Home/The Seven-Year-Old Village Chief of Exile/ch 82

Chapter 82

Currently, Head Priest Saikeuf was enjoying luxurious hospitality in the guest room of the village hall basement.

'It's about time to clear him out.'

There's a limit to how long I can let him freeload.

"Oh, that man..."

"Is he still alive?"

For some reason, the two priests seemed a bit disappointed.

"Ahem, well, but still."

They quickly hid their true feelings and maintained a priestly demeanor.

"Head Priest Saikeuf may have made a mess of the temple and sowed discord through political maneuvering, but..."

"It, it's not right to frame him and kill him, is it?"

"I think it's better to just treat it as an unavoidable accident."

"The primeval forest where you live, Lady, isn't just full of monsters for nothing."

"All life has a purpose."

"Yes, precisely. Head Priest Saikeuf, by being with the monster called calamity, can finally achieve synergy..."

The priests spat curses with such fervor they were almost choking.

'They must have suffered a lot...'

They put so much effort into saying they wished he were dead.

But Head Priest Saikeuf couldn't die yet.

'I have things to confirm too.'

My mother might be sad, but I didn't fully trust the Holy King. How could I trust someone I don't even remember?

'I know it's mean of me to be thinking of using him like this. But what can I do? I'm the village chief.'

My and the villagers' safety comes first.

'Of course, I'll make sure not to cause the Holy King any trouble.'

Head Priest Saikeuf would be sent to the central headquarters as the one who stole the miracle.

How would the imperial family react?

And how would the Holy King respond?

I would watch with my own eyes.

---

After giving a rough explanation, I briefly told the two curious priests about what had happened at the Antema Lab.

"Head Priest Saikeuf's healing abilities were fake. It turns out his family was connected to the Antema Lab. Traces of a fallen angel summoning were found, along with human bones and blood..."

"Pardon? A fallen angel?"

"Oh my, such blasphemy...!"

"I knew it! That madman!"

"Oh, God! Save us from this vile truth...!"

The two priests were horrified, hopping in place.

'Hmm.'

Just as Verity said.

'They really do hate fallen angels.'

Verity had told me that if I were to inform the Deste Temple about what happened at the Antema Lab, I should only mention the 'fallen angel.'

Because fallen angels are considered the most sinful beings in the temple.

Fallen angels are angels who commit evil deeds using divine magic meant to save the world.

I recently learned that the demon we saw at the Deste mansion had illegally enhanced his body with the help of a fallen angel.

'Using healing, purification, and enhancement to commit evil is quite something.'

Anyway, now that they knew Head Priest Saikeuf's ugly secret, Priests Saker and Chel do had cast aside any remaining sympathy.

"Dispose of the body as you see fit."

"Lady, that's a non-returnable item. You understand, right?"

"I won't return it, but I'm not going to kill him either."

So I reminded them once more to handle Inquisitor Olive well when he came.

And then the second purpose of my visit.

"I want to sell first-aid kits."

"First-aid kits?"

"Things like the medical bags that doctors carry..."

As I explained, the priests showed considerable interest.

"That sounds good. It's hard to go to the hospital late at night."

"Especially for children, who can suddenly spike a fever. Simple indigestion or fevers..."

I was glad to get a positive response, but I maintained a calm expression.

"I'm also going to divide the target buyers. Household use and field use."

"Field use?"

"For people who are prone to injuries, like railroad or construction workers. Since the types of injuries are different, the medicines and supplies need to be tailored."

Here, I got to the main point.

"Can I get the temple's endorsement? Of course, I'll pay for it."

"Oh, endorsement?"

"That's..."

Suddenly, the two priests stiffened, looking troubled.

I grew worried.

"Can the temple not engage in economic activities at all?"

"That's not the case."

Priest Chel do quickly denied it.

The temple couldn't openly pursue profit, but it could generate income through services like helping others.

In return, it received donations.

After taxes.

"However, the final decision-maker, the High Priest..."

"Ah."

I recalled an existence I'd momentarily forgotten.

'Right, the High Priest here is currently under a curse-like blessing!'

The white feather found during the first angel's descent.

Crown Prince Edelros had handed it to the High Priest, and upon receiving it, the High Priest had suddenly started wearing his pants low like a gangster who'd learned hip-hop wrong.

"He still walks with a limp, clutching his crotch."

"Ugh."

I couldn't help but grimace.

'Honestly, I don't really want to help.'

The Deste Temple had locked the innocent young prince in that cramped, cold cell, simply because of his parents' sins.

'Ugh, just thinking about that still makes my blood boil.'

