Beguiling the Enemy’s Patriarch - Chapter 38

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 38
The voice noticed my tone had sharpened noticeably, and it responded with considerably more gentleness.
[You’d be terrified if you knew who I was.]
My mouth fell open. If there was anything I feared, it was obvious. Could it be Soleia Elad’s vengeful spirits…?!
The sensation of cold hands binding my limbs suddenly came rushing back. Was this a ghost that had died unjustly within the Temple?
I stumbled backward hesitantly. My habit of spouting nonsense whenever I panicked or grew tense reared its ugly head once more.
“W-where does some wicked phantom sell medicine in a temple anyway? Who are you? One of Soleia Elad’s servants?”
[Soleia who? Who’s that?]
“Or some poor soul turned zombie?”
[Poor what?]
“J-just… vanish, you wicked thing…!”
[Goodness. You really do say anything.]
Thwack!
“Ow.”
An invisible force struck the crown of my head like a chestnut being cracked. I felt a sudden surge of emotion and lifted my gaze.
“Why are you hitting me…! Eek.”
Then I immediately cowered back down. No, no—I couldn’t talk back. I had absolutely no desire to be dragged from the Temple into the depths of hell.
Yet at the same time, a strange suspicion crept in. My body was growing increasingly energized. As if every cell were being forcibly infused with vitality, my body became lighter and more refreshed with each passing moment—the opposite of my mounting anxiety.
[If you keep acting so cheeky without even being permitted to exist in this land, things won’t be fun.]
Was this another threatening remark?
I grew increasingly confused. If this were truly one of Soleia Elad’s servants, or even something touched by magic, my body would never feel this invigorated.
I clung to the wolf statue’s leg like a lifeline and nervously scanned my surroundings. Though it claimed not to cause direct harm, the oppressive aura this unknown entity radiated was anything but ordinary.
A voice tinged with laughter echoed through my mind again.
[If you cling to me like that, even I’d be embarrassed.]
“…Eek!”
I released the wolf statue as if flinging it away. Of course, the statue wouldn’t budge from my push, so it was I who lost my balance and stumbled.
But before I could fall backward, a gentle force caught me. It was the same energy that had struck my head earlier—solid yet carrying a crisp, refreshing fragrance.
[Careless little thing. Quite adorable, though.]
“Ah…?”
I blinked in bewilderment. My body, enveloped in invisible energy, floated suspended in the air. By any rational standard, I couldn’t begin to comprehend the cause of this impossible phenomenon.
[Ah. Right.]
The voice suddenly exclaimed as if remembering something—with such dramatic flair that it nearly knocked the sense right out of me.
[I should be going now.]
“Y-yes?”
[I do need to hear the prayers, after all. I’m quite virtuous and generous by nature, you see.]
Hear what? Prayers? I blinked, unable to immediately grasp the meaning.
And the voice offered a parting farewell that was remarkably tender, kind, and utterly unexpected.
[Farewell, you foul-mouthed little scrap. I’m off now. Do try to stay alive.]
“…?”
What? Something feels wrong about this.
And the moment I thought that, the energy supporting my body vanished without a trace.
“Ugh!”
I let out a sharp cry as I plummeted to the floor. Crash. My lower back and buttocks struck the hard marble with full force, sending a sharp sting through my body. An involuntary groan escaped my lips.
“Nngh….”
I rubbed my tailbone, which felt like it might shatter, and looked around in bewilderment. The sacred air that had filled the Prayer Chamber moments before had completely vanished.
“What, what….”
It just came and went as it pleased…? Or am I dreaming right now?
I scrambled to my feet and meticulously searched the now-silent Prayer Chamber. I examined the walls, the corners of the floor, even behind the wolf statue at the Altar, but found nothing suspicious. The Prayer Chamber was as peaceful as if nothing had ever happened.
Troubled by this strange unease, my eyes fell upon the violet eyes of the wolf statue. Those eyes that had gleamed so vividly before now seemed to have grown cold and distant.
Without realizing it, I muttered aloud.
“It said it was going to listen to prayers…?”
What kind of god listens to prayers in a Temple anyway….
“….”
And then I suddenly laughed at the thought that had occurred to me. A god? Impossible. A god that doesn’t even appear in the original work wouldn’t suddenly show up out of nowhere. I shook my head in admiration of my own boundless imagination.
“Let me just get out of here….”
