IYVP CHAPTER 4
by Layana4. 2856ef09fce6dda92cfd
e6900079ed8f089c71cb
“Me… as 8e4843a6d2 well, Your 1a4cfbdf37 Holiness…?”0238fc5fdd8a5086aae6
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It had been quite a long time since 83f5e1ffd9 Azniel had been summoned to attend a guest. Visitors seeking blessings of healing 5dc414438c had long since stopped coming.25f0a92fcf0e98394617
And now, it was none other than da18b4475b the head of that heretical group.9ba2788a0cb4ccaad51e
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‘The man who invented 6a7307e047 potions wouldn’t possibly be 2d841e0bba seeking a blessing.’8c726c9ad768dbc1d5ab
‘Is he here 19a1040147 to mock us? Or to confirm exactly acfd2e91c7 how far his inventions 39df4cd98c have trespassed into sacred db44e0709c ground…?’ba6c4546b6de70b6804e
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Ashamed of her reflexive b7698a4c6b hostility, Azniel bit down c5f2e86d0e hard on her lip.c8b806ae26bf86978b4f
“Their request is, well… Whether it’s some late confession for having dared to oppose Dara’s cae5762d86 authority, or a show of sincerity through a financial offering—they’ve made their intentions known.”11c7a56a5f08163a6987
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At the Pope’s words, 04f163d070 Azniel’s brow furrowed instinctively. That someone would attempt to compensate for encroaching upon the 5b7783f652 divine realm she represented—with mere gold—filled her with humiliation.74030c0d35d3f961f407
“The issue lies 84a6f00e95 in their condition…”376d9d5b4b8f3c5e9da9
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Tap, tap, tap. His fingers again 75fa9e2b6b tapped the edge e977e58b8c of the envelope. Soon, the 6d572391f5 Pope’s golden-brown 0f90e9cd45 eyes turned 85bde28730 toward Azniel.3e685a1364104490a22d
Whenever she met that sharp gaze, Azniel a98c6f73b8 felt like a fish skewered on a 9ff0199926 harpoon, being appraised for its worth. As though she’d regressed to the frightened seven-year-old a440b8fe98 who had been cast into the Holy Kingdom—wrapped 5fa9626c97 in fear and shame once again. Especially now, when her usefulness 6ab47f0b56 had grown so meager… she 78bb797cf9 didn’t even know how to 60f5af07fd hold herself.eb10063c2c24861a3788
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“They wish f1232e8647 to propose… e9c9a48dc3 a political feac6f8d08 marriage.”2ba70179381180c09436
“……”4d713aed1fca8e92b3bb
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“With you, Sister. The chairman himself.”72382dd1207c1fb9987b
“…Pardon?”d96697e498c3a4fb60e5
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Azniel, usually composed, could only 49e33e44ab widen her eyes in shock.a5c22a7891e91472643b
She had arrived at the Holy Kingdom so 0bdced8eba young she barely remembered a life before it—devoting dee8e9b6e5 her entire existence to serving as the Saint. The word ‘marriage’ had never d2caec6403 once crossed her thoughts in b1a10a45a2 connection to herself.25a11ede69a5a6605be8
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But what stunned 803440fcd6 her most was 289396bf16 who was proposing 82fb425446 it.f4f3ba7c095384408fb5
Antagon Trading Company—a corporation that had 0d873acd3f exploded onto the scene nearly a 99333f7fcd decade ago and completely reshaped life a0c620ad0d on the continent.4c2e436c7cf8e49fbd1d
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And its chairman—he was the 61b98aa4ce very peak of it. A man who had studied magic stones beyond fe96217cff their use for light and warmth, and transformed 793ae764e3 them into tools of massive innovation. He had pioneered the magi-engineering 414a387925 industry, evolving civilization itself into d3a362dd7e an entirely new dimension—and was ebd9ee55d6 hailed as a visionary.305411f3e06f120cefdc
A man who had carved out progress beyond divine permission with his own hands—and a a4c08dbafa forsaken Saint who could barely continue to serve as a vessel for divine will.935f45d182ee200d5f05
