Chapter 174

“……”

When he couldn’t answer readily, suspicion arose.

“Eldo, secretary, into my room.”

Lucan and Elysia also followed him in. The moment Eldo sat on the sofa, I asked.

“Prince Lawrence, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Why is that?”

“It seems… the information I’ve been bringing you hasn’t pleased you.”

It’s not easy for someone who only commits corruption to pick on a person who works honestly.

After Lawrence was punished by the Emperor, I was even more careful not to give him any leverage. If I judged someone to be one of Lawrence’s cronies or found suspicious evidence, I replaced them—assistant secretaries or servants alike.

“You’ve also said lately that I’ve forgotten my duties and become obsessed with playing secretary.”

“But to strike with a hand…!”

“What to do…… Eldo, secretary, are you okay?”

Lucan and Elysia saw the dark bruise around his eye and were indignant and worried.

“Even if he was displeased, he wouldn’t have harmed Eldo. As far as I know, the only person of Lawrence’s left around the Chancellery is Eldo. It looks like he took his anger out on him.”

But it would be troublesome to be suspected of having sided with him.

“If I let you leave early now, they’ll suspect that we’re close. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to work until the end today. You can dawdle a bit. I’ll tell a physician I know, so go see them after you finish work.”

“It’s fine. Honestly, it’s true there hasn’t really been any information to give. The Chancellery really… is all work. Everyone is busy working and leaving right on time.”

“That’s the happiest kind of work life; you’ll learn that as you get older.”

Eldo said he vaguely felt he understood.

When I said I had something to think about, he left the Chancellor’s office with the other secretaries.

“It seems like withdrawal symptoms.”

Like someone who couldn’t stop committing a crime and returns to it. Whatever he’s preparing, I was convinced he’ll seem crazier than before.

“One year is a long time to hold out. The Emperor is the same.”

Lawrence had been advertising ‘I’m getting ready to make a move!’ from the Raven assassination attempt to beating his subordinates. Because of that, Ren couldn’t hide his worry that something might happen to me.

“Starting today, we need to increase your escort.”

“There are already many now. You should have escorts too.”

“What kind of escorts would be for people weaker than me. Honestly, I’d like to stay by your side the whole time.”

“It’s what they want, for you to cower and hide. If anything happens to me, the Emperor will surely suspect Lawrence.”

“He’ll only suspect. He’s endlessly lenient toward his son.”

I patted his arm as if to soothe him.

“Anyway. The escorts already assigned are enough.”

He sighed almost like a declaration of surrender.

“Then I won’t increase the number, but I’ll replace them with my closest guards. This should be alright, right?”

Knowing he’d really compromised a lot, I obediently nodded. Ren was sincere about my safety. He even suggested training the Libertas family’s mercenaries. He was even in overall charge. While Lawrence was lying low, the pathetic work requests quieted down, and this became his quasi-side business after work.

‘It’s nice that I can legally visit your house, so I don’t have to be self-conscious.’

Even though we were already engaged and he could come comfortably, he was pleased. Olgard and Marcella supposedly gave him hints? I scoffed when I heard that. Ren is affectionate and dog-like toward me, not someone who worries about others’ opinions. Even if they did hint, he’d shrug it off—I bet half my six-month salary on that. Still, because he was my family, he treated me as well as he could.

“Let’s leave work together today.”

“Sorry, today I have to go to the temple for counseling. I’ll go straight to the Duke’s residence afterward.”

“That’s a shame. See you in a bit then.”

Counseling for the victims of the special rite had continued even a year later.

In the meantime, counseling sessions began for other victims who had gained courage starting with Elise. It was a considerable number to handle alone, but I sincerely approached them, cutting down on personal time and business days for Those Who Can’t Resign. Fortunately, there were people who broke free of despair, fear, and dread. Their wounds were deep because of their purity, but little by little they found the courage to start again. It was rewarding work.

‘Now there’s just one person left.’

The victims who bravely stepped out of the darkness had choices. Some chose to remain here and continue life as clergy, some to live as commoners outside the clergy, or to move elsewhere and live anew as clergy elsewhere.

