TSKSML 08

CHAPTER 8

The news that Lilliana, the eldest daughter of House Emeldia, had donated 100,000 gold spread rapidly through the social circles of the Hersen Empire.

Of course, there were cases where royals or nobles made donations of that size to appease public opinion after committing serious crimes. But it was utterly unbelievable that Lilliana, a fallen noble, could donate such an astronomical amount.

Speculations began to circulate among the nobles about how Lilliana could have made such a donation.

Some said the Emeldia family must have had hidden wealth; others claimed Lilliana was the secret mistress of a wealthy noble.

There were even baseless rumors suggesting that she had conned someone with Helene or that the money was stolen.

She had only done what her stepmother told her to—but somehow, things just kept getting worse.

As soon as Lilliana arrived for morning prayer, people began whispering.

Though she had always been subject to criticism, before, people had treated her like she was invisible. Now, they were blatantly avoiding her as if she were infected with some plague.

Lilliana, overwhelmed by the atmosphere, sat in her seat with her head lowered like a criminal.

Doubt and mistrust toward her stepmother began to creep back in.

Could it be that this was all a scheme to completely ruin the three sisters?

But no matter how much she thought about it, there was no reason Helene would go that far.

Helene was selfish and had no qualms about making others unhappy for her own benefit, but she wasn’t the type to spend money just to make others miserable.

Even Lilliana, who was tolerant of most things, was nearing her limit when it came to enduring the nobles who now openly treated her like a criminal, convinced she had done something illegal.

*

“How has it been going at the temple lately?”

It was frustrating, but even Helene’s cooking, which was admittedly good, was hard to swallow.

Today’s dish was called bibimbap—a mix of rice and fresh vegetables. But Lilliana couldn’t even manage two spoonfuls.

Helene asked her usual question, but Lilliana could no longer pretend everything was fine.

“I… it’s hard…”

Lilliana finally burst into tears with those words.

Even Jaina and April, shocked by their sister’s uncharacteristic vulnerability, put down their food in surprise.

That was when it happened.

As if she had been waiting for this moment, Helene suddenly sprang to her feet.

“Jaina, I’m sorry, but could you do the dishes today?”

“Huh?”

Oops. Helene had moved a bit too confidently, but then something seemed to dawn on her. She returned to her chair.

She picked up a black cashmere shawl—meant to show respect to the faithful.

“Lilliana, come along now. Let’s head to morning prayer.”

There was no shortage of reasons the nobles at the temple disliked Lilliana.

They found it irritating that someone dressed in an outdated, worn-out dress acted so pious while praying. They believed the eldest daughter of a disgraced family, tangled in dirty scandals, had no right to pray in the sacred temple beside them.

Above all, they could not forgive the donation of 100,000 gold.

How dare a fallen noblewoman donate more than any of them?

The Duchess of Devis, unable to sleep from the insult to her pride, led the charge—nobles began collecting signatures to bar Lilliana from entering the temple.

Their claim was that someone who donated money of unknown origin—clearly gained through wrongdoing—was unworthy to step into a sacred space.

Even nobles who had no ill will toward Lilliana found it difficult to refuse the signature request from their friends.

The priests and clerics of the Church of the Sun liked Lilliana, one of their few genuine followers, but they couldn’t stop what was happening.

They knew it was nothing short of a witch hunt. But since the temple ran on noble donations, they knew opposing them would provoke backlash.

The best they could do was quietly pray to the Sun God that all would pass peacefully.

Even the Grand Duchess of Rebladian, now the mistress of the imperial household following the Empress’s death, wished to help Lilliana—but it was hard to ignore the suspicion surrounding such a large donation from unknown sources.

The best she could do was refuse to sign the petition banning Lilliana from temple worship.

The nobles were planning to present the petition right in front of Lilliana’s face and throw her out of the temple.

They imagined her being thoroughly humiliated—and eagerly waited for her arrival.

Just then, a commotion began to spread among the gathered nobles.

Everyone instinctively knew Lilliana had arrived.

But this was more than just the usual stir—it was an overwhelming wave of whispers.

The High Priest raised his voice to calm the growing uproar.

“What is going on?! This is a temple! Show proper reverence before the Sun God!”

At the rare sight of the angry High Priest, the surroundings fell silent. Everyone’s eyes turned to one spot.

The High Priest, stunned, couldn’t close his mouth.

It was the Red Witch, Helene, standing right before him.

But she didn’t walk in as she once had—arrogantly pushing past others to flaunt her beauty.

Today, her steps were respectful and dignified.

Everyone in the temple watched her every move.

“My acting will decide everything.”

Though she’d never acted before, she’d watched plenty of melodramas in her past life.

She had spent 100,000 gold for this day, and Lilliana had endured endless disgrace.

Helene walked step by step, like a bride walking down the aisle, until she reached the statue of the Sun God.

Thud.

She dropped to her knees.

Then, with the hand that had sliced onions, she wiped her eyes.

“Oh, Sun God! I am a terrible sinner! I wasted all of House Emeldia’s fortune on gambling and luxury… I stole the future of three daughters who mourned their lost father…!”

Now Helene collapsed fully and began to wail in agony.

“Lilliana prayed tirelessly to the Sun God to save someone like me… If not for her, I would have remained a foolish sinner. Oh, Sun God… please do not forgive me…”

As a tense silence filled the temple, Helene, still prostrate, sneaked a glance around.

Everyone was mesmerized by her performance.

Well, no one in this world, which lacked media content, had ever seen such over-the-top acting before.

“Don’t forgive me… sob…”

.

.

.

“Don’t forgive me… Please don’t forgive me! I’m a wicked con artist and a cruel stepmother! Please punish me with divine wrath!!”

Damn…

After repeating her pleas for forgiveness at least ten times, the priests—finally shaken from her spellbinding performance—rushed over to help Helene to her feet.

Her legs had gone numb from kneeling for so long.

Before she knew it, the High Priest himself was standing in front of her.

He looked at her with eyes full of emotion.

“Helene Emeldia… the Sun God does not cast out those who sincerely repent. From now on, you are one of us.”

He placed his hand on her head and gave her a blessing.

Helene grasped the High Priest’s hand and burst into tears again, continuing her dramatic performance.

Soon, the nobles rose to their feet and began applauding Helene and Lilliana.

It was the official moment the Red Witch Helene repented, saved by the devout faith of her stepdaughter Lilliana.

Now, who could dare slander Lilliana Emeldia?

All those late nights reading the Holy Texts of the Church of the Sun had paid off. The church’s core values were love and forgiveness.

Lilliana had forgiven and saved Helene—the stepmother who ruined House Emeldia—with love.

It was the kind of story the Church of the Sun adored—one that would be told for generations.

The nobles who once glared at her with contempt quickly put their masks back on.

The Duchess of Devis hastily crumpled the petition and stuffed it behind the ribbon of her dress.

Now she looked at Lilliana with a forced expression of pride, pretending she found her admirable and precious.

Of course, among them were some like the Grand Duchess of Rebladian, who truly thought highly of Lilliana.

A faint smile played at the lips of the elegant Grand Duchess as she applauded.

The Grand Duchess of Rebladian.

She was interested in Lilliana.

Helene noticed it with the eyes of a hawk—and her lips curled up slightly.