Chapter 107

Professor Dert, as well as Rowena and Emily, was surprised by the sudden appearance of Berg.

Although he looked like a rascal, he was a bishop in name and reality. All those involved in the temple had great respect for Berg.

“May his blessing be with you.”

Professor Dert placed his right hand diagonally on his left chest, and lowered his head. Following Dert, Emily and Rowena hurriedly offered their blessing. However, Berg looked down at Rowena with annoyed eyes, overshadowing the greetings.

“Never mind, little kid.” 

Berg pointed to Rowena with his chin and called her in a sharp voice.

“M, me?”

For some reason, Rowena was confused by Berg’s expression of hostility towards her.

“Yes, you.”

“……Yes, yes!”

Rowena’s heart beat violently. Although the atmosphere appears tense, the bishop seems interested in her. In addition, Berg Chihen, who had blue hair and arrogant eyes, was a very influential figure among the bishops. According to recent reports, he was close to Saint’s side…. For Rowena herself, Bishop Berg was the best.

Maybe I can build a meaningful relationship with him.

Bishop Berg occupies an authoritative position in the Vishna Religion. He is the youngest to climb to the bishop’s post.…

“The person you are talking about, do you mean the guardian of the torch this time?”

Rowena’s eyes opened wide at Berg’s voice asking for the obvious. At this point, Rowena had a vivid illusion. The illusion that Berg was a man of Hestine. Never in her wildest dreams did she think he would swear allegiance to Adelia.

“What? That’s…… Of course that’s right! How dare she take that position when we have a saint! It’s ridiculous.”

Rowena didn’t notice that Berg’s mood was getting darker.

“Hmmm.”

Dert coughed loudly and desperately gave Rowena a hint. But his efforts were of no use. Rowena shouted louder than before. 

“This selcred is like a half-baked attempt. It is beyond infuriating that she is handling the torch as if she is unqualified for it. She must have done something to the torch. Otherwise, there is no way that such a huge flame can be made.”

Rowena’s words ended in a suffocating silence.

‘Rowena…’

‘Someone cover her mouth.’

‘Can’t you read the atmosphere?’

‘What a fool. She only knows how to show off.’

‘Whatever’

The children, including Dert and Emily, who were watching the situation in the carriage, couldn’t say anything and only talked to themselves.

Only then did Rowena notice something strange in the air. By the time she realized what was happening, it was too late.

Berg stared at Rowena with acrid eyes as if piercing her. The eerie feeling made Rowena instinctively step back.

In a dreary voice, Berg warned the girl.

“It really annoys me when someone oversteps their authority.”

“Well, I’m not trying to…….”

“She is well qualified as the guardian of the torch. This is also an agreement between the temple and the Huizeniac royal family.”

How can divine power be so wild and fierce? Rowena shuddered at the aggressive divine power she had never experienced before. Her body felt as if it were being swept by rough waves.

“Bishop! She’s still young! I’ll make her repent for her mistakes. Please calm down!”

Dert broke through the waves of divine power and blocked Rowena’s front. He bowed his head and asked for his divine power to be pulled back. However, Berg had no intention of fulfilling Dert’s request.

Then, in the distance, Ale gasped and ran toward Berg.

“Berg-nim! Were you there? No, but why is the atmosphere so ferocious……, They’re just kids. Why are you making a fuss against a kid?….”

Ale grabbed Berg by the collar and pulled him. Still, when he seemed unwilling to stop, Ale whispered in Berg’s ear.

“Bishop! This is not the time! Hurry up and tell her what’s going on!”

For a moment, Berg’s shoulders flinched. His divinity, which had fluctuated violently, gradually subsided.

It was only then that they could breathe properly. Tears filled Rowena’s eyes as she held her head and breathed frantically.

“Tsk. It won’t end like this next time. Don’t go out in front of me again.” 

After expressing his displeasure, Berg quickly turned and went his way. It was entirely Ale’s responsibility to clean up the mess. Ale gritted her teeth and secretly cursed Berg.

What’s the point of being handsome when he has a crazy personality? Anyway, I don’t know how he became a bishop with that personality.

