I Will Buy Divine Power With Money! - Chapter 16

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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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“….”

Gail could only tremble, unable to say a word.

I must have hit the mark.

“Of course, I haven’t forgotten the Count’s grace. If it weren’t for the Count, I wouldn’t have been able to enjoy this luxurious Holy Maiden lifestyle either. How could I forget such kindness?”

Having deliberately given him time to think, I whispered in a subtle voice as if I had never threatened him.

Having wielded the whip, it was now time to offer the carrot.

In order to continue bleeding, ahem, I mean receiving donations from the Kiris household.

“It’s just that both the Count and you keep ignoring me, so I got a little angry. If it becomes known that I’m a fake Holy Maiden, it would be troublesome for the Count’s family, but I wouldn’t be completely unharmed either, would I? I would be completely buried in high society.”

“….”

“So here’s what I’m thinking. Now I’m going to try properly playing the role of Holy Maiden as the Count desires.”

“…What did you say?”

Gail, who had been looking at me with suspicious eyes at my sudden change in attitude, widened his eyes.

The momentum had now completely shifted to me.

“You saw how the High Priest and the Order Commander were worried about me, right? If I put my mind to it, gaining those people’s trust would be nothing.”

The reason I had deliberately asked those two to show intense reactions.

It was for this very moment.

Gail would trust Airic and Seth’s reactions more than mine.

“….”

As expected, not even thinking that I might be deceiving him, Gail’s eyes began to waver.

“You came here because of the spies, didn’t you?”

“….”

“I was the one who reported Chef Kento’s embezzlement. And the High Priest and Order Commander investigated and caught all the spies.”

“Why would you do such a thing! Now that the High Priest and Order Commander know, it will be difficult to plant new spies!”

“Instead, I gained their trust.”

I whispered sweet lies into his ear that he had no choice but to believe.

“The reason I, with my meager divine power, gained their trust was all because of that. Those two couldn’t figure out that the spies were planted by the Kiris family. If they had known, they wouldn’t have let you in here today.”

“…Ah.”

“If I, who have gained their trust, can perfectly play the role of Holy Maiden, there will be no need to plant spies here anymore. I’ll become the spy myself.”

“….”

“How about it, Gail. Do I still look like the incompetent ‘Miss Kiris’ to you?”

It was a pointed remark about how he had called me ‘Miss Kiris’ instead of ‘Holy Maiden’ in front of the temple people who didn’t know I was fake.

Stupid Gail’s eyes wavered as he finally realized how dangerous that had been.

“So go back and tell the Count. Stop planting spies to steal such petty money. I’ll become the real Holy Maiden of the Grand Temple and earn back several times that amount for him.”

Of course, it’s a lie. The person who gets fooled is the fool.

Who told them to do bad things first? This is their own doing.

“…I’m not sure if the Count will accept the Holy Maiden’s proposal, but I will relay it to him.”

Gail, completely overwhelmed by my momentum, answered hesitantly. I smiled with satisfaction and leaned back comfortably on the sofa.

If Count Kiris is a smart person, he’ll agree to my proposal, and if not, he’ll come running to grab me by the hair right away.

I can only hope he doesn’t make a foolish choice.

* * *

“Will it be alright…?”

Seth asked with a sigh.

Airic and Seth, who had left the reception room, were currently at the entrance of the Grand Temple.

It was to prevent the Count’s knights that Baron Gail had brought from entering inside.

To bring nearly ten knights when coming to the Grand Temple.

“No matter how much he’s a retainer under the Holy Maiden’s father, such a rude person….”

Seth, who had been wary of the knights, let out a worried sigh.

Airic’s face, who knew even more than him, was also rigidly hardened.

Ordel already didn’t receive the Count’s love, so how much more rudeness would he commit when they were alone?

His refusal to leave when Ordel ordered them out was partly because she had told him to, but it was also half sincere.

“…Sir Victoria is guarding in front of the reception room, right?”

“Of course. Though since she’s not yet Master level, she won’t be able to hear the conversations going on inside. The reception room’s soundproofing is quite good.”

“Could she hear loud voices?”

“If it’s loud enough that a knight needs to intervene, she’ll hear it.”

Airic nodded at Seth’s assurance.

