Chapter 208: Dammit...(3)
Chapter 208: Dammit...(3)
Kate’s mere presence here was incredibly dangerous. Her reason for embarking on this pilgrimage was to find me; imagine what would happen if she suddenly decided to settle down in one spot.
She might not realize it, but the higher-ups in the Order would certainly grow suspicious. They’d wonder why someone on a pilgrimage was suddenly holed up in a single region. They might even suspect she’d found what she was looking for.
If that happened, there was a very high probability they would send people to keep an eye on her. Therefore, her presence was more of a hindrance than a help to me.
Of course, if I gave her my seed as she wanted, she would likely leave quietly, but I had no intention of doing that. To begin with, the idea of sleeping with a complete stranger was a burden, and who would willingly agree to be treated like a breeding stud?
No matter how beautiful her face or how desirable her body, the fact that she viewed me as a mere tool sparked a sense of revulsion. Above all, neither Mari nor Cecile had conceived my child yet; I couldn't go around making illegitimate children already.
For these reasons, I planned to visit the temple this weekend and earnestly petition Luminous. I felt a bit sorry for Kate, but I was going to ask him to slap a restraining order on her.
Even if Kate was Luminous’s favorite, he would likely give in if I pleaded desperately enough.
"Did you guys hear the news?"
"What news?"
"That Cardinal Kate visited the Academy three days ago."
"... ..."
It was the day before the weekend. I couldn't help but flinch at Lina’s words as we headed toward the cafeteria.
The day Kate had come to my dormitory was exactly two days ago. She had returned the following day to ask for my seed again, and the chances of her showing up today were very high.
That was why I planned to stay with my friends as long as possible and return to my room as late as I could. She might be someone whose common sense was skewed in strange ways, but surely she wouldn't come knocking late at night.
While I was harboring those thoughts, the other girls, including Lina, began to chat animatedly.
"Ah, I heard about that too. Apparently, she’s going to stay here for a while. She said there might be demon worshippers hiding in the capital."
"People are making a huge fuss about how beautiful she is. I’d love to meet her once. Lina, aren't you going to see her?"
"My brother or Duke Rekilis will probably be the ones to meet her. Given her rank as a Cardinal, someone of at least a Duke’s standing needs to receive her."
A Cardinal was the highest rank after the Pope, and Kate held the ultimate rank of Grand Inquisitor. If it was official business rather than a private matter, someone of at least a Duke’s status had to welcome her.
Her influence was that immense; a single slip of the tongue in front of a Cardinal could lead to international embarrassment. Naturally, the Crown Prince or a Duke would have to be the one to meet her.
‘To me, she’s just a pervert.’
A perverted cleric who tried to extort my seed at every opportunity. I wondered what method she would use to ask for it today.
I wished tomorrow would come quickly. Kate’s very existence provided more than enough leverage for my identity to be exposed.
Perhaps she noticed my mood, because Mari, who had been chatting happily with the others, looked at my face and asked in a puzzled voice.
"Isaac. Why the long face?"
"Huh? What’s wrong with my face?"
"You look like you’ve chewed on something foul."
"... ..."
Was there any other way to describe it? I gave a bitter smile at Mari’s remark.
Actually, I was planning to tell them about the situation with Kate. It was a matter I absolutely had to share with Mari and Cecile in particular.
I let out a long, frustrated sigh and glanced sideways. Seeing that my expression wasn't great, they all had worried looks on their faces.
"...I’ll tell you once we get to the cafeteria."
"Is it a big problem?"
"I don't know if I should call it big or small... You’ll understand once you hear it."
I felt bad for dampening the good mood, but this was something they had to know.
After arriving at the cafeteria, we secured a private room as usual and finished ordering. Then, I revealed what was weighing on my mind.
"Cardinal Kate came to my dormitory two days ago."
"What?"
"She knows that I’m Xenon."
The fact that Cardinal Kate had visited was surprising enough, but when I said she knew my identity, they all had the same reaction.
Their eyes, already wide, turned perfectly round in shock. Honestly, it was a natural reaction.
