Why did the Priestess choose me for legal consultation?
At first, I thought the Priestess didn’t expect much from me.
After all, how much could a 19-year-old who just studied a bit of law and served as an Acting Mayor know about the law?
Maybe she chose me because I’m a woman too, but I’m tight-lipped.
Surely, there are other people for serious legal consultations.
I thought she came to me because we’d communicate well.
And that turned out to be true.
“I just rented a room in Cologne. I told them it was for a business trip.”
“You didn’t have to do that. I have my residence and mansion too…”
“Ugh. That feels weird. I dislike sleeping in the house where the Mayor lived. That guy seemed gloomy and I didn’t like him. Ah, oops… I might have said too much about your late husband…”
“It’s fine. I didn’t like him much either.”
“Did you say he… abused you?”
“Yeah. I was hit whenever he got the chance. To him, I was nothing more than a tool. I think it’s poetic that he died.”
We quickly became close.
In no time, we shared secrets with each other.
I think we felt a sense of kinship.
I saw myself in the Priestess.
I’ve thought more than once that we look alike.
As the legal consultations continued, and our encounters became more frequent, the Priestess gradually let her guard down.
Before long, she opened up about things she had kept hidden.
“Yoo Jin… was my Bodyguard Knight. When I came to Hameln, I was in such a rush that I couldn’t get a Bodyguard Knight. So, I opened up a recruitment notice. The first person to show up was Yoo Jin. He clearly looked like he belonged to the middle class or nobility with a nice sword at his waist and neat clothes, right? But when I saw his face, he was the same laborer I had insulted at a construction site earlier. I had silenced him after saying some nasty things. It started as a bad fate. But after that—”
The story the Priestess shared was quite surprising.
I hadn’t heard this from Yoo Jin.
I only vaguely knew they were once close and that Yoo Jin had left.
This was the first time I learned the details.
“I was too selfish. Perhaps I took Yoo Jin for granted all this time. I thought Yoo Jin would always be at my side, no matter how much I annoyed him or treated him poorly. He would always smile and comfort me… I never even considered the possibility that Yoo Jin could leave. I saw him not as a person, but as a tool…”
“There will be a chance to make things right. I will definitely find Yoo Jin, I mean, Sir Yoo Jin.”
“Right? Once I find him… when I meet Yoo Jin again… I will apologize first. In the past, my pride was so great that even when I was wrong, I never apologized. What was that pride about… I’ve decided to be honest now. If I like something, I’ll say so. If I don’t, I’ll say that too. I won’t wait indefinitely for Yoo Jin to confess first. What can I do? The one who likes him more should hold on tight. I’ll tell him to not leave. That I’ll take care of him. I’m no longer a child demanding affection. I’ve realized that if I receive something, I should also return it. I want to tell Yoo Jin this… face to face.”
“…”
I finally understood why I felt that kinship.
I once was just like the Priestess.
Wanting to maintain my status in every relationship, wishing for much but being unable to be honest…
I was just like that during my university days.
The difference is, my arrogant personality got crushed through various incidents, while the Priestess grew from her heartache.
And another key difference is, I can meet Yoo Jin, but the Priestess cannot.
The Priestess and I are really just a step apart.
If things had been a little different.
If the luck had swung just a bit more badly or good…
I thought we might have found ourselves in opposite positions.
Of course, I have no intention of being swayed by sympathy.
The Priestess’s plight is unfortunate, but if her existence hinders Yoo Jin, I must stop her.
Even if I feel guilty for deceiving and betraying the Priestess.
My promise to Yoo Jin comes first.
Yoo Jin, who saved me, always comes first.
I’m sorry to the Priestess, but this is just how it has to be.
“Acting Mayor! I’ve thought of a brilliant plan!
One day, when the Priestess came to visit with a smile, I couldn’t help but smile back.
But as soon as she mentioned the ‘plan,’ I lost my grin immediately.
“It’s non-notified immigration inspection. First, we’ll make a fake ID for Yoo Jin. We’ll register a non-existent person as if they exist. Then, we’ll stage an incident. For example, Yoo Jin attempts to sexually assault the Priestess and flees. That would make public investigation difficult, right? The wanted notice would also be carried out in secret, so Yoo Jin would have a hard time noticing. It’s a serious matter of the Priestess’s sanctity being violated, so the inspection would be done without notification. Once Yoo Jin steps foot in the Holy Kingdom… bam he gets caught. How does that sound?”