Ordel is someone who doesn’t hold back and screams when angry, so it should be fine.

…But when was the last time she raised her voice?

She used to throw tantrums every other day before.

It had been quite a while since he’d heard that high-pitched voice that sounded like crying when she got angry.

Instead, what filled his recent memories was only the relaxed and gentle voice he had rarely heard before.

“High Priest. Someone is coming this way.”

Just as he was feeling strangely affected by this new realization, Seth’s voice reached him.

Two unfamiliar men were approaching from the end of the garden.

Could they be people from the Kiris family who came with Gail?

Airic looked at the Kiris knights with cold eyes.

But strangely, they too had wary looks in their eyes.

Are they people unrelated to that man? Then who could they be?

It had been far too long since anyone other than Kiris associates had visited, so he couldn’t guess at all.

“High Priest, it’s Duke Rute Siery.”

At Seth’s urgent whisper, Airic’s eyes widened. Indeed, his appearance and attire matched what he had heard in rumors.

Rute Siery.

The duke who ruled the west of Karnuss, the continent’s only empire, and owner of the vast Western Mines.

The head of the only family among the four ducal houses in the empire that wielded overwhelming power despite having no imperial blood mixed in.

Such a person had come to this Grand Temple?

Though he had lived here for 18 years, this was the first time he’d seen such a figure visit the Grand Temple.

“Did you know I was coming? To be waiting in line like this, I’m overwhelmed by such enthusiastic welcome.”

The man who had approached within arm’s reach, Rute Siery, stood at an angle and tilted his head.

The intensity in his gaze as he looked at each person crowded in front of the entrance was extraordinary.

It naturally made people feel intimidated.

While the Kiris knights, belatedly recognizing his identity, were in confusion, Airic and Seth went down the steps to greet the Duke.

“Welcome to the Sun God’s Grand Temple. I am High Priest Airic Dert.”

“I am Order Commander Seth Noel.”

“Oh, the High Priest and Order Commander too. Did you really already know I was coming?”

Not having expected that the two highest-ranking people in the temple would be there, Lute raised his eyebrows.

Since it was awkward to explain everything in detail to someone whose purpose for coming was unknown, Airic asked about his business first.

“If we had known the lord of the west was coming, we would have prepared a proper welcome. However, lacking foresight, we couldn’t predict today’s events at all.”

It was an elegant way of asking why he had come.

“Ah, so you don’t have prophetic abilities?”

Instead of answering the question, Lute responded with a question of his own.

“…We don’t have such abilities.”

“Oh my, I was really hoping you might have prophetic abilities. How disappointing.”

The corners of his eyes drooped with disappointment behind his slanted glasses.

Since he seemed genuinely disappointed rather than being sarcastic, Airic was flustered.

Prophecy to see the future was the divine realm that only gods could possess.

How could mere humans possibly see into the future?

Even Holy Maidens and Saints chosen by god couldn’t make prophecies.

It was surprising that he had genuinely believed in such a thing.

“I came here on important business, so guide me to a quiet place. The content is rather difficult to discuss where there are many listening ears.”

As if he had never been joking, Duke Rute Siery’s face suddenly turned serious.

The heavy atmosphere that changed along with it subtly pressured Airic.

Indeed, he’s not called a pillar supporting the Empire for nothing.

“Please come this way.”

Since there was no reason to refuse and he was curious as well, it was just as Airic was about to guide him inside.

“High Priest? Who is that person?”

Having finished their conversation, Ordel appeared together with Gail.

Airic instinctively checked Ordel’s face first.

When she gets angry, the area around her eyes always turns red like someone who has been crying, but her complexion was very calm now.

As if nothing had happened.

Only after checking Victoria’s expression, who stood behind Ordel, did Airic secretly feel relieved.

“This is Duke Rute Siery. He says he has business and has come to visit the Grand Temple.”

Since Ordel would know who Rute Siery was, Airic didn’t add any particular explanation.

“…Who did you say?”

But for some reason, seeing her blank expression, Airic tilted his head.

Could she not know the Duke?

“He is one of the four pillars supporting the Empire, and the lord of the western region.”

Ordel’s face, which had been fine just moments before, suddenly turned deathly pale.

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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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