Chapter 153 From the Central Church
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Yesterday had been chaos—Rilina, Nanari, and Luruna had all decided to “join their comrades” in some sort of sudden strike, and for a while the manor felt like it might actually fall apart. But once I gave in to their demands, they just went right back to work like nothing had happened. Just like that. As if they hadn’t nearly mutinied. Tch. Traitors, the lot of them. ( #｀皿´)ペッ
Still… as much as it felt like they’d stabbed me in the back, I had to shake it off. No time to sulk. Today was already complicated enough. A woman named Elie had come all the way from Donremi, the holy capital of the Nelrearia, Saint Kingdom up north—a human nation that worshiped the goddess Aria—asking for an audience with me, the lord of this land. Nelrearia of Saint followed the Aria Faith, the state religion of the Elven country Lukurusa Theocracy over on the Demi-human Continent, and that faith stood alongside the Viness Church of the Central Continent as one of the two great religions.
Even here in free Yugan, it had spread long ago—ever since the Empire of Yugan lost the second anti-demi-human war, the Lukurusa Campaign, and got Aria-worship shoved down their throats.
Which meant… if I turned her away and the Pope of Lukurusa excommunicated me, it would be more than just awkward. It’d be political suicide.
”I must apologize for coming without warning like this, Count Keldan,” she said, bowing her head just enough to seem humble while still looking perfectly composed.
Apparently, Keldan didn’t have a parish under the Central Church’s direct control yet, which meant no flow of donations—or taxes disguised as “offerings.” She’d been sent to “ask” for permission to build a church here. How… diligent of her.
”No, no, please don’t worry yourself, priest. You must be tired after such a long journey… Nanari, could you bring the priest a Kvass?”
Nanari, who had been waiting quietly by the wall ever since Rilina had handed off the guest, gave a small nod and glided over to the ammonia-cooled icebox.
The chilled bottle clinked softly as she brought it back and poured the sparkling brown drink into a snow-white porcelain cup with delicate painted flowers.
When Elie the priest saw the frosty condensation on the glass and the detailed hand-painted blooms, she froze for a moment—staring in astonishment at both the cold and the craftsmanship, things unheard of in this world. Then her lips curved into a warm smile as she praised them, and I thought, just for a second, maybe we could actually get along. My heart eased a little. Yeah, I could breathe.
But that feeling lasted all of three seconds.
She smiled sweetly and said, “I’ve come to humbly ask your permission to begin activities here in Keldan… and, if I may… I must ask for a donation to build our church. Serving the gods is the duty of all nobles of high birth!”
…Right. Of course. I knew it was coming, and yet—ugh. There went my hope. With a silent groan, I trudged over to the dial-lock safe, slid the key in, spun the wheel, and pulled out a heavy bag of gold coins. I handed it to her with the kind of numb resignation usually reserved for funerals.
She blinked. “Is it truly all right to give this much?”
”Yeah, yeah…” I muttered, trying not to cry inside.
Her eyes shone as she lifted the bag with surprising strength, then downed the rest of her Kvass in one elegant gulp. “Then, thank you, Count Keldan. With this, we can build a splendid church,” she said with a bright, victorious smile before sweeping out of the room.
…And as the door clicked shut behind her, somewhere deep in the quiet of the room, Ayumu’s voice screamed in my head: (With this, we can build a splendid church?! No kidding you can!!!)
But of course, no one ever heard it but me.
Notes:
• Viness – Goddess in the Holy Kingdom of Alyurein.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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