'...!'
I remembered the heat that had rushed in before I could even breathe. It was right before the cold holy water had gone down my throat.
As if that didn't matter, he longed for me like a thirsty person looking for water.
Was that what a kiss was like?
It was like taking all your nerves away to the point where you couldn't see anything else, and melting into a place where there was only the other person and yourself?
Could you do that with anyone you met for the first time?
No way.
But Belled seemed so good at it. And.
"Didn't it hurt?"
I muttered without realizing it. There must have been some holy water left in my mouth.
The temple people must have thought I had given the holy water through a kiss, but the reality was different.
I had even changed the structure of the ceremony hall slightly for that purpose. So that the priests wouldn't be able to see my movements well. So that they could only see Belled's reactions.
The people of the temple probably thought that the Saintess was giving them a chance to clearly discern the devil.
But the truth was different. I had thrown the holy water that I should have given him over to my neck and had no intention of kissing Belled properly.
But.
'Haa...'
He rushed in as if there had never been any holy water, and took my breath away.
He must have been a devil. No matter how small it was, it must have been painful.
On the outside, there seemed to be no problem. I had swallowed the pain.
"Ah, Saint. Were you waiting?"
At that moment, the priests came into the place where I had been.
This was a resting area prepared outside the hall. It was the last place to be demolished, and it was also a space where I could rest.
"Yes."
The priests' faces were hardened as if they had come to a battlefield. I felt my insides strangely twisted when I saw them.
Knowing that they were bowing down in front of me and selling my name without any respect.
To them, I was nothing more than a tool to catch devils and a means to send them to heaven.
Even if the Saintess died, another woman would receive revelation and become the new Saint, so if she was wrong, she could be used as a consumable.
When I kept my mouth shut,
“The Duke of Vine didn’t respond to the holy water.”
“What do you think about the Duke of Vine, Saintess?”
The priests asked. Since they had defeated everyone else, the only people in here were the temple people.
Depending on how I answered here, a battle between the temple and the demons could break out.
I opened my mouth.
“For now, we haven’t found any evidence that he’s a demon yet.”
I was planning to pretend not to know even if I did. I had to act cautious.
“Well, he didn’t respond to the holy water either.”
“But she’s the Saintess chosen by God. There’s no way she’d make a bad choice.”
One priest said with a serious face.
“It seems like there’s a demon hiding somewhere in the Duke of Vine's house that the Duke of Vine doesn’t know about.”
“Or maybe we can find a clue to the demon here.”
They were talking as if there was no chance that the Saintess’s choice would be wrong. As if there was absolutely no possibility that the Saintess would choose something else of her own free will.
I hid my laughter under my veil.
They seemed to think that I could hear the voice of God.
However, God had never once spoken to me. Not even once since He had chosen me as a Saintess.
Was I really a Saintess?
While I was thinking like that, the priests continued their heated discussion.
“There might be demons somewhere in Vine. First, let’s send a priest.”
“If Duke Vine himself isn’t a demon, there might be demons somewhere. We might be attacked if we’re not careful.”
“Then, with combat personnel who are qualified as holy knights...”
I narrowed my eyes at those words.
“You’re going to send combat personnel?”
“Yes. Of course, to catch the demon.”
It was something I had heard in my previous life. It was something I had heard from a different perspective.
If I had wanted to catch the demon back then, it was the exact opposite now.
However, I had something different to say.
“If we do that, the demons will run away.”
I said in a calm voice. The priests looked at each other.
“They must be nervous already since the Saintess has come to Vine, and if you send combat troops here... and on top of that.”
Could you do that with anyone you met for the first time?
No way.
But Belled seemed so good at it. And.
"Didn't it hurt?"
I muttered without realizing it. There must have been some holy water left in my mouth.
The temple people must have thought I had given the holy water through a kiss, but the reality was different.
I had even changed the structure of the ceremony hall slightly for that purpose. So that the priests wouldn't be able to see my movements well. So that they could only see Belled's reactions.
The people of the temple probably thought that the Saintess was giving them a chance to clearly discern the devil.
But the truth was different. I had thrown the holy water that I should have given him over to my neck and had no intention of kissing Belled properly.
But.
'Haa...'
He rushed in as if there had never been any holy water, and took my breath away.
He must have been a devil. No matter how small it was, it must have been painful.
On the outside, there seemed to be no problem. I had swallowed the pain.
"Ah, Saint. Were you waiting?"
At that moment, the priests came into the place where I had been.
This was a resting area prepared outside the hall. It was the last place to be demolished, and it was also a space where I could rest.
