Chapter 20
Abel had already guessed that Gregory would have something to say about him bringing Felix along to the prayer gathering. That was why he had obediently attended an occasion like this in the first place.
Without so much as glancing at Felix standing behind him, Abel stared straight at Gregory, who greeted only him.
It wasn’t so much that Gregory was ignoring Felix as that he was treating him the same way he would any other knight.
Normally, the Pope would not personally greet an ordinary holy knight serving as someone’s guard.
Since a guard occupied a position no different from Abel’s shadow, treating them as though they were scarcely there was, in fact, only natural.
Until now, other people had subtly tried to include Felix in conversations, as though they had forgotten that fact, but Abel had always put a stop to it.
‘Felix likes things quiet.’
There was no need to explain at length why Felix shouldn’t speak. Felix disliked being the center of attention, so it was probably easier for him if Abel simply shut things down and made it impossible for anyone to address him.
Besides, others would assume that Abel was treating Felix in an overbearing manner, which made it easier to shape public opinion.
After the same thing happened several times, the clergymen would still steal glances at Felix, but they no longer tried to speak to him directly.
Gregory, however, had no need to mind Abel’s mood.
Which meant he had some other scheme in mind.
‘I’ve no idea what he’s planning.’
Aside from considering him a useful, if troublesome, business partner, Abel had never given Gregory much thought.
“Lord Abel, my apologies. I was delayed while receiving an unexpected guest.”
After dismissing the high priest, Gregory turned back to him, and Abel gave a small nod.
“So it would seem.”
There was no reason for Abel to concern himself with Gregory’s circumstances. On the other hand, there was no need to stand there listening to endless apologies, either.
“I’m tired, so let’s get straight to the point.”
Behind him, Felix shifted slightly.
The soft rustle from Felix, who until then had stood silently with a faint smile as though he weren’t even there, made Abel think he must have been
Like everyone else, he was probably appalled that someone could be so disrespectful toward the Pope.
Within the temple, however, Abel and Gregory held equal status.
And it had been Gregory himself who had elevated the God’s Herald to a rank equal to that of the Pope.
‘Does he regret it?’
It felt strange to Abel that he now found himself wondering about Gregory’s thoughts and motives when he had never cared before, no matter what Gregory did.
Was this the kind of tremendous change all people in love went through?
Even as he posed the question to himself, Abel looked at Gregory as though urging him to answer, and Gregory replied with a gentle smile.
“I won’t beat around the bush. The Duke and Duchess will be visiting tomorrow.”
Even without any further explanation, simply referring to them as the Duke and Duchess was enough for Abel to know whom Gregory meant.
Without bothering to look back at Felix, Abel nodded.
Likewise, without sparing Felix so much as a glance, the Pope continued,
“The duke’s son, who arrived ahead of them, heard news concerning Sir Felix and came to see me. He conveyed that he does not wish to see Sir Felix at tomorrow’s event.”
Gregory smiled bitterly.
“I thought it best to inform you.”
Even as he spoke, however, he still did not so much as look in Abel’s direction.
“It would not be good for anyone if a disturbance were to occur.”
After listening quietly to the added remark, Abel asked indifferently,
“Was the unexpected guest the duke’s son?”
“He was.”
“The Pope is not someone people can simply meet on a whim.”
When Abel pointed out that the duke’s son had appeared without making an appointment, Gregory smiled mildly.
“Am I not old enough to be his grandfather?”
“I am not.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Abel sensed the agitation behind him.
The divine power within Felix had fluctuated violently.
It was fascinating that he could sense something like this. Until now, Abel had never tried to observe another person’s divine power in this way.
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