Chapter 58

"Is that possible?"

"Regarding the measurement of mana, it's difficult to say with absolute certainty."

In response to Jeritt's question, Oblie explained methodically.

Everyone is born with mana, but only a very few can become mages.

"Mana is passed down through blood. If the two of you are truly family, the color of your mana will be the same."

Oblie smiled and rummaged through his robes, then paused as if realizing something.

"The method to measure mana is to drop each other's blood into holy water..."

Oblie's gaze shifted to the broken glass bottle, then back to Damian.

"Unfortunately, it's impossible to confirm right now."

Though he didn't say it outright, his expression was quite clear.

Damian seemed to sense this and bit his lip tightly.

"To obtain holy water, we need the temple's permission. So, my lady."

Oblie approached Eli. With a fluid, graceful movement, he gently enveloped her hand.

"Do you also wish to find your family?"

"..."

"If we complete the mana test, we can determine whether this person is your father or not."

Eli still didn't respond.

'I have no choice but to play my hand.'

"His Excellency Count Shuetsu must also desperately wish for you to return to your family's embrace."

It seemed to work, as Eli lifted her gaze and alternated her gaze between the man still kneeling on the floor and Oblie.

The man's clothes were clearly different from Eli's.

Oblie twisted his lips.

'She must be confused.'

She wouldn't want to lose this opportunity.

How could she be happy if someone claiming to be her father came looking for her, dressed like a vagrant? But he couldn't say anything bad. It would be impossible to coldly reject him in front of so many people...

"Sir Priest."

At that moment, Eli spoke.

"Sir Priest, aren't you the one who spreads the love of the gods?"

The girl's face, asking with wide eyes, showed a resolve.

At this point, she was almost convinced. Oblie smiled like an angel.

"Yes, that's right."

"Then why don't you visit His Excellency Count Shuetsu anymore?"

"…Pardon?"

It was an unexpected question. For a moment, Oblie's expression wavered.

"Count Shuetsu is very ill now. It's because the priests no longer visit him."

"That's... why?"

"Why is that?"

Oblie was at a loss for words.

'Well... '

The temple coveted Shuetsu's great power and interfered under the pretext of purifying his madness.

This was discovered by the current Count Shuetsu, who pushed the priests present into the Cliff of Monsters.

This was the starting point of the strained relationship between the temple and Shuetsu.

But how could she know this story...

'There's no way she could!'

Even if he told her, it was unlikely that a child like her would understand.

"Well, I'm not sure... I guess not."

Oblie laughed awkwardly and averted his gaze.

Eli was certain.

'She knows.'

The reason why Shuetsu and the temple fell out.

But if that was the case, it made even less sense.

Why would a priest who knew everything try to help a child under the Count's protection?

'...Wait a minute.'

Suddenly, Eli's eyes widened.

This priest...

'How did he know I was in the Shuetsu Castle?'

When we came to Pelin, we borrowed Jeritt's carriage.

Just by looking, there was no way to tell we were from the Shuetsu family...

Then there was only one answer.

'He just pretended not to know.'

This priest knows her.

If this young priest knows, it's highly likely that other priests do too.

How much do they know?

Do they know that she is the daughter of a thief?

The possibility was quickly dismissed.

If it had reached the emperor's ears, there would be no need to create such a troublesome situation.

'So only a few people know...'

How many priests are in the 'few' category?

'I need to find out.'

Eli retracted her sharp gaze and quickly drooped her eyebrows.

"His Excellency is always in pain. He's in so much pain that he can't even sleep."

"I see. But..."

"Can't you at least give him holy water?"

"...Holy water?"

Eli lowered her lips like a dejected child.

"If you can't perform the purification ritual, I at least want to give him holy water."

"But..."

"I don't have any money. I'm already so grateful for what His Excellency has done for me... I really want to repay his kindness."

Eli looked at Oblie with the purest eyes of a child.

Oblie was in a dilemma.

He only intended to force a paternity test, but now the initiative had shifted to this girl's hands.

