I Will Buy Divine Power With Money! - Chapter 70
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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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“You worked hard keeping watch over that bad guy.”
Now that the Count had left, the mission to monitor him was over too.
I gently patted Jeremy’s head in appreciation for his hard work.
And I handed him the cookie pouch I had started carrying around for him.
Jeremy munched on the cookies with a bright expression.
“Your job’s done, so you can rest now.”
“Huh? I don’t need to chase after that guy?”
I shook my head. I had no intention of asking him to go that far.
“If you leave this place, it could be dangerous for you. Even though you have that necklace, you never know.”
Jeremy still had half of the curse remaining on him.
He was in the Grand Temple where the Sun God’s power was strongest, and he also possessed the Annihilation God’s divine artifact, so the Sea God’s side couldn’t track him for now, but who knows what would happen if he went far from here.
“Wasn’t there information you needed to get from that guy?”
“That’s true, but I can’t put you in danger for that…”
“I’m fine. So I’ll go and come back.”
Jeremy looked straight at me and spoke firmly.
This was the first time I’d seen him show such determination since he’d regained his sense of self, when he’d only been acting foolishly.
“This seems pretty important – is there anyone else besides me who can carry out this task perfectly?”
“…”
I couldn’t even lie and say there was.
Even the Holy Knights of the Sun God, and even Seth who was a Sword Master, weren’t as skilled at stealth operations as the thoroughly trained Jeremy.
“So I’ll keep doing it. I might be able to get the information the Holy Maiden wants from that guy’s mansion.”
Jeremy was right.
In his own home, we might be able to catch evidence of the Count communicating with his backers.
But Jeremy would become that much more dangerous too.
“I won’t do anything dangerous.”
“I’m worried that you’ll be in danger.”
I sighed and rubbed my face.
“Still, it’s necessary, isn’t it?”
Jeremy hit the nail on the head.
Now, when the Count’s guard wasn’t too high yet, was indeed the best time to send a spy.
“If you don’t take risks, you won’t gain anything.”
Jeremy’s pink eyes looked straight at me.
It seemed strange for a kid who was only half my previous life’s age to say such things, but…
He wasn’t wrong about anything.
“You’ll come back safely without getting hurt, right?”
When I finally gave in and asked, Jeremy nodded vigorously.
“Of course. I don’t want to be consumed by the curse again either, so I’ll be careful.”
Well, this should be reassuring, but he had cookie crumbs all over his face, so instead of feeling reassured, I just felt worried…
I let out a sigh.
“Then I’ll ask you to do it. Don’t overdo it. If it seems dangerous, come back immediately. Even if you don’t get any information, I won’t cast you out.”
“Okay.”
“Ten days. You have to come back within that time.”
“Okay.”
I brushed the crumbs off Jeremy’s cheeks as he nodded.
And I handed him a cookie pouch that Monica had been carrying for the same reason as me.
Along with 20 gold coins.
“Eat these if you get hungry on the way. Don’t starve, buy yourself meals. Choose something delicious.”
“Thank you.”
Jeremy casually stuffed the gold coins in his pants but carefully received the cookie pouch.
What kind of kid treasures cookies as much as a divine artifact worn around the neck?
That sight made me laugh and eased my tension a little.
“Well then, I’ll be going.”
Jeremy waved lightly, then leaped up into the trees and disappeared in an instant.
I could only hope he would return safely.
* * *
After Jeremy left, I returned to the Grand Temple.
I was worried, but now wasn’t the time to just stand around sighing.
I had things to do too.
“Your Grace, it’s Ordel.”
I knocked on the door of the bedroom where Rute was staying.
“Please come in, Holy Maiden.”
As I waited for permission, the door swung open and Rute appeared.
He could have just told me to come in.
But since he opened it for me, I didn’t hesitate and went inside.
Yuri, who had been working with him, bowed her head to me.
Seeing that all the luggage in the room was still there, it seemed he had no intention of leaving the Grand Temple yet.
That worked out well.
