“The best compensation I can offer you is…”
At Selenea’s words, Calista perked up her ears and greedily swallowed.
But just then—
“W-What is the meaning of this?!”
A shout erupted from the priests following behind.
As I turned my head, I saw that the high priests were suddenly surrounded by soldiers wielding swords and spears.
Calista’s face turned pale. A cold blade was already pressed to her neck.
The gleaming, sharp sword belonged to none other than Bastin Mueller.
As her eyes trembled, she caught sight of the noblewoman smiling serenely.
In a clear voice, the noblewoman said:
“I will send you back unharmed. That is the compensation for the relic.”
Calista threw her head back in shock, eyes wide.
“W-What are you saying?! How dare you threaten the priests of the Grand Temple—!”
“Even priests of the Grand Temple are no exception.”
At the sudden voice from behind, Calista whipped her head around.
“You…!”
It was a familiar face.
Walter Levy, the Duke of Tigeris’s strategist and famously capable lieutenant, stood before her.
With a blank expression, he spoke to Calista.
“His Grace has ordered that all of you be executed, with only the High Priest imprisoned.”
“W-What?! That’s outrageous—!”
“That’s what will happen if you refuse the lady’s generous offer.”
Calista shouted, trembling.
“No one—no one has ever treated me, no, the priests of the Temple, like this!! Do you even understand what you’re doing—!”
“Then we’ll be the first to set the precedent.”
At Walter’s calm response, Calista staggered.
She frantically turned to the noblewoman and pleaded in a panicked voice:
“M-My Lady! Please, say something! What is the meaning of all this?! You said you understood the Temple’s position—!”
But she only caressed the relic hanging around her neck and stared back coldly, all traces of her earlier smile gone.
With calm, steady eyes, she finally spoke:
“If the compensation is not to your liking, then I can no longer be of help.”
“How is that compensation?! This is clearly a threat and an insult to the faith!”
“Then there’s no helping it.”
At her signal, Count Bastin pressed his sword closer to Calista’s neck.
A thin line opened on her skin, and a droplet of blood trickled down.
Calista’s eyes widened in disbelief, her whites showing.
One of the high priests watching from behind urgently shouted,
“P-Please accept the offer, High Priest!!”
Calista’s body trembled as if in a trance. She muttered in disbelief.
“How… How dare you…!”
Another priest chimed in.
“H-High Priest…! There’s no other option! The Duke of Tigeris—”
Even though his voice trailed off in fear, every priest present instinctively knew.
If it was Aleon Tigeris, he really would kill them all.
Even the Emperor didn’t take him lightly.
The Mad Warlord. The Empire’s Reaper. The Death Knight. He had many names.
Soldiers who had fought under him would turn pale just hearing his name.
As if remembering him was too terrifying.
He was the only man whose massacre of the clergy wouldn’t even be surprising.
That was Aleon Tigeris.
A grim pallor spread across the priests’ faces. At last, Calista opened her mouth.
“…Fine. I accept your offer.”
“A wise decision.”
The noblewoman smiled faintly.
Calista bit her lip until it bled and glared at her.
Then, in a furious voice, she added:
“But know this! The Temple will never forget this. That relic—one day, we will reclaim it! And when that time comes—!”
Before she could finish, soldiers roughly restrained her.
“You dare—!”
She had walked in on her own, but now she was being dragged out, bound in chains.
‘This… cursed wench! How dare she mock the Temple alongside her father!’
Her pride was so wounded that her teeth ground together.
Worse still, she was so consumed with rage that the pain from the cut on her neck didn’t even register.
As she and the other priests were dragged to the dungeon, Calista looked back at the noblewoman one last time.
She still wore that same calm smile.
With the sacred relic of Prater proudly hanging around her neck.
* * *
A few hours later.
I sat on the couch, looking awkwardly at Walter.
After sending the priests back to the capital, we had gathered in my father’s office to report the events at the prison.
And then—
“You say you manifested a power?”
