Chapter 70
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I'll purchase divine power with money.
Chapter 70
"You've worked hard keeping watch over that villain."
Now that the Count has left, my surveillance mission is complete.
I gently patted Jeremy on the head for his efforts.
Then I handed him the cookie pouch I'd started carrying everywhere for him.
Jeremy's face brightened as he munched on the cookies happily.
"Since you're done with your task, you can rest now."
"Huh? I don't have to follow that guy anymore?"
I shook my head. I hadn't intended to ask him to go that far.
"If you leave this place, it could put you in danger. Even with that necklace, we can't be too careful."
Jeremy still carries half a curse within him.
Being in the Temple of the Sun God, where the Sun God's authority is strongest, and possessing the sacred relic of the Eternal Death God, the Sea God's faction can't even track him for now—but once he ventures far from here, there's no telling what might happen.
"Wasn't there information you needed to extract from him?"
"There is, but I can't put you in danger because of it...."
"I'll be fine. So I'll go and come back."
Jeremy looked directly at me and spoke with firm resolve.
This was the first time I'd seen him so determined since regaining his sense of self.
"This seems quite important. Is there anyone else besides me who could execute this mission perfectly?"
....
I couldn't even say so in jest.
Neither the Holy Knights of the Sun God nor even Seth, the Sword Master, possessed Jeremy's mastery of stealth and infiltration.
"So I'll continue. I might be able to obtain the information the High Priestess desires from his estate."
Jeremy was right.
If I searched his home, I might find evidence of the Count's communications with his backers.
But that would also put Jeremy in equal danger.
"I won't do anything dangerous."
"I'm worried about you getting hurt."
I sighed and rubbed my face.
"Still, isn't this necessary?"
Jeremy struck at the heart of the matter.
Now, while the Count's guard was still down, was indeed the best time to send in a spy.
"Without taking risks, you gain nothing."
Jeremy's pink eyes gazed directly at me.
A child barely half my age in my previous life—what business did he have saying such things?
Yet every word rang true.
"You'll come back safely without getting hurt, right?"
When I finally relented and asked, Jeremy nodded vigorously.
"Of course. I don't want to fall under the curse again, so I'll be careful."
Still, he should be reassuring, but with cookie crumbs all over his face, he only looked worrisome instead....
I exhaled slowly.
"Then I'm counting on you. Don't push yourself too hard. If it seems dangerous, come back immediately. Even if you don't gather information, I won't cast you out."
"Okay."
"Ten days. You need to be back by then."
"Okay."
I gently patted Jeremy's cheeks as he nodded.
Then I handed him the cookie pouch that Monica had been carrying for the same reason.
Along with twenty gold coins.
"Eat them if you get hungry on the way. Don't starve—buy yourself proper meals. Choose the delicious ones."
"Thank you."
Jeremy carelessly stuffed the gold coins into his pants but received the cookie pouch with great care.
He treasured it as much as one would guard a precious necklace.
Seeing that, I couldn't help but smile, and some of my tension eased.
"Then I'll be on my way."
Jeremy waved lightly, then leaped gracefully onto a tree and vanished in an instant.
All I could do was hope he returned safely.
* * *
After Jeremy left, I returned to the Temple of the Sun God.
Though I was worried, now wasn't the time to simply sigh.
I had my own tasks to attend to.
"Duke, it's Ordel."
I knocked on the door to the bedroom where Lute Sheary was staying.
"Please come in, High Priestess."
Before I could wait for permission, the door swung open and Lute Sheary appeared.
She could have simply told me to come in.
Still, since she opened the door, I didn't hesitate and stepped inside.
Yuri Polton, who had been working with her, bowed his head to me.
Seeing that all the luggage in the room remained untouched, it seemed he had no intention of leaving the Temple of the Sun God yet.
Perfect timing.
"Duke, are you busy right now?"
"Not at all."
At his response, Yuri Polton grumbled in an exasperated tone.
"Are the documents I'm holding mere decoration?"
Well, seeing him carrying an armful of documents made me wonder if his arms were alright. He certainly had reason to feel wronged.
