🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 70
High Priest Giuseppe muttered to himself through clenched teeth.
“……Even if she’s a saint, she’s still just an ordinary human. I don’t really understand why everyone worships her so much.”
For a moment, I doubted my ears. Is that really something a priest would say?
It seemed he was irritated because Ezekiel had mentioned the saint just now.
Of course, it’s understandable if he personally disliked the saint favored by the empire. But to say something like that recklessly when both Ezekiel and I were nearby?
‘Seeing this, I can imagine how difficult it must have been for the original heroine, Monica Conte, to be selected as a saint.’
She must have endured all kinds of jealousy and slander from the clergy of the state church.
Well, if that’s the weight a protagonist must bear, I can’t argue with it. Still, I never understood why my early self, just an extra, had to endure suffering equal to that of the main character.
“This is the Holy Spring. It represents all the canals and seas of Betra, so let us pray here together so that storms do not come.”
I was familiar with prayer. I closed my eyes and moved my hands in the prayer gestures, just like I had done a few times before.
“O great deity who protects the seas and springs of Betra, who descended to safeguard us through the sacred covenant with Undine…….”
Still, Giuseppe’s sense of duty as High Priest didn’t vanish; when praying, he was completely serious.
“May the glory of the deity be upon us.”
By the time the prayer ended, sweat had formed in beads on my skin. I wasn’t sure if the deity actually existed, but it felt powerful… Is it wrong to think that?
“If Your Highness has prayed diligently, there shouldn’t be any storms this year either. I look forward to it.”
“The safety of the entire city depends on the High Priest, who has the ability to converse with the deity. Your shoulders must feel heavy all through September; please do your best.”
Ezekiel and the priest exchanged sharp banter that no interpretation was needed for, finishing with a firm handshake.
After the prayer, we stepped out onto the hill outside the temple. I hadn’t noticed it before, but the view from the hill opened up completely, and it felt refreshing.
“Where did the coachman go?”
The coachman, who had been energetically exercising up and down the hill, wasn’t in sight.
From the occasional “heave-ho” sounds coming from the hill below, it seemed he was still exercising.
“Milady, I’ll fetch the coachman.”
Because it was a private matter, neither Olina nor the other maid accompanied us, so Ezekiel took it upon himself to handle the task.
Not long after Ezekiel went to find the coachman, Apprentice Priest Matteo appeared.
“Oh? I came out to see you off, but where has Your Highness gone?”
“She stepped away for a moment to speak with the coachman.”
“Then I suppose we’ll have to wait a little.”
The apprentice priest, with a cheerful innocence like a chick, waited there for Ezekiel. I also waited, in a suffocating silence.
“How long have you been here, Matteo?”
“Five months. I’ve heard you need at least a year to lose the apprentice priest title.”
“That must be tough.”
“I’m enduring it. After all, I have the opportunity to live and serve in the temple.”
Matteo smiled wryly.
Although the temple was established under the principle of renouncing worldly matters, ironically, many priests sought worldly recognition.
One couldn’t exactly blame them. The temple originally served as an orphanage, nurturing children who naturally ended up working there. Even a devoted priest needs a place to live.
Now, how should I continue the conversation?
It felt strange to tell him to “hang in there.” Saying, “You’re working hard” felt off because he seemed fine.
As I silently observed, Matteo opened the conversation.
“My parents run a small antique shop in the heart of Betra. My father is from another region, and he’s overjoyed that his son became a priest in a big city.”
That’s it! Talking about parents is a safe topic.
“Actually, my mother is from another region too. Have you heard of Aionel?”
“I’ve heard of the Kingdom of Aionel!”
Matteo’s face brightened.
“They say people there leave a small gift for their children’s future.”
“A gift… Yes, I’ve heard of such a tradition.”
But it felt distant to me. I had parted from my mother at birth and never even knew her face, so there was no gift for me.
It would be strange to feel disappointed. A newborn daughter wouldn’t have had time for gifts. Perhaps it’s best just to know such traditions exist.
“Matteo! What’s that one still standing there doing?”
A furious voice struck my ears. High Priest Giuseppe shouted down the stairs, revealing his irritation.
“Stop wasting time on meaningless chatter and come clean— D-do you hear me?”
I straightened my back elegantly and held my head high.
“Priest Matteo was out here to see me off.”
“Ah… I-I see. Why haven’t you left yet?”
“We’re waiting for the carriage to be ready. Priest Matteo has been my companion in conversation.”
“Is that true?”
“Y-Yes! Y-yes! Y-yeah!”
I glanced at Matteo. He was nervously watching the High Priest. Understandable.
“I didn’t realize our small talk would upset the High Priest.”
Covering my mouth with the fan, I smiled gently. Giuseppe forced a faint smile in response.
“My apologies.”
Having been embarrassed, Giuseppe stammered and sweated. No priest would enjoy being seen as angry or harsh.
Just then, Ezekiel returned with the coachman and spotted us. Giuseppe’s expression worsened.
“What’s happening?”
“Oh, nothing. I just came out briefly to call Priest Matteo.”
Ezekiel was quick to assess the situation.
“So that yelling earlier was the High Priest, I see?”
Ezekiel subtly cornered High Priest Giuseppe. At times like this, he was the most reliable.
Defeated by our combined pressure, Giuseppe’s voice softened remarkably.
“Ha ha ha… Priest Matteo, once the send-off is over, could you return to clean the central temple? There are many other places that require your attention as well.”
Seeing Matteo’s bewildered face, it was obvious it was the rarest display of kindness.
Before leaving the temple, I slipped a magic stone communicator into Matteo’s hands.
“Contact me if anything happens inside the temple. Press the purple gem to connect to the Duke’s residence.”
I couldn’t stand seeing anyone harassed. Reporting temple matters to the city guards would be awkward, so I handed Matteo the communicator I had intended for use in the capital.
When I confessed this at home, Butler Alfredo scratched his head and said he’d have to retrieve an extra magic stone communicator from storage.
Ezekiel was delighted I had already mastered planting secret informants. I also heard Michele praise me as a future guild leader.
Can it really work like that?
Three days after visiting the temple, I had finished preparing to leave Betra.
Ezekiel frowned all morning as the servants moved my luggage.
“What’s wrong, darling?”
When I called him that, his furrowed brows relaxed.
“I can’t believe you’re leaving.”
“Tch. You’ve lived fine on your own before.”
“If you were never here, perhaps it wouldn’t matter. But I’ve grown used to this place; it will feel strange when it’s empty.”
He grasped my hand urgently. The greatest display of affection we could show outside.
“I don’t want to let you leave like this either, Ezekiel. But…….”
