I Will Buy Divine Power With Money! - Chapter 146

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“I am Ortel Kiris.”

“Kiris?”

The Empress tilted her head at Feliks’ answer.

“The Kiris Count family?”

“Yes, they say she’s the Count’s adopted daughter.”

“Come to think of it, he did say he had a Holy Maiden among his daughters. For someone who proudly boasted about producing a Holy Maiden, she never showed her face in high society, so I had forgotten.”

“Perhaps she was busy taking care of the Sun God’s Main Temple? After all, the Grand Temple is quite poor.”

“Yes, she must have been busy. Busy enough to even strike a deal with the Sieri Duke family.”

Lute Sieri.

The imperial family knows his terrible temperament best.

Even when the Emperor makes direct requests, if it doesn’t suit his fancy, he’ll kick it away without hesitation.

Wasn’t he the very person who completely ignored even the Holy Maiden and Holy Sage of the Sea God?

Yet such a person joined hands with the Holy Maiden of the failing Sun God’s Main Temple to conduct business.

And it was the potion business, no less.

She was curious about it in many ways.

“The harvest festival is coming soon, isn’t it? This year we should invite a new guest to the capital.”

“Pardon?”

Feliks’ eyes widened in surprise at the Empress’s words.

Those words couldn’t possibly mean…

“Send an invitation to the Sun God’s Main Temple in the name of the imperial family. Tell them we hope the Holy Maiden will personally attend the harvest festival.”

Feliks wore a bewildered expression, never expecting the Empress to say such a thing.

The harvest festival celebrates the autumn harvest and prays for a bountiful year ahead, so it’s normal to send invitations to the Grand Temples.

But until now, invitations had only been sent to two places: the Sea God and Eternal God Grand Temples.

Even then, the Eternal God side always declined the invitation, so only the Sea God side had been attending.

But now she wanted to invite the Sun God’s Main Temple as well.

“The Sea God side won’t welcome this.”

Feliks tried to dissuade the Empress with a troubled expression.

And for good reason—weren’t the two Grand Temples on bad terms?

Having directly witnessed them engaging in a war of nerves over the potion market in the south, he couldn’t help but worry.

“Why should we be concerned about their feelings?”

However, the Empress’s beautiful face contorted, clearly displeased with Feliks’ attempt to dissuade her.

“The Grand Temples should be concerned about the imperial family’s feelings, so why should we worry about their relationship?”

“That wasn’t what I meant, Mother.”

“Even if they’re on bad terms, the more the Grand Temples keep each other in check, the more solid the imperial family’s position becomes, so it’s actually something to welcome.”

The imperial family believes in the existence of gods, but doesn’t worship any particular deity.

The imperial family is the imperial family, the Grand Temples are the Grand Temples.

This had been an unwritten rule maintained for hundreds of years since the Karnuss imperial family established the empire.

The reason the imperial family could maintain its power without being consumed by any Grand Temple was entirely because they had upheld this unwritten rule.

“Send an invitation to the Sun God’s Main Temple. I need to meet this Holy Maiden personally to see what kind of person she is.”

The Empress spoke firmly, as if she wouldn’t listen to any further objections.

Even as the Crown Prince, he couldn’t defy the orders of the Empress who ruled the empire alongside the Emperor.

“I will do as Mother wishes.”

Feliks obediently bowed his head to the Empress.

However, contrary to his submissive answer, he was slightly biting his lip.

* * *

Having dinner with comfortable people made me unconsciously overeat more than usual.

There wasn’t a single person here who made me uncomfortable, so I felt at ease.

“I don’t understand how everyone believed such a lie without any suspicion.”

Everyone at the Duke’s mansion firmly believed the lie that I had stepped down from my position as Holy Maiden.

It was probably because Duke Rute had said it, but thanks to that, I was so grateful to be able to hide my shame.

At first, I was overwhelmed and burdened by the mansion’s splendor and grandeur.

But seeing the kind people of the Duke’s mansion, the burden disappeared and I quickly felt at ease.

This might be the first time I’ve felt this relaxed since possessing this world.

Since I no longer need to rack my brains to support the poverty-stricken Grand Temple.

【’Sun Risen from Death’ quietly clears their throat.】

【They loudly declare that they will never forget the user’s hard work.】

“Make your repayment in money.”

