Chapter 336. Caesar of Belief (5)
It wasn’t until late in the evening that Hillis was able to return to the room assigned to her at the Warrant temple.
"Oh, my. What are all these?" she asked Albatoss while looking at the items that filled her room. The gifts ranged from bouquets woven clumsily out of wild flowers to expensive-looking jewels.
Albatoss, who had brought them over, smiled and spoke as if it were nothing. "These are gifts of gratitude from the soldiers, citizens, and nobles who were treated by Saintess-nim today." He added, "You don’t have to worry because we’ve finished all the safety tests."
Hillis picked up a bouquet of loose flowers that were hanging loose because they were tied incorrectly, saying, "I like this one the most."
"Yes. They said that the young children of Warrant made it themselves. Isn’t it cute?" Albatoss replied.
"It is." Hillis smiled gently and looked at the other gifts.
"If you don’t feel comfortable because they’re too expensive, should I go return them?" Albatoss asked.
Hillis looked at Albatoss as if he were saying something stupid. "Why would we give back what they gave us for free?"
“Yes? In the past, you used to say you felt burdened, and it was bothersome...” Albatoss began.
"That was a long time ago. How much is all this worth?” Hillis touched the jewels with a snobby smile.
“...” Albatoss grew flustered, saying nothing.
Hillis smirked and said, "Do you think their wealth will be reduced if we return these? It won’t decrease at all. Even if we return them, they’ll only rot in someone’s safe. However, if we sell these and use them generously, hundreds or thousands of people can be fed.”
Hillis put the jewelry and the other gifts she received into her pocket space and continued, "That means it’s right to receive them. If they approach me under the pretext of the gifts, we can say they offended the saintess and drive them away. My friend said it’s better to use everything you can use. whether it’s status or fantasy." She smiled playfully.
Albatoss sincerely agonized over whether he should have removed Den from her side.
"Ahh! I’m exhausted!" Hillis exclaimed, throwing herself onto the soft bed and tossing and turning.
Albatoss coughed dryly as he watched Hillis, remarking, "Ahem! How about keeping your dignity?"
Hillis kicked her shoes off as she rolled on the bed and grumbled, "Since I went through such a hard time, I should be able to rest however I want.”
Albatoss smiled as if he were looking at his grumbling daughter, saying, "Thank you for your hard work. According to the captain of the imperial army medical corps, most of Warrant’s patients have recovered."
"Of course! I worked so hard after separating from Den and Leisha!" Hillis coughed awkwardly and boasted. Then she sat up and said, "Get ready to leave after breakfast tomorrow."
Albatoss was confused by Hillis’s instructions, asking, "Yes? Where?"
Hillis smiled playfully and replied, "I’ll tell you that tomorrow.”
Naturally, Hillis was planning to leave for Valhalla, the frontline base where Den would be. She just wasn’t informing him now because she was too tired to persuade Albatoss, who would oppose it.
"But the Warrant parishioner prepared a prayer meeting with the Warrant citizens,” Albatoss said, perplexed.
Hillis snorted. "Is that my business? Who decides my schedule? Is the parishioner of higher standing than me?
"That’s true, but..." Albatoss began.
"And you usually don’t like doing external activities like that because it’s dangerous,” Hillis remarked.
Albatoss had nothing to counter that point with. After all, he usually strictly enforced Hillis’s safety. Still, he began, "That’s true, but seeing Saintess-nim eat that potato during the day left a deep impression on me. I was very moved that Saintess-nim cared so much about the people...”
"So you said yes without even reporting to me?" Hillis asked.
"...I’m sorry,” Albatoss said.
Hillis nodded and said, "Well, you’re the one who usually tolerates me doing whatever I want. I’ll forgive you for this.”
"Thank you. Then...?” Albatoss began hopefully.
"Of course, there will be no change in the schedule. We’re leaving tomorrow. Even if I forgive you, the person who made the mistake should take care of it,” Hillis said, smiling playfully.
Albatoss sighed. "Yes, I understand."
