Chapter 23
“What? You mean to move up the timing… Are you saying you’ll reveal that you’ve regained consciousness at the Duke’s estate before we gather more evidence?”
Originally, they had planned to gather all the evidence first, then have Kylus regain consciousness and deal with Madam Quillian in one swift move.
But an unexpected problem had arisen that made it impossible to keep waiting for evidence to be gathered.
Alice Fordley.
‘If this goes well, I’ll be able to leave the Duke’s estate.’
The words she had spoken while pretending to attend to him in his room the other day were the issue.
If they delayed for too long gathering evidence, Alice might become a priestess and leave the Duke’s estate.
Although he couldn’t know exactly how far things had progressed, he had to prevent her from going to the temple.
Kylus moved his lips towards the puzzled Tessiri.
“…Yes.”
“But I think we only need about two weeks…”
“No. I’ll reclaim my position as the head of the family before then. So you need to hurry too.”
Seeing Kylus’s eyes, which seemed to have already made up his mind, Tessiri didn’t say anything more and just bowed his head.
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“Then we should get going now.”
“I was about to say that it’s time for me to return to the temple.”
As Kylus spoke, Lady Meltain added, checking her pocket watch.
“Your Excellency, please take care of yourself.”
“I’ll do my best to gather evidence.”
Davit and Tessiri spoke in heavy voices to Kylus as he was about to leave.
“Don’t worry. I won’t collapse again.”
Kylus patted the shoulders of his worried subordinates once each, then put on his ring and left the dilapidated building with Lady Meltain.
As soon as they exited the building, they warped to a quiet alley near the temple.
“Your Excellency, then I’ll head into the temple.”
“Wait a moment, Sienna.”
“Yes?”
“Has the Duchess shown any unusual behavior at the temple in the past few days? Like meeting someone?”
“Well, I warp as soon as I enter the prayer room, so… Oh, I did hear something.”
“What did you hear?”
“I heard that the Duchess has been active at the temple’s poor relief center lately.”
“…The poor relief center?”
“Yes. Since about three days ago… That’s when she started volunteering.”
“…I see. You can go in now.”
Lady Meltain bowed slightly and immediately warped to the prayer room.
“The poor relief center…”
After Lady Meltain disappeared, Kylus, furrowing his brow, walked quickly towards the temple.
* * *
“Thank you.”
“It’s nothing. It’s hot, so drink it slowly.”
As she ladled out the last of the soup, the bottom of the pot became visible.
Only when the soup was completely gone did Alice straighten her back.
“Ouch…”
There were more people than usual today.
As Alice was rubbing her sore back, Violet approached to help.
“My lady, let me do that.”
Alice was about to say it was pitiful to see young Violet lifting a pot almost as big as her upper body, but Violet smiled brightly and said,
“No, there were so many people today that you didn’t even get to rest. Please rest for a moment. I’ll take care of the cleanup, my lady.”
“But it’s okay…”
Even as Alice said this, Violet had already turned and was moving the pot.
Giving up, Alice turned her head to look for someone.
And she was able to find Prion’s back among the rows of sickbeds.
“Today too… it’s not going to happen.”
Although the volunteer work was fulfilling, there was one problem.
She needed to get closer to Prion, but there was too much work to find time to have a conversation with him.
It would have been a good time to approach him now that he had started to lower his guard towards her.
Alice at least had brief moments of rest in between, but Prion didn’t have even a moment’s break.
She couldn’t face him except when arriving at and leaving the poor relief center.
It was almost to the point where she felt she’d have to be injured and lying in a sickbed herself to have a conversation with him.
Alice let out a tired sigh as she watched his back, focused on the patients.
Maybe she should just keep making her presence known for about another week and then openly say she had something to talk about.
At this rate, she might end up just volunteering until the day before Madam Quillian tried to kill her.
If she died, would they reincarnate her in a better place for her volunteer points?
Her exhaustion was making her think strange thoughts.
As she was shaking her head at her own thoughts, two young boys approached her.
“Do you need bread?”
