Chapter 130
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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I'll Purchase Divine Power with Money
Chapter 130
* * *
The Temple Warehouse, once filled with nothing but cobwebs, now overflowed with sacred stones.
Just look at that brilliant shimmer.
The sacred stones, resembling a mixture of pure white marble and crystal, drew an involuntary smile to my face the moment I beheld them.
Perfect. I clapped my hands together, my expression brimming with emotion.
"This is all thanks to you, Duke. The workers must have been mining sacred stones for the first time, yet they didn't damage a single one. I'm truly grateful for sending such skilled workers."
I gazed warmly at Lute Sheary standing beside me.
"This is nothing special. I'm simply relieved that the High Priestess is pleased."
"Oh, it's far more than just being pleased."
I'm absolutely overjoyed. Thanks to this, I can finally have my own personal weapon crafted.
Moreover, this morning, a reply arrived from the Eternal Death God Temple.
Nashas's letter was brimming with cries of joy upon receiving such high-quality sacred stones.
It also included word that they would send the blacksmith we desired immediately.
The Holy Knights were already buzzing with excitement at the news of receiving new weapons and armor.
That's right, that's right. All of this is thanks to me, so you mustn't resent me.
"High Priestess."
Jeremy approached me as I stood gazing at the sacred stones piled in the warehouse, grinning foolishly. His expression was rigid and tense.
He'd been grinning like an idiot ever since I promised to replace his sword too, so why was he acting like this?
"Something terrible has happened."
"Something terrible? Could something have gone wrong with the mining team?"
My heart sank.
That was the only place where something terrible could happen right now.
"It's not there. The trouble has arisen here."
"Here? At the Temple of the Sun God?"
Jeremy nodded, his expression thoroughly dejected as he fumbled for words.
"...Dominic Aria is coming here."
Who? Dominic? If it's Dominic Aria, then surely....
It was Lute Sheary beside me who reacted in my stead.
"The Saint of the Sea God?"
Ah, so it is him.
"Yes. It seems he sensed it when the divine power erupted this time."
Now I understood why Jeremy looked so thoroughly dispirited.
He was thinking he'd inevitably be dragged away to the Sea God Temple.
"I, I...."
"Don't worry, Jeremy. I have no intention whatsoever of letting you go."
I gently patted Jeremy's soft hair as he glanced nervously at me.
"Besides, I was already anticipating that someone would come from their side."
Though I never expected the Saint himself would come. He must be quite panicked.
It had already been several months since Jeremy went missing.
"Actually, this is perfect. I should sell off the holy stones at an exorbitant price while I have the chance."
Hehehehe, come here quickly. My divine power shuttle.
I'll gladly exchange the money you offer for divine power!
* * *
"May the Sun's radiance be with you. The High Priest of the Sun God's Temple greets the Sea God's son."
At the entrance of the Sun God Grand Temple.
Airic Dert welcomed Dominic Aria as he descended from the carriage.
"May the Sea God's mercy shine upon you. It has been a long time, High Priest."
After exchanging greetings with Airic, Dominic turned his gaze beyond the Main Gate behind him. A flicker of emotion crossed his clear, sky-blue eyes.
"...It's been quite a few years since I last came here. I hadn't realized how much has changed in my absence."
He was already aware that the Sun God Grand Temple was dreaming of resurrection....
But this had already surpassed mere dreams, hadn't it?
When he'd visited ten years ago—the first and last time—the place had been so desolate it made one's face naturally contort in despair. Yet in such a short span, it had transformed like this.
"Much has transpired during this time. Please, come inside. The High Priestess awaits you."
Despite knowing it was a barbed remark, Airic's gentle smile remained unchanged.
That didn't sit well with him.
Until ten years ago, he'd worn a smile on the surface while failing to hide his despair.
He needed to see for himself what miracle had occurred at this temple, which should have long since crumbled.
"...What is that?"
As Dominic surveyed the temple—now in far better condition than when he'd last seen it—with a disapproving gaze, something strange caught his attention.
What appeared to be laborers were pulling carts laden with something across the grounds.
The carts were covered with thick cloth, so he couldn't discern their contents, but there was something ominous about them.
The way his gaze kept drifting toward them suggested these were no ordinary items.
"Ah, that is...."
Airic trailed off and smiled knowingly.
"The High Priestess will explain it herself. Do not worry."
...His sense of foreboding only deepened.
Dominic's unease intensified the moment he encountered the Sun God's High Priestess waiting before the temple.
"May the Sun's radiance be with you. It is a pleasure to meet you, Saint. I am Ordel Kiris, daughter of the Sun God."
