Chapter 125
Chapter: 125
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>Translator: penny
>Chapter: 125
>Chapter Title: The Saintess's Trials (5)
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Normally, by the time you become a saintess in another world, wouldn't flirting with a bunch of charming sub-male-leads be a key part of the deal?
Sure, my head's full of nothing but saving the world, but if all these male-leads circling me start whispering sweet nothings, who wouldn't waver?
"I must marry a woman I don't love to secure the throne. But the true master of my heart is the noble saintess—you alone."
Leonard, prince of Rohan.
He's got a total playboy vibe, but he ends up utterly captivated by the saintess, unable to escape her pull—a charmingly ambitious guy. He'll ditch his beautiful fiancée to court the saintess.
"It's strange, isn't it? Though the free wind guides my soul, I always end up back at your side like this."
Fernand, the wandering knight.
A romantic swordsman currently roaming the continent, crafting epic tales of love. He's seen as a notorious rake who'll follow in the Holy Emperor's footsteps, but in the end, he only circles the saintess.
"Your safety worries me so much that I cannot leave Delcross. From now on, rather than slaying sea beasts, I shall fulfill my noble duty by guarding the saintess's side."
Logan, the genius holy knight prince.
He has the cool, aloof look of a cold-hearted handsome guy, but for the saintess he loves, he's the type who'd give her his liver and gall bladder alike—a total softie... softie?
"Hang on, isn't 'softie' going a bit too far?"
"If you capture his heart, you'll get unwavering devotion. What's not to like?"
"Oh, here we go again with this contrarian talk. Listen up! These days, the trend is male-leads who are ruthless to everyone but sweet as pie to the heroine!"
"...He's extremely handsome, though?"
"...Yeah, looks are the ultimate plot justification."
And this novel even has a hidden sub-male-lead.
"No one in the world acknowledges me. My mother and father abandoned me long ago. But you—you look at me straight on."
Mores, the chubby wastrel prince.
He's recently turned over a new leaf, training hard and undergoing a total transformation. But he can't quite overcome the emotional scars from his childhood—until the saintess's gentle warmth draws him in like a baby bird following its mother...
"What the hell is this? Some half-grown brat? Saving the world isn't enough—now I've gotta babysit baby birds too?"
"Well, his face..."
"Okay. Noted!"
Yeah. In romance fantasy, looks are king.
It's pathetic from an ugly guy, but from a hot one, it's heartrending pathos that tugs at your maternal instincts.
Ah, me. Such a slave to appearances—boo-hoo!
"Oh, and if you do capture this one's heart, there's one thing to watch out for."
"Something to watch out for?"
"Yes. This prince has some... unique qualities. Handle him wrong, and the novel's world heads straight for the worst bad end."
"Aha! So that's why he's a hidden character? What do I need to be careful of?"
"Well, the truth is, he's actually..."
* * *
Seongjin blinked.
'What the hell is this...'
He'd finished his morning training feeling refreshed, headed to the Monster Task Force office to get to work, and now this—this unpleasant guy he'd figured he'd never see again had planted himself squarely in the office.
Orden Sigsmund bowed his head stiffly, offering the bare minimum courtesy with his expressionless face.
"I greet the Imperial Prince."
The guy's neck was still as rigid as ever.
"Yeah."
"...!"
Still, seeing that indignant look on his face was kinda funny.
Seongjin smirked and asked,
"So, what's your business with our department?"
Orden quickly schooled his features and spoke calmly.
"I've come to lodge a formal complaint with the Monster Task Force."
"A complaint?"
"Yes. Regarding the misdeeds of a massive merchant company called Milo Traders."
Seongjin tilted his head.
Wasn't this the wrong department? For illegal activities, you filed with the courts; for breaches of commercial code, you went to the Merchant Guild division in the administrative branch.
"This matter threatens the safety of not just Sigsmund Territory, but the entire continent. Since corrupt elements are involved and the territory can't resolve it internally, I implore the palace to take action."
"..."
Corrupt elements.
Seongjin studied Orden's face without responding. The man's expression was so wooden it was hard to read.
'He's coming to the Monster Task Force—which has zero precedent—instead of requesting inquisitors or exorcists...'
This involves his house somehow.
With internal divisions preventing self-resolution, and handing it to the Heresy Tribunal risking accountability for the family.
"...Let's hear it, then."
Seongjin took a seat, and Orden glanced uncomfortably to the side.
Ah. Was he worried about Inquisitor Valerie?
"No need to worry about her. She's fully under Monster Task Force jurisdiction, and without my permission, she won't breathe a word to the Heresy Tribunal. Right, Sir Valerie?"
The red-haired inquisitor gave a wry, feeble smile.
"Of course, Your Highness. How could I ever defy your words?"
Then why the hell are you sneaking out forbidden books and hiding in the office reading them, you rogue inquisitor?
"Heh heh heh. Same here, Your Highness. Your words are the future of the Monster Task Force."
Sir Sharon grinned beside her, and Orden's face darkened further.
He looked like he was regretting coming here. Fair enough—Sir Sharon didn't exactly scream "sane and reliable."
With no choice, Seongjin waved the Task Force members back. Before the guy could bolt, he flashed a warm, reassuring smile.
