It was a day like any other.
The maids were busily preparing breakfast, and the butler was sorting through the mail—nothing seemed out of the ordinary.
That is, until a blue envelope popped out from the pile of mail.
“What is this? Who sent it?”
No matter how much the envelope was examined, there was no sender’s name.
It simply had the recipient’s name written as ‘Baroness Lippe.’
Even the small bird emblem stamped on the sealing wax was something never seen before.
“Could it be dangerous?”
The butler, preparing for any potential trouble, decided to check the contents in advance.
But then.
“No! What’s going on? Why won’t this envelope open?”
No matter how hard he tried, the envelope wouldn’t open.
It couldn’t even be torn or crumpled.
While the butler was wrestling with the letter, Baroness Lippe happened to pass by and noticed him.
“Sebastian, what are you doing standing there?”
“It seems a suspicious letter has arrived for you, Madame, so I was trying to check it in advance.”
“A suspicious letter?”
Baroness Lippe tilted her head in curiosity and approached.
And she immediately recognized the letter.
“Wait, this blue envelope! It’s the Bluebird Letter!”
“Madame, the Bluebird Letter?”
“Sebastian, have you not heard the rumors?”
The Baroness leaned toward the butler and whispered in a low voice, ensuring the maids cleaning the stairs couldn’t overhear.
“Anonymous letters have been circulating in the Arthenian Empire for the past year. No one knows who started them or where they come from, but these letters contain truly horrifying truths.”
“Horrifying truths, you say…”
“What else could it be but the secret private lives of nobles? Many families have been ruined because of these letters.”
The Baroness urgently began to tear open the envelope.
Seeing this, the butler tried to stop her.
“Madame, no matter what you do, that letter won’t op…en?”
The butler was left speechless as the envelope opened easily in her hands.
It hadn’t opened earlier, but now it did!
The sealing wax had been stuck as if it were sewn shut, completely inseparable!
Why wouldn’t it open for me but opened right away for the Madame!
But his frustration was short-lived. The butler began reading the letter’s contents, heads together with the Baroness.
「This letter was first started in the capital and circled once a year, has revealed truths to its recipients. This letter now in your hands must leave your side within four days. Please send seven copies, including this one, to those who need to know the truth.
Baron Lippe has a hidden daughter.」
Gasp. The butler immediately covered his mouth.
He had known about the illegitimate child all along.
After all, he had been sending living expenses every month on the Baron’s orders.
Sometimes he even went to check on her personally.
He had been extremely careful, worried that if the Baroness discovered this fact, his head would roll.
How on earth did they find out!
The butler trembled in fear as he watched the Baroness’s reaction.
The Baroness shoved the butler aside and headed for her husband’s study.
Then she threw the Bluebird Letter right in his face.
“Darling! Is what’s written in this letter true? Did you really do such a thing!”
Baron Lippe, his face deeply furrowed, scrambled to pick up the letter from the floor.
And the moment he confirmed its contents, his eyes grew as if they would pop out.
“Ah, this is…!”
How on earth did anyone find out about this?
He thought only Libertas1, the Empire’s guardian goddess, knew about this.
“Dear, surely you don’t believe this ridiculous piece of paper?”
“Ridiculous paper? The Bluebird Letters have never told a lie!”
“You trust an anonymous letter more than your husband?”
“Of course! These letters were right about Baron Vesta losing all his fortune to gambling, and about Countess Persher maintaining two households!”
“Th-this is fabricated! Someone is imitating the Bluebird Letters to frame me!”
“That’s impossible! Not just anyone can create the magical seal that only allows the intended recipient to open it!”
“No… well, Dear, I was planning to handle this quietly.”
“Handle it?”
“Since it’s a girl, wouldn’t it be fine to marry her off to a wealthy commoner and receive compensation? She’s quite pretty, so we could find a buyer anywhere.”
“Good heavens! If you carelessly sowed your seeds, you should at least take responsibility! You’re worse than an animal. Ralph!”
“Woof!”
“Go bite him! Bite him right in his vital parts!”
The massive Golden Retriever kicked Baron Lippe in the chest.
Baron Lippe fell backward instantly.
And before he could stop it, CHOMP! He was bitten right in the groin.
One might think, ‘How could a dog bite its master?’ but to Ralph, Baron Lippe was no master.
After all, he had never given the dog a meal or even a warm glance.
While Baron Lippe let out a terrible scream and the Baroness shouted at the butler to prepare divorce papers.
Snap! A small spark flew onto the letter.
The spark silently burned the letter.
The letter disappeared without leaving even a handful of ashes, vanishing without a trace.
*** *** *** *** ***
Knock knock.
Someone knocked on the door of Selene LeClair, the 11th Saint of the Arthenian Empire.