“Yes, bread and maybe some soup? My little brother has an upset stomach, so he can’t eat bread…”
The boy with the grimy face, who looked to be barely 7 years old, was holding tightly to the hand of a younger child who seemed to be his brother.
The younger brother who had the upset stomach looked particularly unwell.
His bloodless lips suggested he hadn’t eaten in quite a while.
“Ah, just a moment…”
Alice couldn’t bring herself to say there was nothing left, so she headed towards where the pots were placed.
“Violet, is there any soup left?”
“Hmm, there’s a little bit left here…”
“Please give me that, then.”
Alice ladled out the little remaining soup and took 2 rye bread rolls, then approached the children.
“Here, sit over there and eat.”
The older brother took the bread and soup, bowing his head deeply.
But at that moment, the soup bowl that the brother was precariously holding wobbled, and some of the soup spilled onto the younger brother’s hand.
“Waaah…!”
The younger brother burst into tears as the hot soup burned his hand.
Alice quickly brushed the soup off the child’s hand and looked around.
She wasn’t looking for cold water, but for the priests who were treating the poor.
It wasn’t a severe injury, just a slight burn, so even a lower-ranking priest could treat it.
But all the priests were busy with their own tasks.
Even Violet.
“What should I do…”
“Big brother, it hurts…”
As Alice was at a loss, the child spoke in a pained voice.
He seemed to be struggling, his body already unwell and now with a burned hand on top of that.
Seeing this, she couldn’t just wait for a priest any longer.
Alice, after confirming that no one around was paying attention to her, lowered herself to the child’s level.
She smiled at the sniffling child, meeting his eyes.
“Big sister will make it stop hurting completely.”
Alice carefully covered the back of the child’s hand with her own.
Please make the child not hurt anymore.
The moment she wished this in her heart, a small light enveloped the child’s hand, then disappeared.
And when she removed her hand, the child’s reddened hand was cleanly healed.
Even his bloodless lips had turned pink.
“Wow, are you a priestess?”
“Well… Let’s say I’m someone who wants to be one? I’m not a priestess yet. So this is our little secret, okay?”
“Yes, I promise.”
“Thank you.”
Alice patted the head of the older brother who was bowing deeply, then stood up.
And just as she was about to say goodbye to the two children, a low voice was heard.
“…Did you just use holy power?”
Oh no.
Alice stiffly turned around at the unexpected situation.
And sure enough, Prion was standing behind her with a stern face.
When did he come here?
He was definitely tending to patients at the sickbeds just a moment ago.
“Well…”
Alice’s golden eyes were filled with confusion.
Being caught like this was something she hadn’t anticipated.
Seeing Alice visibly flustered, Prion spoke in a gentle voice.
“I’m not trying to interrogate you. I just felt the aura of holy power from you and wanted to ask. Did you heal the child?”
Prion smiled softly, as if to say she shouldn’t be afraid.
Alice’s shoulders, which had tensed up, gradually relaxed at his gentle smile.
It seemed he had genuinely just wanted to thank her for healing the children.
Even if one had holy power, it wasn’t a world where you had to become a priest, so there was really no need to be startled as if caught doing something wrong.
She was just surprised to have her holy power discovered before she could tell him she wanted to become a priestess.
Alice smiled faintly and replied calmly,
“Yes. I can use a little bit of holy power.”
“You must have a kind heart for the gods to watch over you like this. Thank you for healing the child.”
“It’s nothing, I just did what needed to be done. But… Grand Priest.”
Alice hesitated for a moment.
She wondered whether it would be better to say she wanted to become a priestess now that her holy power had been discovered, or if it would be better to wait a bit longer.
“Duchess?”
Prion called out to her with curiosity when she trailed off and didn’t say anything.
Meeting Prion’s honest blue eyes, Alice thought,
This is the right time.
“I have something important I need to tell you. Could you please listen to what I have to say?”
Prion’s blue eyes widened slightly at Alice’s earnest face. Then he carefully asked her,
“…Is this something we need to discuss in private?”
“Yes.”
“Then… follow me, my lady.”
Alice followed Prion out of the poor relief center.
