~Chapter 51~
Elcayan muttered without realizing it.
“When you dance later, I could even lend you the Grand Duke’s castle.”
“What?”
Delphina was so surprised that she burst out laughing.
“You’d lend me the Grand Duke’s castle?”
“…”
“Only Northern people can enter the castle, right?”
“That’s true.”
Delphina tilted her head at him. No Northern person would marry her now that she was engaged and then broke it off with Elcayan. Their loyalty was too strong.
“So, you’re basically telling me not to get married?”
Elcayan silently stared at her. Delphina found it strange.
At that moment, Elcayan missed a step in their perfect dance.
“Elcayan?”
“Ah…”
“Are you okay?”
Delphina’s eyes widened. He looked like he had just been shocked.
“Yes, I’m fine. I guess you’re right.”
Elcayan held her closer, his hand gripping her waist tighter. She could hear his shallow breathing by her ear.
‘This dance feels too intimate…’
For a noble dance, it was surprisingly passionate. Delphina could even hear his heartbeat as she leaned into his arms.
‘Why is his heart beating so fast? Does he have a heart problem? I’ve been feeding him healthy meals all this time…’
The system answered her doubt.
<Elcayan is very healthy.>
‘Then why is his heart beating so fast?’
<Personal feelings cannot be disclosed.>
Just then, the music ended. Their first dance was over.
“Ah, now it’s really starting,” Delphina said, shifting her gaze.
A tired-looking middle-aged man stepped forward.
“That’s the High Priest.”
And the man beside him—
‘Hardin Frey.’
He was the second son of the Frey family, the same man who bullied Delphina all through her Academy days.
The High Priest stepped forward.
“These are the children who were tested for holy power. We will now check how much holy power they possess,” he announced.
The timid Emperor responded, “I hope we can find the Saintess this time.”
The High Priest’s expression darkened. He looked at the children with a hopeless face, already half giving up.
‘He really looks like he’s lost all motivation.’
The system reacted, angry.
<The god Frad is angry seeing the High Priest’s hopelessness.>
‘He is pretty hopeless…’
The problem wasn’t that the Saintess hadn’t been found yet. It was that the High Priest’s self-esteem was so low.
<The god Frad says this is why the temple became corrupt.>
Delphina wanted to say something but stayed quiet. If the temple was going to become corrupt just because of one lazy High Priest, it would’ve fallen long ago.
The other priests also looked lazy and unmotivated.
<The god Frad is furious and says they should all be sent to the North for hard labor!>
‘Honestly, I agree. If they had to fight monsters in the North, they’d straighten up fast.’
Delphina glanced back at Sestia and Ahin, who were disguised as her maid and attendant.
Sestia whispered, “That’s the High Priest? He’s terrible. Just standing there looks exhausting for him. If he were my subordinate, I’d make him work properly!”
Ahin looked at her, horrified. “Sestia, that’s insubordination.”
“So what? I don’t work for the temple anymore,” she shrugged.
“These priests are all weak. Especially that man next to the High Priest—he looks so mean.”
“Sestia…”
“If I had power, I’d boss them around. That one senior priest keeps glaring at Lady Delphina. If I had power, I’d make him bow immediately!”
“Sestia…”
“Power really is everything.”
Ahin thought maybe it was a good thing his sister no longer worked in the temple.
Sestia scanned the priests with sharp eyes.
<The god Frad agrees with the Saintess’s words and is pleased!>
One by one, the High Priest examined the children, but each time the holy power shone only faintly and faded. The children had holy power, but it was weak.
Finally, it ended.
“Three of them have manifested as High Priests,” the High Priest reported to the Emperor.
Out of dozens of children, only three were chosen. It was still an achievement—some years, not even one was chosen.
But the High Priest still looked depressed.
Then, the quiet Second Prince Piaze stepped forward.
“Don’t tell me we still haven’t found the Saintess this time?”
“That’s right…”
“Usually a Saintess appears within ten years after the previous one loses her power. High Priest, this is clearly strange. It has been twenty years.”
His tone was too rude for addressing the High Priest, but no one in the banquet hall thought he was wrong.
This only worsened the High Priest’s already low confidence.
“I hope you find the Saintess as soon as possible,” Piaze pressed.
The High Priest left with a dark expression.
Delphina grabbed Sestia and Ahin’s hands.
Now was her chance, while the High Priest was alone with Hardin.
She turned back. Elcayan was about to follow her.
“Elcayan, please make sure no one follows us.”
“Delphina…”
“The noble faction will just get in the way. We’ll never convince the High Priest with them around.”
Elcayan reluctantly nodded.
The High Priest walked out of the banquet hall and headed to the temple’s garden, where a statue of the god Frad stood. Looking at the statue usually calmed him.
Now, his face felt hot with shame.
He muttered, “If anyone could find the Saintess, I’d give up my life for it.”
Behind him, Hardin had followed.
“Shh, High Priest. You shouldn’t say things like that carelessly.”
“Nothing matters anymore…”
“It’s been twenty years since the Saintess last appeared. This isn’t your fault.”
“Hardin…”
“If it’s so hard for you, why not step down for a while and reflect on the god’s will?”
“Reflect on the god’s will?”
“Yes. If you step away from your position, you may see things more clearly.”
“But if I suddenly step down, the temple will fall into chaos…”
“I’ve told you many times—I’m always ready to assist you,” Hardin said.
The High Priest’s eyes trembled. He was losing focus.
“True… someone like you would be the right person for the job…”
