Chapter 73
****
Upon entering the Grand Temple, a group of priests were gathered, waiting. Naturally, Hereis stood at their center.
“Welcome, Your Grace, Marquis Belgarga.”
As Jeha, supported by Paimon, alighted from the carriage, Hereis approached and greeted him. Behind Hereis, a couple of priests in bishop’s attire were visible, one of them being Bishop Irellio.
“Are you feeling well?”
Hereis inquired, his voice gentle.
“Thanks to Your Eminence, I am quite well.”
Jeha replied with equal warmth.
Despite their open relationship, holding hands within the Grand Temple was out of the question. Jeha entered the Grand Temple, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with Hereis. Large coffers, big enough for a person to fit inside, followed behind, carried by the hands of the Holy Knights.
“Where are we headed?”
“We are going to see His Holiness the Pope. Having heard of last night’s incident, His Holiness was greatly concerned for your well-being, Marquis Belgarga.”
“Although it was an unpleasant experience, it is an honor to be able to meet His Holiness again because of it.”
The two conversed softly as they walked down the magnificent, opulent corridor.
As the golden doors swung open and they stepped inside, the familiar scene from before unfolded once more. The only difference was that previously, priests in various attires had been lined up, busy with their duties. Today, however, high-ranking priests, uniformly dressed in their ceremonial robes, stood in orderly rows on both sides.
Jeha and Hereis walked side-by-side toward the Pope. Behind them, the heavy footsteps of the Holy Knights, carrying the weighty coffers, echoed.
When the two stopped at an appropriate distance, the thudding sound of the coffers being set down resonated from behind.
“Marquis Belgarga, I hear you suffered a rough ordeal last night.”
Once the sound of the coffers ceased, the Pope addressed him with a kind tone.
“Indeed. It was a perilous experience. Yet, with divine aid and the healing touch of Archbishop Hereis, I have recovered completely. Thus, in gratitude to the gods, I have prepared a small offering.”
Having finished speaking, Jeha stepped aside, turning his body to present the coffers to the Pope’s gaze. The Pope’s eyes fell upon the lined-up coffers. The Holy Knights, keenly understanding, swiftly flung open the lids. Inside, sparkling gold coins, filling each chest to the brim, were revealed.
The already quiet reception room became even more hushed. Everyone held their breath, gazing at the enormous pile of gold coins. Paimon had claimed to have emptied all the bank vaults of Enkarosha, and indeed, the quantity was staggering. Jeha felt a pang of envy just looking at it. Such a fortune seemed perfect for scattering across the floor and rolling around in.
“Marquis Belgarga, I appreciate your sentiment, but this offering seems excessively generous.”
The Pope spoke in a benevolent tone, yet his eyes remained fixed on the glittering gold. If even Jeha, a Demon King, felt a twinge of envy, it was only natural for a mere human Pope to feel avarice.
“The Belgarga family has few descendants, and I am the sole one of this generation. Had it not been for Archbishop Hereis’s healing power, my life, and with it, the Belgarga name, would have ended with this generation. This offering, prepared with utmost sincerity, is what I consider the price of my life. It would be an honor if it could be used for the temple.”
“Wouldn’t depleting your family’s coffers be a perilous affair?”
The Pope inquired in a subtly probing voice. Jeha, as if finding the notion absurd, simply smiled faintly.
“Hardly. Your Holiness, naturally unfamiliar with worldly affairs, may not realize that the Belgarga family is not so fragile as to suffer a significant blow to its finances from such an expenditure.”
“Indeed… I have already heard news that you also offered a substantial donation to the temple in the Belgarga territory.”
The Pope nodded, speaking softly. It seemed the inquisitor dispatched to the Belgarga territory had relayed the news to the Grand Temple.
“I’ve heard that you wish to take a faithful and virtuous woman as your wife, regardless of her family background.”
The Pope brought up a seemingly irrelevant topic. Jeha recalled that this was a conversation he had previously had with Benato.
Standing beside him, Hereis’s body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
‘Oh, for heaven’s sake.’
Jeha cursed inwardly, unable to show his dismay outwardly. Why on earth would that old man bring up such a topic in front of Hereis?
“A marriage between faithful believers is surely blessed by the gods. I look forward to hearing good news from you soon.”
The Pope spoke with a smile. To Jeha, that smile appeared both greedy and cunning. He was certain the old man was attempting to link him with his youngest daughter.
‘I showered him with money, and instead of doing something good, he spouts such nonsense in front of Hereis. That damned old geezer.’
Jeha muttered savagely to himself.
Leaving the precious coffers behind, the two exited the reception room. Jeha, unable to utter a single word, simply trailed after Hereis.