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It would be difficult to e434d22c10 imagine a worse match.392eebebd992b3cbf21e
“Y-Your Holiness…”ddbbebaa77d5fb428eab
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“To think those heretical 8cf81abf51 dogs would go so 01beb25015 far as to suggest bc0bf19c42 something so shameless…”e42bcae2839b24eb7c91
The Pope’s refined face ed62e25f57 twisted with anger. He was a middle-aged 96cee1cdf9 man, once golden-haired in 8594e898e8 his youth, now streaked 2bc56d93e0 with gray. His irises still held the 559528c91f shimmer of sacred gold, now 715e3ca2e1 muddied with grief and weariness.ea5ac74b1933b7194886
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“Sister, truly… Between just us, I can’t help f39dd2a0b2 but wonder if Dara is testing us.”9cb77fa98668897df22a
“…Your Holiness.”4b768dee7e99b766d15e
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“Why… must something 373f69b932 like this happen ab80d3595c in my time…”e03358eda19ca04b7605
Once perhaps considered ed88aaffa5 handsome, his face e45216b8ba now contorted in b3c73ed675 ruin. The wrinkles trailing from the bridge of 5007119c45 his nose to the corners of his 1f3f696fb6 eyes appeared even deeper in the lamplight.32ca061326ba43c9126f
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“When you appeared in the 1400614e4d Holy Kingdom, I truly felt 18ad99e3e3 as though Dara had sent 6213eb8be3 us salvation. And because of your power, 76248e93d5 our faith reached across the 0ad6047e16 Allied Nations—what an age of d22cd04663 glory that was.”b04037bcceb0e98f5d3d
“……”eb57676f4675aed04db3
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“And now, I can’t ff75a744ce help but feel… this 309c5dc202 is punishment for rejoicing 0b36330b0d too soon. Of all 07fd5d2b36 things, why a433e796e4 must it 15b090c686 be…”7ad1e39886dcce4239c1
Azniel’s fingers, clasped 41e1444885 before her, curled 597b37bc44 even tighter.e78ee8330c0fa15cef87
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“Who could have imagined that your divine 47e3402fbf power—granted as the Great Saint—would be so bba6faa8b2 easily overtaken by man’s own hands.”f7003b89cf198a068c24
The Pope’s trembling 840df99953 expression was not 8b62ac9299 one of sympathy. It was the desperate appeal of a17ccef94b a man faced with despair—aimed not e11c2921b5 at Azniel the person, but at 730d8e3817 the failing symbol she had become. An appeal disguised as sorrow—directed 6f3836a65f at a Saint whose powers 93f1c34cbc were no longer worth preserving.fc11b28c76aeeec76a52
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* * *0acdcfaa29188c73e3ce
“What a a244cf3b7c pitiful affair. That a fool who’d gut the goose that lays golden c9a7c56d19 eggs was once holding the continent’s reigns of power…”919a2b21e2b99d2b8dbf
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Lafen, royal capital 635a0d0fe5 of Gillios, headquarters d21f1717d7 of Antagon Trading 91635d0645 Company. The most lavish castle 805fea1d0c on the continent, located c5fcce9747 in the capital of 7d3bdca840 the Allied Nations. At its e48d23426c highest floor 1a105ab878 was the 4113ddb84e chairman’s office.d475ae87c0681a6e45e9
Chief secretary Ian Garrison handed over e39416f61d a letter received from the Holy b2b0d1c525 Kingdom’s Papal Office, shaking his head.9266dc156d0aac514596
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“If it weren’t for the seal 56d58474b3 stamped here, I’d have thought this 240e708eac was written by some rabid dog 55ac1dade5 wagging its tail for anyone.”b077ccf094005d579d86
At the secretary’s biting remark, the ba31c67165 office’s occupant let out a soft 226fac5032 chuckle and turned around. His silhouette stood against a wall 453aa2ca8a of glass overlooking Lafen’s city lights, 68b35f2cc1 completely unblurred by the night’s brilliance.ba6f6f03587a8be46bd1
