False Salvation
Canna hurriedly opened the window for pitiful Claude.
“Sir Claude, come in quickly.”
“Excuse me.”
Claude entered the room without hesitation. There wasn’t a single dry spot on him from head to toe.
“You’ve worked hard, Sir Claude.”
“Not at all.”
Claude took the towel Canna offered and dried his wet hair. Then, like a dog, he shook his head vigorously to fling off the water.
“Duchess.”
“Yes?”
“The lord’s daughter.”
“Yes.”
“Shall I behead her?”
“You’re suggesting that again?”
“Yes. If you’re worried about the cleanup, there’s no need. I can handle it without anyone knowing.”
Why did he always jump straight to beheading? Canna firmly expressed her refusal.
“No. It’s fine.”
“Then how about cutting out that vile tongue of hers? It’s truly difficult to listen to.”
Claude spoke with a perfectly casual expression, as if stating a simple fact.
“A mere daughter of a rural island lord daring to spout such nonsense.”
“Well… that’s true.”
“Of course it is. If Sir Kallen learns of this, he won’t stand by quietly.”
The violent words clashed sharply with his boyishly innocent face.
He smiled brightly and offered another suggestion.
“So how about bringing me Lady Rachel’s tongue at least? As proof that I’m guarding you well.”
“Don’t joke.”
She was gradually learning to tell his jokes apart from his serious remarks. The last one was probably a joke.
“It’s serious, though.”
“…….”
Apparently not. He meant it.
“There’s no need. That woman will destroy herself anyway.”
A short while ago, Canna had given Rachel one final chance. A chance to hear the truth and an opportunity to clean up the mess herself.
I don’t need to show such kindness to a woman who wants to hang me upside down from a tree and burn me at the stake.
So that was enough. Canna intended to carry out her plan exactly as arranged.
“Sir Claude.”
“Yes?”
“How did the task I assigned you turn out?”
“Of course, I completed it perfectly.”
Claude thrust his thumb up with a triumphant grin.
“As the Duchess commanded, I delivered food to the villagers suffering from madness. They were incredibly pleased.”
“Were they?”
“Yes. The residents of Pailon Island are mostly quite poor. From what I gathered, the lord monopolizes all profitable ventures—fishing, aquaculture, everything.”
“I see. Thank you. You’ve worked hard.”
Canna offered her gratitude with genuine sincerity.
Claude Azel. Bringing the guard knight Kallen had gifted her was truly one of the best decisions she’d made.
Kallen Addis, I have to give you credit for this much at least.
Who could have guessed he would prove so useful? In the past, she would have had to struggle through all of it alone.
Instead, Sir Claude got soaked in the rain and handled it for me.
Just then, a knock sounded. As Canna glanced at the door, Claude spoke quietly.
“It’s the high priest.”
Canna shot him a doubtful look. How could he know without even checking?
“Ahem. May I come in for a moment, Madam?”
The high priest’s cough came from outside. It really was him.
“What? Did you install an eyeball on the door or something?”
When Canna expressed her amazement, Claude winked playfully, as if it were nothing special.
“But what could he want? It’s rather late to be visiting a noble lady’s quarters.”
At his grumbling, Canna checked her pocket watch. Ten o’clock at night. As he said, it was hardly an appropriate hour to call on a woman’s bedroom.
Nevertheless, Canna accepted.
“Come in.”
The door burst open as if he had been waiting, and the high priest entered.
“Good evening, Duchess.”
“Hello, High Priest. What brings you here at this late hour?”
“I came out of concern for you, Madam. You must be troubled.”
He glanced at Claude, then made a polite request.
“If it’s not too much trouble, could you dismiss your guard? There is something very important I must discuss with you, Madam.”
It was likely a matter similar to Rachel’s.
“Sir Claude, wait outside.”
At Canna’s signal, Claude left the room without protest.
The instant the door clicked shut, the corners of the high priest’s mouth lifted sharply.
Good. The other man was in the way.
The high priest approached Canna slowly and began.
“I heard from Lady Rachel.”
“That she sensed demonic energy in me?”
“Yes, that’s correct. You must have been quite shocked to hear such a thing so suddenly.”
“Not at all.”
Canna offered a polite smile.
“Thank you for your concern, but I’m perfectly fine.”
“…….”
“Was there something else?”
It was a clear line drawn in the sand.
The high priest faltered at her iron-wall attitude. He hadn’t expected such a lukewarm reaction.
Why is she so calm? Shouldn’t she be terrified?
If she had heard Rachel’s warning, she ought to be trembling in fear by now.
