Episode 73

'It would be nice if Jacob joined my side.'

Merha and her eldest son, Jacob, had a bad relationship. So, for a long time, Gunner wanted Jacob's support.

However, Jacob had little interest in the temple business. He already had a solid position with his business alone, and he was afraid that he would fall out of the eyes of the head of the family even as he set his sights on the temple.

Moreover, Merha was Cartier's legitimate son, and Gunner was a collateral relative. Jacob didn't want to pay for something he couldn't win.

'But I never thought Lucerne would want to join me!'

But there was a third force. It was still uncertain to say that it was a force, but a person with the power of a mighty military authority. Cartier who couldn't climb the enemy. Lucerne.

Lucerne would not be able to become the head of the household, but he was a genius grandson whom the head of the family cherished the most, who deserved to share the meat of the Cartier family.

'Besides, Lucerne is rich.'

So when Lucerne sent a note telling him to meet through his aide. He had no shame and ran like a fly.

“I asked my husband that I would like to meet Mr. Gunner.”

“Your wife? Is there anything I can do to help?”

Elisha barely raised the corners of her mouth. That faint expression was close to ridicule.

“Because I was not feeling well, Lucerne asked for a healing fuse before the daejeon. At that time, Gunner-nim deliberately sent a priest who was Gunner-nim's hands and feet. I predicted that it meant wanting to meet my wife and I, but did I get it wrong?”

Gunner's hand holding the teacup hesitated. His head swung around.

'Do you miss me? This woman has no taste. She is said to be a curmudgeon, so I thought she would be flexible, but she is stiff.'

But Gunner was a master of impression management. He didn't show it, he just smiled. The handsome priest's smile used to captivate any goddess.

“No, the general is someone who has risen to a military post. Are you saying that I, a priest, want to meet him with some evil intention?”

“…….”

“Even though the general and I did not become enemies of one family. However, I visited because I wanted to meet a distant relative without prejudice. I am sorry to hear that you are being questioned.”

Gunner decided to go hard for now. It was true that he desperately needed Lucerne's help, but he had no intention of being dragged around by young kites.

'Seeing that he sent his wife like this, Lucerne must be willing to stick with me. So, I guess I'll have to cook for her wife first.'

He chose pushing once out of pushing and pulling. I wouldn't know if Lucerne was right in front of me. Elisha was to some extent an easy opponent.

“Please?”

Elisha didn't even move an eyebrow at those words. However, at the words that followed, Gunner's movements stiffened.

“Then why are you here?”

“Yes?”

“A visit to relatives. Have you ever sent a letter to the general, or a message on New Year's Day or his birthday?”

The corner of Gunner's mouth, which had been smiling kindly, stiffened.

“…… That is.”

Elisha calmly brought her teacup to her mouth. There was a subtle composure in her movements.

“Did you believe, by any chance, that the general wanted to see the high priest for a small chat today?”

“…….”

“If you're that kind of person who doesn't know how to look at people, then I have nothing more to say.”

Gunner knew that Elisha would try to please him. But she, Elisha, didn't budge. He seems to have been pushed and pushed all the way out the door,

“No, Lady Elisha. Don't be so extreme.”

“There are no extremes. Simplicity is life for busy people. Mr Gunner. Please go back I am afraid that I will anger you by telling you this in front of my husband.”

Cold sweat broke out on Gunner's back.

“That, uh hmm.”

Elisha slowly raised her head. She continued with a soft, pretty but expressionless face.

“Oh, are you still there?”

“…….”

*​ *​ *​

So, when Lucerne came to the tea room after completing her training, Gunner was pacing in front of the tea room like a dog looking for something.

“General!”

Gunner was delighted to see Lucerne. Lucerne lightly greeted Gunner with a wink.

“It's been a while.”

Gunner coughed.

“Then why are you standing here?”

“Well, Lady Elisha kicked me out. Now that the general has arrived, we can go in together!”

Gunner had hopes that Lucerne would apologize to me, but he quickly gave up. Lucerne's temper was already too famous.

But at least he knew Lucerne would take me to the tea room and tell Elisha to apologize. He naturally stood next to Lucerne who opened the door.

The impression of Lucerne, who was standing so close that he could feel his breath, was furiously crumpled.

“What are you doing?”

Gunner flinched and stepped back.

“Yes?”

“If your wife tells you to leave, you should leave.”

“…… General. Really……. Are you going back?”

Even though the middle-aged man was flustered in front of him, Lucerne didn't even bat an eye.

“Well. It's not a child, isn't it a matter for you to choose whether to return or wait.”

“…….”

Bang. The door closed in front of Gunner's eyes. Gunner opened his mouth. The butler who came to see the situation shook his head slightly. Gunner pointed at the door and then at himself, his mouth twitching like a goldfish.

