Chapter 143
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I'll Purchase Divine Power with Money
Chapter 143
But this too was a misunderstanding.
Lute Sheary placed me in her usual carriage—one so magnificently ornate it was almost ostentatious.
There's no way someone like her would send me to prison.
"You're not upset with me?"
Last night she'd been seething with anger, practically trembling with rage.
Now she wasn't angry at all—she was actually smiling.
"No, I'm not. It seems you didn't even listen with half an ear to what I said before."
"What did you say?"
"That it was fine even if you deceived me."
There's no way she could have forgotten that. It had happened just days ago.
"You do remember then. So why did you think I'd be angry?"
"That's because...."
"If I seem angry, it's only because you don't believe even a shred of my sincerity."
"That's not it."
I exhaled deeply.
I know well enough that Lute was sincere back then.
Her eyes were so full of genuine feeling that I could barely meet her gaze—how could I possibly misunderstand her?
"Still, a fake pretending to be a true High Priestess is a serious problem, isn't it?"
"Not really. I never opened my heart to you because you were a High Priestess in the first place."
"What?"
"I believed in the abilities and resourcefulness you demonstrated, and the confidence with which you never backed down and ultimately seized what you wanted. None of that was false, was it?"
Lute was right. I truly had lived with all my might.
To avoid dying so pathetically again, I had to restore the Sun God and save this world from destruction.
"So whether you're real or fake doesn't matter much to me. Actually, I prefer things this way."
Prefer it? Why?
"Because you're free now."
Lute looked directly at me and broke into a radiant smile.
"Thanks to this, I can finally have you all to myself without reservation."
This was the first time I'd seen Lute smile with such genuine joy since the divine power had taken away her pain.
She really means it.
"You have nowhere else to go anyway, right?"
"I was planning to seek refuge at the Death God's Temple. The High Priest there already knows I'm a fake High Priestess."
"Stay at my estate instead. Now that I know you're a fake too."
I blinked at such an unexpected, bold proposal.
Could that have been the reason she was taking me to the Duke's Residence?
"But I'm not a High Priestess—what help could I possibly be...."
"I covet your abilities and resourcefulness. And it seems you can still use divine power even after leaving the Temple."
"That's true. The Sun God hasn't abandoned me."
"Then that settles it. While you're staying at the Duke's Residence, help me with my work. You can assist with the trading company operations if you'd like."
She wants to put me to work at the trading company she treasures like her own life?
I don't know what to say. Lute Sheary really is....
She genuinely doesn't seem bothered at all that I deceived her.
Strangely, once I realized this, my heart felt considerably lighter.
We'd grown quite close lately, so I'd been worried she might hate me because of this.
"If that is your wish, Duke, I shall gladly comply. Please use me as you see fit."
"Then first, let's do something about that way of speaking. I really hate the formal language."
Lute Sheary pouted and grumbled.
I'd been treating her more respectfully now that she was no longer a High Priestess equal in status to the great nobility, yet she seemed to despise it.
"Just talk to me like before. You can call me by my name too."
"That's a bit much. People will talk."
"I'm giving you permission, so what will anyone say?"
Look at her confidence.
Well, Lute Sheary is a Duke with nothing to envy, someone who doesn't even fear the Imperial Family itself—a truly disagreeable character.
There's no way she'd care what others think.
"Then I'll say it bothers me."
"As if anyone has thicker skin than you."
What? Saying I'm worse than her—how can she say something so harsh?
"You're adapting quickly. I can see you cursing me with your eyes."
Lute Sheary laughed as if being insulted delighted her.
Now that I think about it, she's got some rather perverted tendencies.
The carriage that had been racing along soon approached the Duke's Residence.
Through the carriage window, I gazed at the city district and let out a low whistle.
"It's incredibly splendid."
I haven't visited many places yet, admittedly.
Still, I could certainly tell this place was more magnificent than anywhere else I'd seen.
Pristinely swept roads, people laughing and chatting as they passed, streets lined with all manner of shops and buildings of classical elegance.
Yet the true jewel of this place lay elsewhere.
Naturally, it was the Sheary Duchy Mansion where the master of this land resided.
"...."
The moment I passed through the gold-gilded Main Gate, I sensed something extraordinary.