Why wouldn’t she be?
If things went wrong, Canna would be hung upside down from a tree and burned at the stake.
This was neither a vicious threat nor some distant affair happening in another country. It was an annual event that actually took place on this island.
There shouldn’t be anyone who could hear this and remain unafraid.
Is she relying on her position as Duchess?
Rachel’s decision had been made with the high priest’s approval. Otherwise, she would never have dared raise suspicions against a Duchess from the empire.
This works out well for me in many ways.
Canna Valentino’s maiden name was Canna Addis.
If the daughter of the Addis family were revealed to be one of the Black Apostles, the Addis family—or rather, Orsini’s influence—would never recover its former power.
When that bastard falls, I’ll deliver proper punishment then.
That large hand that had struck her. The blasphemous hand that had slapped her until her cheeks swelled and her lips split open—he would have it severed cleanly.
Of course, that wasn’t the only benefit the high priest stood to gain.
He liked beautiful women. Very much.
“You needn’t act strong before me, Duchess. You must be terribly worried by now.”
If he comforted her while her heart was weak and coaxed her with the promise that he could save her through his authority—
She’ll naturally fall for it.
Canna was the most captivating and radiant beauty he had ever seen. He couldn’t possibly let her slip by untouched.
“I am a fully ordained priest, born and raised in the Great Temple. I am closer to God than any other human in this world.”
The high priest subtly extended his hand and placed it over the back of Canna’s.
“At the very least, I carry more weight than the lord’s daughter, whom the villagers revere as a saint.”
The moment his plump fingers made contact, Canna nearly gagged.
Swallowing her revulsion, she warned him.
“Remove your hand, High Priest.”
“You would do well to think carefully before answering, Duchess.”
The high priest smiled creepily and gripped her hand more tightly. His palm was slick with sweat.
“I can save you from this crisis, Duchess.”
Then he rubbed the back of her hand with a thick thumb that resembled a sausage.
With that repulsive hand. On the back of hers.
“So place your trust in me. I……”
The instant his hand slyly drifted toward her waist—snap.
Something inside her head broke. Canna violently shook his hand off.
Slap!
“…….”
The back of the high priest’s hand burned hot where it had been struck.
He stared blankly at it for a moment, then slowly raised his head to look at Canna. Sparks of fury ignited in his eyes.
“How dare you raise your hand against a high priest’s person, Madam!”
Canna knew one shouldn’t strike a high priest, yet she felt not the slightest regret.
She could endure cockroaches or centipedes, but she could not tolerate that disgusting hand. She would rather die.
“You touched my body first, High Priest.”
“What?”
“I understand that the customs and rules of the Great Temple differ from those of the empire, but you should at least observe basic decency. To lay your hands so freely on a married woman’s body—”
The high priest burst into harsh laughter.
“I tried to offer salvation out of pity for your wretched situation. I never expected such ingratitude!”
“Salvation?”
Canna let out a raw, scornful laugh.
“If salvation means becoming physically intimate with you, High Priest, then I would rather fall into hell.”
“What did you say!”
The high priest’s face flushed crimson.
“Are you insulting me right now!”
“Don’t you insult me either, High Priest!”
At her sudden shout, the high priest flinched. Canna glared at him with murderous eyes and snapped back.
“You dared to touch my body. Is that how things are done in the Great Temple? I will file a formal protest about this matter with the Great Temple!”
“……!”
The high priest’s nostrils quivered as if he had been slapped by her words.
Where does this wench get the nerve to scream like that!
He had expected her to be fidgeting helplessly in her crisis, but instead of cowering, she was rampaging like a wild filly!
“Get out of my room immediately. I have no desire to speak with you any further, High Priest!”
“I will be the one filing a protest! I will never forget this humiliation!”
The high priest spun on his heel and stormed out. The door slammed shut with a thunderous bang.
“…….”
Canna sank onto the edge of the bed. It felt as though a storm had just passed through.
What on earth had that been?
Damn it, of all times to fight with the high priest.
Rachel was already spouting nonsense about demonic energy. Falling out with the high priest at a time like this would be troublesome.
But it was already done.
And of course, she had no intention of undoing it.
“Sir Claude.”
The window opened at once, as if he had been waiting for her call.
Claude slipped inside with his usual smiling face. Unfortunately, he was once again drenched in rain.
“Give me your command, Duchess.”
With a weary expression, Canna jerked her chin toward the door the high priest had exited.
“Catch him and knock him unconscious.”
“Shall I behead him?”
“No, just catch him.”