Chapter 4
He had thought he could kill Yoidel without much difficulty.
That was because he knew almost nothing about pairing.
He had never intended to take a lifelong mate, so there had never been any reason to learn about it. Besides, he had never imagined a pairing partner could be created so suddenly.
Today alone, Yulisius had managed to wound his pride twice.
The first time was when his chastity had been stolen.
The second was when that tiny little brat knew something about him that even he himself hadn’t known.
Unaware—or perhaps uncaring—of what was going through Yulisius’s mind, Yoidel simply stared up at him.
There’s a mark on his forehead.
Noticing Yoidel’s gaze, Yulisius brushed back his bangs.
As expected, the same mark was there.
On both of their foreheads bloomed an identical emblem—a pale pink flower petal that reminded one of spring.
“…Ha.”
His unfocused eyes stared blankly ahead before he finally spoke through dry lips.
“…Hide it.”
“Huh?”
“I said never expose your forehead. I’m already restraining myself from wanting to carve your skin off.”
He spoke without the usual mask of composure.
Half of his reason had already snapped.
What would happen if anyone else discovered this?
No one would ever imagine that Yoidel had done something like this to Yulisius.
Instead, the rumors would surely become—
“His Holiness has been secretly in love with the trainee priest Yoidel! That’s why he saved him from execution!”
Just imagining it made his vision swim.
Letting out hollow, breathless laughs through parted crimson lips, Yulisius muttered,
“…Come to think of it, I’ve lived a rather long life. Perhaps killing you here… and dying myself afterward… wouldn’t be such a bad ending.”
His icy eyes settled on Yoidel.
“Come here.”
“Mother of—!”
He looked exactly like a madman.
Yoidel jumped in fright and darted away as fast as he could, but it was useless.
He was trapped in the palm of Yulisius’s hand.
The hidden chamber’s door wouldn’t open.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
How do I move this bookshelf back?!
His teeth chattered as he desperately searched for a way out.
From Yulisius’s perspective, it must have looked as though the obsessive stalker who had always chased after him had finally stolen even his lips.
And to make matters worse, Yulisius still believed Yoidel was a man.
The shock had to be even greater.
But there was still one chance to salvage the situation.
“I-I… I know the future!”
Yoidel squeezed his eyes shut and threw out his trump card.
It wasn’t so much tossing someone a ball as hurling a cannonball straight at them.
“That’s why I stole your first kiss. I’m sorry! I know I just look like some greedy pervert—sniff… sob…! But please listen! I-I saw a future where Lord Yulisius would soon find his destined mate!”
Of course, no such future existed.
But Yoidel noticed something important.
The instant he mentioned knowing the future, Yulisius’s murderous rage stopped.
This is it!
Clenching his eyes shut, Yoidel continued.
“In that future, because of one wrong decision you made, the Grand Temple began its path toward ruin!”
Yoidel cautiously cracked one eye open.
“…Go on.”
It’s working.
Far better than expected.
Words poured out of him.
“I wanted to tell you this before I was executed. Right before I died, I suddenly remembered everything, so I came looking for Your Holiness. But things turned out like this… I knew I had to tell you somehow, so I stole your kiss!”
People often said that your life flashed before your eyes before death because your mind desperately searched through every memory for a way to survive.
Yoidel felt his thoughts racing at unprecedented speed as he struck directly at Yulisius’s greatest weakness.
The male lead was hopelessly addicted to work.
He cared little for worldly pleasures or personal relationships, but anything concerning the Holy Kingdom would always command his full attention.
Even if Yulisius wasn’t actually the gentle man Yoidel had believed him to be in his previous life…
Surely that much of the story remained true.
Sure enough, Yulisius had regained his composure.
“You’re asking me to believe you?”
“It’s about the budget problems that have been giving you headaches.”
Yulisius reacted immediately.
His expression clearly asked,
How do you know about that?
“The person you currently suspect… isn’t the culprit.”
For years, money had been quietly disappearing from the Grand Temple’s coffers.
Around this time, Yulisius had probably begun to notice.
Especially after the monster attacks increased and he had to leave the temple more often.
That was when the thief became even bolder.
Eventually, Yulisius realized something was wrong and started searching for the culprit.
But at first, he accused the wrong person. By the time he discovered the truth, the real culprit had already escaped.
“I’m sure you’ve noticed that the quality of the food supplied to the Grand Temple has been declining.”
The Holy Kingdom excelled in medicine and culture, but its harsh geography made farming difficult.
Most of its food had to be imported from neighboring nations.
Yulisius listened silently, though suspicion still lingered in his eyes.
“He’s been replacing the temple’s food suppliers with companies connected to people who flatter him, taking profits for himself in the process.”
Yulisius’s gaze turned cold.
For a moment, Yoidel faltered under that stare before continuing.
