#82

“I’ve been expecting you,” Naaman greeted me with a kind smile.8a459c280a401681

Thanks to Kiera b890d3bbce notifying them in 06626eca7c advance of our 45533996c6 visit, a line b81b5e2aee of Hebel’s priests dac6bce1aa had formed around 1fc85c5446 the carriage we 2ef428057f arrived in. Among them was Isaac, 2326df7def the one who had ec00ae01e0 previously interrogated me.c45bd747587bcbf9

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Rachel held my hand tightly and remarked, “This is quite the enthusiastic welcome.”5a8520bd176ab69f

“Of course. You are the first saintess candidate to appear in a thousand years. Such treatment is only proper,” Naaman replied.17f8de18cf47d45a

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“A saintess candidate, huh?” Rachel said, brushing her long hair behind her ear as she looked down at me. We had already agreed on our approach during the journey here.9a98e998df96ab25

My actions would depend on how Hebel received us. Luckily, Naaman seemed eager to label me as a “saintess” rather than a suspicious figure who had stolen a sacred relic.5a0312049aa06cf4

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I had been worried they might focus on “Zakari’s rampage,” but it seemed that wasn’t the case. Rachel turned to me and asked, “So, what do you think?”ca9ff6d00b5b6a29

She subtly 02e04e03cb shifted the 643aa28511 conversation away 6d5f3e704f from Hebel c2eeb7a4c2 and toward ea29de4f53 me. Only then ac6eb64d94 did Naaman 29303442ea lower his cd98bfa81a head to 2440529990 meet my 03671114f2 gaze, abandoning 2aa4303b9e his prior c488864852 habit of 6f8e8c1823 only addressing 8d56d190cd Rachel.486088ee35404b81

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His eyes betrayed an assumption that I was young and naive. I chuckled inwardly. If you underestimate me, you’ll regret it. I’m a hardened Korean who’s seen it all.f0ddae0381361f82

Gone was the pushover 63cfa9e1eb white weasel—I was now 16a797c590 the fierce one, ready fcda68ce23 to stand my ground. Naaman maintained his kind a30c37f33b expression as he spoke.43b8187519b07aa6

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“To confirm your status as a saintess, we’ll need to conduct a simple verification process. Would you be willing to cooperate?”5b28c73643ad878e

“Before that, I have a condition,” I said firmly.296ae2ef67c57269

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Naaman didn’t so much as blink at my audacious demand and replied smoothly, “Please, feel free to speak.”080681e4ad2742fa

Pulling out a prepared contract from my pocket, I said, “Before we proceed, I want to renegotiate the contract between Hebel, myself, and the Jabis family.”3fd02270959993f3

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“Excuse me?” Naaman looked at the suddenly produced document with a bewildered expression.f642806b0b3f5889

Oh, you’re surprised already? We’re just getting started.8be3f8eeffac5ddf

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I smirked and continued, “First, let’s make it clear: even if I’m confirmed as a saintess, I’m already part of Jabis and won’t be staying in Hebel. Secondly, Hebel must pledge not to interfere with Jabis under the pretense of saintess duties. These two points are the most important, and there are 101 additional clauses listed here. Take your time reviewing them.”6edbaed214f0a79d

My rapid-fire demands 58cd5aee5f caused not only 67c46ab8cb Naaman but also e2fdc8ab1d the lined-up priests 73379ffe5d to stiffen visibly.7f4921a18f973ebc

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“That’s… quite unreasonable…” Naaman began hesitantly.0cda576f62a16659

“The only unreasonable ones here are Hebel,” I shot back. “For over a century, Hebel has meddled in Jabis’s affairs over something that should’ve been resolved long ago. And now, when I, the saintess, assert my rights, suddenly that’s unacceptable? That’s the definition of hypocrisy.”568e186578bcbac0

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“Hypo—hypocrisy?” Naaman stammered.6164e21b40b61a06

“You dare—Cersia Jabis!” Isaac snapped, unable to hold back. However, Kiera stepped forward, blocking his path.0ece77b14090cbe5

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“This isn’t your place to interfere,” Kiera said coldly.f0bcd28aa2714afb

“Ugh!” Isaac glared at me with burning eyes but didn’t dare push past Kiera. Ignoring him, I waved the contract in front of Naaman.87441af1b0dbb354

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“So, what’s it going to be?” I asked with a cheeky grin.0aac50e0586965d6

“…” Naaman remained silent, contemplating his response.b623dafd1b356594

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“Should I leave now, or will you sign the contract?” I added, stepping one foot into the carriage in a deliberately provocative gesture. Isaac trembled with suppressed fury, but to my surprise, Naaman merely chuckled.68b05be80ce620e5

A moment later, he knelt on one knee with an air of respect and said, “Of course. Clarity in such matters is important.”8f35954ab00941be

