Chapter 48: CH 48

The investigation into the assassin continued, and Reihausd unexpectedly didn’t investigate the cause of me hiding the holy power.

It was a little awkward for me that he acted nonchalantly as if I was a saintess from the beginning, but I was gradually getting used to it.

One afternoon after a few days.

“A hunting festival?”

Reihausd, who visited my room, nodded his head with a faint smile.

“We will send high-ranking priests and a letter of refusal.”

No matter how much it was an Imperial request, a saintess had the qualifications and authority to refuse it.

Since the inauguration, the temple has asked the Imperial Family for their understanding that the Saintess’ body is so weak to the extent she can rarely participate in ceremonies.

I pondered for a while.

“If I participate, do I hunt myself?”

“There’s no way.”

He shook his head.

“It is a priest’s job to heal with divine power when a major figure is injured.”

“Is the Imperial Family the only one participating?”

“Most of the high-ranking central nobles will also participate.”

“Hunting Festival…”

Reihausd raised his eyebrows at my words and asked.

“Are you interested?”

“I overheard what the priests were saying. A story of nobles having doubts about the Saintess’ passive behavior. It was a story that came out ahead of the Hunting Festival.”

“Don’t worry. They’ve always been noisy.”

I shook my head.

“I will participate.”

I have a good sense of smell, and always with impure intentions.

“Will you be okay?”

Reihausd asked with an unwilling expression. The role of the temple in the Hunting Festival was limited, so there would be no danger, yet he seemed concerned.

“I don’t care what other people do, but I think it would be good to think of it as an outing. I get tired of repeating my everyday routine.”

“If so, I understand. I’ll make sure we have enough Paladins.”

As soon as he finished speaking, I continued.

“And now that I have become a saintess, I want to receive a business trip allowance.”

I saw Reihausd wriggle his eyebrows at my words. Fortunately, it wasn’t an unpleasant expression.

“I started out as a fake saintess, but now I have a real holy power. So, I’m thinking that my maintenance cost is more than 1,000 franc per month.”

“Although the budget has been re-established, I would like to ask you to consider allocating an additional budget.”

I have looked through the records of the saintesses’ expenditure records so far, and to be honest, it wasn’t a meaningful record to help negotiate wages.

Because 30% of the saintesses refused to be paid, saying that they only serve with pure hearts to the Gods.

But they were civil servants all their lives, and I’m kind of a contract worker.

‘I have to pull money when I can!’

“Nevertheless, please don’t upset me with the allowance for participating in the Imperial events from now on. For your information, I know how much money the temple receives every time a saintess goes to the Imperial Family.”

The Imperial Family paid 10,000 franc to the temple for every visit by a saintess.

“Still, don’t you think I’ll be motivated if you give me 30% of it?”

A deep smile formed on Reihausd’s lips at my words. And after a while he opened his mouth.

“All right. You’ll be paid 3,000 franc per session. And from next month, we will pay you an additional 500 franc for the monthly maintenance cost.”

It was a surprisingly easy answer.

‘Should I have sung for more?’

I was a little excited at the thought that I could become rich in four and a half years.

After all, let’s make a lot of money using the Saintess Buff!

“You seem to have grown a little bit more greedy, but…”

Reihausd’s voice mixed with laughter continued to be heard.

“Still, I’m just glad you don’t sound like you’re going to leave anytime soon.”

He hadn’t questioned me why I hid my power after it was revealed. But in the strangely softened attitude, I felt a clear pressure.

“Yeees…”

If his previous gaze seemed like chains binding a person who had to leave…

Now it feels like he’s making an iron cage while humming.

Just thinking about it made me feel like something was wrong.

“Then I will express your intention to participate in the Imperial Palace. But, be careful.”

“Don’t worry. Ah, I should write another congratulatory speech for the Hunting Festival.”

“By the way…”

After a moment’s thought, he spoke again.

“Do you have any other plans for the morning?”

