No Such Thing as a Chaste Man! Just Give It Ten Tries! - Chapter 54
***
At that moment, in the heart of the Holy Kingdom, deep within the Holy Emperor’s office at the imperial palace…
Sunlight filtered through stained glass, casting colorful patterns across the spacious room. Across the massive desk, Ephelinus stood facing his father alone.
“Good, very good. She’s the Saintess of Sol—where would we send her back to?”
The Holy Emperor was in a fine mood.
From the start, he had intended to keep the Saintess tied to the Holy Kingdom.
He wasn’t sure what kind of whim had driven his son to consider sending her back to her homeland, but in the end, it had come to nothing.
Moreover, contrary to public reports, the issue hadn’t been a ritual malfunction but rather the fact that the two had fallen for each other and, as a result, had both become impure.
For a man planning to see his son and the Saintess produce a divinely blessed grandchild, this was nothing short of delightful.
Rumors were swirling throughout the Holy Kingdom—that the two had spent three days and nights together in the residence without leaving, and that now they were practically inseparable.
Yet, the Holy Emperor no longer saw these whispers as a problem. To him, Ephelinus, the Crown Prince of the Holy Kingdom and his most refined creation, had become nothing more than a vessel for bringing forth an even purer and more perfect descendant.
“That savage girl has no one but you to rely on. Convince her to conceive a child.”
“We will not have children as you wish.”
“What did you say?!”
The Holy Emperor’s eyes, sharp with authority, scanned his son at the unexpected reply.
Ephelinus met his father’s gaze with calm composure. It was only the second time in his life—if one included his development of the reverse summoning ritual—that he had directly opposed his father. Yet, there was no trace of hesitation on his face.
If anything, he appeared relieved, as though he was finally doing what should have been done all along.
“It is true that she and I love each other and have pledged to cherish one another for life. But she will never bear a child of the House of Alife.”
“Hah! Do you expect me to believe that? Rumors of the two of you spending days and nights together have spread across the Holy Kingdom!”
“You may not be aware, but reproduction is not the only purpose of physical intimacy.”
Ephelinus declared this as calmly as if he were officiating a holy rite, his demeanor unchanged. It took a moment for the Holy Emperor to grasp the implications of his son’s statement, and when he did, his face flushed red with anger.
“You—you dare speak such vulgarity, as the High Priest no less!”
“Strip me of the title if you wish. I will accept it.”
“Ephelinus Alife!”
“Additionally, I am considering stepping down from the priesthood altogether. If you plan to excommunicate me, please inform me in advance.”
Having said this, Ephelinus exhaled deeply through his nose. He had finally said everything he had carried in his heart for years—perhaps his entire life.
With a lighter expression, he bowed deeply, holding the pose longer than usual, as though bidding a final farewell.
“You—!”
The Holy Emperor sputtered, struggling for words.
By the time Ephelinus straightened and left the room, his father’s belated roar echoed through the closed doors.
“You think you can accomplish anything outside the church!”
*
“Your Holiness!”
Ephelinus strode quickly through the familiar corridors of the palace, heading toward the colonnade along the outer wall.
As he entered, Seo-ah, who had been leaning against the railing and admiring the beautiful gardens of the Holy Kingdom’s main palace, spotted him. She immediately sprang into action, dashing toward him.
Seeing him approach, she took a few steps for momentum and leapt into the air like a bird.
Ephelinus stopped and spread his arms, catching her effortlessly as she clung to him. Seo-ah wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.
She showered him with kisses, her lips and soft cheeks brushing against his face as though she had been longing for him during their short separation. His face, which had been tense after his meeting with his father, softened and melted at her touch.
