EP.246 Epilogue. Beltein has a lot to say. (1)
“Beast····.”
This time, even if I had ten mouths, I wouldn’t know what to say.
It hadn’t been long since I was told by the Sister to please restrain myself.
Falling for the Hero’s provocation yet again, I shook my waist all night until the sun was high in the sky—my behavior was quite literally beastly.
They say the thief learns much more frighteningly late.
Having lived as a complete virgin my whole life, I was somewhat confident in keeping lust at bay.
But ever since the day I intertwined my body with the Hero, just the slightest whisper in my ear from the Hero would make my body heat up, making it hard to control myself.
Now, having attained the highest position as clergy, I was surprisingly living a life utterly detached from the way of the clergy.
Where else could you find such an ironic situation?
Seriously. It was just ridiculous.
“Didn’t I tell you last time? I can understand you’re giddy because you’re newlyweds, but as a representative of the Vatican, you need to maintain at least a semblance of decorum. Is that so difficult?”
“Th-that…”
Usually sharp, today my Sister’s behavior was particularly steely, causing my body to instinctively shrink back.
With her arms crossed and a visibly displeased demeanor, she looked down at me with a domineering stare.
Thanks to that, her particular features were highlighted even more, but I had no emotional bandwidth left to admire such marvel.
Her chilling gaze filled with contempt lingered on me, kneeling on the floor, before slowly closing.
For a moment, I thought the sermon was over, but seeing the deeply furrowed brow of the Sister, it seemed like it was just beginning.
“How many times is this now? Please consider my position, where I’m the one constantly shushing the staff. Especially today, the person on duty is a newcomer to the faith. To display such a harsh spectacle so brazenly… what on earth…?”
“I-I have committed a grave sin…”
With no room for excuses, I at least tried to show an attitude of remorse with all my heart and sincerity.
Even back when I was her designated guardian priest, I had to endure her nagging about my behavior, but ever since I hastily became the Vatican’s representative, it had been like this every day.
Especially on the day I had my escapade with the Hero, it was especially torturous.
I tried to endure it; it was the Hero who pounced first.
Even if I tried to explain while in a cold sweat, all I received back was a gaze full of derision, like that of a new bride looking at her cheating husband.
Because of the Sister’s sharp attitude, I’d been misunderstood by others as having an affair with my direct secretary more than once.
Of course, I could fully understand the Sister’s feelings.
After clearing out the hierarchy of the Vatican and drastically restructuring it, the workload became murderous.
The one bearing the brunt of that weight was none other than her.
Even if I was the figurehead, if the boss was off having fun with a woman while the subordinates were laboring away, I’d be furious too.
So, every time there was some spare time, I’d tirelessly try to relieve that burden, but it seemed insufficient to dispel all of the Sister’s anger.
“Now, here are the documents you need to handle today. Please sign them all.”
“All of this…?”
“Is there a problem?”
“Of course not~”
I replied with an awkward smile, attempting to sound cheerful in the face of her piercing voice that reminded me of a fierce blizzard.
I’d heard the expression “mountains of paperwork,” and had even seen it a few times, but the sheer volume of documents filling the office felt like a gigantic tsunami.
Today too, I realized I was doomed.
At night the Hero didn’t put me to sleep, and during the day the Sister didn’t either; it was truly maddening.
“And have you perhaps forgotten? This afternoon, we have disaster site inspections. Meetings with distinguished guests from neighboring countries. Attendance at a religious tribunal, among other duties.”
“Ah····.”
I inadvertently let out a hollow sigh, feeling as if I’d just been walloped on the back of the head.
The Sister’s expression, watching my reaction, turned even more menacing than before.
“Don’t tell me you’ve actually forgotten, right?”
“····”
I couldn’t bring myself to respond, avoiding her gaze.
Thinking back, I seemed to recall hearing about those duties.
After spending a wild night with the Hero, those thoughts had seemingly evaporated from my mind.
“I can’t believe you’d completely forget something I reminded you of just yesterday. Were you really that happy with your escapade with the Hero? Your marital bliss seems truly delightful to behold.”
Cold sweat trickled down my back.
The Sister’s mood being low was a constant, but today it seemed particularly worse.
This heavy and chilling air suffocated me.
It reminded me of the Saintess when she was furious, a feeling I loathed to recall.
Like sisters, when they’re in a bad mood, their eyes become wickedly piercing.
“Don’t even dream of going home today. Understand?”
“Yes····.”
As I endured the Sister’s harsh sermon for a while longer.
With work piling up, I couldn’t just keep sitting around, so I decided to make a move.
I sat down, dipped the feather pen into the inkwell, and began to scribble my signature on the lines in front of me.
Scratch scratch.
Thanks to starting work, the Sister’s sharp demeanor softened just a tiny bit.
Of course, that just meant it softened slightly; her mood still seemed as low as ever.
“Seriously! Really!”
Taking a deep breath, she dealt with the paperwork while I took a quick glance at her before refocusing on my work.
