My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 299

299. The Beginning of Fate (1)

Conrad asked me to stop Aria.

“What… what do you mean?”

Si-an couldn’t understand Conrad’s words at all.

No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn’t understand.

Of course, Kyle’s previous memories had a confusing influence.

No, beyond that, what is this…

“The Saintess is causing a ruckus right now.”

“……Yes?”

Beyond confusion, his mind began to drift away.

“Ruckus…?”

What kind of nonsense is this?

No, if the Crown Prince is saying it’s a ruckus, what kind of situation is it?

Si-an still couldn’t understand the situation.

“In detail. Could you tell me a little more in detail?”

Si-an immediately asked Conrad, and

“That is…”

Conrad opened his mouth slowly with a very troubled look.

#

The Grand Hall located in the Imperial Palace.

A space for discussing major issues of the Empire.

The Grand Hall was a place that could be called a kind of State Council Chamber.

There were many people in such a Grand Hall.

The Emperor, Balua, was at the head of the table.

Below the Emperor, the ministers of the Imperial Palace were lined up.

The lined-up ministers were not in ordinary positions.

Economy, administration, diplomacy, law, industry, land, etc.

The top managers of the Imperial Palace in charge of each field.

They could be said to be the key figures in governing the nation of the Charlotte Empire.

Therefore, those gathered here could virtually be called the Charlotte Empire.

Perhaps, except for one person in a corner of the conference room.

If it weren’t for that person, they could have said that.

“What brings you here from the Holy Empire?”

At the Emperor Balua’s question, the ministers’ gazes all turned to one place.

The place where everyone’s eyes reached.

There, an old man in neat robes stepped forward.

“It is an honor to meet the most noble person of the Charlotte Empire. I am Rahir, a faithful priest who serves God.”

When Si-an visited the Holy Empire.

Archbishop Rahir, who had met Si-an due to a problem with Aria.

Rahir bowed his head to Balua.

And at the sight of Rahir, the ministers looked surprised one by one.

The reason was simple.

The clergy of the Order do not bow their heads to others.

The reason was simple.

All things are equal before God.

An act of bowing between equals was an impossible act.

Even the Emperor of the Charlotte Empire was no exception.

The only being they bowed their heads to was the holy God.

But bowing to Balua?

The ministers opened their eyes in surprise at Rahir’s appearance.

Only Balua nodded his head lightly, as if he had something to guess.

“I heard that there is a denomination in the Holy Empire that is relatively free from etiquette. That was true.”

“Isn’t a faithful heart that serves God important?”

“I heard… you have been promoted from Archbishop to Cardinal. Come to think of it, do clergymen also use the expression ‘promotion’?”

“We call it ‘baptized,’ but… again, only a faithful heart is important. We don’t give it much meaning.”

Rahir lightly bowed his head as if to say not to worry about this either.

His actions and words were not like a priest serving God at all.

Because of that, Balua didn’t feel like he was dealing with a priest of the Holy Empire.

It was like dealing with a sly nobleman of the Charlotte Empire.

It was like dealing with a hundred-year-old serpent.

“What brings you, Cardinal, all the way here to the Charlotte Empire?”

“It is none other than… I have come here, braving discourtesy, regarding the matter announced by the Charlotte Empire this time.”

“If it’s a matter announced by the Empire… are you talking about the matter related to the devil?”

“That is correct.”

Rahir nodded his head slightly.

“What’s wrong with that?”

“I am cautious to say this, but I wonder if it was a hasty judgment… The Holy Empire would like to formally request an objection to it.”

Rahir’s answer followed.

With that, silence fell.

The reason was that what Rahir’s words meant now was this.

The Emperor’s words that Elandur was in league with the devil.

Furthermore, that testimony that the devil had been resurrected on the continent.

We do not recognize your words, Emperor.

Rahir was saying nothing different from that now.

In an instant, Balua’s eyebrows furrowed.