"Come on, don't hold back. Spill it. The Monster Task Force is always wide open to serve the empire's subjects."
Orden visibly tensed, freezing up.
Huh? What's his deal all of a sudden?
[Whoa, you looked super sinister just now. Like a broker strong-arming someone into signing organ trafficking papers!]
...Shut it, you overly detailed, reality-patched Demon King!
After much coaxing of the wary archduke candidate, the situation in Sigsmund Territory turned out to be far from ordinary.
Recently, a suspicious drug had been circulating in the territory, after which residents were acting strangely or vanishing without a trace left and right.
"...Drugs?"
"That's our suspicion, but it's not any known type on the continent."
A few years back, the Margrave of Sigsmund had signed an exclusive contract with Milo Traders, a massive merchant company.
For a harsh border territory reliant on them for daily necessities, there was no reason to refuse a deal promising thin margins and high volume.
Along with cheap, quality goods came the suspicious herbal powder.
Those who brewed and drank it as tea started spouting nonsense and going mad—or suddenly heading into the Black Forest and disappearing.
"Then just ban distribution, problem solved."
"It's not that simple. First sips give a mild high and sense of well-being, so Milo Traders markets it as an energizing tea."
The man explaining with documents was Hermann, Orden's subordinate. Unlike the stiff archduke candidate, this guy was pretty reasonable.
"To legally ban it, we need clear proof it's a narcotic. But it lacks strong pain relief, and the euphoria isn't debilitating..."
"Hmm."
From the explanation, Seongjin could roughly piece together the backstory.
Legal or not, the margrave could just ban it outright. Needing formal grounds for a ban meant the culprits distributing the drug with Milo Traders were heavyweights in the family.
And if even the official heir apparent couldn't handle it...
'The margrave's doing.'
Probably acting against the family head. Must be a real headache for the guy.
"The archduke candidate was away at a foreign martial arts tournament for a long stretch. When he returned, everyone in the territory was drinking this tea. But since it's powdered, we couldn't identify the source material."
With that, Hermann pulled something from his pocket: a few flat, rice-grain-like items wrapped in a handkerchief.
"We finally tracked down distributors and got our hands on the raw tea leaves."
Seongjin had a weird premonition as he examined them closely.
Dried flat, sure, but this wasn't herb—it was clearly...
'Hey, Demon King. Ring any bells?'
[Whoa, it does. Dried Loperum eggs?]
What? Where'd these roll in from?
Seongjin eyed Orden anew, and the man flinched, sensing something ominous.
"So? Tea suddenly floods the territory, residents suffer massively—got that. But why suspect corrupt elements in the distribution?"
Orden and Hermann exchanged glances in silence.
Soon, Orden sighed and placed a small medallion on the table. A red-tinged one with a crude spider emblem.
"Found this mark of the Dark Cult while searching distributors."
Seongjin picked it up, and Hermann added,
"We keep finding them probing Milo Traders. They have ties to Dark Cult remnants for sure."
Meaning the group spreading Loperum eggs in the capital was linked to Milo Traders too. A lead on the Dark Cult remnants that had gone quiet after Priest Hayes.
The butterflies Dileria that Logan spotted near Sigsmund Territory weren't unrelated either!
'I thought he was just a jerk, but turns out he's a walking good-luck charm.'
Seongjin grinned, making Orden startle, then scowl insolently.
Whatever. In Seongjin's eyes, Orden was no longer a cocky upstart—he was just a plump little lamb waiting to hop on the dinner table.
"Alright. The Monster Task Force will help with this."
Seongjin smiled contentedly.
"But for free?"
"...Pardon?"
Seongjin explained patiently to their dumbfounded faces.
"As you know, we're short-staffed and swamped with the Gray Plague investigation. Yet we're stepping up for Sigsmund Territory."
"..."
"Of course, as it's for imperial subjects, we're not asking for hazard pay. But you could at least cover our team's operational expenses?"
Orden nodded blankly.
"Yes, that's only fair."
"And one more thing—let's make this clear."
Seongjin met his eyes squarely.
"I'm letting this slide. You owe me one now."
"..."
"Whenever, however—you'll repay that debt. Got it?"
Orden's pupils trembled faintly.
"Of course... once this is resolved, we'll offer recompense somehow..."
"Nah, that's not it. That'd just be another debt after. Debts get settled upfront."
"...?"
"Don't get it? I'm keeping quiet about Sigsmund House colluding with the Dark Cult. Covering your family's mess from the Heresy Tribunal. You weren't planning to weasel out of that favor, right?"
Whoosh. It was like the blood drained audibly from the archduke candidate's face.
The gravity of it left them too stunned to notice the Task Force members whispering incredulously behind them.
"Whoa... chills. Didn't peg His Highness Mores for it, but he plays it cool. See that poker face?"
"Healer Jibril. Mind your irreverence."
"But Sir Masain—weren't you just agonizing over whether to send an investigative team to Sigsmund? This seems like a golden opportunity. Why's he selling the archduke short now?"
"His Highness has his reasons. We follow."
"Heh heh heh. I... I already knew. His Highness's potential is truly immense."
"Sir Sharon? That 'potential' isn't code for con artist tendencies, is it?"