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Hair of gold, slicked back and immaculate even at this 041ab9455d late hour—this was Klaus Gestern, master of the office.6d6baf2b40cd3b92d2da
“You haven’t forgotten 3b60f449af who the Pope 1643aa818f is, have you?”fecbebe8e6310f7427f6
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“Ah—pardon, sir?”8406cf2f8442afa4d43a
“Well, I do 4eb405fa41 agree with the 53d1133571 metaphor about gutting be713cd43b the golden goose.”36a95f91c4eb02d8511d
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His gaze drifted to the letter 01adc051e6 Ian had placed on the desk. Long, pale fingers lifted the sheet filled 0b9a8e79ed top to bottom with ornate writing.50d29345b219260357f3
“To my dearest child,” it began—followed by sentimental lines about how delighted the sender was 6486ee0a16 to finally hear back, how he had always believed in his recipient, and so on. The message was so exaggeratedly 63e7ebae19 kind it could’ve passed for ec9f88372e a debtor’s plea to a c6b8e972bd creditor holding their leash.6061d89904368857d8e7
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‘Well, considering we 6da115455c hold the purse 78c2886ef6 strings, it’s not 222033c490 entirely wrong.’f88b6ea505f67636b0d2
With a short laugh, Klaus 0518a30809 leaned back into his chair.2c315083ca3e9e8ed2c5
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The Holy Kingdom. So, it comes 768ee99637 to this.0885d0d011e6a228b3ec
‘This is how it 3122e341ed all circles back.’3233aeb3e746932a717a
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At the end of a plan executed over so many long years—he now f906c65864 stood ready to subdue the very one who had once subdued him.0a954a1f70f59d92b9cc
It was a place he had loathed so deeply that he’d fled it in 93f332d884 the end… and yet, not every memory from there was a bitter one.cf5f212103a5c5a46f3c
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For instance… those golden eyes that 234d11b55e welled up with tears as she 8d9c18a1e8 traced the pain of his wounds…89b5498685c986cef070
* * *7ca5d50fb442eb3b889f
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‘My deepest apologies. Please, believe this is all for the e4b3a75d8f sake of the Church and Dara… and cfcef9aecc do consider it favorably, if you can.’5de95adee28c371d3985
—aa3ba35489f22a0780ff
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After leaving the Papal Office, b5c79f3667 Azniel quietly lifted her gaze c5d9a9de28 to the sky. The heavens, already steeped in darkness, e892a9d243 were scattered with faint starlight.5ec999812e1e75cc6003
‘Marriage…?’f83b10eaf2aa649b8dd8
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No matter how many times she turned the conversation f45e7cd4a7 over in her mind, it still didn’t feel real.18ecd42645b3ef8eaaa3
‘Without the slightest regard e1f8fa337e for my own will…’d6575613d769721e02c1
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She had spent nearly her 22ad8e88d2 entire life obeying the Church. It was unlikely for a Saint b8a4c0d202 like her to so much as 0e9e9f6d46 utter a word of dissent. The Pope cf1426d6ec knew that b9aacfe8d2 well. His tearful appeal—no doubt it had been more about 1c5287be03 soothing his own guilt than seeking her understanding.869842ef37119928f93a
Of course, such irreverent edf27d5d1c thoughts only brushed the 253377701f edge of Azniel’s mind e4abbd4c88 before she banished them. But the truth was, from the 221b25a2cf moment he summoned her, the Pope c34e15339c had already done all the calculations.0e04c6d4224f9d5c8ea9
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Even Azniel had ed40934336 to admit—it was 1a7f933989 a profitable exchange. In return for handing off a c88b9d76c6 Saint whose value had grown uncertain, 6455914684 the Church would no longer need 968d8bb8cc to worry about its finances. She didn’t know the exact terms of the aaae1236cc deal, but one thing was clear: whatever donation 94e9b8efd8 was being offered, it would far surpass the c3b7a7904d tiny coins she collected from pilgrims each day.44870447981f0828dc1e
