Chapter 40

While he left for a moment, Bertin suddenly popped out from the other door.

“You came?”

I found him, properly wearing his paladin outfit unlike when he was in the academy, to be a bit unfamiliar.

“I’ve asked someone I know, but because that person is busy, it seems like we have to wait.”

“Are you kidding me? We’re busy bodies too.”

I caught Rany’s raging hand and put her back to her seat.

Rany had fun the whole time at the academy on the pretext of collecting information, and when evening came, she was excited to teach poker to Benji, her only younger brother.

The one who was truly busy had to be Bertin, who worked in the temple and academy at the same time.

“If you keep being uncooperative like this, there will be nothi-”

“Sister Raynia?”

The priest who had left came back and called Rany’s name.

Rany, who was shaking with a menacing face while sticking out a tiny fist at Bertin, smiled brightly.

In no time, the formerly clenched hand was perfectly gathered on her dress in a modest manner.

“Because of your sincerity, Bishop Roland wishes to give you a blessing.”

Rany smiled even brightly.

Then, she clenched her hands tight and answered in a voice that was exceedingly cute.

“Woah, isn’t his blessing so expensive that it couldn’t be bought with money?”

You just give him a basket of money, you know?

“Of course I want to hear that.”

The priest let out a gentle smile then ordered Bertin.

“Sir Gramia, please escort this important guest to Sir Bishop’s room.”

From what I saw, it seemed like the priest was trying to do his best.

Bertin Gramia was the object of envy and the most ideal type of the young ladies.

He must be giving Raynia, who was being generous with her money, a ‘right’ to be escorted by Bertin.

The problem was that Rany wasn’t happy with that right.

The corner of Raynia’s lips twitched.

The moment the door was closed, curses abruptly flowed out.

“What the XX. If he asked me to meet personally after I gave him that much, doesn’t that mean he wants to ask more?”

“Please don’t insult His Most Revered.”

“Because he is XX and XX, the most XX . . ”

Bertin shook his head at the curses that flowed out of Raynia’s mouth.

Then he asked for my understanding with an apologetic expression.

“Seems like we need to visit Lord Bishop for a moment, can you wait here?”

“Mhm. I can wait in the oratory.”

After seeing the two people off reluctantly, I was left alone in the waiting room.

I really can’t get used to this.

The interior of the waiting room was so splendid that it was comparable to the hallway in the Duchy of Miller.

And Raynia comes to this place every week, huh?

I realized how great her financial power was.

And how great the ability of Lord Viscount to protect that power.

I could know that much just by looking at Raynia’s behavior a moment ago.

Did Orion also live that kind of life?

I couldn’t imagine that because they were always honest and had clear desires in front of me.

When I was absent-mindedly waiting for my friends, someone opened the door and entered the waiting room I was in.

“Ah, those persistent kids.”

The person who threw off the white headpiece was surprisingly a female priest with gray hair and wrinkles.

She was wearing a gray robe instead of a priest’s uniform, but her face was all sweaty as if she had been running busy.

Glancing at me, she plopped down on the sofa to the point of letting out a sound.

The fabric with white lace on her hands dropped to the floor.

She looked over at me unimpressed.

“From what I see, you don’t look like you come from a great family, but seeing you present here, you must be rich, aren’t you?”

“Isn’t there a possibility that I’m from a high nobility?”

She snorted after hearing my words.

“Do you think that high nobility that can visit this place would come without an attending maid?”

“. . .”

“They are people that make fuss even in the oratory. ‘This is uncomfortable. The altar is hard’. Of course it is, the altar is supposed to be hard, are they telling me it should be squishy? Those rotten people.”

“. . .”

I quietly took the cloth and put it on the table, and examined the priestess. She gave off such a strong impression.

The wrinkled face clearly showed signs of exhaustion, but her eyes were clear.

Despite her rough tone, I didn’t feel repulsed.

Is it because of early education from Rany?

She glanced at me then asked.

“So, did you follow your friend?”

“Yes.”

“If you come to donate, then you must have a purpose. What is the reason for your visit?”

I hesitated after her question.

I couldn’t easily blurted out about the curse that could be labeled as heresy.

Then she nodded slowly as if she understood me.

“I see. Well, there weren’t only one or two that came because of an unspeakable secret. Last time, a Count came to me then loosened his pants, asking me to fix his impotence.”

“It’s not because of such a reason.”

“Of course, it shouldn’t be that reason. How can you come up with that reason when you’re so young.”

Wait, that is not a problem with being young.

While I was considering refuting, I read the playfulness on her face.

“Can the priest stay here like this?”

She let out a sigh as I asked her because I remembered her rushing in as if she were being chased by someone.

“That is a good question. I’ve worked all day, but those kids didn’t let me go, you know? They only want to do easy and good work and treat this old me as window dressing.”

As I remembered the sweat dripping from her forehead, I looked at her with a sad face.

Then, she suddenly turned her head and looked at me with a desperate expression.

“If only I could rest for a moment, I could get better. These days, I don’t have any disease that isn’t accompanied with neuralgia and headache.”

“Ah, what should we do, then?”

“How about you help me a bit?”

“. . . Pardon?”

Her eyes were gleaming while looking at me.

Although, she did not look like a person on the verge of collapse from overworking due to excessive headaches and neuralgia.

When I came to my senses, I had changed clothes with her and was trapped in a narrow compartment with a white cloth on my face.

“You can just nod your head whenever people blabber this or that.”

“. . .”

“After one or two hours, I’ll come back and take turns with you.”

I don’t understand why I should sit here, though.

I looked at her when she went out, but I gave up and sat down.

Well, since she said it’s one or two hours.

Afterall, it was the time where I had to wait absent-mindedly in the waiting room.