My father-in-law, the Grand Duke, actively supported them. Because most wanted to leave Rusera regardless of the life they chose, the Grand Duke covered everything so they could settle in the Grand Duchy. Thanks to that, I heard from afar that the victims’ spirits were recovering day by day.

“Hello, Chancellor.”

She was both the first client I began with and the last.

“The weather is nice today. How have you been, Elise?”

She, with golden eyes and shining silver hair, had recovered so smoothly that she was almost a different person compared to the beginning. The vacant look and dark atmosphere had improved a lot. I expected she’d soon recover like the others and find her own life.

But she chose to continue counseling. I didn’t ask why. To someone with wounds, that could feel like rejection. It could be felt as pressure: why don’t you recover quickly like the others and build a life?

After a year of counseling, we’d grown quite close.

“Today I prayed to Lord Lemere as well. That he grant peace to the sick and suffering, and that he sent me you, Chancellor—I am thankful.”

“I’m glad I met you, Elise. Leaving counseling aside, I’ve come to know how kind and good you are.”

The average counseling session with Elise was an hour. But when we talked, it often ran well over two hours.

“Talking with you, Chancellor, is really fun. For this time at least, I forget all the bad things.”

“What’s so fun about it? We only talk about the same work things every day.”

“Just… it’s all fun……”

Elise blushed, lowering her head shyly. I hadn’t known at first, but she was quite a shy friend.

“Um… Chancellor, am I not a bother to you? The other friends all left… Everyone around says I’m the only one left now, that I just need to recover well.”

See. She couldn’t help thinking that way. A casual remark to someone whose self-esteem has hit rock bottom and is filled with negative thoughts can erode them further. Even after a year of counseling, she still found it hard to organize and speak about what she’d gone through. I could only imagine how great the shock was for her—leaving a happy family to live a life praying for others.

“If you were a bother, would I have come to see Elise for a year? I’m not that devout or that good a person. Honestly, I come to visit for fun too.”

When I covered my mouth and spoke in a whisper, Elise chuckled.

“But this place is filled only with bad memories… I thought if you started somewhere else, you might be happier. Not necessarily the Grand Duchy. You deserve to be happy.”

“Chancellor……”

“But if Elise doesn’t want it, don’t do it. I don’t want to force what you dislike. It’s okay if counseling continues for a long time. If you’re the only one who’s okay, I’ll wait until you’re ready.”

Up to this point, we’d had similar conversations several times during counseling.

“…Can I do it?”

Each time she had passed it without a special answer, but this was the first time she reacted.

“Of course. You’re talking well with me even now.”

My heart pounded harder and harder.

“…I’m afraid you’ll hear and be disappointed in me. After hearing, you’ll… distance yourself…”

Now I understood why Elise couldn’t tell me for a year. We’d grown too close. Though we’d been counselor and client, we’d become more than that, and she seemed more afraid to show me her dark side.

I needed to reassure her it wasn’t so. I held her hand tightly.

“It will be the bravest and coolest version of Elise I’ve ever seen. Without a doubt.”

She opened her mouth quietly, tears streaming down her face.

“When I first came to the temple, I was thirteen……(omitted)……”

I held her hand tightly and listened intently. Though she rambled at times and was in pain, she calmly told the whole story. By the time she finished, the sun was already setting. When I came to my senses, I too had been shedding tears.

“You did really well. It’s as if you’ve already won. You’re wonderful, Elise.”

With the darkness within shaken off, her face looked more relieved than ever. Perhaps because of her hair color, she even seemed to glow.

“…Thank you so much. Those were the words I most wanted to hear. Not just thank you for being brave, but that you listened to my story and still told me I’m wonderful.”

“Because you truly are a wonderful person.”

Then she smiled. It was a dazzling smile I’d never seen before.

But then her body suddenly rose, and a bright light began to pour from her entire being. It was an immensely powerful light visible even from outside.

Olgard and the priest Nora, who had been waiting outside, came in and gaped at her.

“Sh-she’s a Saint!”

“Good heavens, Lemere!”

“…Yes?”

I looked at Elise, surrounded by the holy light, with a face of disbelief. Having no faith in gods at all, I was bewildered.

‘No, why awaken in front of me…?’

It had clearly been a successful counseling session, but the client had awakened as a Saint.