CH 46

They returned to the mansion and Siara treated Hierian. Hierian has a fever and could no longer question Siara. He just clung to Siara’s clothes tightly, pleading not to be abandoned.

Siara silently finished the treatment and then lay down on the bed, seeming tired. Both of them fell into a deep sleep as if they had collapsed. 

Adandito quietly left, having witnessed the entire scene, and headed to the bedroom where the Izbe princesses were staying. By the time they returned to their lodging, they were casually chatting.

“She was incredible, wasn’t she?”

“Sister, we mustn’t let others take her away.”

“Yeah, we must keep her by our side no matter what.”

Astita’s mansion had poor sound insulation, so they could hear all kinds of noises just by standing at the door. Listening from a distance to their conversation, a subordinate guarding the room cautiously asked,

“Excuse me, High Priest, what is happening― cough!”

Without a word, Adandito struck the man’s abdomen. As the subordinate grasped his belly and collapsed, other subordinates rushed over with serious expressions.

“What’s the matter, Urgh!”

“Don’t do this here, huff!”

“Ugh!”

Adandito swiftly subdued the subordinates and kicked the door with his foot. As armed subordinates appeared in front of the tense sisters, blocking Adandito’s way, he frowned as if he found it bothersome and said,

“If you attack me, I will consider it an act of heresy.”

“……!”

“Besides, I’ve already contacted the inquisitors. It worked out well.”

Upon hearing Adandito’s words, the subordinates lost their enthusiasm and hesitantly stepped back. Being considered a heretic by the imperial citizens, especially the followers of Eora, was worse than death.

Adandito was the High Priest who communicated most closely with the gods. To those who believed that his will was the will of the gods and his actions were the actions of the gods, his words were more important than protecting their own lives.

As they stepped back, the sight of the Izbe sisters became clear. Both sisters wore uneasy expressions, but they also had a strange look as if they were not entirely surprised.

Ashley was the first to speak.

“You came. …Is it because of that woman?”

“Yeah, you really came. Did you come to seal the Demon King together?”

Adandito’s brow narrowed unconsciously at the casually uttered words.

“…Seal the Demon King, you say.”

At that moment, Ashley added an explanation.

“The subjugation force needed a healer, right? So, we were curious if Siara was a secret agent. But it seems she isn’t?”

Upon hearing her words, Adandito forgot what he was about to do and stood still for a moment. Siara might have participated in the sealing of the Demon King with them. 

Although it was a completely unfamiliar event to him, it didn’t feel strange. Rather, the three years he spent without Siara felt more awkward.

However, Adandito quickly composed himself and said firmly,

“I don’t understand what you mean. I have a separate reason for coming to see both of you.”

“Are you trying to treat us as heretics, as you just said?”

“We don’t know why you would come out like this, High Priest.”

They had a confident expression as if they had already thought about it. Adandito also had the confidence to face whatever challenges they presented. Siara was an important person to him. 

Adandito sternly maintained his expression.

“The Goddess Eora has given me an oracle regarding Siara.”

At that moment, the two sisters stiffened. The subordinates who had stepped back also turned pale and trembled.

‘Oracle.’

For the followers of Eora, if the gods commanded them to die, they would truly die. To them, the command of the gods took precedence over human laws. 

However, usually, only the high priests knew about the oracle, and it was very rare for it to be known outside. Only the most important oracles were written in the history books and passed down through generations.

But now, the High Priest had personally received the oracle. If it was a lie, he would receive divine punishment, so it must be true.

Ashley and Riott, the Izbe sisters, had kidnapped the recipient of that oracle. No excuse could justify their actions.

Adandito stared at the confused eyes of the two sisters and asked calmly.

“As someone entrusted with an oracle, I ask you both. What have you done to Lady Siara?”

Upon hearing that, Riott, who had been biting her lips all along, suddenly stood up and shouted, 

“Ah, we haven’t done anything! We just asked for some treatment!”

“…Treatment, you say?”

“Yes! Ask her yourself. We provided her with delicious food, clothes, and money.”

