Chapter 35
“Ah, long time no see. I came because the Chancellor summoned me. But I thought today was a day off from temple duties…”
“You must not have known, Father Manuel. Earlier today, His Highness the Crown Prince came for an inspection. That’s why he visited the temple. Since the orphanage you oversee is on the outskirts of the capital, the news probably didn’t reach you.”
“That must be it. But why would the Chancellor summon me?”
No matter how much Manuel thought about it, there was no clear reason for the Chancellor to call him.
Manuel was an ordinary priest, never causing trouble or standing out.
The other priest shrugged his shoulders slightly, perhaps also puzzled.
“One thing’s certain: having met the Crown Prince, your mood must be far from good. His Highness is not an easy man to please.”
“Ha… true enough. Then I will go ahead.”
Manuel greeted politely and hurried toward the Chancellor’s office.
Knock knock.
The Chancellor opened the door himself and greeted Manuel.
“Long time no see.”
“Father Manuel, how have you been? Please come in quickly.”
The Chancellor welcomed Manuel with a warm smile and personally served him tea.
“You look a little thin. Is the orphanage work very demanding?”
“Caring for young children is hard, but I’m doing well, thankfully.”
“That’s good to hear.”
“But what was the reason for calling me?”
“Oh, nothing special, just a few questions.”
“What kind of questions?”
Manuel felt a bit nervous, not knowing what would be asked.
He worried secretly that maybe someone found out he had been secretly distributing pain potions to the poor.
But what the Chancellor said was far from what he expected.
“I heard you went to the Inquisition a few months ago.”
“Oh… yes, that’s right.”
Manuel recalled the frail figure stretched out, the woman’s sad face and agonized screams.
He felt his body tremble slightly.
“You performed a black magic detection there?”
“Yes. She was innocent.”
“Is that so? Did you find any other signs from her?”
“Huh?”
The Chancellor smiled faintly and cleared his throat.
“For example, traces of other kinds of magic…”
He trailed off, watching Manuel’s reaction.
Manuel was confused why the Chancellor cared about that prisoner.
Could it be that she reported the temple? Or that the shock from the detection was mistaken?
Fear suddenly rose in Manuel’s chest, and he hesitated to speak.
“I don’t know much about her. Except that she was innocent, I have no knowledge. But why do you ask about her?”
“Manuel, do you know who she is?”
“Isn’t she the prisoner who was falsely accused?”
“Ah, you don’t know. That woman is Selena Estarion. She was excommunicated from the Estarion Count family.”
“Huh?”
“She was the Crown Prince’s former fiancée. His Highness mentioned her today.”
The Chancellor sighed softly, watching Manuel unsure how to react.
He thought about the Crown Prince he met earlier. Usually distant from the temple, but today he showed unusual hostility.
“Without proper investigation before black magic detection, it’s safe to say the Inquisition’s judicial process is failing.”
Usually, before black magic detection, thorough investigation and interrogation are conducted for months.
But Selena’s case was different; much of that process was ignored and she was immediately subjected to detection.
The Crown Prince criticized the lack of procedure, and the Chancellor, not knowing every prisoner, sensed problems and called Manuel.
“Even if she was the fiancée, they were broken off, so I wonder if there was ever any feeling.”
The cold Crown Prince likely wanted to pressure the temple.
“She was not a heretic, but innocent… is there a problem?”
“Did she ever speak ill of the Crown Prince?”
“No, never.”
“Who reported her as a heretic?”
“The Estarion Count, I believe. Allegedly because she resonated with the family treasure.”
Manuel felt like sighing. To think the father accused his own innocent daughter.
“The Count? Saying it was because of resonance…”
The Chancellor’s face darkened.
He wanted to ask more, but it was difficult for a common priest to freely question the Chancellor.
“Manuel, thank you for coming all this way. Are there any difficulties running the orphanage?”
“Oh, actually there is something I need to mention.”
“What is it?”
“As you know, District 8 where I serve has many poor residents. Many are ill, and pained moans are often heard. The children in my orphanage are no different.”
Manuel carefully approached the main topic while watching the Chancellor’s expression.
“Please allow the children to be given pain potions.”
“Manuel, you know it’s not easy to approve that.”
“But… some children face surgery soon. Without pain relief, they may die of shock from the pain.”