Another tiring day was about to begin.
With those regrets swirling in my mind.
“Without me being a virgin····.”
The Sister’s disdainful sigh murmured softly, not catching my ear.
◈◈◈
“Uh, what’s this····?”
“What’s going on? Is there some sort of problem····?”
“Haha, no, just some letters from comrades came in.”
“Letters?”
While struggling with documents for a while, I unexpectedly found something among the stack of papers, and a smile suddenly crept onto my face.
“Apis and Dawna. And Bigtim’s too. Oh my····.”
“Th-that’s impossible. When I checked the documents earlier, there were definitely none.”
“Dawna probably teleported the letters using magic. She often does that because it’s too bothersome to go to the post office.”
“What····.”
Ignoring the Sister’s incredulous response, I slowly opened the letters.
After the defeat of the Demon King, the Hero Party had essentially disbanded, but given the time we spent together, we still maintained close communication like this.
Dawna was currently researching a magic to split one person into two, and Apis, for some reason, decided to join her.
Bigtim, unable to resist his sister’s bragging about her newlywed life, ultimately declared his independence.
Yet from the updates I received, it seemed Bigtim didn’t dislike his first taste of solitude too much.
“Wh-what!? Dawna expressed her gratitude to Apis for making breakfast for her!? What on earth is this!?”
“I-Is that so surprising····?”
“Of course it is! That proud Dawna expressing gratitude to anyone? That it’s to Apis? That’s as absurd as a cat barking!”
“Ah, yes····.”
Dawna, who never gave Apis even a simple thank you, let alone shower her with complaints like a mother-in-law, suddenly expressing genuine gratitude was unimaginable until just a year ago.
After the Demon King’s defeat, I had felt that Dawna’s attitude toward Apis had slightly softened, but I thought it was just my imagination at the time.
Having watched the two of them constantly bicker right in front of my eyes, I could only feel overwhelmingly moved.
“Regis Priest! Are you crying? Right now?”
I’m someone who rarely cries, yet here I was, almost tearing up.
I felt the days of mediating their disputes were finally being rewarded, and my chest tightened all of a sudden.
“Oh, speaking of which, about the matchmaking letters that arrived recently. When do you plan to respond?”
“Ah····.”
In that moment, the busy hands froze completely.
I had almost forgotten about it. To be reminded in such a direct way was quite the shock.
I’d known I was heartless, but being asked so bluntly, I couldn’t mumble my response.
“Well, I guess I’ll have to refuse. Of course, as politely as possible····.”
“Well, I assume you would, Priest.”
Since taking on the position of Vatican’s representative, among the countless documents flooding in, there were indeed letters requesting matchmaking addressed to me.
The fifth member of the Hero Party, whose mythology had spread rumors far and wide.
In these dire moments when the capital of the system was in crisis, a hero appeared like a comet to rescue everyone.
With the aftermath of the Dungeon Disaster causing the loss of many archbishops, the Vatican had lost its center, and I became a role model for the saint.
With such brilliant titles, I must have been a delectable target for those thirsty for power.
From daughters of prestigious noble houses to dukes’ heirs. Widows from high society who lost their husbands in power struggles.
Even among the former fiancées of the Ranobel Priest, there were some who sent invitations to court me.
The Rosebelt Noble was one such example.
When she casually brought up marriage after having been shot down by me before, I was left in a daze for quite some time.
In the beginning, I couldn’t even remember who she was just hearing her name.
Thinking about it now, it wasn’t surprising at all.
“It’s quite surprising. I thought if it were a woman, you’d rush in to accept.”
“H-Hahaha····.”
With the Sister’s bitterly sarcastic remark still hanging in the air, I awkwardly laughed it off and returned to my paperwork.
“You know I can’t afford to do that right now, Sister.”
“····”
I was well aware of the various political advantages that would follow if I accepted the matchmaking proposals.
But more than anything else, I absolutely rejected this one.
The mere thought of going out with another woman after I’ve already tied the knot was deeply off-putting.
Besides, if I were to glance at another woman carelessly, I’d have to contend with two potential ticking time bombs.
The Saintess might be quiet now for unavoidable reasons, but the moment the Hero caught wind of it, it would be chaos.
“Honestly, it’s just absurd~ You already have the Hero and the Saintess, and throwing another woman into the mix? Even I have more decorum than that~”
Quickly changing the subject like dismissing a bad joke, I waved my hand in the air.
Just then.
Out of nowhere, the warm and robust sensation of flesh pressed against my neck.
Startled by the weight, my body instinctively jolted.
Soon after, I felt a slender arm wrap around my neck. The sensation of moist lips brushing against my ear completely interrupted the smooth flow of time.
“Sister····?”
My trembling lips barely formed the question.
Due to the intoxicating scent that I had grown familiar with—having indulged in it every night—it sent me into a panic.
The sweet and erotic aroma of a woman soaked in lust.
The source was emanating from someone I couldn’t believe my own eyes.
“Why… can’t I?”
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