After all, the Hunt Knights were infamous for supposedly gouging out the eyes of anyone who made eye contact with them.

But up close, the knights were different from the rumors.

They didn’t look down on him for being a low-ranking priest, nor did they treat him carelessly like other nobles.

The knights moved all the luggage they brought themselves and didn’t let Rapha lift a finger in preparing the banquet.

Their attitude towards Charlie, who was a Zero despite being a saintess, was the same.

[Priest, you look like you’re having trouble walking. Shall I carry you up the stairs?]

Though startled by their casual friendliness.

“This is nothing. We’ll be seeing each other often from now on.”

Percy patted Rapha’s shoulder lightly.

Despite the gentle gesture, Rapha’s body swayed like a paper doll.

“Priest, you need to eat more heartily. How can you protect anyone when you’re this frail?”

Gerard clicked his tongue and pushed a steak towards him.

It was clear that with only the Pope and one priest in this vast temple, Rapha would surely be the one to serve as hands and feet while Charlie stayed.

“But he has a good frame.”

With a bit of nurturing, he could develop some toughness. Of course, he won’t be here until then.

Derek muttered as if talking to himself.

“……”

But I’m not someone who protects others.

Rapha thought as he chewed on the juicy steak.

* * *

Inside Hector’s office at the grand ducal residence.

Tanner’s expression darkened as he heard Leon’s report.

Whatever Charlie’s holy power might be, it was no longer important.

In the end, the choice was Charlie’s, which was probably why Hector couldn’t hold her back.

Anyway, the top priority was for Charlie to safely complete the saintess ceremony.

For that, Michael’s role was crucial.

But……

“This Pope Michael, he doesn’t even greet properly. The hierarchy is in complete disarray.”

Leon shook his head disapprovingly as he spoke.

It was disrespectful to call the Pope by name.

More precisely, it was correct to address him as ‘His Holiness’.

But when the Hunt Knights arrived at the Grand Temple and requested an audience,

The priests had casually used Michael’s name.

And that’s not all.

“The stairs were left broken and neglected, dust was everywhere, making it look like an abandoned castle. Even the tableware seemed unused for a long time. There was only one novice priest assigned to the Pope.”

“One person?!”

Tanner asked in disbelief at Leon’s words.

Originally, the Pope had over a dozen aides besides the cardinals, and dozens of people serving him.

Moreover, the Espenon Temple boasted the largest scale among the Grand Temples.

But just one person? This was unthinkable.

“I couldn’t believe it either, so I searched thoroughly, but I didn’t see even an ant.”

“That can’t be.”

“I’m certain. At the first banquet, forget cardinals, not even a proper meal was served. Derek even handed meat to the priest out of pity.”

Just as Luke hated the Wilkins family, Derek despised the temple.

For Derek to show such kindness, the situation must have been truly pitiful.

Leon wouldn’t have taken the Pope’s side in the first place.

“I expected the new Pope to be weak, but to this extent… Was standing up to the Emperor mere recklessness……”

Tanner muttered quietly.

However, they couldn’t fully support Michael either.

The temple’s adversarial relationship with the Hunt family was secondary.

With all the public attention focused on them now, any careless move could backfire on Charlie.

Deep wrinkles etched Tanner’s brow as he sank into worry.

Leon, glancing at the silent Hector, added,

“Oh, and Miss Charlie asked for His Grace.”

For a moment, Hector’s eyebrows twitched.

Tanner, who noticed this with uncanny perception, responded,

“Miss Charlie asked for His Grace?”

“Yes, when I told her he didn’t come along, she looked quite disappointed.”

“Oh my, she must be feeling very lonely, having to go to the temple alone……”

“But she was so happy to receive the magic stone. Ah! The mana stone was also hanging well around her neck.”

“……”

Glance, glance.

Tanner and Leon side-eyed Hector.

“It doesn’t seem like she went to the temple because she disliked the Grand Duke’s residence……”

“How could that be? If so, she wouldn’t have welcomed me so warmly or asked for His Grace.”

Leon quickly agreed with Tanner’s words.

“How did she seem with the Pope?”

“She didn’t seem particularly impressed. In fact, when he suggested going for evening prayers, she looked disgusted.”

“Disgusted?”

“Yes, I’ve never seen Miss Charlie’s expression sour that much before.”

In truth, he had seen her expression sour many times because of Hector, but this wasn’t exactly a lie.

“I see.”

Tanner nodded in agreement.

Charlie lacks faith. Perhaps even less than Hector.

She had never attended a service, let alone offered the three daily prayers.

Moreover, as far as he knew, the temple was a place very incompatible with Charlie’s lifestyle.

Tanner could guess that the only reason Charlie went there was because of Hector.

