Chapter 125
Translator: penny
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Summer Festival - 2
My thumbnail's gonna break at this rate.
I grabbed Veronica's hand, and only then did she snap out of it.
"Huh? Oh, uh."
"What were you thinking so hard about?"
"Hmm... nothing. Let's go. Time is money."
With that, she led me toward another stall.
Well, yeah. Conquering everything here would take a full week at best.
"Today, let's hit everywhere from here to there."
"Sure. Oh, how about we start over there?"
The place Veronica picked was none other than the cockfighting arena.
"Come one, come all! The current odds favor Crime Singer, the heir to crimson blood!"
"Pick your winner! Blood Emperor's got the highest win rate—everyone's favorite!!"
"Ah! Money doubles here! How can anyone resist?!"
At a glance, they all looked like vicious roosters gathered together.
In the cockfighting pit, where they pitted these birds against each other to find the ultimate victor, a decent crowd was already eyeing the entrants with serious gazes.
"Look at that sharp beak."
"Hmph. Blood Emperor will tear you and that weakling you picked to shreds."
"Why me, you psycho?"
"I think Tryman Colt's gonna take it..."
"Chunsik's toast."
Even our war councils against the Demon King's army weren't this intense.
The gamblers pored over papers listing each contender's info, debating earnestly.
I turned to Veronica as I watched.
"Why?"
"You like this stuff?"
"Nah. But Marquis Raysi told me to check it out. Said it's fun."
"Raysi?"
"Yeah."
Totally his kind of thing.
Overflowing with blood and gore...
Anyway, we had to pass through here, so I headed to the betting counter with Veronica.
The top favorite by odds was, predictably, Blood Emperor.
A rooster with bright red comb and tail feathers.
"Where you betting?"
"I always go with the favorite."
"Then I'm on Chunsik."
...What a savory name.
Even in the game, the fighting cocks had random names like that, but how does a rooster end up named Chunsik...?
"Y-Yeah, okay."
Veronica handed over a gold coin, and I did the same.
A moment later, she grinned.
"Wanna make a little bet since we're at it?"
"What kind?"
"Between your Blood Emperor and my Chunsik, who climbs higher."
"Not a bad idea. What's the wager? Winner gets praise?"
"...Well, that's not bad, but."
Veronica turned her head primly and waved at the arena.
"If I win, we hold hands all day."
"Sure. Yeah. Fine."
If I win, I'll ask her to bless my panacea brewing for free—extra heavy on the blessings.
The success rate depends on how much blessing I get.
"Fight starts soon! Get your bets in! Hurry~!"
"Money doubles here!"
The promoters' heated calls rang out. And soon after.
The cockfight began, carrying everyone's dreams and hopes.
...
"Hand over my money, you bastards!!"
A riot broke out after the first match.
Honestly, it was justified.
The first bout was none other than Blood Emperor versus Chunsik.
The tournament's top contender, Blood Emperor, against some filler like Chunsik.
Blood Emperor winning was just common sense, right?
But in this world.
Chunsik won.
Whoa. Chunsik's badass. For real...
People tore at their hair, screaming as they watched Chunsik, covered in blood, stand triumphant over Blood Emperor, surveying the crowd.
"This is rigged!!"
"Ah! My money's gone!!"
How does this even happen?
Chunsik looked like total cannon fodder.
I turned to Veronica.
"Did you maybe bless Chunsik...?"
"I swear on the gods, no."
"Then debuff on Blood Emperor...?"
"No to that too. This is all divine will. Fate's set in sto—well, not exactly, but Chunsik could've won, right? Don't eat Chunsik."
"Sheesh."
Sometimes in the game, you'd get these insane upsets, so I couldn't press further.
Even 99% accuracy shots miss sometimes—ridiculous, but you gotta accept it.
"Alright. Hand it over."
I held out my hand to Veronica, and she naturally laced her fingers with mine.
"Hehe~."
Beaming like she owned the world, Veronica pointed to one side.
"They sell chicken over there. Let's grab some~"
At least she looks happy.
Winner to the podium, loser to the plate.
Blood Emperor, defeated by Chunsik, ended up as a chicken dinner.
Maybe the angry crowd protesting to the staff?
The eatery was empty, so we got to chow down on "Blood Emperor" meat.
Not really Blood Emperor, though. Probably smuggled out later for another fight.
Man, this is tasty.
Chicken's the best.
While tearing into spicy-sauced chicken, I spotted sauce on Veronica's cheek.
"You got some here."
"Wipe it off."
"You got no hands?"
"This one's holding a drumstick, and the other's in yours."
More like she's holding mine.
Veronica, refusing to let go of the drumstick or my hand even in death, closed her eyes and leaned in.
"Damn."
"Gotta see lovey-dovey crap even here?"
"Ooh~ Honey~ Wipe mine too~"
"Hehe. Should I use my lips?"
"...Fucking hell."
The drunks, back from futile protests and drowning sorrows, plus onlookers, threw shade at me and Veronica.
But I'm not one to buckle or get hurt by this.
I wiped Veronica's lips with my handkerchief. She peeked one eye open and beamed.
"Here too."
Then she smeared more sauce on the other cheek.
She's having a blast.
I wiped it without complaint, and finally, she dabbed some on her lips.
"Ooh~"
"Enough already?"
"Ooo~"
She shook her head no, eyes closed, lips pursed out again. Only after I wiped her lips too did Veronica finally settle down to eat her chicken properly.
"Let's hit somewhere else!"
"Yeah. Sure."
Our festival tour, started at dawn, ended only when the moon hung high.
Holding hands, we left the festival grounds. I asked her,
"Where's your lodging? I'll walk you."