"If the parishioner is clingy, say my name. What’s he going to do if I say no?” Hillis added.
Albatoss said sternly with a straight face, "There will be no dirtying of Saintess-nim’s name."
"Well, do whatever you want.” Hillis lay down in the fluffy bed again.
However, just as she was about to rest and send out Albatoss, she heard a knock. Since what she felt outside the door wasn’t divine power, she tidied her clothes that had been wrinkled from rolling around and said, "Come on in."
The person who carefully opened the door and came in was a man dressed as a servant of the imperial family. He said, "I’m sorry for coming at a late hour."
"His Highness the Crown Prince must have sent you, right?” Hillis asked.
The imperial servant answered with a bow, "Yes. That is correct. His Majesty wishes to know if he can meet Saintess-nim."
Usually, regardless of status, one would have to go when the crown prince called. However, Hillis was a saintess in the temple, the second highest ranking individual after the pope. She had enough power to refuse his call.
"What will you do?" Albatoss asked.
Hillis deliberated over the question, then nodded. "I’ll go meet him now."
But just as Hillis got up, a bright voice said from behind the wall. "You don’t have to do that, because I’m here." Prince Zantes appeared right as he finished speaking. Albatoss bowed and greeted him.
"Huhu, I guess Your Highness the Crown Prince didn’t care about my opinion,” Hillis said.
Zantes was flustered by Hillis’s thorny words, protesting, "That’s not true! If you had refused, I planned to not show myself and just go back right away. I just visited to see if Saintess-nim was tired.”
Sensing sincerity in Zantes’s voice, Hillis left the room with a smile, saying, "I see. Then I’ll take you to the living room."
Zantes naturally sat in the guest seat after being led into the living room.
"You could also sit at the head of the table,” Hillis remarked.
"No, I’ve been rude to visit you so late in the evening, so I can’t also take the head position,” Zantes said.
Hillis didn’t keep pushing, but instead sat in the guest seat opposite Zantes. Even though Zantes had given up the head position, he was still the crown prince. She couldn’t just carelessly sit in that position.
The two sat down and chatted, drinking tea brewed by the imperial family servant and each asking how the other was doing out of courtesy.
Then Zantes put down the teacup and said seriously, "I came to see Saintess-nim because I have a favor to ask of you."
Hillis took a sip of tea and slowly put down the cup, asking, “What favor?”
Zantes swallowed dryly once and asked, "Will you please join us on our way to the Demon’s Territory?"
"What are you...!?" Albatoss exclaimed in protest.
Hillis raised her hand to hold him back, saying, "I’ll at least hear him out.”
"Saintess-nim!" Albatoss called out, wanting Hillis to say no.
But Hillis inwardly cried out, thinking it was good luck. She had been planning to go anyway, but now she may not have to deal with so much hassle along the way.
"Consecrated Division Captain. We are in front of His Highness the Crown Prince. Please lower your voice,” Hillis said coldly. Albatoss couldn’t help but fall silent.
"I apologize. This disrespect was out of concern for my weak self, so forgive him,” Hillis said.
"Ahahaha! It’s alright. If anyone else were asking to go to such a dangerous place, I would also get angry first. So..." Zantes trailed off.
Hillis smiled and asked, "I assume you’re going to Valhalla, the front line base, right?”
Zantes nodded. "Yes. That’s correct. I’m guessing Saintess-nim heard about it, too. They say that two great demons invaded and it’s become a mess there."
"What...!?" Hillis was momentarily shocked and almost shouted, but calmed down and stared at Albatoss. Albatoss avoided her stare, breaking into a cold sweat.
-What is this?
-I didn’t know either. But please calm down. That guy Den is from the Crow tribe. In addition, the Crow tribe chief is also there.
Speaking to Albatoss through sound transmission magic, Hillis picked up the teacup again, sipped, and spoke calmly. "Yes. I heard that, too. How many are injured...?”
"Well. Fortunately, there were Crow and Butterfly tribespeople there, so there was no significant damage, but there were quite a few soldiers who suffered from the fire of the bird shrouded in never-ceasing flames,” Zantes said.