'What…… These are the things I do.'

Gunner realized at that moment. That woman was exerting influence on Lucerne.

'Really……. Aren't they not letting me in like this?'

Gunner was sweating profusely. Unlike when he came in with great energy, he was quite shabby.

'Wait a minute, what am I hearing?'

And the shocking thing wasn't the end of it. It was quiet behind the door, but soon there were clattering and small murmurs.

– Heh, hehe, hehe……. …… Can. Luce…….

At first glance, it sounded like something like that. But no details were heard. It was because the door of the tea room was unexpectedly thick.

'Uh……. Well…… ? What's the situation?'

And Gunner was long forgotten.

*​ *​ *​

Squeeze.

Elisha poured her hot tea into her cup. Lucerne waited for her to give her tea, but Elisha dumped all the tea into her empty kettle.

“Why don't you follow me?”

Lucerne said quietly. Elisha raised the corner of her mouth as if it were barely visible.

“This is the tea that Gunner was talking about, and what is in this kettle is not suitable for you to drink, Lucerne.”

“It makes me curious about the meaning behind it.”

“It means he's not the kind of person you would be compatible with.”

As expected, Lucerne nodded his head.

“How about Gunner?”

“From what aspect?”

“If we destroy Merha, he will probably be the only candidate for the Grand Pope. Do you think he deserves to be the Grand Pope wielding all the powers of the temple?”

Elisha spoke without hesitation.

“If Merha is the highest level of trash, then Gunner is the lowest level of trash.”

Lucerne was enjoying his conversations with his wife more and more these days. He savored the pleasure for a moment.

“You think the same as me. We fit really well.”

“Oh, I see, it must have been a coincidence.”

However, Elisha did not take it lightly today. She accepted it casually.

“But now it's a necessary kind of crap.”

“Right, didn't you want me to collude with Gunner?”

“It will look like that. Anyway, even if a dog or a cat becomes the pope, it's better for you than being a merha.”

Lucerne nodded his head.

“Gunner isn't a card worth playing for a long time.”

“Right. It has too many flaws.”

“What, for example?”

“Everyone who grew up in a monastery knows this. Gunner……. They siphoned off and embezzled the money that was supposed to help the poor.”

“Ah. That incident.”

There were two types of lodgings in the monastery where Elisha stayed. It was a lodging for abandoned noble ladies like Elisha, and a lodging for illegitimate children and commoner orphans.

Anyway, the temple was a place where people lived in poverty, so there was not much difference in the quality of accommodation.

However, noble ladies like Elisha donated money from their families when they entered the hospital. And there were many young ladies who sent money from home every month. So, the noble ladies were able to survive and survive under any circumstances.

When things get tough, the first thing to suffer is the commoner's children's quarters. All of those children had to live on donations from the temple.

“That year, the country's circumstances were very difficult, so donations were smaller than usual and there was no government support. Gunner embezzled more than half of the special donations from the great lords at that time. However, since they only embezzled the money from the orphanage for commoner children, there was no one to step in for them.”

“Did Archbishop Rosaria just watch that?”

The Archbishop of Rosaria was the abbot of the monastery where Elisha was. At the same time he was also a famous soldier from the Temple Army.

“You protested, but Rosaria-sama's power was not enough.”

The temple is quite corrupt. If you say the right thing, he makes enemies. Rosaria's purpose was not to make a name for herself or achieve a great cause.

It was just that she was protecting at least one more orphan girl under her. So, despite her high reputation, Rosaria did not take a big part in the work of the temple. She was a person who was used to being patient.

“That's why we noble ladies supported commoner children by reducing our meals.”

“Everyone must be dissatisfied with that fact.”

“There were kids like that. People aren't that evil. The kids in the next dorm are starving right in front of your eyes. There are fewer people than I thought who would look at it and say that I should fill my stomach. Even if they didn't like it inside, everyone endured it, and most of the kids thought it was really okay. In any case, the quality of the meal has deteriorated, but I am not starving.”

“As expected, temple graduates are kind.”

“Yes. Except for you.”

“Everyone in the world knows we're in the same boat, but we draw the line. I feel sorry for my husband.”

Elisha said he even made a joke now. But knowing that she would leave her without looking back one day, I tried not to listen too closely to her words.

Elisha took a sip of her tea and put it in her mouth. And she slowly put the teacup down.

“Anyway.”

“…….”

“I think we should make a great pope this time. Whether it's a card that's meant to be used once and discarded, or whatever.”

Lucerne heard that and nodded his head. She was very calm

“Are we talking?”

“It's fine if you express it that way.”

Elisha nodded her head to her face.