CH 12

Edited by Spade

12.

I appreciated his obedient attitude, but I still felt somewhat uneasy.

...Why 'for the time being'? Was it a story that will eventually be revealed, regardless of my intentions?

Without paying attention to my apprehensiveness, Jerome continued. “Are you planning to keep it a secret from your family as well? I haven't told your family yet.”

“...You did the right thing. Please keep it a secret from my family from now on.”

It seemed like God's words that Jerome would be helpful to me in my work were true. He was more perceptive than he first appeared, and he enjoyed handling work more than I thought.

Of course, some parts didn’t quite sit right with me.

“Yes, as you command. But we cannot completely hide it within the temple. According to the temple law, we must go through the official appointment process to allocate the budget in front of the Saint.”

“...That should be fine. Please take care of it.”

Temple law, the official appointment process, budget allocation...

I felt uneasy again hearing about secular matters that did not fit with the image of religion.

“Tonight, you have to go through various procedures and stay in the temple... Would it be okay to tell your family to rest for a day, just in case?”

He said he liked handling work, and his ideas seemed quite good. I nodded my head in agreement.

“Yes, can you tell me about the contents of the trust...? Of course, it is up to the Saint whether to disclose it or not, and even if you decide to keep it a secret, I will simply follow your lead.”

Jerome couldn't hide his curiosity and asked again with shining eyes. Although he said it was okay not to disclose it, his body language was saying otherwise. He looked so curious that I wondered if he would believe me unless I said it with an expression on my face.

I thought about closing my mouth because of his eager expression, but since there was no need to hide anything, I decided it would be better to tell him.

“...He said of creating a society that follows the doctrine of 'Do not commit adultery.' Do you know what that means...? As a high priest, you must know, right?”

Even though I could have explained it in detail, I spoke vaguely. Well, the language of the gods worshiped by this religion was also quite vague. And it would be impossible to work with someone who couldn't even sense the atmosphere well enough to realize the prevalent atmosphere of justification for adultery in a noble society.

“...Yes. I understand what you mean. The current situation is certainly not normal.”

Jerome seemed to understand what I was talking about immediately. As someone who was born and raised in a world where adultery was justified among the nobility, it would not have been easy for him to realize the contradiction of this society, especially since he was of noble birth. Yet, he understood it in an instant like this. To be honest, I was a little surprised.

“I will follow with sincerity, Saint.”

At the moment when his heart softened, Jerome softly chuckled. “Is there anything that doesn't sit well with you?”

“...No.”

There was something that didn’t sit well with me. It's you.

If I let my guard down even a little, I might use my innate beauty to seduce people. Men who knew how to use their good looks were dangerous creatures.

But I couldn't honestly say that I didn't like you.

“And your family has been worried since earlier... What should we do? Should I bring them over?”

“Ah, right.”

At Jerome's words, I bit my lip slightly. I had forgotten about my family.

They would be worried since I suddenly collapsed in the chapel. But the presence of someone worried about me was so unfamiliar.

Anyway, if it's according to God's will... Lucia was no longer in this world, and I had to take her place.

“No, no. From now on, I am Lucia.”

It wasn’t easy to accept, but I should make an effort. As Lucia.

“Yes, please do that for me.”

As I asked Jerome to bring my family, he sent me a meaningful look and gave me a slight smile.

It could just be a meaningless laugh, but after dismissing Jerome's words about feeling God's touch as heartfelt nonsense and then suddenly being struck by lightning, I felt that there was some hidden meaning in that laugh.

...It's like he knew everything that was in my heart. It made me feel uneasy.

After Jerome left the room, my worried family members rushed in. They seemed to have been so distressed that their faces were pale.

“Lucia...!”

My mother immediately ran towards me and hugged me tightly on the bed. Then she checked my complexion here and there. “Are you okay? Are you feeling any pain? Are you feeling dizzy?”

...I'm really fine.