A garden so vast that one needed a carriage to traverse it, stretching endlessly beyond sight.
And at its far end stood the magnificent Duke's House.
Stepping down from the carriage and facing the mansion, I found myself wondering just how much wealth Lute Sheary possessed.
Tall, broad, extensive, and vast—every superlative related to size seemed necessary to describe the grandeur of this colossal estate.
"...You really are wealthy, Duke."
"Call me by my name."
I was speechless, yet she remained fixated on proper forms of address.
"Ah, I'm finally bringing you to my home. I'm really glad I left the Temple of the Sun God."
Lute Sheary stood beside me with a bright smile on her face.
She showed no sign of remembering that I'd left the Temple of the Sun God in disgrace.
I was grateful for that, at least.
"Welcome, Master."
At that moment, a middle-aged man dressed impeccably bowed deeply to Lute Sheary.
"Oh, let me introduce you. This is Karl Rahin, the butler of the Sheary Duchy."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Count. I'm Ordel Kiris."
"Karl, this is my guest, Ordel Kiris. She's a very distinguished guest, so please treat her with the utmost care."
I was touched by Lute Sheary's thoughtfulness in looking after me until the very end.
"It's an honor to meet you, Miss Ordel. Please, call me Karl. If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to ask."
But what was this?
Karl's eyes seemed to gleam with an unsettling fervor as he looked at me. Was it just my imagination?
"Karen Boreo will handle Ordel's personal attendant needs. Have her select any additional staff as she sees fit."
"Yes, understood."
At Lute Sheary's casual remark, Karl's eyes blazed even brighter.
It didn't seem like he viewed me unfavorably, but it was certainly unsettling. Not unpleasant, exactly, but deeply disconcerting.
What on earth was he looking at me like that for?
"Come on. Let me show you to your room."
But before I could stare at Karl any longer, Lute Sheary took my hand and led me deeper into the mansion.
My scalp prickled, and for some reason, I didn't dare turn around to look back.
But the truly frightening part came later.
"This is really... my room?"
"Yes, I promised you a guest room at the Duke's Residence, remember?"
Lute Sheary smiled radiantly as she said she was keeping that promise now.
Even so, this was...
I gazed blankly around the bedroom Lute Sheary had given me.
It was easily twice the size of the bedroom I'd used at the Temple of the Sun God, with a spacious bed draped in deep green canopy fabric and refined decorative pieces throughout.
And one wall was lavishly adorned with pure gold patterns.
Wow, so this is how the truly wealthy decorate their rooms—with gold.
What struck me most was that despite all this pure gold adorning the walls, it didn't feel ostentatious at all—only elegant.
"This is just the basics. If I'd known you were coming, I would have decorated it much more beautifully. It's a shame, but please make do with this for now."
"What do you mean 'make do'? Please, don't add anything more. This is already more than enough—it's overflowing."
"You could accept even more. Besides, I've received so much from you over time."
Lute Sheary tapped her own neck lightly.
She meant the poison, but I'd already repaid that debt by saving the Temple of the Sun God.
"Are you hungry, by the way?"
"No, I'm fine."
Hungry? Just looking at this magnificent room was enough to make me feel full.
"Then wash up first. I'll have a meal prepared while you bathe. I cast a cleansing spell on you earlier, but a proper bath will be more refreshing."
I nodded in agreement.
No matter how convenient cleansing magic is, I have no intention of continuing to rely on Lute Sheary.
"Karen, please attend to Ordel Kiris."
"Yes. This way, please."
"Then rest well, and I'll see you at mealtime."
Lute Sheary offered a brief farewell and departed.
What am I to do?
Not only did she forgive me so graciously, but I had intended to craft a perfectly tailored sacred artifact as repayment for her kindness in making me comfortable.
Now it seemed the arrangement wouldn't balance out.
I felt I should give her more, yet she already possessed everything—I had no idea what to offer.
"This way, High Priestess. Allow me to show you to the bathhouse first."
Karen led me inward as I pondered the matter.
The moment I stepped into the bathroom beyond the dressing room—which was itself the size of a chamber—I gasped involuntarily.
There was a grand bathing pool brimming with hot water!
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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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