Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Aftermath (1)
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"……."
"……."
On my way to the first-floor bulletin board at the Sun Church's main headquarters to check the announcement for the upcoming third-quarter evaluation exam.
I turned a corner and froze upon running into a woman with golden hair.
She spotted me too. Isabel took two or three steps back to look up at me properly, then wrinkled her brow ever so slightly.
Her conflicted gaze passed over me and shifted to the girl clinging to my arm.
"Ah, h-hello…… Lady Isabel……."
"……"
"Th-thank you for last time."
Eliya, her face flushing bright red from the sheer embarrassment of the situation, scurried behind me.
Even so, she poked her head out to offer her thanks to Isabel.
Isabel's lips twitched for a long moment before settling into an utterly ambiguous expression. She shot me a sidelong glance with that vague look in her eyes.
"Evan."
"……Yes."
Her voice brimmed with an indescribable mix of emotions as she called my name. I bowed my head without a word.
She glared briefly at Eliya's shy hand gripping my arm, then muttered reluctantly.
"I mean, sure, I did give you a push…… But that was only meant to say you should take your time and comfort her as best you could."
"……."
"I never said to, uh, enchant her in just one day like this?"
I averted my eyes without responding. She was the one who'd brought Eliya and me together, so I felt a bit wronged, but what could I say?
Even to me, what happened last night had been a rash impulse. Her spontaneous confession right before we parted late into the night…… It had some kind of magic that made it impossible to just send Eliya stumbling home alone.
'……Well, no plans to blame her after enjoying myself all night.'
I smacked my lips and glanced back at Eliya, still plastered to my back.
I'd pushed myself harder than usual with Lete or Israfeel to keep things in check(?), but even setting that aside, the satisfaction in bed had been beyond words.
Her tightness was no joke, thanks to how narrow she was inside.
'Not something to say out loud.'
Cough. I cleared my throat and looked back at Isabel. She was gazing up at me with genuine concern.
A strange guilt washed over me—not for what I'd done, but for worrying her. I glanced around furtively and dipped my head.
"……Sorry, Isabel."
"Haa……."
She let out a deep sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose. She scanned us both with a complex look, shaking her head.
"No, it's mostly my fault for shoving you two together so carelessly. I should've watched over you responsibly since I encouraged it……."
"……No. It was my mistake."
"Enough of that. Let's think of a solution. How do you plan to deal with the fallout?"
"……."
"You didn't think this through at all."
I had nothing to say, even if I grew ten mouths. My head sank lower, Isabel pressed her forehead, and Eliya glanced nervously left and right.
"……Um, well. With Lete, I-I'll beg for forgiveness somehow. Evan, I'll make sure it doesn't hurt you…… I'll behave myself……?"
"……."
Eliya mustered her courage and murmured while clutching my clothes.
Snap!
"Ow!?"
I silenced her with a sharp flick of my finger. Eliya blinked in bewilderment, clearly unsure why she'd been hit.
Isabel watched us with a wry smile before speaking up.
"Israfeel…… Yeah. I can keep her in check to some extent. Even if it looks bad, she's already crumbled once before, so she won't get too upset now about more competition."
"L-Lady Isabel? I have no intention of overstepping with Lete or Israfeel……."
"The problem is Lady Heresia. That girl's pretty serious about this, from what I know?"
"……Yeah."
"Evan……? I-I really don't plan to act all high and mighty. J-just look back at me sometimes. Hell, I'm fine as the mistress position……."
"But there's something even more important than all that. Don't pretend you don't know."
"……."
Ignored repeatedly, Eliya shriveled up on her own. Her slumped shoulders and fidgeting fingers were pitiful.
I shot her a glance before fixing Isabel with a somber stare.
She met my eyes just as seriously, her sunset irises flickering.
"Evan. Say what you're thinking."
"……."
"I won't allow you to drag this out ambiguously out of consideration for them without cutting ties with anyone. Make your stance clear."
Her voice felt chillingly cold. I knew exactly what it meant.
If I didn't give a proper answer now, Isabel would definitely react one of two ways.
'Depending on my response, but…….'
Either 'educating' me like old times to jog my memory.
Or despising me for real disappointment.
Neither was what I wanted. I took a small breath and gave Eliya, watching me worriedly, one last glare.
"……Eep."
She flinched visibly at my inscrutable look.
But only for a moment. Biting her lip hard, Eliya smiled at me with feigned innocence and clumsiness.
As if she didn't want to burden me. As if she'd respect my decision 100%.
