Don’T Get Caught By Your Husband! [EN]: Chapter 102

#102. Revealing the Secret (2)

May 31, 2024

The sight of the Pope sent shivers down her spine, and her whole body began to tremble.

The violent encounter from just a few weeks ago dominated her mind.

Pope Pronan, watching Belladona grow increasingly fearful, asked in a low,沉声 [chén shēng – deep voice] voice,

“Hmm? Speak. Will you regain your divine power if you lose your voice again? Why don’t we test it out now?”

“……Keuk, heuk…….”

She let out a painful sound. She felt short of breath, and her vision gradually darkened.

This, this…….

Just before she lost consciousness, Pope Pronan released his grip.

Belladona, freed from him, couldn’t stand properly and collapsed, coughing.

She felt like the space around her was spinning.

“……Tsk.”

The Pope, looking down at her with indifferent eyes, turned away.

He approached an old cabinet attached to the wall and opened a drawer located about halfway up.

With a click, a sharp dagger appeared.

“Should I just cut your vocal cords altogether? So you can’t make a sound for the rest of your life.”

“…….”

“Even if you don’t regain your divine power, it might be better that way. It’s much better than you saying unnecessary things in front of the believers.”

Belladona, forcing strength into her trembling body, looked up at the Pope as he turned and approached her.

That, that bad guy…….

Pronan squatted down in front of Belladona, who was sitting on the floor, and met her gaze.

The tip of the sharp dagger he was holding was pointed at her.

“Hmm? What do you think, Saintess? I’ve been studying a bit lately, so I know exactly where to cut. I can let you live while only taking away your voice.”

“…….”

“What’s with that look? Did you think I would let you go if you revealed that you had lost your divine power?”

The Pope smiled. His smile was incredibly benevolent, but very cruel.

Belladona glared at him with tearful eyes.

Strangling and threatening his own daughter? An uncontrollable rage surged within her at the thought of him daring to do such a thing.

The Pope, watching her quietly, opened his mouth again.

“I am curious about one thing. Does your husband know about this?”

Belladona couldn’t answer and looked down at the dagger touching her neck.

The Pope holding the dagger didn’t move even slightly, but because Belladona’s body kept trembling, the sharp tip cut her skin.

She felt the blood oozing from the wound trickling down her neck.

“You clearly used your divine power perfectly fine during His Majesty the Emperor’s birthday celebration… What reason did you have to regain your voice?”

She couldn’t believe that she could sense genuine curiosity in his voice.

This crazy bastard…….

“Answer me, Belladona.”

His blade dug a little deeper into Belladona’s skin.

Belladona closed her eyes tightly and opened her trembling jaw to make a sound.

“I… don’t know either.”

“Did you try to restore your divine power?”

“I tried to do it the way I did before, but it didn’t work.”

Pope Pronan stared intently at her as she answered.

He seemed to be judging whether she was telling the truth.

“I see… Well, either way, I don’t desperately need your divine power anymore.”

Finally, he opened his mouth, continuing to scrutinize Belladona.

“It’s not like the old days when I was fighting for the position of Pope among the mediocre cardinals, and although the number of believers has decreased compared to before, it’s not at a problematic level.”

“…….”

“Of course, our Papal State needs new figures. Ever since you married that country bumpkin knight, our Saintess effect has been gradually fading. The Pope cannot function without believers.”

Pope Pronan’s voice softened as he continued to speak.

He withdrew the sword that had been threatening Belladona.

Only then did Belladona exhale the breath she had been holding back. Her trembling breath fell to the floor.

“I am looking for a new person with divine power. In other words, I am trying to discover a second Belladona.”

A second Belladona?

Tina’s image flashed through her mind. As far as she knew, Tina was a child with some healing power.

Fortunately, it seemed that the Pope hadn’t discovered that ability yet….

The thought that Tina could have really been caught in the Pope’s clutches made her feel dizzy.

She would have to hide that ability carefully in the future…!

“If I can’t find one, I’ll just have to create one myself.”

Create one……?

Belladona frowned at the Pope’s muttering that followed.

Was he really thinking he was a god after serving God for so long? How was he going to create someone with divine power?

But before her doubts deepened, Pope Pronan stood up and said,

“If people realize that you have regained your voice and lost your divine power, they will think you have been abandoned by God.”

“…….”

“So, keep hiding it until the end.”

At his threatening gaze, Belladona nodded instead of answering.

“I will soon open the doors of the Papal State and bring the lord of Griblata here. Now that you say your voice is working well, you will have to persuade him well.”

