Episode 97

Elisha and Lucerne had lunch with Rosaria that Friday. Rosalia looked quite tired as she was taking over the affairs of the former pope at the same time as preparations for her coronation ceremony, but her eyes were full of enthusiasm.

“I really don't know where to start. I ate well from the Pope to Merha. In addition, there are quite a lot of businesses related to the Cartier family, so it's hard to know what to start with…….”

“Leave Katie aside. Anyway, I can't touch it for several years. If you commit to a later date, you will have a chance to sort things out.”

Both Lucerne and Elisha were accustomed to a poor temple meal with little meat. Lucerne said while drinking the wine of the temple. Rosaria smiled at those words.

“Isn't it more important to win right now than good and evil? It will be the way to victory, the way to purify the temple.”

Elisha, who had been quiet the whole time, said.

'It is not too late to take care of good and evil after they have won. Good and evil are the rights of survivors and victors.'

This was advice compared to the contents of the tactical book Rosaria had taught him. Rosalia looked at her Elisha at the grace of Elisha who said her words. Elisha was a very small, helpless, and innocent orphan when we first met her.

Rosaria was deeply moved by her since she had the qualities of a noble lady. But on the other hand, she was also a little curious.

'Elisha, that child. She wondered what the hell had happened to her that made her such a different person. She's grown up beautifully, she's clever, and she has a strange sense of dignity. That's amazing.'

In addition, Elisha, who recently took classes from aristocrats, including etiquette classes, was even cutie.

“So, there are ten temple-related businesses that Merha was in charge of. I'd love to help with some of them. It's hard to find an agency, so I need help right away.”

Lucerne looked at the list of her businesses that Rosalia had passed over, and she took on the most valuable business, the temple souvenir business. Then, she said, she would take on the publishing business, which would have to reach out across the country.

“Put everything else through open bidding. It's a business that can be done more slowly, so we don't have to do it. It would be better to operate transparently, changing companies from time to time, rather than leaving it to just one company. Of course, we will also disclose all ledgers to our corps.”

Rosaria was in a position to give up even if Lucerne would take care of all ten businesses. Rosaria was admiring and grateful to Lucerne because it was a direction that was beneficial to Rosaria as well as taking the minimum benefit.

“Lady Lucerne, you have changed a lot. Is it because of Elisha?”

Both Lucerne and Elisha hesitated.

“As expected, if a man likes a woman, does she change?”

Elisha's face turned red. But Rosaria felt something strange. She said it was because Elisha's face looked embarrassed.

“Elisha?”

“No……. They say there's nothing wrong with a man taking her wife. Marriage stabilizes the lives of both spouses. You must have seen it that way.”

Elisha couldn't tell Rosaria that Lucerne and I weren't related. Besides, it was more awkward because she had no idea why someone as smart as Rosa Ria thought Lucerne liked Elisha.

“By the way, is the reason you suddenly called today to discuss business related to the temple?”

Elisha turned her words around. Lucerne stared at her and hid her hand. It was because her hand trembled once without even realizing it.

“I called because I wanted to see your face. My disciples got married, but I felt uncomfortable because I couldn't treat them to a meal.”

Only then did Elisha straighten her hardened face and smile.

“By the way. Mr Lucerne. I understand very well what you mean by letting me take care of Merha. But if you allow it, can I break into the prison and slap Merha a few times?”

“Yes?”

Elisha almost drank the wine she was drinking. This time, too, her expression did not show.

“I'm going crazy because of him. How much did you eat? Besides, this madman stole items from the reliquary at will in his sister-in-law and set up a museum and lived there. If you go to his sister-in-law, there really is no other place where His Holiness stayed! Besides, Marco and Arien also lived in that house and said that they treated the priests like slaves.”

I mean, it was like this. In the meantime, the priests who were upset at Merha's insolence came and appealed to Rosaria, but the contents were beyond imagination.

“Besides, she has an eye for a beautiful goddess crown, treating her like her concubine and making her come and go……. Elisha. You know. How much I love the treasures of the temple. But how many holy relics returned by Marco instead of Merha are empty. Those madmen secretly stole and sold even the holy relics! Or maybe you hide it and don't know where it is. Besides, some of the relics that I finally got back are out of order…….”

