The investigation into the assassin continued, and, to my surprise, Reyhas has not questioned my reason for concealing my powers.
It was awkward for him to naturally act as though I had been a saint from the start, but I gradually grew accustomed to it.
One afternoon after so many days.
“Hunt?”
Reyhas, who visited my room, smiled and nodded.
“We will send a letter of refusal and send high-ranking priests instead.”
No matter how great the imperial request was, the saint possessed the right and authority to decline it.
Since the inauguration, the temple would ask the imperial family for their approval that the saint is frail and can hardly participate in events.
I agonized for a moment.
“If you participate, will you hunt yourself?”
“You won’t.”
He shook his head.
“The priest’s role is to use divine powers to heal the injured key personnel.”
“Is the imperial family the only one participating?”
“Most of the high-ranking central nobles will also participate.”
“Hunt…”
Reyhas raised his eyebrows at my words and asked,
“Are you interested?”
“I overheard the priests talking earlier. A story about the nobles having doubts about the saint’s passive behavior. It was a story that came out ahead of the Hunting Festival.”
“Never mind them. They’re always noisy.”
I shook my head.
“I will participate.”
I have a good sense of smell, and I’ve always been that way when it comes to impure intentions.
“Will you be alright?”
Reyhas asked with a hesitant expression. The role of a priest in the Hunting Festival was limited, so I would not be in harm’s way, but he seemed worried.
“I don’t care what others say, but it would be nice to go and consider it an outing. I’m tired of the repetitive routine.”
“I figured. I’ll make sure to attach enough holy knights.”
I continued as soon as he finished speaking,
“And now that I’ve become a saint, I’d like to receive a business trip allowance.”
I noticed Reyhas’ brows wriggle. Fortunately, it wasn’t a disagreeable expression.
“I started as a fake saint, but now I have real divine powers. So I believe the monthly cost to maintain my dignity should be over 1,000 francs.”
“……”
“I’m requesting that you consider allocating an additional budget, although the budget has been re-established.”
So far, I’ve looked up the saints’ expenditure records, and to be honest, it wasn’t a substantial record that would aid in wage negotiations.
Because 30% of the saints who refused to pay tribute served God righteously and with a pure heart.
But they’ve spent their entire lives as civil servants, whereas I’m more of an entrepreneur.
‘You should pull the money when you can!’
“However, from now on, allowances for participation in imperial events will be granted. For the record, I know how much money I get from the imperial family every time the saint visits.”
Every time the saint visits, the imperial family pays the temple 10,000 francs.
“But don’t you think I’ll be motivated if you give me 30%?”
Reyhas’ mouth formed a deep smile in response to my words. He opened his mouth a moment later,
“All right. I’ll pay you 3,000 francs per session. And starting next month, we’ll be paying an additional 500 francs per month for maintenance.”
It was a surprisingly pleasant answer.
‘I should’ve called for more.’
I was ecstatic at the prospect of becoming wealthy in four and a half years.
Let’s make a fortune with the saint’s buffs!
“I see that your desire for materials has risen, but…”
Reyhas’ voice was mixed with laughter,
“You don’t sound as if you’re going to leave anytime soon like before, so I’m glad.”
He didn’t ask me why I had kept my divine powers hidden after I was revealed to have them. But despite his strangely mellowed demeanor, I sensed an evident pressure.
“Yes…”
If his previous eyes seemed to be chained to the one who was meant to leave…
Now it feels like he’s humming while constructing an iron cage.
The thought of it made me feel uneasy.
“Then I will express your intention to participate in the palace. But you have to be careful.”
“Don’t worry. Oh, I’ll have to write another congratulatory speech for the Hunting Festival.”
“However…”
He was lost in thought for a moment before speaking again,
“Do you have any other plans this morning?”
I shook my head.
“No. Not today.”
Then he flashed a bright smile.
The halo was bright enough to make me forget about his bad character.