Everyone around was looking at her, including Grace.

At that moment, a small hand tightly grabbed Oblie's.

"Is it possible, Angel?"

Angel. The pure child's title did not allow for lies.

So the kind and gentle priest, 'Oblie,' could not refuse this request.

"...I'll try my best."

Finally, a positive response came from Oblie's mouth.

Since he had never seen real holy water, he could just make a fake one.

Deceiving a naive child like this would be no problem.

"Thank you, Angel!"

Eli smiled brightly and squeezed the hand she held.

* * *

In the hazy mist, a pungent smell of blood swirled.

The knights braced themselves, their dazed minds snapping back to alertness.

Roar!

Suddenly, a beast-like cry echoed through the mist. Each time they moved, a sticky liquid dripped to the ground.

Slurp, slurp.

What was once a leg dragged along, and something that had once been human approached them.

They were undead.

When a dead person was buried in a land with strong mana, they often turned into undead and attacked people.

The temple had regularly conducted activities to purify contaminated lands, but for some reason, the number of undead had been increasing year by year.

Roar!

Suddenly, an undead lunged at Ante.

Swish!

Ante drew his sword and cut through the flesh. A black, tainted liquid flowed from the severed surface.

One of the knights breathed heavily.

'I knew the undead were terrible, but...'

This time, something was different.

As he calmed his breath and wiped the blood from his cheek, another unseen undead rushed towards Erhardt at high speed.

"His Excellency, be careful!"

He shouted urgently.

Erhardt, with a blank expression, watched the undead charging at him, then drew his sword.

Instantly, a black aura enveloped the sword.

Swish!

With a sharp sound, the undead tumbled to the ground.

Erhardt clicked his tongue and wiped the black blood from his face.

Then he suddenly noticed the decoration hanging from his waist.

Not a single drop of blood had splattered on the clumsily made decoration.

"What the hell are those temple brats doing that they can't even purify these things?"

Erhardt looked at the blood on his sword blade with an unsatisfied expression.

"Thanks to them, I'm just doing annoying work."

Despite his words, Erhardt's condition was better than ever.

Since receiving the knot decoration from Eli, the tinnitus that had tormented him so much had mysteriously disappeared.

Thanks to this, Erhardt was in top form and could vent his madness to his heart's content.

'Thinking about it, it was the same with Lady Yuria. I'm benefiting from that knot decoration.'

Should he consider this fortunate...

Ante shuddered slightly at the sight of his lord cutting down the undead with terrifying ease.

At that moment, Erhardt asked.

"How much longer do you think it will take?"

"Lord Amantha is in charge of the rear. It should be over soon."

"There was no need for the viscount to come out."

"Are you worried about Lady Eli and Lord Damian in the castle?"

Ante quickly understood the meaning behind his words.

"Don't worry. Lady Amantha is with them, so nothing serious will happen. Lady Amantha treats Lady Eli like a younger sister, doesn't she?"

"...Yes, I know."

Erhardt muttered in a slightly displeased voice.

He knew that Jeritt had hired talent, and that Eli had helped with it.

Thanks to this, Eli could participate in the Amantha Trading Company's operations to some extent.

Jeritt was timid but was the heir to the Amantha Trading Company.

Learning the company's operations from him would be beneficial for Eli.

Moreover, Eli was supposed to be adopted into the Amantha family for marriage.

Even if they were bound by contract, getting along with them wouldn't be a bad thing.

"Indeed, it's a good thing."

A knight standing nearby added.

"Lord Jeritt treats Lady Eli like a younger sister, doesn't he?"

"Yes."

"And Lord Amantha treats Lady Eli like a daughter."

"Yes."

"And..."

The knight, about to continue, suddenly felt a gaze and looked up.

Ante, standing behind Erhardt, had crossed his arms and was shouting something.

'Stop! That's a forbidden word!'

...he thought.

But unfortunately, the forbidden word had already been spoken.

"Like a daughter, you say."

The Count's voice, muttering slowly, was as sharp as a sword blade.