FIVE.

“Charlie.”

Charlie and Emma were at the market on their day off.

They planned to come out because there were things they needed to buy. The day off had been requested a week in advance.

It just so happened that it seemed like they were avoiding Hector.

“Charlie?”

Emma gently shook Charlie’s shoulder, who was lost in thought.

Only then did Charlie’s eyes regain focus and look at Emma.

“Huh?!”

“That’s men’s underwear…….”

“Oh my gosh.”

Charlie threw the underwear she was holding without realizing it.

She felt the clerk’s sharp gaze but didn’t have the energy to worry about it.

[If you avoid my gaze, the purification doesn’t work.]

The purification doesn’t work?

It was like a bolt from the blue.

That meant she would have to make eye contact with Hector and voyeuristically watch him during s*x from now on?

Hector wasn’t someone who would lie about such things. Besides, he seemed genuinely flustered himself.

“Haa…….”

Charlie let out a despairing sigh that seemed to sink to the ground.

Meanwhile, Emma neatly folded the underwear Charlie had thrown and put it back in its place.

“If you’re not going to buy it, don’t touch it carelessly.”

The clerk’s curt words made Charlie frown.

“I’m buying it.”

Zeros were usually treated poorly wherever they went. Especially in the capital, where nobles were abundant, discrimination was severe.

Even if she paid, getting turned away at the door was common.

However, today, neither Charlie nor Emma had faced such treatment even once.

Thanks to carrying Hector’s mana stone, Charlie exuded magical power.

Not only that, but Charlie also possessed holy power, and her pheromones were pure.

As a result, people didn’t dare to treat them carelessly.

More accurately, they couldn’t guess Charlie’s status due to her commoner’s attire and the powerful magical aura, so they were cautious.

Of course, Charlie, being a transmigrator, didn’t realize this.

On the other hand, Emma was bewildered by the change in their treatment.

“They say there’s no such thing as a free lunch…….”

Charlie mumbled to herself.

Ten million a month was no small amount. Her life had become significantly more affluent.

Just like now.

“Give me everything from here to here.”

“What?!”

The clerk, who had been grumbling, instantly put on a business smile.

A moment later.

Tinkle–

Charlie and Emma, having finished their purchase, left the store.

“Take care. Please come again~”

The clerk followed them to the door to see them off.

“Didn’t you buy too much?”

Emma looked at the bundle of underwear in Charlie’s hand and asked.

Living in an R-rated romance novel world wasn’t easy for Charlie. One of the inconveniences was finding normal underwear.

When she first woke up in this world, she didn’t realize it because all the underwear she saw was normal.

In this world, common underwear referred to strings and mesh pieces. The underwear Charlie knew was considered a strange f*tish.

“No, this is just right.”

It wasn’t much, considering she couldn’t buy it elsewhere.

Charlie carefully adjusted her grip on the bundle of functional underwear.

“Sorry for wasting so much time because of me.”

They had come all the way to the outskirts, far from the market, searching for underwear.

“No, I’m really enjoying this outing.”

Even though she could have shown some reluctance, Emma smiled kindly.

“Since I feel bad, I’ll treat you to a full course meal today. Eat whatever you want.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, really. I got a bonus for serving His Grace, so I have a lot of money.”

Yes, she did have a lot of money.

She came to earn money, and she earned it, so that was good.

Honestly, ten million was not a trivial amount, so making eye contact wasn’t a big deal.

Charlie resolved herself and nodded.

“But it’s still money you earned through hard work…….”

“Oh, come on, I didn’t work hard. It’s just s*x……. Anyway. Right! Since you’re my lifesaver, let me buy you an outfit too, not just macarons.”

“What? No, really, it’s fine.”

Emma was startled and waved her hands in refusal. Charlie looked at Emma with pity.

Emma said she sent all but ten trangs of her salary back home.

To be exact, it would be more accurate to call it extortion. Her family managed the account where her salary was deposited.

Even without her guiding, the Hunt family’s salary was by no means small.

Yet only ten trang.

Despite this, Emma didn’t seem to resent her parents. She even asked to stop by the temple to pray for her family.

“You earn like a noble and spend like a dog.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s just a saying. Shall we head to the temple first?”

