'..Ugh…my head…I feel…so sluggish…'
Blinking Claudian rubbed her hair framing her eyes. She turned her head to the side. This room…seems familiar.
Sunlight drifted through the open windows, a soft breeze entering the room as early autumn rolled in. A tray came crashing to the floor. The maid who had just entered left the room, shouting that she was awake.
Soon after, Sylvester barged in, out of breath. Claudina blinked her bleary eyes. Sylvester was here?
Then this place must be…
Sylvester came over in large strides before promptly sitting in the chair next to her bed. His hand pressed against Claudina's forehead.
"How are you feeling?" Sylvester asked.
Claudina opened and closed her mouth. When Sylvester realized that she couldn't speak properly, he grabbed the pitcher and glass placed next to her bed to serve her some water.
Sylvester slowly fed her water, patiently waiting for Claudina to finish.
"How long was I out for?"
"A month."
She jolted up. "A month?!"
"Yes…Lord Chronos did your healing but you remained in a coma. We were all getting worried."
Claudina looked down at her hands, specifically where the brand of her Ancient power was. There was a small blue and pale cut on top. She didn't remember getting hurt though.
"...That was done by Lord Nyx," Sylvester downcast his eyes. "To get Oriane out. Might be a reason why you were sleeping so long."
"...Can I dare say that her funeral has been taken care of?"
He nodded.
"Oh…" She suddenly realized. "Sylvester, where is Baron?"
Sylvester looked away. Her rage flared up. "I asked you a question. Where is Baron?"
"...He's…alive. We…I kept him in the deepest dungeons of the temple. Go visit him when you have rested enough." He got up. "Rest up some more. I will inform Lord Chronos you have woken up." Sylvester averted her question gaze. "...He wants to talk."
She chuckled bitterly. "Does he know? I doubt it will be anything good though? I brought home a demon…he will have my head."
"I am sure he won't do something like that…" But in their hearts they knew.
Sylvester left the room and Claudina fell back on the bed.
"...So what is the optimal solution for this situation?"
The door knob twisted again and Chronos walked in. His face was devoid of any emotion when he gleaned at her.
"Sit up."
Hearing his tone, Claudian bolted up and straightened her back. She gave a weak smile which he didn't return.
"I must have spoiled you too much for you to act like this."
"..."
"What were you thinking?"
Claudina hated the disappointment in his voice.
"Did you know while you were out how much I had repercussions I had to face? The others are questioning whether you are a Saintess when Gaia found one of her beasts dead, one of the Saintess is dead and another is almost at death's door.…and now you have gone and bought a demon in these lands.
Claudina kept silent.
"Claudina Annabelle Von Crowley, look me in the eye."
"...up…you…had…"
"Speak up!"
"I had no other choice back there! Things happened!" she screamed, causing Chronos to be surprised at her outburst.
She looked up with tears glistening her eyes. "Chronos I was nearly assaulted back in Halieas! If I hadn't done what I had to do, my honor would have been tarnished!!"
Chronos' eyes widened. "Why didn't Sylvester tell me about this?"
"You think I could have told him about something like this?!" She pressed her face into her palms and wept.
Soon she felt a hand on her head, stroking gently. "...I didn't know that, lass. I apologize for my words…"
Claudina smirked into her hands. 'Fool! Just a few tears and you believed me! At this point, why on earth are you a god?' She sniffled. "...I had to endure harassment after harassment. During and after my time at Halieas…! The situation was such that if I didn't save the demon I would have…Oh!" And she cried even louder.
Chronos frowned. "I see. How about you tell me everything from start to finish, hm? Take your time…"
And Claudina did.
In a slow, blubbering voice she told him. About the crown prince of Halieas and an envoy had pursued her, even after saying no with the envoy breaking into her room one day. She explained that in order to take down the prince she seduced him but she didn't know why the envoy Lucas May followed her around. In the end she stole the Forbidden Grimoire from the prince and commanded a demon nearby to attack him when he tried to make a move on her.
Someone or the other she was stuck with the ownership of the demon called Baron. She swore not once did she let Baron eat any humans under her watch.
And when they fought Rosalinda Carlos, she, Claudina, was forced to use the Forbidden Grimoire again, only this time the Grimoire had bound itself to her.
As for the demon it followed her because of the Grimoire. She couldn't get rid of either of them.
Chronos sat gazing down at his folded lap, silent the whole while.
When he didn't reply after she was finished, Claudina briefly wondered if her story sounded too fake. She wasn't sure what the others told but they didn't know of her one on one interactions.
"...Chronos?"
"..."
"...Am I…going to die now?"
Chronos finally looked at her. He reached for her and stroked her head again. "As long as I am here, no one can hurt you."
She smiled brightly. "Thank you."
Chronos got up and turned to leave. "Rest up."
As he was closing the door, he locked eyes with Claudina. Then he smiled sadly. "Though if you were honest it had been fine as well for I would have protected you with my life regardless."
If Chronos had lingered in front of the door, he would have heard her quiet apologies.
Knowing Chronos had left, she could finally break down.
A tear slid down her cheek as she smiled. "I am sorry Chronos, but my father's teachings are entrenched into my heart. Everyone does something for someone else just to get something back in return. Emotions and feelings are all built on transactional relationships. And I know it better than anyone else. That's why even if I wanted to, I couldn't."
