I’m a Rookie, but I’m an Experienced Professional - Chapter 99
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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 99
The carriage door was violently torn away with a scream-like metallic sound.
Through the cool wind that rushed in and the thick cloud of dust, a holy knight with a murderous expression thrust his fierce face forward.
“What are you doing here!”
The momentum of the holy knights lined up behind him was extraordinary.
Their fiercely glowing eyes and the cold gazes of the priests mixed among them were directed at me and Anabella Rizeren.
Had about 10 minutes passed? The ground that had been shaking as if to overturn the world had somehow become as quiet as death.
“How did you get in here? What’s your purpose!”
My eardrums rang from the holy knight’s roar.
“Um, well…”
I couldn’t say I came to break Anabella Rizeren’s brainwashing.
While I was racking my brain for what excuse to make, Anabella suddenly spoke up beside me.
“Dear holy knight. Why am I here?”
At those words, the holy knight looked at her as if dumbfounded. His expression said he really didn’t know.
Anabella also blinked in confusion, then asked a priest with a white sash on his shoulder who was standing behind.
“Brother, could you explain instead?”
“…Don’t you remember anything, sister?”
The priest also couldn’t hide his bewilderment and asked back. Then Anabella opened her eyes wide with an even more surprised expression.
“Why are you speaking formally to me?”
“Well, because you’re an intermediate priest, sister.”
“What? I’m an intermediate priest? Since when exactly?”
When Anabella asked back, the priest’s face became even more worth seeing. The other people also looked at Anabella with bewilderment.
From how things were going, it seemed Anabella had become an intermediate priest after being brainwashed.
‘Then did whoever brainwashed her make her an intermediate priest?’
If it’s someone who exercises that much influence in the temple, they’d have to be at least a high priest or above… It’s not really a god, is it?
While hoping it wasn’t, I stealthily got out of the carriage. Now that they were focused on Anabella was the perfect opportunity to escape.
“Where are you going?”
…I thought it was an opportunity, but it wasn’t.
The holy knight pressed his sheathed sword against my neck and asked.
“Reveal your identity and your purpose for sneaking in here.”
“…My name is Eileen. I belong to the City Planning Department of Belheim.”
Since running away seemed to be wrong, I answered calmly.
“I came to deliver something that Miss Anabella Rizeren asked me to. But suddenly the ground started shaking and earth pillars shot up, so I was so surprised that I took shelter in the carriage for now.”
It was an excuse I just thought of, but it was quite plausible.
The holy knight seemed to think the same, as he stared at me without saying anything, then asked Anabella.
“Is what this woman says true?”
“Well, I don’t remember…”
“If you don’t even remember how you came to be here, would you remember such a minor request?”
When I quickly interrupted and countered, the holy knight’s eyes narrowed. The suspicious gaze stung, but I didn’t bat an eye.
“Then where is this item the sister supposedly requested?”
“It was originally nicely contained here… Oh my, it’s broken.”
I looked down at the wooden box scattered at my feet and the miserably shattered temple miniature fragments, clicking my tongue as if genuinely regretful.
“This is really embarrassing. I’ll definitely make you a new one later, priest.”
“Ah, I, I…”
Anabella, who still couldn’t remember anything, just rolled her eyes around.
“Now that the misunderstanding is somewhat cleared up, could you remove this heavy thing? I can’t breathe.”
I pointed to the sword sheath aimed at my neck with my chin.
The holy knight didn’t hide his displeasure, but eventually made a tsk sound and withdrew his sword sheath.
The eyes looking at me were still full of suspicion, but no one said anything.
Since there was no excuse to pursue further, that must be why.
“Then I’ll be going…”
I tried to leave without missing this opportunity, but a Quest window appeared before my eyes.
[4-4. Take Anabella back to Belheim with you.]
…What?
It’s hard enough to escape alone, and now I have to take Anabella with me?
“This is fucking crazy…”
When I unconsciously spat out a harsh curse, the holy knight’s eyes narrowed.
“…As expected, suspicious.”
He pressed his sword sheath against my neck again.
“Investigation seems necessary. I’ll have to take you to the temple.”
Just for muttering to myself that it was crazy, temple escort?
It was so absurd I almost let out a hollow laugh.
Just as I was about to shout what kind of nonsense this was.
“Who decided to take her anywhere?”
A cold, low voice pierced my eardrums.
Then the holy knights and priests who had been acting like they’d drag me to the temple immediately froze in place as if time had stopped.
“You were all chattering away just fine, but suddenly became mute.”
Following the voice, I saw Callix Crowbell sitting arrogantly on a black horse, looking down at us.
Behind him were Noah Roheim, knights of Belheim, and Raellion too.
“You there.”
Callix Crowbell pointed to the holy knight who had pressed his sword sheath against me and asked.
“Who decided to take Eileen to the temple?”
Perhaps due to the low voice and the overwhelming pressure weighing on his shoulders, the holy knight’s complexion became slightly pale.
“…She’s suspicious, so I was trying to escort her for investigation.”
“Why is she suspicious? She clearly stated her name and affiliation, and sufficiently explained her purpose for being here. Am I wrong?”
“…”
Unable to find words to refute, the holy knight kept his mouth tightly shut.
The people standing around remained silent with downcast eyes, as if afraid of being singled out by Callix Crowbell.
“Mute again.”
Callix Crowbell clicked his tongue as if pathetic, then turned his head to look at me.
A complex gaze swept over me, mixing relief at confirming I was safe with bewilderment at not understanding why I was here.
‘I’ll definitely be interrogated when we return to Belheim.’
Knowing his personality of digging to the end once he had doubts, a sigh boiled up from deep within.
‘What should I say?’
I couldn’t say it was because of the system.
I was at a loss for how to make him understand.
‘What about Anabella?’
Aside from clearing the quest, if she returned to the temple in this atmosphere, she wouldn’t be safe. In the worst case, she could lose her life.
It didn’t make sense for the original female protagonist to die before the story even began, but the original had already gone completely off track when she became an intermediate priest.
‘Wait. If the original female lead dies, there’d be no reason for Callix Crowbell to turn dark, so wouldn’t that actually be good?’
The thought that suddenly occurred scattered into pieces the moment I faced Anabella’s terrified expression.
My survival was important, but I didn’t want to prolong my life by sacrificing others.
“My lord!”
And I didn’t want to waste an important life on such matters.
“I strongly request that you take Anabella Rizeren back to Belheim!”
“That’s nonsense!”
As if my words were a fuse, the priests all raised their voices in unison.
“We have already taken custody of Anabella Rizeren!”
“To take her back again, this is clearly disrespecting the temple!”
“Duke Crowbell, surely you’re not thinking of accepting that woman’s absurd demand?”
Gone was the hesitant demeanor from moments ago when they couldn’t even make eye contact with Callix Crowbell.
Their will to take Anabella to the temple at all costs felt powerfully strong.
While their claims weren’t wrong, their almost desperately earnest attitude only raised more suspicion.
“Please, we beg of you, my Lord!”
I too raised my voice without backing down, making my plea.
Callix stared directly at me. Though my heart pounded under his sharp gaze that seemed to be gauging my purpose, I widened my eyes and met his boldly.
“Still making such ridiculous claims to the very end…”
“As expected, suspicious…”
The priests’ protesting shouts faded into the background like distant murmuring. A terrible silence, as if the air itself had frozen, filled the space between us.
How much time passed like that?
Finally, as if having reached a decision, Callix Crowbell opened his mouth.
“Fine. Let’s do that.”
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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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