"Yes."
The priests' faces were hardened as if they had come to a battlefield. I felt my insides strangely twisted when I saw them.
Knowing that they were bowing down in front of me and selling my name without any respect.
To them, I was nothing more than a tool to catch devils and a means to send them to heaven.
Even if the Saintess died, another woman would receive revelation and become the new Saint, so if she was wrong, she could be used as a consumable.
When I kept my mouth shut,
“The Duke of Vine didn’t respond to the holy water.”
“What do you think about the Duke of Vine, Saintess?”
The priests asked. Since they had defeated everyone else, the only people in here were the temple people.
Depending on how I answered here, a battle between the temple and the demons could break out.
I opened my mouth.
“For now, we haven’t found any evidence that he’s a demon yet.”
I was planning to pretend not to know even if I did. I had to act cautious.
“Well, he didn’t respond to the holy water either.”
“But she’s the Saintess chosen by God. There’s no way she’d make a bad choice.”
One priest said with a serious face.
“It seems like there’s a demon hiding somewhere in the Duke of Vine's house that the Duke of Vine doesn’t know about.”
“Or maybe we can find a clue to the demon here.”
They were talking as if there was no chance that the Saintess’s choice would be wrong. As if there was absolutely no possibility that the Saintess would choose something else of her own free will.
I hid my laughter under my veil.
They seemed to think that I could hear the voice of God.
However, God had never once spoken to me. Not even once since He had chosen me as a Saintess.
Was I really a Saintess?
While I was thinking like that, the priests continued their heated discussion.
“There might be demons somewhere in Vine. First, let’s send a priest.”
“If Duke Vine himself isn’t a demon, there might be demons somewhere. We might be attacked if we’re not careful.”
“Then, with combat personnel who are qualified as holy knights...”
I narrowed my eyes at those words.
“You’re going to send combat personnel?”
“Yes. Of course, to catch the demon.”
It was something I had heard in my previous life. It was something I had heard from a different perspective.
If I had wanted to catch the demon back then, it was the exact opposite now.
However, I had something different to say.
“If we do that, the demons will run away.”
I said in a calm voice. The priests looked at each other.
“They must be nervous already since the Saintess has come to Vine, and if you send combat troops here... and on top of that.”
I narrowed you eyes.
“Who would like to have combat troops enter their family’s territory?”
The priests cleared their throats at those words.
“Ahem.”
“But isn’t it something that we have to endure for the sake of the greater good?”
A greater good? I almost laughed, but barely managed to continue.
“In the temple, my words are strong evidence. Because it is the will of the Gods.”
Even I don’t believe in the will of the Gods. I swallowed my words, of course.
“But outside the temple, it’s not like that. The Vine family has been designated as a demon family without any evidence. And if we let combat troops in, it will also cause problems for the Vine family’s reputation.”
I spread my hands.
“It could easily become a sign that ‘they are definitely a demon family.’ We can’t brand ourselves with that when there is no evidence yet.”
“That’s... that’s true.”
The priests seemed to be hesitating. I had to push hard here.
“Besides, the more vigilant the demons are, the less likely they are to show themselves.”
I said in a confident voice.
“So, does that mean you won’t be escorted by the priests?”
I almost laughed again at that. Escort? In my previous life, all the escorts I had been given were surveillance. It was also rude behavior, searching through the opposing Duke’s house here and there.
“It might be a little dangerous, though.”
It didn’t seem like it would be more dangerous than you.
“It would be better to go in without an escort. Instead, I’ll let you know right away if I see anything suspicious.”
The priests hesitated at those words. I was nervous because I had never said those words in my previous life.
If they refused, I would have to take the priests into the mansion.
If I did, it would only be a matter of time before Vine was found out to be a demon. I had to stop them here.
“Then, how about allowing us to investigate when the demons let their guard down?”
The priest said as if he was going to take a step back.
“There are also safety issues...”
The priest looked at me. Under that gaze, I knew that they were finding it strange.
Of course, it would seem that the Saintess who had always been obedient had changed.
It would be even more suspicious if I refused them any longer.
“Okay. Then we will visit when the time comes.”
“The time of the visit is...”
“If we officially contact Vine, the hidden demon may hide even more.”
The priests said. I nodded.
“Then we will coordinate the visit schedule only with me.”
“Understood.”
The priests accepted the words without question. They thought that I was still trying to capture the demon.
“Then, I will leave now.”
The priests stood up. It was more unpleasant to step back and retreat in the name of courtesy.
