CH 20

After that, the flow of action was obvious.

For a while, everyone focused on calming down Yura.

When Yura had calmed down, she would ask simple questions. Of course, in response, someone answered Yura's questions.

As they exchanged several questions and answers, the priests surrounded Yura as if they had made an oath to do so.

Then, as if he was trying to inject the information, the priest explained various things.

General questions about what kind of world this was and what value her existence held.

Yura accepted the situation more calmly than expected.

Maybe that’s why.

Something made Rosenta uneasy.

It felt like something was stuck in his throat, like a thorn in his throat.

"I'm a saint... … . I am just a normal person!”

Yura waved her hands and shook her head from side to side saying that there was no way.

‘Okay. Maybe I'm overreacting.’

It could be that Yura was accepting it calmly at first because of the way the novel was set.

That’s how heroines in ordinary novels were... … .

Huh. This munchkin novel plot. This was the female munchkin protagonist and male lead.

Rosenta secretly laughed so that others wouldn't hear.

He furrowed his brow.

He tried to quiet his thoughts as much as possible and continued listening to the conversation between Yura and the priests.

“Maybe you’ve misunderstood something?”

Perhaps, because of Yura's humble answer, the priests were more enthusiastic than before.

They shouted incessantly, in a voice full of excitement, as if a fuse had been ignited.

“It can't be! That silver holy power! What could be more proof than that!”

"He’s right! You are sure to be a saint!”

“Go to the Holy Land with us!”

As the priests continued to speak, Yura's expression changed.

It was a different expression from the first.

The corners of her mouth went up slightly, as if she was in a good mood.

"Alas! The one sent by Luz! The one who will further illuminate our holy kingdom!”

“The pope will be very welcoming!”

“People from across the Holy Lands are waiting for the Holy Lady! Please join us!”

‘I’m tired of this. How many times do you intend to repeat the same words? Tsk.’

Rosenta turned his head.

The longer this boring conversation went on, the more questions he had.

Theodore was too quiet. He was just standing around next to Rosenta.

He would expect Theodore to be among them, trying to capture Yura's heart.

He would even expect him to dismiss everyone and have a conversation with just the two of them... … .

"Your majesty."

Theodore, who was staring at Yura, slowly turned his head at Rosenta’s call.

His mouth was the first thing he saw.

His eyes were frowning with a serious expression, but his mouth was firm as if he would not say anything.

“Shouldn’t you step in?”

“… … I don't see a need to.”

Theodore pointed at someone with his chin.

As soon as Rosenta saw where he was pointing, he unknowingly let out a gasp of pure admiration.

"That’s quite… … He has a lot of stamina.”

It was Marquis Marigold.

He’d had a long conversation with the other nobles after the meeting was over.

Maybe that's why he’d entered this room looking pretty tired... … . Still, to such an extent, he poured it out with all his might.

The strength of middle-age was surprising every time I saw it.

“They Holy Kingdom! The saint has fallen here! Even into the arms of our majesty! In a way, we have the right to protect the saint!”

“What nonsense!”

“What about this is nonsense?”

Marquis Marigold's face grew more and more bluish.

After all, he had to repeatedly go back and forth with a lot of priests by himself. It's a relief that he didn't collapse.

After watching for a while, Rosenta turned to Theodore and opened his mouth again.

“Anyway, it seems impossible to discuss this with her alone. It seems to me that Your Majesty needs to step in.”

Theodore must have heard.

But he didn't reply to Rosenta’s words.

It was then that he said something unexpected.

“You look tired.”

"Pardon?"

“You look very tired and keep touching your forehead.”

‘What are you talking about’

Rosenta was dumbfounded, blinking his eyes, he gave a weak smile.

“Because I’m trying to compete with His Majesty.”

It was a very small smile, but Theodore didn’t seem to miss that moment.

Rosenta saw that he also smiled subtly at his reply.

Then Theodore took one step, then two steps forward.

In an instant, everyone who had been talking loudly became quiet. They saw Theodore approaching them.

“At this rate, there won’t be any conclusion reached today.”

Theodore looked at Yura.

“So I will ask you, saint. Where would you like to stay? The Holy Land? Or the Helios Empire?”

Yura's gaze was fixed on Theodore.

"If I… … If I want to go to the Holy Land, will you let me go?”

“Yes, as you wish.”

In an instant, a silvery glimmer shone in her black eyes.

Rosenta was curious. With what kind of eyes was Theodore looking at Yura?

He looked at Theodore's back and imagined his face.

Wouldn't he be looking at her with a hazy look like yesterday? Or is he staring with twinkling eyes like Yura?

“That is… … No, Your Majesty... … .”

Yura hesitated.

What the hell was she trying to say? She bit her lower lip and hesitated to speak.

Then, she closed her eyes tightly and spat out the words she had been swallowing so hard.

“Do you want me to be here?”

That reply would make anyone think that Yura might have fallen in love with Theodore at first sight, no matter who heard it.

In reality, Yura was fiddling with the blanket without even looking at Theodore's face.

Rosenta also thought that Theodore's answer would be obvious.

Whether he fell in love with Yura or not, the Theodore he knew would make a decision for the best of the Helios Empire.