How much time had passed? By now, prayers should have been completely finished. It was already well past evening, approaching night. If I waited just a bit longer, Auredhian Belgot would arrive, and then I could safely return to the Imperial Palace.
Come to think of it, today had been a very strange day. One day had felt like two or four.
I rubbed my waist and stood before the golden door again. I grasped the long handle and pushed.
“…?”
It wouldn’t budge. Bewildered, I pushed the door hard once more.
Still, it didn’t move an inch. Click-clack. The rectangular handle only made a sound of something firmly locked. I felt a terrible premonition and my mouth fell open.
“Ah. Surely not.”
Surely not…. I spun around and glared at the Altar where the wolf statue stood. The lingering unease and anxiety vanished, replaced by a surge of anger.
“Hey, you should have opened the door before leaving!”
* * *
After knocking on the door for what felt like dozens of minutes, I was finally rescued by a passing Novice Priest. The moment I stepped out to the crossroads, rubbing my sore hands, I ran into Diego Schmart.
“My goodness, Princess. Why did you come from that direction?”
Diego Schmart exclaimed in alarm. Instead of answering, I laughed awkwardly. Diego seemed genuinely startled and hurried toward me. His kind golden eyes examined me carefully.
“That is the Prayer Chamber of the priests. It is a place that receives the will of Raulus, so the concentration of sanctity is stronger there than elsewhere…. Are you all right?”
“I’m fine. But….”
Words that would normally have passed through one ear and out the other suddenly struck me like a hammer. Receives the will of whom? I hastily grabbed Diego’s sleeve.
“Wait, Diego. What did you just say?”
“Yes?”
“Just now, that Prayer Chamber….”
“Ah. You mean the Prayer Chamber of the priests? It is a place where Raulus occasionally speaks. Though it is not a frequent occurrence.”
“What?”
An involuntary shriek escaped my lips. I stared up at Diego with wide eyes and my mouth agape.
“Then, th, th, truly….”
A short gasp burst forth belatedly. Then, what I had been grumbling about in my head until just moments ago….
I barely managed to stop myself from biting my tongue. Then that thought I’d had wasn’t just baseless nonsense…?
Yes. Now that I think about it, everything was strange. The wolf’s violet eyes that gleamed so unnaturally. The way it seemed to see through me instantly—that I didn’t belong to this world. How it told me to look pretty for it. How it teased me as if it knew about my constitution….
My mouth fell open.
“Wow. This can’t be real.”
“Princess?”
So it was actually a god? Raulus, the god who blessed Laigar? The real god beyond Udeta? I let out a strangled sound of disbelief.
“What on earth did I just do….”
To the voice of a god—one I should have received with a purified heart, lying prostrate on the ground in reverence—what had I said? The reckless words I’d spouted echoed in my ears.
“D-disappear, you wicked thing…!”
Aaaagh! I spun around, tears of blood streaming inwardly. I want to leave!
“Princess? Where are you going!”
But my attempt to rush back to the priests’ Prayer Chamber was abruptly blocked by Diego Schmart. I thrashed about and cried out.
“No, if you suddenly speak to me like that, how am I supposed to know!”
You should have said, “I am Raulus, truly the god beyond Udeta!” How could you leave me in such confusion like this!
Of course, there was no answer. I felt my head spinning and pressed my forehead, while Diego Schmart steadied me. I grabbed him and asked anxiously.
“Diego Schmart, does Raulus speak his voice often…?”
Diego Schmart laughed awkwardly at my desperate question.
“I’m not sure what you mean, but…. It happens perhaps once every several years that he directly speaks to the mortal realm.”
“Damn it….”
“Princess, did you perhaps cause some kind of incident…?”
An incident, yes, Diego Schmart. I should have clung to his pant leg and listened to that voice. And he’s the absolute being of this world…!
It was like watching a fortune bag filled with millions, or a golden pig, pass right before my eyes and doing nothing. I bit my lip hard.
No, but still. He suddenly speaks directly into my mind, and I’m supposed to think, oh, this is the voice of a god. Oh, Raulus.
-How could you understand so instantly!
I murmured like a groan.
“Life is already so hard….”
“Princess, please tell me exactly what you mean. What happened?”
Diego Schmart bowed and met my eyes at the same level. His kind, neat face was filled with concern.
“Diego Schmart, it’s just….”
And just as I was about to speak, a painfully familiar presence suddenly washed over me.
“Huh?”
My eyes widened involuntarily.

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————