Chapter 29 - Archbishop

Andymion and Sir Ivan, who immediately greeted me, made me grateful and relieved.

They were the few who were in favour of me. Ellenia, escorted by Sir Ivan, was also one of the people. She was a little scary, but she’s good, but why, why did all the aristocrats in Elendale seem to be attending today? And why were there so many Paladins? Even though it was a holiday, shouldn’t they be hunting? They had always been so proud of their work.

“Oh, what is this? Sir Izek, what brings you to such a humble place?”

“And why did no one tell me you were coming here?”

“St. Agnes’ birthday is an important event, kid.”

It was more crowded than the horse riding meeting the other day. My plan to come quietly with my haughty husband and appeal to him how insignificant a human being I could be, disappeared with the wind.

Haa, my husband was a celebrity. He was only at a charity event, and so many people were chasing him. Well, he was the king’s nephew, a powerful Paladin, Omerta family’s descendant, and his appearance…

He had everything. The protagonist is in the spotlight, after all. I smiled with excitement as I looked back at the unlucky main character.

“Wow, the atmosphere is very lively. I think everyone is very faithful, to have so many people attend.”

“They’re just here for the food. It’s a small group.”

I see. The North had small groups. Why wasn’t it surprising?

“I’m different. You know how sincere I am.”

“Andymion.”

“Yes?”

“I don’t remember giving you a vacation. Why did I come here to see your face?”

“T-That’s…”

Poor Andymion. How did you end up with this guy?

Izek was consistently harsh on his trainee, who had popped up in this event. I’d sensed this since last time, but I don’t think he liked crowded places that much. Who was the cause of this?

“Ruby.”

“What?”

“You look thinner somehow,” Ellenia, who let out a strange noise, stared at my brother.

Izek had a desolate look on his face.

“It’s only been a few days.”

“Is that so? Are you not going to come home at all?”

“I will come by.”

“Don’t come in for just a minute or two, but to see Father.”

“I don’t have time.”

“You’ll run into each other one day.”

What kind of conversation was this? In addition, I doubted I would gain weight in just a few days. I felt like I was suffering from torture every lunchtime, but I was afraid this was just the start.

“S-Sir Izek.”

“What?”

“Are you thirsty? Can I get you a drink?”

Our poor Andymion would never know what his fate will be after the event. He seemed to have fallen into agony. Sir Ivan broke out into a laugh.

Izek was blunt as usual, “I have my own feet.”

“B-But…”

“I’m thirsty, too, so I’ll go and get it with you.” I spoke up.

The statue of a beverage spouting from the nostrils was just nearby. Andymion looked a little hopeful, and my husband was utterly displeased.

“You’re not my trainee.”

“But the statue is amazing and I want to see it up close.”

“Everything is amazing.”

“Then, I’ll be back!”

Don’t worry, I won’t spit in your glass. Tsk.

I was about to run excitedly towards the statue with Andymion, feeling liberated from that tense atmosphere. My husband, who let go of my hand, grabbed my shoulder to see what the problem was again.

“Wait a minute.”

“What?”

“What is this…”

What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?

I swallowed my dry saliva, suppressing my pounding heart, as he suddenly leaned down. To be precise, he was sitting with one knee on the floor.

Huh?

“What are you wearing on your shoes? Is this Southern fashion?”

Even for a moment, I couldn’t enjoy the pleasure of this bad guy kneeling down at my feet.

There was something black on the heels of my shoes like gum! No, when did this happen? I think they were fine before I wore them. I just got in the carriage with Izek after getting groomed at home, so I couldn’t have gotten in there. Did I get in the carriage? Don’t tell me someone had been waiting to do this on purpose… seriously?

“Oh, haha, I’m so careless…”

“I’m glad I knew,” He threw off the lump of gum or something, shook his hand, and raised his body.

I was so embarrassed.

“Don’t run. You’ll fall.”

“Yes, I’ll walk gracefully.”

As I tried to hide my sarcasm, he squinted suspiciously. Ah, so dangerous.

