Congrats to the author for an official comicalization of the series owo/
Please do support the author if you can~! (and the TLor *cough)
*runs back to game-f.a.gging
check out my other series / have a series you want TLed?
Ch 3 Qualifications of A Priestess Liz was dragged forcefully into the Cavven mansion by their servants, brought into the same room as yesterday and her head forcefully pushed down.
"Let me go!"
"Stay down!"
As she struggled to look up, the figures of the Cavven Baron and his daughter, as well as the envoy Lloyd who was sitting by the sofa looking observantly was in her line of vision.
The Baron had a face looking down upon trash.
"Liz Stephan, you are accused of stealing the envoy from the palace, Lloyd"s important silver key."
"No, I did not such a thing!"
"Lies! My daughter Emilia, witnessed seeing you sneaking nearby the guest room yesterday morning."
(Lies! That is not possible!)
As she doubted Emilia and found her avoiding her gaze, and before her head turned sideways a fade smile was definitely seen by Liz who looked upwards.
(She"s smiling…)
She felt astonished and while the shock had left Liz unable to speak a word, Emilia faced towards envoy Lloyd and started appealing to him.
"Lloyd-sama, I myself had definitely witnessed Liz stealing your key. At first, I had thought she was stealing something from our Cavven"s house. And her being our citizen, I had planned to discuss the matter with my father in discrete at a later date.
However, the matter is different in the case Liz had stolen your belonging. It was a mystery why did she steal it, but it was evident after the conversation she had yesterday with you about being brought into the castle as a priestess candidate. For Liz herself had staged the act."
The surprised Liz opened her eyes wide.
Emilia stated, Liz had stolen the envoy Lloyd"s key beneath the bed in the guest room and had staged to have found its whereabouts with her mysterious intuition. All in order to deceive Lloyd of making Liz the priestess candidate and not her.
Liz went pale with Emilia"s sound argument.
To Lloyd, her having staged an act of stealing and hiding the whereabouts of the key and sharing its whereabouts is far off a sound argument than to being able to find the key with her "intuition" while not having magic powers.
Further having Emilia"s testimony as the witness, the argument is valid.
Between the commoner Liz and the n.o.ble Emilia, there is no need to think twice about whose words to trust.
(… I"m done for!)
Lloyd"s sharp gaze caused Liz to brace herself.
Knowing the prideful Emilia, Liz is aware that being chosen as the priestess candidate is not something permissible. Even the villagers were certain that Emilia was the candidate, and she herself strongly believes so as well. That not being the case is of course a shock, and a disgrace to herself as well.
(But…)
But, this lie is not valid. It is by no means a valid reason. To deceive an envoy from the palace would mean immediate execution.
Emilia would have no thoughts about Liz"s life. As proof, she had a smirk on her face just now. Her pride is of more importance than Liz" life, such is the way of the n.o.bles.
Liz could only brace herself while swallowing down her feelings of sadness mixed with anger.
(Even though, I decided to live freely this time…)
Emilia clad in a splendorous dress looking down at Liz is overlapping with the image of the n.o.ble daughter who looked down on her previous life.
"The compensation money shall be provided", while spurting out such words. Though what Liz, and previously Cecil wanted was not wealth. But to be treated as equals.
Such an ideal looks wrong, and usually not wished for. But in life itself, there are important things which money can"t buy but are yearned for. All she wanted was to be able to speak in equal terms, and not by hierarchy.
Is that ideal, something that can never be achieved…?
Her overwhelming frustration had no ways to be vented out. Isn"t this the same as the previous life? Wherever I go, my social status is just a hindrance.
(I yearn! I yearn for something that won"t lose to social standings! To live freely, and live as I wish…!)
Her desire flowed through her body, her crimson eyes burned with pa.s.sion.
"W-what are you looking at…!?"
Emilia being pressured had stepped backwards. An overwhelming intimidation, and while she does not want to, her body was shaking unstopping.
As she gaze around to look for help, she voiced out to a servant standing by the door.
"Do something! Hold Liz down!"
The envoy Lloyd who was observing the situation discretely started to laugh, as if he had a.s.sured of something and started to talk to Emilia.
"Are you certain, Lady Emilia, that you yourself witnessed Liz stealing my key?"
"O-of course! I a.s.sure you of the truth! I truly did witness her doing it!", as Emilia"s voice wavered in anger due to somewhat in fear of Liz.
"Is that so."
As Lloyd leaked out a sigh and brought out a small key. The aforementioned key. It was definitely a silver key with yellow thread, as how Liz had seen in her images.
Lloyd then faced towards Liz, Emilia and the Baron.
"Can you see what"s in my hand?"
"What do you mean see…"
As Liz tried to answer his question saying that it was the key, the Baron spurted out "There is nothing there" in confusion.
(Eh? What is he saying?)
As he gazed towards the confused Liz for a while, he then faced the question to Emilia next.
"As I have asked yesterday, can you see what"s in my hand?"
"… Are you making fun of me? You are not holding onto anything.", as Emilia answered in anger and certainty.
Lastly he faced the question towards the dumbfounded Liz and smirked.
"Well then Liz, what can you see?"
"… The key."
"Stop messing around!", Emilia shouted as her face turned red in anger.
"True enough, it"s best you stop this farce!", as the Baron too in anger.
For reasons unknown, it seems the both of them can"t see the key.
The unfazed Lloyd then held out the hand with the mentioned key towards both of them.
"Then pretend you are deceived and try a touch."
Emilia and Baron then looked at each other, being unable to ignore the envoy"s words, hesistantly reached out their hands.
"…W-what is this?! Even though there is not supposed to be anything!"
"Why can my fingers sense something… Is this, a key?!"
The two were surprised, though all Liz could see are two people being bewildered merely touching a key.
The envoy smiled bitterly.
"The key was entrusted in my custody from the priestess. Being protected by the divine powers, only those with the qualifications of a priestess could see it, which includes even myself."
The day before, the contents of my bag was scattered and I was fl.u.s.tered, for I can"t see the key itself. Hence…" Lloyd then coldly stared towards Emilia with scornful eyes.
"Hence, there is no way the key is stolen."
The lie was exposed from the start. Emilia then turned pale in no time, and started shaking in fear.
"You do not have the qualities of being a priestess, you are not even qualified for it. There was no need to even doubt it."
He then faced to the side, approaching the Baron.
"I suppose you are aware that this incident would be reported to the higher-ups. For everything regarding the priestess candidates are to be reported."
The Baron turned pale in immediate. The Cavven"s peerage and fief would be confiscated for sure. And Emilia will be arrested and punished for deceiving the priestess candidate, all her doings will be exposed in public and scorned by the eyes of the public. For someone so prideful as Emilia, there is nothing more disgraceful as this.
"No… That can"t be…" As Emilia sink down to the floor lifelessly.
(Looks like it"s finished…)
Liz whose neck went numb due to being pushed down, the envoy Lloyd approached and left the key in her hands.
"Take it, it"s yours now."
The key suddenly lighted dimly in a warm and white light, embraced gently in Liz"s hand.
Lloyd then kneed down in front of the gently smiling Liz, an act of showing loyalty in Astoria kingdom. Looking up to Liz, he smiled tenderly.
"Allow me to escort you to the castle, priestess candidate Liz Stephan-sama."
__
Tsuzuku! About 1-2 weeks or so.
Needs more caffeine =w=
Regards,
shirori