The dignity of the monarch was embedded in his gaze, and the air became heavy.

“Is that the position of the Holy Empire?”

Balua’s voice was coldly expressed.

A cold chill flowed, and the atmosphere of the Grand Hall was heightened.

“You know what it means…”

Balua’s words continued again.

“Can you take responsibility?”

The dignity exuded by the number one person in the Charlotte Empire.

Rahir trembled slightly.

The atmosphere froze for a moment.

“There seems to have been a slight misunderstanding in my words.”

Rahir quickly corrected his words.

“I am not trying to object to what Your Majesty said and the position of the Charlotte Empire. How can the Holy Empire interfere in the affairs of another country?”

“Then?”

“I only want to object to what is not Your Majesty’s words.”

At Rahir’s answer, Balua tilted his head for a moment.

“Isn’t there an opinion of the Holy Empire mixed in?”

And at Rahir’s answer that followed, he was able to fully understand the words then.

Balua’s gaze turned slightly to the side.

A platinum-haired woman visible at the end of Balua’s gaze.

A woman like the embodiment of beauty and aesthetics.

The Saintess, Aria.

When Balua gestured slightly, Aria stepped forward.

“It’s been a while, Archbishop Rahir. Ah, now you’re called Cardinal Rahir.”

Aria gave a small smile as if she had made a mistake.

“I’m not used to it yet… I’m sorry.”

“Titles are just a formality. Don’t worry about it; please don’t mind it.”

“Since you became a Cardinal… your atmosphere and tone of voice seem to have changed a lot.”

“I have come to serve God a little closer, so shouldn’t I correct my behavior accordingly? The same goes for the Saintess; you seem to have changed a lot while you were away.”

“Let’s just say it’s the same reason.”

Aria smiled lightly.

And as she looked at Rahir, Aria couldn’t help but be dumbfounded.

Serving God a little closer, my ass.

Has that old man ever sincerely served God even once?

Rahir, whom Aria had seen, was closer to a politician than a priest.

It was clear that becoming a Cardinal this time was also part of that.

Two denominations within the Holy Empire, Dawn and Twilight.

Aria is the Dawn denomination.

The Rahir in front of her is the Twilight denomination.

Originally, the leader of the Twilight denomination was Rachel.

However, after Rachel disappeared as if she had been kicked out.

The position of leader of the Twilight denomination became vacant, and the position of Twilight plummeted due to related incidents.

So, she thought that the Twilight denomination guys wouldn’t be able to run wild for a while.

Was it because Aria had been away for too long?

Or was Rahir’s political power better than she thought?

In many ways, that old serpent had become more cunning.

Aria smiled with her eyes, but gritted her teeth inside and opened her mouth.

“I heard you had something to talk to me about.”

“I heard that you gave your opinion regarding the devil this time.”

“Yes. I declared that Elandur was in league with the devil. Furthermore, I testified regarding the words of His Majesty the Emperor here regarding the resurrection of the devil.”

“Withdraw your intention.”

Rahir expressed his intention firmly.

“I don’t want to.”

And Aria also expressed her intention firmly.

“The Saintess’s opinion is nothing more than a personal opinion. Do you think you can package this as the opinion of the entire Holy Empire and speak?”

“I didn’t say it was the opinion of the Holy Empire.”

“Considering the Saintess’s position, the people will think of it as the will of the Order.”

“Didn’t you just say it was a mere personal opinion?”

“I mean that it is a personal opinion within the Order, but the people who accept it do not think so. His Holiness the Pope has expressed great concern about this.”

“His Holiness…”

Aria, who was about to refute, shut her mouth tightly.

The Pope, who can be said to be the number one person in the Holy Empire.

The person in the same position as the Emperor of the Charlotte Empire, Balua, was the Pope.

However, the Pope was not like the Emperor of the Charlotte Empire.

He was not a dignified and decisive person like the Emperor.

To put it simply, he was easily swayed.

