Chapter: 340
As the sun pointed at the center…
Lucy returned to the training grounds with a sulking expression not long after saying she had something to do.
The four were suspicious that something bad had happened, especially with Lucy’s deteriorating face that even Frey noticed. But the words that spilled from her mouth were unrelated to incidents or accidents.
“The perverted Apostle said he wants to see you guys for a bit, so follow me.”
Perverted Apostle? At the moment Joy heard that term, she was filled with question marks but didn’t say anything. Usually, it was Arthur who played the role of teasing Lucy.
But today was different. Arthur just frowned slightly, waiting for Lucy’s cue.
Could it be he was saving his words after getting severely scolded last time?
Ugh. So now I have to ask, don’t I?
“Uh… Young Lady, I’m sorry but who is the perverted Apostle?”
“Ugh. He’s just a disgusting pervert I don’t want to talk to.”
…So that doesn’t really tell me who he is?!
As Joy screamed internally, the unexpected response came from someone else.
“Are you talking about the Apostle of the Arts Church?”
“Yeah. That perverted guy.”
The Apostle of the Arts Church is a pervert?
Joy tilted her head without realizing it as she observed Lucy’s disgusted expression. The Apostle Prete that she knew wasn’t like that at all.
Prete.
Someone who has wandered the continent since before Joy was born, establishing a reputation while dealing with various incidents caused by followers of the Evil God. A clergyman who uplifted the name of the Arts Church and a great artist leading the trends of the continent, he was someone who earned everyone’s respect.
If Prete was truly such a weird person, how could he participate in the Partlan Festival?
Having met Prete several times at the festival, Joy couldn’t understand why the noble ladies praised him to the point of wearing out their lips with compliments while calling him a pervert.
“Joy?”
“Yes?”
“I know what you’re thinking, but you’ll understand once you meet him.”
If not only Lady Allen but even Phoebe is saying this, then I must be missing something.
“Don’t you have anything else to say?”
“No, I do.”
“What is it? Hurry up. Don’t waste my precious time.”
“I can’t meet the Apostle of the Arts Church looking like this!”
With her hair a mess from exhausting stamina training, clothes soaked in sweat, and a face covered in dirt, there was no way she could meet him!
“Huh? Foolish girl, what do you see in that pervert?”
“What nonsense are you talking about?!”
It’s true that Prete still looks great, but I’m not insane enough to have feelings for someone over twenty years older than me!
“Then what? Just because a fool puts on makeup doesn’t mean they stop being a fool.”
“You know! The influence the Apostle of the Arts Church has on the social circle!”
Each word she spoke practically described the nobility with his esteemed reputation.
What if he mentioned how the Young Lady from Partlan looked sloppy somewhere?!
Imagining the vicious rumors dancing behind her back, Joy’s voice raised even in front of Lucy’s grumpy expression.
“Anyway, I’m going to wash up!”
“Lady, I’ll also get myself together.”
“Then I’ll go too. I can’t meet the Apostle of the Church looking like this.”
After the three left, Lucy, still figuring out how to deal with the hesitant Frey, slapped her forehead.
“Foolish swordsman.”
“…Huh?”
“Go wash up too.”
“Is that necessary?”
“Otherwise, I’ll make you realize your place after a full day of dueling.”
“Alright, I’ll be back.”
*
“Third Prince, is there anything messy about me right now?”
Joy stood in front of the door where the Apostle of the Arts Church was waiting, checking her outfit as she asked the question.
Sigh. “Joy, that’s the fourth time you’ve asked that.”
“But…”
“And my answer is the same as the third time. Please stop making a fuss. The Apostle of the Arts Church isn’t foolish enough to speak ill of a Young Lady from Partlan.”
Under Arthur’s firm logic, Joy ultimately kept her mouth shut. Even she knew this was getting out of hand.
After the commotion fell silent, Arthur opened the door with a sigh.
“Welcome. I’ve been waiting.”
As the party entered, Prete stood up politely, just like any other time.
He praised Arthur with a greeting, showed familiarity towards Joy by mentioning the Partlan Festival, and expressed pure admiration for Phoebe, saying she had improved.
Of course, Prete also complimented Frey, but she didn’t so much as twitch at his words.
Did she find compliments meaningless? Instead of adding more words, Prete shrugged and turned his attention to Joy and Phoebe.
“I made some outfits for the Young Lady from Partlan and the Saintess of Jushin Church. Is there anything you would like?”
“…What?”
“…Excuse me?”
“Huh? Did you not hear? Since the Young Lady asked me to, I thought we were already on the same page.”
Joy turned her head towards Lucy at the back as Prete continued speaking.
Young Lady?! What is this about?!
I did ask her to choose a dress for me, but this is!
“Why? You don’t like it? I guess I could understand that. Anyone would shiver at the thought of something made by this disgusting pervert.”
“No! There’s no way I wouldn’t like it! It’s just! …I was surprised because it’s too much compared to my expectations.”
Just wearing something he made would make her the center of the social circle, and the fact that Prete himself was making dresses for her!
It’s too much!
It’s overwhelming!
I never expected it to go this far!
“Hahaha. Foolish Young Lady, you’re hilarious. What’s so great about something made by this pervert?”
“…You’re serious?”
Even the jewelry gifted by him is normally offered only to those he recognizes, so it’s obviously amazing for him to personally create a dress tailored for someone!
He’s joking, right?! Right?!
“Joy, how can you not realize that after looking at that guy for so long? Lucy Allen has no idea about the value the Apostle holds.”
“No way.”
“Hahaha. Young Lady of Partlan, please calm down. It’s not entirely wrong what Lady Allen is saying.”
Faced with Prete’s insistence, Joy was left with no choice but to fall silent.