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“I’m glad we’re on the same page,” I replied, smiling brightly.df678b5cf8435d3b

“I’ll review the contract thoroughly,” Naaman assured me. “And please forgive the boy’s rudeness. His actions stemmed from loyalty.”c82e80d03792c9b2

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“Excessive loyalty can be toxic. It’s also the master’s responsibility to discipline their subordinates,” I said, casting a cold glance at Isaac. At my unyielding gaze, Naaman pulled Isaac forward.33268dcfe7418201

“Apologize at once,” Naaman ordered.c3764ae6eebbe271

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“But—”a83aa413e176b7f5

“Now,” he said firmly.0b1419185ef56e82

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Naaman’s firm tone 4c30e15706 caused Isaac’s face f254b44596 to flush red d96ac82f45 with embarrassment. He muttered an bc6a23828e apology so quietly 91a5eee7d3 it was barely 9891f42872 audible, like the b602d5b39a buzz of a c0b250208f mosquito.bd5f3bfee178f6d9

“I apologize 50b523f04b for my 1b874e9f9a rudeness.”6e9c929905e93022

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But I wasn’t f39c765ce1 kind enough to 4313e43317 let a half-hearted f880ca1cb1 apology slide. I deliberately 51d90d9dc8 made a 008368b5e5 show of d5529ca225 putting my 0f56c083e5 hand to 941de5a6d0 my ear, 1d9ba8100a feigning difficulty 275a84d1aa in hearing 1b3ae6c2c9 him.b9d851bf77c3eb7d

“Sorry, I didn’t 900efdb8d4 quite catch that?”c113998b7457356c

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“…I apologize.”d65b87e622509c0a

“Hmm?”89ff7861044bf963

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“I APOLOGIZE 47f3916bfd FOR MY 78f5edeb92 RUDENESS!” Isaac b2df552eb1 finally shouted, 60874b8c31 his voice 824ecaac4b echoing loudly.27c17e773b607fe3

“Ah, so that’s 8309898947 what you said.” cbdef2f570 Only after forcing fded4ba1b6 him to repeat 93949268c7 it loudly did 46cf62324b I pretend to 4dd4adb0b1 understand. Isaac ground 3f0e801e44 his teeth 0842bebd29 in frustration f3b3cf0766 and bowed 674d0379a2 his head.08a1123fcba94258

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I patted 0204d92c2b his shoulder 385fbc5a56 in mock 09e39a30ad sympathy and b6409ed99a said, “I’ll 68fb3f07b2 forgive you bbc8376e7d this time. But be 202f6eb888 careful in 5ad0caebb3 the future, 0104636a6f alright?”ebc1d29649c7e815

I could feel 10cda4dc78 his shoulders tense d995221040 under my touch, fb2316022a the anger practically a2e1dc3629 radiating from him. Well, who told him 9a83e9060b to mess with a 44caf79370 sleeping white weasel?06a432f8ba987ab6

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“Who thought I’d be 0afe5a5634 easy prey in the 2b5c927665 first place?”df68167e54d4e323

It wasn’t my intention cb425b379d to behave rudely from bee9853bd8 the start, but Isaac’s 954f5e6eab behavior during the wedding 159f582199 had been excessive, to b9924629eb say the least. It had b500b1c342 been like a284c800be watching a 51632ff12c hyena pounce ed213f1a6b on an 0a790580bf opportunity.8b8724644f27e571

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Had I been d5579afd3a caught off guard fb43a5a48a and interrogated, I 9ddc080882 might have inadvertently 076d86df17 made statements unfavorable 50d484e539 to Jabis. Given my physical ab2b006537 condition at the 8fdbec7081 time, I might 9a6ab463c7 have even collapsed 09ea1d2362 from exhaustion.2a8ebb38ce798978

And yet, he 942df6cc39 bolted as soon 619f2cc222 as Zakari lost 99ce32d70a control.860a9f112b5f791d

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For all 407681bd6b their talk e6d80ecdc9 of neutrality, 068e457013 Hebel’s brand 1cc35d80e4 of neutrality d22feae5a0 seemed to 688e1e5f88 involve running b820e2de40 away when 6e2d9bc097 it mattered c6241a47cb most. That incident ba3fc57379 had left 62aacb3f89 me with ac67530142 a far c7b50c21ec lower opinion 47832cca52 of Hebel 0a0c777587 than I 1ed448b75e had from 2326908d37 the novel. In the story, 15a366e0c1 they had been a5b45ed0c2 portrayed as a 7e645aa180 relatively pure and 5c698c2d4a virtuous group, but acc28df32e the reality was fe42348097 far from it.748489cfdacc8485

