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Chapter 48 When I advised Charlotte to look after her subordinates, she responded with a face that suggested nothing was amiss. "Of course? I'm handling it well." The fact that she genuinely seemed to believe this made it all the more irritating. Once the attack happened today, she would recall my words soon enough. "Do remember that. Well, I'm tired, so I'll be going now." "Yes, Saint! Please be careful! I can prepare the carriage for-" "No, I'm fine. Besides, all ‌of this..." I brought my index finger to my lips. "...is a secret." "Yes, yes, of course!" "Absolutely. If you breathe a word of this to anyone, something terrible might happen." I flashed a smile and slipped out of the Mansion. "I'm exhausted..." Now that everything was finally over, the silence from the Guardian Deities felt oddly unsettling. After riding in the carriage for some distance, it turned into a sparse, empty Alley. "Saint." Theodore appeared right on cue. "Your Majesty..." I answered in a weary voice, studying him. Cold sweat still hadn't fully dried from my skin. "...You look exhausted." "Ha. How observant of you." "Did the task go smoothly?" "Don't even ask. Ugh... The lock was so difficult to open that the Guardian Deities exhausted all their power, and I was so tense the entire way out, I can't even tell you..." Even knowing this wasn't something I should be telling Theodore, I continued speaking. Perhaps it was the habit of chattering with the Guardian Deities after completing tasks. Or perhaps it was simply exhaustion. The words spilled out on their own. "The divine protection was not with you, then?" ‌‌‌Theodore asked. I nodded. "Yes. I ‌‌‌‌felt completely abandoned in enemy territory. I was so frightened." "...Divine protection can simply vanish like that?" "This was the ‌‌‌first time. As I mentioned before, the Guardian Deities have lost much of their power due to the Temple's ‌‌‌‌long corruption. ‌‌They've recovered somewhat, but using so ‌‌‌much power at ‌‌‌once left them exhausted." "...Could such a situation happen again?" "I suppose. I'll need to work harder at spreading the faith to prevent that." His expression grew conflicted. I could guess what ‌he was thinking without even looking. He'd witnessed an inexplicable power, so he had to believe in the Guardian Deities now. But his resistance to fully trusting their abilities was ‌‌‌‌strong. He understood ‌that I needed to spread the faith, yet he found it distasteful regardless. Still, he remained quietly silent. Compared to his previous sarcasm and anger, this was considerable progress. I let out a soft laugh. "Why are you laughing?" "Ah, no. I'm just glad that Your Majesty didn't scold me ‌‌‌‌for calling the Guardian Deities' power nonsense or whatever." "...I wish you'd understand how difficult it was to believe that easily." "Ah. Of course! I'm simply delighted. We finished the work well today after all— Ah. Shall I give it to you now? The ledger." "Ah, the ledger. Yes." "...Ah. But it's inside my dress." "Inside your dress...?" "In my corset. If you ‌‌step outside ‌‌‌for a moment, I can remove it—" "Give it to me later." He spoke with firm resolve. "Pardon?" "...The night air is cold. No matter that we're inside a carriage, I cannot have you undressing outside. Later. Give it to me later." "But when I ‌‌stole it earlier, I undressed just fine—" "Later. Give it to me later." He repeated himself with emphasis. "...Very well. Understood." I was confident I could keep it hidden until then anyway, so it hardly mattered. I nodded in agreement. "I ‌‌‌‌should return now." "Yes. Return...wait. This is a problem." "What is it?" "Without the Guardian Deities' power, it will be difficult for me to return to my room alone." I'd forgotten earlier, too focused on the ledger. The Grand ‌‌‌‌Temple's doors close at night, and besides, my room is on the third floor. "I can't climb trees...and there is a back entrance that servants ‌‌use. But if I'm caught by chance, the High Priest might grow suspicious...Ah, what should I do?" Troubled, I turned to Theodore. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, could you spare a Knight with exceptional martial prowess? ‌‌Someone who could carry me up to my room on the third floor...Is that possible?" I pleaded earnestly. After all, we'd agreed to be allies—surely he'd help with something like this. Theodore regarded me quietly before answering with composure. "Very well." "Wonderful. Thank goodness. My gratitude." "Now, let us depart. The Knight will follow behind." Theodore opened the carriage door and stepped out. I bowed my head once in thanks. "...Until next time." He replied in a languid voice like the night breeze before vanishing into ‌the darkness. And so, having returned quietly to the Grand Temple, I was carried by the Knight—whose movements were almost predatory in their grace—to the third floor, where I fell into ‌‌‌peaceful sleep. The next day. Through my connection with the recovered Agatha, I heard the events of the night. That shortly after my escape, Theodore had succeeded in orchestrating the attack on the Russell Family. The news that Theodore's people had deliberately left traces near the portrait and wall where the Count's safe was located, guiding his attention there, satisfied me greatly. Furthermore, I also learned ‌‌that the Maid I'd encountered had indeed not seen me emerging from the Study. It was quite a flawless conclusion. * * * Two days passed, yet no newspaper reported the attack on the Russell Family. Naturally, the nobility would suppress such news under ‌‌the guise of protecting their honor and reputation. For me, this was ‌‌‌‌fortunate. 