“Would you like to stay here?”

Rosenta couldn't believe that Yura was so full of shyness just now, so he raised his head.

Yura stared at Theodore and answered firmly.

"Yes."

*

The blue sky gradually turned dark. The light streaming through the windows gradually diminished.

Even though it was so late, they couldn't leave their seats.

They were seated around a round table.

Rosenta, Theodore, and some priests continued to talk.

It was expected.

No matter how much the saint chose Theodore, the priests wouldn't back down easily.

“We must stay by the saint's side! We have a lot to teach her!”

“The saint doesn't understand the type of existence she is. We have to explain to her about Luz, whom we serve, and her holy powers!”

“If a person from the Holy Land were to come and explain properly, she might change her mind… … .”

The priests cleverly changed their words.

Even at the beginning, they were the ones who said they wanted to stay by the saint’s side innocently and unconditionally.

But now it was different. They even made up a reasonable rationale by attaching one cause to another.

It was like a never ending cycle.

As much as Rosenta was tired, he couldn't speak easily with the priests.

“Is that really why you want to stay here?”

The eyes of the priests that turned to him became sullen. As though they were seeing something unclean.

“You, you! Filthy clan!”

“Dark bastards! Your curses and dealings unblessed things! What do you know!"

Their repertoire hasn’t changed.

These were phrases he had heard countless times while living in the Estella duchy.

It would have been a mistake if they thought that he would have been hurt or stunned by such words.

He leaned crookedly against the wall and crossed his arms. He raised the corner of his mouth into a sneer.

‘Now they’re ready to fight this battle to the fullest.’

But before he could speak, anger erupted from an unexpected place. It was Theodore.

“First they showed up as if they had never heard of courtesy, but now who do they dare say such things to? I think anyone who saw this would call you a dirty clan.”

It was an overt slap to the face.

The faces of the priests turned red from the insult, but they couldn't respond to the visibly ill-tempered emperor.

No matter how great the power of the Holy Land, this was the place where the emperor ruled.

In particular, they were not high-ranking priests, so their heads could be chopped off if they overstepped.

That's why, despite Theodore's continued words, they only clenched their fists and couldn't say anything.

“I wonder what kind of help these priests, with their dirty mouths, will be to the saint.”

Then High Priestess Conitel, who had been silently listening to the story until now, stepped forward for the first time.

From the first time Rosenta had seen Conitel until now, his benevolent smile had never been erased from his face.

“All of this is due to my negligence. Hearing the news of the saint, I couldn't judge properly. I'm really sorry."

The high priest of the capital, 'Nota,' extended an apology.

Conitel was a high priest who was qualified to be the next pope, unlike the previous minions.

If you fight him, the fire will spread much bigger.

However, Theodore seemed determined to use his wits and take advantage of the situation.

The demeanor and tone were calmer than before, but Theodore's mouth was still sneering.

"One person. As a private instructor, I will allow only one priest.”

Was this long story finally coming to an end?

Theodore took a step back so that the priests would have no choice but to follow his proposal.

It felt like an appropriate compromise.

However, the priests still seemed unable to accept it.

All the anger they had been holding back until just now could be seen as they began screaming loudly with faces exuding dissatisfaction.

“A tutor! We are new priests! Priests who preach the word of God!”

“I don't even understand why the saint had to be kept in the empire in the first place!”

“It must have been a choice the saint made because she doesn’t know what else to do!”

There was no escaping this scene of dissonance.

Like the scratching of a blackboard, the unpleasant sound made Rosenta’s ears suffer.

He couldn’t stand hearing it. He wanted to shut those mouths.

As soon as he had that thought, something came to his mind. A little experiment.

‘Will my power, which they say is unclean, work on those who think they are the most sacred in the world?’

Actually… … .

It seemed more like an expression of irritation than an experiment.

Tap, tap.

He tapped the table with his index finger. Pointing in the direction of those whose mouths he wanted to shut.

Then, as if whispering, he uttered a very small command.

"Silence"

Clouds of black smoke began to gather around the necks of the two priests.

Soon, they couldn't get their voices out, so they just gurgled like crucian carp.

The priests became upset.

‘Why can’t I talk?’

‘This black energy… … .’

‘Him, him!’

He pointed at Rosenta.

Rosenta couldn't understand them. It was probably something about their shame that his ability that they’d reviled worked on them.

The corners of his mouth began to rise slightly at the satisfying scene.

Then, as if briefly passing by, he met Conitel's eyes.

Conitel must have seen the priests flustered, but he was smiling leisurely.

So much so that he looked as though that was the only expression he could make.

Then he said to Theodore, “I think Your Majesty's words are the most reasonable. but… … I have one request.”

Hearing that, Theodore widened his eyes and smiled kindly.

However,  while his eyes curved like half moons, they had a sharp edge and the sharpness in the tone of his voice could be felt.

“What is it?”

It was clear that Theodore had sensed the eeriness emanating from him, but Conitel did not flinch.

“The Pope has gone on a charity mission to care for the poor. It's a very remote place where no one can reach him, so please allow me to assist the saint, at least until I can contact him.”