149

I was so furious that my head went ice-cold as if doused with cold water.

I’d been completely outmaneuvered.

“Priest Nora.”

Priest Nora, who had been watching me, answered promptly.

“Sorry, but I have a few requests. Is that all right?”

He nodded repeatedly as if bracing himself.

“Yes. Just tell me, Lord—no, Chancellor!”

I told him the entire history, starting from when I first requested treatment for Rio.

“What I want to know is, first: why do priests discriminate in treatment based on money? Second: if the illness isn’t improving, why won’t they assign a higher-ranking priest? Third: who are the supervisors managing them. If possible, find the one who ordered what I went through.”

“…I think I understand why you told me to run away well.”

Priest Nora had seen Rio’s condition personally, so he stood up without delay.

He said that because Nora, a mid-level priest, had directly infused divine power, the condition wouldn’t worsen immediately. But if divine power wasn’t maintained, the illness would progress again, so he would visit periodically.

And henceforth treatment by lower priests was suspended.

‘So that’s how it is.’

If I hadn’t formed a connection with Nora in the plague region, the situation would have been much worse. The support team I had grudgingly accompanied on the Crown Prince’s scheme was unexpectedly proving helpful.

A few days later, what Priest Nora told me was astonishing.

“Currently a directive has been issued to the priests. I was newly assigned to the capital, so I didn’t know, but when a treatment request came in they informed me.”

I had a bad feeling.

“What kind of order?”

“High nobles who request divine-power treatments are permitted only for themselves or direct family. Also, until further notice, mid-level priests and above are forbidden from engaging in treatment activities.”

It’s an absurd order. It’s discrimination to treat only above a certain rank, and on top of that they even selectively narrow it down.

“Why was that order issued?”

He shook his head.

“I couldn’t find that out. Currently the temple only sends mid-level priests and above for approved cases. Some priests protested, but it was useless. They were disciplined instead.”

It’s rotten to the core.

“But in my case, mid-level priests and above aren’t necessary. I said a lower priest would be sufficient…”

It felt like they cut me off without even reporting it up the chain.

There’s definitely something going on…

“Who gave the order?”

“We believe it’s either His Holiness the Pope or the Grand Minister. Only those two ranks can issue orders to the entire priesthood like this.”

“When was the order issued?”

“About… three months ago.”

“…!”

Three months—that was when I had requested the temple to treat Rio’s illness. A sharp pain throbbed in my head.

‘I never thought of it.’

Even though I had met the deity himself, I didn’t believe in gods, so that whole domain didn’t exist in my mind. I dismissed the temple as merely money-grubbing. And yet all the clues were there.

“Finally, you asked why the temple discriminates based on money. As someone belonging to the temple, it’s shameful, but it’s been like this for quite some time. The Rusera temple seems even worse. With so many nobles gathered there, donations are abundant and seem to be used as political funds.”

I wasn’t surprised at all. In my previous life, I often saw news about politics and religion being closely tied. The world being different didn’t matter—the suspicion was what I wanted to check.

“I’ll give you more time—find out who issued the order. And look into who might be behind them, any suspicious points, even the smallest detail. Of course, only as far as it won’t put you in danger.”

“I’ll try. If you need anything, tell me.”

What I asked Nora was by no means easy. The information is known only to insiders of the temple, and how many would pour their hearts out to a newcomer just arrived in the capital? Especially with Nora’s prickly personality, it would be hard for anyone to approach him first. He gave a crooked smile, perhaps because worry showed on his face.

“I’ll do my best, so don’t worry.”

After sending Priest Nora, my spirits sank to the bottom. My chest felt as if a weight had been attached.

What I had asked him for was a verification process to learn the truth. My mind instinctively pointed to who the backer was, who had issued the order.

“That Lawrence bastard…”

This was the hidden meaning behind his warning not to act rashly.

He even touched my family.

I had been too naive. He was threatening me now, holding Rio’s life in his hands.

“Ha…”

I had to come up with a plan. But there was nothing I could do by rushing to the temple now. The title of Chancellor was utterly useless under the status of the royal family.

