Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 88

Don’t Get Caught by Your Husband! 88. Timothy’s Sister (1)

#88. Timothy’s Sister (1)

2024.05.27.

Turning her head, Belladona saw Timothy waving at her, a young child by his side.

Timothy…!

A mix of simple joy, the sadness of their impending farewell, and a touch of apology filled her as she smiled at him.

She longed to be finished with everything in the Papal States, yet knew she would carry some of the priests she’d grown close to in her heart for a long time.

“Tina, you must greet the Saintess properly.”

Timothy gently prompted the little girl beside him, shaking her hand back and forth.

Huh?

Belladona focused on the girl called Tina.

The child, with hair and eyes the same color as Timothy’s, gazed up at her with wide, innocent eyes.

*Little Timothy, so cute! Is she Timothy’s sister?*

“Ah, hello…”

Timothy nudged Tina, who mumbled her greeting, a little closer.

Belladona crouched down, meeting the child’s gaze with a warm smile. “Hello, Tina?”

The child’s eyes widened slightly at her smile, and soon both cheeks flushed a rosy red.

The resemblance to Timothy was so striking that Belladona couldn’t help but chuckle.

“This is my younger sister, Tina.”

*I can see that!*

Belladona looked up at Timothy and nodded, amused. If Tina were to get lost in the Papal States, anyone would immediately know to take her to Timothy.

Timothy, looking down at his younger sister with obvious affection, raised his head and asked, “Saintess! I saw a portal being set up in the garden on the way here. Are you returning now?”

*A portal has been set up?*

It seemed Escalión had already arranged for a portal back to Griblatta.

*Even so, to proceed this quickly… was he always such an efficient person?*

“I’m so sad to see you leave so suddenly. Of course, the celebration of your birth is over, and you have to fulfill your role as the mistress of Griblatta, so it’s only right that you return…”

Timothy trailed off, his eyebrows furrowing with disappointment.

Tina was staring blankly up at her brother, seemingly oblivious.

Belladona mirrored his regretful expression, straightened her knees, and stood up.

She lightly patted Timothy’s drooping shoulders, silently repeating, *Thank you so much, Timothy.*

*For always being so kind, for always trying to help, for secretly caring and paying attention to her.*

Timothy seemed to understand her unspoken feelings and offered a small, sad smile.

“Please be careful on your way back. May God always be with you. You will come to Astagna again, right?”

Knowing it was a promise she likely couldn’t keep, Belladona simply nodded.

*It was a shame that a priest like Timothy, who truly loved God, was under the Pope’s thumb.*

After a moment of eye contact and a silent farewell, Belladona bowed her head and waved at Tina. “Goodbye, Tina! I hope we can see each other again.”

“I came to see the Pope.”

At that moment, Tina, who had been quietly observing her, blurted out the unexpected words.

Huh? The Pope?

“The Pope called for me.”

Tina stated in a slow but clear voice.

*The Pope called for Tina? Why…?*

Turning to Timothy with a bewildered expression, she saw him smile as if he couldn’t help but find the situation amusing.

“Oh my, our Tina is saying unnecessary things. I guess she’s very proud to be meeting the Pope today.”

Timothy took Tina’s hand.

“Let’s go, Tina! To see the Pope you’ve been wanting to see so much.”

Tina nodded obediently.

Timothy gave Belladona one last look before heading towards the direction of the Pope’s office.

Belladona, watching the siblings depart, impulsively reached out her hand. “Wait a minute…!”

Timothy, his clothes caught by her fingers, turned his head, a question in his eyes.

“Saintess? Is there something you wanted to say…?”

Belladona gestured urgently towards the Papal States.

*Why…? Why did the Pope call for Tina?*

She didn’t know the reason, but a sense of unease washed over her. *Why would the Pope summon such a young child?*

“Ah, the reason why the Pope called for our Tina?”

Belladona nodded eagerly. “Yes, that! As expected, Timothy is quick-witted!”

Timothy rolled his eyes as if contemplating how much to reveal, then turned back to her.

