In This Confinement Novel, the Maid Doesn’t Change the Original - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Translator: Yonnee

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* * *

Claire, who had only ever been the subject of endless rumors, finally appeared at the inauguration hall just two minutes before the ceremony began.

By then, the area around Sien had quieted down as well. It was because, tired of talking to others, he had openly shown how bothered he was.

However, no one present could dare to criticize Sien’s insincere attitude.

That was simply the way of someone from House Floye.

In people’s eyes, House Floye was a family both dark and ominous, yet lofty and brilliant.

If a noble were to die suddenly for some unknown reason one day, it would say everything that everyone would at least suspect House Floye once.

That’s why those who valued their lives could not dare touch House Floye.

“This saintess is a commoner, isn’t she…”

At last, the inauguration began.

Claire, whose neck and below were still flushed red from lingering traces of her affair, slowly climbed onto the stage where the High Priest awaited.

Finally standing before the High Priest, Claire closed her eyes gently. At that moment, as if they had been waiting for it, quiet murmurs began that didn’t reach the stage.

“The previous saintess, at least, was a viscount’s daughter.”

“But just look at that holy figure. If it’s a saintess, her very existence is noble.”

When the speech ended, Claire came down from the stage and took a deep breath. Then she smiled a beautiful smile.

It was so natural, yet dazzling, as if it had been prepared in advance.

The first place she headed, of course, was toward the people of the imperial family.

Judging by her natural steps, it seemed she had been instructed by the priests to greet the imperial side first before the ceremony began.

Claire approached Sien only after finishing greetings with the imperial family. Seeing Claire coming toward him, Sien recalled the words his father, Duke Floye, had once said.

“You know there was someone among our ancestors with a constitution similar to yours, don’t you?”

There was no way he wouldn’t know. Such illnesses were always first checked for hereditary causes.

“At that time, there was no saintess, so it was impossible to confirm, but in your generation, you’re lucky that a saintess has appeared. Check at this inauguration to see if the saintess can purify your magic.”

Just as his thoughts ended, Claire was already standing before him.

“Good day, Young Duke Floye.”

She greeted Sien with a slightly tense voice, then held out her bare hand. More precisely, the back of her hand without a glove.

“……”

Normally, people wore gloves when exchanging greetings.

However, before coming here, Claire had absentmindedly left her gloves in the archive.

It was because of how had Adeline urged the two inside to come out quickly, twisting the doorknob with such persistence.

“Where did I put the key to the archive…?”

With that muttered remark left behind, the frantically rattling doorknob finally stopped. Only after the presence in front of the door moved away did Claire hurriedly tidy herself and leave the archive, as if being chased by something.

Perhaps because she left in such a hurry.

Claire only realized she’d left her gloves behind when it was time to greet the other nobles.

“Thank you for coming to my inauguration. I heard the Floye Duchy is quite a distance from here…”

Since Sien still showed no sign of taking her hand, Claire quickly added to her words, trying to hide her embarrassment.

After looking at her for a moment, Sien smiled just as beautifully as Claire, took her hand, and brought it to his lips.

If it weren’t to confirm whether purification was possible, he would never have kissed her hand.

* * *

[ You’re late. ]

“……”

By the time the inauguration was completely over, Adeline went to the third-floor window she had noted earlier and checked on Sien’s movements.

Sien, noticing her presence, looked up and mouthed a scolding at Adeline.

She had arrived just on time.

Though she hadn’t seen Sien and Claire’s conversation because she was busy searching for the ledger.

Still, from today, Sien would show interest in Claire on his own.

Adeline grumbled inwardly but also felt relieved, then left the temple building to join Sien.

As soon as she boarded the carriage with him, she opened her bag and handed him the bundle of ledgers she had brought from the archive.

“The recent ones weren’t in the archive, so I brought the ledgers from five years ago up to two years ago.”

She left out the fact that they would surely be used for something dirty, and simply hoped they would be put to good use, handing them over with a proud look.

Sien took the ledgers and flipped through the pages, skimming their contents.

“And?”

“……?”

“Don’t you have something else you need to tell me besides this?”

He suddenly asked, pausing his inspection of the ledgers. Adeline quickly racked her brain, trying to figure out what Sien wanted her to say.

What? That Claire had just been having a tryst with a priest named Louis?

Could he have picked up on that as well? There was nothing else that came to mind right away. But since he hadn’t specified it was about Claire, it seemed foolish to bring it up first herself.

So Adeline shook her head, giving an ambiguous answer.

“Your answer is really careless.”

Instead, Sien called her cautious attitude careless.

What was she supposed to match to, exactly?

If he told her directly, she could spill every detail. Since Sien didn’t press further however, Adeline kept her mouth shut.