"Lodging? Staying at the palace during the festival."
"...Huh?"
What? Since when's the palace an inn?
As I puzzled, Veronica grinned and explained.
"Princess Lucille suggested it earlier. Said the annex is fine."
"Not my annex, I hope?"
"That's the one."
I shrugged at her questioning look. If Lucille okayed it, no issue.
"But you okay playing hooky like this?"
"I'll be dead after... Tons of work waiting back home..."
I know the cardinal-inquisitor gig ain't leisurely.
She'll be swamped post-festival.
But she just pouted, not mentioning leaving.
"Let's go, then."
We arrived at the annex together, and I learned Veronica's room was next to mine.
Lucille's doing?
"See you tomorrow~."
"Yeah. Sure."
Veronica gazed at me like she had more to say, but that was it.
She smiled brightly, stepped back, and slipped into her room.
Alright. Night free time—perfect to meet Wheelrot.
Time's money, as Veronica said. Can't waste it.
Back in my room, prepping to see Wheelrot, I remembered I hadn't properly told Veronica about Chronos.
Could tell her tomorrow, but it's not that late, not prayer time, and sounds from next door say she's awake.
Better pop in quick.
"Veronica. You up? Let's talk a sec."
No answer.
If she's bathing or out, there'd be a "do not disturb" sign. Nothing.
Something wrong?
Knocked a few more times. Still nothing.
But I definitely hear movement inside.
'No way...'
Palace or not, assassination attempt during Pale Moon event—can't ignore.
Chronos followers?
But would Veronica go down quietly?
If it's silent, maybe some other trick...?
Moonlight in hand, I gripped the doorknob.
"I'm coming in."
***
Was it a satisfying day? Too many regrets for that.
Sitting on the bed, Veronica closed her eyes and replayed the day's events.
When they first held hands, her heart felt like bursting.
Worried sweat would show, or her flushed face, or if her pounding heart was audible.
But Hyunwoo?
Not a twitch.
Treated her the same as always.
Even thinking it was a date, no change from him meant she hadn't scratched his walls at all.
"...Should I really sneak over tonight?"
The red book the nuns passed around surfaced.
The apprentice nun, secretly in love, couldn't hold back and snuck into his room.
And what followed...
Her face burned like fire. Just imagining made her heart race, mouth dry.
"Ahhh..."
She'd approached boldly enough, but Veronica's heart pounded just from Hyunwoo being near.
Sneaking to him at night for that. That...
"H-haah..."
What to do?
Heart racing too much for prayer or sleep.
Knowing he's just beyond the wall left her lost.
That red book the nuns secretly shared kept coming to mind.
*Knock knock.*
A tap at the window.
Veronica glanced over. A black eagle, inquisitor symbol, hovered outside clutching something.
"...What's this?"
Black eagles only for messengers, relics, or holy water.
Puzzled, she took the pouch from its leg and read the letter.
From her direct subordinates, the Order of the 13 Nuns.
Tension spiked.
Not a mission, right?
Trembling, Veronica opened the pouch and pulled out a neatly wrapped package.
What's this?
Curious, she unwrapped it.
Just a book with a red cover.
"...?"
Heresy evidence?
Must check immediately.
Veronica opened the red book.
[Miya closed her eyes. Reverence due to God turned to the 'grand and beautiful' before her. Ahh, this is the symbol of praise, the symbol of awe. So Miya hid her fear and sin in secret, parting her small, plump lips quickly...]
[Some lewd illustration]
[Very lewd illustration]
"Eek?!"
She flung the book away in panic.
What the hell?
Flustered, she peeled off the cover with shaky hands and finally understood.
[Slave Nun Miya ~Joy of Submitting to the Man You Love~ Vol. 17]
[New release, sending it over.]
Oh god. Oh god.
The expanded edition red book only the convent nuns saw.
Sending this via black eagle?
Do they have brains?
Veronica shook her head in disbelief.
Gotta drill some discipline into them soon.
Sighing deeply, she noticed an envelope tucked in the cover.
Black envelope?
Those carry vital mission intel from the church to inquisitors.
Not more smut, right?
Biting her lip, Veronica sighed heavily.
Approaching Hyunwoo mattered, but heresy—especially harmful—couldn't be ignored.
[...Human trafficking traces in kingdom's southwest. Suspected new form of faith undiscovered till now... Inquisitor Roberto and Aceistin investigating...]
Her direct Order of the 13 Nuns subs and two elite holy knights should handle it without her.
But reports must continue—no relaxing.
New faith traces in the southwest?
That area's cleaned; no cults left.
Focused on the letter, Veronica sighed.
"Haa..."
Head's a mess. Hard to prioritize.
Burning the letter, she went to lie down but paused.
The book she'd thrown lay open on the bed, to a blatant illustration page.
"...But 17 volumes already? Vol. 16 was so good."
Veronica swallowed, glanced around, and stealthily opened it.
"O. Ohh..."
A nun long crushing on a man finally unites, gradually submitting body and soul, worshiping him over God—depicted vividly with art.
"Th-this... Gotta confiscate all this...!"
Church overlooks light fiction, but blasphemy has limits. A nun to one man...
'...But I might end up like that.'
Once inside his walls?
Dry-swallowing, Veronica dove in.
New artist? Art more vivid, content richer.
"Ugh... u-ugh... M-must stop... l-looking..."
As if.
It's a masterpiece—hence 17 volumes.
Veronica sank deeper into the story.
*Knock knock.*
She didn't even register the knock or door opening.
Author's Note (Afterword)
See you tomorrow~! Bye~!!