Chapter 85: Dhalia

Woah. 

"She's pregnant?!" 

Lillian hummed in confirmation, stabbing a piece of apple with a knife and shoved it toward Antonio's face, "eat," she commanded and he was helpless to do anything but obey her. He took a bite and she began, "You've missed a lot. After you disappeared, the previous pope stepped up, and we told the masses you were on a much-needed vacation." 

He knew that much, Irene had told him once she got over her shock at the sight of him, their skin almost matching in tint-- a rich russet that was almost red in the sun-- with his appearance so similar to what it had been before the goddess changed it. 

"Dhalia grew... desperate. It seemed that she is obsessed with Daniel Savataar, My brother, and Arthur Krupp. I know she has had... interactions with both my brother, Eugene, and Daniel, but I'm not entirely sure the babe is my brother's. However, she claims that it is."

She added, "She also attempted to approach Juli, but your mothers are, thankfully, very protective." 

That made my blood boil. How dare this wannabe heroine-- this harlot approach my young, not even ten-year-old sister?! "Bitch," I seethed.

"Oh," Lillian said, and I met her eyes with my own, the irises glowing gold. "Quite right, if I must say. I would never go as far to call her such names, however... she is quite the f-floozy isn't she?" It's amazing how she doesn't blink at calling me such names in times of distress but once she's composed can't even say floozy without stuttering. 

I laughed. Couldn't help it at the sight of the hypocrisy. 

She swatted at my arm, blushing. "Shut up!" 

My, four months have changed her. 

"So what happens now?"

"The church performs a rite of patrimony." Ah. I forgot about those. I suppose I should explain, mini-pope! A rite of patrimony is, essentially, a paternity test. There. Ah, that was almost too easy to explain for such a complicated procedure. 

The mother has to prick her finger before the goddess and test her blood in the holy water provided by the church. If the water turns purple, her claim is true. if it turns red, she lies. To figure out who the father is... well, to put it plainly, whoever she's been with without protection has to submit their blood for testing. 

"And she's willing?"

"It was her idea." 

She must be confident, then. 

Oh well, none of this involves me!

"Tell me about our friends," because I still have those, "how's Dayan?"

"She's getting married soon. In a few weeks, you almost missed it. And you can ask them yourself soon." 

Hmm?

Then, the door slammed open, and the girl who looked so much like her brother stood in the doorway, tear tracks fresh, with a tall brunette behind her. 

"Dayan--"

"Antonio Von Graves, you absolute bastard!" 

So much name-calling. 

Sigh.