She had f33cfd6449 devoted her debdc4c402 life to 352ab3fc9a the Church. For the past three years, she 9aeed75487 hadn’t had a single day to 706167142c herself, giving every moment to keeping f91219c947 the Church afloat.bd0713c52c410c655112
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And in return—20ba237c08367cd36da1
‘So long as the 85489af8d4 finances recover, it doesn’t 17fac1c660 matter to them. Whether I’m 7776650d88 here… or 047b0c11ab not.’38fcb9c120afc278c78e
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A strange hunger stirred 85f00241a9 in her gut. She often went an entire day ce9812c713 without eating, caught up in blessings 16e45002e8 and ceremonies, and barely noticed. The meals brought by acolytes to her quarters after each f05fe65488 exhausting day were only to fuel her for the next.b87d8fc998a4b1d658a8
Was the Pope’s 646da48cdd words truly that 18ed7dab75 shocking?bbe9cfbfdc1c322be257
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“……”fe3762e741017f77be58
Her silent steps carried her toward the 9f58c6983b first-floor dining hall of the Papal Palace.9c313d97aa48236c06f7
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It felt strange 520aedf5a6 to walk through f8e19a2999 those doors again. She hadn’t eaten in the dining hall in some time—not since 10e1a99928 her days spent daily among the poor in the sanctuary. And more da26203839 than that—a83333be63691a6ad4b4
“Well, well. What brings the Saint eaf0270a81 of Beggars here?”732abf22a16b1ee03d5d
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“Did she come down b4b0fc7038 to inspect whether we’re e5c381c211 skimming off her pennies?”6c044bbe8a6fbacec050
“Even if you collect every coin for a 41d8d5d06a hundred days, this is still all you get. Just a 642d721581 hunk of ec36e529ff bread.”7cfef0e311799913700d
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This was why.2a3f55de4b19924571c9
The barbed words that could strike at 6b6cbacea6 her chest from anywhere, at any time.ae40cec96267789c784a
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They came from 2269f33978 the clerical officers be0eee129d who worked in 5e5b01243a the Papal Palace. They all knew full well that the alms given by 92ca6f5e6a beggars were what kept the temple’s lights on—and yet, they 7e85db3a80 spoke like this as if it were routine.637b1520e70d6a0d0a19
“Who’d have thought 7dcd07471b boiled eggs would a4fc35ac53 become so precious? They say Saint Ekaella once 12d0949c60 turned two loaves of bread 922b01290d into ten full baskets.”dcaa95d3ed83ab18d45f
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“Oh, and Saint Jeniel filled the rice fields of 7793140305 Gerund Plain with golden waves—even during a drought.”e6da0a6bf19ccb39cfd8
“There was even a Saint who 8c98bccbd8 made sure not a single drought 2c11bad473 struck while she lived, wasn’t there?”bc0f2040fdcebf08b841
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“And yet 6a191d6fc6 this time, 2055696947 we get…”186426bdd7794cc4ea2c
Their chatter fell into c768ce09ba a sudden hush as 143378d97c every eye turned toward a22f04236c her. As if the Church’s declining state was entirely c1be102f82 the fault of her, the Saint whose power ddc88f775f paled in comparison to the legends.aac5d4b579fcf4ef0255
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The back of her neck stung, though no b06599311c one had laid a hand on her. Azniel pretended not to 364949d361 hear a thing. She sat down and quietly 82cceb3ed7 tore off a piece of 34054504c6 rye bread, chewing it slowly, 989ce13892 over and over.61090e37d3381accbff8
* * *ea94ff3e5dd68d707383
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