Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 154

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By noon, another carriage was sent from the temple. It was the carriage Kobel would ride in. Kobel boarded the carriage under the watchful eyes of Blanche’s private soldiers. Even after he got on, the soldiers didn’t let their guard down.

 

The priests whispered among themselves.

 

“They look like they’ll keep this up until the carriage leaves the Grand Duchy Blanche.”

 

“Even so, aren’t they going too far considering we’re people from the temple?”

 

“Didn’t you hear what happened at dawn? Even the paladins who came to protect the saintess were being watched by Blanche’s private soldiers.”

 

“What?”

 

The priests’ faces turned pale. They had thought the paladins were keeping an eye on the Blanche Mansion all night, but in reality, it was the private soldiers of Blanche who had been watching them. It was almost surprising that Blanche had handed over Kobel so easily. They couldn’t help but feel uneasy, wondering if there was some hidden agenda.

 

Meanwhile, Stella, unaware of all that, gracefully walked out of the mansion. Hubert, Leonoe, Epirosa, Juliet, and even Nicholas were waiting for her outside. They had come to see the saintess off. She glanced back at Nicholas, who was standing silently behind her, and gave a triumphant smile. As expected, Grandfather didn’t allow Nicholas to go to the temple with me.

 

The thought of Nicholas, who must have been excited with anticipation only to be disappointed, amused her. Nicholas, I’ll make good use of Epirosa’s weakness that you had trouble obtaining.

 

Stella averted her gaze from Nicholas. She had no intention of dealing with him any further. “Thank you for coming out ahead of time for me.” She spoke with a gentle smile, but couldn’t hide the arrogant delight that flickered in her eyes.

 

“Take care of yourself at the temple,” Hubert said as though he were worried about his granddaughter.

 

“Don’t worry about me. I’m not going alone, am I? Uncle Kobel is coming with me too,” Stella replied.

 

Surprisingly, Hubert showed no particular reaction to the mention of ‘Kobel.’ He spoke calmly. “It’s not just Kobel who’s going with you. Come here, Nicholas.”

 

At Hubert’s call, Nicholas, who had been standing behind, stepped forward. Now it was clear. He was even holding a large bag in his hand.

 

What is that? Don’t tell me…! Stella’s face froze coldly as unease crept over her.

 

“I heard you wanted Nicholas to accompany you to the temple. Nicholas came to me and pleaded, saying he wanted to take care of his younger sister too.”

 

“G-Grandfather…”

 

Hubert looked at the frozen Stella and smiled gently. “How could this grandfather possibly turn away from such heartfelt sibling affection?”

 

“…”

 

“Go to the temple with Nicholas.”

 

Nicholas suddenly popped out from beside the speechless Stella. He bowed deeply to Hubert. “Thank you for granting permission, Grandfather!”

 

“Of course I should give you permission, you rascal.”

 

Stella was utterly confused by the situation. Hubert was letting Nicholas go so easily? And now she had to take this burden with her? She couldn’t believe it. “G-Grandfather. I’m really grateful for your permission. But Brother Nicholas is the family’s eldest son. How could I possibly take someone so important with me?”

 

“Haha, your concern for the family is truly heartwarming,” Hubert said with a laugh. But his words felt oddly sarcastic. “Don’t worry, Stella. Even if Nicholas leaves, don’t we still have Epirosa?”

 

“But—!”

 

“This is the heart of a grandfather sending off his grandchild, Stella,” Hubert whispered, cutting off her words. His expression was kind, but his red eyes somehow felt intimidating. “Go with Nicholas.”

 

“…” Stella couldn’t bring herself to speak and merely stared at Hubert.

 

Just then, Nicholas suddenly clapped his hands. “Grandfather has given me, his own blood relative, out of consideration for the saintess!”

 

The priests began clapping along.

 

“What a heartwarming scene!”

 

“Of course, a brother would be more comfortable than an uncle.”

