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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: A Sudden Change of Heart
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The Sun God was currently in such a dire strait that he had to ask a soul on its way to heaven for help.
But would the Grand Temple, with its lack of followers, really have much money?
Not a chance. It was so dirt-poor that it was barely surviving on donations from the Kiris family.
The reason Ordel's bedroom was so lavish despite this was because she had diligently squandered those donations.
“This scene was in the novel, too. I can't believe I forgot.”
I was so flustered when I first saw the dressing room.
Not only were there all sorts of dresses, but every single one was extravagant.
I should give up on finding a secret fund.
She blew all the money on luxuries; there was no way a secret fund existed.
Then there was only one option left.
“Sell it.”
I’ll sell everything in this room that’s worth money—the ornaments, the dresses, the jewels.
It’s not like I’ll need any of it once I leave the Grand Temple.
And I should probably return at least some of the money I make to the Grand Temple, right…?
“It's not my money, so I shouldn't feel bad about it.”
I furtively wiped away a tear.
Now I need someone to handle all this for me, since I don't know the true value of these items… Who should I ask?
The wicked and extravagant Ordel wouldn't have had any friends in the Grand Temple.
Asking Airic would make it difficult to skim off a secret fund for myself, so that was a problem.
I had no choice. First, I would have to make a list of everything I could turn into cash.
I needed to know the market price of each item if I didn't want to get ripped off in this world.
* * *
I spent hours organizing the list without even leaving the room.
A knock on the door finally brought me back to my senses.
The paper in my hand was already filled to the brim.
“Saintess. I've brought your dinner.”
“Come in.”
“…”
“...?”
Why wasn't he coming in?
Just as I was wondering if I should go and open the door myself, someone finally entered.
It was a handsome man with curly red hair and beautiful, watery-blue eyes.
You could tell just by looking at him that he was no background character.
There was only one person in the Grand Temple of the Sun God with looks like that.
The High Priest Airic's loyal subordinate, who would do anything for him, and an indispensable high-ranking priest of the Grand Temple.
It had to be Dietrich Warren.
“Is there anything else you require?”
Whoops, I must have stared too intently. Dietrich hated Ordel.
Not that anyone here liked Ordel in the first place.
“No, nothing.”
I put down the list I was organizing and sat at the table.
The meal was almost identical to the one Airic had brought for lunch.
But why was Dietrich still standing next to me instead of leaving?
He was even staring, which was making me very uncomfortable.
“Is there something you wanted to say…?”
“I am waiting to clear the dishes after you have finished. Please pay me no mind.”
A little hard to ignore you when you're staring so intensely.
I tried my best to pretend he wasn't there and took a large bite of bread.
“By the way, Saintess. May I ask why you've suddenly started using such polite language?”
I nearly bit my tongue instead of the bread!
Right, the ill-tempered Ordel spoke down to everyone.
Even to High Priest Airic.
Airic didn't ask and just let it slide, but Dietrich had to call it out.
‘…Wait, but isn't this a pretty good opportunity?’
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Dietrich despised Ordel more than anyone else in the Grand Temple.
Of course he did; Ordel constantly looked down on and ignored the High Priest he was so loyal to.
He didn't even bother to hide his dislike, despite believing Ordel was the real Saintess.
If that was the case, wouldn't Dietrich be happy if I said I was leaving the temple?
He might even help me persuade Airic.
“I've had a recent change of heart.”
“…A change?”
“Yes. I've been immature and acted rudely toward you, Priest. I am truly sorry.”
I stood up, politely folded my hands, and bowed my head to Dietrich.
“Now, what? W-what did you just say?”
Oh, he's flustered. So flustered.
I mean, even Airic was surprised, so of course Dietrich would be, too.
“I don't think I'm suited to be the Saintess after all. So I plan to give everything up and leave soon.”
My sudden declaration seemed to startle Dietrich, and his face hardened.
“The position of Saintess is not one you can simply take up and abandon as you please!”
“Then is it all right for me to continue living here like this?”
“That is…!”
It looked like he couldn't bring himself to ask me to stay, even if it killed him.
He really hated Ordel.
“Of course, I don't mean I'll leave right away. I intend to compensate for the damages I've caused the temple as much as possible before I go.”
“Hah. Compensate?”
“I want to atone to everyone. To all those whose hearts I have wounded.”
Dietrich's face became even more clouded with confusion.
But I was sincere. Completely, without a single grain of falsehood.
“And one more thing.”
I handed Dietrich the list of items I'd spent the entire afternoon compiling.
“This is a list of my possessions. I would like you, Priest, to sell everything on this list and convert it to cash.”
At the sight of the long list, Dietrich's eyes looked like they were about to pop out of his head.
He looked dazed, as if he'd been struck on the back of the head repeatedly.
“I feel I've used the Grand Temple's funds too personally, so I wish to return them.”
“No, wait, this is…”
“Ah! Except for this one.”
I pointed to the dress at the very top of the list.
It was a dress that seemed like it would fetch a considerable sum when converted to cash.
“This one I bought with the allowance I saved up from my family. I'd like the money from its sale to be returned to me.”
Of course, that was a lie. How would I know what money Ordel used to buy it?
But if Dietrich gave all the money to Airic, I'd have to leave penniless.
My conscience pricked me, but I had to bluff my way into securing a secret fund.
Please let Dietrich not know the origin of this dress.
“Also, I'd like you to tell me the exact price each item sold for. It would be even better if you could compare the amounts to the Grand Temple's operating funds. I want to see it and reflect on how thoughtlessly I've been squandering money.”
In truth, it was to grasp the market prices and the cost of living.
“Then, I'll be in your care.”
I gently pressed the list back into Dietrich's trembling hand and gave him a faint smile.
If this went well, I'd be able to leave the temple with my secret fund and without any sense of debt!
But I didn't know then.
That this entire plan of mine would be completely upended in less than a day…
* * *
Dietrich left Ordel's room with a dazed expression.
But he couldn't leave right away, instead standing frozen in place for a long while.
What in the world just happened?
Was I really just talking to Ordel?
“Now I understand why the High Priest suddenly told me to keep an eye on the Saintess…”
He must have sensed it, too. That something about the Saintess had become strange.
No, it was beyond just strange.
The moment Ordel handed him the list, Dietrich even suspected that her illness had become so severe she'd lost her mind.
He stared at the list with a conflicted gaze before heading to Airic's chambers to report.
“She said she wants to sell everything on this list…”
Airic gazed at the list with a complicated expression.
He had just returned from offering a long prayer of repentance in the chapel, unable to overcome the guilt of having installed a fake Saintess, and the news Dietrich brought only complicated his feelings further.
‘On top of that, she wants to return all the money from the sale to the temple.’
In reality, most of Ordel's possessions had been bought with the Grand Temple's operating funds.
She had claimed it was right for her to use the money, as it was a donation from the Kiris family.
The difference between having a Saintess who could hear the god's word in the Grand Temple and not having one was immense, which was why he had accepted the loss and brought in a fake. But in that moment, he had felt a sense of doubt about his choice.
And now she was repenting and wanted to return it all.
What was she really thinking?
“Ah, she said she would not be returning this one. She claimed she bought it with allowance saved from her family, so she wants the money from its sale.”
Dietrich then pointed to the item at the very top of the list.
Seeing it, Airic's eyes widened.
