SALP Chapter 29

"My lord."

An urgent voice called out. Warner entered the indoor terrace through the drawing room, bowed to Vigo, and spoke.

"The high priestess of Batiya wishes to discuss the altar replacement with you, my lord. The merchant guild will be departing soon, so there isn't much time. I attended the discussion in your stead, but among the sample items, there are materials that significantly exceed the budget, and she insists on showing them to you and obtaining your approval."

Batiya Temple again...

"Does the lord of Hermea have to personally manage even the temple's budget?"

Lanthe spat out the criticism with a depressed tone.

The thought that she was overstepping followed, but she felt no regret about the words that had left her mouth.

Wasn't it obvious to anyone that Batiya Temple was desperately trying to drag Vigo out of the lord's castle?

Even with her limited education, she knew that territorial governing power and temple authority were separate entities. Temple power could rise to match royal authority depending on the number of followers, or collapse just as easily, but regardless, temples were organizations that even Newbella's royal family treated as horizontal institutions, not subordinate ones.

"Even if it's important to them, ordering a sick lord to come and go is too much."

Moreover, having encountered Batiya Temple's priests several times, she couldn't deny her emotional aversion.

The healing priest of Batiya had made the worst first impression. For no reason at all, they had blatantly glared at and ignored her. She'd actually been more comfortable with Newbella's Ailea priests.

Of course, to them she was merely a heretical believer, so she could understand the poor treatment, but summoning a recuperating lord to the temple crossed the line of propriety.

"If they're that desperate, they should come here and ask."

Lanthe poured out criticism while pretending to be relaxed, turning pages of the scripture she hadn't even read properly.

Ah. Of all things, why did it have to be a passage that read something like 'Before criticizing others, first deeply reflect on your own faults'?

"It's true we've spoiled them."

Her conscience pricked at Warner's cold voice, but only briefly.

"Isn't it a place that has maintained its unshakable position as the primary temple with its massive following since before the lord's castle was even established in Hermea? They say there hasn't been a single lord throughout history who didn't become a follower of Batiya and bow their head."

So Vigo had no choice but to register his name as a follower of Batiya Temple?

Lanthe looked at Vigo with inward sympathy. Thinking that it might not be his true intention. Thinking that he might be living while suppressing his own heart.

"You're looking at me with those eyes again."

Vigo smiled faintly, then suddenly leaned his upper body toward her.

As his exposed chest drew closer, she unconsciously turned her gaze away.

His breath touched her ear.

Warm, with a sweet tea fragrance mixed in...

"It's all bullshit, Captive."

Bullshit...

"Warner spouts that nonsense because he doesn't know that the food served at the Batiya Temple tastes better than what my chef cooks up. But animals are naturally drawn to humans who give them tastier food. Isn't that right?"

Lanthe no longer even bothered to respond, simply turning away from him.

"With all due respect, I have received meal hospitality from Batiya Temple as well, my lord."

Instead, Warner retorted with an even colder voice.

"So what will you do? Shall I tell the priest to come here?"

"Forget it. Am I going to let a mere temple priest presumptuously enter and exit the lord's office to attend meetings?"

Vigo cracked his neck left and right as if stiff, then furrowed his brow with a hmm.

"I remember the budget being generous. Are they planning to gild the altar stone?"

Then he suddenly looked at Lanthe.

A peculiar smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Want to run an errand, Captive?"

"What errand?"

"You go and choose the item. Whatever you like. Don't worry about the cost."

"Me?"

She opened her eyes wide in bewilderment.

"What do I know about choosing altar materials? To begin with, when those people are looking for you, if I go..."

"Take Lanthe with you, Warner."

As if it wasn't a joke, Vigo spoke to Warner. His tone was deliberately gentle.

Warner's expression seemed to soften slightly compared to usual, as if he'd somehow accepted his bizarre order.

"What shall I tell the priests?"

"Tell them she's my proxy. If they have anything in their skulls, they'll understand."

'Proxy? What proxy? I don't understand. Is my head the problem?'

Lanthe glared at him with sharp eyes. What was the point of bringing a complete stranger and foreigner as the lord's proxy to people who complained even about the Knight Commander representing the lord?

"Just in case, how much may I reveal?"

