Chapter 12

Story 8. The male owner of the harem (3)

Chapter 12

Eriez grinned, but it wasn’t a happy smile.

“Threatening her would be the most peaceful way to solve this situation. If she doesn’t bear the Goddess, our brothers will lose their minds and end up raping the odalisques. Hakim Karid will become furious, and our brothers will be exiled. You know what they will do? They will probably return to the capital and tell the people that the Virtuous Priestess is refusing to do her duty. This will cause the soldiers from the capital to come here and… What do you think will happen afterward?”

“Is… is that what Iztal Manar is planning to do? What he wants?”

Eriez grabbed his forehead in frustration.

“… Dammit! Those bastards!”

I knew Eriez didn’t like badmouthing his own brothers. I also knew the other brothers didn’t want to do the dishonorable thing they were planning.

Was there really no other way? No peaceful solution to fix this problem?

I washed Eriez’s back with the wet cloth and as I did, I could feel him trembling slightly from nervousness.

“But Eri, is it really necessary to act right now? To hurry when we don’t even know what is really happening? The Virtuous Priestess must have a reason for her action. Maybe she just doesn’t feel like sleeping with the warrior right now…”

“Juya! We have no time! We have waited so long… Everyone here and back home… So not to do her duty because she doesn’t ‘feel like it?’ How selfish could she be!?”

Eriez was growling now. I had to admit that if I didn’t hear what I heard from Prince Camille, I may have agreed with Eriez’s plan. The Virtuous Priestess not sleeping begetting a child from the Goddess’ warrior? The Goddess not being reborn because of one woman’s selfishness?

It sounded right to force the Virtuous Priestess to sleep with the warrior, but…

Prince Camille asked me to save this woman. He didn’t give me a reason behind this request, but I knew the prince. The prince was a kind-hearted person who wanted to go to war, so he could save the sex slaves who lived far away. Perhaps all he wanted to do was save the Virtuous Priestess as well.

A woman who was being hated by so many people.

Or… did we want her for his own?

“… alright.”

I knew that I couldn’t depend on my friend forever. No matter how much Eriez trusted me, I knew he wouldn’t agree with what I had to do even if I explain.

When I helped him to clean up, I left the castle in the middle of the night. I walked the path that led to the minaret (a tall tower), so I could study the area from the high ground.

The harem was located across from where we lived, and its garden was forbidden to us men. What was I supposed to do then? I was only a soldier, and I only knew of war and peace. I knew very little about proper etiquettes.

‘The priestess of the harem… Hmm…’

The prince told me he would explain everything if I completed his mission.

***

As expected, the entire Minurd was in shock. The only two people who weren’t surprised were another person and me.

Oddly, the one who was the most shocked was Iztal Eriez, who has given permission to visit the harem. He was given three days to prepare himself for a visit. He kept himself clean both in mind and body.

Eriez, who was praying on the floor in a kneeled position, was suddenly dragged away by the brothers.

“W, what do you mean they aren’t accepting any visitors now!? …Huh?”

Eriez couldn’t even fight back as he was taken. Thankfully, no one was hitting him, but a much worse scene was seen when they reached the center of Minurd. People were gathered around the white door that led to the harem.

The door that was supposed to open for Eriez for a visit…

The door that was supposed to open for the Goddess’ warrior in a few days on the Sacred Day…

The door that leads to a beautiful garden, which was rumored to be enveloped in an eternal spring…

That beautiful white door was now covered in bright red blood.

“…!”

Manar said sarcastically, “Eriez, you really think you can go in there now?”

No one dared to talk about where this much blood may have come from. No one would even touch the door either because it was said that anyone who would do so would be cursed.

No one knew the reasoning or details behind this legend, but we all knew it. No Innocent One could come in contact with the blood of harem’s women.

Manar muttered, “What is happening here…”

“Manar! Get away from there!”

One of the worried brothers warned Manar. No one dared to move towards the door.

“They say the Virtuous Priestess has disappeared. Apparently, they saw signs of an intruder inside the harem.”

“…?”

Eriez still seemed confused as Manar said to him mockingly, “I guess your reputation, honor, and life mean nothing to the Virtuous Priestess. You swore on all those things, and yet, it still didn’t work. I mean, of all times, the priestess got kidnapped and the odalisques are stopping us from entering the harem… Of all times…”

Before things got even uglier, I pushed away my brothers to get closer to Eriez, who was collapsed on the ground in shock.

Manar continued to mock Eriez, “So what are you going to do now, my beloved Eriez?”

“I, I…”

“Or could it be that you sneaked into the harem last night and fell in love with the beautiful priestess? Perhaps you kidnapped her and hid her somewhere? Hmm… How horrible.”

Manar stepped back from the bloody door and walked towards Eriez. He unsheathed his sword and raised it as if he was about to behead Eriez. If what Manar said turned out to be true, then I had no doubt that Eriez would be murdered today.

“…”

Manar’s friends began to mock Eriez as well.

“Hey, why won’t you answer? Are you going to lie and say you don’t know anything about this?”

“Or are you going to claim that another intruder from Hwen must have come and stole our priestess? If that’s the case, how unlucky can you be, Eriez? Of all days, the Virtuous Priestess gets kidnapped right before you are planned to visit her…Hahaha”

Obviously, Eriez had no explanation for this incident. I knew he must be doubting himself. Were his belief and faith not enough? Did his decision to visit her anger her or cause this disappearance somehow?

I was the only one who knew the truth. I stepped forward and announced, “No. Eriez didn’t do anything wrong, so stop condemning him.”

I kicked away Manar’s sword, which was dangerously close to Eriez, and just in case, I secretly grabbed the handle of my own sword. I continued to explain, “And there is no reason to get scared because of the priestess’ disappearance. Everyone needs to go back to their positions now.”

“What are you talking about, Juya?”

“It sounds like Juya is admitting that he knows where the Virtuous Priestess is.”

“…”

I was bombarded with questions, and suddenly, Manar attacked me without warning. My reflex kicked in and I was able to block him, but I knew I still wasn’t safe.

I knew I had to confess, and I knew it was going to be best to do it without a sword. I was a good fighter, but it would be impossible to win against everyone here.

I put my sword back into the scabbard and threw it on the ground. I didn’t mean to look like I was confessing a crime, but I kneeled anyway. I thought it would make things go much smoother.

“I am the one who relocated the Virtuous Priestess. Eriez knew nothing about this. In fact, I apologize to you, Eriez, for damaging your reputation by committing this deed. You didn’t do anything. It was me.”