“So is there anything you desire?”
At this point, it would be rude to decline.
Joy forced herself to keep a neutral face and shook her head.
“I’ll leave it to the Apostle.”
“Me too. Please do as the Apostle wishes.”
“Alright. Then I’ll have to think about it for a bit.”
Ugh. No matter what Lady Allen thinks, this is an enormous debt.
This isn’t something that can just be given back between friends!
What do I even have to do to repay this?!
While Joy sighed internally, Prete stood up and walked next to Lucy.
“Then everyone, please wait here for a moment. I’m going to start dressing the Young Lady, and I hope you’ll evaluate it.”
“I’m asking because it’s hard to trust this pervert’s eyes. No matter how sloppy his taste is, it should still be better than this disgusting ped–”
“Hahaha. As you can see, the Young Lady here doesn’t trust me at all. Please wait; it won’t take long.”
As soon as the two left bickering, Arthur chuckled in disbelief.
“Lucy Allen. What on earth is that guy’s relationship with Prete?”
“Right?”
How could he refuse a royal request right in front of him yet agree to make dresses for us at the Young Lady’s behest?
What kind of bond exists between them to enable that?
Ah. Speaking of that…
“Phoebe, you know something, don’t you?”
When the Young Lady called Prete a perverted Apostle, Phoebe seemed to understand what she meant.
That means Phoebe knows something about their relationship.
After sensing Arthur and Joy’s attention on her, Phoebe awkwardly smiled.
“…I do know a bit, but…”
Seeing Phoebe’s reaction, Joy’s eyes widened.
This was someone who usually answered in a perfectly neutral tone, showing no change of expression, yet here she was, clearly flustered!
Just what kind of relationship do they have?!
…Wait, could it be?!
“Did the Young Lady get close to Prete?!”
“Joy! Do you really think that makes sense?!”
As Joy shouted, Phoebe raised her voice.
“That’s a disrespectful remark to both of them! Please be careful!”
“Uh. I-I’m sorry, Phoebe.”
Wait, what?
Then what is it?
What kind of relationship makes Phoebe hesitate to speak?
Joy’s mind was spinning with various thoughts but ended up blank.
Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, she lifted her head, feeling all her thoughts evaporate, leaving her mind completely blank.
The first word etched into her now-white brain was “Noble.”
The way the red eyes looked down on the world with indifference.
The tightly closed lips. The silk-like hair cascading down her slightly exposed collarbone.
The pure white dress, as if sculpted from snow sent from heaven, and the skin glowing with a liveliness to match.
Everything was so noble and sublime that Joy saw wings sprouting behind the woman.
W-What is this?
Am I dreaming?
Yeah, it must be a dream.
If it weren’t a dream, there’s no way an angel would appear before me.
…Wha-?!
What’s going on? Why is the angel coming towards me?
Did I do something wrong? Have I made another mistake?!
“…Can you hear me?”
“Eheh?!”
“Sigh. Seriously. I keep calling you a fool because you do things like this, you silly fool.”
“…Lady Allen?”
“Are you an idiot? There can’t be two such pretty and cute people in the world.”
…That’s true. Only the Young Lady speaks like that.
Oh! Now that I think about it, this dress seems familiar.
Did I choose it for her?
But when she wore it last time, it didn’t feel like this.
But this design is definitely something I picked.
“…Ehhh?!”
No way. Is it really the Young Lady?!
Is this how the Young Lady looks when she’s properly dressed!?
“Stop saying dumb things. How does it look to your sloppy eyes?”
“You look truly noble…”
“Hahaha. I guess your vocabulary is lacking for a Duchess, huh?”
Lucy giggled for a long time, satisfied, before turning her gaze toward the others who were still frozen in shock.
Waaaah. I really can’t find words to describe this.
Every time I look, my vocabulary seems to vanish, leaving only “noble” behind.
Looking at the reactions of the others, it seemed I wasn’t the only one.
The Third Prince’s face was beet red, unable to string together coherent words.
Phoebe couldn’t even look directly, timidly stealing glances.
Lady Kent seemed to have lost her voice entirely, following Lady Allen with her eyes.
Seeing the already beautiful Young Lady look this amazing after Prete styled her, I see what the result of that is.
…Should I ask for a favor as well?
Even if I get rejected, it’s worth asking just once.
“Lady Allen.”
“Huh? What is it, fool?”
“Where is Prete?”
“Why are you asking about that perverted jerk?”
“I just want to ask him something.”
“He’s in the next room, but you won’t be able to talk to him. Like the disgusting pervert he is, he’s given up on being human.”
…What does it mean that he’s given up on being human?
What kind of form could he have taken that oozes such deep-rooted disgust from the Young Lady’s voice?
Curiosity piqued, Joy stood up and quietly headed to the next room.
And the moment she saw Prete collapsed in the corner, she understood Lucy’s hatred.
Blood dripping from his nose.
His face beaming with unfulfilled happiness.
A grotesque smile etched on his lips.
“Ohhh. Goddess. I’ve met another goddess here. One who has even granted me the mercy to kick this face, graciously trodden by her feet. I wish I could not wash for the rest of my life…”
And vile words that sent shivers down one’s spine.
In that room was not the Apostle of the Arts Church Prete.
What lay inside was a perverted jerk who should be thrown into prison immediately.
Not having the courage to handle any more shocking visuals, Joy quietly closed the door and returned to embrace Lucy.
“Fool. Why the sudden affection?”
“Truly, you’re going through a lot, Young Lady.”
“…Huh?”
“I really really appreciate your hard work, Young Lady.”
“Oh. Yeah.”
…Now I understand Phoebe’s feelings.
How can I say that the Apostle of the Arts Church is such a mad pervert? I wouldn’t be able to say it either.
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