“Two.”

“That’s right. Does the surrounding look like it’s shaking or something?”

“No. It’s fine.”

“Phew, then it should be fine. Fortunately, your drinking capacity exceeds a glass of beer.”

If Esther became drunk, he would have been properly scolded by Deheen.

Noah patted his chest, his surprised heart calming down after a few minutes.

“But Noah, this is so much more delicious than I thought. It’s so refreshing that it can’t be compared to other drinks.”

“Really?”

“You should also taste a little bit.”

‘I won’t know if I don’t drink it.’

At Esther’s recommendation, Noah also grabbed a glass of beer and emptied it.

“Ahh.”

“Isn’t it delicious?”

“Yes. The adults have been keeping it to themselves.”

Esther and Noah, who learned of a whole new world, grabbed another glass with shining, bright eyes.

“Let’s just have one more drink.”

“Yes. I can’t see the grand duke or my father right now.”

Nodding and smiling in agreement, the two new adults bumped their glasses.

The beer tasted very sweet, perhaps because of the enthusiasm of the debutante and the joy of coming-of-age.

“Eup, it’s too little.”

“Shall we have one more glass?”

In the end, Esther and Noah emptied four glasses in succession.

The focus in Esther’s eyes loosened little by little as the alcohol spread through her body.

Esther, who didn’t even know she was already slightly drunk from her first drink, looked sadly at the empty cup.

“We drank all the beer on the table. There is no more.”

Her expression was one of regret, the corners of the eyes drooping.

“Would you like more?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s find more.”

As Esther blinked intently, Noah looked around with the determination to pick a star from the sky.

“Oh, I see wine. Let’s drink wine this time.”

Since the only thing left on the table was wine, the two naturally poured the wine into their glasses.

“It smells so good.”

“Umm, it’s sour but bitter at the end, it tastes different from beer.”

The two quickly got drunk. They were drinking wine like water, not knowing it was much stronger than beer.

After a while…

Esther, her face flushed, tilted her head, blinking with hazy eyes.

“…How strange? Noah, I see two of you. No, three?”

“Really? Then guess which one is real. I’ll try to move.”

Noah swayed from side to side, saying ‘Guess’, and Esther tried to poke him with her finger.

Deheen and the emperor found the two belatedly, completely wasted.

“Hey… Aren’t they our kids? What are you two doing?”

“They must have been drinking. They look drunk, let’s go.”

Stunned by the unexpected situation, the emperor and Deheen jumped up and ran to them.

“Esther, are you okay?”

“Hey, Dad…? I’m not d-drunk. I-I drank very spaaaaaringly.”

“…You are drunk.”

Holding Esther, whose tongue had already begun to twist, Deheen glared at Noah terribly like he was going to kill him.

“Father-in-law! Father! Give me Esther!!”

But when Noah, drunk and unable to notice, recognized Deheen, he shouted loudly.

“I am confident. I will cherish and love Esther more than anyone else… Ugh!”

Sensing the attention of the people around him, Deheen blocked Noah’s mouth for the moment, thinking, ‘A disaster must never occur.’

“Your Majesty, both my daughter and His Highness seem very drunk.”

“I’m sorry, Grand Duke. We will take Noah, please take good care of your daughter.”

“Yes. See you next time.”

After greeting the emperor, Deheen carried Esther on his back and quickly moved to the carriage.

Once the twins, who followed behind them, entered the carriage, they set off for Tersia.

“I’ll just have oneeee moooreee drink. Umm…”

Seeing Esther whining for more drinks even in the carriage, Deheen let out a deep sigh.

“I didn’t expect Esther to drink as soon as she came of age.”

“Father, I’ve been drinking since I came of age. It’s no surprise.”

Deheen slapped Judy on the back of the head and chided.

“Is that something to be proud of?”

After being slapped for no reason, Judy pouted and began observing Esther sleeping with Dennis.

“She is already drunk. My sister is all grown up now.”

“Look at Esther’s red cheeks. Aren’t they so cute?”

Then, as if she had heard the two of them, Esther suddenly opened her eyes and smiled.

“Uh? It’s Dad My dad whom I love the most.”

Deheen, who suddenly received Esther’s cuteness and expression of love, suffered a great strain in his heart and hardened like a stone.

“How about me?”

“Esther, am I next?”

“Hehe, my older brothers who are next to Dad. My precious family…”

Esther took turns hugging her brothers who were next to her, then fell back down and fell asleep.

A quiet silence hung over the carriage.

A few minutes later, Judy, who came to her senses first, asked with regret.

“Father, can’t we let Esther drink just one more glass?”

“…When we are together.”

Deheen’s thought that he would not allow Esther to drink alcohol for a while changed easily like a swaying reed.

★★★

The next morning.

Esther opened her eyes, suffering from a strange headache that made her head throb.

“Ugh… head… hurts.”

The moment she saw the familiar ceiling, her eyes gained more and more focus.

“My room? How did I get home?”

While staring blankly at the ceiling and blinking, the memories of last night flooded in at once.

“What, what are all these memories?”

When she remembered that she had hugged her father and brothers and whined about how much she liked them, she started kicking the blanket off herself, thoroughly embarrassed.

“Is it a dream? Or was I really drunk? Did I say all that? Me?”

She was ashamed, and wanted to find a mouse hole and hide.

After kicking the blanket and rolling around the bed for a long time, Esther felt a great thirst.

Stretching out, she fumbled while trying to get the cup of water on the chest of drawers, but the door suddenly opened.

“Oh? You are awake already?”

“Are you thirsty? I got honey water.”

The excited twins entered the room and sat down on the bed.

Esther, halfway up, gulped down the honey water Dennis had handed her and blinked rapidly.

“I wonder… Did I do something wrong yesterday? Like, behaving strangely…”

“No. There was no such thing.”

“But Esther, who do you like more, me or Judy?”

Esther, who was suddenly asked a question similar to ‘Do you like your father or mother?’, changed the topic after thinking about it.

“Ahaha… By the way, is Dad really angry with me about yesterday?”

“What? Angry? He’s making hangover soup for you right now.”

“Does Daddy cook?”

There were only a few cooks in the kitchen, but Esther’s eyes widened when she said she was cooking.

“huh. You know the special recipe for mother’s table. We are looking forward to it too.”

“It’s far from being finished, so sleep a little longer. I will come to wake you up.”

The twins put Esther back on her bed with care and pulled the blanket over her neck.

“You have to tell me if your head hurts.”

“Don’t think about anything and go to sleep.”

The corners of Esther’s mouth went up as she watched her brothers pull the curtains off the window and leave.

A dad who cooked hangover soup, and older brothers who came to see her at dawn. All because they were worried about her, who had been drinking.

“I am very much loved.”

Forgetting about the night before, Esther fell into a sound sleep, imagining the hangover soup Deheen would make for her.

What blissful dreams she was having. The smiling lips did not disappear even once during her sleep.

Ame: *squints* this is the first time the story has mentioned lifespan with divine power… is it because Rabienne has to heal to exhaustion and isn’t getting enough rest or nutrition? Cause if not, then Palen and Sharon and all the other saints would be dropping like flies. Ah, but this aside… *smirks*

a whole new world

a dazzling place we never knew

but when we’re way up here, it’s dazed and blur

thank goddess our fathers came in time

(or we’ll be on the imperial tabloids)

oh, how can I resist?

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