Chapter 198: Hansel and Gretel (4)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 198: Hansel and Gretel (4)
“It’s the Saint!”
“Saint, please bless me too!”
Amid the fervent welcome of high-ranking clergy and citizens, Elize became the Saint.
Her duties as the Saint weren't drastically different from when she was a nun. She helped people and spread smiles throughout the Holy Kingdom to reassure the faithful.
The only difference was that the scale was now incomparably larger.
Elize, clad in the black and white robes of a saint, walked the streets. A procession of priests and Holy Knights trailed behind her as an escort, and a crowd gathered just to catch a glimpse of her.
It was as if they had gathered to see a descended god.
Yet, Elize’s demeanor never faltered. She greeted the faithful with a gentle, smiling gaze and a light wave of her hand.
“Did you see that? The Saint waved at me!”
“What are you talking about? She was obviously looking at me.”
“Being a saint is a wonderful thing… for her to smile even at someone like me.”
This was the same Elize who had captivated men's hearts with her delicate gestures and expressions at the slave auction, swindling them out of fortunes time and again. And now, that same Elize had the title of Saint to her name.
Winning the hearts of the believers was child’s play.
They’re eating it up.
Of course, if they could read her inner thoughts, their reactions would be quite different.
Elize found the reactions of the believers surrounding her utterly pathetic.
Right now, they were all fawning over her, calling her ‘Saint, oh Saint~’, but the moment she revealed her true identity, their attitudes would do a complete one-eighty. Their gazes would turn from adoration to murderous intent.
Ridiculous. So ridiculous.
Well, she didn't much care. Both sides were just using each other; it was all the same.
Elize let her smile spread.
*
“Well, well~ To think the great Saint herself would grace me with a visit. I must have lived a good life for fortune to finally smile upon me.”
One thing that hadn't changed even after she became the Saint was her visits to Karami. Seeing his reaction as he greeted her, Elize was dumbfounded.
“What are you talking about? You’re the one who told me to come.”
“You must be swarming with annoying people. I figured I should at least help you relax.”
“If you really wanted to help me, you wouldn't have called me here at all. Do you have any idea how hard it was to get here today?”
The biggest change that came with becoming the Saint was her environment. She now resided in the Cathedral instead of the convent, attended by serving nuns.
Holy Knights guarded the door to the Saint's room, making it no easy feat to sneak out.
“Unfortunately, I can't do that. It's a master's duty to check if his slave is doing all right.”
“You always have a way with words.”
“Still, isn't being with me better than being with them?”
Karami said, waiting for an answer. The expectant look in his eyes made it obvious what he wanted to hear.
“Hmm…”
It was true that being with Karami was better than being with those people, but…
“Hah.”
She hadn't said a word, but somehow, he'd read her thoughts again. Karami's eyes curved into crescents. Seeing that face stirred a defiance in her that hadn't been there a moment ago.
“You’re just a level above those people. It's not like I actually like you or anything~”
“Mathematically speaking, your favorability toward me is higher than it is toward them. And higher favorability means you like me.”
“I told you, it's not that I like you!”
“Elize. You have a bit of a tsundere streak, don't you? Unable to admit you like something…”
“I said, no!”
Finally, unable to take it anymore, Elize snapped.
But the moment she saw Karami's beaming smile, she realized she'd fallen for his pace yet again.
She'd tell herself she was used to it and wouldn't fall for it next time, but before she knew it, she was caught up in it all over again. It was as if his voice was laced with magic.
“Tsk.”
Elize calmed her emotions, quickly regaining her composure.
“Anyway, I might not be able to come every day like before. Becoming the Saint has given me more to do.”
“Hmm, that's a problem. I have a disease where I'll die if I don't see your face every day. If work is too hard, should we just ditch it all and leave?”
“We can't do that.”
“Didn't you want to leave before? Have you grown attached?”
“Of course. How do you think I got to this position?”
She had come to a position where she could control the Holy Kingdom and the Church as she pleased. Her goal was right in front of her. She couldn't leave now.
“Why the sudden thought of leaving, Master?”
“It's just that there are one or two things bothering me.”
“What's bothering you? If I can, I'll help you resolve it.”
“Your becoming the Saint was so sudden. I can't seem to figure out what triggered it.”
“I already explained that. They needed a pawn to put forward as a saint, and I just happened to catch their eye.”
The fact that she had revealed her identity to Marcenus was, of course, a secret from Karami. His actions were already unpredictable; things would get very complicated if he found out.
“Weren't you the one who said that to root out everything related to the experiments, we had to infiltrate the enemy's heart?”
“I did.”
“Don't tell me... are you suspecting me?”
Elize put on a shocked expression, like a puppy hurt by its master.
As he looked quietly into her eyes, Karami’s lips curved into a soft smile.
“Of course not. I'm not suspicious of you. I'm just worried they might try something strange with you.”
“Thank you. But you don't have to worry too much. They haven't caught on to our intentions yet. And even if they do, I'll have no problem getting out.”
