Jeha imagined Hereis surrounded by priests, being pointed at and condemned. The mere thought was dreadful. He simply could not bear to see Hereis endure such a plight.
“It must be Bishop Irellio,” Hereis stated.
“Bishop Irellio… that’s the one who greeted us when we first entered Encarosha, isn’t it?” Jeha asked, recalling the bishop. Hereis nodded in confirmation.
“Considering his extensive career and formidable backing, the position of Archbishop should have undoubtedly gone to Bishop Irellio. He poured astronomical sums into securing that office, and his political connections were equally impressive.
Everyone, including Bishop Irellio himself, believed he would claim the vacant Archbishopric without question.
“To have surpassed Bishop Irellio and ascended to the Archbishopric… it truly shows you’re not to be underestimated, does it?” Jeha’s playful remark drew a faint smile from Hereis.
“Humans often desire something more fervently than money, power, or even honor.”
“Something more fervent?”
“For instance, the healing of a dying family member or relative, or a child suffering from an incurable or dreadful disease that cannot be revealed to the world.”
‘Indeed, Hereis possessed a potent divine power that other priests lacked,’ Jeha mused, quickly understanding and nodding his head.
After all, what good were astronomical sums of money, power, or honor if one could not save a dying loved one?
“Of course, I didn’t neglect material and political favors,” Hereis stated dispassionately.
“Intrigue and stratagem were also indispensable elements,” he added, his piercing blue eyes fixed on Jeha.
“Do I not weary you, being like this?”
“Weary me? Why would you?” Jeha countered, sounding bewildered.
“As a priest of God, I am bound to live a life more ascetic and austere than any other. Perhaps I am already too corrupted to even be worth your efforts in further debasement, Lord Jeha.”
A hint of bitterness flickered in Hereis’s eyes.
He had always been faithful to his solitary life as a priest. It was only natural for him to feel defiled merely by dipping his feet into the mire of Encarosha.
Yet, in Jeha’s eyes, Hereis still shone brightly. ‘How could one so fallen still sparkle like this?’
“It seems to me you’re still a long way from proper corruption. After all, I’ve seen all sorts of villains in my time.” Jeha remarked, recalling truly depraved individuals from movies, dramas, novels, and even modern news.
“Lord Jeha, you see me as far too pure. My true nature is…” Hereis’s voice trailed off.
Shadows gathered beneath his slightly downcast eyes. His melancholic appearance never failed to captivate, yet in this moment, Jeha did not wish for Hereis to feel despondent.
“Corrupt yourself further. Immerse your entire being in the mire and taste every depravity the world has to offer. Only then can you truly become mine.” Jeha whispered, like a demon lord tempting a devout priest, and caressed Hereis’s temple. Hereis took Jeha’s hand and pressed a kiss to his palm.
“If that is what you desire, then without limit…” Hereis whispered, his lips still pressed to Jeha’s palm, his vibrant blue eyes once again alight with fervent passion.
The mere touch of his lips against Jeha’s skin sent shivers through Jeha’s entire body. He felt an urge to throw himself at Hereis once more.
“The Pope likely wishes to pass on the papacy to his son, doesn’t he?” Jeha asked, bringing up the topic of the Pope as he subtly withdrew his hand.
“Not necessarily,” Hereis replied, unexpectedly shaking his head.
“Not necessarily? If he went to such lengths to make his son a priest and elevate him to a bishopric, wouldn’t it be to pass on the papacy?”
“The Pope is likely still hesitating. Bishop Peressio shares a deep friendship with the Emperor, who openly regards Bishop Peressio as one of his closest confidants.”
‘Wouldn’t that make it even more advantageous for Bishop Peressio to become Pope?’ Jeha pondered internally. Hereis continued speaking.
“The Pope’s eldest son is a bishop, and his second son holds a rather high position within the Emperor’s Imperial Guard.
With both sons serving as close associates of the Emperor, the Pope is naturally forced to deliberate over a potentially better option.”
“A better option, you say…”
“Something the Pope has yet to achieve… the lasting prosperity of his family.”
Jeha carefully considered Hereis’s words. The Pope was said to hail from a merchant family.
