Home/The Seven-Year-Old Village Chief of Exile/ch 81

Chapter 81

Even now, the undead employees bustled about the mansion, cleaning, cooking, and doing laundry, fulfilling their duties from when they were alive.

But there was no guarantee this would last forever.

'For safety's sake, having them stay here is...'

Hmm, I let out a troubled sound.

"Wait."

I double-checked with Uncle Modi.

"His Highness the Crown Prince is coming too?"

"That's what's written here."

Uncle Modi, who always spoke politely to me while working, explained the letter in detail.

"He says he's coming to pray at the Deste Temple. I assume it's because of the angel's descent you mentioned before, Village Chief."

"Right, and there was also the archangel's descent at the central headquarters recently."

"I did that too."

Leaving the adults staring at me with wide eyes, I tilted my head side to side.

'That's strange.'

The culprit who turned the employees into undead was the Mage Tower Lord.

He'd summoned the demon Necro to learn curse magic, and the Emperor had been mentioned many times during our fight with the demon at the Antema Lab.

'Then they must be on the same side...'

Knowing there are undead here, they're sending their own son.

And even the late Empress's mother.

"Wow, the Emperor is no ordinary madman."

"You think he's confident it's safe?"

Uncle Modi asked.

"But I captured the demon that made a contract with the Mage Tower Lord—wouldn't they know?"

"If so..."

Aunt Prellia carefully speculated.

"Could they be sending them to confirm it?"

"Wow, using his own son and mother-in-law?"

A hollow laugh escaped me.

"In all my life, I've never seen such creatively vile humans."

"Village chief, you do have a way with words. I like it."

"Our village chief has a talent for that sort of thing."

Uncle Modi seemed proud, as if he were the one being praised.

But at my next words, his face fell.

"Anyway, since they're coming, we have to host them. Uncle, can you impersonate Molle Livus well?"

"Ugh..."

"I'll have Verity lend you a magical tool to change your appearance."

"I'm not sure if I can do it..."

I patted his back, already showing weakness.

As the 'Agent Who Follows the Absolute,' Uncle Modi can accomplish anything.

'Because!'

The absolute is me, his superior.

The agent is him, my subordinate.

"Since I'm giving the orders, you'll carry them out without complaint, perfectly, and flawlessly—that's your aptitude, your talent, and your duty!"

"......"

"From now on, you have to act like a sly traitor who pretends to surrender everything to the strong but will run away at the first sign of trouble. That's Molle Livus!"

"He's the complete opposite of my Modi, isn't he? What a piece of trash."

"He's in the dungeon—I'll introduce you later."

"Great!"

Aunt Prellia, as a former heir to a baronial family, knew well how to treat distinguished guests.

'Just when I needed someone like this to become a villager...'

I almost let out a sigh of relief, but I paused.

'Could this also be the Clavis?'

After learning about the Emperor and the Interdimensional Alliance's intentions, my favor toward the Clavis had skyrocketed.

'How much must they have worried about and loved me to have orchestrated even this meeting?'

How fickle humans are.

'Hehe!'

When I knew nothing, just hearing their name made me angry, but now they had become my safest and sturdiest shelter.

---

Just as we were finishing up the plans to welcome the Grand Duchess of Stria and the Crown Prince.

"But why would an Inquisitor want to meet Molle Livus?"

Aunt Prellia's casual question stopped me and Uncle Modi mid-conversation.

"Because there's no reason for an Inquisitor to seek out a noble."

"He might be acting on the Holy King's orders."

Uncle Modi said.

Since Inquisitors are the Holy King's direct unit, they are sometimes dispatched on diplomatic missions.

"Oh, that might be because of me."

Guessing the reason, my lips twisted involuntarily.

Aunt Prellia, catching on, spoke instead.

"Is it because of the misunderstanding that you're a saintess?"

"Oh my, an Inquisitor making such a mistake."

"What do you mean by that, Uncle?"

I jabbed his side five times.

"It wasn't intentional, but I did tell Olive that we were all alive and well in the exile camp."

"Aha."

Uncle Modi said, hand on his side.

"He's trying to participate in the search for the primeval forest."

"Modi, doesn't that sound dangerous?"

"Not at all. Rather, it's a wasted effort."

I nodded in agreement.

Currently, the primeval forest was tightly sealed by the long-haired Lord's barrier. And the narrow passage connecting to the exile camp on every full moon had now disappeared.

'Olive must know that.'

Then why is he coming?

'He's trying to confirm things, just like the Emperor.'

My safety and well-being as his granddaughter.

