After the storm named Joy and Faivy had swirled around Lucy Allen and departed, Arthur was left alone in the now-chaotic private room, sprawled across the floor before he staggered up.
Honestly, it was one of the most horrifying moments of his life.
Joy, who would usually blush but never truly get angry, and the saintess, whom he’d thought incapable of such a severe emotion, had both looked dead serious at the same time.
Arthur prided himself on having faced all manner of adversity, but their combined fury had rendered all that experience meaningless. To think that even he, of all people, couldn’t even attempt to explain himself before receiving their punishment.
He recalled the scene of Joy and the saintess approaching him, recalling the pain from where he’d been hit. Arthur sighed deeply.
Joy—she had fired lightning at him with genuine intent to fry him alive.
The saintess had been no different. She’d tried to scorch him to death with holy flames. Even now, the spots that had been touched by that heat still stung.
If Lucy Allen had delayed her explanation even a moment longer, he probably would’ve suffered real burns.
“Lucy Allen.”
As her name crossed his mind, Arthur ran his hand through his hair, sighing. He hadn’t truly expected a sincere apology from her.
When she’d first used the nickname “Pathetic Prince,” he had been genuinely offended. It was also true that he sometimes found her countless instances of disrespect unpleasant.
But Lucy had also done more than enough to balance out those moments. She had saved his life, risking her own. She had agreed without hesitation to his shameless request for guidance. She had always helped him reach greater heights.
Having spent the past few months with her, Arthur was certain that, despite her rough exterior, Lucy had a good heart. Because of this, he hadn’t taken her impoliteness too seriously.
In recent times, he had grown so used to her remarks that he could laugh them off. So what reason would he have to demand a sincere apology from her?
He had brought up the apology solely as an excuse to learn her dungeon strategies.
“Your Highness’s methods resemble those of Lady Allen,” Joy had said during the final exam dungeon. When Arthur heard that, he had initially bitten his lip in frustration, realizing he was just following in her footsteps. But soon after, that frustration transformed into something else.
Being told he was following Lucy Allen’s path also meant she already knew the road he wanted to walk.
If he asked her to show him the way, perhaps he’d eventually be able to imitate her peculiar tactics.
Maybe he’d even surpass her one day.
Pride? He’d tossed that aside a long time ago.
If doing something humiliating could help him beat her, he was willing to do whatever it took.
This was why he had presented her with two choices. By offering an option that Lucy Allen would never choose, he’d made it inevitable that she’d have to teach him her dungeon strategies.
The moment she nodded in agreement, his goal was already achieved.
Afterward, whatever kind of apology she gave, Arthur had planned to simply laugh it off.
After all, the Lucy he knew would never sincerely apologize.
“I’m sorry for being rude all the time.”
So, Arthur was genuinely taken aback when she politely bowed her head.
“I’m sorry for never thanking you for helping me.”
He hadn’t anticipated this outcome in the slightest.
“I’m sorry for constantly calling you ‘pathetic.’”
Even as her eyes reddened.
“And...sniff...I’m sorry for teasing you with something I know you hate.”
His mind went blank, and he was left speechless.
“Sniff. And...hic...”
Arthur remained frozen, watching Lucy struggle to continue speaking through her tears, unable to think of comforting or consoling her.
Looking back, he’d felt a sense of relief when Joy and the saintess had burst into the room. He hadn’t even considered how pitiful he might look, only that they could soothe Lucy.
But instead of salvation, what came next was pure disaster.
The truly infuriating thing was that while Lucy Allen was the one who had thrust him into that disaster, she was also the one who had saved him from it.
After sobbing for a while, she calmed down, sniffling as she approached, pushing past the wrathful Joy and Faivy to stand in front of him and press her head against his fist.
With a sniffle and a smirk, she said with a little sigh:
“Well. Sniff. That’s everything, right, pathetic prince?”
“As if I was actually crying. You fools are so pathetic, falling for it. Of course, it was all an act.”
“Sniff. But... it really does look like the pathetic prince is a jerk who made a girl cry, doesn’t it?”
Wiping her tear-stained cheeks, Lucy continued her mocking remarks, then led Joy and Faivy out of the room.
“How dumb does she think I am?”
She cried her eyes out and then tries to pretend it was just an act. Who could believe that?
After hearing her heartfelt apology, how could he ever dismiss it as a performance?
“Damn it.”
If she truly felt so sorry, she could simply avoid acting that way in the future.