“Your Grace. Are you busy right now?”
“Not at all.”
At his answer, Yuri grumbled in an exasperated tone.
“Are these documents I’m holding just decorations?”
Hmm. Seeing her holding an armful of documents that made me wonder if her arms were okay, I could understand her frustration.
Well, there’s no way Rute, who had to handle both ducal duties and trading guild business, could be leisurely.
“I wonder why the Holy Maiden came to see me. Oh, do you want to have some day drinking?”
Seeing Rute completely ignore Yuri’s lament made me feel sorry for her.
Separately from that, day drinking was really tempting, but…
I quickly checked if any drool had escaped my lips.
“Let’s do that later. Right now I have other business. I’m sorry, but I need to discuss work with His Grace – could I borrow some time?”
At my words, the two people’s reactions were completely opposite.
“If it’s work talk, that’s fine! Please, go ahead and discuss it.”
Seeing her brighten up, it seemed she just needed Rute to work instead of playing around.
Well, there’s nothing more annoying than a boss who slacks off when you’re working hard.
“What? I thought it was a date invitation.”
Unlike Yuri, Rute sighed as if deeply disappointed.
“We’ll need to take a carriage, so you can think of it as a date if you want to.”
When a man and woman are together, that’s a date, right?
When I answered indifferently, Rute made an incredulous expression.
“You have no sense of romance…”
I’m busy trying to save the Grand Temple – do I have time to look for romance right now?
“So where are we going?”
“We won’t go far. By the way, the Grand Temple doesn’t have its own carriage, so I’ll borrow yours.”
There’s no way this poor place would have a carriage. At best, there might be a cart.
But I couldn’t very well ride a cart, so I gladly decided to borrow Rute’s.
“You’re not taking me along just because you don’t have a carriage, are you?”
“Oh come on, what do you take me for? I said it’s work talk.”
“…I’ll choose to believe that.”
How can he distrust me this much? I’m going to tell him something good, but this is really too much.
Of course, I did have a tiny ulterior motive of wanting to experience riding in a comfortable carriage fit for a duke.
We each changed into plain clothes to disguise our identities and met again.
I was slightly worried whether Rute’s beauty could really be hidden by plain clothes…
The moment I saw the carriage, I realized that good looks weren’t the problem.
“…This is His Grace’s carriage?”
In front of the Grand Temple gate.
I was stunned by the presence of the enormous four-horse carriage.
No, I’d seen plenty in romance web novels where dukes rode in huge carriages, but this, to this extent…?
It’s practically like a house rolling around? What’s with those wheels being as tall as a child?
“With the ducal family crest emblazoned so prominently, what’s the point of wearing plain clothes?”
“Won’t it work?”
“Unfortunately, no. It would be troublesome if rumors spread.”
“Then there’s only one way.”
Rute nodded and gestured to the coachman.
The coachman immediately untied one of the horses that had been hitched to the front of the carriage.
“Riding a horse would be fine, right?”
A beautiful black horse came to stand beside Rute.
His hand holding the reins and stroking the black horse’s cheek and neck looked very natural.
“Have you ever ridden before?”
Of course I have. I rode plenty in my past life, enough to mount by myself without anyone’s help.
“No.”
But Ordel, who preferred carriages, didn’t know how to ride horses.
Besides, it would look strange if I suddenly rode skillfully, so I shook my head.
I should at least pretend to learn next time.
“Then excuse me.”
“Oh!”
And I nearly let out a scream.
Rute had approached and grabbed my waist, lifting me up in one swift motion.
“Huk…!”
I was so startled that I held my breath, and in that moment my body was gently set down on the black horse.
My, my heart is pounding.
“Th-thank you, but please tell me before you do that next time.”
I said, clutching my chest and sighing.
“I almost struck His Grace’s thigh, no, head.”
Really, my fist almost flew out without me realizing it. I’m sensitive to sudden attacks, you know.
At my serious advice, Rute, who had been mounting behind me with nimble movements, stared at me blankly.
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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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