Don’t Be Holy! - Chapter 143

“Why not? After all he’s done for the Divine Empire, are you saying it would be worthless?”

Abel was rendered speechless by her challenging, almost angry eyes. It sounded like a shameless deflection, suggesting that she didn’t think he would do such a thing, but strangely, it also sounded like she was blaming the Divine Empire for driving Rubel to make such a choice.

‘What would a mere witch know?’

Abel furrowed his brows and his face reddened as if he had been insulted.

“The reason my brother made that choice…… is to protect you more effectively. Simply claiming you as a reward for his past deeds wouldn’t prove your innocence.”

Only after saying this did he truly understand why Rubel had made this choice. It was such heartfelt sincerity that even Abel, who had no connection to this, felt moved. Yet the woman before him, living up to her reputation as a merciless witch, irritably furrowed her brows.

“……So, why would he go that far for someone like me? Who would risk their life for a toy they’ll get bored with after playing with a few times?”

“Who says my brother thinks of you that way?”

Abel took a deep breath, frustrated by this paradoxical situation where he was conveying his brother’s true feelings to this woman. While he should be saying vicious words to drive away this witch, here he was diligently fluttering his wings like a lovebird delivering messages.

But he disliked seeing his brother’s sincere feelings misunderstood even more.

“My brother never lets go of anything he has taken to heart, no matter what happens. Everyone treats him like some eccentric, thinking he does these things out of boredom because he’s too much of a genius, but he’s just someone who takes more time than others to recognize his own feelings. Once he acknowledges them, he’s more sincere than anyone.”

“How would you know? You left home when you were 10.”

“Well, family is family even after leaving home…… wait, how do you know that?”

Abel suddenly stopped and asked.

Eir calmly replied as if it were nothing special.

“Well, everyone knows when the third son of House Shinote awakened his divine power.”

“No. People think I gained divine power at age 8. Because I was born with such a severe illness that even divine power couldn’t cure, my father hid the fact of my birth for two years, finding it suspicious.”

His eyes darted around in confusion.

“The only people who know this are family members and…….”

Just one person.

He was about to say that but suddenly stopped.

He couldn’t even guess why he was about to say that, or who that one person might be.

Who was I thinking of? Why does it feel like there’s someone I shared this secret with?

Abel let out a faint groan and clutched his head. The throbbing pain squeezing his head felt like he had just removed an incredibly small hat after wearing it for a long time.

It felt like he was missing something, but he couldn’t tell what it was. Then Eir cut in with a panicked expression.

“I-I must have been mistaken. I’ve always been bad with numbers.”

“It’s rare to correctly identify a gap of two years, not just one. Have you placed a curse on me? My chest feels tight and my head hurts, as if I’m being controlled by a power other than God’s.”

His sensitivity was befitting of a promising priest. Eir gulped and stepped back.

“That’s impossible. Th-they said darkness can’t be used on this floor. How could I possibly cast a curse…….”

But the more she spoke, the more she walked into the trap. Eir didn’t realize that Abel was unexpectedly even sharper than Rubel.

Abel frowned and raised his head.

“I never said that. I said you were confined, but I didn’t say darkness couldn’t be used.”

“Ah, well…… I tried once and naturally found out, you could say.”

“Why are you talking like that?”

“Eh?”

“You’re deliberately speaking confusingly, making your words ambiguous. As if you’re trying to avoid lying. Is what you said about living on the jerky my brother gave you also true?”

“…….”

“Answer clearly with yes or no.”