Chapter 110
A murmur spread through the hall.
The people who had been quietly awaiting Remil’s divine power watched the situation with puzzled eyes.
On the day they had received the assignment.
Rumors had already spread quickly from that day onward.
Most of the participants were aware that there were two strong contenders for victory in the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly, and that Remil was the one backed by the cardinal and the holy priests.
Including the fact that Cardinal Milliod and Remil were on close terms.
“……”
Those who had been whispering while watching Remil fail to produce divine power soon began stealing glances at Milliod.
Cardinal Milliod’s face had already turned ashen.
He seemed to want to deny the sudden turn of events.
A small giggling sound could be heard.
Kierne rubbed her face against Chesha’s hair, stifling her laughter.
She whispered to Chesha with suppressed amusement.
“This is fun, isn’t it?”
Chesha nodded absently while continuing to observe Remil.
‘How did she do it?’
Kierne wouldn’t have used black magic within the Holy Empire.
Even the smallest speck of dirt would stand out vividly on pristine white paper.
In the Holy Empire, filled to the brim with divine power on all sides, traces of black magic would inevitably reveal themselves too starkly.
Until the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly ended, Kierne had no choice but to behave tamely.
‘That means she received help from someone.’
Chesha looked at the holy knights positioned beside the Holy King.
Hailon stood among them.
Hailon was dressed in the same uniform as the first-order knights.
Though he wore the same uniform as the others, he stood out conspicuously, as if protruding alone.
It wasn’t solely due to his overwhelmingly beautiful appearance.
Amid the confused crowd, his indifferent expression made him even more noticeable.
Perhaps sensing her gaze, his ice-like blue eyes turned toward Chesha.
The moment their eyes met.
“……”
Hailon’s lips curved up slightly.
The brief smile’s meaning was clear.
‘So it was Hailon.’
It was absurd.
She had thought it odd that things had passed quietly, but she hadn’t expected the two men to conspire behind the scenes.
“I-I’m sorry, I, uh, that is….”
Remil desperately tried to summon his divine power somehow.
But in the end, he couldn’t produce any power at all.
Amid the gazes fixed on him, Remil stammered brokenly before turning to Cardinal Milliod with trembling desperation.
In this situation, he was seeking help from the only person who could provide it, his plea urgent.
But the moment their eyes met.
Cardinal Milliod immediately turned his head away.
At the cold dismissal, Remil’s gaze shattered into pieces.
Yet he bit his lip silently and endured.
It was a familiar resignation.
Though she had nearly died because of Remil….
Seeing him like this now, she couldn’t help but feel pity.
‘And the fairy power I sensed from him before, too.’
This child named Remil kept nagging at her mind.
Remil knelt before the Holy King.
“…Due to my poor health, I have shown an inadequate display.”
His hunched back looked unusually small and emaciated.
The Holy King waved his hand to dispel the chaotic atmosphere.
“I am already aware that Prince Remil possesses exceptional divine power.”
Holy King Sianor gently comforted Remil.
“The gods will gladly accept the precious power you hold, Prince.”
“Th-Thank you.”
Remil hastily bowed his head in gratitude.
Then, roughly pulled up by his guardian, he was dragged away as he retreated.
Unlike his entrance, which had been met with inflated attention and expectations, his exit was truly pitiful.
Staggering as he followed his guardian, Remil glanced around left and right.
He scanned diligently, as if searching for someone, and upon spotting Chesha, he drew in a small breath.
His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he was pulled away again by his guardian.
The Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly proceeded smoothly.
The children each vowed to offer diverse things to the gods.
The offerings that the attending families had racked their brains over for days were truly valuable items.
The Holy King smiled contentedly, praising the children and bestowing consecrations upon them.
As the last in line, Chesha yawned while watching the spectacle of ninety-eight children presenting their bribes.
There were entertaining moments interspersed.
It was the turn of a boy who was royalty from a small kingdom.
