Chapter 100

Rodrigo’s expression noticeably hardened. He could hardly understand what his brother was saying. His saint is not Hestine Valkyr.

What happened while you were away from the family…….

Did you go crazy?

As Berg’s older brother and head of Chihen, Rodrigo was genuinely worried for his brother.

“Do you realize that what you are saying is blasphemy?”

“What an insult! Who’s really cheating on God!”

“Keep your voice down. There are many ears to hear.”

Rodrigo looked at the door. The thick iron door was tightly closed, but there was no harm in being careful.

Rodrigo sighed and rubbed his forehead with a troubled face.

“I thought you were all grown up, I guess I was mistaken.”

Berg wanted to hit his chest in frustration as he looked at Rodrigo, who looked at him in disbelief. 

“……Do I look like I’m kidding?”

Rodrigo’s eyebrows twitched at Berg’s subdued voice.

Yes, even in Rodrigo’s eyes, Berg was appealing but there was a reason why he reacted like this. If what Berg said was true, things would be complicated.

The saint was decided in front of everyone. But the fake one was real and the real one was fake. If so, it means that the temple betrayed God and put up a fake before the real thing. 

This will affect the entire continent beyond the Huizeniac royal family.

But Hestine Valkyr has an immeasurable divine power befitting a saint.

She proved herself in the presence of everyone. Adelia, on the other hand, did not. Not only that, but in the midst of disaster, Hestine showed a miracle. Without the miracle she did, Duke Valkyr would not have been as active as he is now.

“Sigh….”

From Rodrigo’s point of view, he had no choice but to doubt Berg’s argument. 

“I think you’re making no sense here, but I can’t ignore your will.”

“Then…!”

“Did the saint say she was collecting relics?”

Berg’s shoulders trembled.

“No, she never said so…….”

Berg tried to make excuses belatedly, but it was too late. Rodrigo opened his mouth, cutting off the lame excuse of Berg.

“I cannot hand over the relic to you yet. To be more specific, I cannot hand it over to Viscount Yurpheon.”

“……so how are you going to hand it over?”

“I’ll have to meet her in person.”

“Who? No way…….”

The bell rang out in Berg’s head. The sound of a bell ending his life.

“Tell Viscount Yurpheon. If she wants the holy relic, she should visit the Kingdom of Sadin. It doesn’t matter when. But she better not be too late. I might fall for Duke Valkyr’s enticement.”

It was a clear warning.

If they miss the timing, they’ll miss something bigger.

A headache that had been dormant for a while bothered Berg again. Now there is only one thing he can say.

“…alright, I’ll do as you say. Instead, I have a condition.”

“Hmm.”

Rodrigo looked at Berg, who was rolling his head in his own way, and nodded.

“Silence.”

“Silence?”

“Be silent about this. You, me, all the servants and knights of the family. Of course, today’s disturbance is one of the things to be silent about.”

Rodrigo pondered for a moment whether to accept his brother’s offer. The worry wasn’t too long. He also wanted this matter  to refrain from spreading.

“All right, I’ll keep it quiet until I’m sure.”

Berg was able to breathe in the air only after he had done business with Rodrigo.

“Bishop…!”

Ale, who was being watched by the knights, greeted Berg with open arms as he went to pick him up.

“Calm down.”

Berg, annoyed by Ale’s crying and clinging behavior, pushed him off in a casual voice.

“Should I laugh at this? Oh, no… Of course, crying won’t solve anything, but it was really scary! All of a sudden, the bishop is taken away by the knights, and I’m viciously…… No, I’m surrounded by masculine knights, and I’m being watched…….”

Ale’s voice was filled with sorrow. It was like shouting, “Why did I become an assistant priest?”

Berg left the room with a short click of his tongue. Ale quickly followed Berg’s footsteps.

“We’re going back to the holy land.”

“Huh? Are you done with your business?”

“Tsk…. I’m just glad I didn’t make a mistake.”

“What do you mean…….”

Ale decided not to ask any more questions at the cold look on Berg’s face. 