The Pope does not take sides with either the Dawn or Twilight denominations.

He doesn’t particularly object to the opinions coming out of the meeting.

So, if he stays still, he will pass anything.

So, Aria and other priests had to step forward and express their opinions instead.

The same goes for the opposite Twilight denomination.

In that way, only high-ranking priests such as Cardinals and Archbishops.

Only high-ranking priests were arguing.

The Pope just listens quietly.

So, the Pope only says ‘Let’s do that’ to the final opinion that has been coordinated.

In the end, it can be said that everyone’s opinions have been reflected.

So far, there have been no major problems in the conflict between the two denominations.

However, this is what it means to say it nicely.

To put it bluntly, he was an indecisive pushover.

So, Aria didn’t like the Pope very much.

Furthermore, she sometimes wanted to hit him.

That was the situation of the Order, but this time Aria was away.

Of course, there were other Cardinals on the Dawn side.

However, the Dawn denomination without Aria’s voice had no choice but to be weak.

It was obvious how the situation would have unfolded.

It was obvious that she would have been played by Rahir’s tongue.

The Order had already proceeded according to Rahir’s intentions.

So, there was nothing Aria could do now.

Well, the Emperor of the Charlotte Empire.

So, she could borrow Balua’s power.

But that was not easy either.

The reason was that this was, after all, a matter of the Holy Empire.

Just as Rahir did not touch Balua’s opinion.

It was not easy for Balua to touch the opinion of the Holy Empire either.

So, there was nothing Aria could do.

The only thing she could do was just one thing.

“It’s God’s will.”

It was just such an absurd insistence.

“God’s will?”

“I had a dream the other day. God told me to use my power because the devil had been resurrected on the continent again.”

“Are you saying you received a revelation?”

“Yes.”

Aria nodded boldly.

She knew it was absurd, but she didn’t care.

Of course, Rahir also knew it was nonsense.

But Rahir didn’t show it at all.

“If so, I hope you will formally cooperate with the Order and follow the procedures. Even if you are the Saintess, you cannot handle this independently.”

“I told you it was God’s will.”

“That’s why I’m telling you. Above all, is there any evidence that the words you heard in your dream are God’s revelation?”

“Is there any evidence that it’s not?”

“Can I take those words as a witch hunt of a foreign aristocrat without any other evidence?”

“Such sophistry…”

“Stop.”

In an instant, Balua’s voice was lowered.

“Where do you think you are to raise your voice?”

And Balua’s rebuke followed.

At that, Rahir and Aria shut their mouths tightly.

This was, after all, the Charlotte Empire.

Moreover, it was the space of the State Council with the Emperor in front of them.

It was like they were arguing in front of the Emperor from another country.

This was truly a great rudeness.

“…I have committed a discourtesy. Please forgive me.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

At this, Rahir and Aria asked Balua for forgiveness.

Balua paused for a moment before opening his mouth.

“I would not have forgiven you normally, but this is also my fault for not asking the opinion of the Holy Empire. I will overlook it this time only.”

Balua nodded his head lightly once and continued.

“Also, I have been watching to end the story right away since the story came out. But I don’t think it will end if we continue like this, so I will summarize it simply.”

Then Balua first looked at Rahir.

“Tell me what the Cardinal is asking for.”

At Balua’s words, Rahir bowed his head slightly.

And a moment of silence followed as if choosing his words for a moment.

“The problem related to the devil is not a problem to be approached lightly. Of course, it is not a matter to be decided by the opinion of a single priest. Therefore, considering the fame of the Saintess and other diplomatic issues.”

Rahir looked at Aria and slowly opened his mouth.

“The Order will consider dismissing you from the position of Saintess if you do not withdraw the statement or do not reveal a reasonable reason for the work you have done independently.”

And Rahir’s one word followed.

“Aria Linu Sapier, we are considering dismissing you from the position of Saintess.”

At the same time, a great shock fell.