To the Love Born in the Lowest Place

Liv looked with slightly bewildered eyes at the young ladies kneeling before her.

“P-please stand up…”

However, the young ladies were still looking at Liv with adoring eyes. They seemed to regard Liv as an alien yet transcendent being, but at least they didn’t ignore or treat her as lowly as the nobles in the capital did, so perhaps that was fortunate.

Only one person, Malea, was looking at Liv without kneeling. But her legs were trembling as if they might collapse at any moment.

“Really, really…”

“Yes, I have the power of the Supreme God.”

“B-but this could be the power of a devil, not a god!”

Malea shook her head, denying the situation, but what she received were cold stares from the noble young ladies.

“Who would think that’s the power of a devil after seeing that?”

“Can’t you feel this sacred aura?”

“That’s…”

As it was an undeniable fact, Malea closed her mouth. In fact, even she who was saying those words doubted if she had made a wrong choice, but she had already come too far.

Among the noble young ladies looking at Liv with admiring eyes, Maria spoke in a dreamy voice.

“Now we all believe in Miss Liv. No, should we call her Lady Liv?”

“No, please treat me as usual…”

Liv could only get them to stand up after gesturing several times. After some time passed, the young ladies’ eyes returned to normal as if waking from a dream, but they still seemed to think highly of Liv. Then, Malea clenched her fists and shouted once again.

“It can’t be, it can’t be!”

Malea ran to the front of the cliff, clutching her dress. And reaching out her hand to the cliff, she shouted.

“Isn’t it that the cliff itself has power, not you?”

It was quite a plausible logic.

But the moment she touched the cliff.

How dare a child of the Holy Church touch my sacred ground.

Boom!

There was a sound as if the sky was collapsing, and the noble young ladies screamed and covered their ears. The trees that had been bowing were now all standing straight. The goats had also disappeared somewhere.

Malea, who had touched the cliff, took her hand away with a frightened face. Her hand was covered in red blood.

“Aaah, aaaah! What is this!”

It wasn’t that her hand was injured, nor was there blood on the cliff, but her hand was soaked in sticky, dark red blood that looked ominous to anyone. The other young ladies instinctively stepped back from her at the pungent, foul smell.

“It seems the Supreme God has punished Miss Malea!”

“Miss Liv really is loved by the gods…”

Now all the young ladies were looking at Liv with reverent eyes. Amidst those gazes, Liv just stood still.

How is it, doesn’t it feel good?

‘Yes, it really does…’

It was the first moment Liv had shown what she had been enduring to someone other than Emmett and Hildegard.

* * *

When Liv arrived at the Lartman mansion and was resting in her room, she heard a knock on the door. When she opened it, Emmett was standing there.

“Liv, you’re back?”

“Yes!”

Then Emmett hesitantly opened his mouth.

“I heard from the coachman. About what happened today.”

“Ah, so the coachman saw it too…”

“Yes, I had told him not to leave your side.”

Although he probably didn’t know exactly what had happened, the coachman seemed to have seen the sight of nature bowing to Liv and flower petals falling from the sky. Anyone who saw that would know that Liv was a special being.

“You went to the sacred ground, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did…”

Liv spoke slowly, looking at Emmett. She wanted to boast that she had found courage, but on the other hand, she was embarrassed that she had only now found courage, so it wasn’t easy to speak. She just hoped that he would think a little better of her.

“…I think I now understand the principle of how to use the power of the gods.”

“You found courage. I’m really proud of you, Liv.”

“Really?”

“Yes, at least now the nobles in this social circle will respect Liv. That’s what I’m most pleased about.”

“I suppose so…”

Even when Liv was returning home in the carriage, they all watched her until the end. It was an attitude of treating Liv as someone more precious than themselves.

“I guess you gained the power of the gods and understood its principle by going to the sacred ground? When we return to the capital, I’d like Liv to go around the sacred grounds and gain power. If you’re okay with it, I’ll accompany you.”

“I’ll think about it…”

She could already prove that Liv had a deep connection with the gods just with the power of the god Lufasha, so there was no need to do that. After all, going to the sacred grounds was troublesome and scary.

After Emmett finished his conversation with Liv and left, Laga approached Liv with sparkling eyes.

“Miss, is it true?”

“What?”

“That Miss can use the power of the gods! I heard it looks even more powerful than the Saintess’s divine power?”

“How did you know?”

“I heard it from the coachman! Everyone in this mansion probably knows by now?”