Walter’s incredulous voice rang out. I nodded slowly and raised one hand.
A faint shimmer of light began to radiate from my palm.
It soon formed into a glowing orb and surrounded me completely.
[To think my child can already control my power so well! Truly amazing!]
Adam’s boastful voice echoed beside me.
But I kept my gaze fixed ahead, trying not to look at him, and slowly dispersed the light.
“D-Defensive-type ability?”
Walter stammered. I turned and saw even my father was wide-eyed in surprise.
“W-When did you manifest this power?”
I scratched my head with an awkward smile.
“Uh… one day, it just happened?”
Saying it made me feel a twinge of guilt.
[My child really is a great actor. There’s nothing you can’t do, is there?]
The true owner of the ability, Adam, was circling me proudly.
But I had no choice but to introduce it as my own power to freely use Adam’s ability.
‘This is way less complicated.’
Adam had said it himself:
That I was the only one who could summon him.
And I suspected it was because I was an outsider who had possessed Selenea.
‘If I mention Adam and they find out I’m from another world…’
I clenched my fist discreetly. If it came out that I was just an imposter, everything would get messy.
…Would I still be able to live in this world like I do now?
I quickly wiped the unease from my face and said nonchalantly,
“Anyway, it’s a good thing, right?”
“Of course it is! And it’s a defensive ability, no less.”
Walter replied, visibly excited.
“Defensive abilities are still quite rare and highly valued. Their potential is limitless.”
[My child, that man speaks the truth. See? I’m incredibly useful. Truly impressive…]
Adam popped up next to my face, proudly seeking praise.
But I ignored him and turned to look at the Duke.
Then I slowly asked the question I had been preparing for a long time.
“So, about that…”
At my next words, Walter and my father’s eyes widened.
“Sister!!! Sister!!!!”
Estelline bolted upright in bed in surprise.
Turning her head, she saw Eria burst through the door.
“Eria, what are you doing this early—”
“We got a reply from Lady Selenea!!”
Estelline blinked rapidly, stunned, then leapt out of bed like a bullet.
In Eria’s hand was a white envelope.
“L-Let’s open it right away.”
As Estelline spoke, Eria nodded vigorously.
They brought the letter to the table in the room and carefully opened it with a letter knife.
Inside was a single sheet of stationery.
Estelline quickly unfolded it.
Neatly written text filled the entire page.
Hello Estelline, and Eria.
I saw you’d sent me many letters. Though it’s late, I’ve read every single one.
I actually wanted to reply sooner, but things have been busy, so I’m only getting to it now.
I have good news. I’ll be visiting the capital soon, but I’ll tell you the details then.
Until then, stay well.
The two gently set the letter on the table.
“Good news…?”
Eria’s eyes sparkled as she caressed the letter.
“She’s coming to the capital? Maybe…”
Estelline’s cheeks flushed as she murmured.
“Sister, if she visits, should we ask Father to invite her to our estate?”
“Yes, good idea. We actually sent her an invitation before…”
Estelline’s face darkened.
The invitation had safely reached the Tigeris estate. But by then, Selenea had already lost the ability to read it.
‘Could the rumors be true?’
Estelline stared at the letter, her expression clouded.
Though everyone tried to keep it quiet, word about Selenea had already spread through the capital.
“Did you hear? Some mad priest dared to mess with Lady Tigeris.”
“Oh, I heard too. It wasn’t just once—apparently he used mind control on her for a long time.”
“Why on earth would the temple let such a priest serve there?”
Mind control?
The moment Estelline heard that, her mind went blank.
‘It was strange. We were so close as kids, but she suddenly changed…’
Estelline’s mother, Kione Laurent, and Selenea’s mother, Hemera Tigeris, had been best friends.
But after both women tragically died, Estelline didn’t see Selenea for a long time.
And when they finally reunited, Selenea inexplicably loathed her.
‘Could it all have been because of the mind control?’
Under the table, Estelline clenched her fist tightly.
