Chapter 8: An Assassin and a Gambler Must Always Keep a Dagger Hidden
I am absolutely powerless.
I have no chance of winning this game through fair means. There will be no fair play. Every rule that exists will be twisted against me.
So I have no choice but to prepare the way a gambler does.
Rather than improving my own abilities, I must gather as many cards as possible—and make sure they’re the best cards I can find.
The discoveries I had already made in the library were proving quite rewarding.
— Arabella de Grostia Announces Her Engagement
The faded newspaper headline immediately set my mind racing.
Arabella de Grostia, daughter of the Duke of Grostia in the South, was set to marry in early autumn.
Both the duke and his daughter were celebrated figures, making the ceremony the wedding of the century. Everyone wanted to witness it in person.
Naturally, Duke Nuksiake would be dragged all the way south after Sei relentlessly begged to attend.
That would be my opportunity.
While the duke and Sei were away, I could meet Professor Ross Taylor without interference and set my plans into motion.
I would secure one valuable card within the Empire’s academic circles.
But even more important than that… was the Temple.
In this life, I had to earn a reputation so devout that even the Grand Temple would acknowledge my faith.
So devout that even if the Saintess tried to frame me, they wouldn’t be able to casually brand me a heretic and execute me.
So…
How?
Simple.
The first priority was attending a proper temple.
As befitted a cold, barren land with a sparse population, Nukk had very few temples established by the Grand Temple.
Any temple overseen by bishops was immediately crossed off my list.
The duke always took Sei there.
Absolutely impossible.
The remaining temples…
Honestly, I knew almost nothing about them.
Every noble in Nukk attended the same cathedral as the duke.
Once I excluded that one, the rest were attended almost entirely by commoners.
Commoners…
Everyone I knew was a noble.
Commoners were unfamiliar to me.
They probably wouldn’t hate me as openly as the nobles did…
But there certainly wasn’t anyone likely to welcome me.
The servants in the ducal estate looked down on me.
I couldn’t expect much kindness from their families or neighbors either.
There was only one exception.
The only person who might be on my side.
Which temple does Vinchen attend?
I went to find Vinchen.
Fortunately, there was no need for the junior knights to run errands today, so he was alone instead of being summoned away.
“Vinchen, which temple do you go to? How often? I mean… how many times a week? Only on the Sabbath?”
“…My lady?”
My barrage of questions had clearly caught him off guard, though he hid it well.
Still, he answered obediently.
“I attend the Temple of Pedamen. I almost always go on the Sabbath, and once or twice during the week whenever I’m not busy.”
“The Temple of Pedamen? Where is it? Oh—and who’s the priest there? Just an ordinary priest?”
I rapidly scribbled notes onto the scrap of paper I’d brought while continuing to question him.
“It’s in the northwestern part of Nukk, near the Aegis Mountains. Priest Sadonix serves there. He’s an ordinary priest.”
Northwest…
The foothills of the Aegis Mountains.
Priest Sadonix.
An ordinary priest…
My hand froze.
Another memory surfaced—one I hadn’t recalled while searching the library.
An event of tremendous importance.
When I said important, I didn’t mean merely to the North.
I meant to the entire Empire.
“…What did you say the priest’s name was? Sadonix? Are you certain? Is he… perhaps elderly?”
Without realizing it, my voice had begun trembling.
Even before Vinchen could finish saying “Yes,” my hand was already shaking.
Priest Sadonix.
If—just if—I could somehow earn his goodwill…
He would be a card even more valuable than Professor Ross Taylor.
No.
More than that.
He was a hidden card.
That old man wasn’t merely a priest.
Even his name wasn’t real.
His bloodline concealed an enormous secret.
Aegene.
The Empire’s Secret Cardinal.
The only blood relative of the High Pontiff.
***
About ten days after the small building that had served as my prayer room had vanished into smoke…
Duke Nuksiake asked in disbelief,
“Who did you say was here?”
“Lady Astir wishes to see you, my lord.”
“Astir? The second daughter? Not my Sei?”
“Y-Yes, my lord.”
The duke frowned.
“I didn’t summon her. She’s never come looking for me before. Hm… Did something happen?”
“As far as I’m aware… nothing in particular.”
Even the loyal butler looked utterly bewildered.
“Send her in.”
Still wearing a frown, the duke finally nodded.
“Your Grace… thank you for granting me an audience.”
The small figure standing before him offered a perfect bow and spoke in a soft, respectful voice.
The duke’s confusion only deepened.
Since when did she know how to greet someone properly?
“What do you want?”
His surprise didn’t translate into affection.
His tone remained cold.
“Um… I heard that the outdoor prayer room I used has been demolished.”
“It has.”
His reply was as frigid as ever.
For an instant, his black eyes lingered on the faint bruise still visible on my cheek.
But his expression never changed.
“I had my reasons for ordering it torn down. It’s not your concern.”
“I understand, Your Grace. But… but…”
“But what? Speak plainly.”
My hesitant stammer only seemed to irritate him further.
