A Saint's Due
Yesterday, two palace officials visited the monastery to conduct a detailed survey of its overall financial state, staffing, and material needs. Based on their findings, an annual budget was calculated. Armed with the resulting proposal—a sort of charitable business plan—I paid a visit to the First High Priest.
"Ah, Princess? To what do I owe this honor? Hoho, it is truly wonderful to see you again with such clear, bright eyes."
"I am glad to see you have recovered your health, Moot."
He was a completely different person compared to when he was under the curse. Despite his advanced years, Moot looked remarkably energetic.
"Would you mind taking a look at this?"
I handed him the documents I had brought. Moot quickly scanned the contents before looking back up at me.
"This is... the monastery where the Saintess resides. But why are you bringing this to me?"
"I have already done my research. Selecting the religious institutions to receive state funding is the exclusive prerogative of the Church, is it not?"
"That is correct. However, the recipients for this year's funding have already been finalized. To change them at this late stage is..."
I had anticipated this response as well. The list of recipients had barely changed in years. Most of them were already wealthy prayer houses or convents. Or rather, perhaps they had become wealthy precisely because they had received steady funding for so long.
What they all had in common was their ties to the nobility or high-ranking clergy. It was pathetic. In the end, even organizations that loudly proclaimed their faith were driven by money and connections.
Some of them even used monasteries overlooking the sea as summer villas, while others, from what I gathered, treated convents as hunting grounds for concubines. Knowing all of this, I let out a soft sigh and spoke.
"That is precisely why I am asking you, Moot. I am not asking you to change everything. But as the First High Priest of the High Priest Council, surely you can trim the budgets of other places just a little to include the Orbin Monastery on the list?"
Moot looked exceedingly troubled.
"That... even if it is your request, Princess, I fear it will be difficult. Though I am the First High Priest, I am but one of seven on the High Priest Council. With so many conflicting interests at play, for me to arbitrarily cut budgets is a bit..."
He's openly talking about 'interests' now. Well, I suppose that is the most accurate term. I paused to catch my breath, then spoke in a low, quiet voice.
"Moot. I beg of you, do not make me lose all respect for you."
"Pardon?"
"Did you not just recover from a deadly illness thanks to the Saintess? And yet, you feel not even a shred of gratitude toward her?"
"That is... I am grateful, of course. But should we not separate public duty from private matters?"
"You just spoke of 'interests' a moment ago. What kind of public servants, supposedly separating duty from personal matters, fuss over such self-serving interests?"
"T-that is..." Moot fell silent, utterly speechless. His face began to flush with embarrassment.
"Indeed. I saw that some relief supplies arrived at the Orbin Monastery under your name. Two sacks of oats and wheat, a few bundles of dirty wool, and three bundles of firewood. No doubt items you received as free donations from somewhere, yes? Do you truly believe that is a fitting price for saving your life?"
Rielia never used her divine power expecting anything in return. Any recompense was entirely up to the other party's discretion. She always extended her goodwill first.
It would be wonderful if goodwill were always met with goodwill, but the problem with this world is that the moment you show kindness, there are those who immediately think of how to exploit it. Rielia had likely encountered countless people like that.
Though she had her eccentricities, Rielia was by no means a fool. She must have known from the very beginning that her kindness was not being properly appreciated. Even so, she never abandoned her duties as the Saintess. She diligently studied curses, sought out cursed objects, and saved those suffering from them. Probably even at this very moment.
Moot was left completely tongue-tied, like a mute who had swallowed honey.
"I do not mean to blame only you. You are not the only one who slapped a fancy title like 'Saintess' on Rielia and treated her like a convenient, free curse-dispelling potion. But do you truly believe that is right? I am giving you a chance to correct this, Moot."
Moot hung his head low. After letting out a long, heavy sigh, he looked up again. His face was filled with deep contrition.
"...Your Highness is entirely correct. We are all... sinners. I will take full responsibility and see to this matter personally."
Moot carefully took the proposal I had handed him, handling it as reverently as if it were a page of holy scripture.
"I am counting on you, Moot. I knew I could rely on you to say that."
I bowed politely to him with a smile and left the room.
