The Lady Nun Vows Revenge - Chapter 42: Chapter 42

Unfortunately, before Nolan could do anything, Mary suddenly entered, carrying a Bible.
Hearing Eliza's muffled sobs, she quickly walked over. "What's wrong? Are you in pain?" she asked, setting the Bible aside before quickly pushing Nolan aside and gently pulling Eliza into her arms.
With rough but careful hands, she wiped the tears from Eliza's cheeks. "It's alright. I checked earlier—your forehead won't scar, and the rest of your injuries will heal just fine. Your vision should return in a couple of days. Everything will be okay."
Eliza instinctively leaned into her touch. It reminded her of how her mother used to hold her when she cried.
Nolan stood off to the side, silently watching. After a brief pause, he finally spoke. "Reverend Mary, Serenity is worried about memorizing anything from the Bible. She's afraid it'll affect the blessing ceremony."
His words broke the quiet moment between them.
Mary shot him a glance but spoke gently to Eliza. "Don't worry. I brought the Bible with me. If you want to practice, I can read it to you."
Eliza's expression lit up. That could work, though it meant troubling Mary for the next few days.
Seeing her hesitation, Mary stroked her hair with a soft smile. "Don't worry about that. You're the youngest in our nunnery and the Holy Lady who blesses the kingdom. It's my duty to help you."
Eliza was deeply moved. "Thank you."
With Mary's help, the pressure of memorizing the prayers lifted immediately.
Once Mary had shooed Nolan out, the two got to work. Mary recited a line, and Eliza repeated it, slowly committing the words to memory.
Outside, Nolan lingered for a moment, listening to their voices. He only snapped out of it when his deputy, Ross, appeared, making exaggerated faces at him from a distance.
Nolan frowned and walked over, his expression sour. "What's with the faces? If you have something to say, just say it."
Ross chuckled, glancing toward the doors. "Prince Nolan, has the Holy Lady woken up?"
Nolan didn't answer directly, just giving him a sharp look. "Why are you asking? Who sent you?"
Ross raised his hands innocently. "No one. But when I came in, I saw people from the Duke's estate outside."
He leaned in slightly. "Lord Mowbay and his eldest son are waiting. Looks like they don't plan on leaving until the Holy Lady wakes up."
Nolan's expression remained cold. "Oh? Well, let them wait."
If Gabriel couldn't even control his own son, someone else would have to teach him a lesson.
Besides, Eliza had just been crying—Nolan had no intention of letting those people ruin her mood.
He gave specific instructions to the palace staff: no one was to reveal that the Holy Lady had woken up.
By the time Gabriel and Benedict finally learned that Eliza was awake, two more days had passed.
After keeping vigil outside the palace for two days, Gabriel finally gave in to exhaustion and returned to the estate at Benedict's urging.
But just as they arrived home, news came from the palace—the Holy Lady of Walden had just woken up. The timing was so precise it felt like a deliberate slap in the face.
Equally drained, Benedict let out a frustrated sigh. "Eliza sure knows how to wear us out."
Of all times, she had to wake up now. If Benedict hadn't seen how badly Eliza got hit by Dylan himself, he might've suspected she'd been awake all along.
Gabriel, sensing his son's thoughts, let out a cold laugh. "Eliza wouldn't dare defy me. Someone else is behind this."
Benedict frowned. "What do you mean, Father?"
"Who else could it be but Nolan?" Gabriel's expression darkened, his gaze sharp. "He's quite something, using the king's favor as a shield to act however he pleases."
When it came to suppressing the Duke's estate, Nolan never wasted an opportunity.
"This time, we took a serious hit because of him. If not for that unruly girl making a scene, Dylan wouldn't have ended up in prison," Gabriel said.
He was certain of one thing—Dylan had crossed the line by barging into Saint Grace Nunnery, and punishment was inevitable. But imprisonment was excessive. In Gabriel's eyes, this was all Eliza's fault.
"Don't worry, Father," Benedict said. "I've already had Matthew visit the prison a few times to smooth things over. Dylan should be fine."
Gabriel snorted, "Even if he isn't, he brought this on himself."
While he blamed Eliza, he didn't absolve Dylan either. His son had acted recklessly, and now they were all paying for it.
Gabriel's tone turned impatient. "Once Dylan is back, it's your job as his elder brother to set him straight. If anything like this happens again, I'll punish both of you."
Benedict, knowing better than to argue, accepted the reprimand without complaint.
Still, after a moment's hesitation, he voiced his concerns. "Father, I feel like there's more to this than we realize."
Gabriel shot him a glance but said nothing, signaling for him to continue.
Benedict took the cue, understanding that his father probably shared his thoughts. "Dylan may be hot-tempered and impulsive, but he's never gone this far before. He wouldn't have acted so recklessly without good reason."
As he spoke, he prepared a fresh pot of coffee for Gabriel.
Gabriel took a sip and simply said, "Go on."
Benedict nodded. "I think something must've set him off. Something serious."
The problem was that Dylan refused to talk. No matter how many times they asked, he kept his mouth shut.
Because of that, Gabriel and Benedict hadn't been able to plead his case. They had no choice but to let him take the full punishment—eighty lashes.
Thinking back, Benedict felt they needed to get to the bottom of it. If they knew what had really happened, they might be able to reason with Eliza.
Gabriel set his coffee cup down, drumming his fingers against the table as his eyes narrowed. "That day, Matthew and Anthony were both home. Only Sophie went to Saint Grace Nunnery, correct?"
Benedict paused, then nodded. "That's right."
Gabriel's expression turned cold. "Go and bring Sophie here."