Chapter 116 (1/2)

Translator: Wawaa

Editor: WilsonWilson

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Hundreds of candles were always burning in the sanctum called the House of God. It was the duty of the sanctum priests to keep the candles from extinguishing. They opened the door of the sanctum only to the rich or to those with high status, filling their pockets with gold coins.

With the news of the appearance of the saintess, numerous people flocked to the sanctum. As such, the priests were put in a very embarrassing situation. They were afraid of the backlash they would receive were they to openly ask for gold coins in front of these many people. So, the trick they came up with was to make roads of candles.

The priests decided to open the doors of the sanctum wide and light all the roads leading to it with candles, then, they would sell the candles. They had also prohibited lighting foreign candles not made in the temple.

Lara stood still on the road. Then, she took off her robe and dropped it on the floor.

“It’s the saintess!”

The knights shouted loudly.

On a dark night, the saintess stood on a candlelit road. The Emperor was nowhere to be seen, but his knights escorted her with stern faces.

“Saintes…”

“Saintess, it’s the saintess!”

The nobles, who recognized Lara’s face before anyone else, bowed their heads at her. The poor stuck out their neck to take a glimpse at her face.

A child was crying at the end of the road. He wanted to light a candle for the saintess, but as his mother was poor, he could not even buy a candle.

The child, wanting to at least hold a candle, reached out to a dying candle on the floor. But he was slapped hard by a priest who saw him. Not enough with hitting the child, the priest even scolded the child, he said that, if he stole God’s things, both he and his mother would die getting divine punishment. The child cried, his tears full of sorrow, and his poor mother restlessly begged him to stop crying.

Lara walked in front of them. Then, she raised her hand in front of everyone and slapped the priest hard.

Slap!

It was so loud that the quiet air of the sanctum was broken at once. The priest who was slapped was so surprised that he did not even know what had happened.

“What in the…”

The priest, who belatedly raised one hand and wrapped his cheek, opened his mouth vacantly. His cheek was tingling and burning. Everyone was looking at him. Soon, intense shame poured in.

The one who hit the priest was a young woman with a cold impression. Her thin, abundant brown hair, white face, and clear and deep eyes were impressive. Everyone who whispered amongst themselves had kept their mouths shut. Even the sad and crying child stood bewildered and looked at Lara and the priest.

“Tell me.”

Lara asked.

“Did God ask you to panhandle?”

There were gasping sounds here and there.

“A gold coin for a candle? The price of that cheap candle is the same as a worker’s 10-day salary?”

“Excuse me!”

“I’m asking you. Did God ask you to panhandle?”

Lara asked again. Not knowing what to say, the priest trembled and stood far away. He wanted to retaliate because he was ashamed and angry, but he could not because there were so many people watching.

“You don’t have to endure.”

Lara smiled. When she opened her red lips, a puff of white breath leaked out.

“If you feel you have been treated unfairly, you can hit me too.”

“Where did such an arrogant thing like this come from…”

“Such an arrogant thing?”

Lara took a step forward. The priest was surprised and stepped back. He distorted his face even more when he realized that he had backed down like a coward at a small threat from a young woman.

“Step back!”

“I can’t believe a priest will commit robbery and violence in the name of God…”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“I’ll have to fire you.”

Something that should not have happened in front of God’s house had happened. A woman slapped the priest in the face. She slapped him so hard that it was heard not only by the people gathered nearby but also by those who were far away.

Moreover, the woman uttered harsh words to the noble priest by saying he committed panhandling and robbery, and finally, she fired him.

“Drag out this crazy woman!”