-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: The Tyrant's Legacy
-----------------------------------------------------------------
A blue satin dress adorned with white lace.
Airic knew exactly what this was.
It was the dress Count Kiris had bought for Ordel on the day she first came to the Grand Temple of the Sun God as the Saintess.
Ordel had cherished it, calling it a precious gift from her father. She was always careful when wearing it and would fly into a rage if a maid so much as mishandled it.
And now she wanted to sell it without a second thought.
Even lying that she'd bought it with her own allowance.
*Isn't this part of her plan with Count Kiris? Does she really intend to leave the Grand Temple?*
Then again, she had offered to willingly deceive the Kiris family with him.
Could she have had a major falling out with the Count?
Ordel was loyal to Count Kiris, but the Count himself didn't care for her much.
She might have realized that this time and decided to turn her back on him.
*That would make everything fall into place.*
Her sudden change in demeanor, her desire to quit being the Saintess and leave the temple, the look of profound emptiness on her face when she said it.
It all made sense now.
“I think it would be best to sell them… Our operating funds are growing increasingly scarce.”
Dietrich spoke cautiously as Airic stared at the list with a grave expression.
He didn't want to miss this opportunity.
The Grand Temple's finances were in shambles, largely due to the Saintess's extravagance.
“…Very well. We will do as the Saintess wishes. Start tomorrow. You will be in charge.”
“Yes! Understood!”
Relieved by the positive response, Dietrich nodded, his face brightening.
He had to get this done quickly before Ordel or Airic changed their minds.
“…”
But unlike Dietrich, Airic couldn't bring himself to smile.
To be honest, Ordel's change was a welcome one, but…
Her wanting to sell the blue dress she had treasured so much kept bothering him.
And her insistence on keeping the money from that sale for herself.
It meant that despite her anger, she hadn't been able to let go of her attachment to the Kiris family.
Recalling the vacant look on Ordel's face from earlier that day, Airic sighed.
* * *
“Ah, that was refreshing.”
Having handed the list over to Dietrich the night before, I woke up feeling utterly refreshed.
A weekday morning with no work to go to—this is pure happiness.
“Should I just stay here?”
If I go out there, I'll have to work again to make a living…
But here, the Saintess is the highest authority, so I don't have to work.
They bring me food when it's time, and they clean for me.
Isn't this the perfect cushy job?
Maybe I should just live in the Grand Temple, save up money, and then leave in a year when Idella shows up.
It would be a little embarrassing to tell Airic I can't leave now, but he was against it anyway.
However, this brilliant plan of mine shattered to pieces in less than ten minutes.
“I-I-I-I'm sorry, Your Holiness…!”
I stared blankly at the woman kneeling prostrate before me.
The maid who brought my breakfast had been terrified from the moment she walked in.
Until then, I hadn't thought much of it.
*She must have suffered Ordel's tyranny before.*
*Maybe I should start by slowly apologizing, beginning with her.*
That was all I'd been thinking.
Right up until the woman, trembling so hard, bumped into me slightly while setting the tray down on the table.
“I was wrong. I'm sorry. Please, p-p-please forgive me…!”
“…”
Wow, I'm actually speechless.
She just barely touched me, and this is her reaction…?
What on earth did Ordel do to these people?
“…I'm fine, so you may leave.”
What could I say to someone trembling in fear of being hit?
It was clear she wouldn't be able to properly accept an apology right now, so I just sent her away.
“…E-excuse me?”
“I'm not angry in the slightest, so you may go.”
Pressing her further would only frighten her more, so I paid her no more mind and started my meal.
She hesitated for a moment, then bowed deeply before hastily scurrying out.
Funnily enough, despite her hurried exit, she didn't make a single sound.
No, actually, it's not funny at all.
“I should just leave the Grand Temple.”
Forget changing my image. For the sake of everyone's mental health, I have to get out of here.
I finished my meal with a sorrowful expression.
After I finished eating, another problem arose.
Yesterday, Airic and Dietrich had cleared the empty dishes, but today, I'd sent the maid away, so there was no one to take them.
Rather than watch another terrified person come in and tremble while cleaning up, I decided I'd just take it myself.
“But where's the kitchen?”
As I recall, the dining hall and the kitchen are connected… but then where's the dining hall?
On top of that, I don't even know where this bedroom is located.
Because Airic had carried me here yesterday when I'd arrived at the temple, half-conscious from hunger and motion sickness.
What should I do? Should I call a maid again?
She'd probably think I was really angry this time and faint, wouldn't she…?
I was staring at the empty tray, seriously pondering my options.
【Per the user's request, initiating the ‘Map’ system.】
A system message appeared before my eyes.
“You were there?”
Maybe because it was so unhelpful…
I'd completely forgotten about it in just one day.
As if to ask how I could possibly forget it, the system screen suddenly enlarged.
In the top-left corner of the screen, it read
Right. A transmigration system should at least come with a map feature.
“Find me a path from my current location to the kitchen.”
A path to the kitchen was marked on the map with red dots.
I take back what I said about it being unhelpful.
I immediately followed the red dots.
I considered going straight to the kitchen, but that path was only connected through the staff corridors, so I decided to just cut through the dining hall.
*Ugh, I really hope the people in the dining hall don't have a fit when they see me…*
But my hope was spectacularly dashed.
“Ah.”
The moment I stepped into the dining hall, dozens of eyes belonging to those eating immediately locked onto me.
I see. It's mealtime for everyone.
The faces of those who met my gaze instantly turned pale.
*I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt your pleasant meal…*
“Your Holiness?”
Airic, having spotted me, shot to his feet and approached.
“What brings you all the way here…?”
“I was going to take my empty dishes to the kitchen. But it seems I've come at a bad time.”
I felt bad for coming while everyone was eating and making them uncomfortable.
As I offered a roundabout apology, Airic took the tray from my hands, almost snatching it away.
“I will take this for you.”
“Ah, if you would…”
“And there is no place in this Grand Temple that you cannot go, Your Holiness. You may go wherever you wish, whenever you wish.”
*Huh? Why is he being so dramatic about me just coming to the dining hall…?*
“Uh, yes. I'll keep that in mind…”
*Not that it matters, since I'm leaving soon…* Still, I nodded.
And just as I was about to quickly disappear from the dining hall for everyone's sake…
“…Huh?”
Something strange caught my eye.
“Your Holiness?”
I ignored Airic's questioning call and strode toward what I had just seen.
I felt bad that the children at the end of my gaze looked terrified, but I couldn't focus on that right now.
“What… is this?”
I stood before a group of young children huddled together at the very end of the long dining table, my eyes wide.