Given how far the rumor had spread, there was no need to hide it anymore. Liv slowly nodded.

“Yes, that’s right. That’s why I was mistaken for a Saintess and adopted into the Hamelsvoort family.”

Now that so many people know, she would have to reveal the truth about her power when she returns to the Hamelsvoort family. Then the attitude of the nobles in the capital would change too. Of course, she might have to clash with the temple or the Emperor in the process… For now, let’s just think about what’s happening here and not worry about the future.

“It doesn’t matter, I’ve liked you from the start, Miss! Of course, now I think you’re even more amazing.”

At those words, Liv smiled faintly, and Laga handed her a piece of paper. Unlike the invitations Liv had received so far, it was just a thin, crumpled piece of paper with writing in a crooked handwriting.

“Miss, please read this.”

“What is this?”

“You know Becca, right?”

“Yes.”

Becca was the name of the maid who had been spreading bad rumors about Liv. She had heard that she was supposed to leave this castle…

“Today was the day Becca was packing to leave, and she left a letter for you before she left.”

“For me?”

* * *

“She can use the power of the gods?”

“Yes, really! I’m telling you, I saw it!”

The coachman shouted as if frustrated. But for Becca, it was hard to believe. Emmett had fired her for spreading rumors about Liv, and today was Becca’s last day working at the Duke’s mansion. But what was this about?

At that moment, a servant from the Hertz family arrived at the Lartman mansion. He handed a box he was holding to Becca and said:

“This is a gift for Lady Liv Hamelsvoort. It was sent by our Lady Hannah Hertz.”

“Wait, is it true?”

If the coachman’s words were true, the rumor would have already spread to other noble houses, so Becca grabbed his arm and asked:

“Is it true that Liv Hamelsvoort performed a miracle?”

“Ah, our young lady said so too… I haven’t witnessed it myself, so I’m not sure. But seeing as the young lady from the Kölpen family also spent a long time talking about it at the Hertz mansion today, I suppose it must be true.”

At those words, Becca’s face turned pale. Because…

“I have committed a grave sin…”

She was a devout believer of the Holy Church.

That was also the reason Becca disliked Liv. Because she had dared to impersonate a ‘fake Saintess’ in the name of God. But if she was really a being loved by God…

“Supreme God, I have dared to touch one who uses your power.”

Becca prayed more earnestly than ever before, clasping her hands. It was an apology to God, and also a willingness to accept punishment for her sin.

Of course, Becca knew there was one more thing she had to do before leaving the Duke’s mansion. She wrote a letter to Liv.

[To Lady Liv Hamelsvoort,

I have committed a great sin by failing to recognize you, my lady. I apologize for my wrongdoings so far. It was all due to my foolishness.

I will inform those to whom I spread rumors within the mansion of the truth before I leave. I wish you all the best in the future.

—From Becca]

Due to her poor writing skills, she couldn’t write long sentences, but Becca poured her sincere heart into the letter. Only after handing it over to Laga could Becca finally feel relieved.

* * *

“This is absurd!”

Malea shouted with an angry face, clenching her fists. Her room was in disarray with traces of her outburst of anger. Precious sculptures and pottery were shattered into fragments on the ground, and the expensive cloth bedding was torn beyond recognition.

“She’s still from the slums anyway! She’s inferior to me!”

Ever since Liv Hamelsvoort showed her power, the other noble young ladies acted as if they were completely enchanted by her. They sent gifts to Liv and hovered around her, asking to pray together or visit the temple. They even considered Liv to be more amazing than a Saintess, saying that even a Saintess couldn’t use such power.

When three or more noble young ladies gathered, they talked about nothing but Liv. Of course, it was understandable given that they had seen the amazing sight of nature bowing to her, but still, Malea couldn’t understand their behavior, acting as if they were bewitched by Liv.

‘What does it matter if she’s loved by God! It doesn’t change her origins.’

Malea wasn’t a particularly devout believer. Whether Liv was loved by God or not, from her perspective, it was only natural that she, with her higher status, should be treated better.

And how could they trust that woman who had already lied to the Hamelsvoort family and the capital’s social circle? Malea sent letters to the other young ladies several times telling them to come to their senses, but each time she was met with cold indifference.

At that moment, a figure flashed in Malea’s mind.

“Right, that maid!”

The maid who had told her the truth about Liv’s adoption seemed to dislike Liv. Perhaps not just that maid, but other servants who came down from the capital and are now in the Lartman household might dislike Liv too. At the thought that she might still have allies, Malea’s face brightened.