Chapter 41
Light novel: Episode 41
Manhwa: Chapter 17
This was also why Airek didn’t use the sacred relic Lightgold himself and instead entrusted it to me.
If he had done that too, no matter how much he’s a male lead candidate, he would’ve been completely drained and died.
“It’s for the grand temple, so of course I have to do it. Don’t worry.”
Airek said reassuringly.
But with his face just as dark and lifeless as the three slaves—no, the three people—in the potion production team, he looked far more pitiful than reliable……
Honestly, even if Airek said he regretted becoming the High Priest of the Sun God’s grand temple, I’d understand.
Only Seth, who had been excluded from the shuttle team due to his lack of ability, comforted him with a sympathetic expression.
Actually, I do have some news that would cheer him up, but unfortunately, I can’t tell him just yet.
I glanced at the system message floating in front of me.
【1,000 people have newly learned of the existence of ‘Sun Crawling Out of Death’.】
【The power of the ‘Sun Crawling Out of Death’ has slightly increased.】
【User’s divine power increases by 0.001%.】
All I did was sell potions, and yet the Sun God’s power had increased slightly.
It wasn’t a meaningful number, but I wasn’t disappointed in the least. On the contrary, it was a sign of hope.
The more potions we sold, the more people would come to know of the Sun God’s existence and that would hasten the pace of his power’s recovery.
And if among those people, some came seeking to become followers? That would be the cherry on top.
Knock, knock.
At that moment, Victoria, who had been waiting outside, knocked on the door of the reception room and announced.
“Um, sorry to interrupt, but I think all three of you should come out for a moment.”
Not just one, but all three of us? Did something happen outside?
“Well, it seems that Miss Monica’s family has come to visit the grand temple.”
Ah. It looked like her parents had finally found out their runaway daughter’s whereabouts and came to drag her back.
“Let’s go.”
I headed toward the entrance together with Airek, Seth, and Victoria, who had been lingering outside.
The news must have already spread, because everyone in the temple had come out to watch.
Once they recognized us, people parted to the sides like the miracle of Moses.
And in the midst of the path that cleared, I saw Monica’s figure…
“……?”
Something was very different from what I had imagined.
Standing in front of Monica were a middle-aged man and woman, presumably her parents.
With blue eyes, freckles, and a similar appearance, it was clear they were parent and child…
“Look! I’ve awakened divine power!”
“Heavens!”
“Our daughter has divine power!”
At the sight of Monica radiating golden divine energy, the couple clapped wildly with tears brimming in their eyes.
……This was far, far too peaceful—no, touching—for a scene involving a runaway daughter being dragged home by her parents.
“Ah! Saintess!”
Just then, Monica, proudly showing off her divine power, belatedly noticed me and came running over.
“You were all in the middle of a conversation. Did you come all the way out here because of me? I’m so sorry for causing a disturbance.”
Monica bowed repeatedly, looking extremely apologetic.
“They came without warning, so I didn’t expect them to show up today either.”
Well, I had figured her parents would come eventually.
“Ahem.”
Just then, the couple approached us.
A moment ago, they were beaming with pride before their daughter radiating divine power, but now they looked at me with grim, unfriendly faces.
What is this? To anyone watching, they would think I’m a vicious criminal who kidnapped their precious daughter.
“So you’re the Saintess of this grand temple?”
No, judging by the tone of his voice, they really did think that.
This is ridiculous.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Who opens with informal speech to someone they’re meeting for the first time?
You think I don’t know how to talk down, too?
“And you are?”
They clearly hadn’t expected me to speak informally in return, and the couple looked flustered.
Meanwhile, the people from the temple who had gathered around us…
They weren’t surprised at all.
On the contrary, they were watching this unfold as if it were perfectly natural. Even Seth and Airek had calm expressions on their faces.
Well, considering the colorful history of things Ordell has done, this was really nothing.
“Ahem! I am Count Jake Hindel from the eastern part of the empire. I am Monica’s biological father.”
“I’m Ordell, the Saintess of the grand temple of the Sun God. So, did you come to see your daughter?”
Count or whatever, there’s no way I’m going to speak formally.
And I made that very clear in how I spoke. The count was now visibly confused.
Eventually, Monica, unable to stand it anymore, stepped forward.
“How dare you speak to our Saintess like that! You should be treating her with respect!”
Rather than scolding me for using informal speech, she reprimanded her own parents.