It was Mia, the ordinary priestess who attended to Selene’s needs.
“Holy Saint, Baron Lippe requests an audience.”
“Was there an appointment scheduled for today?”
“No… He keeps insisting it’s urgent and begs to see you for just a moment…”
Mia fidgeted nervously.
“Should I call the Holy Knights…”
Mia wasn’t typically tactless. She was quite competent at handling matters.
For someone like her to come to Selene meant this was a problematic devotee she couldn’t handle on her own.
“No need. I’ll meet with him.”
Selene followed Mia to Theberon Palace.
Named after the royal family, it was where nobles came to worship or receive healing.
It was also where the Saint, the only priest in the Libertas Church who could hear confessions, spent most of her time.
“Holy Saint!”
Baron Lippe, entering the audience chamber, appeared extremely angry.
However, Selene paid no mind and greeted him with a smile.
“May the holy light reach Baron Lippe.”
Ignoring Selene’s polite greeting, Baron Lippe burst out.
“Holy Saint! A Bluebird Letter arrived at my estate! Surely you know what the Bluebird Letters are?”
“Yes, I’ve heard of them.”
Hissing through his teeth, Baron Lippe glared at Selene while breathing heavily.
“The contents of that Bluebird Letter were known only to me, Goddess Libertas, and you, Holy Saint! Because you’re the only one I confessed to!”
Selene showed no fear at his demeanor.
She didn’t flush red like Baron Lippe.
She merely blinked slowly twice.
“Baron Lippe, are you certain only the Goddess Libertas and I know?”
“Yes! Of course!”
“Then is your daughter no longer in this world?”
Baron Lippe’s eyes shook violently.
Selene continued in a gentle, calm tone.
“And I assume the woman who bore your daughter is no longer with us? Your daughter lives alone in an isolated place without relatives, neighbors, or friends. And there are no adults who visit regularly to care for her. That’s why you could boldly claim only the Goddess and I knew.”
The sound of Baron Lippe grinding his teeth echoed through the audience chamber.
But he couldn’t say anything more.
While the child’s mother had indeed passed away, her maternal grandfather was still alive.
The butler who delivered the monthly living expenses knew, and the coachman who drove him to visit his daughter knew…
There were quite a few people who knew!
Selene watched Baron Lippe’s dumbfounded face and slowly blinked twice again.
“Given your silence, it seems you have nothing more to say.”
“Y-yes, Holy Saint…”
Selene clasped her hands together in farewell to Baron Lippe.
And she left the chamber with the same serene expression she had when entering.
After Selene departed, Baron Lippe began trembling all over.
Thinking about the reality that awaited him, his body shook involuntarily.
Had a Bluebird Letter gone to his father-in-law’s house too?
If he got divorced, he’d have to return all the dowry.
What if he became ostracized from society? Then his newly started business…
Ah. Everything was ruined.
*** *** *** *** ***
By the time they arrived at Eleanor Palace, Selene’s residence, Mia alternated between apologizing and cursing.
“Holy Saint, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know it was about something like that. It’s all my fault for being so inadequate.”
“It’s okay, Mia. It’s not your fault.”
“That wretched man, what nerve to come all the way here! After doing something like that, he should be reflecting on his actions. Did he think our Holy Saint was someone who spreads gossip?”
“Mia, don’t use such vulgar language in front of others.”
“Yes, Holy Saint. I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful.”
Selene gently persuaded Mia, who had followed her to the door, to leave.
After Mia left, only silence remained.
Selene closed the door and let out a long sigh.
It was a sigh of both relief and guilt.
I’m sorry, Mia.
That gossip? I wrote it.
Hehe. Selene couldn’t suppress the laughter bubbling up.
It had already been nine years since she entered the temple.
The innocent and delicate act she had honed over the years seemed to have reached its peak.
Another success today.
Humming cheerfully, Selene sat down at her desk.
Goodbye to the sleepless nights spent upset after hearing Baron Lippe’s confessions!
Now, Baron Lippe could no longer quietly sell off his daughter.
Baroness Lippe was kind enough to take in even abandoned dogs, so she would surely find a way to help the illegitimate child survive.
Even if she didn’t, it didn’t matter.
Another Bluebird Letter would solve the problem.
When Selene opened the drawer, blue envelopes and fresh stationery spilled out.
“Goddess Libertas, please allow me to be a righteous whistleblower again today.”
Selene picked up her pen.
There was still a long way to go to correct the debauched behavior of the nobles, who thought their sins would disappear just by confessing.
- tn: Instead of Goddess Athena, I switched it to Goddess Libertas since she is the Goddess of Freedom. Goddess Athena is the Goddess of War. ↩︎
Leave a Reply