Chapter 4 – I Became The Youngest Princess Of Asuramasura (3)
This is the first time I left the nursery room since I was born as Cecilia.
It’s because I am going to be baptized on my first birthday.
With no expectation from my nanny for me to comprehend her, she kept talking about the events that would happen during my baptismal rites, all while dressing me up.
I’m grateful for her work.
“Once you are baptized, you will officially be a member of the royal family. I wonder how massive Your Highness’ vessel would be? I’m sure everyone will be surprised.”
Just as Nanny gave me her finishing touches, she carefully put on a headband.
A warm smile appeared on Nanny’s face as she took a step back to look at my outfit, wearing a headband for the first time in my life.
“Your Highness, indeed a baby angel has descended.”
“So you, too, know how to say all sorts of things.”
My mother was watching us and sounded mellow, but there was a sense of satisfaction in her tone.
Mother is over forty years old and has five children, and still boasts charm.
The way she dressed up in a ceremonial dress was alluring.
Seriously, these things are fantasy…
“Cecil, my baby. No one will be able to harm you if you have great Divine Powers, and even if you don’t, the fact that you are our precious youngest will not change.”
Mother softly whispered to me, as she embraced me.
I don’t know if it is a pity that you can’t kiss me because you already applied your lip balm, or that mother’s pointed nose was touching mine, ah, it smells good.
‘Even if you tell me that, that moment will only last for a moment when you are disappointed in me.’
That’s right, the cold gaze of my parents in my past life…
‘I hope I get a good result.’
Asuramasura— well… anyway, this country is like a Holy State, strong Divine Power is expected and is an important quality in a successor.
And so, my father, the late Emperor’s second son, and my oldest sister Grace who was hailed as the Crown Princess this year, also possessed great Divine Power.
‘So it was done at a young age. But Amelie measured hers after she was already an adult.’
I recalled one of the episodes that became a staple in the ‘Secret of Birth’, one of the memorable parts of the story. I then left the room in the arms of my nanny.
Everyone in the family, including me and my mother, was dolled up, although it was not a grand event. The ceremony was held at the chapel located inside the Imperial Palace, and except for the Imperial family, there were only a few close aides, including Nanny.
I may have left the nursery room, but I am still stuck in the Imperial Palace.
‘I’ve been told that until I turn the age of ten, I can’t go outside the palace, much less attend public events.’
It was the tradition in place to protect the immediate family of the Imperial family.
“I see the Lord in splendor. Thank you for coming all the way.”
“It’s right around here. The Emperor has also become more faithful. I guess it is true, seeing the youngest princess, that the Imperial family has become more harmonious.”
“Haha, has the rumor already spread far and wide?”
The grandfather who is holding hand-in-hand and exchanging greetings with Father seems to be the Holy Father.
The Great Hall is located just outside the Hwangseong Fortress, and the Holy Father looked quite old enough to thank him for coming from afar.
“You must be Cecilia.”
“Cecil, my youngest, this is grandfather, the Holy Father.”
…Right. Since the Imperial family has the strongest Divine Power, most popes also came from the Imperial family.
So it was natural for Rebecca to anticipate becoming the next Pope.
‘Unless a child of an oracle was born, although rare, it was said that outside the Imperial family, there was no case of being born with the Divine Power of the Pope. The high priests also came from among the high-ranking nobles.’
While one-year-old I blinked and adjusted myself to the view of this world, His Holiness stroked my head with a gentle expression.
“Now, Cecil. This grandfather will pray for you.”
After all, this was a family event, so it continued without any special procedures.
Seeing the number of people gathered for the baptism, there seemed to be priests accompanying the Holy Father, and court painters recording the scene.
My father took me from Nanny’s arms and moved towards the podium together with Mother.
“Now, hold the baby high.”
My mother and father got down on their knees, holding me by the armpits and held me toward the Holy Father.
So, I was held in my father’s hands like the lion cub in the movie ‘The Lion King’ in my past life.
‘If Father’s weak, it must’ve hurt…’
While I was preoccupied with my thoughts about Father’s strength, the Holy Father poured the holy water on his hand from the holy grail that the priest held, applied it to my forehead, and then began praying.
“…thank you for bringing new joy to Asuramasura’s Imperial family. As the ruler of the continent, I hope you practice the love of God…”
It felt warm, then my vision brightened.
‘So this is how the Divine Power shines.’
When Rebecca controlled my body temperature, I only felt warm and cold.
Is it because it’s a blessing so that’s why it has a visual effect?
“May the glorious sunshine of God be with Sister Cecilia throughout her life. May the gentleness of the Moon benefit the world.”
As if resonating with His Holiness’ silent prayers, the light flickered loudly and was absorbed into my head. I stared at the mysterious sight as if I was possessed.
‘This is the taste of fantasy.’
As the Holy Father clasped both of his hands together, he bowed and everyone watching followed suit.
“Then, come.”
Afterward, the priests pushed the trolley. Above it was a crystal ore in the shape of several jagged hexagonal pillars, protruding from one another.
‘That must be the measuring device for Divine Power…!’
It was just as I had read in the ‘Deductible Eye’.
‘Amelie played a part in the Great War. You brought it here.’
The heroine, Amelie, was from a remote area and grew up without being baptized because there was no temple near their estate.
