Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Sister Karen's Arrival
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* * *
Igugwoden Imperial Palace, Ares's room.
Tap, tap.
The sound of a chess piece being placed on the board echoed.
The game was clearly in progress—but only one person sat in the chair.
In his empty time, Ares often liked to pass the hours this way, playing chess alone.
At that moment.
Knock, knock. Along with the sound of someone rapping on the door came the maid's voice.
"Your Highness. A guest has arrived."
"You may enter."
The door creaked open, revealing the man who had met with Empress Eirene not long ago—Duke Kal Bayern.
"Greetings, Your Highness."
"It's been a while, Duke Kal Bayern."
Tap, tap.
"Were you in the middle of a chess game?"
"Yes. It'll be over soon."
"Please take your time. If I were better, I could have been Your Highness's opponent..."
"No. I couldn't possibly force a busy duke like you into my personal pastime."
Ares said that, but his true feelings were a bit different.
Playing chess with Duke Kal Bayern was boring. It was a game where victory was already decided.
The most regrettable part was that it wasn't even the duke pandering to him. Beating a weak opponent one-sidedly brought no joy, naturally.
In the first place, the only one who had ever matched him at chess was Yuria from his childhood. But she had stopped after saying, 'An emperor shouldn't waste time on captures.'
Tap, tap.
"It's over. Black wins, as expected."
Ares stood from his seat and immediately fetched the teapot.
"What would you like? I have Darjeeling, Assam, Lapsang Souchong, and Keemun."
"Anything Your Highness prefers is fine. Though for this old man's taste, I'd appreciate some warmed milk."
"The tea leaves I went to such lengths to obtain will weep."
Ares said that with a light smile—
"Just kidding."
—and, just as he had with Linea, prepared the tea with remarkably skillful hands.
Even for a duke, the sight of imperial blood directly brewing tea would seem quite out of place in this era—
But Duke Kal Bayern waited quietly for Ares to prepare it, showing no discomfort, as if it were familiar.
"Here you are."
"Thank you."
With the duke taking a sip from his teacup, the real conversation began.
"What brings you to the capital?"
"The Empress summoned me. I'm sure Your Highness is aware—the proclamation Her Majesty issued recently."
"Ah, yes. There was a dungeon entrance in Kal Bayern territory as well..."
"How have you been, Your Highness? I was about to return to my lands when I heard your seclusion might be lifting, so I've lingered nearby."
Istried de Kal Bayern, Duke.
He was a vassal ruling the Kal Bayern region in the southeast of the continent, a representative figure of the pro-Ares faction.
Among those who empathized with Ares's 'cause' and swore to join him in the potential great endeavor, he was the biggest player.
In a pinch, his ducal background and the fertile lands of Kal Bayern would surely provide great strength.
"I wrote a book. Here."
Ares handed him a bundle of manuscript pages.
The duke received it familiarly, skimmed through it quickly to grasp the contents, and easily read Ares's intentions.
"You wrote this for the people to read."
"Yes. I was pretty confident in it. It's my own work, crafted while taking lectures from a famous novelist on 'stories people love'... though it's become a problem now."
Ares's goal wasn't to be a great novelist.
His aim was simply to let as many people as possible read the 'truth' contained in this novel.
But at this point, reading such claims would only breed questions about why he was saying this, not enlightenment.
After all—most of the people lately had been extremely happy and content with their lives.
"Your Highness. A few days ago, I had an audience with Her Majesty the Empress."
"How was she?"
"Meeting her in person, I felt it vividly. She's become a completely different person. Not a hint of falsehood in her gentle, benevolent speech, and the various policies announced during lunch were all reasonable overall while fully maintaining the direction of easing our subjects' burdens. I was honestly surprised."
"A decision unlike my mother, in a good way."
"I'd heard rumors that she changed after meeting the Saintess and converting to the Igugwoden Church... but I never imagined this much. If she maintains the current direction and the demon exchange policies start yielding real results, Her Majesty will go down in imperial history as a sage ruler."
Duke Kal Bayern said that much, then—
shedding his slightly relaxed demeanor entirely, spoke in a deeply serious tone.
"My lord. At least in the current situation, our actions could do far more harm to the people's lives."
"......"
"In the end, isn't everything for giving the people better lives?"
At the duke's words, Ares silently gazed at his teacup before—
"Have you met the Saintess by any chance?"
"No. I was invited, but I didn't meet her. Something about how people who do meet her seem completely different afterward made me wary."
In truth, seeing Her Majesty and Count Ernest bonding over talks of the gods was a bit disconcerting, he added with a cough.
Ares said nothing, slowly slipping a spoon into his teacup and stirring.
Swirl, swirl. A tiny vortex filled the cup.
"Mother, the Fire Magic Tower Master, and everyone else... they all became like that after meeting the Saintess, right? So from now on, we should see the Saintess as the de facto leader."
"......Good thing it's just us here—never say that outside."
"No. I'd say it to her face. The Saintess is God Igugwoden's proxy. It means my current mother wouldn't take offense."
"Your Highness......"
"Anyway, just know our target has shifted from Her Majesty to the Saintess. So far, it's just preaching 'God's merciful will,' but who knows how it'll change with time?"
Even the Saintess is human, after all—she could easily change her tune.
"A system relying on one human means there's no guarantee bloodshed can be avoided."
"......Many, including the people, could get caught up."
"You're not getting cold feet now, are you?"
To the speechless duke, Ares spoke in a cold tone.
"Even if there are unjust sacrifices, if it's the path for all... I think it's unavoidable. If I feared that, I never would have started."
