The Unfilial Heir Who Tries to Kill Me Tempts Me - Chapter 68

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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 68.

Oh no.
I jumped at the sound and whipped my head around, scanning the corridor in a panic. Fortunately, there was a door nearby. Without stopping to think, I yanked it open and slipped inside, pressing myself flat against the wall.
As I did, I braced for the worst—a room full of priests staring back at me—but it turned out to be some kind of storage room instead. It was dark and smelled musty.
I pressed my ear against the door, holding my breath.
Situations like this usually have plenty worth eavesdropping on. How do I know? Call it the instinct of a romance fantasy novelist.
Footsteps drew steadily closer.
“How much longer are we supposed to keep them confined?”
“Keep ‘them’ confined? Choose your words more carefully, brother.”
I knew it.
Whatever was happening, these two priests were deep in a serious conversation.
“Their movements are becoming suspicious. It’s only a matter of time before this leaks outside.”
“Are you suggesting we simply release them?”
“There are other ways to handle this besides release.”
“Brother.”
“There are ways, aren’t there?”
“…The Chief Priest has already made a quiet appeal to the Bishop for assistance, so I think we should wait and see.”
The Chief Priest and the Bishop, no less.
I pressed myself even harder against the door, straining to catch every word.
“We can’t keep them under wraps as ‘Missing Persons’ forever. If the Pope finds out, the Diocese will face severe disciplinary action. If we can’t resolve this, destroying the evidence might be—”
“Brother, please lower your voice!”
One priest rebuked the other in alarm.
Wait a minute.
I think I just overheard something enormous.
“For now, all we can do is wait for the Bishop’s response. Even a Bishop wouldn’t dare report the Alhabah Temple—which falls under his own archdiocese—to the Papal See.”
“But…”
“We mustn’t act rashly. One misstep and we’ll only invite suspicion. Let us pray to God.”
Silence fell beyond the door.
…I had no intention of stumbling onto something this serious.
I was just starting to edge quietly away from the door when it happened.
Thud!
Damn it!
The shelving unit behind me swayed, and a bucket from the top shelf came crashing down with a deafening clang. At the same instant, a chilling silence fell outside the door. The priests had stopped dead.
“…Is someone in there?”
I’ve watched countless horror films in my life, but I swear—not a single one ever made my heart pound quite like this.
Not when the long-haired ghost crawled out of the well on TV, not when the blood-soaked schoolgirl shambled down the corridor toward the camera—nothing compared to this.
Footsteps approached, steady and relentless, and all the blood drained from my body.
What do I do?
Run?
If I use Movement Magic in here, it’ll flash bright and give me away, won’t it?
Or should I just bolt out and chop the back of their neck with a Karate Chop?
“We mean you no harm. Come out, if you please.”
Click, creak-creak.
Someone outside was turning the doorknob. I tensed my hand into a striking position, eyes wide.
That’s when it happened.
“Shh.”
Someone behind me suddenly yanked my body backward, and a large hand clamped over my mouth.
When I looked up, my jaw dropped.
Should I call this a familiar face?
The man holding me was the brown-haired priest I’d seen earlier in front of the temple—the one who’d taken a stone to the head and was bleeding heavily.
From a distance I hadn’t noticed, but his eyes gleamed with a clear blue even in the darkness. Not the sky-like blue that reminded me of Leoni, but a deep ocean blue, a piercing azure.
He brought his index finger to his lips and smiled faintly.
Then, with surprising strength, he shoved me deeper into the shadows between the shelves. In one fluid motion, he opened the door and stepped outside.
“My apologies, Fathers.”
“…Bill, was that you? This isn’t your assigned area.”
“Forgive me. The Chief Priest asked me to handle something, so I stopped by the storage room briefly.”
“Ahem.”
An awkward cough echoed from outside the door.
“You don’t mean to say you heard our entire conversation?”
“Regarding the divine law and the proper disposition of a priest that you two were discussing until just now, I’m afraid my learning remains insufficient to grasp it all. Please forgive me.”
Jackpot.
