Four figures, cloaked from head to toe in black robes, were swept along by the massive crowd.
The four individuals were the John-Hon-Dan trio of the Kinzell family and the youngest daughter, Ivyn.
Ivyn had persuaded the triplets, saying, Know your enemy as you know yourself, and you’ll never be defeated, and she dragged them all the way to the enemy’s front yard.
No matter how much they tried to hurry, the square in front of the Third District chapel was already bustling with worshipers gathered since dawn.
“Greetings, devotee. How many offering tickets would you like to purchase?”
“One, please.”
“Here is your ticket. Please place your offering in this box. May the blessings of Flulla always be with you!”
“May the blessings of Flulla always be with us.”
“Next, please step forward. Greetings, devotee. How many offering tickets would you like?”
“Our children are eagerly waiting at home. We’ll take three this time, please.”
They waited in line for what felt like forever.
It wasn’t until the sun began to set that it was the triplets’ turn.
The first to step forward was John Kinzell.
“Greetings, devotee. How many offering tickets would you like to purchase?”
“Ah, how many tickets are being sold in total today?”
“…Pardon?”
“I’m just curious how many tickets are being released today.”
John leaned forward, speaking in a low voice as if proposing some secret deal, and the priest responded with a slightly flustered expression.
“Ah… considering the number of visitors, we usually prepare generously, about 3000 tickets.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, devotee.”
“Then… I’ll take 300 tickets.”
“…Excuse me?”
The priest, who was smiling kindly, blinked in disbelief.
Was it the fatigue from standing since early morning? Did I mishear the quantity? He wondered.
“300 tickets.”
John withdrew his hand, hidden beneath his robe sleeve, and held up three long fingers.
“Ha… but… devotee… You see… the offering tickets… each one costs one silver.”
Thk- At that moment, a deep blue sack thudded heavily onto the table.
“The money is more than enough.”
The priest, still looking puzzled at John, untied the string at the top of the sack, and silver coins glittered as they poured out.
The priest’s eyes went wide in astonishment, and John quickly added,
“As far as I know, there’s no strict limit on the number of tickets one person can purchase?”
“Y-yes, that’s correct.”
Hearing the priest’s reply, John tossed the bag into the offering box without a second thought.
Thud! The sack thudded onto the bottom.
“Then, may the blessings of Flulla be with you.”
John casually turned away after snatching the tickets from the priest’s hand.
“…”
The priest stood frozen for a moment, staring after his retreating figure.
The next devotee calmly stepped forward.
Before the priest could even ask a question, the person thrust two long fingers straight toward his face.
“Two hundred tickets.”
“?!”
“I’d like to purchase two hundred tickets.”
╭══ ≪ •❈• ≫ ══╮
“Alright, who’s the most handsome and reliable brother in the Kinzell family?”
“Brother Dan!”
The lucky devotee chosen for a private tea time with the saintess was none other than Dan Kinzell.
He strutted around the room, chest puffed out, carrying himself with the proud, arrogant air of a peacock.
It was a blatant display meant to show off to his other twin brothers.
“This crazy bastard.”
“Did he just spend all his luck for life in one go?”
And with Ivyn playing along with Dan’s antics, the expressions on the remaining twins’ faces rapidly soured.
“By the way, what exactly are you planning to do with these tickets, Vyn?”
Dan asked, full of pride after monopolizing the youngest’s affection.
“To have tea with the saintess, of course.”
“And then?”
This time, John asked.
“Well… probably just chat?”
“Chat? What could you possibly have to talk about with the Holy Nation’s saintess?”
“Hmm… about boys.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Silence.
The triplets stared at her as if the world had just collapsed.
“Hm?”
Ivyn looked back at them with an innocent expression, puzzled by their stunned silence.
The truth was, she had indeed gone to such lengths to talk to the saintess about boys.
More precisely, it was part of a plan to figure out the saintess’s ideal type through a subtle psychological strategy.
“Ah… so it’s true what they say about your child growing up…”
Dan muttered, wiping the corner of his eye with his sleeve, looking like a tragic heroine caught in her own misfortune.
“Vyn, haven’t we told you before? Outside the Kinzell estate, every man is a heartless scumbag… no, they’re thieves! They may look fine on the outside, but inside, they’re all rotten!”
“They’re beasts in human skins, beasts! Our precious little squirrel… in the hands of those guys… never! Not even if my eyes were to be filled with dirt, it can’t happen!”
John and Hon, clearly frustrated, pounded their chests with both hands.
Just from watching their commotion, it looked as if Ivyn had made some shocking declaration that she intended to marry a worthless, smooth-talking punk.
“No matter what, it’s not happening!”
“Huh? What?”
“How did we raise you, that you could even think of this?!”
“No! What did I even do?”
“Who the hell is this guy?! Who is he?! What does he do?! Bring him here immediately! Let’s see that arrogant face up close!”
The triplets’ terrifying barrage of questions almost brought tears of frustration to Ivyn’s eyes.
Bring him! Answer!
“Let’s see if he still talks like that after getting beaten senseless!”
“Ha! He won’t be walking away from this unscathed.”
“For daring to set his sights on Kinzell’s precious jewel, his eyes shall pay the price!”
“…”
Watching the triplets shadowboxing at the invisible dragon in front of them, Ivyn gave up on further explanation.
Whatever happened next, she vowed not to utter the word “man” in front of these three ever again.
Later, once they calm down, I’ll explain everything properly.
TL Note:
Hello~ Elle here. I took my sweet time doing updates, I know.
Piaf, my baby princess kitten and soulmate, urgently needs surgery. The cost is far beyond what I can handle alone, so I’ve prepared some special challenges to turn every bit of support into hope for her.
💬 Challenge #1: Every 5 unique comments = 1 extra chapter
💖 Challenge #2: Every 10 NU votes = 2 extra chapters
☕ Challenge #3: Every $15 on my Ko-fi goal = 3 extra chapters
Every comment, vote, and donation brings us one step closer to her surgery.
Thank you, truly, for supporting us.