“Uh, that’s illegal.”
“I know. But we’ve already used all the legal methods.”
“If the Priestess commits a crime—”
“I’ll take responsibility. I didn’t come here to ask you to get your hands dirty. I’m not that cowardly. I just came to ask how feasible this plan is.”
“…”
Feasibility?
100 percent.
Yoo Jin will definitely fall for it.
He’ll inevitably show up in Cologne to cash a check one day when money runs out.
With no notification, the news of strict inspections in the Holy Kingdom will spread only through word of mouth.
Even if the rumors reach Yoo Jin’s ears, it’d be hard for him to anticipate it’s for him.
What kind of crazy person would falsely report that they nearly got assaulted and cause alarm for the whole country?
This would be a surprise even for Yoo Jin.
“Priestess, please reconsider. I don’t know if I should say this, but I consider you a friend. As a friend and a devout member of the Holy Church, I think this shouldn’t be done.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve already made up my mind. It’s that urgent to me. You’re not going to get in my way, are you?”
The look in the Priestess’s eyes was never more terrifying than that day.
It was a look demanding an answer from me.
“Fine… do as you wish. Since you’ve decided, I’ll fully support you. I just want the Priestess to be happy.”
“Really? Thank you so much, Acting Mayor! Hehe! You’re the best!”
In any case, she isn’t someone I can just talk down to.
I made that judgment and chose to endorse the Priestess’s absurd plan.
Of course, only on the surface.
Behind the scenes, I intended to secretly thwart it step by step.
Please, Yoo Jin. You have to catch on. You need to notice…
As part of that, I abruptly stopped sending letters to Yoo Jin.
For someone who used to send letters almost every day, suddenly stopping would be quite unusual.
If it were Yoo Jin, he’d definitely pick up on my message.
Of course, I could’ve sent a letter warning him to be careful because of the immigration inspection in the Holy Kingdom.
But… I decided against it.
That would be way too risky.
Though the Priestess trusts me and considers us close, there’s no guarantee she won’t read my letters after already committing illegal acts.
I decided not to engage in any dangerous activities.
I also wrote another letter.
A letter revealing the Priestess’s illegal actions, which I sent to the Vatican.
Of course, the likelihood of this being effective is low.
For one, it’s an anonymous letter without evidence.
While the Priestess is making a strong claim of attempted assault with solid evidence, I’m dismissing it as defamation without any basis.
Eventually, what I feared happened.
The Holy Kingdom initiated surprise inspections for everyone entering and exiting.
They even passed a sketch resembling Yoo Jin to the inspection points…
Please, don’t come, Yoo Jin. Please. Don’t come…
He’s not allowed to come.
Absolutely not.
I offered daily prayers as if they would never reach Yoo Jin.
…
…
…
“We’ll just go back.”
“Ah, wait just a moment. It’ll only be a minute.”
“I said I’m not entering, right? Isn’t this an immigration inspection? Why are you detaining me? Please provide a legal basis for my arrest.”
“Hahahahahaha. There’s someone here who wishes to see you. So I kindly ask you to wait while having a cup of tea.”
This is bad.
Surrounded on all sides, feeling the weight of shoulders pushing me into a sofa.
This is not a request.
It’s not even semi-coercive, it’s straight-up coercive.
Even if I want to leave when things feel off, it’s useless.
Before long, the soldiers who had come in pushed me and Mi Jeong into a deeper room.
In the end, we couldn’t even react, getting seated and trapped.
That’s probably a wanted notice.
Outside, soldiers and higher-ups are glancing at a certain piece of paper alternately.
Given the situation, it’s definite.
That’s a montage depicting my face.
I didn’t expect her to use such extreme measures.
I knew Jill was looking for me.
I had heard the news of strict inspections in the Holy Kingdom.
But I never thought she would put into effect a secret wanted notice during immigration inspections.
In this world, except for a few isolated countries, strict control over immigration is almost non-existent.