I shook my head.

“No. Not today.”

Then he smiled softly.

The halo shone brightly enough to make me forget his exhausting personality.

“I’m glad. I wanted to play chess with Ariel for a while.”

“Chess?”

“You like chess, Ariel.”

He opened the box he had brought and began to put it on the table. I was wondering what it was, but it turned out to be a chessboard.

I stared blankly as the chess pieces were put up.

‘Ah, Ariel loved chess.’

But I don’t know anything about chess. Except that the cross-shaped horse is the king.

“How about a chess bet once in a while?”

“If it’s a bet…”

“As long as you can, grant a simple wish.”

Reihausd presented me with a challenge.

“… I can’t remember very well, but did we sometimes play chess?”

“Maybe five times?”

“How is the record?”

“I won four times and Ariel won once.”

In Ariel’s condition before I possessed her, there was a high possibility that Reihausd had never lost.

“What did I wish for?”

“You kissed me on the cheek… Don’t you remember?”

…You used your wish card to satisfy your very own self-interest, Ariel.

“Ah. I did. Then what about Sir Reihausd?”

I asked, trying to fix the broken expression on my face.

“I had Ariel read a book about etiquette. There was a time when I asked you to memorize a hymn…”

“Then what will you wish for if you win this time?”

He said in a soft voice with a faint smile.

“Actually, I prepared a present for you… I don’t think Ariel would accept it, so I offered a bet.”

I asked, not understanding what he was saying.

“Your wish is for me to receive a present?”

A light darkness loomed within the dark gold eyes of Reihausd who was smiling. At that moment, the back of my neck was chilling.

“To protect Ariel when you go out, I want you to wear a necklace with a tracking function.”

“I’ll get a notification when you’re too out of range.”

So it was no different than saying that I was wearing an electronic necklace.

“… Even so, is it even necessary?”

“Of course it is”

He smiled, and I didn’t want to ask any more.

“What kind of wish does Ariel need?”

After thinking for a while, I opened my mouth.

“…Can’t we just not bet on this chess?”

***

After a while, the fierce chess game was over.

“Ariel…”

Reihausd’s cheeks calling out to me were slightly red.

“It’s probably a little bit…”

[The God of Art, Mond, rejoices.]

[The God of Benevolence, Oman, raises the corner of his mouth and fiddles with the lash handle.]

[The God of Destruction, Ciel, blushes.]

I asked with a calm face.

“Why. I won chess.”

At those words, he looked at me in awe.

His golden eyes flickered with a weary glam.

The choker hung around his white, slender neck. And I held a small crystal ball in my hand, which had his location on the floor plan of the temple blinking inside.

This special choker was made by connecting one of the accessories in my drawer to the location-tracking crystal ball of Reihausd.

“However…”

“I should also teach you a lesson.”

To be honest, I didn’t know anything about chess.

But I had Hessed, the God of Knowledge. It wasn’t difficult to win even if I didn’t know chess.

I moved the chess pieces quickly and accurately. Reihausd, on the other hand, looked bewildered at first, when he was pushed back even though he did his best.

“How did you win?”

He still had a questionable look as he hung the choker on himself in return for losing the bet.

I said triumphantly, looking at the choker around his neck with satisfaction.

“The Ghost Chess King.”

“Pardon?”

“There’s such a thing.”

[The God of Knowledge, Hessed, is in trouble.]

Reyhas asked urgently from behind me as I turned around.

“How long do I have to wear this?”

I turned my head slightly and smiled.

“Until I say stop.”

Then his golden eyes shook.

“It’s like a master and slave…”

He frowned and turned his gaze to the other side.

“…isn’t it?”

I saw his cheeks turn red again.

[The God of Art, Mond, is delighted with the awakening of Reihausd’s new taste.]

[The God of Benevolence, Oman, actively sells a lash to you.]

I tried to ignore the words of the Gods and raised my head, pretending not to know.