“Is that so.”
“The Church is as good as in the palm of my hand now. Just wait a little longer. I'll fill Kassilon with the Reaper's Order.”
Elize spoke confidently, gauging Karami's reaction.
“Well, if you say you're fine, I won't worry.”
Karami paused for a moment before continuing.
“If you're hiding anything, or if you have any worries, tell me.”
Had she aroused his suspicion? Had he noticed something?
“…?”
But as she met Karami's gaze, Elize blinked. The look in his eyes was strangely tender.
How should she describe it? It was similar to the warm gaze she feigned as the Saint, yet different. It was the look of someone genuinely worried, something that couldn't be faked.
What is this…?
Elize was slightly flustered. She couldn't understand why he was looking at her like that. She had never made such an expression herself, and it was the first time she'd seen it.
The first time…?
No. She felt like she'd seen it before. She was sure she had, sometime, somewhere….
“…”
But she couldn't remember.
When she tried to search her memory, her head throbbed, and the metallic scent of blood stung her nostrils. Even though there was no blood around. A phantom illusion tormented her.
It was as if her mind was refusing to remember.
“Elize?”
“Yes?”
Elize snapped back to her senses at Karami's call.
“Are you unwell? Are you pushing yourself too hard?”
“…No, I'm fine. I'm not hiding anything. You just have to trust me and wait, Master.”
“Understood.”
Elize stood up.
She tossed back the alcohol in her glass.
It was a moment that called for intoxication.
“I'll be going.”
“Yes. Get back safely.”
*
Elize strolled through the night streets.
Normally, she would have transformed into a bat to fly away undetected, but for some reason, she felt like taking a walk tonight.
Fortunately, thanks to the vampires, the night curfew was strictly enforced, so no one was out and about.
The city guards were on patrol, but she could easily avoid them. As a half-vampire, Elize possessed the traits of a bat. Detecting presences was a simple matter.
She wandered the city as if it were her own home, without a care in the world.
Everything was going according to plan. She had deceived Karami, deceived Marcenus, and risen to the position of Saint.
All that was left was to take revenge on those who made her this way, and then to perform the miracle Marcenus spoke of and hear the divine oracle.
Why did He ignore the desperate prayers of the faithful who begged for help? Why didn't He help her that day?
She would ask everything, leaving nothing out.
And after that…
What do I do?
What was she supposed to do after she'd heard the voice of God?
She was a fake saint. Just a stepping stone for her plan.
She had no intention of continuing to act as the Saint after everything was over. Nor did she have any desire to stay in the Holy Kingdom for long.
Should she go back to swindling people like before?
For the rest of her life?
A life that had been extended now that she was a vampire?
Once again, endless questions bubbled up, but she couldn't find a single answer.
Thud.
Elize stopped walking.
“How long are you going to follow me?”
There had been a presence tailing her ever since she left the inn.
Tap.
As Elize stopped, so did the person following her, with the clear sound of something tapping the ground.
“Kekeke, you're sharp.”
“It's impossible not to notice when you're making that much noise with your staff on an empty street like this, old man.”
The old man Elize addressed was the former Pope, Antonius.
“It's a bit odd for me to say, since I'm the one who brought you here, but you're staying for quite a while.”
“Just as you said, the owner of the room is quite kind. He hasn't said a word about me leaving and even provides three meals a day.”
“So you weren't just an ordinary old man.”
“And what makes you think that?”
Elize snorted.
“There's no way that man would treat someone so well. There must be a reason he can't kick you out. A reason related to you, old man.”
“Kekekeke. Just like your master, you're so sharp…”
Their shared opinion of Karami had already hit rock bottom. Sadly.
“So why were you tailing me? In your condition, you can barely move.”
“How could I simply pass by when a little lamb has lost its way and is wandering? You'll understand when you reach my age.”
“I doubt I'll be creepily stalking people, though.”
Antonius chuckled, amused by something.
Elize sighed.
It seemed she was surrounded by nothing but strange people.
Well, it's not like I'm in any position to complain. Strange people just gather around other strange people, she supposed.
“So, are you going to solve my worries for me, old man?”
“I can at least listen to your story.”
“That's not bad. Since you're a believer, you might understand my concerns.”
She happened to need someone to talk to anyway.
Talking to Karami felt wrong, and talking to Marcenus was even more out of the question. Antonius was suspicious too, but he was better than those two.
He also happened to be wearing a cross around his neck. It was faded from long use, but it hadn't lost its shape. If he was a believer, all the better.
“Old man, have you ever heard the voice of God?”
“The voice of God, you say. If I were to hear it, I imagine I would be overcome with emotion.”
In short, that meant he hadn't. A needlessly roundabout way of speaking. A habit peculiar to the elderly.
“Then do you think if I pray desperately enough, I'll be able to hear it someday?”
“Child, you seem to be mistaken about something.”
“Mistaken…?”
Antonius calmly stated the truth.
“The day you hear the voice of God will never come.”