'Given Charlotte's ‌‌‌nature, she'll keep the theft of the ledger hidden.' Many had already invested substantial sums in this venture. Should the theft of the ledger become public knowledge, investors would withdraw, or progress would stall—it was inevitable. Everyone would grow ‌cautious and retreat into themselves. And... 'She must be desperate.' I finished reading Cayden's letter and burned it thoroughly. The contents were simple: Charlotte had sought out Cayden, pleading to meet with the Saint. 'Not yet. She mustn't see me yet.' Charlotte, consumed by anxiety and desperation—this too was a punishment she deserved. 'How satisfying.' Those who fail to recognize the value of another's life must learn that their own life holds no value either. 'For now, I'll keep the ledger hidden while preparing for the resurrection ceremony... and when the timing is right, I'll expose everything. Perfect.' When and how should I reveal it? What method would be most effective? How could I shatter the High Priest's composure...? Imagining the High Priest's devastated expression brought a peculiar satisfaction. I noticed my personal emotions increasingly intertwining with every action... 'No, I'm simply following the path of justice.' I rationalized it to myself, sinking deeper into ‌contemplation. Then came a knock at the door. "Saint. The High Priest has sent word." I scanned ‌‌‌the room with hawk-like eyes, searching for anything that shouldn't be seen. [Agatha, is ‌‌‌‌there anything visible that shouldn't be? I ‌‌‌burned Cayden's letter, didn't I?] [Nothing exposed. Dorothy. The ledger is safely in its place.] Reassured by the Guardian Deity's confirmation, my mind settled. I donned the gentle composure befitting a Saint and spoke softly. "Yes. Please come in." "Saint, greetings. Blessings, love, ‌‌‌and peace." A young Priest entered with a pleasant smile. "Peace. What brings you here?" "The ‌‌High Priest requests your presence. He wishes to share tea with you." "Ah, of course." It was time. I rose without hesitation. I followed the Priest to the High Priest's Greenhouse. It remained an excessively luxurious space. "High Priest! I hope you've been well?" The High Priest didn't rise to greet me, merely nodding from his plush chair. 'Manners must have drowned in his soup.' I smiled and sat across from him. A tea table between us held ‌‌refreshments. "It's been a while." "Yes, High Priest." "It ‌‌feels as though I see you every day." "Pardon?" "Because of 'The Saint's Daily Life,' you see." Her displeasure was written plainly across her face. Most people wouldn't have caught it—her poker face was far too practiced for that—but having read her heart so many times, ‌‌‌‌I'd grown accustomed to seeing through it. [Using Dorothy for business ventures, jealous, nitpicking behind closed doors... how petty—] Agatha's internal curses continued. "Ah, that. I'm truly embarrassed. I'm not even sure how that column came about." The best way to handle petty jealousy was to play oblivious and ‌‌‌‌scratch at her pride relentlessly. I twisted my body as though mortified, at a complete loss for words. *Crack.* ‌‌The High Priest's expression ‌‌‌crumpled in an instant. [It was already being serialized when we last met, so why is she complaining about it now?] [Because she was too distracted by the invitation back then to care.] Ah. That day, I'd gone ‌‌through the trouble of hiding the invitation because of Victoria, and seeing that column—proof of my popularity—while in that state had suddenly irritated her. Was that it? "The Saint..." The High Priest took a sip of tea before speaking in a measured tone. "You said you would help me." "Ah, yes! I'll help with anything ‌‌‌I can!" "And you said you would especially help with matters concerning the Emperor." "Yes!" "So then. Do you have any information to give me?" She was ‌‌‌‌already scheming to use the Saint's existence to bring down the Emperor, yet her greed knew no bounds. But this was a question I'd known would come eventually. From the start, I'd entered the Temple saying I would help bring down the Emperor, and yet I'd accomplished precious little since then. Well, she'd been too busy to seek me out ‌‌until ‌‌‌now, so I couldn't fault her for that. "The Emperor doesn't seem to have any major weaknesses." "...Tsk. So that remarkable ability of yours doesn't work on the Emperor, it ‌‌seems." The High Priest spoke in a displeased tone. "...I apologize. But ‌truly, I suspect His Majesty may have fallen under my seduction. I read his heart and gave him exactly what he desired!" At my words, the High Priest's eyebrows twitched. The corners ‌‌‌of her mouth lifted slightly. "Is that ‌‌‌‌so... I heard that last time, you received a bouquet." "Yes. It was an enormous bouquet. I heard that His Majesty doesn't even ‌‌‌give flowers to women, let alone wildflowers from the roadside! I was truly delighted." I recited the descriptions from the novel, boasting of my accomplishment. The High Priest nodded. "Indeed. The desires of men are..." ‌‌‌‌‌The High Priest let out a soft laugh, her expression one of amusement at Theodore's expense. 'She certainly has nerve.' Every time I see Theodore, I'm terrified out of my mind. "Then we should use that to our advantage." "Yes! If I keep drawing him closer like this and find a way to strike him down—" "Saint." "Yes, High Priest." "Not only those to whom ‌‌you sent invitations, but several Noble Families have been inquiring about when the boat excursion will take place." A boat excursion, suddenly? The abrupt shift in conversation made me blink in confusion. "Ah, yes." ‌‌‌"Why not ask the ‌‌Emperor to accompany you? It would be an ‌‌‌‌opportunity to gauge his true feelings, would it not?" Theodore accompanying me... on a boat excursion? It was quite an unsettling combination.

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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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