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Preparing for the prayer ceremony was not the only thing I did. I also replaced the people that Evelina had chosen. Just to be sure, before making the final change, I met them personally. They were all unsuitable, even without delving into Evelina’s memories. When I went to meet them, they were all heavily intoxicated in their rooms within the temple.
“How did Evelina manage to choose only such people for appointments?”
It was as if she intentionally and deliberately tried to ruin the prayer ceremony.
“Are you listening to me!”
No, I wasn’t listening.
But I couldn’t bring myself to say that, so I simply nodded my head. In response to my attitude, Karus raised his voice even louder.
“You cannot treat me like this! Do you know how hard I’ve worked for the tasks you secretly entrusted to me, more than anyone else!”
By shouting so loudly, it seemed that those tasks would no longer remain secret.
“Priest Karus, I distinctly told you not to bring those people into the temple.”
“But…”
“Yet, you ignored my words and recklessly brought an outsider into the temple. And that person has…committed a grave impudence toward me.”
I didn’t want to utter the words that he had tried to force himself onto Evelina, even though it disgusted me. Perhaps Karus noticed that my voice was growing stiffer. He closed his mouth.
“You…remember well how much I’ve worked for you.”
Inviting men into Evelina’s bed was considered an effort. In my heart, I wanted to immediately imprison Karus in the underground dungeon, but I couldn’t do that. After all, it was a fact that Evelina had joined hands with Karus and spent l**tful nights with unfamiliar men. It was not something that would disappear just because I put in the effort to erase it.
“Then I must handle it quietly.”
Of course, I had to deal with Karus. But not loudly, not without paying a heavy price. At least until Iris appeared, I planned to keep his mouth shut.
I commanded Karus, who was still resisting, with suppressed anger.
“Priest Karus, pick up any paper on that table.”
“What useless…”
“Do not make me say it twice. I no longer have the patience for you.”
Karus effortlessly mustered a cold voice. Whether he recognized the change or not, he obediently followed my instructions as I watched him pick up the paper.
“Read the first line.”
“What useless nonsense… as the gods gaze upon this land, human suffering overflows in every corner…”
When he reached that point, I stood up and snatched the paper from his hand, tossing it aside.
“Now, continue from here.”
“What are you saying? How can I continue without looking…”
“Karus, acolyte. Every prayer written on that paper is intended for use in the prayer ceremony. As the saint, it is expected of me to memorize them, and the chief acolyte assisting me should do the same. However…”
I gazed at the desk where dozens of prayers lay.
“Is there even a single prayer among those here that you can recite from beginning to end?”
“…”
Karus remained speechless. There was no way he could have memorized any of them. He hung his head, his shoulders trembling, as if not even attempting to hide his frustration.
“I won’t pretend that I am unaware of the effort you have put in thus far. Therefore, it is imperative that you acquire a level of proficiency that doesn’t disappoint…”
“It’s unnecessary.”
Suddenly, the papers scattered in front of us. Karus had thrown them to the floor in a fit of rage. His eyes, bloodshot and sinister, stared me down. While grinding his teeth, he spoke.
“You will deeply regret not choosing me as the chief acolyte, Your Holiness.”
After uttering those words, Karus promptly left without even glancing back. The priests standing at the door were startled as the door swung open, but he paid them no mind, simply marching away with heavy steps.
I quietly observed his retreating figure and then lowered my head. It seemed best to tidy up the papers that had fallen to the ground before the other priests entered and made a fuss.
“I made a mistake by attempting to clear this up quietly.”
I had tried to offer Karus an appropriate reward and send him away, but it appeared that his ambition exceeded my expectations.
While tidying up the papers, one caught my eye, not containing prayers.
“This is…”
It was a document regarding the security concerns of the prayer gathering. It stated that Latvan would be temporarily absent from his duty as the saint’s personal guard for the day.
“I expected this much.”
Naturally, I knew that Latvan would not serve as personal guard. In fact, it would be odd if he stood by Evelina’s side as if he had no other responsibilities. He had experienced humiliation, and there had been incidents during the sponsorship. I had taken the man who collided with the tree and brought him along, so I knew who he was and why he had come.
Still, a feeling of disappointment washed over me.
No matter how hard you try from now on, the future will not change.
It felt as if someone was whispering those words.