One Hundred Nights with the Devil - Chapter 14

“Yes. Elena. It is fine if you do not forgive me. You shouldn’t forgive me. So all the more, please make a choice for yourself this time. Or consider that you yielded to my coercion against your will. Please believe that I am saying this all for you, hoping that you live.”

“Don’t make me laugh. Do you think I don’t know the thoughts in your head?”

She spat at the Pope who shamelessly reached out to her again.

“If I refuse the exorcism, you intend to brand me saying ‘The Saintess was actually a demon’s minion’! Then you’ll buy children like me and throw them into the black fog until a second Saintess appears!”

“Elena!”

“Let go!”

Elena could not tolerate him anymore. She roughly shook off the Pope trying to hold her hand. The ring shining on his hand was maddeningly detestable.

“Disgusting.”

The sight of him, who abandoned a pregnant mother, flaunting the ring he got during his hypocritical days as if for her to see……. The fact that the person trying to live off her life with mere lip service of affection now was her biological father was creepily disgusting.

“It’s all because of you that my life becomes endangered if I don’t perform that damned Saintess’s duty every time a Devil appears. You ruined my life entirely from start to finish, yet you dare pretend to care for me? You are more vicious and nauseating than a Devil!”

“Elena. It is absolutely not like that. As a father, I just want you to live…….”

“Sir Zenobio! Come in!”

At the sound of the door opening, the Pope hurriedly raised his body. To care about keeping his face in the midst of that, it was truly detestable.

“Did you call, Saintess.”

“They say a Devil appeared in the Western Conrad Territory.”

“Saintess! This is overstepping authority……!”

“I will go to the West for the exorcism on next month’s festival, so tell the 10 Archbishops of the Great Parish right now to prepare prayers for consecration. I will take ten knights and fifty soldiers as escorts, so Sir Zenobio should also prepare.”

Thanks to the door left open on purpose, sounds of the outside becoming chaotic could be heard. Now it was only a matter of time before everyone in the Grand Temple knew about the Devil in the West.

When Elena, having achieved her purpose, turned around, the Pope glared at her with a cold face. As expected, wanting to protect his precious daughter’s life was nothing but b******t.

She was truly grateful. For confirming that endless selfishness that allowed her to continue despising him. She felt like offering a prayer of thanks to God.

No, perhaps she should thank the Devil of the West that appeared like a surprise gift instead of God.

“Since we have both become busy for the time being, let us end today’s meeting here. I shall take my leave now.”

Elena smiled brightly at the Pope. It was a genuine smile coming from her heart.

* * *

As Elena intended, the news of a Devil appearing in the West quickly spread internally. Within days, inquiries poured in from the nobility and wealthy commoners who were key donors, and eventually, the Pope publicly announced that Saintess Elena would head to the West for an exorcism next month.

“It was barely two months ago that the Saintess went to the Southeast, and now she’s going to the West?”

“What can you do when a Devil has appeared in the West right now? Besides, they say the Emperor even came in person and asked the Saintess for a favor.”

“That’s strange too. Why is he pretending to be affectionate toward the Deposed Crown Prince now, after exiling him?”

“How are we supposed to know what’s in the Emperor’s head? The Saintess is the problem though. They say there’s a rumor among the high-ranking priests that this exorcism will be truly difficult.”

“Don’t you know the Pope’s faction of priests always says things like that to scare people? Well. I can understand their wavering since if the Saintess succeeds in the exorcism again, they’ll lose their power, and if she fails, the existence of the Order itself will be endangered.”

Time quickly passed as they took out holy relics to pray and prepared for the public mass to be held on the day of Elena’s departure. However, even with three days remaining until departure, the Imperial Family had not expressed any position regarding the exorcism site. They hadn’t even responded to the official letter asking about their attendance at the public mass.

“Perhaps they are being cautious since his exiled nephew is involved? If they show up, the nobles will find all sorts of fault with their expressions or their attire.”