Stunned by Ares's unexpectedly hardline stance, Duke Kal Bayern seemed about to say something—
But first, the maid's voice came from beyond the door.
"Your Highness. Her Majesty the Empress summons you."
'......Mother?'
As Ares blinked in slight surprise at the sudden call, Duke Kal Bayern slowly rose.
"It seems that's all for today. Thank you for the tea."
"No, thank you for visiting. When will we meet next?"
"Who knows...... But ideally, we could share tea like today and play a proper game of chess without worries. Days when we can have such simple talks are better than any grand cause discussions."
"......"
After seeing Duke Kal Bayern off, Ares straightened his robes lightly and left the room.
* * *
Upon arriving at the audience chamber, First Princess Yuria was already there, kneeling before Eirene.
Ares took an appropriate seat and bowed his head in courtesy.
"I come before Her Majesty the Empress."
"You're here, Ares. Feel free to call me Mother."
"......"
As expected.
The warm-smiling, benevolent woman before him, Eirene, was completely different from the mother he knew.
"Yes. I called you both here for a personal request."
"What is it, Mother?"
At Yuria's question, Eirene demurely clasped her hands and bowed her head.
"You know it too. All things in this world are made of Sole God Igugwoden's 'Plain Facts.'"
"That's obvious. I feel God's Plain Facts anew every day."
"With the state religion now the Igugwoden Church, our imperial family must study it. The church made a fine proposal. Aside from Linea, who learned God's will naturally through her Dish of Holy Knights duties, I called you for that reason."
"So, we'll learn God's will properly?"
"......The church made the proposal?"
While Yuria's eyes sparkled with affirmation, Ares posed his question with a nuance of incomprehension.
"Yes. Is there a problem?"
"From what I know, the Igugwoden Church never forces their faith. The scriptures clearly say... something about rewards being needed for invitations—"
"You're referring to Holy Scripture 'Great Igugwoden Chronicle' Chapter 5 Verse 2: 'A Dish of Facts: Forcing religion on non-believers just annoys and bothers them. If you want to entice, give a fitting reward.'"
Ares faltered for the first time, his tone disrupted by Eirene's razor-sharp response.
......Mother memorized it. The scriptures.
"......Yes."
"Hehe...... Ares, seeing clever you quote scripture...... This mother is overjoyed just by that. Especially Great Igugwoden Chronicle Chapter 5 Verse 2—it's especially special to me."
Eirene calmly placed her praying hands over her chest.
And then, with the expression of a girl in love—
"Since God Himself gave those loving words directly to me...... Hehehe......"
"Impressive as always, Ares. I haven't even properly read the Great Igugwoden Chronicle yet."
"......"
Seeing Yuria and Eirene's attitudes, Ares finally understood a bit why Linea feared the Saintess so much—
And what the incongruity Duke Kal Bayern felt was.
"Anyway, our imperial family studying religion is God's will. The reward is simple: God bestowing love on our Ainsberg imperial line itself."
"What clearer proof of God's love than the Saintess saying it herself?"
He held back from saying interpretations of doctrine ultimately rest with the Saintess.
"Soon, a nun dispatched from the church will visit you. Please spend time learning God's Plain Facts from her."
"Of course, Mother. As heirs worthy of the name, for the honor of the Ainsberg line receiving God's love, I swear to study diligently."
"......Understood."
He didn't know her true feelings, but sending just one nun seemed fine.
'Just deal with her appropriately.'
If he could learn what religious folk think in the process, that'd be a gain too.
"Yes. Thank you both for accepting. To repay God's love for our imperial family, forget your status during her visit and devote yourselves fully to scripture study."
""Yes!""
* * *
The talk ended well, and they had a meal at Eirene's suggestion since they were gathered—
But listening to Yuria and Eirene passionately discuss religion at the table wasn't exactly pleasant.
'Feels kinda draining.'
Back in his room, maybe wash up quick, play some cards, and sleep...... As he cautiously opened the door—
'......Huh?'
"Ah, you're here!"
A stranger stood before him.
Long brown hair, snow-white skin—a young woman.
Her subtly deep night-brown eyes, darker than her hair, had a strangely alluring charm.
But what most captured the gaze wasn't her lively, cute looks—it was her outfit.
A lewd ensemble fully exposing her ample sideboob and plump thighs—Ares had seen it before.
The distinctive attire of Igugwoden Church nuns. So striking, once seen, impossible to forget.
"Hello, Prince Ares! Thrilled to meet you! Let's get along from now on!"
"......Who are you?"
"Oh my, how absent-minded. I haven't introduced myself! Hehe."
She beamed brightly, casually approaching Ares—
'......!'
And grabbed his pale hand firmly.
Ares's face flushed bright red in an instant.
"Oh my. Your Highness, such delicate hands! I figured they'd be pretty since you are."
"Wh-what is this......!"
"Hm? Oh, this! A handshake! Handshake!"
She grinned wide, unilaterally shaking his hand up and down.
An utterly self-willed young lady in every way...... Yet for some reason, Ares struggled even to respond properly.
To the blushing, flustered Ares, she spoke with a radiant, sun-like smile.
And—
* * *
[ Igugwoden: (Sponsorship / 3,000 won / Jake) ]
[ Igugwoden: This batch of Plain Facts is time-limited ]
[ Igugwoden: Starting with deploying a girl with a pretty smile ]
[ Igugwoden: Gonna soul-snatch 'em till they can't not believe in God ]
* * *
—her smile was so pretty.
Amusingly, that was Ares's first impression upon seeing her.
"Nice to meet you, Prince Ares! I'm Karen! A nun studying God's will! At the Saintess's command, I'm here to teach you Lord Igugwoden's Plain Facts!"