Chapter 63….. The Letter that Reached the Pope
Startled by the sound of thunder, Ridel quickly scooted close to Bella and nervously glanced out the window.
“W-why is it suddenly raining…?”
“Who knows. Maybe God is angry?”
Bella gave a light snort and joked, which immediately drained the color from Ridel’s face.
“Bella! You know I really hate things like this!”
“It’s a joke. People are the scariest things in this world, not natural phenomena like that. And you’re the one who wants to overthrow the kingdom’s system.”
To be more precise, it was people’s desires that were frightening—desires fueled by things like status, wealth, and honor. Those were what truly killed people.
People claimed to fear ghosts and spirits, but take Chey, for example—he had never killed anyone. He was still a kind spirit, or rather, a cursed being.
“What scares me most are things I can’t control. Nature, or like… you know…”
“Ghosts?”
“Exactly. Though, of course, His Grace is still His Grace, even if he is a ghost.”
Ridel quickly added that last part as he glanced around.
He still couldn’t see Chey at all. He had no idea the duke had already returned and was watching him intently from behind the sofa, arms folded.
“Such devotion.”
“Jealous?”
“Ridel, imagining things is free, but you’re overdoing it.”
“Che.”
Clicking his tongue, Ridel leaned back against the chair. It seemed his fear had subsided at last.
“Moments like this prove you’re a true noble. Nobles are the ones who believe in superstition more. For us, what’s scary is the rent, the taxes, and tomorrow itself.”
“Well, things given without effort always fall under the realm of luck, and luck is ultimately up to heaven.”
“Which must be why the temple managed to survive a hundred years without a single oracle.”
“Heh, as always, you’ve got a sharp tongue.”
Ridel chuckled lightly and drained his cold tea.
Did Bella know? That this mansion was the only place where he could let his guard down and simply be himself.
She probably didn’t. And it was better that way. If Bella knew, she might start feeling burdened by him or try to keep her distance.
“If the person you saw really was a saint, then it’s only a matter of time before the temple regains its strength. If that happens, the world you want might come faster than you think.”
“Well… I said I wanted to abolish the class system, not return to the past.”
“In the end, it’ll come down to a fight between the temple and the new powers. Unless the temple bows. Which would be the best outcome.”
Currently, the temple was allied with the wealthy commoner faction. So if a saint truly appeared and the temple’s power grew, the nobles and the royal family would inevitably weaken.
When that time came, the empowered temple would surely enforce ascetic lifestyles in pursuit of its former glory, which would naturally cause it to part ways with the wealthy commoners.
What happened afterward was crucial. If the commoners failed to seize the momentum then, the nation could regress into an era darker than absolute monarchy.
“So what do you plan to do? Only a handful of people can get inside the temple. It might be even harder to investigate than the palace.”
“What do you think the temple needs most?”
At Bella’s question, Ridel paused, then lightly shook his head. His sky-blue hair rippled like fluffy clouds.
“Honor?”
“Money.”
“….”
Ridel was struck speechless at Bella’s firm answer. Few would dare say the temple’s greatest need was money. But it was true.
With the disappearance of oracles and saints, the temple’s power had weakened, and naturally, donations and followers had dwindled as well.
If they wanted to publicly present a saint who had appeared for the first time in a hundred years, they would need enormous funds.
Realizing this, Ridel looked at Bella with dazed eyes. Bella, as if reading his thoughts, curved her lips into a bold, confident smile.
“And now, I have a lot of money. A looot.”
Ridel thought her violet eyes sparkled oddly bright as he forced an awkward smile back.
As he had suspected since the very beginning, Bella—corrupted by society—wasn’t quite in her right mind.
The shabby corridors of the temple echoed with footsteps as a priest stopped before a massive door.
The knight guarding it stepped inside first. Several minutes later, the great door opened wide, revealing a tidy chamber within.
The priest cautiously approached the man standing by the window and spoke.
“Your Holiness, a letter has arrived.”
“Set it down and go.”
The pope, wearing a gentle smile, gestured to his desk.
But the priest, feeling the need to explain, pulled the letter from his robes and added:
“It’s from a woman named Bella—you may have heard of her? The one who succeeded in the soap-carving and perfume trade.”
“Bella?”
“Yes.”
“Hand it to me.”
The pope’s eyes widened slightly as he accepted the letter.
Of course, he knew of Bella. But as far as he was aware, she had never once visited the temple, let alone shown any connection to it. For her to suddenly send him a personal letter… it was no trivial matter.
“I’ll take my leave then.”
Once the priest departed, the pope sat down, slit the envelope with a knife, and read its contents.
The handwriting was neat yet bold. What it said was unexpected: Bella was starting a scented candle business and wished to consult with the temple beforehand.
Naturally, this was good news for the temple.
Articles about the commoner woman who sponsored young artists and built a fortune through soap and perfume sales were everywhere. She had opened shop after shop, each one raking in incredible revenue. Such a successful businesswoman offering goodwill toward the temple could only benefit the upcoming festival.
“Bella. Bella Osik. What is she thinking, making me such an offer?”
But precisely because it was such a favorable proposal, it felt suspicious. Narrowing his eyes, the pope reread the letter several times before finally dropping it onto the desk with a soft thud.
“There is someone I must summon urgently.”
His voice rang through the chamber.
From behind a wall, a knight cloaked entirely in a hooded robe stepped forward and knelt.
“….”
“Bella. I will speak with her privately. Bring her discreetly, and with courtesy.”
“By your command.”
The pope’s cold expression as he issued the order was more akin to a stern general than a benevolent cleric.
When the knight melted back into the shadows, the pope turned once again to the window, his face returning to gentle calm. Outside, he saw priests hurrying by with books in hand.
Watching them quietly, he allowed a faint, chilling smile to spread.
“As long as mankind exists, so too will religion. There is nothing to fear, nothing to shrink from.”
Bella’s jaw dropped as she checked the order slips for the newly launched colored soaps.
“This… this is really today’s orders?”
She flipped through the thick stack of papers again and again in disbelief. Just by looking at it, she could tell it was a massive success.
“Yes, ma’am! The new budget-friendly brand has completely topped the charts!”
At first, she had only targeted nobles—producing soap carvings in small quantities and selling them at exorbitant prices.
Once she secured her footing, she simplified the designs for mass production and lowered the price. This time, the target was wealthy commoners. But the response had exploded not only among them, but also among the more stable middle-class citizens.
“So it’s true—commoners are beginning to build wealth. Even though it’s still expensive for a consumable item, look at how many orders came in.”
“Well, these days, earning personal income isn’t frowned upon anymore. Everyone’s eager to grow their wealth.”
The employee’s voice was so excited, one might think they had made the money themselves. Of course, higher sales meant higher wages for Bella’s workers too, so it was natural for them to feel delighted.
Watching her employee’s cheeks flush with joy, Bella scribbled something quickly across the order slips before handing them back.
“Finance.”
“Pardon?”
The employee blinked in surprise at Bella’s curt word.
“I’m going to invest all of this into Ridel’s bank.”
