Chapter 8 of 100
Chapter 8
5 min read1,128 words
After the archbishop left, I was carried to my room by my nursemaid.
While being carried, I thought about many things.
I learned a lot.
The Church of the One God is still active. I need to be careful.
And it seems that my previous self was known as a disaster-bringing villainess.
I should be careful not to let it be known that I am the reincarnation of Louise.
I apparently have an older brother and sister. I would like to meet them.
Father was called "Your Highness." So he must be royalty.
Judging from the hair and eye color, it seems that the royal family continues to this day.
However, the clothes and furnishings are not very good.
It seems that despite being royalty, Father lives a rather simple life.
"Hmm~"
"Lady Rulia, you have such a serious face. Let's change your diaper, shall we?"
"Hmm~"
I had just wet myself, so I was grateful for the diaper change.
"Lady Rulia, you really don't cry, do you?"
People cry when they are in a situation they cannot verbalize.
Pain, suffering, sadness, and joy that cannot be put into words. Tears come when emotions exceed the ability to verbalize them.
I think that's probably the case, though I'm not certain.
In my case, because I have a past life, even though I can't speak, I can verbalize things in my head, so I don't cry.
Thinking this, but unable to speak,
"I'm sorry"
I said, and changed it to a thank you to the nursemaid for changing my diaper.
After the diaper change, some time passed, and Father, who had seen the archbishop off to the gate, came in.
"Oh, Rulia is always so cute... No, Rulia is getting even cuter."
"Sorry (I'm sorry)"
I apologized to Father in my heart.
Father indeed has the same hair and eye color as the royal family who mistreated me in my past life.
That's why I had been wary and threatening.
"Sorry"
But Father protected me from the archbishop and the Church of the One God.
Maybe I can trust him.
Thinking this, I looked at Father's face again and saw that he was a very handsome man.
"What's wrong, Rulia? You're unusually quiet."
"It must be because she met so many strangers at the naming ceremony."
"I see. ...Rulia, someone might say something unpleasant to you. But Father will protect you."
I feel safe when Father holds me in his big arms.
I had been trying not to think about it, but my kind father from my past life was also royalty.
So he had the same hair and eye color as Father.
There are good and bad people with silver hair and blue eyes.
I knew this, of course, but I hadn't been thinking about it.
Even though I had been mistreated by silver-haired, blue-eyed people for ten years, I hadn't been fair.
"Thank you, Father"
"You're so cute"
"Sorry, thank you"
I feel at ease with Father's different smell from Mother.
Wrapped in Father's scent and gently swaying, I fell asleep feeling safe.
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While carrying the sleeping Rulia, Rulia's father, Graf, said to the butler,
"Please call Amalia."
"As you wish."
After a while, Rulia's mother, Amalia, came in.
"The child's name is decided to be Rulia."
"Yes, it's a good name. Little Rulia."
Amalia stroked Rulia's cheek and looked at Graf.
"Is something wrong? You look worried."
Amalia said this and gently stroked Graf's cheek.
"The archbishop said Rulia is ominous."
"...Oh. The disaster-bringing villainess Louise?"
"That's right. He said that a red-haired, red-eyed girl born into the royal family is ominous and should be entrusted to the church."
"I can't believe it. Of course—"
"Of course I refused. I don't trust them."
Amalia stroked the sleeping Rulia in Graf's arms.
"Rulia is so cute."
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The story of the disaster-bringing villainess Louise is widely known among the people.
However, the widely known story is not accurate.
Before the Holy Royal Family fell, the Church of the One God and the royal family colluded to spread a false story.
The false story goes like this:
The church had been sealing Louise, who was evil from birth.
But as Louise grew and gained power, she went on a rampage.
The church sacrificed the headquarters, the pope, and high-ranking clergy to barely defeat the disaster-bringing villainess Louise.
However, the curse of Louise, which grew stronger in death, brought great disasters to the country.
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"Only fools believe the convenient stories of the Church of the One God and the Holy Royal Family."
"That's right. I think the Church of the One God committed atrocities against the spirits and incurred the wrath of the gods and spirits."
The history that Amalia spoke of is the official history of this country.
However, the forces trying to revise this official history, centered around the Church of the One God, are still strong.
The revisionists argue that the official history is too convenient for the current royal family, the Farnese family.
To justify the coup that overthrew the Holy Royal Family.
And to undermine the power of the Church of the One God, which opposed the Farnese family, they fabricated nonexistent atrocities.
"It's foolish... If you read the materials carefully, you would understand."
Materials written by individuals with no vested interest in the Farnese family, the Holy Royal Family, or the Church.
Diaries of palace nobles and local nobles written long before the coup.
Reading such things would reveal that the Holy Royal Family and the Church of the One God were planning atrocities against the spirits.
"People haven't received education in history, so it's understandable."
"Even among the educated nobility, there are those who believe it. It's lamentable."
After a deep sigh, Graf lowered his voice and said to Amalia,
"...The church might do something to Rulia."
"Do something? Like try to kidnap her?"
"No, they probably wouldn't go that far with a royal family. But they might spread rumors."
If it's just rumors, that's still better.
There's a high possibility they might exert political pressure.
"Amalia, we need to be even more careful with our words and actions in society."
"I understand. For Rulia's sake."
"We need to make sure Gilbert and Lydia understand as well."
Gilbert is Rulia's older brother, and Lydia is her older sister.
"Yes, they are both responsible, but they are still children."
"We should also tell the servants to be careful."
"That's my job as the lady of the house."
"But... you're not fully recovered yet, are you?"
"I'm completely fine now."
"No, but... take care of your body. Don't overdo it."
While saying such things, the parents discussed what they should do to protect Rulia from the Church of the One God.
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