“The temple has its own list of holy relics, and there must be someone who manages them. Is that possible?”

At that time, Elisha, who had been quietly listening to her, spoke. Rosaria looked tired.

“It looks like he even manipulated the books.”

Rosaria rubbed her forehead.

“Young Ledger is strange. But I don't know who got involved or where. I guess I'll have to do a whole water change.”

At those words, Elisha recalled Rosaria's history. She said 20 years ago when she returned from war she said she was Rosaria and that she wanted to rest in a temple.

So the temple side sent Rosaria to her hanjik. She was the general manager of the temple treasures.

While doing that, Rosaria was also in charge of managing monasteries in the province. Rosa Ria had a personality that completely dominated his once assigned task as tenaciously. A rosaria like that would have noticed right away that the ledger was strange.

Then Lucerne spoke up. He seemed to be grasping something.

“It wouldn't hurt to visit the reliquary once.”

Elisha also noticed something. She listened to her too.

“Maybe we can help.”

“You guys?”

“Did you forget? At the age of 14, I cleared out all of Rosaria's ledgers. I also checked the ledger records for the reliquary at the time. I might remember something when I see it.”

*​ *​ *​

Senior Priest Anton, in charge of the relic storage, was walking around the relic storage hiding his trembling hands. Anton's role was to take care of the relics and keep the exhibition hall clean.

'What can I do, even though things have turned out like this, I still can't break hands with Lady Merha. Is this really the end?'

Merha was Anton's teacher. Anton, who grew up in poverty and was entrusted to the temple, had a row of younger sisters.

Anton grew up serving Merha. So, to Anton, Merha was an object of fear. This is because he often beat the priests under Merha cruelly.

Besides, Merha was holding Anton's family hostage. Because he had borrowed money for his sick sister's hospital bill. At that time, Anton, who was caught working as a weakness, secretly manipulated the ledger several times behind the scenes.

Meanwhile, Merha's son Marco suddenly invaded and threatened Anton.

'I know you're going to stab me for stealing the Holy Relic by my father's instructions! Please let me in here do you know who I am I'm from the Cartier family!'

Anton wept and reluctantly let Marco in. To Anton, the visit of distinguished guests was like lightning.

“Welcome, Grand Pope. And your Excellency, General.”

Anton greeted politely.

*​ *​ *​

“What is your name?”

Rosaria asked.

“My name is Anton. I am in charge of managing the holy relics here.”

Anton's name was familiar to Elisha.

'No way…….'

Anton was a senior priest in charge of the reliquary. He was the one whose body would be found years later in a temple pond. It was during a big event in the temple that Anton died. So it became quite a hot topic.

Anton wrote in his will that he stole a lot of holy relics and manipulated the ledgers because he was short of money at the time. Then, saying he would take responsibility, he committed suicide by throwing himself into a pond.

However, the holy relics that were stolen were nowhere to be found. At the time, the corruption in the temple was so severe that everyone was silent.

Later, overhearing a conversation between Jacob and Carola, he learns that Merha killed Anton after blaming her for her crimes.

'I think it's too bad. Carola is so scared. You know, according to rumors, he lied to Anton, a high-ranking priest, saying that he would feed his family and induce him to commit suicide. Was he fooled because he was a weakling? But, his family didn't know what it was. Besides, I heard that his sister is a beauty. The High Priestess Merha……. Carola can't say that. Compared to High Priestess Merha, our couple are angels.'

He was the future victim of the Cartier family. Maybe he was still involved, he didn't know. Elisha looked at Anton and asked calmly.

“Are you okay, aren't you looking good?”

“Yes? I am okay.”

Anton was straight. But he was dripping with sweat from his body.

“Answer me away from my wife.”

Lucerne said expressionlessly. Anton had an expression that made his hamstrings go numb just by making eye contact with Lucerne.

“Yes, yes!”

Lucerne's expression asked why Elisha was interested. Elisha said calmly.

“Are you in charge of the reliquary ledger?”

“Well, the person in charge of the books is away for a while to eat. During that time, I am in charge of the rental…….”

Then the person with access to the ledger was right. Elisha thought for a moment, then she said nonchalantly.

“The person who manages the ledger needs to come back soon. It is a matter of life and death.”

At those words, Anton's eyes changed.

“Yes?”