“That’s a relief. I wanted to play chess with Ariel after a long time.”
“Chess?”
“You like chess, Ariel.”
He opened the box he had brought and began to put it on the table. I was wondering what it was, and it turned out to be a chessboard.
I was staring blankly at the chess pieces being positioned.
‘Oh, Ariel loved chess.’
But I know nothing about chess. Except that the cross-shaped piece is the king.
“Let’s play the chess bet again.”
“If it’s a bet…”
“Grant a simple wish as long as it can come true.”
Reyhas challenged me.
“…I don’t remember very well, but did we sometimes play chess?”
“Maybe five times?”
“What’s your record?”
“Four times, and Ariel won once.”
Reyhas had almost certainly never lost in Ariel’s condition prior to being possessed.
“What did I wish for?”
“You kissed me on the cheek… Don’t you remember?”
…You’ve used your wish card to fulfill your selfish desires, Ariel.
“Oh, I did. What about Reyhas?”
I asked, trying to mend my broken expression.
“I made Ariel read an etiquette book. I once asked you to memorize a hymn…”
“Then what will you wish for if you win this time?”
With a faint smile, he said softly,
“Actually, I prepared a gift for you… I doubt Ariel would accept it, so I suggested a bet.”
I asked again because I couldn’t understand what he said,
“Is it your wish for me to accept the gift?”
Light darkness loomed within Reyhas’ golden eyes as he smiled.
I got goosebumps on the back of my neck at that moment.
“I want Ariel to wear a necklace with a tracking function to protect you when you leave.”
“……”
“I will be notified if you overstep the boundaries.”
So it was like putting on an electronic necklace.
“…Is there any need to do that?”
“Of course.”
He grinned, and I didn’t want to ask him any more questions.
“What is Ariel’s wish?”
I pondered over his words for a moment and opened my mouth,
“…Can’t we just skip this chess bet?”
· · ─────── ·𖥸· ─────── · ·
After a while, the fierce chess game came to an end.
“Ariel…”
Reyhas’ cheeks, as he called me, were slightly flushed.
“I don’t think this is right.”
[Monde, the God of Art, is delighted]
[Oman, the God of Benevolence, raises the corners of their mouth and fiddles with the whip handle]
[Ciel, the God of Destruction, blushes]
With a calm expression, I asked,
“Why? I won the chess game.”
Reyhas looked at me in awe as I said those words.
His golden eyes, which shone with a menacing radiance, flickered.
The choker dangled on his white, slender neck. And I held a small crystal ball in my hand, with his location on the temple’s floor plan flashing inside the crystal.
This one-of-a-kind choker was created by linking an accessory in my drawer to Reyhas’ tracking crystal.
“However…”
“Try putting yourself in someone else’s shoes.”
To be honest, I had never played chess before.
But I have Hesed, the God of Knowledge, on my side. Even though I didn’t know chess, it wasn’t difficult to win.
I moved the chess pieces swiftly and precisely. Reyhas, on the other hand, looked surprised when he was pushed back even though he did his best after going easy on me.
“How did you win?”
He still looked suspicious as he touched the choker he wore in exchange for losing the bet.
I said triumphantly, looking at the choker on his neck with satisfaction,
“The Ghost Chess King.”
“Yes?”
“Something along those lines exists.”
[Hesed, the God of Knowledge, raises their head high]
As I turned around, Reyhas asked urgently behind me,
“How long do I have to wear this?”
I smiled as I turned my head slightly.
“Until I tell you to stop wearing it.”
Then his golden eyes shook.
“It’s like a master and a slave, no…”
He shifted his gaze to the other side, blurring the end of his words.
“…But isn’t it the same thing?”
I could see his cheeks reddening again.
[Monde, the God of Art, rejoices at Reyhas’ newfound taste]
[Oman, the God of Benevolence, actively sells you the whip]
I tried to ignore the gods’ messages and turned my head, pretending not to know.