The Sun God's High Priestess stood several steps above, looking down at him.
Her rare pink hair was something he'd scarcely seen even among the countless nobles he'd encountered.
Deep golden eyes as if the midday sun itself had been embedded within them.
Her beautiful face radiated confidence and self-assurance.
Ah, the moment Dominic laid eyes on her, he understood immediately.
It was her.
She was the one who had resurrected the Sun God Grand Temple.
Her presence was so distinctly overwhelming that he could be certain at a glance.
He'd come here merely intending to observe, but it seemed unlikely he would leave with only observations.
For the first time since arriving, Dominic felt genuine tension.
* * *
Are there truly no unattractive protagonists or supporting characters in this world?
That was my first thought upon laying eyes on Dominic Aria.
The Aria family's distinctive deep blue hair, eyes the color of a clear spring sky, and an expression that seemed gentle due to the slight droop of his eye corners.
Looking at his face alone, he resembled the kind-hearted secondary male lead from countless romance novels... but appearances could be deceiving.
In reality, he was closer to a malicious antagonist hiding a deranged nature behind that affable facade.
The thought of fleecing such a man already had my pulse quickening with anticipation.
"Have you come because of Jeremy?"
Sitting across from Dominic in the Reception Room, I got straight to the point.
There were only the two of us here.
Dominic had entered alone, leaving behind the Holy Knight Commander of the Sea God Faction who had accompanied him as an escort, so I'd similarly left Seth outside.
Being alone together was far more advantageous for me to extract what I needed from Dominic.
"If the Saint himself would travel all this way to the distant Western Region, it could only be for one reason."
"...."
"The precious child bearing the Sea God's divine power, after all?"
"Have you decided to stop hiding it now?"
At Dominic's sharp words, I shrugged.
"Yes. There's no reason to conceal it any longer."
Until now, I'd been forced to hide due to the overwhelming power disparity, but now that I possessed the Divine Stone, there was no reason for us to bow to the Sea God Faction.
"I have much to say about that."
"...."
"But the reason I came here is not because of Jeremy."
What?
He'd rushed all the way here the moment Jeremy's divine power was revealed, yet Jeremy wasn't his purpose?
"Of course, I was curious to check on his condition. But you won't show me, will you?"
I studied Dominic's face—he clearly expected nothing from me.
Hmm, this was certainly an unexpected development....
"Jeremy, come here."
Showing him Jeremy's face wouldn't be difficult.
Unlike usual, when he'd appear instantly, Jeremy emerged after a brief delay.
"...."
He half-hid behind me, gripping my shoulder firmly. A glance showed him glaring fiercely at Dominic.
It was the first expression like that I'd seen since he cursed the Sea God.
"...He has his sanity, then."
Dominic looked surprised that I would reveal Jeremy so readily, but his expression quickly turned grave.
"Are you amazed that someone who stole his very self and used him like a tool still possesses reason?"
Tsk. Dominic clicked his tongue.
His expression showed no embarrassment or remorse—only irritation.
I'd known it, but he was far more shameless and tactless than I'd anticipated.
"I don't know why Jeremy regained consciousness, but regardless, I have no intention of taking him with me. It is the will of the divine, after all."
...What? The will of a god?
"The Sea God wished for Jeremy to remain here?"
Jeremy himself seemed startled, his grip on my shoulder tightening.
But the answer came not from Dominic, but from someone else entirely.
【The 'Raging Sea' bellows at that cursed daughter of light.】
"...?"
What in the world is this?
A System Message window suddenly materialized before my eyes, shimmering like the blue depths of the ocean.
The Sea God, who hadn't uttered a single word since I'd acquired the Communication skill, was making an appearance now?
【The 'Raging Sea' snarls that the wretched spawn of light has survived without dying, grinding its teeth in fury.】
【The 'Sun Crawling from Death' mocks, asking if you're only just waking up now. It sneers, wondering what's so difficult about that—why sleep for so long like a weakling?】
【The 'Raging Sea' roars, telling them both to shut their mouths.】
【The 'Soul Guide Traveler' agrees with the 'Sun Crawling from Death,' lamenting that it should have taken better nutritional supplements in the first place.】
【The 'Raging Sea' snarls that it will kill them both, baring its fangs.】
"...."
It was already chaotic with just two gods, but adding another god with a poor temperament made it truly insufferable.
I squeezed my eyes shut against the relentless cascade of white, black, and blue message windows flooding my vision.
Someone, please—anyone—remove this Communication skill. I'm begging you.
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Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org
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