Chapter 16 (1/2)
Chapter 16
Translator: Gold
“If your only goal is to inherit the Marquisate Rosan, then you might choose someone who is in a safer position than mine.”
Cedric said.
“You are Marquisate Rosan’s master. Even legally, the only descendant of Marquess Rosan are you.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“This inheritance is protected by God and the Temple. Not even His Majesty can act arbitrarily.
“Yes. Besides, just because he loves my mother, His Majesty will not put me under too much political pressure.”
“So Lady Artizea, what you need is a husband who has the proper social status to protect you from trouble. For that reason, it is too risky to choose me as a partner.”
Cedric said.
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“If it is not power and glory you desire, there is no reason for you to marry me and enter the battle for the succession to the imperial throne. I don’t know if you want to become the Empress, but I don’t understand why you want a divorce in two years.
Artizea gave a long sigh.
To tell the truth, it was because of Licia that she wanted a divorce in two years.
Licia was still young. However, in two years, she would be as beautiful as a rose in all its splendour.
And on her 20th birthday, she received an oracle.
—Take care of the weak and disadvantaged in my name.
That was the oracle that originally descended to the Temple.
It was the first time in almost 100 years that an oracle descended.
Licia became a Saintess at the same time she received the oracle.
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The faithful rejoiced with tears in their eyes, and even those who did not believe in God were amazed.
She lived as a Saintess with every fiber of her being. She extended her hand to all who needed her, saving even the dying.
When the flood damage from the Ava River caused an epidemic, she just took some of her assistants and ran to the center of it, purifying the contaminated wells and treating the people.
She was also the one who gave hope to the people when the wave of monsters turned the Western Region into hell.
She saved countless lives and gave hope to many more.
She was able to heal anyone in need with her sacred power. But she probably healed more hearts than diseases or wounds. The wishes of the people were gathered in the Saintess. She never got involved in politics. She didn’t even appear in social circles, and was rarely in the capital.
Among the nobles, Cedric was the only one who protected and helped her.
For the people, it was the Saintess who would guide them, not the Emperor or the Archbishop of the Temple.
The faith of the people is the will of God.
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So Artizea took advantage of this and fabricated a new oracle.
—The Saintess would become the Empress.
In the face of this fact, the people were deeply pleased.
The authority of the Imperial Family and the Temple would be restored to its original position once and for all. The Imperial Family would gain its lost legitimacy through the Saintess, and the Temple could interfere with the power of the secular world.
Until that moment, the struggle for succession had remained at an impasse.
Although Lawrence was the Emperor’s favored child, he could do nothing on his own against Roygar. On the other hand, the Grand Duke Roygar could not overwhelm the Emperor’s favored child with his power either.
In that situation, the lie spread by Artizea made the struggle between the two take a different direction.
By indicating that a woman would become an Empress, it meant that her husband would become an Emperor.
Emperor Gregor, Lawrence and Grand Duke Roygar believed in the power they had in their hands rather than superstitions, like an oracle.
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Probably, although Artizea did not reveal it, the emperor also knew that the oracle had been fabricated.
However, people all over the country believed that the beautiful and good-hearted Saintess would become the Empress, so no one could betray that belief.
The marriage to Licia became the final piece to complete Lawrence’s legitimacy.
And now, she would do the same for Cedric.
Besides, Licia and Cedric were originally in love with each other. If she let things take their course, they would fall in love again and get married.
At least that’s what Artizea thought, so she wanted to divorce him before that.
Before the oracle descended. Before Licia became a Saintess and Cedric helped her. She wanted to divorce before they developed feelings of love for each other.
Cedric was a man of integrity. She was sure that if she asked him to divorce her so that he could marry Licia after the oracle descended, he would not do it.
Artizea also did not want the man she served to be branded as someone who had divorced his wife just because he wanted to be with the Saintess.
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She couldn’t tell Cedric about this situation right now.
Artizea hesitated. Cedric realized this and said.
“Can’t you tell me?”
“I’m not trying to trick you, Your Grace. It is just that I do not want to become the Empress, although I consider it best for the empire that no one but Your Grace becomes the Emperor. Besides, I don’t think I’m suitable for that position. You may think it’s for a greater good.”
“Lady Artizea, you seem determined to sacrifice yourself for the good of the empire.”
Artizea shook her head.
“I am the least appropriate person to receive such words.”
As the conversation continued, the carriage came to Reve Street and stopped.
The coachman touched the carriage window to find out exactly where she wanted to go.
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Artizea in response, tapped the window three times to indicate to the coachman and her maid that here was good.
Then she looked Cedric in the face.
Cedric said.
“I think it’s too early to talk about the imperial throne.”
“Yes.”