Chapter 46

I blinked wide, wondering if I’d misheard him.

“D-duck?”

“Money. I’m talking about gold.”

Emmet kindly elaborated.

“Nothing in life is free, right?”

…So now we’ve got a money-obsessed Pope candidate?

I wasn’t even surprised.

In the game, the reason Emmet clashed with the protagonist was because he was an extremely calculating character.

‘When he got older, he’d even charge based on how many civilians he rescued.’

So he was a money-hungry kid from the start.

I stared at him like, And what exactly do you want me to do about that?

Emmet stepped back without protest.

“Oh, like I said, I just came to say thanks. If I scared you again, I apologize.”

Yeah. Got it. So can you leave now?

When I didn’t respond, Emmet scratched his cheek, then reached his hand out.

‘…Huh?’

I instinctively recoiled.

‘Is he gonna hit me? Just like that?’

Smack!

But his hand never touched me.

When I opened my eyes, I saw a familiar figure—Daddy. His face was grim, a clear, sharp anger simmering beneath.

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Emmet’s wrist was in Daddy’s grip, caught just before reaching me.

Startled, Emmet glanced between me and Daddy, then quickly composed his expression.

“Ah… Something was stuck in Candidate Nemesia’s hair, I was just trying to get it off.”

I reached up to my hair.

There was a tiny thread stuck there. And it did match the direction his hand had been going toward.

But—

“That’s a blatant lie.”

Daddy’s expression turned dangerous.

“You used divine power. And you want me to believe that?”

“…Ah.”

Emmet had definitely tried to do something. Most likely using his divine specialty.

“Unless it’s for healing, using divine power on another candidate without permission is a violation of the rules.”

It wasn’t unusual.

‘Royal spies used to leave markings on the more promising candidates, right?’

Even if it wasn’t a marking, he had clearly attempted something.

“Well, that’s…”

The moment Emmet’s face turned visibly flustered, he finally looked his actual age—a kid.

“I’ll take this matter to the committee.”

“W-wait, Daddy…?”

Was this really escalating that far?

Actually… this might be good!

‘If he gets slapped with punishment, he won’t try to come near me again.’

When divine power is used within the Order, it leaves a trace.

Whether Emmet really used it or not could be easily proven with an investigation.

Daddy was just about to pull Emmet by the wrist with one hand while holding me in the other when—

“Hahaang~ Did my kiddo cause some trouble~?”

Someone grabbed Daddy’s wrist. His thick brows lifted slightly.

“…Antonio.”

“Yes, Sir Derek!”

It was Emmet’s guardian, Antonio. That priest who had also been on our team.

He wore the priest’s robe designated for clergy under the Cardinals.

Even though his eyes were still wrapped in bandages, he looked straight at us and smiled, as if he could see just fine.

“From what I hear, the issue’s about my boy using divine power! I’m terribly sorry. I think our dear candidate was probably trying to give a blessing!”

…What’s with that tone?

Oh, right. He was always like that.

I barely kept myself from making a disgusted face.

“He’s pretty good at it too, even without being taught. Blessings, I mean.”

The bandaged face turned toward me.

The surroundings had gone quiet. I could feel all eyes on us now.

‘This isn’t good…’

Attention is never good—whatever the reason.

“But even if his intentions were good, using divine power without permission is still a violation of the rules! So…”

“…”

“Please forgive him, just this once!”

Antonio chirped brightly. His voice echoed lightly in the room.

Daddy looked at the man with his deep, shadowed gaze, then…

Smack!

Smack!

Smack!

‘Whoa…’

It happened so fast, I barely saw it.

Daddy slapped Antonio’s hand away and reached again for Emmet’s wrist.

Antonio deflected Daddy’s hand and pulled Emmet back.

Now, the two guardians’ hands were locked mid-air, frozen in a clash.

‘Ooooh, this is a fight between masters…’

But the winner was clear.

Antonio’s wrist was drained white, like the blood couldn’t reach it anymore.

