Chapter 6

When I was about ten days old, I was carried by my nurse to a grand room.

There, my father and an unfamiliar young man were waiting.

"Hey! (You!)"

The young man, who appeared to be in his early thirties, was wearing the robes of a priest of the Church of the One God. The design was the same, but the quality of the fabric was much worse than what I remembered from my previous life.

"Your Eminence, I humbly request your blessings."

"Yes."

Despite wearing the poor-quality priest's robes, he was clearly the Archbishop. I was surprised by this. The Archbishop approached me with a smile as I was laid down on the bed by the nurse.

"Hey! (Go away!)"

I was so frightened that I almost cried, but I didn't. Even if I cried, no one would care. They would think it was normal for a baby to cry. Besides, showing tears to the Archbishop in the robes of the One God would make me feel like I had lost.

"... Unlike your siblings, you have red hair and red eyes, don't you?"

"Yes, they are beautiful colors, aren't they?"

"... Yes, they are... No."

The Archbishop was speaking with some hidden meaning.

"Ugh (Go away!)"

Even when I tried to intimidate him, the Archbishop was unfazed.

Then, the Archbishop sprinkled water on my forehead and did something else. It was definitely a baptism. I remember receiving one in my previous life.

Incidentally, the baptism has no effect or meaning. The god exists, but does not influence the mortal world.

After completing the meaningless ritual,

"What an ominous color... You will never be happy, will you?"

He whispered in my ear as if it were a curse.

"Hey! Heyyyyy! (Die! Poop yourself!)"

The Archbishop turned to my father and smiled.

"This girl's name is Luria. May Luria receive the blessings of the god."

If it's the same as in my previous life, the parents would give the church several name options, and the clergy would choose one. Luria sounds similar to my previous name, Luisa.

"Thank you. May the blessings of the god be upon us."

My father thanked the Archbishop. The Archbishop had come to baptize and name me.

Still, Luria and Luisa. The names sound similar, but was it a coincidence?

"Your Highness, would you consider entrusting Luria to our church?"

"Huh?"

"What do you mean by that?"

The Archbishop said something outrageous. My father and I were both surprised.

"A girl with red hair and red eyes, born into the royal family. Just like Luisa, the witch who nearly destroyed the kingdom and the human race. It's ominous."

The Archbishop said this with a smile.

A witch of disaster? What does he mean by nearly destroying the kingdom and the human race? As I wondered, I realized that the Archbishop's choice of a name similar to my previous one was not a coincidence.

"Luria should enter the Church of the One God and spend her life praying to the god. This will prevent the disaster."

It sounded as if a disaster would occur if she didn't.

"Ughhhh! (No, no, no!)"

I absolutely refuse. I don't want to go anywhere near the Church of the One God. If I'm entrusted to the church, I'll surely be bullied.

They have twisted and sinister personalities. At least, that's how they were in my previous life. They are probably the same in this life.

Besides, the Church of the One God hates nature, which means they hate spirits. They dislike fluffy things that attract spirits. If I'm sent to the Church of the One God, I won't be able to live with my goats.

"Ughhhh! (In the countryside! With goats! Living!)"

I assert this desperately. But my father might easily hand me over to the church. After all, he has the same hair and eye color as the royal family in my previous life.

"I refuse."

"Huh? (Dad?)"

But my father glared at the Archbishop with a cold look and said clearly. I was so surprised that I couldn't speak.

"This child is a precious and beloved one to Amalia and me."

"... If there is an ominous child in the family, it could have a negative impact on the marriages and futures of your other children, Gilbert and Lydia."

"Anyone who believes in such superstitions is not suitable to be Gilbert's wife or Lydia's husband."

I had never seen my father with such a frightening expression. I realized how kind his eyes usually were when he looked at me.

"... I understand. I have given you my warning."

"Yes, I am grateful for your concern, Your Eminence."

Despite his words, my father did not seem grateful at all.

◇◇◇◇

Two hundred years ago, the kingdom of Olivinus was struck by a great disaster. Plague, earthquake, volcanic eruption, tsunami, drought, and a massive insect infestation.

One-third of the people and one-fifth of the nobility died. The members of the then Holy Royal Family of Olivinus were executed in a coup.

The coup against the Holy Royal Family was led by the Farnese family, a local noble family that was a branch of the Holy Royal Family.

The Farnese dynasty has continued for two hundred years. The current king, Luria's grandfather and Graf's father, is the head of the Farnese family. Incidentally, the first king of the Farnese dynasty was a second cousin of Luisa.

The first Farnese king successfully removed the Church of the One God as the state religion, as it was believed that the Church's actions in collaboration with the Holy Royal Family had incurred the wrath of the spirits.

However, he failed to ban the religion. The fear of spirits had spread among the people and the nobility, and the Church of the One God's doctrine that "spirits should be placed under human control under the name of the god" had gained a certain level of faith.

The Church of the One God, which was not eradicated, spent the next two hundred years increasing its followers, gaining power, and infiltrating politics.