“The priest embezzling the money buys land in the Empire at dirt-cheap prices. Then, using the Grand Temple’s name, he spreads rumors that the temple plans to build medical facilities there. Once the land prices rise, he sells everything for enormous profits.”
“In the Empire?”
“He’s taking advantage of the poor communication between the Holy Kingdom and the Empire due to the distance.”
Relations between the two nations were terrible.
The Empire looked down on the Holy Kingdom as nothing more than a collection of priests and wanted it to bow its head.
“Later, the Empire will use this as leverage against the temple. In the end, the Holy Kingdom will be forced to accept even their unreasonable demands.”
“Is that the future you claim to have seen?”
“Yes. But by the time you discover he’s the real culprit, he’ll already have escaped with a fortune. He’s fast… and behind him…”
“The Imperial Family.”
Yulisius finished the sentence for him.
“…Am I correct?”
“Yes.”
The only reason that corrupt priest could boldly embezzle temple funds and escape afterward was because the Empire protected him.
They wanted to shatter Yulisius’s pride and dignity, and they weren’t above using underhanded methods to do it.
What was that priest’s name again…? Ah!
“Priest Geram, as you know, is originally from the Empire. He’s opened numerous bank accounts there. They’re not under his own name or his family’s, though. He pays poor people with no local ties to lend him their identities, then uses those accounts.”
“So they’re all disposable pawns.”
At this point, Yulisius no longer seemed interested in killing Yoidel.
Instead, he spoke with complete seriousness.
As expected…
Anything related to the Grand Temple immediately earned his attention.
Yoidel had to survive.
So he decided to reveal everything he knew about the future.
“His relatives and even his current identity were all fabricated after he became an adult. He actually grew up in an orphanage.”
Yulisius remained silent.
If that were true…
It was astonishing.
Priest Geram held a fairly high-ranking position and oversaw the Grand Temple’s finances.
Although he’d occasionally behaved suspiciously, it was difficult to imagine that someone who appeared so devoted to the God Cielo had been deceiving him all along.
But if what this pink-haired boy said was true…
“Please believe me… regardless of how disgusted you are with me.”
Yulisius studied the bold young man before him.
Is this really the same Yoidel I knew?
If Yoidel’s story was true…
There wasn’t a moment to waste.
After staring at him for a long time, Yulisius finally spoke.
“I will postpone your punishment.”
Yoidel’s mouth slowly fell open.
This isn’t a dream, is it? I actually did it?
His eyes sparkled with hope.
“One day.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll give you exactly one day. Return to where you’ve been staying. I’ll notify the others. And I suggest you don’t entertain any foolish ideas.”
“It’s a setup! I’m innocent, Your Holiness! No one knows better than you how many years I’ve devoted to the peace of the Holy Kingdom and the Grand Temple! Your Holiness!”
The condemned man’s desperate cries echoed through the Grand Temple as he was dragged away.
He insisted on his innocence until the very end.
Bang.
The courtroom doors slammed shut behind him.
Soon, he would meet the executioner’s blade.
The very execution grounds where Yoidel should have died yesterday…
Now held Priest Geram instead.
“Your Holiness, are you all right? You’ve been holding your head… Are you perhaps feeling unwell?”
Everyone in the Grand Temple was furious over Geram’s betrayal.
Hearing the concern in their voices, Yulisius smiled gently.
“It’s fortunate that we were able to restore order, even if only now.”
“Ah… Indeed. You’re absolutely right. As expected of someone so compassionate. Even in times like these, you’re thinking of everyone else first.”
“Your Holiness is truly remarkable. You must have suffered such a terrible wound from this betrayal, yet you’re still so kind.”
At those words, Yulisius smiled again.
Warm and radiant as the sun.
It was the kind of smile that inspired others to want to comfort him.
He leaned back in his chair, pressing a hand against his forehead as though nursing a headache.
But behind the hand concealing his face…
Every trace of warmth vanished.
So I’d been raising a dog that would eventually bite its master.
Not only had he uncovered the true culprit…
He had also gained a powerful weapon with which to pressure the Empire in return.
After the commotion died down, silence settled over the empty audience hall.
Yulisius found himself thinking once again about the trainee priest named Yoidel.
The pink-haired boy had been telling the truth.
At first, he’d wondered if he’d gone mad.
To be so easily swayed by the words of someone like Yoidel…
Priest Geram had faithfully served the temple for many years.
Compared to him, Yoidel was merely an inexperienced newcomer.
Yet the result had proven otherwise.
The novice’s insight had been correct.
And…
Geram may have purchased his identity, but according to the family records he used… he’s technically related to Priest Yoidel.
Just to be certain, Yulisius had investigated further.
Yoidel truly did belong to that noble bloodline.
Despite knowing that exposing Geram could implicate his own family, he had revealed the truth first.
Having finally made up his mind, Yulisius summoned the captain of the Grand Temple’s guards.
“Where is the prisoner, the trainee priest Yoidel… at this moment?”