“Yowch, yowch! You’ve been training underground all this time, haven’t you? Ahem. My bad. A frail little priest challenging a knight—how foolish of me! Thank you for not breaking my wrist, Sir Derek.”

“…If you understand, let go.”

“Hahaha, don’t be like that. He’s just a kid, isn’t he?”

“Don’t deflect.”

Daddy’s expression darkened, his patience fraying.

“You should know better than anyone. According to the records, there were many Pope candidates who died at the hands of other candidates. And… when foreign divine power touches someone recklessly, it can cause backlash. It can injure them.”

“…”

Antonio’s smile faded just slightly at Daddy’s composed, logical response.

“I’ll apologize on his behalf.”

His voice turned serious, but only briefly. Then his face tilted toward me again in Daddy’s arms.

He leaned down slightly and whispered. For a brief second, I saw a flicker of divine power.

‘Did he just… mute the sound?’

Antonio’s voice dropped.

“Candidate Nemesia. Since you saved my life during the test, how about you let my kid off just this once? In return, I’ll make sure to repay you twice for the favor.”

I stared at the bandages for a moment, then quietly—but clearly—tugged on Daddy’s sleeve.

“…Daddy, let him go.”

“…!”

Daddy looked surprised.

I nodded, as if to say I was fine.

“I’m okay. But… make him give a token or swear an oath.”

I lifted my eyes to stare at Antonio with mock menace.

What, did you think I’d let you off for free?

“You’re a capable enough priest to be a guardian, so you’ll keep your word, right?”

“…Haha. Of course.”

Antonio looked briefly flustered, but soon smiled again—a strange, secretive smile.

“When a candidate who can sacrifice civilians as needed asks something of me, how could I possibly break that promise?”

…This bastard. He’s got some nerve, talking like that after I saved his life?

The commotion ended with Emmet giving me one more apology in front of the other children.

‘Daddy’s right. Randomly touching others with divine power is dangerous.’

If he’d been taken to the committee, Emmet’s evaluation score would’ve dropped.

And me and that other girl might’ve made it to the top of the rankings for this test. But I wasn’t interested in that.

‘Not like I let him off because of that, though.’

Having a royal spy like Antonio, who had sworn an oath, with a mark on him—it couldn’t hurt.

And I already had a good idea of how to use it…

Not long after, the professors and test officials in charge of the training arrived.

They paused in surprise as soon as they entered.

“Uh, ahem… Sir Derek?”

“…”

Well, I couldn’t blame them.

Daddy was holding me in his arms, seated on a baby-sized chair.

‘…How is that chair not broken yet…?’

And to top it off, Daddy looked bright-eyed and eager, like a shepherd guarding his pup. No one dared stop him.

“Um, Daddy…? You can go back now, it’s okay…”

“There was an incident, so I’ll keep holding you.”

“T-they’re all staring at me…”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry.”

Seriously, Dad. Shouldn’t you be asking me if I’m okay?

‘If I told him to leave now, he’d probably fall into another one of his Low Self-Esteem episodes…’

I could already picture that sulky face.

Besides, I didn’t hate being held by Daddy, so I let it slide.

“Why… are you sitting there?”

“There was an incident.”

Daddy gave the same excuse again.

The professors and officials muttered among themselves, then let it go.

They seemed to chalk it up to an overprotective guardian. And since none of the other guardians protested, it quietly passed.

‘This is how they sweep things under the rug, huh…’

After nearly losing all the candidates during the first test, you could tell the Order was walking on eggshells.

Still, this would be the last time.

‘No way these guys stop with their twisted exams now.’

The assembly ended with the professors and officials offering heartfelt apologies, promising it wouldn’t happen again, and outlining the next part of our training.

‘But that’s not all, is it?’

With cheeks still a little flushed, I eagerly waited for what would come next.

“…Therefore, as an expression of deep apology, the Order has decided to begin support for Pope candidates—starting immediately.”

As expected.

Do you know what feature drives gamers mad in almost every game?

Gacha.

Aka… random draws.

‘It’s here. The game’s gacha system!’
 

Brought to you by Gourmet Scans

Translator: Japchae