She even stretched her arms out in front of me like she was trying to shield me. To an outsider, it’d look like her parents had seriously wronged me or something.
“Monica!”
“Why!”
“H-How could my own daughter treat me like this!”
What a mess… Now that I looked at it, Count Hindel wasn’t some domineering father, he was just a hopelessly doting one who loves his daughter too much.
Still, why was he glaring at me like I’d done something awful to his daughter?
“Calm down. You finally meet your daughter after all this time, and you want to get kicked out for just yelling the whole time?”
The one who finally brought order to the chaos was Count Hindel’s wife, who had been silent until now.
She gently pushed her husband aside, who was still glaring at me, and stepped forward with elegant grace.
“Please forgive my rudeness, Saintess. I am Miriam Hindel, Monica’s mother.”
With soft brown hair neatly pinned up, she was a strikingly beautiful woman.
Looking at her intelligent blue eyes, I could clearly see who Monica took after.
One look at her intelligent blue eyes, and I could immediately tell where Monica got her looks from. Though… the personality clearly came from her father’s side.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Madam Hindel. You must’ve had a hard time making the long journey from the east.”
This time, I replied with proper courtesy, and Count Hindel looked at me like I’d betrayed him.
Well, maybe you should’ve shown a bit of courtesy too.
“It was a long trip indeed. It’s been over half a year since we last heard from our daughter, so the journey was quite emotionally taxing.”
At those words, sharp with implication, Monica flinched and quietly tried to hide behind me.
It was now abundantly clear who held the real power in the Hindel household.
“We’ve already heard a bit about the situation ourselves.”
When I glanced at Monica, she clutched at my sleeve with an anxious look on her face.
Did she think I’d tell her to stop being a runaway and just go back home?
As if.
“However, please understand that the Sun God’s grand temple respects each individual’s thought and freedom. We have no intention of forcing any decisions upon Monica.”
We weren’t keeping Monica here against her will.
And for that same reason, we weren’t going to ignore her will and send her back home either.
I made that point very clear.
Frankly, I don’t want to send Monica away either. Ever since she became my aide, my life has gotten so much easier.
On top of that, she’s been helping diligently with the business.
She’s a promising apprentice priest and also a healing-power shuttle. So do they think I’d let her go just like that?
Not a chance.
“N-no, our daughter…!”
Count Hindel, seemingly sensing my firm resolve, raised his voice again.
Monica looked like she was about to step forward once more, so I quickly calmed everyone down.
“So why don’t we all take a moment to have a calm conversation first? You haven’t seen each other in half a year, right? Go and catch up somewhere quiet.”
Even if I had no intention of sending her home, I couldn’t very well tell her family to just leave empty-handed after coming all this way.
If her parents were total trash like Count Kiris, I would have thrown them salt and chased them away, but anyone could see that they were a close-knit family.
“Monica, feel free to my reception room and catch up with your parents. You can also show them around the grand temple if you like. …though there isn’t much to see.”
We’d been too focused on potion production to start any real renovations.
The Hindels might be shocked when they see the sorry state of the grand temple and drag their daughter away, but Monica herself is determined to stay here, so it should be fine.
“Alright then, everyone disperse. Go back to your duties.”
With a single clap of my hands, the gathered crowd dispersed in an orderly fashion without complaint or hesitation.
“Victoria, let’s go for a walk.”
Thinking the family might feel awkward talking if I stayed too close, especially since my bedroom was right next to the reception room, I decided to give them some space.
“May I join as well?”
“You’re welcome to.”
Seth invited himself along for the walk.
Naturally, we all turned to Airek.
“…Let’s go.”
Exhausted from fatigue, Airek didn’t even have the strength to decline and just sluggishly followed after us.
I really need to prepare him some kind of restorative meal, he’s in no shape like this.
“Well then, have a good talk, Monica.”
I patted Monica on the shoulder, gave a nod to the Hindel couple, and took my leave.
I hoped that Monica would be able to persuade her parents well.
And it wasn’t long before I came to a realization.
That Monica was truly… an incredible bulldozer.
She didn’t just persuade them.
She went above and beyond and straight-up converted her parents into followers of our grand temple.
SoundlessWind21’s Notes:
If there are any errors, whether it be grammatical, spelling, translation, or website-related issues, feel free to let me know. (´◡`) Anyway, thank you for reading!