Irene Decided to Die - Chapter 196
[The Saintess is busy.]
[The Saintess is unwell.]
[The Saintess is in prayer.]
Compared to Irene, High Priest Grein was at least a little easier to meet. Some clever nobles tried to use her to arrange a meeting with Irene.
“That’s not allowed.”
Grein said, now much more adept at reading the situation. She had also started paying more attention to political matters and knew that rejecting this request was the right thing to do.
“At this rate, we won’t even catch a glimpse of the Saintess before we have to leave.”
“They’re being overly protective.”
“It’s not like we’re going to harm the Saintess. I don’t understand why they’re overreacting.”
The northern nobles sighed.
“If things continue like this, we won’t achieve what we want.”
“Then, how about we arrange a chance encounter?”
“A chance encounter?”
“They say there’s a garden where the Saintess takes her walks. What if we wait nearby and ‘accidentally’ run into her?”
“Wouldn’t such a place be guarded?”
“That’s why we need someone to distract the guards.”
The nobles whispered among themselves, planning their scheme. Ramiel stood quietly in the corner, listening to their conversation, and then silently left the room. She had used her power, so no one noticed her departure.
‘She’s being protected excessively,’ she thought, her insides twisting with frustration. Ramiel clawed at her own chest, leaving red marks on her exposed skin, but it made her feel a little better.
She needed to meet Irene somehow. Luna, who she had clung to because she thought Luna would be useful, turned out to be less capable than expected.
‘Should’ve attached myself to someone else.’
She regretted it, but it was too late now. To manipulate someone else, she would need more strength.
‘I must conserve my power.’
She would need it for the critical moment. Ramiel sighed softly, then stepped into a familiar landscape.
This was a place she had walked through dozens, hundreds of times when she was a candidate for sainthood. Although much had changed since then, a sense of nostalgia washed over her.
‘Don’t think about it.’
Every time she thought about the past, she was swept up in a wave of emotions. If she dwelled on it too long, strange impulses would well up from deep inside her.
She wanted to kill someone, to make them suffer. It was murderous intent. Ramiel’s shadow flickered ominously, but only for a moment. It soon stabilized again.
“It’s not the time yet.”
Ramiel suppressed her impulses and walked down the corridor like any ordinary maid.
Lani, on the other hand, had been moving busily these days.
“Heh, I’m not sure if this is the right thing to do.”
High Priest Grein, who had gotten involved, wore a troubled expression, but she didn’t back down.
“It is!”
“But the heretic situation hasn’t been fully resolved yet.”
“That’s why we need to handle it now. Later might be too late. Who knows what could happen?”
At Lani’s words, High Priest Grein nodded. Even though she knew it wasn’t the right course of action, there was something persuasive about her argument.
“Are you sure both parties have agreed to this?”
“It’s practically the same thing. You’re really slow to catch on, High Priest.”
“Am I slow to catch on?”
“Yes, you are,” Lani replied firmly. Then, she picked up a needle and began working busily again. It would have been nice to have more people to help, but everyone else was already busy, so she had to do this alone.
“Believe it or not, I was called ‘the flying needle’ back in the day.”
“It certainly shows.”
“I wasn’t good at much else, but I excelled at needlework.”
“So, this is all I need to handle?”
High Priest Grein looked over the task list Lani had handed her.
“Yes, just finish that perfectly, and it’ll be enough.”
After sending Grein away, Lani continued to move busily. Time was running out, but she couldn’t afford to stop. Her hands flew like in the days when she had earned her nickname. A priest who later came to assist her was so mesmerized that he stared at her in awe.
‘I don’t want to regret this later.’
That’s why she had to act now.
‘I can still do something!’
She couldn’t fight the heretics, nor could she protect Irene herself. Lani was just one weak person. All the more reason she wanted to complete this task perfectly.
‘For their happiness!’
Lani blinked through the pain in her eyes, solidifying her resolve.
