<Chapter 44>

“Certainly, my tongue feels a bit numb.”

“Right? It seems there was an issue with how the wine was stored. We should probably discard it.”

“This wine was blessed by His Holiness the Pope. Can we just throw it away like that?”

“Maybe the bishop brought the wrong wine? How could a wine blessed by the Pope go bad?”

“Indeed. David, get rid of the wine.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

It seemed the commotion was coming to an end.

Unable to believe what had just transpired, Bishop Roam stared blankly at Temenos and Inosensia.

‘Why? Why are those two completely unaffected?’

He was certain he had personally laced the wine with poison.

Did His Majesty the Emperor provide the wrong poison? Or was the wine truly spoiled, and I overreacted?

He no longer knew what to believe.

As Bishop Roam was lost in confusion, the castle physician arrived with a servant.

“I heard a guest has been poisoned! Where are they? Are they still alive?”

Dr. William, who had rushed over upon hearing about the poisoning, was sweating profusely from his forehead and nose bridge. His breathing was rough as Inosensia kindly explained the situation.

“It was a misunderstanding. The bishop merely drank spoiled wine. There’s no need to worry.”

“…What? How could spoiled wine be mistaken for poison…”

“It seems he was startled because it was his first time drinking spoiled wine. Just in case, could you give him a quick check-up?”

“Ah, yes. Of course…”

Dr. William, who had served as the castle’s physician for 40 years, had never encountered such a situation before. Adjusting his glasses, he knelt beside the sprawled-out Bishop Roam.

“Bishop, I’ll examine you briefly.”

It didn’t take long for Dr. William to deliver his findings.

“You’re perfectly fine. There’s nothing wrong with you anywhere.”

Snickers of ridicule erupted here and there.

As the pain completely subsided and he started to feel better, Bishop Roam twitched his cheeks.

“I really thought I was going to die! I wasn’t faking it!”

“If you insist, would you like to undergo a more detailed examination? It might reveal any effects the spoiled wine had on your body.”

“Th-that…!”

If a detailed examination was conducted, it might expose that he had ingested poison and already taken an antidote beforehand. While it was alarming enough that the Pope’s gift contained poison, if it were revealed that he had prepared and taken an antidote in advance, there would be no excuse he could offer to avoid scrutiny.

Clenching his teeth, Bishop Roam jumped to his feet.

“I’m fine! There’s no need for any detailed examination!”

“Are you sure? Just in case…”

“I said I’m fine! As a bishop, something like spoiled wine…”

Grinding his teeth, Bishop Roam continued, “…doesn’t affect my body in the slightest!”

Come to think of it, that’s true. Priests with high divine power can heal most injuries in an instant. They wouldn’t get a stomachache from eating spoiled food.

“What, so it really was just an act?”

“Why would a bishop cause such a scene at the Duke’s wedding?”

“Didn’t the Duchess mention earlier that he’s never done anything remotely helpful?”

“Hah, he must’ve forgotten that this isn’t the capital but the North. The position of a bishop from the Great Temple holds no meaning here.”

“I knew it from the moment he acted rudely toward His Grace.”

Pretending not to hear the blatant whispers around him, Bishop Roam hurriedly fled the room.

‘Something has clearly gone wrong. I need to report this to His Majesty the Emperor immediately!’

Engrossed in his thoughts, Bishop Roam failed to notice the shadow that quietly followed him, responding to a subtle glance from Temenos.

*  *  *

It had been ages since a banquet was last held at the Winstein Ducal Castle, and the wedding reception was set to continue until dawn the next day.

Fortunately, neither Temenos, the host of the banquet, nor I were required to stay until the very end. In fact, staying too long would make the guests uncomfortable, as they’d feel pressured under the host’s watchful eye. It was customary to leave once the atmosphere had ripened enough.

‘I’m so glad that’s a thing.’

“Ahhh, I feel alive again…”

After shedding all the heavy garments I’d been wearing and sinking into a tub of steaming water, it felt like paradise.

I played idly with the flower petals floating on the surface, reflecting on the day’s events.

‘What an exhausting day.’

From the moment I got up at dawn until midnight, my schedule had been packed.

