Chapter 57
The sense of betrayal must have been profound, having scraped by in this manner only to discover that the Temple was a den of trash.
“Here it is. The Vice Knight Commander’s office.”
“Thank you.”
Ryan had stopped at a door and was about to knock.
The door burst open from the noisy interior, and a priest rushed out.
“Have you no awareness that you are a Holy Knight? Always the Grand Duke, the Grand Duke! Why do you only side with the Grand Duke like this!”
“Priest Maximilian.”
“Silence! I have nothing more to say, I am leaving now!”
The priest, who had roared in anger, belatedly noticed Cecilia and flinched. But that was all. Without even a brief greeting, he stomped away.
Rogerick, who followed him out, widened his eyes when he saw Cecilia.
“Cecil?”
“Rogerick.”
“What a surprise… Lord Ryan?”
“Ah, I escorted Lady Cecilia here.”
“…Thank you. You may go now.”
“I’ll see you later, Lord Rogerick.”
Rogerick, who sent Ryan off with a slightly sharp edge, looked at Cecilia. Only then did his expression relax.
“Come in first, Cecil.”
“I’m looking forward to it. Your office.”
Cecilia smiled sweetly and walked into Rogerick’s office. The office was neat. It was a sight typical of Rogerick.
“It’s not mine. It’s a place I’m temporarily using.”
“You say the same thing as Lord Ryan.”
“Because it’s the truth. More importantly, would you like some tea?”
“I’d love some.”
Cecilia sat on the sofa and was surprised by the plush feel. It was a much better piece of furniture than what was in the Violet House.
She noticed that the table and the desk were also distinctly high-end items.
‘Isn’t this why they’re short on money?’
The office of a Vice Knight Commander of the Holy Knights, not even a high-ranking priest, was this luxurious. She wondered how much more extravagant the furnishings would be further up the chain.
“……Rogerick, but what was the matter with the Priest?”
“It was about the kidnapping incident.”
“Why, when that’s all over?”
“I agreed to transfer the criminal’s custody to the Royal Family.”
“Why did you do that?”
Rogerick, preparing the tea with a clattering sound, paused in thought. Then, as if he had made up his mind, he spoke.
“The tourism business in Erdel is one of the Temple’s main sources of income. They’ve invested in all sorts of tourist facilities. So, from the Temple’s perspective, it was natural to downplay this incident. If ominous rumors spread, the number of tourists will decrease.”
“Tourist facilities… such as?”
“I’ve heard that not a single tourist street in the downtown area lacks the Temple’s investment. I’ve never been involved in managing the territory, so I don’t know the exact details.”
“You know, Rogerick. Is that party venue we went to also included?”
“There’s no way it is.”
The answer was very swift. He slightly furrowed his brow and shook his head.
“That party venue doesn’t make money. They sell invitations, but the price isn’t expensive.”
However, the indiscretions of young nobles are heavily accumulated there.
It is a place where young people, having drunk potent liquor, become flushed and seek each other out. Would only rumors arise? It was the perfect stage for one-night mistakes or love dramas to take place.
The sin of losing face as a noble, the sin of disregarding parental instruction, the sin of hurting a partner’s feelings.
Or, the sin of committing a truly great wrong.
Such things would pile up in the hearts of young nobles, and what would happen when they, confessing their sins, heard about the Indulgence?
“They just need funds to run the Temple, they wouldn’t stoop to such acts. You know that.”
I know, me too.
It wasn’t just Rogerick. Most people would think similarly. That’s how great the trust in the state religion was.
“You’re right, Rogerick.”
Cecilia smiled brightly.
“A place that serves God wouldn’t do such a thing.”
It was not yet the time to tell Rogerick the truth. Their relationship was too shallow for that.
“Try it, Cecil.”
Rogerick placed a flowery teacup in front of Cecilia. It was a tea with a distinctly sweet aroma. When she looked at him, surprised by his somewhat unexpected taste, he gave an embarrassed smile.
“I prepared it thinking you might visit someday.”
“For me?”
“Your expression wasn’t very good whenever you drank black tea. You even put in a lot of sugar. This flavored tea will be better than drinking it that way.”
Cecilia savored the tea’s aroma. It was certainly much better than the purely bitter black teas. It wasn’t exactly sweet, but it was quite easy to swallow.
“It’s fine. Thank you, Rogerick.”
“Is it? That’s a relief.”
The sight of him anxiously waiting for Cecilia’s reaction and finally managing a smile was endearing.
Suddenly, she wondered.
‘What would happen if the current you knew everything about me?’
Specifically… if you knew that Cecilia Cissil had committed murder?
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