I’m a Rookie, but I’m an Experienced Professional - Chapter 100

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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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Chapter 100

“This is absurd!”

A priest screamed as if shrieking.

But only for a moment. When his eyes met Callix Crowbell’s, the priest pulled his neck in like a turtle and stepped back.

He sent pleading glances to his colleagues for help, but the other priests only watched nervously and didn’t readily step forward.

“…Are you going back on your word just because of that woman’s pleading?”

Then, the holy knight who had pressed his sword sheath to my neck spoke up.

“That’s part of the reason, but not all of it.”

Callix Crowbell answered, looking at the holy knight with apparent interest.

“Come to think of it, she’s a criminal who committed crimes on my land, so it’s right that I deal with her my way. That’s why I’m taking her.”

At the word “deal with,” Anabella’s complexion turned pale as paper.

“It is customary for priests belonging to the Temple to be judged according to Temple law.”

The holy knight spoke as if bewildered.

“I understand that Duke himself, knowing this fact well, readily handed over her custody to us. But now you’re being so capricious, which is perplexing.”

“My heart is originally like a reed, you see.”

When Callix responded cheekily, the faces of the holy knight and priests contorted with bewilderment.

“If being capricious is Your Grace’s freedom, then protecting the custody we received is our duty. So there’s no reason to hand her custody back to Duke.”

When the holy knight replied firmly, Callix Crowbell’s eyes narrowed.

“You, what’s your affiliation and name?”

At the sudden identity check, the holy knight flinched, then straightened his back and gave his rank and name.

“I belong to the Order of the Sacred Banner, Julian Peld.”

“No wonder you’re excessively faithful – you’re from the Order of the Sacred Banner.”

Callix Crowbell twisted his lips as if displeased.

“That petty loyalty of yours might work where you belong, but not with me. So stop acting up.”

“Ac-acting up? What do you mean…”

Apparently quite flustered by the crude expression, Julian Peld couldn’t finish his words and gaped like a carp.

Finding that sight amusing, Callix Crowbell chuckled and crossed his arms.

“And everyone seems to be mistaken, but this is still Belheim. Whatever I do on my land is my business.”

“But…”

“You seem to have skill and guts, but your sense of the situation is terrible.”

Clang-!

When Callix Crowbell drew his sword, Belheim’s knights also drew their swords in unison.

As the holy knights also moved their hands to their waists as if to retaliate, Callix Crowbell tilted his head slightly.

“Drawing swords without permission on my territory. Your courage is admirable.”

Under the chilling pressure, the holy knights could only tighten their grip on their sword sheaths but couldn’t move further.

As if instinctively sensing what would happen the moment they drew their swords, their faces were filled with cold tension and hesitation.

“Sir Roheim.”

At the lord’s call, Noah Roheim stepped forward.

“If you follow me, I’ll safely escort you outside Belheim.”

Despite his gentle expression, his words contained an unspoken warning that their lives would be in danger if they didn’t comply.

Moreover, since Callix Crowbell was looking at them as if asking what they were doing instead of leaving quickly, the priests and holy knights had no choice but to leave Anabella Rizeren behind.

After the storm-like confrontation ended, silence fell. Left alone, Anabella sat down heavily on the ground with a despairing expression.

“Eileen, are you okay?”

Raellion, who had been watching the situation from a distance, approached and asked me.

“I’m fine.”

“That’s a relief.”

Raellion seemed genuinely relieved as he patted his chest, then asked me in a small voice.

“But earlier, mana was bursting out of the carriage. What happened inside?”

He was referring to the moment when the Temple miniature materialized and broke Anabella’s brainwashing.

“I wonder. I didn’t feel anything.”

I couldn’t explain that situation. Since it was a secret that I could sense mana, I feigned ignorance calmly.

“Then did this woman do it?”

When Raellion looked at her, Anabella flinched and shrank back. Ignoring this, Raellion looked her over and tilted his head.