【’Sun Risen from Death’ promises that they will definitely repay you someday…】

Who believes verbal promises? I absolutely won’t believe it until you actually give it to me, hmph.

When I snorted dismissively, the Sun God left while sniffling.

Now alone, I got up from my seat.

Since I was full, I thought I’d go for a walk in the garden.

Although I was wearing opaque cotton pajamas, it would probably be inappropriate for me as a guest to walk around dressed like this, right?

I took a thick shawl that Rute had prepared for me from the dressing room, draped it over myself, and left the room.

“Oh, this is nice.”

Following the guidance of the map system, when I came outside the mansion, I could see the vast garden spread out under the night sky at a glance.

Our newly made Grand Temple garden was also nice, but it couldn’t compare to this place that had been cultivated for a long time.

The fragrant scent of autumn flowers filling the garden and the neatly arranged garden trees.

The sound of water from fountains placed here and there, and garden lights that made the dark night even more mysterious.

I loved the night garden filled with the sound of my footsteps on the ground.

I should take another proper look when I exercise tomorrow.

“Huh?”

How long had I been walking?

From the inner part of the garden, a bit far from the Duke’s mansion, came the sound of water that was too loud to be from a fountain.

It looked particularly bright even though it was night, so I unconsciously walked slowly in that direction.

The moment I passed through the lushly overgrown grass.

“Wow.”

An exclamation escaped me naturally.

A vast waterfront, almost the size of a lake, was spread out before me.

I was drawn closer as if enchanted by the moon’s reflection floating on the calm water surface.

“Ordel.”

Then a familiar voice called my name.

Rute was waving at me from a gazebo near the lakeside.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was setting up for drinks.”

Rute pointed inside the gazebo.

Wine and glasses, cheese to go with it, and simple snacks filled the table.

“I was going to call you once everything was ready, but I heard you happened to be taking a walk in the garden alone.”

“How did you know I was taking a walk?”

I hadn’t told anyone before coming out.

“The employees of our Duke’s mansion work hard behind the scenes where you can’t see them. For example, the gardeners.”

“Do the gardeners work at night too?”

What? You make them work overtime?

Working during the day should be enough, but making them work at night too. I didn’t see you that way, but that’s too much!

“Do you pay overtime for night shifts?”

You’re not telling me you don’t even pay that, right?

“I should have known you’d ask that.”

Rute let out a hollow laugh.

Do you know how it feels to have to work all night without even getting overtime pay?

“There are plants that need to be tended at night, so the gardeners work in shifts. Night shifts are done by volunteers, and they get plenty of rest time and overtime pay. So stop looking at me like I’m trash.”

Oh, really? There are plants like that in this world too. I didn’t know about that one either.

“I didn’t think you were trash.”

“No way. You definitely had a similar look in your eyes.”

“Not quite trash, just maybe a thug? A corrupt business owner?”

“…I’m glad the misunderstanding is cleared up.”

Sorry. But I’m a modern person who’s sensitive about these things.

“Sit down for now. I’ll give you a glass of wine to commemorate clearing your name of being a thug and corrupt business owner.”

At Rute’s pitiful words, I laughed heartily and sat across from him.

Despite coming out for a walk because I was full, facing the richly fragrant wine and finger foods made my mouth water all over again.

“If there’s anything else you want to eat, just say so anytime.”

“Are you enjoying fattening me up or something? You keep trying to feed me.”

“How did you know? You’re so skinny that fattening you up is my goal.”

At Rute’s words, I looked down at my arms.

I’ve been eating well and exercising diligently, so it’s not as bad as when I first possessed this body, but I’m still slender.

Before, I cried looking at arms that had no muscle to lose….

Now I was about to cry because being so thin was pitiful.

“Still, I’ve put on some weight compared to before. Though it’s still not enough.”

“That’s right. So you should eat even better.”

“I’m already eating plenty enough as it is.”

I smiled and clinked wine glasses with Rute.

As soon as I took a sip of the wine swirling in the glass, the rich grape aroma filled my mouth completely.

Ah, yes. This is the taste. I really missed it.

“Come to think of it, there’s something I want to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Since when have you been able to ride horses?”

Gasp. I almost spat the wine back out without realizing it.

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