Without giving an answer that everything was okay, I bit my lip at Emma's questioning. It reminded me of my real mother. My mother was not as kind as Emma and me, but her love and concern for her daughter would not have been different.

“What's the problem, Priest Jerome? It's not a serious illness, is it?” Father also asked with a worried voice after my mother.

“I'm okay, father. It's just that my energy is low. I'll be fine if I eat and rest well,” I replied hastily, making excuses for my past few days of illness and even collapsing in front of everyone. I felt guilty for causing trouble to them.

“Is what Lucia said true?”

Seamus, or rather, my older brother, asked in a concerned voice. As I had lived my whole life as an illegitimate child, the title of “older brother” was still unfamiliar to me, but I had to get used to it. He was my older brother, someone I had to protect.

“Yes. The young lady is right. There is nothing wrong with her body, but...”

But...?

Why did “but” pop up there? What else was he trying to say? I anxiously waited for Jerome to speak, feeling uneasy about what he might say. As a human who acted nonsensically, I was even more anxious.

“Just in case, we'll dispatch a priest to the Count’s estate from the temple. Unfortunately, there was an incident where a precious lady fainted inside the temple, so I don't want any more unfortunate incidents to happen when you return home.”

Contrary to my worries, Jerome said something reassuring.

It was a truly brilliant plan. If he was going to work with me, he needed at least one priest by my side, and it was a natural way to attach someone to help me without arousing suspicion from my family. Furthermore, it was a flawless scheme that could alleviate my family's worries and achieve an all-around effect.

“If you do that, we'd be grateful.”

Sure enough, my father looked relieved.

...I'm sorry to say this, but you were really easy to deceive.

“Well then, why don't you go back and rest easy today? It would be better for the young lady to stay at the temple overnight, just in case.”

Jerome smiled at my father and mother and gave me a small wink. ‘Did I do well?’ he seemed to be saying.

“Um...”

My parents looked at me with worried eyes. They seemed concerned about leaving me alone.

“I'm not a child. I'll be fine. Please go back.”

“We'll take care of her with all our heart. You don't have to worry.”

With Jerome and I both persuading my parents passionately, they nodded hesitantly, though their worried expressions remained.

‘Phew, it's over now.’

It was when I let out a sigh.

Seamus opened his mouth.

“...I'll stay too. I can't let my younger sister stay out alone, no matter what.”

...Why?

My brother looked suspiciously at me and Jerome.

“Well, that's true.”

And at his words, my father, who seemed to have made up his mind to go back, was suddenly pricking up his ears.

Seeing my father nodding his head, saying he'd feel relieved if Seamus stayed behind, I felt like my clothes were about to burst.

Oh, geez! Why are you guys being so unhelpful?

“It's not like it's any other place, it's the Great Temple. What dangerous things could happen, Father?”

This was the Great Temple, guarded by the Temple Knights themselves. There was no safer place in the Terrenian Empire than here, not even the Imperial Palace.

From the beginning, it was the Pope's duty to crown the Emperor.

“I'm fine, so please all of you go back.”

Since it was something that would benefit me.

As I did my best to persuade him, my father nodded in agreement, saying that my words were reasonable. “Lucia also has a point.”

...How can my father, who is so easily persuaded, lead the imperial court? Was our family okay?

While I was having these useless thoughts, Seamus asked in a sharp tone, devoid of his usual warmth. “What reason do you have to send us away like this, Lucia? There seems to be a reason why we must not leave.”

Although he was directing the question at me, his gaze was fixed on where Jerome was standing. Under his piercing gaze, Jerome was sweating profusely, unable to answer.

What's going on...? Was this the same Seamus I knew?

As the original story progressed, he became increasingly ill and developed suspicions and obsessions about Rosalyn, but still, Seamus remained as warm as ever, unmatched by anyone else in the world.

Being cautious wasn't a bad thing, but it wasn't very comforting to be the target of it.

Father, I wish you would stop giving me those suspicious looks.

It was amazing how someone so vigilant could not suspect Rosalyn.