Hillis nodded with relief. If that was the case, she didn’t think she had to worry about Den, who had run out of mana. She remarked, "Then it seems treating them won’t be easy."
"Yes. Originally, the Butterfly tribe could have provided magic treatment, but due to an urgent matter, both battle races had to go deep into the Demon’s Territory, so the soldiers were unable to receive treatment,” Zantes explained.
Hillis felt something was strange and asked, "All the battle races?"
"Yes, that’s right,” Zantes said.
That meant Den might have entered the Demon’s Territory too. Hillis was worried about him.
"In truth, this is confidential, but it’d be strange for me to hide it from you when I’m the one asking. So, it seems that the ceremony to summon the Demon King has begun deep in the Demon’s Territory,” Zantes explained.
"Ceremony?" Hillis asked with a serious tone.
Zantes nodded. "Yes. That’s why we need Saintess-nim’s power even more."
"Did the battle races go to stop the ceremony?” Hillis asked.
"Yes. That’s right. In particular, the ceremonial altar will be attacked by the chief and little chief of the Crow tribe...” Zantes began.
Even before Zantes finished speaking, Hillis jumped up from her seat. "Let’s go right now!"
"What?" Zantes was confused.
Leaving behind the flustered Zantes and frowning Albatoss, Hillis left the living room, yelling, "As the saintess, I can’t just stand still and watch!"
* * *
Atop the green deer, Flam looked at the burned wall that stood in the dimming field. "What is this?" He sent the green deer back into the bracelet and approached the military camp.
"Stop! Who are you?" the soldiers exclaimed, raising their muskets and spears.
Flam grabbed the civil servant ID he was wearing on his neck and lifted up both hands. "I am Flam, a civil servant from the Adventurers’ Guild headquarters! This is a civil servant ID to prove my identity!” he cried.
A knight emerged from among the soldiers, walking up to Flam and inspecting his face. He said, "There seem to be no issues. What’s a civil servant coming all the way here without an escort?”
Flam smiled awkwardly and began, "Ahahaha, that’s...”
"Ah! If you’re from the headquarters of the Adventurers’ Guild, are you here under the order of General Glont von Asilante?" the knight asked.
Flam smiled and nodded. "That’s right!"
"I see. I’ll guide you to General William,” the knight said kindly.
Flam was flustered and replied, "No, that’s....”
"Are you here to meet Colonel Den? I heard that Colonel Den was originally from the headquarters of the Adventurers’ Guild. I guess it’s true,” the knight remarked.
"Den is here?"Flam asked in surprise.
The knight looked at him strangely and asked, "Aren’t you here to see Colonel Den?”
"Oh, yes, that’s right. It was unfamiliar to hear him being called Colonel Den,” Flam said as an excuse.
The knight nodded. "I suppose it’s awkward since the Adventurers’ Guild members don’t refer to each other by rank. But what will you do? Colonel Den is now in the Demon’s Territory."
"Den went into the Demon’s Territory?" Flam asked.
"Yes... That’s right, but..." The knight began to look suspiciously at Flam as the questions continued.
Suddenly, a small object flew over from far away and hit Flam in the back of the head. "Kku-aek!" he exclaimed.
It was Arwen who had hit Flam, and she proceeded to keep hitting him.
-Stupid! Idiot! Fool! Silly! Jerk! Stiff!
Each time Arwen hit Flam, her sincere feelings emerged as magic words in the air.
"Ahhh! It hurts! Stop hitting me!" Flam yelled.
-How can someone who’s supposed to be my oppa run away without saying anything!? You stonehead!
When Den’s disciple suddenly appeared and started hitting Flam, the knight who was inspecting him was confused. He asked, "Do you know each other?”
-He’s my older brother and my teacher’s friend.
In response to Arwen’s answer, the knight nodded. "Oh, is that so? Please come inside." He kindly opened the door.
Even so, Arwen still didn’t stop hitting Flam.
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