After all, Lute Sheary, who had to manage both ducal affairs and the merchant company, couldn't possibly have leisure time.
"I wonder why the High Priestess has come to see me. Oh, do you want to drink in the afternoon?"
Watching Lute Sheary completely ignore Yuri Polton's lament made me feel sorry for him.
Separately from that, afternoon drinking was truly tempting...
I quickly checked to make sure I wasn't drooling.
"We can do that later. Right now I have something else to discuss. Count Polton, I apologize, but I need to speak with the Duke about business matters. Could you spare us some time?"
My words sent the two of them in opposite directions emotionally.
"If it's work-related, that's fine! By all means, let's go."
Seeing Yuri light up, it seemed all he needed was for Lute to work without slacking off.
I couldn't blame him—there's nothing more irritating to someone trying to work than a boss lounging around doing nothing.
"What? I thought you were asking me on a date."
Unlike Yuri, Lute let out a sigh of clear disappointment.
"Since we're taking a carriage, you can think of it as a date if you really want to."
When a man and woman spend time together, isn't that a date?
At my indifferent response, Lute's expression turned incredulous.
"You have no sense of romance...."
I was drowning in work trying to save the Temple of the Sun God—did she really think I had time for romance right now?
"So, where are we going?"
"Not far. By the way, the Temple of the Sun God doesn't have its own carriage, so I'll borrow the Duke's."
There was no way this impoverished place had a carriage—at best, a cart.
Since I couldn't very well ride in a cart, I readily agreed to borrow Lute's.
"You're not taking me along just because you don't have a carriage, are you?"
"Good grief, what do you take me for? I said it was work-related!"
"...I'll choose to believe that."
She didn't trust me at all. I was going to show her something good, and she was being completely unreasonable.
Of course, there was also a tiny part of me that wanted to experience the comfort of the Duke's carriage.
We each changed into plain clothes to hide our identities and met again.
I was slightly worried whether Lute's beauty could be concealed by plain clothes....
The moment I saw the carriage, I realized beauty wasn't the problem.
"...Is this really the Duke's carriage?"
In front of the Grand Temple Gate.
I stood dumbfounded at the sight of the enormous four-horse carriage.
I mean, I'd read plenty of fantasy web novels where a Duke would ride in a massive carriage, but to this extent...?
It was practically a house rolling down the street. What kind of wheel was the size of a child's height?
"With the Duke's crest plastered across the carriage like that, what's the point of wearing plain clothes?"
"Is there a problem?"
"Unfortunately, yes. If word spreads, it'll be troublesome."
"Then there's only one solution."
Lute nodded and gestured to the coachman.
The coachman immediately untied one of the horses that had been hitched to the front of the carriage.
"Is riding a horse acceptable?"
A beautiful black horse came to stand beside Lute.
The way her hands held the reins and caressed the horse's cheek and neck seemed entirely natural.
"Have you ever ridden before?"
Of course I had. I'd ridden plenty in my past life, enough to ride alone without anyone's help.
"No."
But Ordel, who prefers carriages, doesn't know how to ride horses.
If she suddenly mounted one skillfully, it would look suspicious, so I shook my head.
I'd have to pretend to learn it next time.
"Then I'll take the liberty."
"Oh!"
And I nearly let out a scream.
Lute Sheary, who had stepped closer, grabbed my waist and lifted me effortlessly into the air.
"Gasp...!"
Startled beyond measure, I gasped for breath as my body dropped lightly onto the black horse's back.
My heart was pounding wildly.
"Th-thank you, but please tell me next time before you do that."
I clutched my chest and sighed as I spoke.
"I nearly struck the Duke's back—no, his head without thinking."
Truly, my fist had almost lashed out before I could stop myself. I was suddenly sensitive to surprise attacks, apparently.
At my earnest warning, Lute Sheary, who was mounting behind me with practiced ease, stared at me blankly.
Brought to you by Valir Scans! To support our team and enjoy the latest releases, please read directly on our official site: valirscans.org