‘There was only one answer.’

I couldn’t lose my family again over needless pride.

“Welcome, Chancellor.”

Even though I sent word that day, the Crown Prince’s palace seemed to have been waiting open for me. The Crown Prince was even waiting for me in the reception room.

“I greet the little sun of the Empire.”

“You must be tired from the long journey—sit. I even prepared refreshments myself because the Chancellor was coming.”

I made a courtesy and sat opposite him. But Lorence looked very pleased.

“Eat.”

“Commercial-wise, it’s fine.”

“I prepared it myself. Are you going to ignore my sincerity?”

“…”

When I hesitated to touch the tea, he sneered as if amused to death.

“Heh heh, there’s no poison, so drink.”

“…Yes.”

In this reversed situation, I slowly brought the cup to my lips. I tasted a bitter, cloying flavor. Fortunately there was no pain, so it seemed he had truly not poisoned it.

After all, if I died here he wouldn’t be able to enjoy this amusing spectacle. Lorence tilted one corner of his mouth as he watched me drink.

“What brings the youngest Chancellor of the Seraphina Empire to my palace? Your face is a mess.”

‘I know.’

His demeanor was noticeably different from usual. Lorence knew why I had come and was acting this way. I swallowed the urge to punch him for pretending not to know.

“I have a request for Your Highness.”

“Oh? What could a fearless Chancellor possibly need my help for? I’m really curious.”

Given what he’d done to me before, I wouldn’t have come even if my throat were under a knife. But this wasn’t about my life—it was my family’s life at stake. Pride was not a factor. I closed my eyes once and opened them again.

I discarded emotion.

“My younger sibling is very ill.”

“Oh my.”

The Crown Prince’s eyebrows were artificially pulled down too far. The sight was both irritating and grotesque.

“Only high-ranking priests can treat him, but approval hasn’t been granted. I request Your Highness’s help.”

The Crown Prince’s foot, crossed at his knee, tapped a rhythm.

“What power do I have to order the temple around? You should be seeing the Grand Minister or the Pope—seems you came to the wrong person.”

I clenched and unclenched my fist. The nail marks were clearly imprinted on my palm.

“I’ve heard that recently high-ranking priests were ordered not to respond to treatment requests until separate approval is granted. It was even changed so that only direct family of the requester can be treated. My sibling’s case hasn’t received approval.”

“And?”

He wore an expression that said he knew everything, but I couldn’t bluntly call him out—there was no proof he gave the order. Besides, such provocation wouldn’t help Rio’s treatment.

To Lorence, a person’s life was no different from a bug.

“The lower priest treating my sibling is showing no improvement, so I ask for Your Highness’s help.”

I squeezed my eyes shut and bowed.

“No, I don’t have that power. I don’t know what you heard or why you came to me, but it’s unlikely I can help.”

“……If you help, Your Highness, there will be no conspicuous actions as you say.”

It was fouler than I thought. Saying words I didn’t want to say was hard to get past my throat. My fist under the table was clenched so hard it felt numb.

“Puhahahaha!”

He exploded into mad laughter as if he couldn’t contain himself in front of my bowed head. I swallowed the humiliation—this level of insult wasn’t unexpected. The Crown Prince laughed for a long while.

“Are you and your lover both clever?”

“Yes?”

What on earth was that? The Crown Prince blurted something out of the blue.

“Didn’t you know? The Duke came to see me too.”

“…!”

Ren? How?

I had essentially come to the Crown Prince’s palace as soon as I heard from Priest Nora. I hadn’t informed him separately. With Rio’s life at stake, my mind had gone blank and I couldn’t deal with it.

On the other hand, Lorence looked even more amused upon seeing my face.

“Thanks to you I saw a very amusing sight. It’s been a long time since I’ve laughed like that.”

Lorence, clutching his stomach, giggled as if he couldn’t be happier.

“It’s because of you, Chancellor. I even saw that Vespera fellow kneel.”

What?

My tightly clenched fist fell limply.