“It doesn’t seem like this woman’s mana though…”

“Enough chatter.”

Callix Crowbell, who had approached behind us at some point, wrapped his arm around my shoulder and smiled brightly.

“Shall we head back then?”

His smiling face was dazzlingly beautiful, but to my eyes now, he looked as eerie as a grim reaper who had come to take me.

* * *

“My lord!”

As soon as we entered the lord’s castle, the manager came running frantically with a pale face. Behind him, Anthony Greg was also visible, clearly anxious.

“There’s been an urgent message from the Temple.”

“…Has it already reached the Temple?”

Callix Crowbell clicked his tongue as if annoyed, then ordered Anthony Greg.

“Take those two to the reception room.”

We’re not objects, so what does he mean by “take” us there?

“This way, please.”

I looked bewildered at the lord’s retreating figure as it grew distant, then followed Anthony Greg.

When we arrived at the reception room, Anthony Greg left promptly as if his duty was done.

I sat comfortably on the sofa as if it were my own home, but Anabella paced restlessly in front of the door.

“It’s distracting, so please sit down.”

When I spoke irritably, Anabella flinched in surprise and looked around, then barely perched on the edge of the sofa.

“…Will you be alright?”

She asked cautiously in a trembling voice.

“About what?”

“Duke said he would deal with us…”

“Not ‘us,’ Anabella. Just you.”

When I corrected the wrong premise, Anabella’s complexion became even paler.

“Don’t be so frightened. If he really intended to do something, he would have thrown us in the underground prison, not the reception room.”

I didn’t particularly want to comfort her. I just needed to calm down that trembling woman next to me for my own comfort.

Perhaps somewhat reassured by my words, some color returned to her face that had been paler than white paper.

“You said you don’t remember coming to Belheim at all?”

“…Yes.”

“Then what’s the last thing you remember?”

Anabella thought for a moment, then slowly parted her lips.

“Staying overnight at Eileen’s house… until the moment I left Belheim the next day.”

“Huh.”

That was so long ago, yet her memory was cut off there.

It meant she had been brainwashed and played the role of a puppet for such a long time, which gave me chills.

“You really don’t remember anything after that?”

“Well… ah, on my way back to the Temple, I met an ascetic priest.”

Anabella spoke haltingly while looking into space as if recalling old memories.

“My memory was cut off while I was having a conversation with him.”

“That means that ascetic priest was the culprit who brainwashed you.”

“That can’t be!”

Anabella was startled and denied it.

“He was someone with truly pure and clean holy power! He would never do such evil things!”

“But you lost consciousness right after meeting that person. Circumstantially, he’s the most likely suspect.”

“That’s…”

Unable to find words to refute, she bit her lower lip firmly.

“Do you know that priest’s name?”

“…No.”

“What about his appearance?”

She shook her head again this time.

‘Haa, how frustrating.’

Her wicked appearance when consumed by madness was terrible, but this frustratingly clueless side wasn’t very pleasant either.

“Since you can’t remember anything, you probably have no idea what you did to me either.”

Irritation welled up inside me, but I suppressed it and slowly began laying the groundwork.

At my words, Anabella’s eyes widened.

“Did I… commit some great offense against you, Miss Eileen…?”

“You tried to kill me, so it’s hardly something that can end with just an offense.”

“I, I did?”

Anabella wore a dazed expression as if she had received a huge shock. Even knowing she had been brainwashed, when I recalled that demonic smile she wore when trying to kill me, that innocent face seemed like an act.

“Yes. This wound was also from that time.”

I showed her the bandage wrapped around my wrist. Tears immediately welled up in Anabella’s eyes.

“I, I did such a terrible thing… I’m truly sorry. It absolutely wasn’t my will!”

“I know. But that doesn’t make the fact that you did it disappear.”

“I’m sorry, truly… I’m sorry.”

I stared at her as she repeated the same words like a broken recorder, then casually threw out my words.

“If you’re that sorry, just grant me one favor.”

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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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