I laid out the details one by one while they processed the information.
"It seems Lord Luminous gave her an oracle regarding my identity. Fortunately, it seems he only gave it to Cardinal Kate... but it doesn't matter much now that I've been caught."
"An oracle? What kind of oracle?"
"Seek the one who views the world with a clean sun and acts with pure passion."
It was a complex phrase, but the wording was striking enough that I remembered it clearly. When I told them the contents of the oracle, the girls looked even more bewildered.
I probably had the same expression at first. I slowly explained the interpretation.
"Viewing with a 'clean sun' refers to my golden eyes, and 'pure passion' seems to refer to my red hair."
"Aren't your father and older brother the same, though?"
"That’s true, but the adjectives 'clean' and 'pure' seem to mean someone who hasn't stained their hands with blood. My father is a knight, and Dave used to go hunting often in the past."
Unlike me, my father, my brother, and Nicole had been strong since they were young. They had often hunted monsters or beasts that plagued the territory.
In contrast, I had a frail body and struggled even with basic knight training, so my family cherished me. Because of the large age gap between my siblings and me, I was pampered like the apple of their eye.
"And with the scent of lilacs coming from my body, she wouldn't believe me even if I denied it. Apparently, I smell even stronger than the Pope."
"I see. So, what did Cardinal Kate say? Was that it?"
"I wish that was where it ended. What Cardinal Kate said was..."
I hesitated, wondering if I should really say this. I felt both embarrassed and apologetic, making it hard to speak.
After a moment of hesitation, I took a deep breath and confessed everything.
"...She asked for my seed."
"Seed? What kind of se—"
"... ..."
As expected, their reactions varied.
Mari fell silent as the realization hit her mid-sentence, Cecile’s brain seemed to short-circuit instantly, and finally, Lina blinked her blue eyes before her face turned a deep shade of crimson.
They were all old enough to know what was what, so they surely understood what my statement implied.
"...You guys probably know about those kinds of legends. Stories where a man and a woman chosen by God join together to give birth to a hero. The reason Kate is asking for my seed is similar to that. She’s someone who has received a blessing, and I’m the one who saved her from the clutches of demons through the Xenon Chronicle. You get the gist, right?"
"Is there something... wrong with that woman’s head?"
Mari voiced a question that cut straight to the point. From her perspective as my fiancée, this situation was beyond infuriating—it was absurd.
It wasn't just her; Cecile was the same. She looked like she couldn't decide whether to be angry or dumbfounded.
On the other hand, Lina... her face was beet red, but she kept her mouth tightly shut. Since she wasn't directly involved, she seemed to be staying out of it.
"There might be... a little something wrong, but her entire thought process is centered around Lord Luminous. She said the reason she wants to have my child is for Lord Luminous’s sake."
"That sounds like..."
"A fanatic, right? I think so too. She wouldn't listen even when I said no. For now, I’m going to the temple tomorrow to ask Lord Luminous for a restraining order."
"...That probably won't work."
Lina, who had been quiet, unexpectedly offered a negative opinion. Everyone’s gaze, including mine, turned toward her.
Fanning herself to cool down her flushed face, she explained the reason.
"A Cardinal is the highest rank after the Pope. To rise to the position of Cardinal, one must be directly chosen by Lord Luminous. Furthermore, Cardinal Kate is someone who received a blessing directly from him. No matter if it’s you, Isaac, a restraining order will be difficult."
"Even if I use my divine power?"
"If you do that, Cardinal Kate will just use her own divine power to neutralize it. Of course, Lord Luminous will probably scold her severely."
"Ah. If it’s that much, it’s fine."
Since she was a cleric who would offer her very body to Luminous, a warning would likely be enough. Whatever else she was, her faith was genuine.
However, she would probably keep looking for an opening. She had a more tenacious personality than I expected, so even after I visited the temple, she might ask again if she found a lapse in my guard.
"Still, it’s outrageous. Did you tell her you have a fiancée?"
Mari asked, her voice full of discontent. Cecile, conversely, seemed to be deep in thought.