"……."
Seeing that expression solidified my already firm resolve even more.
I gave a faint smile and lightly stroked Eliya's hair.
"Isabel."
Then, I answered my former etiquette teacher—who was testing me—in a matter-of-fact tone.
"As you know, I'm a commoner. Polygamy is generally treated as a crime. Normally, a man can only take one wife, and that's how I've always pictured my future."
"……."
"So…… If I were to choose a partner, it would've been Lete Heresia without a doubt."
Isabel narrowed her eyes at that, while Eliya trembled.
I met both their differing gazes head-on and continued.
"That's what I've thought subconsciously. She's beyond my station, but since we feel the same…… Social limits are clear, but I figured I'd be pretty happy with her."
"──And?"
Isabel cut me off, summoning her glaive with an emotionless gaze.
Whoosh!!
The massive blade tore through the air, slicing the wind with a mighty gust.
"You're saying you'll choose her and discard the other two now?"
She looked ready to shove it under my chin like before. It wasn't a good vibe at all—Eliya went pale—but.
"If that were the case, I should've drawn the line ages ago."
I stayed calm. The conversation wasn't over yet.
"Well, Israfeel jumping me first is one thing, but there's no excuse for the second time with her or sleeping with Eliya. How do you justify that half-hearted behavior?"
I smiled bitterly as I spoke, and Isabel twitched her brow, still gripping the glaive.
"……Hm. So?"
"……."
"What's the conclusion?"
"Simple."
I answered confidently. Then, I slowly activated the Divine Power in my veins, manifesting a fierce crimson light that blazed across my body.
Fwaaaaah─!!
"……!"
Isabel gasped for the first time, caught in that overwhelming red glow. Her sunset eyes were painted scarlet in that instant.
My Divine Power, bolstered by Lete and Israfeel, had already surpassed even her level.
"……That power……."
"I."
I cut off her faint mutter with a solemn declaration.
"I will become a Saint. That solves most problems, doesn't it?"
"……."
"You can't impose human laws on the Goddess's proxy."
Human laws meant nothing to Saints or Saintesses. Not even imperial laws decreed by the Cabensier Emperor himself.
In other words, once I underwent the coronation as the next Saint…… Even the Emperor couldn't complain about my choices.
"That's my conclusion, Isabel."
The best response I could give to the women who'd shown me kindness.
If I'd drawn a clear line from the start, maybe.
But since I'd gone all-in without restraint, I planned to tie up these relationships as best I could. For Lete, Israfeel, and Eliya.
"……."
And Isabel's reaction to all my vows and resolve was concise.
Poof!
She let out a silent chuckle and dispersed the glaive. Her eyes brimmed with pride as she looked at me.
"Perfect score, Evan Lane."
That was it. The heavy pressure choking the air vanished in an instant, along with the weight bearing down on me.
Isabel Sedent had returned to her gentle, motherly self—not quite a mom, but that kind of woman—flashing me a bright smile.
"If that's your resolve, Evan, then no helping it. For this third-quarter evaluation exam, I, Isabel, will do my utmost to help you."
"……?"
But her follow-up was oddly meaningful. Help with the third-quarter evaluation exam?
As an outsider, was she planning some unfair advantage?
"……Isabel, what do you──"
I knew her character—she wouldn't compromise fairness—but her bold statement made me ask with a subtle expression.
Isabel stepped forward smoothly and tapped my lips with her index finger.
"Check the bulletin board for details. It'll be announced soon anyway."
"Y-Yes……?"
"More importantly, shouldn't you focus on something else right now?"
No time to parse her words leisurely. Before I could, she nodded lightly toward my back─.
"Looks like she heard everything."
"……Ah."
I turned and sighed shortly upon seeing where her gaze pointed.
"Eek……?!"
Eliya's reaction was worse. Her face drained of color as she darted behind me.
Didn't this girl just say she'd behave so it wouldn't hurt me? Really?
"……."
Gulp!
I swallowed dryly and forced myself to stay calm as I turned my gaze. Just beyond the nearby corner where the three of us had been talking.
A girl with peach-colored hair dispelled her concealment Divine Barrier and revealed herself.
Lete Heresia stared at me sideways with an expression too hard to put into words.
"Cough. Good luck, Evan."
With that utterly irresponsible remark, Isabel swiftly departed.
I could only watch her retreating figure with wide, frantic eyes.
Said she'd help me to the best of her ability, Mom.
Abandoning your son?