Charlie pulled Emma along.

* * *

“Your Holiness.”

The light purple hair with a blue tint came to a sudden halt.

The overflowing holy power seemed to make the surrounding scenery even more radiant.

“I told you not to call me that.”

The man glanced at the priest who was following him closely.

“But…….”

“God’s grace is equal to everyone. I’ve taught you that many times.”

The man put on a rather solemn expression. But his clear gray eyes were simply beautiful.

The priest sighed softly.

“Yes, yes. Equal indeed. But it’s not right to hide your status and come out like this.”

“Hiding, you say.”

“This is exactly what hiding is, Your Holiness Michael.”

“I am here to spread the grace after receiving the call to go to the lowly places.”

“Do you think I don’t know you came out because you were bored in the main temple? If the cardinals find out, there will be an uproar.”

The Pope’s prayer was very special. Even the Emperor couldn’t receive it whenever he wanted.

But here he was, coming down to a regular temple to listen to confessions. If this were discovered, it would cause a major incident.

“Those old men have never been quiet.”

Despite the priest’s worried gaze, Michael leisurely headed to the prayer room.

His white priest robe and long hair fluttered lightly.

How much time had passed?

Eventually, the door to the prayer room opened, and a shadow entered.

The prayer room was divided into two sections.

One was for the priest, and one was for the believer.

A small window was set in the wall that divided them, with blinds ensuring they couldn’t see each other.

But that didn’t mean the air couldn’t pass through. Soon, a purity washed over Michael.

‘Is this God’s grace?’

Michael couldn’t help but smile brightly.

“Um……. Are you there?”

“I am here, Sister.”

A faint silhouette took a cautious seat beyond the small window.

The way she hesitated made it clear it was her first time.

“Do all prayers really get answered?”

“If you pray with a sincere heart, the merciful god Areis will surely hear you.”

Michael wore a benevolent smile and clasped his hands together.

“Sincere……. And you’ll definitely keep it secret?”

“All confessions made here reach only God.”

“But you could still blab about it, right?”

“…….”

For a moment, Michael fell silent with a serious expression.

The corruption of the temple, tainted by greed, was directly linked to faith. Even prayers reaching God were met with such distrust.

This was likely why God’s voice was growing fainter.

Perhaps this was why He commanded to go to the lowly places. If so, I will surely deliver this lamb’s confession to God.

Michael made a solemn vow to himself.

Strong holy power enveloped the prayer room, but Charlie didn’t feel it at all.

“I made a solemn vow before God, so there’s no need to worry. Sister.”

“What happens if you break that vow? Do you die?!”

Such a suspicious sister.

A chuckle escaped Michael’s lips.

“You receive a punishment worse than death from God.”

“A curse, or something like that?”

“Something like that.”

Michael, having steeled his sacred heart, prepared to reach God.

“Shall we begin the confession?”

A deep sigh was heard. Michael, equally tense, steadied his breath.

“Well……. That kid can’t cum. Damn it…….”

“……?”

For a moment, Michael’s eyes widened.

He wondered if he had misheard the last word.

“He…… he has a great, big d*ck, so why can’t he cum?”

Cough- Cough-

Michael, taken aback, coughed in surprise.

But the sister’s confession didn’t stop.

It was more like she was venting her frustration, like shouting ‘The king’s ears are donkey ears,’ rather than caring if it reached God.

“This is driving me crazy lately. And eye contact? Where did that crazy idea come from, seriously.”

“…….”

“You’re quite something. No, is it only X that’s amazing? Other things are terribly amazing too. Anyway, since that X can’t function as X and its temper is also like X. I’m really going crazy…….”

Was it just his imagination, or was the prayer room getting warmer?

Michael’s face turned pale from the rapid-fire confession.

Meanwhile, Hector, who was sitting in his study handling official duties, felt a chill run down his spine.

Hector stared at the empty sofa.

The large purple sofa, now without its owner, made the study feel even more out of place.

The air also felt eerily cold.

It was just one person missing, yet the sense of emptiness lingered.

It wasn’t the first time Charlie had taken a day off.

“Where is Charlie?”

“She hasn’t returned yet.”

Is she not coming back because of me? Hector frowned at Tanner’s words.