 

“The saintess won’t be lonely even after she goes to the temple.”

 

Stella clenched her fists tightly. Why is the situation turning out like this?! She wanted to get rid of the bothersome Nicholas, but she couldn’t. If she refused any further, she would only be the one who looked strange.

 

“Thank you, Grandfather. But if Brother Nicholas is ever needed by the family, please call for him. I’ll send him back.”

 

“I will.”

 

But there would never be any occasion when Nicholas was needed by Blanche. Though she had said it like that, Stella knew it too. I’m really going to have to take that burden of a man with me!

 

Stella barely suppressed her irritation as she tried to board the carriage. She reached for a priest’s hand so he could escort her, but Nicholas suddenly slapped the priest’s hand away.

 

“How dare you casually hold the saintess’s hand! That’s something I, the saintess’s brother, should be doing!”

 

Stella then glared at Nicholas. “Brother, what kind of rudeness are you showing the priest?”

 

Nicholas frowned. “Then am I supposed to just stand by and watch you hold some random man’s hand?”

 

“He’s not some random man, but a priest.”

 

“Fine, fine. I’ll follow Saintess’s orders. My apologies, Sir.”

 

Nicholas patted the priest on the shoulder and was about to climb into the carriage. But Stella stopped him.

 

“What do you think you’re doing?”

 

“What do you mean? I’m going to the temple with you.”

 

“Then why are you getting into ‘my’ carriage?”

 

“Is it a problem for a brother to ride in the same carriage as his sister?” Nicholas replied shamelessly.

 

Just imagining how arrogant he would act at the temple already gave Stella a headache. I need to put him in his place. Stella then spoke coldly. “Since you were rude to the priest, you can walk to the temple, Brother.”

 

“What?”

 

“Walk at the very back of the priests’ procession.”

 

“Hey! Who do you think you are to order me around!”

 

“Who am I? I’m the saintess. Priest, please escort my brother to the very back of the procession.”

 

“Hey! Are you cra—!”

 

As soon as Stella gave the order, the priests blocked Nicholas’s path. Then they grabbed the shouting Nicholas from both sides and dragged him away. When Nicholas continued making a racket, the priests even covered his mouth with a piece of cloth.

 

“Mmph, mmph!” Nicholas, who had been trying to cause a scene, quieted down as the burly priests surrounded him.

 

Soon, the carriage started moving, and the procession of priests followed. Under the priests’ watch, Nicholas was forced to walk at the very back, looking utterly pitiful. Stella, I even brought you Epirosa’s weakness, but this is how you treat me? He fumed internally. At that moment, Epirosa’s words echoed in his mind.

 

“Even if you give this to Stella, what you want won’t happen.”

 

The memory hit him like a hammer to the head. I thought that after bringing her Epirosa’s weakness, I would at least be treated like her guardian, just like Uncle Kobel. But I’m being treated even worse than a low-ranking priest! Should I just go back to the Blanche Mansion now? But Nicholas didn’t have the courage to do that.

 

Still, Stella is taking me to the temple! She kept her promise! She’s just upset right now, but things will change once we get to the temple! Nicholas refused to accept that Epirosa’s words might be true. Clinging to the delusion of a rosy future awaiting him at the temple, he drifted further and further away from Blanche.

 

Hubert coldly stared at Nicholas’s back.

 

“Grandfather! Please let me go to the temple with Stella! Stella said she’d take me if you gave your permission!”

 

Just a moment ago, when Nicholas came running in a frenzy, Hubert realized something. The person Epirosa mentioned, the one who would constantly interfere with Stella and Kobel’s actions. That person was standing right in front of him now. Stella told him to get my permission? The same girl who pretended to ask for permission as a way to pressure me when taking Kobel?

 

The truth was, Stella didn’t want to take Nicholas along. Having him around would only get in the way of her future. That was why she had used Hubert as an excuse and told Nicholas to come and get his ‘permission,’ so that she wouldn’t have to take him with her.