Especially the Holy Kingdom, being the center of culture and trade, would be in chaos if they applied immigration inspections.
Yet, despite that, conducting immigration checks means there’s a crisis in the Holy Kingdom.
Jill must be abusing her power as a Priestess.
Deciding to shake the entire nation just to capture me.
What a ridiculous situation.
The person they’re calling?
Without a doubt, it’s Priestess Jill.
If I sit still like this, I’ll end up face to face with Jill, who was crying and causing a scene before me in my first playthrough.
What now?
Wub wub!
Suddenly, I feel my sword sheath vibrating.
Is my Magic Sword crying out?
I didn’t know it could transmit vibrations.
I slightly lifted the cover and brought my finger to my lips.
|Pick me! Wield me!|
“Shut up…”
“What was that?”
“Just talking to myself.”
I quickly shut my mouth and covered the sheath again.
I dismissed it as something not worth listening to, but the Magic Sword’s words were indeed among my options.
I could overpower all the guards and escape.
Surrounded by numerous soldiers and knights, if someone were to ask if escaping here is impossible, the answer would be no.
If I confront the knights, it’ll take quite a bit of time.
But if I target the soldiers, I could escape without killing anyone.
However, doing that creates a huge problem.
Unlike the past situations where I was wanted for crimes I couldn’t disclose, now it’d turn into a public wanted status.
Then I would no longer be able to show my face outside the Holy Kingdom.
It’s a dilemma.
Is the only option to force my way through?
If running away is the worst-case scenario, I have to choose the least worst.
The issue is that this least worst involves facing Jill.
But it can’t be helped.
I have to accept it as my fate.
What I need to do right now is simple.
To think about how to face Jill without game over.
Should I tell Jill that I don’t like her anymore and to stop clinging?
That’s a good idea.
If I want to provoke Jill into a fit and possibly be imprisoned or face execution…
Then should I treat her kindly?
That’s dangerous.
After all, Jill is a heroine whose conquest rate won’t rise much compared to Yulia; she’s generally lenient in judgment.
A few lines of dialogue could easily max out the conquest rate and lead to an ending.
What… should I do?
Just as I was racking my brains, the knights and soldiers outside stood stiffly.
Ah, damn.
It’s finally happening.
“I’m sorry for the wait.”
“You are…?”
“Hello. I am Nicholas Dichttraum, the Archbishop of the Southern Region.”
An entirely unexpected figure appeared.
Nicholas Dichttraum.
Where did he pop up from again?
Does he even have lines in the story?
I barely remember him as a low-impact extra.
The only thing I remember him for is being murdered by a certain Holy Knight in the middle of the story.
He appears in shabby casual wear instead of flashy formal attire.
With oversized glasses and a mild expression, he seems like a middle-aged man.
However, his attire and scruffy beard, along with his unkempt hair, are far from the usual Archbishop image.
“That’s quite a mouthful of a name.”
“Haha. You can just call me Cardinal Nicholas.”
Nicholas extends his hand for a handshake first.
Isn’t it standard to shake hands with a Cardinal?
Taken by surprise, I exchanged a handshake with him, but the soldiers surrounding us seemed to find it unusual.
Nicholas also shook hands with Mi Jeong and then took a seat on the opposite sofa.
“Oh dear, you look rather shabby. Don’t worry, I just washed my hands.”
“Ah, yes.”
“I rushed over… I’ve kept you waiting, it seems. Since I don’t want to waste any more time, let’s get straight to the point.”
“Thank you for that.”
Nicholas says this and gestures for the soldiers to leave.
The soldiers, looking doubtful, dart glances at us and step out of the room.
Soon enough, I sensed a strange mana surrounding the entire space.
It’s definitely a barrier.
As soon as I confirmed the barrier was fully deployed, Nicholas’s playful smile froze as he leaned closer.
He clasped his hands together.
In a low voice, he whispered,
“Do you know that the Priestess is looking for you?”
“Excuse me?”
“The Priestess has filed charges against you for attempted sexual assault. I judge this to be false, and I’m here to help you. If you are innocent, please cooperate.”
“Ahaha, attempted sexual assault, you say…”
This isn’t just some simple trouble, is it?
It seems the Priestess is seriously trying to ruin me socially.