Hector was also aware of this.

“Perhaps Your Grace should go and see……”

Leon trailed off.

Hector remained silent, giving no response.

* * *

As Tanner had predicted, the Espenon Temple lacked everything necessary for Charlie’s stay.

The temperature was especially problematic.

Although the Hunt Knights had lit the fireplace, it wasn’t enough to block the cold rising from all directions.

If it weren’t for the thick blanket Leon had brought and the magic stone imbued with Hector’s magic power, Charlie would have shivered all night from the cold.

Moreover, the darkness settling in the unfamiliar room and the chilly moonlight seeping in reminded Charlie so much of Hector that she couldn’t fall asleep at all.

After tossing and turning, Charlie finally closed her eyes just as dawn was breaking.

“Sister.”

“……”

Thump, thump, thump.

The temple’s door, which was as large as the Grand Duchess’s bedroom, made a dull sound, vibrating the morning air.

“Sister, it’s morning.”

“……”

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

Charlie, lying in bed, buried her face in the pillow, pretending not to hear.

But Michael’s voice trying to wake Charlie didn’t stop.

“We must go for morning prayers. Please wake up, sister.”

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump.

“……”

The citizens of the Graham Empire offered prayers to God Areis three times a day at set times.

Originally, they had to offer eight prayers every two hours starting from six in the morning, but an unprecedented reform had reduced it to three times a day except for priests.

In other words, Michael, as the Pope, offered prayers eight times a day, strictly following the rules.

“Oh, for f*ck’s sake…!”

When had she ever asked to be made a saintess?

Besides, isn’t a saintess clearly different from a devout believer?

Her feet, filled with discontent, thumped on the white bed.

“Sister, please wake up.”

Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump-

“This Pope, really!”

Finally, unable to bear the sound drilling into her eardrums, Charlie got up.

Pitter-patter- her short legs crossed the Pope’s bedroom.

Even then, Michael’s calls to wake the sister continued.

“What is it!”

Tanner’s prediction that Charlie’s lifestyle would be very incompatible with the temple proved accurate.

Bang- An irritated face popped out of the suddenly opened door.

“……!”

Startled, Michael hurriedly turned his head away.

It was because of Charlie’s nightwear.

But Charlie, full of anger, didn’t notice such things.

“Um……”

“What, what is it!”

Charlie is weak to sleep. Morning sleep, especially, was her kryptonite.

Even Hector was careful and took time when waking her, so how much worse could it be?

“Well, I wasn’t going to say this to the Pope, but I said I’d come to the temple, not that I’d become a devout believer, right?”

“……”

Michael’s gaze circled the floor.

His lips, not knowing what to say, just mumbled.

However, Charlie, who didn’t know him at all, fired words like a machine gun.

“And I didn’t say I’d become a saintess either, did I?!”

“……”

“So why are you waking people up like this!”

“To pray to God……”

“We can do that later, can’t we? Later!”

Charlie gritted her teeth.

“What, do saintesses have no human rights? Should we not sleep and pray from the crack of dawn?!”

Michael’s shoulders slumped.

“It’s not dawn now, but morning……”

“I just fell asleep! So for me, this is dawn!”

“……”

She was truly a woman of the Hunt family. To corner Michael, who was second to none in nagging and quick-wittedness.

Rapha, watching the two from a distance, couldn’t help but admire.

How much time had passed?

“……”

“……”

Charlie, now fully awake from talking, belatedly checked Michael’s expression.

Michael stood like a mute who had eaten honey, his head bowed deeply.

Did I go too far?

Feeling awkward for no reason, Charlie mumbled,

“No, I didn’t mean that… It’s just that you’re waking someone up so early in the morning……”

“Clothes……”

Michael muttered softly.

“Huh?”

“Your clothes……”

“Clothes?!”

“……”

Suddenly talking about clothes.

Charlie finally looked down at her appearance.

What’s wrong with her nightwear?

* * *

Inside the Grand Temple’s conference room.

The cardinals were seated around a round table.

“What should we do about this?”

Kaisis told them to prevent Charlie from going to Hector, but there was no other way.

Michael’s actions were correct, the saintess was indeed under the temple’s jurisdiction, and she certainly wasn’t the Emperor’s property.

“How about trying to persuade the saintess by discussing the position of Empress?”

A cardinal who had been gauging Bael’s mood carefully opened his mouth.

Other cardinals who thought this was right chimed in.

“The position of Empress is better than that of a Grand Duchess.”

“Of course, there’s no comparison.”

If we were to trace the cause of this mess, wouldn’t it be due to the omission in the report from the old priest of Daymond village?

They could say Michael’s actions had nothing to do with them, but it would be difficult to avoid responsibility.