The Unfilial Heir Who Tries to Kill Me Tempts Me - Chapter 67

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 67.

“The returned mail said I had to visit in person to receive my Identity Certificate?”
“Yes, that’s the procedure in theory.”
In theory. So not in practice?
“I think it’s better if you see it for yourselves. Follow me.”
Elion jerked his head toward the path ahead.
I grabbed the reluctant Kaius by the arm and hurried after him. By the time we reached the mountainside where the temple stood, I understood his meaning instantly.
The temple grounds were absolute pandemonium. Holy Knights were blockading the entrance to the temple, and in front of them, what appeared to be protesters surged and shouted in chaotic confrontation.
“What is all this?”
“As you can see, a protest.”
Elion shrugged as he answered.
That wasn’t what I was asking.
Just then, someone screamed.
“Give me back my son! You took him away!”
“The temple is conducting an investigation. Please, go home—”
“It’s been days!”
A dark-skinned foreign woman at the front of the crowd seized a Holy Knight’s collar and shook him, tears streaming down her face. The Knight sighed helplessly, trapped between compassion and protocol.
“You deliberately took my son and won’t give him back! Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”
“Madam, regarding the disappearance of those undergoing Identity Verification—the temple has had no involvement in—”
“Liar!”
“Filthy Imperial temple dogs! Did you think we wouldn’t smell the rot behind you?”
“Give me my nephew back!”
Shouts erupted from every corner of the crowd. Starting with the woman at the front, people began crying out without restraint.
“Did people seeking Identity Verification actually disappear?”
“As of yesterday, roughly dozens.”
“What?”
“You truly came without knowing anything.”
According to Elion, Alaba had been shrouded in an ominous atmosphere of late.
When the temple suspended receiving mail, anxious foreigners flooded into the city, and among them were screening subjects whose status was unclear.
The Alaba Temple isolated them separately and began an investigation. The problem was that they had started vanishing one by one over the past few days.
When people learned of this, they demanded the temple release those detained there, and the temple stood firm in confrontation.
In the meantime, people continued to vanish, until matters had spiraled to this point.
“Please, calm yourselves!”
A brown-haired priest suddenly emerged from behind the Holy Knights and stood between them and the protesters.
“I understand deeply the anguish in your hearts. There is little I can say in defense. But the temple is sparing no effort in searching for the missing, so please, lay down your anger—”
“Shut your mouth, temple dog!”
Thunk!
A stone flew from somewhere and struck the priest’s head squarely before falling away.
“Father!”
“I’m fine. Stand down. Can’t you see these people are frightened?”
The priest chided the Holy Knight moving to shield him, even as blood streamed freely from his forehead.
“Though this wound cannot represent the anguish tearing at your hearts, I will regard it as your righteous reproof of us and redouble our investigative efforts. Might you grant us a little more time?”
Crimson blood soaked his vestments. The priest bowed his head without a thought to treating the wound, and the foreign protesters stirred with uncertainty.
“I beg you.”
The hesitant crowd fell back a few paces. Only then did the priest disappear into the temple’s interior, repeating his gratitude as acolytes bore him away.
“Since the Alaba Temple is in this state, there are two ways to get inside. Either reveal you’ve come from the Lucifenia Dukedom and be received as a distinguished guest, or stand behind those protesters and wait for the demonstration to end.”
Neither appeals to me.
“Of course, there is another way.”
Elion smiled crookedly, looking at Kaius.
I don’t like the sound of that.
“Since I happen to have earned the temple’s deep trust, if Your Grace were to personally ask me a ‘favor,’ I could certainly tell them you’re part of my party.”
I held my breath carefully.
Why?
Why has this bastard been tap-dancing on Kaius’s temper button this whole time?
Look at him now—Kaius is already grinning widely. Our boy’s absolutely furious.
“And what do you think I shall do?”
I quickly grabbed Kaius’s sword hand before he could draw.
No. Absolutely not.
Don’t draw your sword.
“Good grief. Miss Schmidt, you really have no intention of coming to the Magic Tower? Your employer has such a terrible personality.”
You’re the one making it worse right now.
“Stand back, Charlotte Schmidt.”
“I won’t.”
If I let go of this, he’ll start a bloodbath.
I don’t know who would win if the Master of the Magic Tower and the strongest warrior on the continent fought, but either way, I know it’s something that absolutely cannot happen.
I clung desperately to Kaius, dangling from his arms.
“Elion, would you do me a favor instead?”
In truth, maybe I would have been better suited to working as a kindergarten teacher than as a novelist.
There’s no other way I could be so practiced at coaxing and soothing someone every single day.
Elion’s eyebrows drooped as he spoke with practiced charm.
“What I was hoping to hear was a request from His Grace the Duke himself. But if Miss Schmidt is going to put it that way…”
“Elion?”
“I suppose I have no choice. I cannot refuse your request.”
He shook his head regretfully and headed toward the back of the temple. Unlike the main entrance, only a few priests stood guard there.
“Brother, you’ve come.”
“Good day, Father.”
“I’ve heard you’ve been out of the city. The atmosphere has been unsettling lately, so even we priests have hesitated to venture into relief work… but we’re grateful nonetheless.”
“You’re too kind.”
Elion flashed a radiant smile.
Wait, was that really the same person who was just doing his best to provoke Kaius?
Look at that face that enchants people.
I couldn’t decide whether to marvel or sigh.
“By the way, who are the people behind you…?”
“They’re my companions. They came here because they had business at the temple.”
“Ah, I see. Please, do go in.”
The priests stepped aside without hesitation.
What? That was far too easy.
He doesn’t even need to use magical potions or anything like that. Charlotte spent a full six months brainwashing the crown prince.
Feeling a twinge of relative deprivation, I quickly followed him inside.
“Given the circumstances, only a guarantor on the paperwork can enter the refugee status registration office. Which of you is the guarantor?”
“Me and him.”
“What a shame.”
When Kaius stepped forward, Elion sighed with regret. Before the two could start quarreling again, I hurried them both into the registration office.
“See you soon.”
In contrast to the chaos outside, the temple interior where I stood alone was quiet. I lifted my head and saw the circular ceiling of the lobby with its hollow center. I gazed up at the pale white clouds drifting slowly across the blue sky, then walked toward the opposite side of the registration office.
“Something’s strange.”
A disappearance, they said.
And of all places, it’s happening at the temple?
In the original story, the temple stood against the Crow Reapers with Leoni at the helm. Though closer inspection reveals it to be rather noisy in various ways, they were absolutely not the sort to deliberately create or conceal mutations.
Which is why I couldn’t shake the thought that this incident was connected to the Sandwitches.
If the Crow Reapers had been involved in these disappearances, it would make sense of this absurd situation.
“The isolated people are probably being held in the detention cells…”
Regional temples often served as courthouses as well, so many kept detention cells in their basements.
If I went near there, I might uncover a clue.
Regardless of anything else, I had to prevent the situation from spiraling out of control in a way that kept me from going home.
As I made my way through the corridors searching for stairs leading underground, I found myself deep within the temple. At some point, neither worshippers nor passing priests appeared anymore. Only my footsteps echoed faintly down the pristine white hallway.
Had I gone too far?
It seemed like I’d ventured much deeper than I intended.
I was just about to turn back the way I came.
A shadow flickered from the opposite corridor, and someone rounded the corner. Two middle-aged priests appeared.

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