The small boy stepped forward boldly.
“I can offer everything I have to the gods.”
The boy wore a smug expression.
As if to say, ‘This is the right answer, isn’t it?’
Holy King Sianor smiled faintly.
“How admirable.”
That was all.
It was a noticeably shorter response compared to the other children.
The guardian, realizing the failure, turned pale and quickly bowed obsequiously while leading the child away.
‘How naive.’
He had taken the Holy Empire’s words about selecting the most devout child too literally.
The assignment given by the Holy Empire required a decidedly worldly approach.
Frankly speaking, this assignment was essentially saying, ‘Hand over something expensive.’
The key was to wrap it in a veneer of devotion and sanctity, just enough not to offend the higher-ups, without being too blatant.
Since he hadn’t caught on to that, the boy had likely already been marked with a red line of elimination.
The Holy King was particularly pleased during Aran’s turn.
“I wish to offer my crown. To return the glory I received as princess of Skaya to the gods.”
Aran spoke clearly and gestured to her guardian.
The guardian removed the cloth covering the pedestal.
A dazzling radiance flashed.
The crown, crafted by artisans personally summoned by the king of Skaya for his beloved youngest princess.
Adorned with a massive sapphire, eight pearls, and dozens of small diamonds, it was something only the famously wealthy kingdom of Skaya could dare to create.
“How lovely is Princess Aran’s heart toward the gods!”
Holy King Sianor burst into hearty laughter, thoroughly delighted.
One wondered if it was acceptable to show such overt greed for wealth.
The Holy King engaged in an especially long conversation with Aran.
She retreated amid a bright and cheerful atmosphere.
After a few more children passed.
Finally, it was Chesha’s turn.
Kierne walked forward while holding Chesha, standing before the Holy King.
It was somewhat rude behavior.
The proper thing would have been to set Chesha down on the floor to observe etiquette.
But Kierne was unabashed, and Chesha accepted it as a matter of course.
Chesha was in a very generous mood.
‘Not using black magic is already a big deal.’
Just the fact that she wasn’t charging at the Holy King to cast mind control on him felt extraordinarily polite and respectful.
Since Holy King Sianor was seated on a chair atop a platform three steps high, he naturally looked down at Kierne.
Kierne smiled toward the Holy King.
Chesha, following Kierne, stared blankly at the Holy King as well.
For some reason, the meeting of their gazes lingered subtly.
A cardinal beside the Holy King furrowed his brows.
Just before a holy priest stepped forward to point out the rudeness.
Kierne spoke first.
“The unique and precious thing that Chesha Basilian of the Basilian family in the Palen Empire will offer to the gods is.”
Kierne’s voice resonated powerfully throughout the hall.
The children and guardians, who had been somewhat distracted and restless, focused in an instant.
Her voice, as if infused with magic, was like a serpent, smoothly ensnaring the people.
Having captured everyone’s attention, Kierne smiled radiantly and said.
“The unchanging loyalty of the Basilian family.”
She added words that somehow sounded chilling.
“As it has been until now, so it shall be henceforth.”
It was an exceedingly ordinary statement—no, one could even call it subpar.
In truth, it was worse than the boy’s declaration of offering everything he had.
The other participants visibly showed confusion at Kierne’s words.
Yet, for some reason.
The Holy King’s face hardened terribly.
Kierne took one more step forward.
Though unarmed and merely holding a young child in her arms.
That single step made the holy knights’ eyes sharpen instantly.
They unconsciously reached for their sword hilts.
But Kierne paid no mind.
Without breaking eye contact with the Holy King, she drew an even deeper smile and merely asked.
“Does Your Holiness remember the old promise?”
The Holy King trembled violently.
Kierne raised her voice like a stage actor.
“The promise where the Holy Empire commanded Basilian to manage the Black Forest.”
“…!”
Kierne smiled brightly at the Holy King.
“Now it is time for you to pay the price.”