And as the prelude to a strategic move to check the imperial family.

'Was my plan to use the temple to check the imperial family influenced by my forgotten childhood?'

My mother, whom I'd seen in my dream, had told me.

"Your grandfather will help you."

"But he's dead, isn't he?"

"No, you have another grandfather. My father."

Her adoptive father.

Holy King Ekklesia Kathol.

His surname before he joined the temple was Angrus.

And Angrus was one of the Clavis family's many aliases. Holy King Ekklesia Kathol was a person who had received the Clavis's patronage.

---

Since I was already in the Deste Territory.

'Let's get a few things done.'

Strike while the iron is hot—I decided to go to the Deste Temple and align with the priests.

Uncle Modi and Aunt Prellia offered to come with me, but I wasn't tactless enough to interrupt a couple who'd been apart for eight years.

"Enjoy your time together."

I winked and gave a cool salute with my index and middle fingers together.

"Oh my, you little thing, worrying about such things..."

"But we can't just ignore the village chief's kindness!"

"That's, that's true...!"

Ignoring the affectionate sounds behind me.

'Heh, will there be a baby in our village soon?'

If so, how could I bring experts in childbirth and postpartum care to the village?

With these thoughts, I headed to the temple, wearing the cloaking cloak.

The Deste Temple was still bustling with people.

But the numbers had dropped by half, and most of the people in line looked healthy and wealthy.

'Pilgrims.'

With the archangel's recent descent at the central headquarters, they were revisiting Deste, where the angel had first descended.

After skillfully sneaking into the temple, I immediately sought out Priests Saker and Chel do.

With fewer people, the two priests, like the yin-yang of a Taegeuk symbol with their red and blue hair, were working in the garden's vegetable patch from morning.

They were harvesting the thriving Dulcevia.

'Wow, it's growing really well.'

I felt a bit sorry.

Because my plan required the Dulcevia to disappear now.

I quietly approached and tapped the working priests.

They turned and brightened upon recognizing me, careful not to call my name aloud.

We moved to a nearby empty prayer room.

"An honor to see you again. May the blessings of the great God be with you."

"And we are truly grateful."

"What are you grateful for?"

"You know, but you pretend not to."

Priest Saker's eyes curved warmly.

'No, I really don't know?'

What did I do?

Just then, Priest Chel do cleared up my confusion.

"Thanks to the miracle you created, we were able to save many people with medicine made from Dulcevia."

"Especially, we barely managed to stop the spread of Crape Myrtle Cold this summer. There were many patients who were in danger because they couldn't get medicine."

"And the herb distribution has returned to normal!"

"And you even got rid of that insufferable priest!"

Overwhelmed by the praise, I felt a sense of pride and satisfaction that I'd helped save so many people.

'Yes, this is the joy of helping others.'

We exchanged smiles.

"However."

Priest Chel do cautiously began.

"Priests from other regions asked where we got this medicine. And the source of the herbs..."

"What did you tell them?"

"We said we made it from herbs we'd stockpiled secretly, away from the imperial family."

"Hmm."

From the temple's perspective, they'd done their best to cover it up. And I liked the excuse.

"I'm here to talk about what comes next."

I said it was time to end the miracle.

Priest Saker made a sad face, and Priest Chel do lowered his gaze, hiding his disappointment.

But soon, they both nodded, respecting my opinion.

"You must have your reasons."

"What you've shown us so far is already enough."

"Thank you for understanding."

I explained the specific method.

"Harvest the growing Dulcevia quickly, and collect as much of the soil from the fields as possible."

"You mean the soil from the primeval forest you gave us?"

"Yes. And plant a few Dulcevia roots in the restored fields."

"Then the transplanted herbs will..."

"Wither quickly."

From there, the true purpose of my plan would be revealed.

"Inquisitor Olive will be visiting the Deste Territory soon. Did you know?"

"Yes. We received word."

"We're not sure why..."

Priests Saker and Chel do spoke in turn.

'As expected, he's looking for me.'

He'd probably be coming on the Holy King's orders, but Olive would check the Deste Temple, which was connected to me.

At that point.

"Olive will surely ask about the source of the herbs, so tell him that a miracle happened here, where Dulcevia grew."

But Olive would only see the withered herb fields.

Then how should the priests explain this ill omen?

Whose fault should they blame?

"Point to Head Priest Saikeuf as the one who caused the miracle to disappear."

I couldn't give Libby up to the misery sister-con.

But I could gladly hand over the fraud who'd used an angel's power to impersonate a priest.

Back   Next