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That day.

As Tatsumi stepped out of the temple gates, several men surrounded him.

He recognized every one of their faces. But he could see obvious impatience written on their faces.

“We’re not letting you get away today, no matter what! About time we see some results, we’ve got our own circumstances too!”

Apparently, Larlaik—presumably their employer—was also growing impatient with the men who had been unable to capture Tatsumi for so long.

Up until today, Tatsumi had been constantly on the run.

He’d been doing so on Giuseppe’s orders, but even for him, being hassled by these unsavory characters so frequently was becoming unbearable.

But that would end today. Giuseppe had issued new orders, so there was no longer any need to keep running.

“That’s perfect timing. I’m happy that you’re the one who came to me. It would’ve been a hassle for us to track you down, after all.”

Even while surrounded by a few thugs, Tatsumi smiled cheerfully.

Seeing his composed expression, the men furrowed their brows in suspicion. But having lived lives where resorting to brute force was faster than thinking, they couldn’t fathom the reason behind Tatsumi’s composure.

“Huh? What the hell are you talking about, you jerk? Just give us your face already! If you do as we say, we’ll let you off with just a limb or two, okay?”
“Nope, it’s you guys who’ll be dealing with me.”

It was the very moment Tatsumi said that.

From behind Tatsumi, several fully armed soldier priests burst out through the temple’s main gate.

No matter how confident they were in their fighting skills, a bunch of street thugs stood no chance against fully armed soldier priests.

At first, the men charged at the soldier priests with fierce determination, but they were quickly subdued and captured.

“Heya, Tatsumi. You’ve been on the run until today—must’ve been a real struggle.”

The one who spoke to Tatsumi was a soldier priest he knew. He, too, had been briefed on Giuseppe’s plan and had been itching to get into action until today.

“Sorry to have caused you trouble. It seems Giuseppe-san’s preparations are finally in place.”
“Apparently so. To be honest, having these guys hanging around the temple was getting on my nerves. Complaints were starting to come in from the regular worshippers, too, so now that His Holiness has finally given his permission, we’re all relieved.”

“Thank you very much.”

“Don’t mention it. We know full well just how hard you work every day. Sure, there are probably some who won’t accept your relationship with Lady Calcedonia. But at the very least, everyone here is on your side and Lady Calcedonia’s.”

The soldier priests who had captured the thugs each raised their right thumbs.

“Training with Tatsumi means I get more chances to be healed by Lady Calcedonia. I’m really looking forward to that.”
“Exactly. After all, my real goal is Lady Calcedonia’s healing magic, right? It’s definitely not for your sake!”
“You’ve got some nerve saying that. When you found out someone was trying to separate Tatsumi and Lady Calcedonia, you were indignant as if it were your own business, weren’t you?”
“Wha—!? N-no, w-well, that’s…! B-but since we’re training partners… a-and I’m a priest of Lord Savaiv, too. I just can’t stand anyone trying to forcibly tear apart two people who are so deeply bonded!!”

The soldier priests laughed at each other.

Tatsumi bowed deeply once more, grateful for the thoughtfulness of his senior soldier priests.

.

The day after Tatsumi and the others caused a commotion in front of the temple.

Giuseppe found himself having to deal with a sudden visitor who burst in first thing in the morning.

That said, he had actually been expecting this visitor. However, even Giuseppe hadn’t anticipated that the visit would happen so early in the morning.

“Welcome to the Temple of Savaiv. Countess Galgadon.”

In one of the temple’s reception rooms, Giuseppe entered and offered a welcome to his guest.

In response, the guest, who was already in the room and accompanied by what appeared to be a servant, stood up to greet Giuseppe.

“I’m the one who should be apologizing—I’m truly sorry for barging in so suddenly at this hour.”
“If that’s how you feel, why didn’t you make an appointment in advance or at least consider the time of day?”

Though he grumbled that to himself, Giuseppe smiled and offered a chair to the Countess of Galgadon—Sienaquaria Galgadon.

“So, what brings you here today?”
“Yes, Your Eminence. I have come today to set the official date for the marriage ceremony between Your Eminence’s adopted daughter, Lady Calcedonia, and Larlaik, the heir of our Galgadon family.”

Sienaquaria, her smile bright as her overly plump body jiggled, settled into her chair and declared this without a hint of embarrassment.