But I decided to help them anyway because the two priests in front of me had acknowledged and repented for their mistakes.

Perhaps thinking that admitting fault means denying oneself, humans often can't bear the momentary shame and accept lifelong disgrace like martyrdom.

'...Hmm, I'm thinking like I'm not even human.'

Maybe I'm just sick of seeing so many of those kinds of people in Korea.

'Anyway, I really like that the Deste Temple isn't like that.'

So this time, I decided to put in a lot of effort to help the High Priest too.

"But you don't have to give me an endorsement just because I help you."

"Pardon?"

"But..."

"It's tacky to put conditions on helping people. I can sell the first-aid kits even without an endorsement."

It's okay to put in a good word for me, though, right?

---

Hebenia kept her promise and fixed the High Priest.

"Eek!"

"Oh my, Lady! You'll go blind! Close your eyes! If you close your eyes, we'll guide you to the feather!"

"That old High Priest has now even put holes in his underwear..."

"Eek! Don't say it! Don't say it—I can picture it!"

Despite the unexpected visual attack, the three of them successfully retrieved the angel's feather.

Hebenia picked up the feather with two short, thin metal rods and tucked it into her cloak.

The chopstick skills she'd learned in Korea came in handy here too.

"Oh, where am I...?"

The High Priest regained his senses.

"Your Holiness! Do you know who we are?"

"Saker, Chel do... Wait, why am I wearing my pants like this...?"

"Ah! Your Holiness has come to his senses!"

"You've finally realized you were wearing your pants wrong!"

This joyous news spread among the priests in an instant.

They presented the High Priest with new underwear they'd prepared just for this day, and when he put his pants on properly, they were moved to tears.

"Wait, what happened to my head?"

"You don't remember anything?"

"Forget memories—both sides of my temples are shaved!"

"Ah, truly, he has returned to normal...!"

"You idiots! What happened to my head!"

Taking advantage of the chaos, Priests Saker and Chel do escorted Hebenia to the temple entrance.

"Then I'll be going now."

"Thank you so much. How can we ever repay..."

"I wish I'd helped sooner—it was easier than I thought. I'm sorry I didn't."

After adjusting her cloaking cloak, Hebenia bowed politely to the priests.

"See you next time!"

Then she turned and walked away with a spring in her step.

Priests Saker and Chel do watched the shrinking figure until it vanished.

Though she disappeared quickly due to the cloak, they remained standing.

"Chel do."

Priest Saker said quietly, cautiously.

"Do you think, perhaps, she is..."

"A saintess?"

"Uh..."

Chel do turned to see his colleague wearing an expression ripe for misunderstanding.

His flushed cheeks and slightly dreamy eyes made him look thoroughly enchanted.

"Snap out of it. Don't say things like that lightly."

"But there are so many suspicious points."

"......"

Chel do couldn't refute.

Saker snorted.

"She connects spaces through the well, she survives—no, lives—in the monster-infested primeval forest, she shares the supposedly extinct Dulcevia, and she just fixed the High Priest..."

"The High Priest isn't an object."

"And she restored the herb distribution to normal!"

"She is amazing."

"And she sacrifices herself so casually..."

"......"

"Tch, that part's a bit much."

Both priests still vividly remembered Hebenia coughing up blood.

The world was quick to point fingers at the small child as a heinous criminal, yet she herself didn't hesitate to save it.

"As expected, people shouldn't have prejudices. Honestly, I was a little scared at first because of her family."

Saker smiled awkwardly.

Chel do didn't bother to criticize him—he'd felt the same way. And he didn't think that was wrong.

'The Clavis have that kind of overwhelming presence.'

There are those who, by their very existence, radiate an extraordinary aura.

"...Saker."

Just then.

Chel do, like a fish leaping out of water, recalled a fragment of the past.

"Didn't a young Clavis visit here a few years ago?"

"A young Clavis?"

Saker, trying to remember, widened his eyes.

"Right, there was!"

Pertel Clavis had indeed visited the Deste Temple.

"He stopped by the magical engineering academy and came here to pray, donating a large sum. Yes, I remember now."

"The year before last. Right?"

"Yeah. Why didn't I remember this until now?"

At the time, Pertel Clavis had made a substantial donation to the Deste Temple.

The High Priest had been so overjoyed that he'd jumped around like a child, forgetting his knee arthritis.

It was such a memorable event.

"Well, these things happen."

"Right?"

He figured they'd been so shocked by the news of the Clavis's destruction that they'd forgotten.

Chel do tried to brush off the uneasy feeling.

'Next time I see the Lady, I'll tell her I met her brother.'

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