“It’s not yet confirmed, so I’m hesitant to say it, but I’ll tell you, especially since it’s you, Saintess.”

Timothy said, releasing Tina’s hand.

“Tina, can you go over there and play for a moment? Your brother needs to have a very important conversation with the Saintess.”

“Okay.”

Tina nodded and wandered over to a display case placed along the hallway.

The child slowly examined the objects, then reached out to a vase placed on the display case, standing on tiptoe.

Small, chubby fingers were seen touching the scattered petals outside the vase.

“Actually, our Tina… seems to have a special talent.”

A special talent?

Belladona shifted her gaze from Tina back to Timothy.

“A few days ago, Tina was very sick. She had always been healthy since she was born without ever being seriously ill, but recently she had a high fever that worried everyone.”

“…”

“We consulted a doctor and brought in all the foods that were good for her body, and barely managed to bring down the fever. But after she recovered, we could tell that Tina had become… a little different.”

*Clang!*

At that moment, the sharp sound of something falling and shattering echoed through the hallway.

Belladona and Timothy both startled and turned their heads at the same time.

“Tina!”

Timothy called out the child’s name as he rushed to Tina, who was standing in front of the broken vase.

“…Brother.”

Around Tina, who remained motionless, fragments of the vase were scattered across the floor.

It seemed she had reached for something too high and knocked it over.

*Blood…!*

Belladona noticed drops of blood dripping from Tina’s palm to the floor and belatedly ran towards them.

The child’s left palm was covered in blood, as if cut by a sharp shard of pottery.

“Tina, are you okay? I told you not to touch anything that looks dangerous!”

Timothy knelt down in front of Tina and began to examine her, his voice filled with concern.

Tina, jostled back and forth by Timothy’s anxious ministrations, stared blankly at her brother, not shedding a single tear.

“Are you hurt anywhere else? Is the blood only coming from your palm? Is there anything strange?”

“I don’t know.”

“Ha…”

Timothy lowered his head, sighing softly.

*I, I need to treat the wound…!*

*But I’ve lost my divine power…*

Belladona looked down at Tina with a troubled expression.

Timothy had said that healing power wasn’t necessary, but she still felt a pang of regret that she had lost her divine power at a time like this.

*No matter how small the wound, it would heal quickly if she used her healing power… Besides, this level wasn’t a big strain on her life force.*

“Thank you. Tina, your brother will be right back.”

Timothy straightened up and stood, preparing to call for assistance. Belladona looked down at Tina.

*But this child…*

Tina was still staring blankly at her bleeding palm, her expression strangely indifferent.

*She’s not crying…?*

If she were a normal child, it would be perfectly natural for her to burst into tears, startled by the pain of the wound or the sight of the red blood flowing out.

But to be so composed…

“Saintess.”

At that moment, the child spoke, breaking the silence.

“I don’t feel any pain.”

*Doesn’t feel… any pain?*

As Belladona was pondering Tina’s words, the child raised her uninjured hand and placed it on her blood-soaked left hand.

“And I think I know how to get rid of this wound. But my brother told me not to.”

Belladona frowned, a sense of unease creeping over her as she listened to the child’s unsettling words.

*Wait a minute, could it be…?*

“I can, but I won’t do it now. The Pope wanted to know if I really have this ability. So I’ll do it later.”

“…!”

*What…?*

Just then, Timothy reappeared, leading a group of priests.

Belladona felt a dizzying sensation as she watched Timothy pick up Tina, while the priests began to clean up the broken fragments and sweep the floor.

“Saintess, I’m sorry you had to witness this just as you’re about to leave.”

Timothy said, wrapping Tina’s injured hand in a clean cloth.

“As you can see, my sister has become… like this. I think I should take my leave now.”

Belladona quickly composed herself and offered a reassuring smile, waving her hand to indicate it was alright. “Go quickly!”

Timothy bowed deeply to Belladona while holding Tina close.

Belladona quietly watched him turn and walk away.

** *Could it be… Is she talking about healing power?*