.

Meanwhile, at that very moment…

At the Galgadon estate—where the Countess and her eldest son had gone to the Temple of Savaiv—an unexpected guest had also arrived.

“I’m sorry to drop in unannounced, Count Galgadon.”
“N-no, not at all. And, what brings you to my home today…?”

Faced with this unexpected guest—no, a guest of far too high standing—Count Almond Galgadon wiped the sweat from his brow repeatedly as he responded.

“Actually, I’d like to speak with you about your wife and your eldest son. Could I have a moment of your time?”

With that, the former Duchess Elisia Kwallot fixed Almond with a cold, stern gaze.

.

“I see, I see. The date for the wedding ceremony between my adopted daughter and your son, is it? Well now, this is the first I’ve heard of Lord Calcedonia and Lord Larlaik getting married.”

Giuseppe feigned ignorance with exaggerated nonchalance.

“Oh, is that so? However, I’ve heard from my son that he and Lady Calcedonia are deeply in love. For two people who love each other to be united is surely in accordance with the will of Lord Savaiv, the patron deity of marriage. Might Your Eminence, in your wisdom, bestow your blessing upon these two young people? Of course, we of the Galgadon family also intend to offer whatever assistance we can. We have prepared a fitting token of gratitude not only for the Temple of Savaiv, but also for Your Eminence personally… Surely, forming a kinship with the Galgadon family would be no loss to Your Eminence, would it?”

Sienaquaria’s sagging, fatty cheeks twitched upward. Giuseppe surmised that she must have been smiling.

“I see. A reward for me personally… is that so?”

When Giuseppe raised his eyebrows in interest, Sienaquaria’s cheeks lifted even higher.

“Yes. Of course, we have prepared a sum befitting Your Eminence.”

Sienaquaria turned to the household staff standing behind her. In response, the servant took a bag from the suitcase they had brought, its contents clinking with a metallic sound.

“Please accept this, Your Eminence.”

The servant silently held out the bag, and Sienaquaria urged Giuseppe to take it.

And with a delighted expression, Giuseppe reached out for the bag.

.

While his mother, Sienaquaria, was speaking with Giuseppe, Larlaik was made to wait in another parlor.

A young male priest brewed tea for Larlaik, the guest, and after serving it to him, silently left the parlor.

Larlaik watched this scene with a look of boredom. He tapped his toes up and down impatiently as he waited for his mother to return.

But the impatient Larlaik soon found himself at a loss for what to do with his time. Still, he had enough sense not to let his frustration get the better of him and start causing a scene.

To stave off boredom, Larlaik stood up, sat down, and paced back and forth across the parlor.

As he was doing this, a voice suddenly called out from beyond the door.

“Excuse me. Is Lord Larlaik Galgadon here?”

The moment he heard that voice, Larlaik’s face lit up. It was a voice he had never forgotten for a single day since he first heard it.

Larlaik hurried to the door and flung it open without even checking who was outside.

“W-well, well, if it’s not Lady Calcedonia. It’s been a long time!”
“Yes, it has been a while, Lord Larlaik.”
“B-but, why are you here, Lady Calcedonia…?”

Suppressing his joy, Larlaik managed to feign composure.

“Well, my grandfather told me that you might be bored, so he asked me to come and keep you company. May I join you?”
“O-of course! Please, please—it’s a cramped little room, but do come in.”

Forgetting that this was the temple’s reception room, a giddy Larlaik ushered Calcedonia inside.

“Actually, I baked some sweets specifically for you, Lord Larlaik. Would you care to try some?”
“O-of course! If they’re homemade sweets from Lady Calcedonia, I’d be delighted to have some!”

Nodding at Larlaik’s words, Calcedonia turned around and clapped her hands.

In response, three male priests entered the reception room, pushing a cart laden with tea and sweets.

Once the priests had set out the tea and sweets, they stood by the wall, waiting like servants.

As a nobleman accustomed to dealing with servants who behaved in such a manner, Larike paid little attention to the waiting priests and simply took a bite of the sweets as Calcedonia offered them.

He did so without noticing the meaningful smile playing on Calcedonia’s lips.

.

Taking the bag that was handed to him, Giuseppe tossed it lightly in the air a few times to check its weight.

Then, he cast a quick glance toward Sienaquaria.