To have elevated the Fanucci family to Encarosha’s foremost prestigious house, despite his merchant origins, was an extraordinary feat in itself. ‘But if he desires even greater prosperity…’ Jeha mused.
“While the Fanucci family holds high renown in Encarosha, they are ultimately just a wealthy merchant family without formal titles.
Should the Pope pass away, the Fanucci family, having lost their sole patron, would swiftly decline. At best, they would merely continue as a prosperous merchant family.”
‘…The Pope wants to transform his family into a proper noble house, then,’ Jeha realized, finally understanding Hereis’s meaning.
“Precisely. If either the eldest or second son, both favored by the Emperor, were to receive a noble title, the Fanucci family could rise beyond being merely wealthy merchants to become honored aristocrats.
Naturally, the family’s prosperity would endure even after the Pope’s demise.”
‘Indeed… even if Bishop Peressio were to become the next Pope, there’s no guarantee his son would inherit the papacy afterward. I can understand why he’d covet a noble title, which formally acknowledges succession.’
“While the second son has already received a knight’s title, the Pope is not one to be satisfied with just that. The eldest son far surpasses him in scholarship, refinement, and political acumen.
The Pope is likely weighing whether to push Bishop Peressio under the Emperor’s command or to have him succeed to the papacy.”
“So, there was a reason Bishop Peressio wasn’t yet an Archbishop,” Jeha said, nodding in understanding.
If the Pope’s intention had been to make his own son an Archbishop this time, Hereis would undoubtedly have suffered a crushing defeat.
“It seems luck was also on your side, Hereis.” At Jeha’s words, Hereis suddenly offered a subtle eye-smile. This smile held a distinctly different nuance than usual.
“I wonder. Was it truly just luck?”
Jeha stared at Hereis, a hint of surprise in his eyes. ‘Could it be?’ a thought flashed through his mind.
Hereis’s eye-smile deepened further.
“Surely not… was it you, Hereis, who put the idea into the Pope’s head?”
“Impossible. I, too, held a bishopric; if I, Bishop Peressio’s rival, had directly influenced him, it would have only aroused suspicion.
I merely promised a small favor to one of the Emperor’s confidants, who happened to require my abilities.”
‘…And that confidant subtly suggested to the Pope that the Emperor intended to bestow a title upon Peressio, didn’t they?’ Hereis offered no verbal response, but his silence was as good as an answer.
“You’re capable of such devious machinations!” Jeha exclaimed, his voice rising in admiration.
“Do you dislike it?” Hereis inquired. Jeha shook his head.
“No, I’m simply impressed. ‘To be able to subtly manipulate even the Pope, yet have quietly dedicated yourself solely to serving God until now… what a waste of talent.'”
Hereis offered a wry smile. Jeha felt an even greater sense of pity for him.
‘What a foolish entity God must be, to have turned such a devout Hereis away. Perhaps God was now pounding the ground in regret—though I’m not sure if God possesses the capacity for thought.’
Hereis departed before the night grew too late. Given the events at the party, it was likely unwise for him to linger long at the Belgarga estate.
****
Having shed the ornate clothes that had constrained him, Jeha sprawled on the bed in loose pajamas. He rolled around, savoring the intense moments he had shared with Hereis.
Meow.
Kkamangi climbed onto Jeha’s chest, kneading it with their front paws. They then meticulously licked Jeha’s fingers, making their desires abundantly clear.
Feeling guilty for neglecting them all day, Jeha made a small cut on his finger and offered his blood to Kkamangi. Kkamangi, as if they had been waiting for this all day, eagerly lapped up the blood.
“Hey, Kkamangi… you’re getting heavier, aren’t you?” Jeha murmured, stroking Kkamangi’s plump backside as they settled on his chest.
Indeed, Kkamangi’s weight, size, and flesh had noticeably increased. Even for a rapidly growing kitten, this seemed unusual.
“My blood seems to be excessively nutritious,” Jeha muttered, a worried frown on his face. “At this rate, you’ll turn into a leopard instead of a full-grown cat.”
He pondered whether he should restrict Kkamangi’s feeding. Oblivious to his concerns, Kkamangi simply purred contentedly.