In fact, the demon who had barged in out of courtesy had not felt anything.
I pursed my lips. In any case, the first crisis had passed.
I sighed and stretched out my body.
Of course, there was no time to rest for long. Now it was time to pretend to see the priests off and become the Duchess of Vine.
“Then, may the Gods bless you.”
“May the Gods bless you.”
The carriage carrying the priests moved away. They must have been carrying something so lavishly, but there was a separate wagon with luggage.
“It didn’t even look like they were cleaning up the wedding hall.”
I raised my eyebrows at the carriage. What on earth did they bring?
But I soon thought I knew the answer. The demons would occasionally look at the carriage with unpleasant eyes. It seemed that the carriage was filled with items harmful to demons in preparation for battle.
Hehe...!
As the sound of horse hooves faded away,
“Beryl von Vine.”
A voice suddenly came. I turned around and it was Belled.
“Your name. Do you like it?”
Belled smiled as he said that.
A friendly smile. A smile that you wouldn’t think was from a demon. Absmile that sounded human...
I sighed and stretched out my body.
Of course, there was no time to rest for long. Now it was time to pretend to see the priests off and become the Duchess of Vine.
***
“Then, may the Gods bless you.”
“May the Gods bless you.”
The carriage carrying the priests moved away. They must have been carrying something so lavishly, but there was a separate wagon with luggage.
“It didn’t even look like they were cleaning up the wedding hall.”
I raised my eyebrows at the carriage. What on earth did they bring?
But I soon thought I knew the answer. The demons would occasionally look at the carriage with unpleasant eyes. It seemed that the carriage was filled with items harmful to demons in preparation for battle.
Hehe...!
As the sound of horse hooves faded away,
“Beryl von Vine.”
A voice suddenly came. I turned around and it was Belled.
“Your name. Do you like it?”
Belled smiled as he said that.
A friendly smile. A smile that you wouldn’t think was from a demon. Absmile that sounded human...
“Yes, I like it.”
I mumbled as I answered.
Even though I had told the demons with my own mouth that I was ‘the soon-to-be wife of Belled von Vine,’ it was still awkward.
However, since the first crisis with the priests has been overcome, all that remains is to pretend not to know that they are demons and to check the mood.
The fact that they have decided to conduct a regular inspection at the temple should be kept a secret for now.
I don’t know their thoughts yet. If there are people who can’t join hands with me, I could escape while the temple is out to see them.
“Then shall we go?”
Belled’s voice came from somewhere nearby.
“Ah.”
What stood in front of me, who flinched in surprise, was a carriage.
A pitch-black carriage. However, the carriage, decorated with bright red flowers, lively vines, and sparkling jewels, looked gorgeous enough.
It seemed to be saying that it can be gorgeous even if it’s not necessarily bright colors.
“You’re probably used to white carriages, but in Vine, we use black carriages,”
Belled said as he opened the door.
“White is a color that stands out to monsters in the realm of the night.”
“Ah...”
I thought it was because black suits demons well. It seemed that wasn’t the reason.
Well, in a situation where they have to hide their demon status, they wouldn’t have deliberately chosen a ‘demon-like’ color.
“Do you not like it?”
Should I prepare a new carriage?
I shook my head at that question.
“No, it’s fine.”
I could see several layers of thin, fluttering veils covering the carriage. The carriage I entered after removing the veils was soft.
“The fabric...”
The inside of the carriage, even on the chairs, was covered with layers of soft fabric.
The problem was that the fabric distorted as I moved as if it wasn’t fixed in place.
“Don’t worry about it. That’s how it was made.”
“Still..."
I cautiously approached the chair, uncomfortable with the shape that others had worked so hard to prepare becoming wrinkled.
Belled suddenly came up next to me.
“If it’s too neat and tidy.”
His fingertips touched the fabric on the chair.
“How about this?”
His hands slid across the plain fabric.
“No, it’s fine.”
I could see several layers of thin, fluttering veils covering the carriage. The carriage I entered after removing the veils was soft.
“The fabric...”
The inside of the carriage, even on the chairs, was covered with layers of soft fabric.
The problem was that the fabric distorted as I moved as if it wasn’t fixed in place.
“Don’t worry about it. That’s how it was made.”
“Still..."
I cautiously approached the chair, uncomfortable with the shape that others had worked so hard to prepare becoming wrinkled.
Belled suddenly came up next to me.
“If it’s too neat and tidy.”
His fingertips touched the fabric on the chair.
“How about this?”
His hands slid across the plain fabric.
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