As if that alone were enough for Sienaquaria to grasp what Giuseppe meant, she issued new instructions to the household staff.

The servant pulled a bag of the same size as the previous one from his bag. Of course, it too made a clinking sound as the coins jingled.

Seeing this, Giuseppe grinned. Sienaquaria, perhaps thinking the Supreme Pontiff was satisfied, smiled back.

But Giuseppe casually tossed the bag he’d received onto the desk.

The bag’s opening gaped open, and silver coins spilled out.

But Sienaquaria paid no attention to this; she stared straight at Giuseppe.

Until then, Giuseppe had been wearing a good-natured smile. Now, however, he made no attempt to hide his sullen expression.

What on earth had offended him? Sienaquaria racked her brain.

Was the amount of the gift too small? Or perhaps he would have preferred something other than silver coins?

Come to think of it, the Supreme Pontiff was also famous as a collector of magic-sealing artifacts. Could he have taken offense because she hadn’t given him a magic-sealing artifact instead of silver coins?

Just as Sienaquaria frantically tried to cover up the situation—

A low, dignified voice, as if echoing from the depths of the earth, struck Sienaquaria’s eardrums.

“…Are you mocking me?”
“Huh? N-no, I would never do such a thing…”

Sienaquaria forced a cheerful smile. A roar so thunderous it could rival lightning pierced her ears.

“You.. YOU UTTER FOOOOLLLL!!”

.

While Larlaik was savoring Calcedonia’s sweets and engaging in aimless small talk,

A roar like an earthquake reached the reception room where Calcedonia was sitting a short distance away.

“W-What on earth was that voice just now…!?”
“Most likely, someone has managed to anger the one person who absolutely must not be angered.”

Startled by the roar, Larlaik instinctively stood up and looked around nervously. In contrast, Calcedonia remained completely unfazed as she took a sip of fragrant tea from her cup.

“S-someone who absolutely must not be angered…? Hmm, mm…?”

Larlaik, who had stood up, swayed as if overcome by dizziness and collapsed onto the floor.

“W-what is this…?”
“It’s a mild numbing agent. It’s not very strong, so the effects will wear off soon—please don’t worry.”

Calcedonia said this with a composed expression, then turned to the priests standing behind her.

“Now then, Barse and Nitz. Please proceed as planned.”

“Understood, Lady Calcedonia.”
“Leave it to us.”

Two of the three priests standing behind Calcedonia—Barse and Nitz—took out the ropes they’d hidden on the cart and began tying up Larlaik, who was immobilized by the drug.

“W-what on earth are you doing, Calcedonia!? W-why would you give a drug to someone you love…?”
“Admittedly, as a servant of the gods, using drugs of this sort is not something to be praised… but employing the most effective means depending on the situation is a gift of human wisdom. Fortunately, you’re not the sort of person who would make my conscience ache even if I used a drug on you.”

Calcedonia smiled sweetly. However, a sinister aura flickering behind that smile sent a chill down Larlaik’s spine.

“Ah, yes, yes—the reason I used the drug, was it? It’s simply because I can’t have you running amok. I’ve heard that you have a habit of destroying the furnishings in your room out of frustration. This room is, after all, intended to welcome noble guests, and we’ve taken great care with the furnishings. I don’t want the furnishings, purchased with precious temple funds, to be destroyed by your whims or outbursts. Besides—”

With a soft sigh.

Chalcedonia’s ruby-red eyes narrowed, radiating a murderous intent.

“──There is only one person I love. I have never loved anyone but that person. Would you please refrain from speaking of my feelings without my permission?”

As Calcedonia coldly declared this and swiftly shifted her gaze, Nitz reacted by shoving a rag into Larlaik’s mouth.

Why, exactly, were his hands trembling slightly as he did so?

Upon noticing this, Calcedonia moved to stand beside the last priest, who had been waiting in the background.

It seemed the last priest had been standing behind Calcedonia the entire time, just in case Larlaik suddenly lashed out.

Calcedonia happily nuzzled up against the priest.

“The only one I love… is this person.”

—Unlike before, she did so with a dazzling smile that seemed to burst with light and bloom like a flower.

As if to flaunt it in front of Larlaik, Calcedonia pressed her delicate, cherry-blossom-pink lips against the cheek of the priest standing beside her—Tatsumi.