Chapter 11

The emperor raised the corners of his lips as if he was having fun with my words and actions that might seem daring to other people.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem to have any intention of reprimanding my ungodly attitude.

On the other hand, the nobles looked at me with astonished faces.

Among them is my father, Marquis Sorne.

I swallowed a smile inside as I saw his poorly disorganized face.

“Yes. I forgot about that part. Let me correct it. Adelia, welcome.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

The emperor let out a windy laugh and shook his head.

At that moment, the closed auditorium door opened.

Now there was only one person left to enter this place.

“Lady Hestine”

All the eyes of the Spectator turned towards the door. Soon after, the door opened and Hestine, decorated like a bright spring flower, walked in.

The light of the sun shining through the door of the auditorium seemed like a halo.

Perhaps I wasn’t the only one who felt it, exclamations burst out from the mouths of the nobles in the auditorium.

“I, I’m sorry. I guess I’m a little late.”

“It’s not that late, so it’s okay.”

“Thank you for your generosity.”

Hestine bent down, lifting her skirt, with her cheeks flushed.

Although her appearance was clumsy, her loveliness made even that clumsiness look good.

“It looks like everyone is here, can we start now?”

A man in a white priest’s uniform, quietly standing behind the emperor, stepped forward and spoke.

People’s attention naturally shifted from Hestine to the white man.

I couldn’t help but admire the new face.

He was literally a white man.

The man’s gray hair and bright red eyes gave off a mysterious atmosphere.

He came down from the top and stopped in front of Hestine. And suddenly he lowered his head deeply.

“Before I give my greetings to the two prospective saints, I would like to express my apology.”

I looked at the man’s round back of the head with an expressionless face.

I could roughly predict what the man was apologizing for.

For me now, the temple was a very undesirable existence. Perhaps that’s why the man’s apology doesn’t matter to me.

Contrary to me, Hestine is friendly to the temple.

Hestine hurriedly waved her hand and shouted.

“No! Raise your head!”

Does Hestine even know what the man is apologizing for?

I looked at the situation cynically and asked the man in the white robe on behalf of Hestine.

“What are you apologizing for?”

The man then straightened his back and moved his lips.

“First of all, I would like to express my apologies for causing trouble to the two of you and the people of the Empire due to our shortcomings.”

“…….”

I couldn’t say anything to the priest’s apology.

I just stared at him.

It was clear that if I opened my mouth now, words filled with only resentment would come out.

The man revealed his identity while still maintaining an apologetic look.

“Let me introduce myself. I am Eustaf, who holds the office of Cardinal.”

Hestine, who had a bright expression in this heavy atmosphere, spoke with a smile.

She seemed to think that now is an opportunity to reverse the mood.

“Please take good care of me, Priest Eustaf!”

Hestine gave a clear smile and gently lifted the hem of her skirt.

It was rude to call a Cardinal a priest, but Cardinal Eustaf didn’t seem to care.

He looks young, but he’s already a cardinal. He must have possessed considerable divine power.

“I look forward to your kind cooperation. Cardinal Eustaf.”

Please act wisely and point Hestine as a saint, not me.

“I look forward to your kind cooperation too.”

At the end of the greeting, priests dressed in similar holy clothes approached Cardinal Eustaf. They held a large box in their hand.

Of course, Hestine and I had no choice but to look at the mysterious box.

“This is…? ”

At Hestine’s questionable voice, the priests opened the box.

It contained two spheres of an ominous purple color.

I could not easily figure out what it was.

“It is the holy sphere where a demon is sealed.”

“D, demons?”

“Yes.”

The nobility began to roar at the word ‘Demons’.

It was natural since they’re bringing a holy sphere where a demon is sealed in the safest part of the imperial capital which is the imperial palace.

I turned my head and checked the emperor’s expression.

Perhaps he had already talked with the priests in advance, as he did not show any agitation.

“Hey, how are you going to know who the real saint is with that?”

“These spheres have one special function, unlike ordinary spheres.”

“What’s that?”

At Hestine’s question, Cardinal Eustaf smiled meaningfully then he pulled out one of the Holy Spheres and placed it in her hand.

