The Sage that the Sword Saint is Obsessed With

46 – 12. The Princess Can’t Sleep (3)

1.

An awkward silence lingered between the two.

It felt like they were seen by the last person they wanted to be seen by.

They became like a figure asking Evan to hold her while holding the blanket in between.

It was a mistake on her part for not realizing that someone was approaching while she was lost in thought.

“I came because I thought of something to ask for…”

Imitating the voice of Leuen, who mixed aegyo, Evan was taken aback.

It was amusing to see someone who usually stays far from aegyo suddenly behaving in a cute manner.

“Shall we talk about it next time?”

Evan turned on his heel.

“Oh, wait… Ugh!!”

In a rush to call Evan, Leuen accidentally bit his tongue.

“Now… tell me now.”

Embarrassment is embarrassment, and if it can help Evan, it’s always welcome.

“Yeah, so first, lower those arms.”

“What?”

Leuen tilted his head playfully.

“Oops…!”

Leuen still had his arms spread as if asking Evan to hug him.

Leuen quickly turned his arms behind.

“So, what do you want to ask?”

As the heat lingered, Leuen’s face remained a deep shade of red.

He never thought he’d be such a shy person, having been ignorant of embarrassment in the past.

Of course, anyone would have a similar reaction in a situation like this.

“I asked you to contact the temple near the priest. Help me so that the message can be delivered as quickly as possible.”

As Leuen contemplated the word ‘temple,’ various thoughts crossed his mind.

“…What’s going on?”

People who aren’t followers of the celestial gods usually visit the temple when they need the power of holiness. There are diseases that can only be cured with sacred power.

“Did something happen, by any chance?”

Most of the time, when someone who isn’t a believer visits the temple, it’s because they need the power of holiness to treat a disease.

“Maybe… last time when I was curing my curse, it bounced off and hit Evan…!”

It’s been a month, but curses can quietly lurk and suddenly manifest one day.

If Evan has been cursed because of him, he won’t be able to lift his head and walk with confidence.

“It’s not like that.”

Seeing Leuen getting serious again, Evan spoke.

“Do you remember the bead we found in the dungeon last time?”

“The one under the bed…?”

“That’s right. It seems like there’s a soul sealed inside this bead.”

Evan took out a gray bead from the robe pocket and showed it.

“To analyze it in detail, we need a senior clergyman. That’s why I asked the temple to send a clergyman to help. Do you understand?”

Lwen nodded her head.

“So…we need a senior clergyman?”

“Ultimately, yes.”

This is an opportunity.

Finally, he can give proper assistance to Evan.

Indeed, this is making friends as the Goblin can. By keeping a distance as described in the book, such opportunities arise.

“Well… I know someone who is a holy knight… Should I contact him?”

During the three years on the frontlines, he met many people.

The commander of the Imperial Knight Order.

The leader of the mercenaries’ corps.

The head of the Adventurer’s Guild.

And even the holy knights of the Holy Kingdom.

Although they didn’t form close friendships, they still helped each other, so contacting them for assistance would be of some help, even if small.

“A holy knight in the Holy Kingdom…”

“It will take a long time if it’s in the Holy Kingdom, right?”

“If we contact through the temple, we can get in touch immediately.”

If the nearest temple is Starflia Diocese, it also has a bishop who manages the diocese. However, if they directly contact the Holy Kingdom, they can receive assistance from a priest who specializes in matters related to souls.

“Really? Then please do me a favor.”

Lwen’s face brightened at once.

“Yes…!”

2.

A priest jumped into the personally decorated private training ground, which was like a garden.

“Monsignor Leonard!”

Leonard, a holy knight who was practicing with his sword, lowered his sword and turned his head to see where the voice was coming from. A priest dressed in a white robe was running towards him as if he had urgent business.

“Is Lady Saint looking for me again?”

Leonard, who is both a holy knight of the Holy Kingdom and a guardian knight of the Saint, wiped his sweat with a towel and prepared to go to the Saint immediately.

If it’s the mischievous Saint, she must be looking for him for some trivial matter.

For example, she might ask him to bring her dessert that ran out in the carriage, or she might just want to chat because she’s bored.

Is it enough to call someone a holy knight just for that? But as the escort knight of the holy maiden, Leona had no right to refuse.

“No. It’s not that. A letter has arrived for you, Leona.”

“A letter? Why is it so urgent?”

“It’s from the Southern Front of the Empire. The Star Knights.”

Leona’s eyes flashed.

“The Star Knights?”

“Yes, they highly praised you to the point of being tired, saying there is an outstanding inspector there. And it seems the commander of the knights sent it.”

Leona eagerly took the letter from the priest as if snatching it away.

“She sent a letter.”