Judging from their pale faces and the way they spoke, it seemed like they were not lying. However, Adandito did not easily let it slide. His gaze became even colder.

“Did you act based on Siara’s will?”

“Well, she must have treated it because she wanted it.”

“Did you not have any compulsion or force in what you did?”

“… “

“You should answer properly.”

Adandito’s gaze glimmered with a sharpness. Riott, who had been looking into his eyes, swallowed nervously and her captivating eyebrows trembled. 

It was a fleeting and delicate gesture like a swaying rose, but Adandito didn’t pay much attention to her. He just scolded her with a stern look.

“Speak. Your words are being heard by the gods.”

Eventually, Riott confessed as if crumbling, 

“…Because we were being too cautious, we put Hierian to sleep and secretly took her with us.”

“So, you forcefully abducted Siara.”

“…That’s… “

“Did you dare to make her shed tears and still hope to remain unharmed?”

The situation had far exceeded the sisters’ expectations. They thought that if they just showed their faces and explained briefly, they would be able to leave. But who could have known that Adandito would invoke the trust? 

Since things had turned out like this, the punishment could not be avoided. Ashley, who quickly grasped the situation, stood up urgently and said, 

“We will donate to the temple. Please overlook this just once.”

“Yes! We will repent for our mistakes! That should be enough, right? No one was harmed!”

Their loud voices were not lies. Siara seemed unharmed and even seemed to be in a good mood. But this was not the issue that Adandito had to decide.

“Receive a public apology from Siara. Then, I will let this incident pass.”

Upon hearing his words, the faces of the two sisters turned pale.

* * *

‘…What kind of situation is this?’

After treating Hierian and feeling drained, I woke up from a nap. The noise outside the tea room where I lit incense was too loud, so I opened the bedroom door. There, the two Izbe princesses were kneeling in the hallway. 

People had gathered around, secretly observing them as if they had become an interesting spectacle. But it wasn’t just a couple of eyes watching; the noblewomen were desperately pleading to me, hanging on to me.

“Siara, I committed a sin that deserves death. I shouldn’t have brought you by force yesterday to…….”

“Will you forgive us just this once? Hm?”

What on earth were these girls doing? Since I didn’t expect them to apologize so obediently, I felt more uncomfortable than pleased.

‘Did Hierian scold them separately?’

But the status of the Mage tower wasn’t that high in the empire. The fact that Hierian, the Mage tower’s owner, didn’t want to associate with the empire was one of the reasons. Because of Prince Dianel, the nobles subtly looked down on the mages.

The prestigious Izbe Ducal Family was no less than that.

‘Moreover, Hierian and the Izbe sisters were childhood friends.’

I didn’t think that Hierian, who was under a lot of pressure, would scold his childhood friends harshly.

But why were they doing this in front of all the nobles? I couldn’t understand the reason behind the central nobility, who valued their dignity, begging me without any regard. While I was contemplating this, the pleas of the sisters continued.

“I just wanted to see your beautiful face, that’s why. Hm?”

“Please forgive us just this once. Then, we will never make such a mistake again.”

“Yes! We can even help your Astita household! Shall we assist you in advancing in the aristocracy? If not, Viscount Leven…”

As I listened to their words, my impression of them wrinkled.

“Viscount Leven?”

They were the family that lent money to the Astita household as collateral. 

As I mumbled the name of the family, Ashley’s face lit up as if she’d found a lifeline and cried out.

“Yeah, that noble family tried to steal your territory!”

“Didn’t you hear the rumors in social circles? We’ll give them a piece of our mind. No, we’ll make them pay!”

Immediately after that, a scream-like sound was heard from behind.

“What does that mean?! When did Viscount Leven come to…….”

“Shut up! Don’t you know that the group is gradually subjugating the small territories into a pile of debt?”

“You saw it, right, Siara? How precarious the Astita family is. It’s the family that saved you. Doesn’t it bother you?”

What a mess this is. I just woke up feeling refreshed, but my head is pounding.

With a stern expression, I shouted, 

“Everyone, be quiet!”