Then the ominous purple light began to brighten.

“If you put your hand on this castle and inject sacred power into it, you can reach the subspace.”

“No way there….”

“As expected, you can purify the demon there.”

At that, I couldn’t help but frown.

Do we have to kill a demon? 

I don’t know about Hestine, but for now it is impossible for me.

I must appeal that I do not have divine power before it is too late.

I spoke to Cardinal Eustaf without hiding my stiff expression.

“There seems to be some misunderstanding. I have no divine power.”

At my words, the hall became quiet in an instant.

“So, it would also be impossible for me to purify the demons.”

I raised my eyebrows and looked at Cardinal Eustaf with the question of what we’re going to do now.

But he smiled softly as if he had already expected me to say this.

“I know that Lady Adelia has not yet blossomed her divine power. So, I’ll help you put divine power into the holy sphere.”

No, I’m not talking about that now.

He knows I cannot use divine power, so even if I face demon, I can’t purify it.

“Don’t worry. I’m going to be with Lady Adelia. If there is a dangerous situation, I will definitely come forward and protect you.”

I bit my lip and let out a sigh I had been holding back.

“Then let’s get started.” 

“Wait a minute.”

When the Holy Spheres that sealed the demons came out and delivered to Hestine and me one by one, Duke Valkyr, who had been silent, stepped out.

“What’s wrong?”

Cardinal Eustaf smiled at the sudden intervention of the Duke of Valkyr.

“I am concerned that it would be against fairness for the Cardinal to be with the candidacy of Saint Adelia.”

The duke of Valkyr glared at me while speaking.

I twisted my lips at that blatant gaze.

Cardinal Eustaf explained with a saintly face, as if he had not noticed the war of nerves between me and the Duke of Valkyr.

“You don’t have to worry about that. I will only go out when her life is in danger. I swear by my name.”

Cardinal Eustaf said, placing his hand around his left chest.

Duke Valkyr was forced to accept the cardinal’s action after mentioning an oath and soon stepped down.

Just a second. That’s a problem.

Does that mean there is a chance I could get in danger? 

“I…”

“Then let’s get started.”

However, I was not given time to object.

I was forced to place my hand on the holy sphere that was emitting an ominous light, and then my vision was reversed in an instant.

It really was just a blink of an eye.

“Ha… What the heck.”

The anger I had been holding back exploded.

In the first place, I was wrong to return to the capital along with the Grand Duke. I should have run away no matter what.

Of course, the chances of escaping safely would be very low.

I was overcome with regrets, but I can’t turn back now since I’ve come this far.

I swallowed my saliva and looked around.

Cardinal Eustaf, who was confident that he would be with me, was nowhere to be seen.

You will really help if my life is in danger, right…?

“This is driving me crazy.”

Now that this has happened, the best move was to stay still until Hestine handled the demons.

If I get hurt while trying to move around, it’s only my loss.

Hestine will take care of it anyway, so if I stay still, I will be able to get out of this hell.

After I finished the calculation, I sat down.

I sat down and wasted my time and soon I felt like I wanted to lie down. So, I just lay down.

I guess it’s okay to do this.

What am I supposed to do if I moved around here?

Let’s not go wild for no reason.

I looked up at the subspace sky while lying down. The sky added a gloomy energy.

It’s a place where the ominous air is blowing, and the sky is dark gray.

Let’s just count the clouds.

By the time the number of clouds increased to the point where I was dizzy, I had no choice but to raise myself.

‘How long do I have to be like this?’

It felt like two hours had passed. However, no abnormalities appeared.

Can I just stay still like this? Do I have to get rid of a demon to get out of here?

Don’t think of such crazy thoughts.

I took a deep breath and calmed down. And I calmly called someone who could help me.

“Cardinal Eustaf”

However, cardinal Eustaf did not respond to my call.

“Cardinal. Please come about.”

I called his name again. In the end, no answer came.

“What the heck.”

I hope you didn’t lie

Profane words came out of my mouth for the temple and Cardinal Eustaf as anxiety and irritation rose in my head.

The moment I was about to shake my head in frustration, the heavens and the earth began to shake as if they were about to collapse.