Chapter 17 (1/2)

“Pwuh—”

She raised her head out of the water and swam in the direction of the flask of fragrant oil.

Ah, whatever. We’re gonna go our separate ways once he’s healed anyway, so let’s not bother too much.’ Kynemeia shook her head.

‘He said the injury can’t be healed, but just in case, it’d be better to call over a priest to check on it.’

Eian did say that time is medicine, but a solution might actually turn up if divine power was involved.

She’d finished washing up and was about to summon a priest when the maid Shane came to inform her of a guest’s visit.

“Oh!”

An old man with a greyed beard recognized Kynemeia as he approached her.

“Hoho, Lady. You’ve grown so much.”

Huh!

“Priest Andrea?”

“Greetings to the wings of Lyonne. Lady Kynemeia, it’s been a while.”

‘Priest. Speak of the devil!’ Kynemeia smiled slightly and skipped towards him.

“Long time no see, Priest. Have you been well?”

“I’ve just been grateful for the days that God has bestowed upon me. Lady, you seem to be getting even prettier.”

“Thank you.”

“As expected, just like your father, your beautiful… Uh… Beautiful…”

Andrea’s words petered out as he bit back his words. Kynemeia’s dad, Troy Lyonne, had conquered high society with his beauty and later died from a thrust of a knife during a fight of blind love.

“…”

“…”

An uncomfortable silence fell between the two. Andrea drew a cross and offered a prayer for the deceased.

“Lady, I’m sure the previous Grand Duke has gone to a better place.”

‘Really…? Can he go to a better place even though he was the centre of a fight of blind love and got stabbed?’ But Kynemeia couldn’t give voice to the question that was on the tip of her tongue.

Let’s just believe it to be so.

“But, Priest, what brings you here?”

“Ah… That…”

As he slurred his words, she beckoned Shane who was watching them nearby.

“Ah, Shane. Prepare some refreshments in the parlour.”

“Yes, Young Lady.”

“Priest, please come this way.”

Andrea let out a hoho as he followed her.

“Pardon?! Ah—Hot!”

Hearing the news which was like a bolt out of the blue, Kynemeia burnt her tongue as she sipped on the hot tea then stuck out her stinging tongue.

“Are you alright?”

“I-I’m fine. But what did you say just now? You’re retiring from the clergy?”

“I have gotten much older, after all. Since divine power is much like water in a bowl, someone of my age would have depleted every drop.”

“Ah…”

How sudden… Her eyes trembled. Having to see the priest who had been working for so long retire was indeed a pity, but truthfully, there was another reason why she was so stunned that she burned her tongue.

“Uhh… If you leave, Priest, when will another priest come to our temple?”

“Ah… Uhm…”

His expression crumpled into dismay.

‘I can tell just from that face!’

No one was coming. His was an expression that said there was a 99.98% chance of them coming. But this was simply the start; the priest suddenly dropped an even bigger bomb.

“I can’t say this with certainty, but…”

No way… She tried to erase the hopeless imagination from her mind, but the truth was much worse than she’d imagined.

“I’ve heard that the main temple is planning to shut down the temple in the Grand Duchy…”

“That means…!”

“Yes… I think the Church Order is thinking of pulling out from the Grand Duchy…”

Andrea stroked his beard, reflecting on their shamelessness.

‘But why!’

As Kynemeia turned stone-still like she just got knocked on the head, Andrea patted her head asking her if she was okay.

“…I’m… Not okay…”

I’m not fine! There’s no way I can be fine!’