“Hmm. Manuel, while we can increase funds for healing, the supply of pain potions is strictly controlled and cannot be freely used.”
“Freely…”
Everyone is equally sick and in pain; how can it be ‘freely’?
Manuel bit his lip and pleaded again.
“But a priest cannot put drugs in children to bring them to surgery.”
“We can support strong liquor, though.”
“Chancellor! A child’s life is at stake. I beg you.”
Despite Manuel’s earnest plea, the Chancellor remained firm.
“If the use of pain potions on children becomes known, the palace and nobles who purchase them at high prices will strongly oppose. Then the temple would become a target of suppression. You know that the temple survives nowadays mainly because of pain potions.”
“…I understand. I will see what I can do.”
Manuel stood quickly, bowed, and left the office.
The Chancellor remained alone, clutching his throbbing head.
He understood Manuel’s feelings but the temple had its rules.
“I felt the Crown Prince knew something today.”
Before leaving for the palace after the meeting, the Crown Prince said to the Chancellor:
“Selena’s fate is unpredictable. She has many enemies to seek revenge. I fear that, don’t you?”
Whether he meant the Estarion family or the temple, the Chancellor wasn’t sure.
Though the excommunicated woman could do little, the Chancellor’s mouth went dry.
Citing the resonance with the treasure as reason implied that Selena was not the Count’s real daughter.
“If Selena Estarion is the child who was kidnapped when young… what is really going on?”
Selena Estarion’s kidnapping was a notorious case in the capital, especially as it involved the Count’s daughter.
The Chancellor remembered clearly the tense atmosphere at that time.
The child returned safely and the chaos settled.
To know now that she wasn’t the biological daughter…
“Did something happen that I wasn’t told?”
The Chancellor swallowed the now cold tea in his mouth.
He felt as if a huge wave was about to crash down.
Unlike Fred, who was stressed by serving the Crown Prince immediately after starting as a butler, Aiden didn’t give much importance to the visit.
He didn’t care about his background or shabby clothes.
He knew how to admit his shortcomings without shame and ignored what others said.
Thus, he believed minimal cleanliness and order in his mansion was sufficient.
In fact, it was the guests who seemed conscious of Aiden’s appearance, the tidy house, and organized atmosphere.
“I didn’t expect you to get things together so fast, Duke.”
Peterson twisted his lips, displeased that Aiden behaved like a proper noble.
Aiden replied indifferently.
“I don’t know why you’re so surprised.”
Peterson’s face reddened as Aiden led the Crown Prince to the reception room.
“My butler says dinner will be ready in an hour. Since we have time before the meal, please wait a bit.”
“That’s fine. Aiden, it’s good to see you living so well.”
Aiden smirked slyly at the Crown Prince’s words.
The smile was cocky, but having fought with him on the battlefield, the Crown Prince understood Aiden’s pride.
Shion, who had accompanied them reluctantly, asked.
“Fred? Is that Fred Clark, the butler?”
“Yes, that is my butler’s name.”
“He’s at the Duke’s mansion?”
“Do you know him?”
“When I worked at the Kellymere Count’s estate, I saw him several times.”
“Ah yes, Shion, your godfather was the Kellymere Count.”
“Yes, he took special care of me as a child. When I almost broke the Count’s cherished flowerpot and nearly got punished, he lied to save me.”
“He was kind.”
“Indeed. After my godfather passed away, I worried about Fred’s whereabouts, so it’s surprising to hear he works for Duke Calypso.”
Shion’s enthusiasm made Aiden suggest.
“Why don’t you meet Fred briefly before dinner? He’d be happy.”
“Is that alright, Your Highness?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Thank you for understanding.”
Shion stood to meet Fred, and Peterson cautiously spoke.
“Then I will also take a quick tour of the mansion.”
The Crown Prince nodded, and Peterson hurriedly left.
Thus, only Aiden and the Crown Prince remained in the reception room.
“Aiden, have you calmed your emotions?”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
“Since you come from different origins, it will be tough. Don’t try to fit yourself to them; let them fit to you. That’s better.”
“I understand. That’s what they call authority.”
The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow at Aiden’s use of such a high-level word.
Aiden chuckled softly.
“I’m studying hard these days. I read newspapers and books daily. I can even write my name now.”
“You learned to write? From whom?”
“I hired a capable tutor. I can’t stay an ignorant fool who can’t even write forever.”