I only was baptized after coming to Seoul for work, but the measuring device was at the level of a decent priest, which surprised the social circles.
It was difficult to show up, coming from a Baron family.
‘As expected you must have at least one ability as you are the main character.’
She easily polished the Divine Power that emerged so late, and later on healed her lover who was injured in battle.
When I put my hand on the crystal stone, a white light burst out… Thinking that I was able to experience the scene depicted in that way, my heart started pounding because I felt like I had done something.
‘A successful fanatic? How does it feel riding a ride with a blockbuster movie concept?’
I’ve never gone abroad, so I’m just daydreaming.
The priest placed the crystal stone on the altar, and my father moved forward toward it.
‘What’s making me nervous.’
Last fall, at my eldest sister Grace’s coming-of-age ceremony, she received the title of the Crown Princess, so my Divine Power had nothing to do with the succession structure.
However, tests are tests!
Having spent my past life in an infinitely competitive society, I gulped and swallowed at the tension.
‘It is said that the higher the divinity, the stronger the light is. It should come out properly. If Grace gets married and has children, I’ll cause succession conflicts with them because of my age… then should I just follow Rebecca’s path?
With a nervous heart, my small hand led by my mother’s, touched the cold crystal pillar.
“…?”
Time passed by.
“…Is it working correctly?”
To my surprise, nothing happened.
The chapel was buried in silence.
Neither the Holy Father, the priests, the people of the Imperial family, nor anyone, uttered a word. The court painters’ hand movements also stopped.
“Th-this is strange.”
As soon as the priest approached and grabbed the crystal to inspect it, it bloomed and the crystal pillars were dyed in the pure white, dazzling light pouring out.
Silence once again.
“Let’s try it again.”
The Holy Father beckoned in a calm voice.
But I felt it. The Holy Father’s voice trembled.
Carefully, my small hand touched the crystal again.
“Stay and hold it for a little longer.”
My hand had already been in contact with the crystal long enough, however, the crystal remained unchanged.
Earlier, the crystal lit up the moment the priest touched it.
What’s this, I’m embarrassed!
“Uuu– waaah…”
I felt like I was about to burst into tears.
Are my tear ducts a beat late because I’m a baby? At that moment I felt I was about to cry with my face red in embarrassment.
Embarrassed, my mother took me and began to pat me on the back to soothe me.
“Hush, Cecil. It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s no big deal.”
What do you mean it’s nothing.
I saw it. The moment my mother’s hand that had been patting me on the back stopped for a moment, the crystal shone faintly.
You ought to recheck it…
Surprisingly, I had zero Divinity. An unprecedented figure in the history of the denomination.
‘It’s been said that people living in the Holy Age are born with even the slightest Divine Power, much in the Imperial family… Wasn’t I saved because I wasn’t loved in my past life?’
I couldn’t believe it. The Holy Father and the priests instilled my Divine Power into me and tried various tests, but still, nothing changed.
‘Was it because my soul came from a different world?’
Shouldering the shame, I came to my rational conclusion in my own way, but it seemed that the Imperial family did not.
“Mother, should I pick out some of Cecil’s escort knights from the Knights Templar? I am responsible for Cecil’s safety!”
“Yeah, that is a good idea. Above five, no let’s get ten. We also need maids quickly.”
“I’ll look through the girls of families we trust.”
“I’ll entrust it to you.”
As soon as the baptism ceremony was over, each of them began to come up with ideas to overprotect me.
To have an exclusive priest, to set up a herbal greenhouse in the backyard, to double-strengthen the nursery room barrier, or to prepare in advance the counterattack magic measures…
‘Hearing it all is too much.’
I came to understand.
The Divine Power was not only used to purify magic or to heal others. It was said that it helps to recover when someone is sick, and helps wounds heal quickly when injured.
Should I say it’s sort of like immunity? That’s why if you tap me right now, I might be like a cookie that crumbles.
‘It feels reassuring that they are not disappointed in me, but…’
People discriminate even without reason, and if it was a matter of the Divine Power that justifies someone’s position in the Imperial Court, it would be more than enough reason to discriminate against me.
‘Even in my past life, even if I did all the housework, got into college through my own hard work and got a job, no matter how well I did, even as a friend or a lover…’
Thinking back on my past life, where I had been a hindrance to everyone, only made me depressed. On the other hand, I was secretly grateful to my family now who didn’t ignore me despite not being good enough.
It was when I was sitting in the cradle with such a shy mind and listening to them talking seriously.
“Okay, let’s talk about that for a moment.”
When my mother put an end to the conversation they were having, everyone in the room turned to me as if they had promised.
“Haha.”
I can tell from my mind that there’s a hint of concern with those gazes, but…
When more than a dozen eyes looked at me at the same time, I felt that I had done something wrong. My tears welled up.
“Uu-uwaahh…”
‘Even if I don’t have any Divine Power, I won’t become a disappointment at anything else!’
—
tl/n: Hi! Let’s review for a minute the names of the immediate members of the Imperial family, because I made a mistake in chapter 2. I’m sorry about that.
Emperor: Optimus III
First/Crown Princess: Grace
Second Princess: Roselia
Third Princess: Rebecca
Prince: Theodore
Fourth Princess: Cecilia
Thanks for reading!