The Reward for Saving The World is a Husband - Chapter 34
The saintess entered with a polite greeting, though, to be honest, just from her appearance, it was hard to recognize her as the same woman from before.
Wrinkled and hunched over, she looked like a priest well past middle age.
‘Is she in disguise?’
Despite that, there was no mistaking her due to the unique and strange power that clung to her body like a second skin. And even though it was less noticeable than before, she was still trembling slightly.
Callen, standing beside her, gestured toward the saintess and introduced her.
“This is a priestess serving at the temple in Rachdel. She’s someone we can trust, so I brought her here.”
Trustworthy, he says. The very saintess that Elias had been so wary of was standing right here.
I stared at her in disbelief, and she returned my gaze with a pleading expression.
“I came because there’s a reason to see you. I’m sure I can be of help.”
Callen, looking puzzled, glanced back and forth between me and the saintess, perhaps wondering why she was being so insistent when I was the one who needed healing.
“Well, if you’re offering help, I’m grateful.”
Before Callen could grow suspicious of the saintess, I quickly stepped in.
“I think it’s better if you leave us, Callen. I’ll need to show the priestess my wounds.”
“Understood.”
Luckily, Callen left the room without much resistance.
‘He seems competent, but he sure is clumsy at times.’
I glanced at the closed door for a moment, then turned back to the saintess.
“So, what’s your business with me, coming here in disguise?”
“Ah… You recognized me, after all.”
“Of course, I did. Is everyone else’s eyesight that bad?”
“I’ve covered myself with a shell distorted by divine power.”
Even so, it seemed a bit sloppy to me, but perhaps it wasn’t something the saintess needed to invest much effort in. After all, being discovered wouldn’t put her life at risk.
She swallowed nervously, carefully choosing her words, and then fixed me with a determined look.
“The person you mentioned before, it’s the Count of Rachdel, isn’t it? The one you said you were going to form a pair with…?”
Since it would have been ridiculous to deny it while staying in his chambers, I answered nonchalantly.
“Yes.”
“Haa… I knew it.”
“What’s with that sigh? Do you have a problem with me being by Elias’s side?”
“No, no, that’s not it.”
She shook her head frantically, looking flustered, and then slumped her shoulders.
“It’s just… that person… he’s deeply entangled in the politics of the capital.”
“Politics of the capital?”
When I translated her words into the language of my world, it seemed she was talking about some kind of power struggle.
“Explain the situation in more detail.”
“The Royal Family of Lucendria has decided not to go with a primogeniture system. Instead, they’ll pass the throne to the most capable prince or princess.”
I nodded, thinking that it seemed like a rational approach.
After all, having a strong and intelligent leader, rather than simply the firstborn, would likely increase the group’s chances of survival.
However, as the saintess continued to explain the situation, I couldn’t help but frown.
“They’re not relying on their own strength but are using factions to compete?”
“Yes. The factions lending their support now expect to gain more influence later if their chosen candidate becomes emperor.”
It was such a pathetic, ridiculous story that I quietly listened without commenting.
To sum up the most important part, Elias was currently deeply involved in the competition for the next throne of the Lucendria Empire, and the person he supported was the First Prince, Leonard Vytan Lucendria.
