Chapter 177
The plan was simple.
Roman, the genius wizard, had a disguise magic device, and Ashtel, born of the Asti fruit, possessed flawless transformation magic. All they had to do was find a chance to switch places.
‘But wouldn’t that mean you’d get caught?’
[Don’t worry about me. I can get out on my own.]
‘Ah…’
The suspicious wizard either had learned a lot from Carmen or was just naturally cunning, as he smiled slyly and quickly resolved the situation.
‘Thanks. I won’t forget this favor and will tell Sis Carmen.’
[Please do.]
“What are you mumbling about?”
When Van pointed this out, Ashtel grumbled about not being able to talk freely, then fell silent and stared at the sky when he pulled out holy water.
To get the captured succubus out of the holy barrier, Van had to gamble as well.
He draped dark robes over Ashtel and Roman and led them discreetly to a secluded clearing.
“All right, Sir Knight, please step back a little.”
“Understood.”
Van obediently stepped back, leaving only Ashtel and Roman in the middle of the clearing.
“I have a question.”
“What might that be, youngest princess?”
What was with that title? Ashtel felt irritated but let it slide.
“You’re here because you were hired by the temple, right? Do you know why the temple is searching for Payne?”
“Hmm…”
Perhaps it was an unexpected question. Roman pondered briefly, then glanced toward Van before continuing slowly:
“It’s a rather complicated reason.”
“Give it to me straight.”
“Priest Payne is the financial lifeline of Medialle.”
That sounded oversimplified.
“Financial lifeline? What do you mean?”
“Exactly as it sounds. Because of him, Pope Serena can pocket the money.”
“What? Payne was just an ordinary orphan. Where would the money come from?”
“Precisely because he’s not ordinary.”
Wait, does that mean Payne had a hidden secret? Some secret about his birth?
Ashtel recalled him carefully:
His dull gray hair, lifeless black eyes, his constant prayers with a gentle longing for Katzel.
‘…I don’t get it.’
No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t guess.
“I assist the temple because my master is involved there. Don’t you know who I’m employed by?”
“Uh, no. I wasn’t interested in that much.”
“Oh dear.”
Though Carmen bragged about Roman, Ashtel hadn’t paid attention to his residence, status, or occupation.
Carmen herself wasn’t one to explain such details clearly.
“Carmen just keeps saying she wants to sleep with you quickly.”
“…”
“So, what secret does Payne have?”
Roman quickly recovered from his near-collapse and answered:
“I am the personal wizard of Duke Panchest.”
“Duke Panchest?”
“Have you heard of him?”
“No.”
“He’s the wealthiest noble in the Roxa Empire. And Priest Payne is the Duke’s illegitimate son.”
“…What?”
What did he say?
‘Illegitimate son?!’
Ashtel’s mouth dropped open.
“W-why, why?”
“Well, probably because the Duke mishandled his lower parts.”
“No, it’s not like that…”
“The Duke already has two sons and three daughters. His children are more than enough. So, they tried to hide the existence of Priest Payne. And Payne himself doesn’t know.”
Even Ashtel, slow to notice human affairs, couldn’t help but realize what was going on at this point.
“So Pope Serena is hiding Payne in exchange for money?”
“Yes, something like that. Besides that, they hold many weaknesses over each other, so it’s a sort of uneasy agreement.”
“Then the reason the cardinals are desperately searching for Payne is…”
“Because he’s a Panchest.”
“Hmph.”
It was absurd.
The knights were dispatched because of Payne’s bloodline.
‘Duvalkan must have been clueless. That’s why he couldn’t say anything.’
Van, however, seemed to know. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be using Roman like this.
“But shouldn’t Payne not be wanted? He’s the Duke’s son.”
“No. Precisely because of that, they will do whatever it takes to capture him.”
Pope Serena had been making money off Payne. Meanwhile, Duke Panchest avoided public scrutiny by keeping Payne locked up in Mediale.
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