ILOIML 25

Chapter 25

He came up to me and suddenly got down on the floor, lying face down.

Surprised by his action, I quickly helped him stand up.

“Shouldn’t that priest named Aaron be the one apologizing instead of you, High Priest?”

“This is all my fault.”

“Why would he do something like that?”

“He’s a pitiful child. His parents were killed by a loan shark. He raised his younger sibling alone, and even that child was tricked and hurt by a loan shark…”

“Hmm… That’s unfortunate, but what does that have to do with me? I’m not the loan shark, am I?”

Did crazy Bella work as a loan shark before? No, she probably didn’t even have enough money to be one.

“The loan shark’s name is Robert. That priest confessed to me that he heard Your Grace say that name. He thought you were connected to him. He completely misunderstood and lost control.”

“…”

What did I say again? That he looked like a robot… My head started to spin. I really am so unlucky—only someone like Bella would fall flat on their face even when falling backward.

After calming down in the drawing room, I hoped my bedroom would be ready soon.

“Can I take a bath or something? I just want to wash up.”

“Your room will be ready very soon. Please wait just a little longer.”

“Seriously? Do you know how many times I’ve heard ‘soon’ already? I really can’t take this sticky feeling anymore.”

“I’m sorry.”

Once he said sorry, I didn’t know what to say anymore.

Sighing deeply, I laid back on the sofa with my arm over the armrest.

All I wanted was a warm bath and to lie down on a soft bed and rest.

If only Cassia hadn’t taken my room, none of this would’ve happened. Yeah, it’s all Cassia’s fault.

I suddenly stood up.

“Please take me to the room where the Saintess is. I have something to say to her.”

“The Saintess is praying. She told us not to let anyone near because she’s sensitive.”

“Oh, my head… That priest shook me so much earlier that now I have a terrible headache. I’m going back to Aster. If the Duke asks why I left suddenly, I’ll have no choice but to tell him the truth. Our Duke isn’t the most thoughtful man, so I’m sure he’ll be upset… And by the way, who was it that gave up the bedroom to the Saintess? We’re very close, you know? You saw it too, right?”

The High Priest’s face turned pale. It looked like he had gotten another wrinkle.

He let out a deep sigh and ended up taking me to Cassia’s room himself.

Just as he was about to knock, I raised my hand to stop him.

“Wait. You can leave now.”

I whispered softly, and he looked confused and unsure what to do. But when I started holding my head and called out Leon’s name, he turned around with a pale face.

I stood silently in front of Cassia’s room for a moment, then grabbed the doorknob.

What if Cassia was looking for the relic inside?

It was rude, not something a noble should do, but I made up my mind and turned the knob.

I expected it to be locked—but it opened easily.

Through the small opening, I saw Cassia sitting at the desk with her back to me.

‘She really was praying.’

I quickly looked around the room.

It was clean. There were no signs that she had searched or dug around.

Just as I started to feel sorry for her, she turned her head suddenly with a startled expression.

“How dare you act so rudely?!”

Cassia shouted in a tone that didn’t suit her usual calmness.

There were crumbs on the corner of her mouth.

I leaned in and squinted.

‘That looks like…’

I walked quickly toward her.

She rushed to cover the desk with both arms.

“Saintess!! This is—”

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

She had been trying to hide pieces of bread and small fruits.

The crumbs on her lips were from the bread.

“Your Grace, how rude! Please leave immediately!!”

“…Weren’t you fasting? Didn’t you say it was a fasting prayer? Or was it an eating prayer instead?”

My words made her face turn red and pale in turns.

When she saw I wasn’t leaving, she glanced at the door and quickly rushed over to close it.

“So you really were eating during your fasting prayer?”

“You saw wrong!!”

She boldly opened the desk drawer and shoved the food inside.

What is with this fresh new side of her?

“If my eyes are fine, I saw exactly what I saw.”

“I can’t believe this behavior from Your Grace.”

Her unexpected reaction made me forget why I even came here.

Then I remembered and said,

“Actually, I still haven’t been given a room. That’s why I came—to use the bathroom. I thought, since I gave you the room, this was the least I could ask for.”

The soft smile she always had disappeared.

“And I’m really curious—did you want my room just so you could secretly eat something? You were that hungry?”

“What are you saying?! I never ate anything! Don’t make false accusations!”

Cassia shouted like she was deeply hurt, but she also tightly held the drawer with the food inside, as if I might open it.

“It’s okay. I won’t tell anyone. You don’t have to be so defensive. It happens.”

Even though I was trying to comfort her, she still looked at me cautiously.

Then, without warning, she sat down on the floor.

Before I could stop her, she burst into loud sobs.

“I… I was so hungry… sob sob… Why are there so many things a Saintess can’t do…”

She started complaining non-stop.

I didn’t know when to agree or when to comfort her.

I walked over and sat beside her.

She always seemed so graceful and calm, but now she looked like a childish girl my age.

I felt a strange sense of connection and gently patted her shoulder.

After crying and complaining for a while, Cassia pushed my hand away and wiped her tears with her dress sleeve.

“I’d like you to forget everything you just saw.”

She stood up and looked down at me with a calm expression again.

Ah, back to acting all noble again?

I chuckled.

“I’m not the kind of person who uses stuff like this as blackmail.”

She gave me a suspicious look, feeling guilty.

“So you think I am that kind of person?”

“I never said that. Are you just feeling guilty?”

“…No. I’ve done a lot for Your Grace, you know.”

I closed my mouth and nodded with a smile.

“Yes, you’ve helped a lot. Don’t worry. Being hungry is a basic human need. I understand.”

Cassia bit her lip, then looked at me with determined eyes and said,

“Since we’re being honest now, let me ask directly. Did you come here only for the support event?”

“Of course. Even though there’s a very important guest in Aster… I came all the way here just because of faith.”

“…But I never mentioned anything about a relic.”

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

‘Oh no… did I just say something wrong?’

“I was just thinking, you know. I have a vivid imagination. Since you suddenly wanted my room, I thought—what if there’s a relic there? Maybe I’m just lucky because I have strong faith.”

I sneakily added that I had strong faith.

“Unfortunately, Your Grace doesn’t seem to have that luck anymore. I checked your room, and there’s no sign of any relic.”

Her words made my head hurt.

So, she was admitting she took my room because she thought a relic was in it.

Of course, being hungry was just a side reason.

Also, it was clear the Saintess didn’t actually know where the relic was either.

But she could sense it if it was nearby.

“Then, may I ask—why are you so obsessed with the relic, Your Grace? And how did you know one was here? I am the Saintess, and I only know about it because of divine revelation…”