CHAPTER 06……………………………………….
The faint red aura surrounding it suggested it hadn’t been created long ago.
I glanced at the intermediate priest.
If I used my power, they’d discover I had healing attributes.
I’d been trying to hide it all this time, but it seemed impossible now.
“Welcome to the Holy State of Magnus. I shall offer a prayer of blessing to Your Grace, Grand Duke Lindmere, Lord of the Winter Castle.”
Visiting nobles were always given a blessing first.
During his last visit, the priests caused chaos by refusing on the grounds that they couldn’t bless an unbaptized bastard.
I didn’t care whether someone was a bastard or not—if they didn’t kill people, I could pray for them as many times as needed.
If I could, I’d even give him the baptism myself.
Then he’d never come back to the Holy State again.
I pressed my trembling hands together as if in prayer and closed my eyes tightly.
O Magna God, please help me.
Help me muster the courage to face Schwarz.
I used my holy power.
Warmth spread through my chest. A soft light-green glow radiated from my body and wrapped around Schwarz.
It was a healing force that soothed fatigue as well as injuries.
When I finished the prayer, I slowly opened my eyes.
“I offered healing alongside the prayer. Do you feel a bit less tired now?”
The Empire was quite far from the Holy State. Traveling such a distance must have exhausted him.
The moment my holy power touched him, any fatigue from travel would have dissolved.
What I really aimed for was the cut on his cheek.
He touched his cheek.
The sharp sting of that tiny wound would have vanished completely.
“Healing power? I heard such a thing doesn’t exist in this generation.”
I glanced again at the intermediate priest. As expected, his expression was one of pure shock.
It was a secret I’d hidden precisely because I didn’t want attention, but thanks to Schwarz, it was now exposed to the world.
Well, spilled water couldn’t be gathered again.
“It’s a rare ability, but it’s not as efficient as holy water.”
Since I’d been found out, I tried to make it sound unimpressive.
Fortunately, Schwarz seemed to lose interest and didn’t ask further.
I cautiously offered,
“May I be permitted to escort Your Grace?”
Escort, my foot. I wanted to throw salt at him and chase him out.
He lowered his hand from his cheek and looked at me.
“What do you think of me?”
A lunatic.
I barely suppressed the truth as I forced a calm smile.
“The God Magnus said that all who visit the temple are lambs in need of help. What kind of help do you seek, Your Grace?”
So please behave like a harmless lamb.
Schwarz’s lips curved slightly, amused by my answer.
“…You’re probably the only priest who thinks that way.”
Muttering to himself, he then said,
“I’ll humor you. Lead the way.”
“Thank you, Your Grace. Before we move, may I ask you to surrender your weapon?”
His gaze instantly sharpened again.
Even if he was the Emperor of the Empire, all weapons had to be surrendered inside the temple—that was protocol.
Only holy knights had permission to carry weapons in the Grand Temple.
“Weapons are prohibited inside the temple. The Holy State guarantees Your Grace’s safety.”
“And how am I supposed to trust that?”
Ah, the paranoia.
Ironically, Schwarz had created his assassination squad because he didn’t trust anyone.
As a bastard child, he’d been targeted by countless people since childhood.
To survive, he must have decided to eliminate threats before they reached him.
I understood, but I wasn’t going to bend. My life was on the line.
“I believe Your Grace would fight perfectly fine even without a weapon.”
His raw physical strength alone was monstrous.
“It becomes difficult if the opponent has a sword.”
Difficult, my foot.
He had defeated armed enemies countless times using his dark ability even without a weapon.
“If anyone attacks with a weapon, I’ll throw myself in front of Your Grace to protect you.”
“…With those slender arms?”
“I’m the eldest daughter of Count Theodore. I inherited my parents’ sturdiness. If I rush in, I can at least create an opening.”
Schwarz stroked his chin and studied me, then suddenly burst into laughter.
Was he convinced? Hopefully he wasn’t laughing because I looked ridiculous.
He unfastened the sword at his waist and handed it to the intermediate priest.
“I’ll trust your words for now.”
Thankfully, he seemed to take it as a novice priest’s little joke.
I felt relieved, though I was still terrified of him. He looked over my stiff posture and said,
“I won’t kill you, so stop trembling.”
I really wished he’d keep that promise.
Well, at least one crisis is over.
Just knowing he didn’t have a weapon made it easier to breathe.