Taking a deep breath, Ale looked back at those who were still stiff and gave them the kindest smile possible.

“Hahaha… You were very surprised, right? Actually he’s tired after a long trip .… He’s very sensitive right now. He never meant to hurt you. It just happened that you were in front of him, so he took it out….”

It was strange to make excuses. How can he threaten someone using your divine power in the first place?

Dert, who was quietly listening to Ale, shook his head and said.

“No, it was caused by my carelessness. Of course, the bishop did come out a little aggressive, but…….”

“Haha… That’s true…….”

“Yes, but the main problem is with us, so you don’t have to worry about it.”

“Well, that’s very generous of you. Indeed, you have understood the doctrine of mercy well.”

“I’m still not good enough. I think we should get moving. I thought I needed to get the kids to rest…”

“Oh, of course. Go ahead.”

Ale hurriedly sent them away, wondering if Dert would change his mind and ask for compensation. It was only after their carriage was no longer visible that Ale could take a breath.

“Oh, it’s my luck.”

Ale walked to the temple trudgingly, shaking off the dust in his priest’s robe here and there.

Maybe I’ll just goof off for now.

***

She must have already left.

Berg couldn’t shake his anxiety even as he was moving to the accommodation where the guardian of the torch stayed.

It wasn’t just anxiety that Adelia might have already left.

The biggest worry was how she would react when she found out about what had happened in Chihen. She’ll be disappointed….

Berg stopped and swept his face roughly with his hands.

“Bishop Berg?”

Should I say the timing is good or bad? Berg slowly turned to the voice behind his back.

“Adelia-nim. You haven’t left yet.”

“I was just about to leave. Fortunately, we didn’t miss each other.”

Berg smiled awkwardly and looked at Adelia in her plain clothes and Lord Hamilton standing behind her like a shadow.

“I don’t want to bring this up as soon as we met, but what happened to ‘that’?”

“For now…… I have confirmed.”

That meant that it was true that the Chihen family had the relic. However, his answer was“confirmed” rather than “recovered”, something must have changed.

Adelia thought that it was not something they could talk about outside, so she reopened the door to the room she had just left.

“Let’s go in and talk about the rest.”

“……Yes.”

Adelia and Berg entered the room, and Ivan leaned against the door as if guarding it. Ivan’s eyes chased Berg, who was somewhat intimidated compared to the last time he saw him. What the hell happened? Ivan asked Berg about the location of the relic.

“Where are the relics?”

“The relic is in my brother’s..… it’s in the hands of the Chihen family.”

“Did you get caught while taking the relic?”

“……I’d say it’s similar.”

“Ha…”

Ivan sighed, frowning as if he was troubled. In response, Berg closed his eyes tightly and began to explain to the two what happened in Sadin.

“……that’s what happened.”

Adelia sighed heavily, crumpling her brows, as Ivan did earlier.

Berg’s shoulders shrank noticeably. He looked like a large dog that had an accident while the owner was away. a dog that was so frightened that he rolled his tail and hid it between his hind legs

Looking at that figure, she couldn’t even blame him. Because she asked him too much in the first place.

No, I didn’t miss the relic yet, so I still have a chance.

Adelia thought about what Rodrigo, Berg’s older brother and Chihen’s family, might be.

Does he really want to make sure she’s a real saint? Or is it a trap that is cleverly dug up using the relic as bait?

If he set up a preliminary plan with the Duke of Valkyr, I can’t move hastily.

Adelia asked Berg, who was in the corner with a sinful face.

“Bishop Berg. Are you sure that Rodrigo Chihen didn’t really hold hands with the Duke of Valkyr?”

“That’s…”

Berg could not answer easily. Rodrigo was a mysterious man. Even though they were related by blood, he never readily shared his true feelings.

Berg shook his head as if he were ashamed.

“No, I’m not sure.”

“I see.”

When Adelia heard Berg’s answer, she thought again.

If the relationship between Duke Valkyr and Rodrigo Chihen is uncertain, they need to prepare for possible traps.

“How about sending a delegation from the Huizeniac Empire? I’ll go to the kingdom of Sadin as a member of the delegation.”