Fortunately, instead of leading Jeha to the Grand Temple entrance, Hereis entered his own residence. Jeha felt a surge of relief.
Upon entering the reception room, the door closed behind them. As the two men stood alone, Jeha noticed Hereis taking a shallow breath. Before Hereis could speak, Jeha swiftly wrapped his arms around his waist from behind.
“No misunderstandings!”
As Jeha preempted him with a small shout, he felt Hereis’s body relax, as if deflating.
“No matter what that old geezer thinks, I only have eyes for Hereis! When I said I wanted a faithful and virtuous wife, I was purely thinking of you, Hereis! Faithful! Virtuous! That’s precisely you, isn’t it?”
Jeha poured out his excuses one after another.
After a brief silence, Hereis turned to face him, meeting his gaze. He let out a deep sigh before embracing Jeha in return.
“My Lord Jeha, you truly are…”
Hereis murmured softly. It seemed Jeha’s excuses had worked; there was no hint of sulking or anger, only a slight weariness. It was clear Hereis had been about to say something had Jeha not immediately offered his explanation. Jeha was relieved his quick thinking had paid off.
“You’re not mad, are you? Not sulking? You’re not upset, right?”
Jeha, feeling a touch embarrassed, blinked his eyes playfully, looking up at Hereis as if trying to be cute. He was mimicking Kkamangi’s antics. When Kkamangi did it, it was indescribably adorable, so Jeha hoped it would work on Hereis too.
“…Honestly, my heart was a little conflicted earlier…”
Having said that much, Hereis held Jeha tightly, continuing.
“But with you like this, such feelings vanish without a trace.”
‘Oh, so this works too.’
Jeha, who had been slightly worried that a grown man acting cute might backfire, felt a quiet sense of relief.
Once his mind was at ease, a mischievous thought immediately surfaced. The urge to run his hands over Hereis’s firm body, held tightly in his embrace, began to creep in. He also wanted to play with his beautiful silver hair.
Unaware of Jeha’s impish thoughts, Hereis soon broke the embrace and offered him a seat.
“Please, sit. I will prepare some tea for you.”
‘What, no good morning kiss?’
Jeha murmured regretfully to himself, yet dutifully settled into a chair. Though his mischievous desires were soaring, assaulting Hereis within the Grand Temple felt a bit… inappropriate.
The tea Hereis prepared, as always, was fragrant. Since Hereis frequently drank tea, his body always carried its scent, and inhaling it would instinctively bring Hereis to mind.
“No prying ears, I hope?”
Jeha took a few sips of tea before asking. Hereis waved his hand in the air, casting a sound-dampening barrier. Having taken this precaution, Hereis met Jeha’s gaze. Jeha set down his teacup and began to speak.
“It seems Countess Delfard, or someone intimately connected to her, has made a pact with a demon.”
Hereis’s eyelashes lowered slightly, as if he were contemplating various candidates. Jeha openly admired the sight, which always filled him with awe. To think such a beautiful person existed in the world… and that this person was *his*. Each glance, each thought, swelled him with pride.
“I detected a very subtle scent on the invitation sent by the Countess, and also from the Countess herself. It’s the fragrance of a plant cultivated in the Demon King’s castle garden. Being such a rare species, only those in the Demon King’s castle garden or a select few demons with such a hobby would ever encounter its scent.”
“If the relationship is intimate enough for the scent to linger on one’s body… Countess Delfard has several lovers. Both high-ranking nobles and high-ranking priests are among them.”
“The scent was so faint that even my senses barely picked it up, so I doubt it was the Countess herself. That would suggest it’s one of her lovers, then. Do you have anyone in mind?”
“Given the gravity of the matter, it’s difficult to point to a single person rashly. However, Marquis Belgarga has been away from the Central Continent for a long time, so he wouldn’t have accumulated personal grudges. Ultimately, all attacks against Marquis Belgarga were aimed at me.”
A shadow fell across Hereis’s eyes as he spoke. His gaze conveyed deep self-reproach for the continuous attacks Jeha endured because of him. Perversely, even this sight stirred Jeha’s heart. He even wondered if he had a twisted side to his nature.
“Wouldn’t it be more accurate to assume that the target, Hereis, is being pursued by a priest?”
Jeha spoke, implicitly naming Bishop Irellio, whom he secretly suspected as the culprit. Hereis pondered for a moment before nodding.
“That is the most likely possibility. And among the other high-ranking priests rumored to be involved with Countess Delfard…”
Hereis paused for a moment, furrowing his brow slightly. Then he continued.
“There is Bishop Peressio.”
“…Bishop Peressio, the Pope’s eldest son?”
Jeha could not hide his astonished expression at the utterly unexpected revelation.