Chapter 38

At his words, Nemesia blinked her large eyes. Derek stood firmly beside her like a wall of steel.

Antonio whistled inwardly.

‘Damn… she’s got a real guard dog.’

The level of vigilance was impressive.

“But still…”

Nemesia clung tightly to Derek’s pant leg as if frightened. Derek quickly picked her up in his arms.

Watching them like this, she seemed completely different from the girl who had just stood face-to-face with that massive monster.

Like a whole other person.

‘Was she just forcing herself to keep it together earlier?’

Her voice had trembled—he remembered it clearly.

‘Even so, she stepped up… I suppose that’s what makes her a Pope candidate.’

The girl peeked out from Derek’s embrace.

“If Nemesia goes… will New be the lawyer?”

The moment their clear eyes met, Antonio felt like he’d just been slapped in the face.

‘Did she just say, “What, you think anyone else can handle this but me?”‘

Okay, that was probably a stretch—but still. Antonio let out a burst of laughter, releasing the breath he’d been holding.

Nemesia had already buried her face in her daddy’s shoulder, hiding away.

‘Even back in the Room of Miracles, she handled everything despite being scared out of her mind…’

He clicked his tongue, recalling how she handled Gidehme’s provocations. By then, Derek had already walked past him with Nemesia in his arms.

As if to say: no more talk.

“She’s… truly amazing…”

Laura clasped her hands as if in prayer, her eyes hazy with emotion.

Antonio gave her a small nod.

He agreed. She was amazing.

But when supernatural irregularities come into play, even veterans let their guard down.

‘You could die ridiculously easily.’

To entrust your life to such a tiny back… it was a strange feeling.

The royal spy turned his gaze to see Usher approaching Derek and Nemesia.

“Candidate.”

A voice that sounded pleasant—except to Nemesia, for whom it was utterly unpleasant. She immediately buried her face deeper into her daddy’s neck.

Like an ostrich believing the world disappears if it hides its head.

Only Derek was left to awkwardly pat her back, glaring at Usher as he called her.

“I just have a question.”

Usher ignored Derek completely as he spoke.

Derek felt Nemesia’s body flinch ever so slightly.

‘…What is this?’

Before he could fully register the odd discomfort, Nemesia raised her head. Her eyes were close to tears.

“It’s a simple question. Which makes it an easy answer. Candidate, you… knew what that monster was going to ask, didn’t you?”

There was an odd certainty in his tone.

Just as Derek furrowed his brow to interrupt—

“…No, I didn’t know.”

Nemesia’s answer came first.

“Then did you know how it would react depending on your choices?”

“I kn— I could, could predict it.”

“Aha. And how?”

“By analyzing it…”

Something about this exchange didn’t sit right with Derek.

“Aha? Then…”

“That’s enough.”

Without hesitation, he stepped between them, shielding her with his back. Only his head turned to glare at Usher.

Something was off.

Usher was acting friendly. Nemesia seemed to be answering willingly.

But—

‘She’s trembling ever so slightly.’

And with every answer, she bit her lip. Like she was forcing herself to speak.

She’d always instinctively recoiled from Usher, no matter how friendly he acted.

And yet now, the questions kept coming.

His instincts screamed something was wrong.

“Aaah… how annoying…”

He didn’t miss Usher muttering to himself in that fleeting moment. Derek felt a strong urge to kick him out right then and there.

“Don’t you care about your candidate?”

“Hmm? Ex-hero? I’ll handle my own business, thanks. Why bring up my candidate who’s not even here?”

Usher’s eyes turned cold.

“You’re not handing yours over to me, are you?”

Pope candidates aren’t commodities to be traded. How dare he?

As divine power began to surge from Derek’s body, hardening like rock with fury—

— Guests, we are resuming the trial in the secondary chamber! Please return to your seats.

Perfect timing. The voice neatly split the two apart.

— Break’s over!

— This is exciting.

— Very exciting!

— Trials aren’t supposed to be exciting.

— Says who?

— Stop acting like a dog.

— But we are dogs, aren’t we?

“Daddy.”

Leaving behind the judges’ absurd bickering, Nemesia reached up and cupped Derek’s cheek.

A faint pulse of Purification passed through her touch.

“Don’t be mad. I’m okay.”

Derek froze—but relaxed slightly upon realizing no one had noticed the purification.

Nemesia raised a finger to her lips and whispered, “Shhh.” It was utterly endearing.

“Hehe, no one notices when I do this much. Seeecret. Feeling better?”

“…Yeah.”

It hadn’t been long since they met.

But already… Derek couldn’t imagine a single day without her.

“Everything’s going to be okay.”

An adult leaning on a child for comfort—it shouldn’t be this way.

But she was such a kind and gentle child.

The way she tried to care for everyone was truly inspiring.

There may never be a Pope as holy and pure as this one again.

…And then—

— A negotiation?

— Did she just offer a negotiation?!

— That’s a first!

— A first, right?

As the trial resumed, Nemesia proposed a negotiation to the monster judge.

— Alright, we’ll accept.

— Accepted!

— But we’ve changed our minds.

The judges agreed—but didn’t make it easy.

To Derek, the three heads looked almost identical, but their expressions subtly differed.

The most serious-looking one bared its teeth in a slimy grin.

— If you want to release an ally, not with those terms. Sacrifice one of the hostages instead.

— Then we’ll let them go!

The deal was off.

Derek figured that was the end of it.

“Oh dear~ Looks like it didn’t go our little candidate’s way.”

Usher flashed Derek a smirk.

“Right? Our sweet little Pope-to-be would never sacrifice someone else. Even though that’s the easiest way out!”

Derek ignored the comment. Clearly, Usher was trying to provoke him.

At the same time, it was obvious Usher believed Nemesia would never accept those terms.

Which was what made it all the more revolting that someone like him was so sure of her nature.

Still, in this, the two men were in agreement.

She was far too good. Far too kind. No way she’d let someone else be sacrificed.

The moment her decision became clear—

Nemesia glanced at her teammates, then smiled brightly.

Not just brightly—refreshingly, like a weight had been lifted.

“Alright, I’ll sacrifice a hostage.”

…What?

Derek genuinely thought he misheard her.
 

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Translator: Japchae