But another problem remained.
Where should I take him?
To reduce the scent of pheromones even slightly, outdoors would be best.
Then one place came to mind.
A pavilion in the Grand Temple garden—this season the flowers were in full bloom, perfect for masking scents.
I guided Schwarz toward the garden.
In the Holy State’s Grand Assembly Hall, the Holy Sovereign Cassius, the cardinals who had returned from various regions, and priests overseeing temples across the continent were gathered to discuss matters.
This meeting was particularly long due to the number of issues.
The closed doors of the hall creaked open.
An intermediate priest slipped inside, approached his supervising cardinal, and whispered,
“Your Eminence, the Grand Duke Lindmere has arrived.”
The cardinal receiving the report was so shocked he unintentionally replied aloud,
“What? Why did that mad dog come to the Holy State?”
He clamped his mouth shut when he met Cassius’s eyes and cleared his throat.
“…Forgive me, Your Holiness. I spoke out of turn due to the unexpected visitor.”
“Mad dog? Who are you referring to?”
At Cassius’s gesture, the intermediate priest answered,
“The Empire’s Grand Duke Lindmere. It seems he is here for baptism.”
Grand Duke Lindmere—rumored to delight in bloodshed enough to volunteer for battlefields.
He was also suspected to be connected to an assassination squad, given how families hostile to him had disappeared without a trace.
One could not baptize a bastard. So he would need to be kept occupied for a while and then sent away.
“We must assign a priest to guide him.”
Cassius looked around, tapping the armrest.
As if they knew his intention, all the priests avoided his gaze.
They all hated dealing with an unbaptized bastard noble.
“That won’t be necessary, Your Holiness. Priest Sonia has already taken charge of guiding the Grand Duke.”
Cassius’s face stiffened.
“Who is with whom right now?”
His voice was so cold it froze the atmosphere in the hall.
The gathered priests were startled.
Cassius was known to be gentle and kind—like a quiet lake.
But now he was like a blade carved from ice.
Well, it is Grand Duke Lindmere, after all.
This was his second visit to the Holy State.
Last time, he’d gotten into a fight with a holy knight and nearly drawn blades.
Although the issue had been brushed aside, the Grand Duke clearly harbored hostility toward the Holy State.
And now a mere novice priest had been assigned to him—it was only natural for Cassius to worry. If she made a mistake, the Holy State would be held responsible.
But actually… isn’t this a good thing?
She was only a novice priest.
If things went wrong, they could blame everything on her and resolve the matter cleanly.
“…She may have been a count’s daughter, but she is a novice priest now. It worries me that someone inexperienced is guiding him.”
“Indeed. A novice priest likely hasn’t mastered all the customs.”
“He complained last time about insufficient hospitality. If it happens again, he will surely cause trouble.”
“If she mishandles anything, she should be held responsible.”
They were suggesting dumping all blame on Sonia.
Other priests seemed to agree.
Cassius felt both disappointment and anger at their self-serving remarks.
“What disgraceful behavior is this?”
His anger-filled voice silenced the priests.
“To entrust everything to a single novice, and then attempt to shift all responsibility—are you still priests of the Holy State?”
“N-no! We were simply worried she might make a mistake in front of the Grand Duke…”
“If that’s the reason, then you experienced priests should handle him yourselves.”
“O-ourselves…?”
“It is a difficult and important task. Naturally, high-ranking priests should step forward.”
With no excuses left, the priests nervously exchanged looks.
Cassius felt not only disappointment but fury toward them.
He intended to make them pay for trying to push the burden onto someone else.
“We were deciding on the representative priest for the Northeastern Temple, weren’t we? The numbers work out perfectly. You three may go.”
“Y-Your Holiness…! I am too old to live in harsh mountain terrain.”
Everyone wanted assignments in wealthy urban temples.
Remote, rugged regions suffered from shortages and demanded a frugal life—no one wanted the northeastern post, which had prolonged the meeting.
The other priests, bored of the long discussion, supported Cassius.
“I agree with His Holiness. A quiet mountain region will suit someone of your age.”
“And if three of you go together, it won’t be lonely.”
“With your years of experience, you will surely spread the word of God well.”
With everyone agreeing, refusal became impossible.
“…Very well. We shall accept Your Holiness’s command.”
Reluctantly, they agreed to go to the northeastern temple.