There were breaks here and there, but they’d been so brief I could barely recall if I’d actually rested. It had been a grueling marathon.

‘But it’s finally over!’

No more skincare routines, hair treatments, or the endless cycle of putting on and taking off dresses, shoes, and jewelry. That tedious bridal training was finally done, too!

……It’s done, right?

‘Though I’m still learning the duchess’s responsibilities… Surely they won’t expect me to handle everything immediately after the wedding, right?’

The Northern territories had been without a lady of the house for 12 years. Seeing how well things had run, it was clear capable professionals had been handling the duchess’s duties.

‘They can just keep doing it, can’t they? After all… I have a world to save!’

The Northern Faith is only just starting to grow steadily, and there are still other sub-quests to complete…

Sub-quests. The thought alone stirred a mix of emotions in me.

◆ Ultimate Objective: Save the World

◇ Current Objective: Raise Northern Faith to 5,000 | Confessions 9/10

 

*Northern Faith: 1,034

*Key Items in Possession: 4 Divine Oracle Tokens

The Northern Faith level had been in the 200s this morning, but after marching through the streets and appearing before countless people, it quickly skyrocketed past 1,000.

Thanks to that, I’d received another Divine Oracle Token, and the target for Northern Faith had been updated to 5,000. That was good news, but…

Confessions 9/10

‘As expected, getting someone to say they like me is really tough…’

Honestly, imagining Temenos saying those words feels almost impossible.

……Maybe I shouldn’t have set such a penance.

‘Well, there’s no rush for now.’

I have four Divine Oracle Tokens, so there’s no need to obsess over the sub-quest just yet.

‘If anything, I kinda want to use one.’

The day after I met Temenos in the confessional, I opened the divine message screen, only to find that the Replay Divine Oracle option had vanished.

Just as the oracle predicting someone’s death had disappeared the day after I healed Ferry, it was clear now that the man I met in the confessional had indeed been Temenos.

‘I’ll stop by the chapel early tomorrow morning.’

Encouraging myself with a mental pep talk, I finished my bath and stepped out, only to find Monica and Alice waiting anxiously. Their eyes lit up as they rushed toward me.

“W-what’s wrong?”

“Hurry, Madam! The Duke has already retired to the bedroom!”

“Already?”  

“Y-yes. Let me help you into your nightgown first.”

“Wait, this is the nightgown? It’s so thin! It’s practically see-through!”

“You haven’t forgotten that tonight is your first night with the Duke, have you?”

……Oh. Right. The first night.

The grueling month of preparations and my preoccupation with the oracle had distracted me from the fact.

‘Wow. It’s my first night. I’m really married now.’

It finally sank in after the wedding was over.

Stiff as a board, I let Monica dress me in the thin nightgown. Meanwhile, Alice quickly dried my damp hair and combed it neatly.

“Madam, just in case… I feel I should mention this.”

“Hmm?”

As we walked down the dark hallway toward the bedroom, Monica, carrying a lamp a step ahead, turned and whispered cautiously, “If—by any chance—it becomes too much to handle… Just run out of the bedroom.”

“…What?”

“Everyone will understand. ……Maybe even the Duke himself.”

That was all Monica said. Alice, walking quietly behind me, must have heard it too, but she didn’t add anything.

Feeling strange, I silently followed Monica.

‘Still… I have a duty to bear an heir for the North, don’t I? If she’s saying something like this, is Temenos really that terrifying?’

“We’ve arrived, Madam.”

“Oh, thank you. You may both leave now.”

“Yes, Madam.”

Monica bowed deeply. Alice hesitated as if about to speak but said nothing, eventually bowing and leaving alongside Monica.

‘This really feels like walking into a lion’s den.’

Well, they say if you keep your wits about you, even a lion’s den isn’t dangerous.

After double-checking my thin nightgown, robe, and shawl, I knocked on the firmly shut door of the bedroom.

There was no answer from inside, but after silently counting to five, I opened the door.

‘Starting today, this is my bedroom too!’

Who could stop me from entering my own room?

Bolstered by that thought, I confidently stepped inside… only to freeze in place when I saw the man seated at the table in the center of the room. My mind went completely blank.
 

<To be continued>

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