Now This Family Belongs to My Mother Chapter 156

Mom had just provoked the soldier who was overstepping his authority.

“Ha, haha… How could I possibly with you, Count? What if you were to get injured…?”

“Then my father would praise you as an excellent soldier.”

Honestly, Hubert was exactly the kind of person who would do that.

The soldier’s expression shifted. If things went well, this was a chance to make a good impression on Hubert. Besides, since Mom had provoked him this much, he seemed to think that perhaps this was also an opportunity to put her in her place.

Wait, what is even happening right now? I sighed as I watched the two of them grab wooden swords. My plan to surprise Mom by cheering her on was already as good as ruined.

“Don’t hold back. I won’t either,” Mom said with a smile.

“As a soldier, I will stake my honor and give it my all.” The soldier replied.

After a brief exchange, the real duel between the two began. But the match ended in an instant. The wooden swords barely clashed a few times before the soldier’s wooden sword went flying.

“Argh!

Mom struck the soldier’s vital point after he lost his grip on the wooden sword. Even though it was just a sparring match, Mom didn’t hold back, just as she had promised.

“S-Stop…! I-I lost!”

It didn’t take long for the once arrogant soldier to start begging.

Mom wiped the sweat off her forehead and tossed aside her wooden sword. Then, she extended a hand to the fallen soldier. “Take it.”

“T-Thank y—”

“Even though you lost to me, I acknowledge that your skills are impressive.”

The soldier, who had barely managed to get back on his feet with Mom’s help, bit his lip as though his pride had been wounded.

Watching him, Mom spoke coldly. “But a great soldier isn’t just someone with exceptional skills. It’s someone who knows who their master is, the one they must protect.” Her words were a warning. It was also a declaration that Blanche’s soldiers were under her command.

Mom turned to the other soldiers, who were staring in astonishment, and addressed them as well. “From now on, I’ll be keeping a close eye on all of you!”

Hearing the sharp responses of the soldiers, I realized something. Mom is someone who doesn’t need my cheering at all. I just need to do well. Just me. Then this isn’t the time to be doing surprise support like this.

I needed to find the treasure of the magic tower as soon as possible and help Mom. The problem was the fact that Stella had awakened as a saintess. And on top of that, Kobel is a free man now. I had no idea what might happen if I left my position now.

Then there’s only one way. I have to tie them down so they can’t cause any trouble for a while. Now was the time to take out the card I had been saving for an occasion like this.

* * *

“What a truly magnificent room,” Kobel said in admiration. With an eyepatch covering his missing eye, his face had regained its vitality.

Stella plopped down into the chair and spoke. “What’s so magnificent about it? I originally wanted to decorate it much more extravagantly than this.”

“But I told you to restrain yourself, didn’t I?”

“I know I have to manage my images. You’ve said it so many times my ear hurts, remember? That’s why the room ended up this modest.” Stella grumbled.

Kobel laughed as though he found her ridiculous and stroked the antique bookshelf. “Modest, you say. You decorated it as little as possible, but even at a glance, it’s obvious that the furniture is made from expensive materials.” He also picked up one of the ornaments sitting on the table. “And the ornaments may be disguised as religious objects, but every single one of them is made from expensive jewels.”

Kobel glanced around the room once more. Just how much money was spent on this room?

Cunning as ever, Stella had asked Pope Salvatore Garner rather than Cardinal Lenon Gianni to authorize the budget. She must have done that because Lenon Gianni obviously would have objected. But there was no way Lenon couldn’t be aware of this. By now, the news must have reached his ears.

“Stella, I’m a little worried. The cardinal won’t just sit still.”

“Just say it’s God’s will. What can he do about it? And we have a card we can use to shake Lenon Gianni, don’t we?” Stella smirked slyly. “I’ll use it to clear your ‘false accusation,’ Uncle.”

Kobel found himself growing more fond of this wicked niece of his. The demonic beast would surely take a liking to this girl’s soul as well.

“Do you have the evidence that will clear my ‘false accusation’?”

“The dark magic formula written by Epirosa? It’s in that drawer. The third drawer from the top.”

Kobel opened the drawer Stella had indicated. The sheet of paper bearing Epirosa’s name and the dark magic formula was safely there.

It was then. Knock, knock. Someone knocked on Stella’s door. The intervals between the knocks were short. It meant the person outside was agitated.

Who is it?”

“It’s the cardinal.”

“Come in!” Stella said.

Kobel hurriedly closed the drawer. Stella wrinkled her nose as she looked at Kobel.

Soon, the flushed-faced Lenon entered the saintess’s room. And then, he realized the rumors he had heard were true and was utterly shocked. The saintess’s room was completely different from its original appearance.

“What brings you here, Cardinal?” Stella asked sweetly on purpose. Even though she knew the reason, her polite tone seemed more like she was teasing him.

“Saintess, why did you bring in all this new furniture and ornaments without even telling me?”

“Hmm, God wanted it this way. Do I need your permission for that?” Stella asked as though she were genuinely curious.

“But there are procedures for executing the temple’s budget.”

“His Holiness already gave his permission.” Stella shrugged. “Then isn’t that enough? Cardinal, you’re not above His Holiness, after all.”

Stella watched with delight as Lenon’s face darkened. She always put on a facade for the other priests, but she had no desire to impress Lenon. Unless it’s to step on that annoying b*stard.

 

Stella had seen Lenon ignoring her while treating Epirosa kindly several times. Even when she had pretended to awaken as a saintess, Lenon was the first to doubt her. If Pope Salvatore hadn’t stepped in back then, she would have been in quite a predicament. Of course, I don’t think the pope believed I was a saintess either.

 

At that time, the pope had agreed to acknowledge Stella as a saintess and proposed a deal.

“Help me reclaim the authority that Lenon Gianni took from me.”

 

That was something Stella wanted as well.

“I’m currently the one handling all the major and minor affairs of the temple. His Holiness has also agreed to this,” said Lenon.

Stella smirked at him and walked past without a word.

“Saintess!”

Instead of responding to Lenon’s call, Stella flung open the door to her room. “I was actually just about to speak to Cardinal about that very issue!” She shouted into the hallway. Passing priests became curious at her words and craned their heads to look.

“As the saintess, I have to question whether it is right for Cardinal to act in place of His Holiness!”

The priests whispered among themselves at the provocative statement from the saintess who was always so kind and gentle.

Lenon frowned, recognizing Stella’s sly intentions. “Are you saying you intend to take my authority away from me?”

“No. I want to know whether Cardinal is truly selfless and pious enough to lead the temple.”

“How do you intend to determine that?”

“By seeing whether you will selflessly clear my guardian of his false accusation.”

Lenon looked at Kobel, who was standing beside the drawer. The gloomy-looking man politely bowed his head when his eyes met Lenon’s.

“If it truly is a false accusation, then of course I will help without any ulterior motives.” Lenon spoke.

Stella then clasped her hands together and spoke sweetly. “That’s such a relief! Because the one who framed my guardian is none other than Epirosa!”

Lenon’s face stiffened for a moment. The priests eavesdropping outside began to murmur.

Stella held back her urge to laugh and spoke as if she were genuinely regretful. “I can’t tell you how grateful I am that Cardinal, despite being close to Epirosa, is willing to step forward without any ulterior motives.”

“Are you making this claim based on evidence?” Lenon asked sharply.

“Of course, I have evidence.” She turned toward Kobel. “Uncle Kobel, please bring me the evidence.”

The moment those words left her mouth, Kobel opened the drawer.

“…”

But then, he froze.