“Then when are you going to leave?”

“Right now, it will take three days to reach the holy land.”

It was a sudden declaration, but Ale nodded, thinking it was better. 

***

[T/N:This part, his conversation with Spencer. It’s a bit confusing to me. I’m not sure if I translated this properly.]

Ivan’s eyes were filled with boredom. Today, the voice of his aide, Spencer, did not come into his head very well.

“…………and the essence of this problem seems to be a difference in customs. I’ve seen the Kingdom of Fynn, but it seems that bribery has been prevalent for a long time. This was the reason why the Guild owner hesitated. I should have looked into it when it felt weird, it was my fault.”

In the midst of Spencer’s lengthy rambling, there was only one place where his mind headed.

We’ll see each other soon.

Today is the last day of Selcred. When the sun went down, they would light up the torch. If it went according to plan, he would be able to see her from afar.

In order to do so, he needs to solve the problem that is holding him back quickly.

“Your highness?”

Spencer called him with a puzzled voice when showed no response to his words. Ivan looked at Spencer only then.

“Did you say, difference in customs?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“They want thirty percent of the profit. They’re being greedy.”

“Obviously, 30 percent was more than average. I think about 10 percent is appropriate.”

Ivan was worried, tapping his index finger on the desk. His face was full of displeasure.

‘How dare them go against Hamilton. If the other person puts a knife on my neck, it’s only right to fight back.’

Ivan thought about what was irreplaceable among the goods exported to the Kingdom of Fynn. Then suddenly, the snow rose in Adelia’s room, came to his mind.

Snow Rose’s don’t grow in a lot of places. It had to be kept in a cold place all year round and a lot of water was needed. There were not many places that could grow and sell Snow Rose under such conditions.

“Did you say Snow Rose is used as an important medicinal ingredient in the kingdom of Fynn?”

“Ah…! That’s right!”

Spencer nodded with delight, as if he had just remembered.

“If they’re talking about customs, it would be better for us to cut the deal with Snow Rose. If there is a shortage of important medicines, the damage to the entire kingdom will not be small. Then the royal family won’t just sit on the sidelines. It will be an advantage on our side.”

“I’ll tell the guild owner right away.”

Ivan left for the carriage before Spencer could get up.

The place where he is now is a city for merchants built on the outskirts of the holy land, he would be able to make it in time if he left now.

I’m gonna have to hurry.

Ivan hurried into the carriage. And ordered the coachman.

“Drive the carriage as soon as possible.”

***

The center of the holy land was crowded. The last day was the most important day in the Selcred period, so it was natural. Thanks to this, Ivan’s carriage could hardly move forward.

I think I’m going to be late.

Ivan checked the window. The sun was setting. It’s time for the guardian to light the torch. Ivan asked the coachman, nervous as usual.

“How long will it take for us to get there?”

To Ivan’s subdued voice, the coachman replied in a voice full of difficulties.

“That is…… The crowd is bigger than I expected, and I can’t speed up. It’ll probably take two more hours…”

Ivan stopped the carriage after a brief click of his tongue and without hesitation, he got out of the carriage and jumped into the crowd.

“Y, Your Highness?”

“I think it’s faster to move with my feet, so I’ll go on my own from now on.”

Ivan left the bewildered driver behind and hurried on. If he was an ordinary person, it would have been difficult to move quickly in this crowd, but Ivan was a person who far exceeded an ordinary person.

He moved quickly through the crowd like the wind.

Fortunately, I can make it on time.

Someone hit Ivan’s shoulder as he was rushing to his feet.

“Oh, no. I’m sorry.”

A man in a common brown long robe.

The man’s voice forced Ivan to stop. It was a familiar yet repugnant voice

Ivan turned his head and looked at the man who bumped into him. The distance between the two has already been considerably distant due to the crowd, but Ivan did not miss it.

Bright blond hair flowing through the robe.

“Kale Ferris!”

There was no mistake. The owner of the voice.

[T/N: if you don’t remember, Kale Ferris is part of the group who kidnapped Ivan when he was young.]