The abused merchant’s daughter – 38 | Sousaku – 創作

Chapter 1, Episode 38: Retribution Part 1

Kaaan Kaaan Kaaan

The sacred bells rang out.
Nobles and royalty gathered from all over the country.
And representatives of the various temples.

The knights lined up in rows.
Commoners gathered around the plaza to catch a glimpse of the saint.

The square in the Forest of the Holy Tree. It was filled with people.
People had gathered from all over to catch a glimpse of the inauguration of the new saint.

The saint's staff rested on a pedestal placed in front of the sacred tree.

A holy staff made of sacred wood.
A symbol of sainthood that only saints can hold.

It was pulled from its pedestal and a new saint was born.

Everyone gathered there to catch a glimpse of this historic moment.

In front of the pedestal, Grasil, now the high priest, stood before the staff.

Oh, what a wonderful sight.
Tencia was elated to see her daughter on her big day.

Yes, right now the star of the show is definitely my daughter Sharla.

And like always…… Tencia was in the shadows.
Everyone always praised Sonia's mother, her older sister Minea, and Tencia had always been the inconspicuous child of the background.

What about now?

The star of the show is my daughter, Sharla.
I am the mother of a saint who even the king bows down to. The Holy Mother.

I never thought I would see such a wonderful day.
After all, I am the star.

Tencia was in tears at her daughter's big day.

■□■

It took a long time.

In front of the holy staff, Grasil looked at the saint with deep emotion.
Not long ago, he was about to be sent to a quiet post when he was caught having committed some wrongdoings, but now he has become the guardian of the saint and has risen to the position of high priest with Lars in his service.

Grasil was disappointed that the Lars who followed him was a fake, but he was still able to rise to the position of high priest and play a leading role in the once-in-a-generation event of the inauguration of the saint.
Having become the guardian of the saint of Kardiana, he now had a much better position than the royalty and nobility of the various regions.

How I had dreamed of this moment.

Farne, who had been ahead of me the whole time and had been an eyesore, was no longer there.
The fact that Lars had the passage note and then disappeared means that Lars probably confirmed Farne's death and returned with the passage note.

And now the real Lars, who used to favor only Farne, is dead, and the fake Lars is being worked hard under me.
What could be a better story than this?

This was the moment when Sharla would pull out the saint's staff.

Grasil's position would be rock solid.

Grasil gazed with satisfaction at Sharla as she walked among the many lavishly dressed nobles, knights, and priests.

■□■

Without a doubt, the star of the show was Sharla.
All eyes of the large crowd gathered in the plaza were on Sharla.

Yes, this is it! This is it!

Being the daughter of a small merchant family does not suit her, Sharla thought.
Attracting the attention of all, she went even further than the nobility and royalty. The Saint.

That is exactly what I deserve for my status.

Dressed in a costume custom-made especially for this occasion according to Sharla's tastes, she walked slowly to the front of the pedestal.

Royalty from all over the country, whom she could not be allowed to even meet when she was a commoner, were all bowing down to Sharla.

And the large crowd gathered in the plaza cheered for each of Sharla's actions.

Now all I have to do is pull out that staff and they will all bow down to me.
That moment. Without a doubt, Sharla will exist in a higher position than anyone else in the world.

Reaching the pedestal, Sharla reached for the saint's staff.

Yeah, I will pull this, and even the royalty will bow down to me.
Sharla beamed as she gazed at the royalty, all dressed to the nines in their glittering gowns.

Not even royalty could defy the saints who brought forth abundant harvests.
She should be able to bully any aristocrat who seemed to be of modest status.
Those beautifully dressed, impudent-looking noble ladies seemed like they would be a lot of fun to torment.
While thinking about such things...

Sharla exaggeratedly reached for the staff...... and as she held it and tried to lift it, she heard, "Wooooooo! ! ! ! ". This was the sound of a loud cheer.

Then……Sharla's movement stopped as she tried to pull the staff from its pedestal.

Eh? What's this?
Wait a second.

Yes―― no matter how hard she tried to pull it out. The staff didn't even budge.

Wait, that's weird, right?
Does this take a lot of strength?

Sharla pulled hard, but the staff would not budge.

Sharla could hear the cheers gradually turn into murmurs.
"Saint-sama!! You pull it out while pouring in holy energy!!! "

Grasil, the high priest, rushed to the scene, but no matter how hard Sharla pulled, the staff would not come loose.
This had never happened in any other saints' ceremonies in other parts of the world. This situation was unusual.
The audience started to buzz with confusion.

This is wrong! What the heck is this!? It's weird, isn't it!?
Why can't I pull it out!???

Sharla, impatient at being humiliated in front of the large crowd, attempted to pull it out in some way, but the staff showed no sign of coming off.
Perhaps sensing something was wrong, the knights on guard from various countries began to gather around the royal family.

"There's no way she can pull it out. Because that woman there is a false saint."

Suddenly a voice rang out―― the branches of the sacred tree rustled.
As everyone's eyes gathered, the leaves of the sacred tree fluttered about―― and a figure appeared, standing on a branch.

"You!?? Lars!!!! "

Grasil shouted at the figure that appeared.

A girl was standing next to Lars and two nameless men in priest hoods were standing on either side of her.
And the wolf and the bear were waiting.

"No way....... Sonia? "

At the sight of her, Tencia, who was waiting near the saint's staff, also raised her voice.
The girl standing in the center surrounded by the priests looks like someone Tencia knew well during her childhood…… although the color of her hair was different.

Sonia's mother. Minea

"What do you mean, Sonia, Mother!? "

Sharla, who couldn't read the atmosphere, raised her voice.

――Shut up, you stupid humans.――

The words spun out of the girl's mouth.
A voice that somehow resonates directly to the brain, even though the mouth is moved to speak.

Everyone present understood with one phrase.

The girl standing there―― she was not human.