A year ago, he had been sent to the Southern Front on a mission from the Holy Empire. At that time, he had encountered the Star Knights and had witnessed Ruen’s swordsmanship. He vividly remembered her solo charge into enemy territory, tearing through enemies like a beast.

As someone who used the same weapon, he had tried to establish a connection, but how coldly she had rebuffed him. Occasionally, he would send letters to the knight order, but he had never received a reply. More precisely, he had not received one from Ruen.

He only received formal replies from the deputy commander, a knight named Karen.

“Oh… I see.”

Starting with the words of greeting after a long time, the letter expressed a desire to borrow the power of the Holy Empire. It mentioned the bead imbued with a soul found in the underground dungeon.

After reading the letter to the end, Leona neatly folded it and put it in his pocket.

“It’s not a difficult request.”

Since he had been in debt to Ruen several times during his time on the Southern Front, he gladly accepted the request to dispatch a cleric of the Holy Empire. He couldn’t fully repay his gratitude to her in this way.

After all, it was Ruen who had saved him and the holy knights from the danger of falling into a trap.

One could say she was a benefactor of life.

“Is Tertiaryt still in the Teriatean Empire?”

“Yes, if it’s Archbishop Tertiaryt, I heard he finished his work a few days ago and returned.”

“Is he not busy?”

“I heard he’s taking some rest.”

“So, he’s not busy.”

Leona went to meet Archbishop Tertiaryt, the Archbishop of Rest.

The Grand Temple of the Holy Empire is comprised of three buildings: Pater, Mater, and Caelum.

Simply put, Pater is where the five Archbishops reside, Mater is where the Holy Maidens stay, and Caelum is the place with the Sky Altar where one can pray to the Pope and Celestials.

Where Leonaerd is now is Mater, and he crossed the central garden shaped like a cross to get to Pater.

-Knock, knock.

He entered the room of tranquility located beneath Pater.

A man reading a book next to a massive candlestick with dozens of candles appeared.

“Teriat, do you have a moment?”

Teriat, the Archbishop of tranquility, adjusted his drooping glasses.

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“What’s the sudden matter, Leonaerd?”

Teriat flashed a kind smile.

The two have maintained a long-standing friendship since their days in the same orphanage.

“I came because there’s something I’d like to ask.”

“Ask?”

“Do you know about the Star Knights on the Imperial Southern Front?”

In response to that question, Teriat sighed, “Ah,” and exhaled.

“Are you here to talk about that again? The story of a knight named Luen rescuing them from the brink of annihilation in a trap set by the Demon King’s army. I feel like I’ve heard that story over a hundred times. Or did that knight come to tell tales of their exploits on the battlefield? I’ve heard that more than fifty times.”

Already, there’s a weary response.

“Did I talk about it that much?”

“I’ve only counted the times I’ve heard. Add the ones I haven’t, and it’s probably more.”

Seems like, with all the talking he does to various people, he’s lost track of how many times he’s told the story.

“Unfortunately, today isn’t about that story.”

“Then?”

“They contacted me because the Star Knights need help. They claim to have found a soul-infused bead, and they need a cleric to analyze it.”

Just hearing this much, you can guess what he’s asking for.

“So, you want me to go and check it out?”

“Probably, since it’s related to souls, and you’re the expert.”

“I’m a priest who prays for the repose of the dead, not a necromancer who calls forth the souls of the deceased.”

“But you can still confirm, right?”

“I can confirm.”

“Then, I’ll ask for your favor. I owe a debt to the Star Knights, and I really want to be of help.”

Teriat sighed once again. It’s only been a few days since he returned from a mission, and he’s already being asked to go on another one.

“Checking souls is something I, as an intermediate clergyman, can do, not someone like me. I’ll send another clergyman.”

“Still, is it too much for the High Priest to go himself?”

“It’s not too much, but it’s not something requiring the High Priest’s personal presence. There’s no need for me to exhaust myself unnecessarily. I’m not exactly idle either.”

“Understood. Then, I’ll ask for the favor.”

Leonard expressed his gratitude to his friend.

“But where did you find that bead?”

“They say it was found in the lowest level of a newly discovered underground dungeon in the demon realm. It was under a witch’s bed.”

“A witch?”

Terryat furrowed his brow lost in thought.

“Why’s that?”

“…I think it’s better if I go myself.”

“Suddenly?”

“In the demon realm, in the deepest part of a dungeon. It might not be an ordinary bead housing a dormant soul. Just to be safe, it’s better if I go.”

“Thanks for doing that for me. I’ll surely make it up to you for this task next time.”

Leonard left, leaving Terryat alone.

He leaned on the armrest of his chair, resting his chin on his hand.

Dozens of flickering candles were reflected in his round pupils.