Chapter 271. Punishment, Part XI
Translator: Khan
Editor: Aelryinth
Manny's little head lifted like a flash. [Are you going to send me back to my original place?]
[Hmm, that's not it. I'm trying to grant you your wish to be free from muteness, to being able to speak. I'll let you talk.]
When the Lord God said that he would not send him back, its head quickly returned to its original position.
[So you're finally getting me out of this stuffiness that I couldn't speak. Thank you, my Lord God.] Manny quickly thanked the Lord God, and voiced out carefully, "Ah, ah, ah, ah! It works!"
As soon as Many found out it could really speak, it asked him again, "Thank you. When can I go back to my place? The Lord God? The Lord God?"
After saying 'thank you' for his courtesy, he asked questions about his future, but the Lord God did not answer. Manny asked around anxiously, but it was of no use. Then, suddenly, it felt the pressure of eyes and looked back.
"Manny?" Vera was coming out to bring Manny's lunch, and was so surprised she fell down.
"Chut, I would try to let them know at a crucial and plausible moment, but I was caught."
As Manny grumbled in disgruntlement, Vera jumped up and ran inside and shouted, "The princess, the princess! Manny, Manny…!"
The muttering voice of Vera said something inside, and Killian's snort was heard. "She has been so tired these days that she seems to have heard something in vain."
There followed a thudding sound. "Manny?" Julietta hurried over and called out to Manny, who was looking up at her.
"Yes, the princess."
"Oh, my God, it's real...! Killian, Killian! Come out here. The words of Vera are true!" Julietta shouted loudly for inside, and lifted Manny. "Manny, what happened to you?"
Manny replied after a moment of thought, pretending to procrastinate in search of a comfortable posture. He could not reveal the truth yet. "I am a descendant with the blood of a divine animal."
The posture of answering by bobbing his right front leg seemed very presumptuous.
Julietta was curious as she looked around at Manny and asked, "You, I think you've grown cocky since you are able to speak?"
Manny answered Julietta's question as if it were natural, "Now I don't have to look like an innocent little dog. I don't want to show that appearance like that, because I can talk." If he could do, he would even sit cross-legged on the floor.
Julietta forgot the reality for a moment in this amazing situation. "You don't have to pretend to be naïve anymore, that's a funny idea. So you're going to be a lewd divine animal now? But is it okay if you speak in front of people? In the majority of cases, don't they usually hide this fact?"
"Why should I hide it when I can speak? I want to be treated properly. I don't want to be in the same class as that ridiculous cat."
"A talking dog! Wouldn't people be very surprised? No matter how magical and sacred this world is, I don't think I've ever seen a talking animal."
"People will think of it as the first new divine animal born in hundreds of years."
At Manny's haughty attitude, Julietta pretended to nod and made fun of Manny. "I heard your appearance is very different from that of a divine animal."
Manny looked up at the heavens at Julietta's painful comments. "Can you change the color of my hair, too?"
But God was silent despite the earnest prayer.
Julietta looked up at the heavens together. "Are you praying to God? It's wonderful being born as a divine animal. So what if the color of your fur is normal?"
Even at Julietta's comfort, Manny could not keep its spirits up and buried its head between its legs. It was so pathetic that Julietta promised, "I'll make you a really luxurious and nice coat. Then people will be distracted by the clothes and they won't know that your fur is normal."
"Really?" Manny's drooped head was lifted up.
"Yes. You liked the hat I made you last time."
When it remembered wearing a puppy beret and receiving all the attention, Manny reluctantly agreed, "I did."
Killian had ignored Vera's incredible words, but now came out on the terrace for Julietta. He looked down at Manny and said with a look of displeasure, "What's this cocky little thing?"
"Your Highness, Manny is able to talk. It must be a real divine animal."
Despite Julietta's excitement, Killian was in a very awkward position. "It seemed to be right that it was a divine animal, even though its hair color was shabby. I can see the saucy tone and attitude of a divine animal I've read about in books."
Manny sniffed at Killian's assessment and headed for its first hideout, the jewel box in the innermost part of the dressing room. Entering the mushroom-shaped house on top of a drawer-style jewelry box, Manny was satisfied, thinking that it was the perfect spot for its noble status.
Killian was also delighted to see Julietta smiling brightly thanks to the cheeky puppy. "It's presumptuous, but it made you smile, and I will let it off."
"Your Highness, as I have told you over and over, it's a dog; no, it's a divine animal only a few months old. You don't have to fight like that every time."
"That mysterious creature provokes me first."
Julietta smiled as if she had given up on Killian's grumbling, saying, "Everything is blamed on the dog."
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In the afternoon, Killian and Julietta headed for the main castle. After today's trial, all the long and hard fighting was over. Unlike other aristocrats, Julietta was guided to a waiting room near the conference hall of the Congress.
Christine had already entered the courtroom and could not see her. Julietta was more comfortable with that. She planned to return to Asta Palace as soon as she heard the results of the trial.
---
After a long time, the Marquis of Oswald came to the waiting room. As soon as Lady Anais was sentenced, he escaped before the trial was over.
"The opinion of His Highness Killian, that he suspects the missing maid for the assassination of Prince Francis, was accepted. However, it was declared that Lady Anais was also found at the scene and could be behind the maid. She was sentenced to deprivation and expulsion of her identity, as she was also charged with kidnapping and poisoning."
It was only then that Julietta relaxed. It was finally over. She had broken off their terrible, ill-fated relationship.
Julietta picked up Manny who was walking around the waiting room, hugged it, and whispered, "Manny, it's all over now. I am safe. I don't have to be nervous anymore."
Manny licked Julietta's cheek to comfort her. "Julietta."
Julietta tried to go back right after hearing the results, but the trial seemed to have ended immediately after her brief moment of joy. Killian entered the waiting room and hugged her. When Manny caught between them whined, Killian grabbed its chubby neck and handed it over to the Marquis of Oswald.
"I'm not luggage. Please don't hold me by the neck."
Oswald's eyes grew at Manny's protest. "You're really talking!"
He had heard Ian's words before, but he spoke to Manny curiously. "Manny, you are a descendant with the blood of a real divine animal. It's really awesome to see a legendary divine animal in person."
As Oswald kept smiling sweetly, Killian headed for the door after sharing his thoughts with Julietta. "Let's go back and we'll all get together to eat in the near future."
He wanted to have a party, but somehow he had to act like he was bereaved. So, he wanted to celebrate and console over what they had suffered while eating with his aides.
But just as they just left the waiting room, Manny shouted out loudly, "Danger! It's dangerous!"
Unlike the bewildered Oswald, Valerian moved to protect Killian at Manny's cry, and Killian moved to protect Julietta.
Unconsciously, Killian parried something that was flying toward Julietta's face, and glared at the falling woman screaming right in front of him, clutching at her face.
"Even though your guilt was obvious, I felt sorry for your life, but you're begging me to kill you."
It was Christine who was struggling painfully on the floor. Before returning to prison, she had begged them that she would like to say goodbye to her cousin, Princess Kiellini. Feeling sorry at the last, the justices granted it, and allowed her to wait in front of the waiting room.