She put her face in her hands.
"There's no point in being kind to someone like me."
"How are you feeling now?"
Claudina smiled at Sylvester. "Much better now. Thank you for worrying."
"Well, someone should take care of you since you have no family here." He raised the peeled grape to her lips.
A bit flustered, Claudina said, "I can feed myself."
"You dropped the spoon this morning while eating. Eat."
Begrudgingly she wrapped her mouth around the small fruit and ate it. 'Sour…'
Loud voices reached them through the walls. Both of them froze.
Other than the head pope and current saint no one should know about the secret passageway to Chronos' room.
Sounds of angry voices before a loud thud. The voices were quite now but the more angrier one was coming closer.
Sylvester frowned. "I'll go cheek with what the commotion is about…" However before he could get up, the door slammed open.
In strode a tall woman with swishing midnight blue hair and amber yellow eyes. Her sharp gaze scanned over the room, stopping at the two alerted saints.
Something about her was familiar to Claudina....
A sharp grin spread over her face and she strode over them. Sylvester wordlessly got up. Claudina eyed him as he went towards the woman.
"...May I help you, miss?" Sylvester asked coldly.
The woman rather than take offense at his tone continued grinning. "Don't tell me you forgot about me, old chap?"
Sylvester knitted his brows when he realized. "O-older sister?!"
She reached forward and ruffled his hair until it stood on weird ends. "Been a while huh, old chap?"
Sylvester tried to flatten his hair while recovering from his shock. "B-but how?! Last I heard you were out at sea!"
"A person can't always be at sea!" she laughed. Then her gaze turned to Claudina watching. She put her hand on her chin and leaned forward.
"Oh? An unfamiliar face?"
"Sister she is-!"
But the woman only stepped forward until she was in close proximity to the bed. She put her hand out and in the same jovial voice said, "Name's Sylvia Miles. And you?"
"Ah." Claudina smiled and took her hand. "Good morning. My name is Claudina Spade. I am a friend of Sylvester."
"A friend?" There was a mischievous glint on her eyes. "There's no need to hide anything from your future sister-in-law."
"Hm?" Claudina's eyes widened in surprise.
"Sister, she's not my fiancée!"
Sylvia laughed again "No need to be shy! Ah…" She took in both Claudina and Sylvester's appearance. Both of them were wearing light clothing.
The mischievous glint retired to her eyes again. "Oh my, my~ was this a secret rendezvous? I must have interrupted somethin~"
Claudina had a light flush on her face as Sylvester tried in vain to explain that nothing of the sort was happening here.
Sylvia however kept smiling infuriatingly and agreed. "Of course, you weren't certainly not holding one another as close as can be~"
"Leave, Sylvia! Leave!"
"Oh to continue on with what you were doing?"
"NO! I was only feeding her!"
"What were you feeding her~ hm~"
"...I hate your dirty jokes. I really do."
"There she is! The intruder!"
All of them turned to see the Head Pope holding his head as he pointed at the room. "Paladins arrest her! She's the one who knocked me out!!"
Three white armored paladins entered.
"Ah dart! And there goes my fun!" Sylvia glanced at Sylvester who signed. "You three stop."
One of them exchanged looks with another.
"Sylvester!!" the head pope screamed.
He stomped inside the room, his rounded red face turning into an ugly shade of purple. "How dare you defend this criminal?! Did you know what she did?! She not only broke into the Holy Chambers but also assaulted me, a great devotee of Lord Chronos?! Just breaking in is a crime punishable by a fine and a hundred lashes!!"
Sylvester averted his gaze with a frown.
"Sylvester if she won't take the blame then you will! Paladins seize him!"
"Over my dead body!" Sylvia stood in between the towering paladins and Sylvester who gaped in astonishment. "If you touch a strand on his body, I will make sure none of us will leave this room alive!"
"You dare to threaten us while standing in Holy grounds?! Take both of them in custody! And, and-! You! Why are you snickering?!"
Truth to be told all this time Claudina had been quietly laughing but when the head pope wanted to arrest them for the so called crimes she couldn't stop the soft giggles.
She looked up with mirthful eyes and slid out of the bed nightgown rustling.
Claudina walked daintily and stood in front of the Head pope flanked by the paladins. She sneered down at him.
The head pope lost his cool. "What do you want, girl?! Move! Or rather why are you in the Holy chamber?!"
"Why, you ask?" she placed her fingers delicately on her lips. "Hmm probably because Chronos likes me so much that he doesn't mind me sleeping in his bed?"
"W-what?! Stop spouting nonsense! Take her in as well!!"
"...Claudina, stay out of it." Claudina glanced back. Sylvester had a complex expression, one that was equally happy someone was defending him while the other was worried that he may also take on her punishment.
"You are not a scapegoat, Sylvester. You are a Saint. Remember that." She leaned in close to the Head pope.
"...This will be your first and last warning. Leave with your tail tucked between your legs and take those paladins with you."
"Or what?! Hah a simple girl like you can't touch me! Lord Chronos will always protect me!"
She lightly smiled.
"Then…I shall give a new command."
Claudina stepped away.
"Paladins imprison the Head pope."