CH 253

A (Sloppy) Report [Part 1]

The following day upon returning to the Kingdom, the Stuart family visited the Royal Castle to give their report.

Because the confidential topic of Imperial Japan’s magic stones would definitely be discussed, the King was very cautious and thoroughly cleared the people out of the room. In the audience room, there was only the prime minister, the Stuarts, and the king sitting on the throne.

“I have bad news.”

The King looked at the family who came to report, and spoke to them slowly with a sorrowful face.

“Emma-chan, you’re not the Holy Maiden.”

Before the academy’s summer vacation started, rumors that Emma was a Holy Maiden were flying around throughout the Royal Capital.

Directly appealing to the King to help the children in the slums, expressing her forgiveness for the culprit, Robert, during the tailless whip scorpions accident, providing treatment to patients suffering from an incurable disease, etc. Everyone was surprised by her impartial compassion. They admired her and believed, without a doubt, that she was the Holy Maiden.

Nevertheless, the situation changed 180 degrees after Emma left the country to help Imperial Japan.

The Church announced that Joanna, not Emma, was the Holy Maiden.

Isn’t this too cruel of a treatment for Emma, who had risked her life by going to Imperial Japan? The King had personally questioned the Church many times over, but the answer remained the same.

“Huh? Yes, I am indeed not (???).”

Emma reacted to the King’s grave way of speaking by tilting her head, puzzled. Rather, I have always denied it this whole time. Who do you think you’re calling a h̲o̲r̲n̲y maiden?

What are you trying to do by bringing this up now? Emma almost revealed her thoughts, but because it would be bad if the King felt offended, she swallowed them back and responded with a milder reply.

“(sigh) As expected of House Stuart… you understand the state of affairs in the Kingdom well even when you were away in Imperial Japan…”

“…No, I wonder what you are talking about?”

They knew absolutely nothing about the situation in the Kingdom.

Following Emma, the whole family also tilted their heads in confusion.

“The Church has… announced Lady Joanna as the Holy Maiden.”

The King steeled his heart and broke the news to the family.

“…I see…”

‘Just who is this Lady Joanna…

You make it sound like everyone knows her, but we literally have no idea who this girl is,’ thought the family in sync.

The Stuart family was not very well informed.

“Uhhh… so because the Church announced that Joanna-sama(?) is the Holy Maiden, I’m not the h̲o̲r̲n̲y maiden anymore?”

Emma didn’t get it.

The sudden appearance of a Holy Maiden (a well-known trope in fantasy novels) in the Kingdom was a joyous matter, but what did that have anything to do with Emma being the h̲o̲r̲n̲y maiden…?

“That’s how it is. I still believe that Emma-chan is the Holy Maiden. However, the judgment to qualify someone as a Holy Maiden is the Church’s affair, so… I have no control over it.”

Emma was left dumbfounded upon hearing what the King said.

…Well, this…

So this means that all this time, they have been calling me the Holy Maiden… not the h̲o̲r̲n̲y maiden?

‘Twas the moment Emma realized her long-lasting misunderstanding.

That time when I sought out Rose-sama’s b̲o̲o̲b̲s̲ for soothing, and that time when I was grinning at the cool and handsome uncles too?

…Welp, the Kingdom citizens’ standard for a Holy Maiden is a little… abnormal, huh? Emma thought in a daze.

“Pardon me, Your Majesty. Could we discuss the matter of my older sister not being the Holy Maiden on another occasion? Um, we would like to start our report on Imperial Japan…”

William interrupted the conversation before Emma could say anything weird. He could tell from the expression on her face that she wasn’t on the same wavelength as the rest of them at all.

And the younger brother’s intuition was right on point.