He approached a full-length mirror hanging on one side of the room and began to straighten his disheveled robes, looking into it.

His calm and natural behavior, as if nothing had happened, was so absurd that she almost laughed in disbelief.

“Belladona. There are three things you need to get properly. A definitive divorce document, a generous alimony, and a signed restraining order stating that he will never come looking for you again. Do you understand?”

“…….”

“Hmph, I don’t know if you realize that the Papal State has suffered a great loss by keeping the Imperial Knights tied up for a few more days thanks to you.”

He really said it in a blaming tone.

No, that’s because you’re too extravagant……!

She wanted to shout it out right away, but the dagger still in the Pope’s hand caught her attention.

Belladona clenched her fist, feeling powerless at her inability to say anything.

“Oh, and keep in mind that if you bring back an unsatisfactory amount of money, the door where that woman is trapped will not open.”

“…….”

“That arrogant guy, I know he received quite a bit of wealth along with his territory from His Majesty the Emperor. It’s too much to receive just for making a name for himself in the war and beheading a few important guys. And a country bumpkin like that probably doesn’t know how to use money properly anyway.”

He turned around after tidying up his clothes.

“Don’t just sit there foolishly, get up from your seat. Follow me.”

Belladona steadied her staggering legs and stood up.

Watching her, he handed her a dirty cloth.

“Use this to cover your eyes. Well, our Saintess is an expert at backstabbing, so now you have to go backstab your husband, right?”

“…….”

“I’ll give you one day. Make sure to end things with him completely in the meantime.”

Escalion…….

Belladona, silently looking down at the cloth he offered, turned her gaze away.

She couldn’t imagine what Scarlet would look like behind the tightly closed door.

Thinking of her, she couldn’t waste time like this.

Biting her lower lip, Belladona raised her hand and picked up the cloth the Pope offered.

She unfolded the dirty cloth and covered her eyes, tying the knot behind her head, and nodded.

“Let’s go, then.”

* * *

“Come in.”

“Huh? Why are you opening the door right away for once?”

Graham, standing at the entrance of the Papal State, asked with a bewildered face.

He had come all the way here expecting to have a tiresome battle of wits with the knights guarding the entrance, so it was strange that they immediately lowered their spears after confirming his face.

“The Pope has granted permission.”

“What trick is that cunning old man up to now…….”

Next to Graham, who was muttering, Escalion glared at them with an annoyed look.

Now that they had taken Belladona, did they finally feel like talking?

“He is waiting inside.”

One of the knights guarding the entrance spoke.

Escalion glared down at them with a threatening look before walking into the Papal State, following the path they had cleared.

Following him, Graham also moved.

But in front of him, the knights once again moved their long spears to block him.

“Huh? What is it.”

Graham, suddenly blocked, spat out. Escalion turned his head and said in a low voice,

“What are you doing?”

“The only one the Pope has permitted is Sir Escalion Diete. Others are not allowed to enter.”

“Are you kidding me? We’re together!”

Graham raised one arm and pushed the knight away roughly.

At the small commotion, the Imperial Knights who had gathered nearby popped out.

“You cannot enter!”

“Are you trying to use numbers? Do you think I’ll be flustered by that?”

Graham, lowering his upper body, placed his hand on the sword he was wearing.

The knights behind him stopped him as he was about to draw his sword towards the Imperial Knights.

“Vice-Captain, calm down!”

“Lady Belladona and Miss Scarlet are still being held inside. You must refrain from making a big fuss!”

“Aish, damn it!! There’s nothing you can do properly in this Astanya!!”

Graham, thinking of Belladona and Scarlet, cursed and stomped his foot in place.

He sighed and threw words towards Escalion across the way.

“What should we do, Captain? How about sending them the paper deciphered by the wizard? Then they’ll immediately be on our side.”

Escalion turned his eyes to look at the Imperial Knights.

Even if he showed them the evidence he had, the knights were still people who couldn’t move without the orders of the Emperor or the Pope.

Besides, since Belladona and Scarlet were still being held captive, there was no need to unnecessarily provoke the knights.

“Wait outside. I’m curious what his intention is for calling only me.”

“It’s obvious! If a group of us goes, it’s clear that it will be a threat to him, so he’s thinking of having a one-on-one meeting with you inside the safe Papal State, where he’s surrounded by his own people. He doesn’t even know that you alone are much better than several ordinary knights. What a stupid guy.”

“I’m going for now.”

Leaving Graham muttering behind, Escalion turned around.

Whether he was alone or not, that wasn’t important.

The important thing was to deal with the Pope and get Belladona and Scarlet out of this damn place, that was all.