He’s wrapping it up that neatly and playing dumb.
The two veteran priests, finding no fault with the impeccable courtesy of the priest called Bill, had nothing more to say and left in a hurry after offering only a warning to be careful.
It wasn’t until their footsteps had completely faded that I exhaled the breath I’d been holding and felt relieved.
Tap, tap.
“You may come out now.”
At the sound of knocking, I slipped out through the door. And there I met the gaze of a priest standing in rigid posture.
Seen in the bright light, his face was handsome at first glance—the kind that inspired favor. The wound from before hadn’t been fully treated; gauze stained with blood was pressed against his forehead.
“This is a restricted area that lay worshippers aren’t permitted to enter. It seems you’ve lost your way.”
“I’m sorry. While my companions stepped away, I thought I’d take a look around the temple.”
“It happens occasionally that worshippers visiting the temple for the first time become confused about the layout. It’s a common occurrence, so please don’t trouble yourself over it.”
Wow, I think I just saw a halo.
I’d sensed it from a distance, but standing before this man, the word “priest” fit him perfectly—not merely in appearance, but in the very aura he radiated.
Can a person be this sacred?
“Take the corridor to the right, then head toward the second intersection, and you’ll reach the Central Hall. It shouldn’t be difficult to find. May divine protection be with you, sister.”
He bowed politely and stepped aside. Instead of passing him, I looked up and stared directly at him.
Ugh, really.
I’d tried to ignore it, but I can’t help but notice now.
“Wait.”
“Yes?”
“Actually, I saw you earlier in front of the temple.”
The priest blinked. Then, with a beat of delay, he let out a small exclamation—just then realizing that my gaze was fixed on the tattered gauze. He covered his forehead with his hand as he spoke.
“There’s no need for you to concern yourself with this.”
But I’m very concerned.
Temples typically have a Healing Priest on staff. Not all priests possess Divine Power, so at minimum one is assigned for emergencies.
The fact that this man had come without receiving treatment and was instead wearing a shabby bandage on his forehead meant one thing only.
He’s being ostracized.
Actually, I could have guessed as much just from the attitude of those veteran priests earlier.
They didn’t call him “brother” or even “Priest Bill”—they just called him by his name outright.
Honestly, these temple folk smile sweetly to your face while quietly discriminating against you behind your back.
Why do I keep running into these pitiful, pitiable characters?
“Would you come here for a moment?”
There’s no one around now, right?
At my gesture, the priest tilted his head in confusion but kindly bent forward his upper body.
I opened my palm and cast Healing Magic on his forehead.
“…Sister?”
“It’s my repayment for you saving me.”
I can’t keep going around owing people favors.
The priest froze in place, studying me for a long moment. I felt his blue gaze slowly trace across my eyes, my nose, my lips, and continue downward.
“…….”
What?
Why is he looking at me like that?
When the intensity of his stare began to feel burdensome, he straightened. His gaze still didn’t leave me. He parted his lips as if to speak, hesitated for another long moment, then finally said in a small voice:
“Thank you.”
“…Not at all.”
Unable to bear the weight of his attention, I took a step back from him as I spoke.
“But at this point, shouldn’t we introduce ourselves properly?”
“Ah….”
The priest, who had been gazing blankly at me, nodded slowly.
“I apologize for the late introduction. I am a Pilgrimage Priest named Bill.”
“A Pilgrimage Priest? Then you’re not assigned to the Alhabah Temple?”
“No, I’m currently on temporary assignment here.”
Now it makes sense.
No wonder he seemed to be openly shunned.
A dispatched priest stationed in the temple while disturbing rumors circulated would naturally be kept in check. The temple hierarchy detests nothing more than internal affairs leaking out to the outside world.
Of course, that doesn’t excuse ostracism.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m….”
“I know. Charlotte Schmidt, Countess’s daughter.”

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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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