Phew, that persuasion went perfectly. I knew this approach would work best on Moot. After all, he was a man who possessed at least a modicum of conscience.
Honestly, there were many ways to help. I could have used funds from the Roberts Merchant Guild, or even paid for it out of my own allowance. Yet, I chose this tedious method because I wanted to keep the nobility in check while simultaneously giving the corrupt factions of the Church a much-needed jolt.
Though, it was also true that I was slightly irritated by how lightly they treated Rielia.
To put it bluntly, everyone in this kingdom was an idiot. To think no one recognized Rielia's true worth—I could only describe it as incomprehensibly foolish.
Rielia was an immense talent capable of easily dispelling almost any curse. As long as the power of curses existed, her divine power to counter them was a formidable force in its own right.
Yet, no one recognized this self-evident truth, leaving her to rot in a dilapidated monastery. If they had even a shred of sense, they would have secured her by providing funding or bringing her in through other means. Just as I was planning to do.
Of course, Rielia's own selfless attitude played a part in this.
A selfless Saintess who lifted curses without asking for anything in return. Since Rielia's purification was always freely given to everyone, perhaps they felt no need to put any effort into accommodating her.
In any case, all I had to do was pick up the treasure lying on the ground. I just had to make sure no one snatched her away until she was tucked safely and completely inside my pocket.
Knock, knock. A soft rapping sounded at the door. Upon receiving my permission, a maid entered, holding an envelope.
"Princess Sera, the First High Priest has sent something. It appears to be an official document."
"Give it to me."
The maid approached and handed me the envelope stamped with the seal of the High Priest. I opened it, reading the contents with a bright smile.
"W-what in the world is all this..."
Before one carriage could even finish unloading, the next one arrived. The line of carriages stretched so far back that the end was nowhere in sight.
Everyone from the monastery, even the children, had come out to help carry the goods. Unable to just watch, the carriage drivers rolled up their sleeves to pitch in as well.
"It seems they sent supplies tailored exactly to the monastery's storage capacity. Though they apparently failed to factor in the labor required to move it all."
The quantity was even greater than the list I had drawn up. Moot must have pulled some strings. Honestly, considering the modest scale of the Orbin Monastery, it probably wasn't that difficult for him.
"D-did you arrange all of this, Princess...?"
I gave a simple nod. Technically, it came from the state treasury, but since it was thanks to me, it amounted to the same thing.
Rielia stood frozen, unable to sit or stand properly, staring out the window at the spectacular sight. For someone so accustomed to leading by example, doing nothing while everyone else worked seemed to fill her with anxiety.
"I-I can't just watch. I should go help too. It looks like an overwhelming amount of work..."
"No, you can stay here, Rielia. Even if you go, those slender arms of yours won't be of much help anyway."
"B-but still..."
"It is fine. In truth, this is merely what you rightfully deserved all along."
"Huh? Me?"
She doesn't even realize it. She had no idea how incredible her deeds had been up until now.
I spoke in the solemn, serious tone I usually reserved for public speeches.
"Yes, Rielia. As a princess of this kingdom, I want to thank you for saving the people of Rustie from terrible curses. Without your efforts, countless lives would have been lost, and many more would have suffered from illness."
"W-what are you saying, Princess... so suddenly... I only did what was natural. After all, I am the Saintess."
I rose from my seat and walked over to stand beside her. Looking down at her startled eyes, I spoke.
"You do not need to be the Saintess at every single moment. When you are with me, you can just be Rielia."
"Y-yes? B-but... I..."
I gently pulled the flustered Rielia into an embrace. She let out a strange squeak—"Pii-it!"—and froze completely.
"You do not have to carry any burdens when you are with me. I will shoulder all the difficult things for you. Lean on me, Rielia."
"P-P-Princess... t-this is... oh, um..."
I felt Rielia's arms tentatively wrap around my back. Her ragged breathing gradually began to steady.
Her body was so soft and small. It felt as though she might break if I held her too tightly. It was a body that seemed far too fragile to stand against terrifying curses.
At some point, Rielia began to sniffle. She tried her best to muffle the sound, not wanting me to notice. Of course, it was entirely in vain.
On the contrary, a satisfied smile spread across my face, knowing that my goal was now almost fully within reach.