Since getting rid of Kate was the priority, I intended to tell the truth.
"Of course I told her. But she said she’d be ready whenever I was okay with it. When I said I wasn't interested, she even asked if she should try to seduce me."
"...I’m speechless."
It was so absurd that Mari let out a hollow laugh and shook her head.
However, a positive opinion came from an unexpected source: Cecile.
"I actually think it might be okay?"
"What?"
"Are you in your right mind?"
Both Mari and I were startled and questioned Cecile. Mari went as far as asking if she was sane.
Cecile looked at our faces as we demanded an explanation, then spoke from a purely practical standpoint.
"Of course, I’m also unhappy with a Cardinal who just demands a child out of the blue. But there’s nothing to lose. In fact, it would mean being connected to the Holy Theocracy of Savior, so we could gain a lot of benefits in many ways."
"I haven't ignored that thought either. But, Noona."
"Yes?"
"I didn't get involved with you because I was thinking like that."
If Kate had approached me by slowly seeping into my life like Cecile had, I might have considered it for a moment. I might have even spoken with Mari privately, gotten her permission, and accepted her.
I had already accepted Cecile and was even contemplating Adelia, so one more wouldn't hurt. As long as I didn't cheat on my lovers behind their backs.
But when a heavy fastball is aimed straight at your solar plexus, you have to dodge it; you can't just take it head-on.
Hearing my answer, Cecile blinked her red eyes before her lips curled into a soft, gentle smile.
Then, she secretly took my hand under the table and spoke in a warm voice.
"I’m sorry. I just wanted to be of help to you, Isaac. Can you forgive me?"
"There’s no need for forgiveness. Anyway, that’s everything that happened. Are there any other solutions?"
"Rather than a solution, I think it would be better if Mari and I went to talk to her directly. Right, Mari?"
"Absolutely! To be honest, the connection would be nice, but I don't like that pushy attitude of hers."
Having said that, Mari glanced under the table and softly grasped my other hand... no, she began to gently stroke my thigh.
As everyone knows, this was a signal. It seemed the situation with Kate had stressed her out.
I momentarily stopped Mari’s suggestive hand on my thigh before returning to the main point.
"Then I’ll head to the temple tomorrow. You guys can talk to her well until then, right?"
"Of course."
"We’ll handle the talking."
Now even Cecile let go of my hand and began to caress my other thigh.
To an outsider, it would look like two beautiful women were being affectionate with me, but I was actually terrified of the immediate future.
Perhaps because I had mentioned the word 'seed,' they seemed intent on extorting some from me as well. I suppose this was unavoidable.
"Um... then I guess this matter is settled for now. By the way..."
Knock, knock, knock—
Just as Lina was about to speak, someone knocked, as if the food had arrived. Mari and Cecile immediately stopped what they were doing.
Knock, knock, knock—
"What is it?"
"Is it someone else?"
If it were a server, they would knock and then enter after a brief pause. Knocking more than twice meant someone else had come looking for us.
My confusion was brief; I stood up and opened the door immediately. And standing there at the open door was...
"Hello. Ze... no, Lord Isaac."
Kate was standing in front of the door, though how she knew I was here was a mystery. It was a classic case of 'speak of the devil.'
While I stood there in total shock, unable to say a word, Kate spoke with her characteristic benevolent smile.
"I’m here because..."
I was about to slam the door shut before even listening.
Thud!
Sensing my intention, Kate quickly wedged her foot into the doorway. I tried to push it shut with all my might, but it wouldn't budge.
I don't know what kind of strength she had, but no matter how hard I pushed, it didn't feel like she was giving way at all. If anything, she was pushing me back.
Regardless, Kate maintained her previous benevolent smile and said to me:
"Please listen to me until the end. I didn't come to talk about the seed this time."
"You’re going to bring up the seed at the end anyway!"
"... ..."
"See!"
Her silence confirmed it. Just as I was about to try pushing the door again...
"This is perfect timing. Tell her to come in."
Mari’s voice drifted from behind me.