“Without the prayer room… I no longer have a proper place to fulfill my duties as one of the faithful… or to reflect upon my sins.”
“So… I humbly wish to ask something of you, Your Grace.”
“A request?”
His eyes narrowed.
***
“I’ll behave.”
“I won’t tell anyone who I am.”
“I’ll simply attend services… study doctrine with the priest… nothing more.”
Although my entire body trembled as I spoke, the duke remained utterly unmoved.
To him, this wasn’t anything worth worrying about.
“Then why that temple?”
The expected question.
“I can’t go outside alone… so I thought it would be best to choose a place the junior knight assigned to escort me could accompany me to.”
“I remembered going there with him once before…”
I swallowed.
Now that I’d reached the main point, it was time to take a calculated risk.
“…Honestly…”
“…If I stay locked up in my room and the library forever…”
“…It’s hard.”
“I… I want to go outside…”
At that moment, Hugo Grant’s expression made it painfully obvious.
He thought I was a pitiful little fool.
If he wished, I could be whipped right then and there for attempting such a transparent little scheme.
Still…
It was better to look like a childish girl desperate to go outside than someone plotting something suspicious.
“I heard they don’t have a charity society there…”
“…but they’re famous for volunteer work.”
“I’d like to fulfill my duty by helping however I can…”
The Temple of Pedamen operated on a shoestring budget.
It was precisely the kind of place the duke would never send Sei.
Its culture was entirely different from the great cathedral-temples.
It was a tiny temple in one of the harshest, most remote corners of the North.
The head priest was nothing more than an ordinary priest.
There was nothing to gain there.
Its worshippers were poor.
Unlike wealthier congregations, they weren’t expected to donate much money.
Instead…
They fulfilled their obligations with labor.
Sweeping floors.
Cleaning.
Serving however they could.
“…Services…”
“…Catechism…”
“…Offerings…”
The duke tapped his fingers against his desk while muttering to himself.
It was a habit he had whenever he was deep in thought.
By now…
He must have realized something.
If a strict high-ranking clergyman saw my current situation—never attending temple—they would immediately seize the opportunity to lecture him.
And, naturally…
Suggest a generous donation while they were at it.
In fact…
He had already caved once before.
Unable to endure the bishops’ constant nagging, he had finally sent the little girl he’d kept locked away to receive her infant baptism under the supervision of junior knights and servants.
He had to show some measure of devotion.
But he certainly didn’t want to spend money on my behalf.
Sending me to scrub floors at a tiny village temple…
That was a far cheaper solution.
“I can see right through your little scheme.”
After what felt like an eternity…
The duke finally spoke.
“…But if you’ve truly decided to improve yourself…”
“…Very well.”
“That isn’t a bad idea.”
“…!”
“I grant permission.”
“But remember this.”
“I will continue holding you fully accountable for your conduct.”
I immediately bowed deeply.
Thankfully, the duke merely waved me away.
I was more than happy to leave.
“Oh.”
He stopped me with a single casual word.
My body instantly stiffened again.
“Since you’re here…”
“Take this.”
He slid something across the desk.
Hugo Grant picked it up and handed it to me.
The shape.
The scent.
They were painfully familiar.
I recognized it immediately.
“…!”
A ginger cookie.
…Damn.
This was bad.
I couldn’t let this happen.
“Kh…!”
But the laugh had already escaped.
A rasping sound burst from my lungs.
I bit my tongue desperately, forcing my expression into something that looked merely awkward rather than insane.
“What is it?”
The duke eyed me suspiciously.
“I’m… just happy.”
“So… so happy…”
My voice shook naturally.
I sounded like nothing more than an immature child.
Fortunately…
He accepted the explanation without question.
Beside him, Hugo Grant’s face practically said it all.
Isn’t this an incredible stroke of luck for someone like you?
You got permission to leave the estate, just as you wanted.
And now you’ve even received an expensive cookie far beyond your station.
The moment I returned to my room…
I threw the ginger cookie onto the floor.
I crushed it beneath my hands.
Ground it into powder.
Scraped together every last crumb…
And scattered it across the ground.
Disgusting.
The smell of blood kept filling my nose.
I could still see the duke shoving me away, spitting in contempt because blood had stained my shoes.
I’d rather starve…
Than ever pick up another ginger cookie.
This time…
I wouldn’t beg for my life.
If I was destined to die again…
I’d set my own body on fire and charge straight at him.
Let’s die together.
But…
“Ast.”
A transparent young man appeared before me like a ghost.
His sorrowful eyes pleaded with me not to do it.
A ghost.
Yes.
Nothing more than an illusion.
Because that person…
No longer existed in this world.
The one who used to appear beside me late at night…
And quietly reach out his hand.
“Ast… didn’t you miss me?”
Smiling faintly, I reached toward the ghost only I could see.
Yes.
He was right.
If I died…
I would never be able to see the living again.
“Of course I missed you.”
“So much.”
“So… so very much.”
“But…”
Our hands never touched.
“…We’re strangers now.”
“…You don’t know me anymore.”
“…Isn’t that right…?”
A single tear fell into the empty air.