Trying to pull out of his shadow quickly, I paused at the sudden silence. Why was everyone staring at me like that? It was the same as when my husband was taking me to a riding party the other day. The time when I arrived at the lake. However, now, it was different because even Ellenia was looking at me with her eyes wide open.

I hesitated and looked back at my husband. Izek’s face was cold and blank.

.

“What’s wrong?”

“……nothing.”

Well, it was no wonder that this arrogant noble would lean down and take off dirty gum from other people’s shoes. It was enough to make everyone suspicious that he was drunk. Our relationship was too complicated for this to be considered as a sign of hopeful development… this confusing b*stard.

“It looks like pomegranate juice.”

“It looks like a bleeding nose. Like mine.”

“Oh.”

“You can just laugh. I meant it for a laugh.”

Let’s turn it into a self-criticizing joke since it’s a dark history.

I pulled a glass under the statue’s nostrils, pretending to sigh heavily, filling it up with the red drink.

Andymion smiled, “Actually, I also feel sympathy for this statue. Almost all of Elendale’s Paladins have had a nosebleed.”

“What? Really?”

“Yes, it’s the process of your body reaching a certain point. It’s proof that one is getting stronger, and because of that, they go and brag about it to others. Then they get beaten up and have nosebleeds again, which is much needed. You can’t be arrogant on the path of a true Paladin.”

Well, that’s not a very trustworthy fact. The representative of Paladins here was one proud man.

“Do you mean the training process?”

“Ah, as you are well aware, if you are continuously exposed to magic in the process of harmonizing with the divinity, and maintain proper stamina and swordsmanship, which are essential conditions for becoming a paladin…”

“Is this tomato?”

The husky voice and huge shadow hovering over my head, almost made me drop the drink.

Fluttering dark red hair, burning amber eyes, tanned skin and a giant bear-like figure… huh?

“Eh, it tastes like pomegranate. Would you like it?”

The paladin, like the incarnation of a ferocious brown bear, quickly accepted my glass and walked away again.

Andymion coughed in vain as I watched his back, “I’m sorry, but as I said the other day, my brother is a little… “

“Ahaha, he always looks reliable.”

“His skills are pretty good. A bit like Sir Ivan. The other day, the two of them were trying to determine their superiority, and they destroyed the entire training area. I don’t even know how they reached that stage.”

Destroying the whole area… I was surprised that Sir Ivan, who looked like a flower, was close to the level of this bear paladin. In fact, there was also a description of him as the master of swordsmanship, unlike his appearance…

“It’s been a long time to see. What were you talking about?”

When Andymion and I returned with drinks, my cold-hearted husband immediately rebuked us.

Haa, this jerk.

“We talked about something interesting.”

“What is it?”

“The lonely and romantic road of being a Paladin. While you’re at it, I’d like to be a Paladin, what do you think?”

Silence hovered for a moment. Ellenia and Paladins, who stared at me with similar expressions, turned their eyes at Andymion in unison. He jumped up and down in panic, “I-It’s not me! I swear to God that I’ve never put any false words… “

What was this reaction? I only said some ignorant nonsense, but what were these serious and weird reactions to something that I just said for a laugh?

After all, I might be the first human to be able to communicate with demons!

“Will it be difficult? I’m strong. I also have biceps.” A strange silence fell as I raised my arm with one fist clenched.

After a while, Ellenia, whose astounded look was comparable to Sir Ivan, suddenly covered her mouth with a fan and turned her head, while everyone else coughed in vain and turned away from me.

Even Izek, whom I thought would give me a slap, was rubbing his mouth with his palm and turning his head to the other side.

Hey, hey, hubby! My gosh, it’s hard work to be seen as insignificant.

“Lady Rudbeckia.”

“Oh, Archbishop.”

After the prayer and dedication ceremony in honor of the martyrdom of St. Agnes, auction funds were held to fund priests around the country who took care of the sick and the poor. The auction items were mostly paintings and sculptures imported from southern countries, including Romagna.

I didn’t know how to proceed from here, so I was just looking around slowly, but the archbishop appeared and called me.

“I’m glad you’re here. Would you like to walk with me for a while?”

“Of course.”

It just so happened that my husband disappeared to smoke with the others.