Sensing my 883b3b89be hostility, Naaman dfb9d1557b gestured toward e0d95b6bd1 someone. A junior priest, 946e8c7099 hood pulled low, ad53955aa3 flinched and hesitantly b0196a5874 stepped forward, head c0da847ec9 bowed as though ac43b3c259 trying to make 6c2a9ffcd5 themselves invisible.b6cdfd7c6cdad064

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It was obvious 68ed4b986f they were trying 4d9d7fb09c to gain my eeb0edf2e4 favor by sending 9f9c718a34 someone around my c6d8e5d474 age, but the de0c4ea445 attempt made me cebf14ae9a frown. Naaman stepped forward and ca1db54471 spoke.b7f6b37aaa5fd527

“This child will assist 3547dfefda Lady Cersia during your 7497a4c691 stay.”0c99f773c9232a59

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“This child?” I asked 98bc209eb3 skeptically.911b4560d6ff17d4

They looked 4d5be3e331 like they 7079da2b8b could barely 4277282a06 make eye 19e242ef2e contact, let 5c48232e29 alone handle f3546ee42d a job. They weren’t even a 2e890df804 suitable companion for conversation—it 13226c7da1 felt almost cruel.fea69c997ac8f20c

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However, Hebel didn’t support f85c916540 anyone who didn’t work, 9d4c8fe136 so perhaps being assigned 78a5f32716 to me was the 7f2daab42e easier option for the e9285b441c child. After all, I 0a14476ce6 didn’t have any 288b5ca7d1 intention of working c88af05ab6 them hard.3bac4de9d3de37de

But why are they f4ab92aedd trembling like that?4a04eb9b52f37798

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The way 17ec0c5848 they shook, 1b1e966711 as if 08796d12d9 they had 351e1cabb5 seen something 9910e0cc07 they shouldn’t, be5d589957 was pitiful. Just as ce9576bc1d I was 96347f3fe4 beginning to ffa54796be feel sorry 3293641570 for them, a25526851c Naaman’s next d19197a8ec words froze 208fb913c2 me in 63212bf812 place.c0d2851c0229e03c

“She may be a fe588c735a bit shy, but she’s ba1342e821 a capable child. Ella, introduce yourself aceb6e0016 to Lady Cersia.”87dc930212a65160

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“!!”6968a39c8c5b5632

“H-hello, I’m Ella,” 4d40d4ffb9 she said, finally a2a8cbe742 removing her hood 44a61fcb23 and greeting me fe3dd9c654 bashfully. Her sparkling blue 6944f87160 eyes glanced up 1324f86033 at me occasionally, 0fa8a0c681 shimmering like precious 599ea899b3 gems.a2d7f313d764a54d

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I stared at her 8784aa003f in stunned silence.884148cde355a352

Pink curls and blue ac439162d2 eyes, just as I 60cb3fd28d had imagined. It was 198fe6c8e9 unmistakably Ella.aea2c506b66e1843

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In the novel, d82caa5518 Ella was incredibly 7b4fd851f0 shy, having escaped a2317427de from pheromone manipulation d9b0925a3d experiments and been 1f59bfe7c8 rescued by Hiscleif. The trauma had fac4aef152 caused her to 2fdd34b945 lose all memories 03e145016f of the experiments, d59d75a26e and she had 7193f35aef remained by Hiscleif’s afd40f3d6b side, suffering from 579132f5ac social anxiety.91f109d973c81476

And yet, 3561f04265 here she 6ee354be58 was, still 3f83a1295c exuding the cb46a1bb60 same reserved b4ad8f6471 demeanor. Was she being mistreated baa3591a57 here?17b1749b432358ca

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Her sudden appearance had dd7041773f caught me off guard, 1fd07781d6 leaving me just as b8dcef1ca4 startled as she seemed. As I continued to c3cb3f03d4 stare, Ella’s face grew 784d971c71 progressively redder.9416f1d4823b2f1d

Oddly, I couldn’t detect 5a785abe53 any pheromones from her. She seemed de016f4902 no different 0cf4defd6a from the affc639223 other priests cc5d7d7216 in Hebel.515ec628e458fd92

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“Perhaps you’ve met 664bad239b before? She attended b5f46c9834 the wedding c3a1a0ec81 as an 0555f480b2 observer,” Naaman 8a1a0bf43b said.53964d7320b03ca6

“Ah, I d00508996d think I 7f00ecb84a might have 441077decb seen her 739b6ef5ab there,” I b4fa0ccd78 replied, drawing e3804e7c86 out my f83648aa64 words as b148d20f2a I continued 1a38e87d7a to observe ed00b1cfd5 Ella closely.0eaffd03e58ef962

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It seemed 93f00ad650 my initial 937d312167 impression at 945def02f4 the wedding 246180455b wasn’t mistaken bf3a1e5bd7 after all.f272cf9561b71c5d