If she carried all that guilt around, why did she keep saying things that hurt others and herself?
“I don’t get it. I just don’t.”
Arthur clutched his head in frustration, eventually slumping over his desk with a long sigh.
“Lucy Allen. I truly can’t understand what kind of person you are.”
Are you truly this way because you want to be?
The next day, as the newbie prince called Arthur awaited his dungeon lesson, I awoke early, compensating for my two days of oversleep. After getting ready, I offered a prayer to the pathetic god as usual.
Although my faith in him had dipped after yesterday’s tear-jerking penalty, I still needed to pray to get my daily quest reward.
Ugh. Just thinking about it again irritates me.
That perverted, pedophile god probably wanted to see me cry. What other reason could there be for forcing sincerity into the penalty?
As I fumed over this and made plans to add a new page to the Grimoire of Grudges, I sensed a holy presence approaching and prepared to head out.
Today, Faivy would be spending the day with me. Since she’s a kind-hearted soul, she wouldn’t ask for anything too weird.
Maybe it’d be something like changing how I address her, switching outfits, or offering a prayer for her.
...Hmm? That’s odd.
I had reached the door, but why wasn’t she knocking?
Wondering why Faivy was just standing there, I purposefully stepped over the flirtatious fox lying in her path and opened the door myself.
“Oh. Um. Ah.”
Faivy, who had been frozen in the act of knocking, blushed upon meeting my gaze.
“G-Good morning, my lady.”
“Good morning, Faivy.”
“Good morning, holy clutz. You don’t exactly have the face of a saint today.”
“It’s just... my lady appears especially noble today.”
Listening to Faivy’s hesitant response, I realized I was still wearing the accessory from that perverted apostle. I’d kept it on since the pathetic god gives more rewards when I pray while wearing it, but I nearly went outside with it on.
After removing it and stashing it in my inventory, Faivy let out a sigh of relief.
To think even Faivy, who’s normally so composed, could be this flustered. That perverted apostle may be a complete trash, but his skills are certainly effective.
But seriously, having power this intense is a problem. I can’t even use it for anything but praying to the perverted god!
As I grumbled and swapped out my accessory, I invited Faivy inside, not wanting to leave her standing there any longer.
“Eek!”
“S-Sorry.”
Ignoring the grumbling flirtatious fox who muttered she hadn’t intended to be trampled, I tied my hair back.
Honestly, I don’t see much of a difference between wearing the perverted apostle’s accessory and not. So what exactly do people see that causes such a fuss?
Finishing up, I glanced back at Faivy, who was still muttering. I picked up the fox, gave her a good head pat until she was quiet, and then turned to Faivy.
“Today...”
“So, holy clutz, what perverted favor do you plan on asking me today, coming over so early?”
“P-Perversion? No, nothing like that. I simply wished for you to pray...f-for me...”
As her voice dwindled, I couldn’t help but laugh. Was this the same Faivy who’d so fiercely condemned Arthur yesterday?
When she had punished him, she had been genuinely terrifying. But now, she was just adorable.
“Would you like me to do it right now?”
“Pfft. You’re that eager? Should I do it now?”
“Huh? Oh, no. I’d prefer to receive your prayer after everything else is settled.”
Watching her fiddle with her fingers, I understood why she was here so early.
Today wasn’t just Faivy’s day to ask me a favor; it was also the day we would hear what Yohan and Karia had discovered about the corruption within the church.
While she knew the church was corrupt, Faivy had never known the full extent of it.
Of course, she’d be anxious about what she’d hear today.
Realizing she’d come to me seeking a bit of comfort, I knelt down in front of Faivy, who had her head lowered, and looked up into her eyes.
“Are you sure...”
“Holy clutz, are you sure praying is all you need? Isn’t this a bit much?”
“What do you mean? How could I ask for anything more from the apostle of the god? Given everything you’ve done for me, how could someone as lacking as I am...”
“Hah! You’re such a saint that even your lies are convincing♡ Looks like you’ll need a night of penance♡”
Speechless at my taunt, Faivy’s face went bright red, and she finally hid her face behind her hands.
This chapt𝒆r is updated by frёewebηovel.cѳm.
“P-Please, call me Faivy.”
“Of course, Faivy.”
“Pfft. You’re such a shy one, Faivy. Truly adorable.”
I decided on today’s plan.
Before meeting Yohan and Karia, I’d take Faivy out for a fun day.