Well, its only a guess. The rumors people are talking about are also based on reality to some extent.

The first Head of Valentine was once loved by God.

And there was a time when Grand Duke Valentine was revered not as a symbol of evil, but as a hero.

You probably didnt know. What happened back then is no longer in the records.

God trusted Valentine.

So God gave him an oracle.

When the day of salvation comes, he will judge the human world himself.

And God specifically ordered.

When the day of salvation came, he was ordered to go down to hell and annihilate the devil, the source of evil.

But instead of annihilating the devil, he succumbs to the devils temptation.

He betrayed Gods expectations and summoned the devil to this land before the day of salvation came.

Even sold his soul to the devil.

Actually, it was because he was afraid of being saved by God. He didnt want to leave the human world and go to Gods side, and he didnt want to let go of worldly things.

He had a lot of regrets in this world.

The land, power, and wealth he cultivated.

The praise for being a hero.

It was for absolutely human reasons.

God was deeply disappointed, and God decided not to engage with humans any longer. And Valentine was forced to live their life accepting the curse for the sin of freeing the devil and opening the gates of hell.

After sitting quietly and listening to all the stories, Aria came to one conclusion.

[God was wrong.]

What?

Vincent asked as if he didnt expect Aria to react like that.

Why do you think so?

[Why entrust such an important task to humans? What you can do.]

Thats thats true.

Why was it?

Vincent reacted as if he hadnt thought of it that way.

[If the first Head has laid the foundation, God will rule the land and suck the honey.]

It came out again, a sharp tone.

Suck honey*.

He was about to burst out laughing.

Where else did you learn those words?

Vincent began to be very curious about the next piece of Arias writing.

[And the reward was to leave all the precious connections in the human world and go to Gods side. Then what about family and friends? They will be judged by God too.]

Of course, he didnt think of it that far.

Family.

Vincent deeply sympathized with that.

As he tried to get his birth mother out of the gutter.

Come to think of it, thats true. All his family could go to hell.

Aria then held out her card seriously.

[And how do you know if God will make you do it again? If you follow the orders diligently, then get the honey sucked again? I think Ill just go on strike after just getting to taste it.]

Puhaha!

Ah really.

He couldnt help but burst out laughing out loud in the end.

Youre really blaspheming.

[Because Im Valentine.]

Yes. Youre absolutely Valentine.

Anyway, Aria seemed to understand why this story didnt go public.

Because it was a story that the people of Garcia would seriously believe.

Its like someone made up a novel.

An instructive story to be recorded in the temple.

Arias reaction was overly sarcastic because she thought so in her heart.

Vincent seemed to have guessed her thoughts.

Its better to filter the stories that are passed down because its bound to be adapted. If you look at the facts here, its like this.

Vincent summed up the conclusion.

Valentines devil malice is passed down from generation to generation on the direct bloodline. Also known as the curse.

Aria nodded her head.

As a result, it has irrevocably corrupted Valentine.

Even animals that are so huge that you think they are monsters.

Even the residents of the estate who are strong at a mutative level with being immune to any poison.

Parasites that survive even if they are roasted in a fire and kill people .

Its all a product of corruption.

Aria tilted her head.

I understand what you mean, but wouldnt it be good if the body was strong enough to be immune to poison?

If money could buy such a body, the nobles would give their entire fortune.

[I dont know if corruption is bad just hearing about it.]

Thats because its all been purified.

[Purified?]

The divine power can periodically purify malice to keep it at this level.

Vincent said as if he remembered it too late.

Come to think of it, a priest apprentice from Garcia will come soon.

Oh, thats why.

Aria was belatedly able to understand the conversation the priests had that day.

If Valentines curse corrupts more, its their loss after all. Its an unavoidable symbiosis.

It was Vincents conclusion that no one knew what the consequences would be if the devils malice was further corrupted here.

It may lead to the destruction of the world.

Aria heard those words and thought.

In other words, Valentine is like a time bomb that is unknown when or where it will go.

This was the reason why even the emperor couldnt touch it carelessly.

She could only vaguely guess, but after hearing the clear explanation, it felt like she could grasp it more.

Finally Aria found out the secret of Valentine that she had wanted to know for so long.

And the solution too.

[Then it will be over when we completely purify the devils malice.]

Of course, thats true, isnt it?

Vincents response was, Who can do what the Pope couldnt do?

Who doesnt know that? But its impossible. If it could be completely purified, why would Valentine have suffered for hundreds of years?

Aria thought.

Because I wasnt there back then.

It was Aria who, with her healing song, did a complete treatment that even the Pope could not do.

Unless they die, she cures all ailments.

It was the reason her song was called a miracle, and also why she was feared, contained, and attacked in the Holy Empire.

And among those with such powers, there would have been no one who was as persistent as me to break the curse.

So she could.

[I can.]

How?

[Somehow.]

You dont seem to have anything planned for it.

But it was weird.

Since Aria says its possible, he really thinks it would be.

He thought it was possible that such a miraculous thing could happen.

Like that one day when she appeared like a warrior carrying the judgment of God.

It was later he learned that the relic came from the shaman Carlin, but Vincent did not believe it.

To be honest, he doesnt think anyone with Valentines surname would believe it.

There are only fools.

Vincent let out a smirk.

If they had a personality like him, they would have dug up and investigated what secret Aria was hiding sooner.

If sister-in-law says so, I guess.

But he didnt want to argue.

He just wanted to watch.

He simply trusted and supported Aria entirely.

***

Good morning, Young Madam.

Aria rubbed her eyes and stood up.

A girl who looked to be about sixteen woke her up.

She said good morning in a mutter with a spaced out expression.

Young Madam?

It was the first name she ever heard.

So, is Sabina the Elder Madam?

Kind of cute.

The employees must have put their heads together and thought hard about the titles of the two Madams.

Elder Madam, Young Madam.

Aria smiled unknowingly.

Then the girls eyes, who had been staring at her as if possessed, became more hazy.

Whats wrong with her?

Aria realized later.

Oh, I dont wear a rabbit mask anymore.

Aria groped her empty face.

Since she took off her mask, Gina and everyone she meets has a face like that.

At first, I thought it was shocking to see something so ugly

She was mistaken because of her past memories.

However, she soon found out that it wasnt.

Because everyone gathered and praised her.

Did they say that it was like a mysterious appearance, reminiscent of fairy tales?

At first she thought they were joking, but it turned out to be real.

Even Vincent, who doesnt say empty words even if being beaten to death, looks at Arias face and says, as expected, shes a face genius**.

I still cant believe it.

Aria waved her hand in front of the stone-hardened girls eyes.

Gasp!

She came to her senses belatedly.

[Who are you?]

Then the girl hurriedly grabbed the end of her skirt and bent her knee.

My name is Marronnier. I am going to serve the Young Madam in the future.

Then, Dana, who approached, added an explanation.

Shes a kid who was framed and kicked out the other day. Fortunately, the criminal was turned in to the Knights Order, so she was able to get rid of the false accusation and come back.

It was something she had heard of somewhere.

No way..

*) A slang for when you take benefit or advantage of something, self-explanatory actually :p

**) A term for someone who is very beautiful or gorgeous or handsome, [like your face is talented (gosh that makes no sense)]