Though furious, Jalter didn't lose herself to it, offering the choice of dialogue first. Martha immediately went on high alert at the sight of the Dragon Witch.
"The Dragon Witch...! Are you trying to turn France into a mess again!?"
"Yeah, yeah, I'm the unforgivable one, I get it! But my sins have nothing to do with Chaldea's current problems! Rikka, tell them! While their hate is focused on me!"
Rikka stepped forward, feeling a swell of emotion at Jalter's strangely self-sacrificing way of handling the conversation.
"Those dumplings were stolen from Chaldea! Eating them makes you guilty! But if you return them now, I think we can part ways without holding a grudge! There are kids back at Chaldea crying because they didn't get any dango! Please, give them back!"
Saint George took Rikka's deep bow to heart.
"...To think they were stolen goods... Even if we didn't know, what a terrible thing we've done..."
"It cannot be helped. Even Saints are human. They aren't Me, after all. If you hand them over obediently, I shall grant you immunity from judgment. Just as I did for Maria."
"—It's okay! If they are rational and good Saints, I'm sure—"
Ea and Rikka's sincerity seemed to reach them.
"If that is the case, I shall return this bundle of dango to you. It is the only way we can atone for our error," George said, handing over the dango without hesitation.
"...Hmph. So this is 'Saintly Virtue,' is it?" Jalter spat out the words as if they were a nuisance, twirling her long hair. It was her silent signal to Rikka: Let's get out of here quickly.
"Awesome! I knew a Holy Person would understand!"
"Of course," Martha added. "We are Saints recognized by all. We acknowledge our mistakes and correct them. Well, I wanted to eat a few more, but that's neither here nor there."
As Ea began sorting through the food, a thought struck her.
"—The desserts from the 'North Wind's Tablecloth' can't even compare to the sweets Jeanne makes..."
Jeanne's sweets were the embodiment of her life. She stirred the batter with boiling passion, decorated with scratching hatred, and provided perfection to the customer with an uncompromising stubbornness. They were works of art that a professional pâtissier might achieve once a year, crafted one by one with a tenacity that defied her origins.
"On that point, even I must widen my eyes. To think this creature could produce a single treasure that exceeds the value of my own... it is not to be underestimated. One day, her passion may even create a fake indistinguishable from the truth."
Even the King had never criticized Jeanne's sweets. It was a level of craftsmanship that reached the heights of obsession. The Fake that produces the Real.
"—I wonder if they'll be satisfied if we give them something of a lower grade as a replacement...?"
"Hm. It would be a bother if they went on a rampage. No reason to be humble, though. If everything ends peacefully, I care not. Especially since it's all 'well-rounded' in the end. Like a dango."
"—Right! You're so deep and wonderful, King!"
"—U-umu. ...Did you miss the joke?"
"—?"
The King looked a bit disappointed, his embarrassment mixing with regret that his pun had been met with genuine praise instead of a laugh.
"I am but a guest who happened to be here. I have no objections. Conflict only produces corpses," Kojiro said.
"Yay! Mission clear! Now Jack and Rhyme and everyone else will be happy!"
"—Goldie."
In contrast to Rikka's joy, Jalter let out a sigh as deep as the ocean, her eyes full of contempt as she looked at the King for confirmation.
"You noticed? Foolishness. Did you think you could deceive a collector like me when it comes to treasure!?"
The King had already realized. He exposed their greed and deception with a pointed finger.
"You there, ghost! You're hiding a Rare Heaven Dango in your robes!"
"Eh? Is 'ghost' referring to this Sasaki?"
"That violent Saint over there is the same! You're hiding dango behind your back, and it's certainly not 'holy riches'!"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about?" Martha stuttered.
"How pathetic you both are..." George sighed. "As your companion, I am so ashamed... I suppose it can't be helped if I'm abandoned as well. Go ahead, take the two sinners."
"Selling out your comrades for your own greed? Your reputation has plummeted like a falling swallow, Saint! What about the Heaven Dango stuffed inside your camera bag!?"
"THOU ART A DRAGONNNN!?"
Indeed, the dango they returned were only the common ones. They had secretly tried to make off with the "Heaven Dango"—custom-made, high-end treats crafted by Jeanne herself. It was a display of worldly greed utterly unbecoming of Saints.
(What a bunch of jerks! You Pierre Cauchons!)
Fou barked his condemnation while munching on a dango.
"—..."
In the midst of the chaos, Ea looked up at the moon. The blue, glowing orb that illuminated everything.
"—Fou!"
(Hm? What is it?)
"—Give me your ear for a second!"
While everyone was distracted by Jalter's group, Ea whispered a plan.
(We have to prioritize the dango first!)
"It seems the time for confession and penance has passed," Jalter said, drawing her sword with a sharp shing. She burned with hatred for herself for having briefly respected these Saints. "Now—let the judgment begin. For the sin of deceiving Rikka, for the deception of trampling on the children's feelings... I shall burn you to ash!"
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"