Warner asked a question that Lanthe couldn't understand either.

"...As much as you want to say."

The conversation was becoming increasingly vague.

Once again, something involving her was being decided without her consent.

"What? No. I'm not going."

Lanthe refused firmly.

She didn't want to be swept up in things others were conspiring about, things that brought her no benefit.

"Why should I go to Batiya Temple? Vigo, you go."

However.

"I was going to pay you for the errand."

Pay her...?

"...How much were you going to pay? Just asking."

"5 dela."

His answer was immediate, without hesitation.

5 dela. How much value did that amount represent?

Lanthe's mind raced as she fumbled through the knowledge she'd acquired in Newbella.

Eight types of currency were mainly used in Penmark, and among them, the three frequently used for accounting were bon, dela, and krone. In exchange rates, 1,250 bon equaled 1 dela, and 20 dela equaled 1 krone.

So how much value did 5 dela actually have? The problem was she had no idea of money's market value. Compared to the 20,000 krone suggested as part of her ransom price, 5 dela felt like dust and crumbs, but as payment for a one-time errand...

"If you don't want to, forget it."

"No, I'll go. I'll do it."

She quickly made up her mind.

What did the amount matter? This was also a learning opportunity. When had she ever been thrown into this harsh world and earned even a single bon with her own power?

"When will you give me the errand money? Can you give it now?"

"I don't have change. I'll have a servant prepare it while you're out."

"Okay."

Lanthe jumped up and looked at Warner with sparkling eyes.

"Should I go now, Sir Warner?"

"...Let's go."

Behind her as she trudged along following him, chuckle, chuckle—the laughter of that cunning lord could be heard. But she didn't even feel inclined to get angry at Vigo, who was clearly laughing at her.

"Ugh, it's cold."

She pulled up her coat collar and steeled her resolve.

Under the overcast early winter sky, beyond the wind pushing gray clouds, faint sunlight was visible.

It looked like it might clear up in the afternoon.

"Did you say the lord's proxy...?"

In Batiya Temple's office.

The old priest stood up awkwardly from his desk and looked at Lanthe. The young attendant at the entrance also glanced at her with cautious eyes.

"Your name was... Lady Lanthe, wasn't it? The one our lord rescued when he went to inspect the Northern Sea..."

"She is an acquaintance from the lord's hometown."

Warner clarified the relationship between her and Vigo, then scanned the office and said.

"Where are the high priestess and the head of Roberia Merchant Guild? Lady Lanthe has many matters entrusted to her by the lord, so we would prefer to return to the lord's castle as early as possible."

Matters entrusted to me by Vigo? Was there more?

Lanthe was puzzled, but she only quietly rolled her eyes and retraced her memory without expressing her confusion out loud.

If she opened her mouth carelessly, the dignity she was maintaining with her lofty expression might crumble.

"Oh, so that rumor really is..."

Whatever rumor there was, the priest inhaled with a look of great surprise and trailed off.

"That's not something for me to answer. Let's not mention the frivolous words that worldly people carelessly pass around, Priest."

Even at Warner's curt, businesslike answer, the priest nodded repeatedly as if he'd gained great enlightenment.

"Yes, yes. Knight Commander Warner certainly thinks more deeply than this foolish priest. I'll go out right away and bring the high priestess. She must be speaking with the guild head outside. Will you wait?"

"We'll wait."

Warner nodded and entered the office. Then he pointed to the inner seat of the sofa—the seat of honor.

"Please sit first, my lady. The attendant will bring tea."

Sitting in the seat of honor before the high priestess in a temple?

Fine. Right now I'm the lord's proxy errand runner, so I just need to do what the lord's subordinate tells me.

"Thank you, Sir Warner."

Lanthe sat on the sofa, slightly hesitant.

But why had the priest made such a fuss? And what rumor? Surely it wasn't about being Vigo's lover or something? Anyway, Sir Warner clearly stated she was a 'acquaintance' from his hometown...

While feeling slightly uncomfortable, she lifted her head confidently as if she knew everything and scanned her surroundings with a relaxed air.

As if she were a princess from some neighboring country. As if she were the master of some territory—imagining herself as the 'person above' she couldn't display when Fiarelle had pointed it out and emphasized it so insistently.