I had been thinking about it carefully, but nothing came to mind.
Instead, a question arose. I tortured him so cruelly; how did Lucas endure it for a year?
It seems the answer is this priest.
If Priest Colton had been bribing the people in my castle and pouring divine power into him without my knowledge, it would explain how he endured all that torture and violence.
Then, how will the current Lucas use him?
I watched Lucas as if I were watching a novel.
Lucas slowly reached out, took both of Priest Colton’s hands, and said, “I am fine.”
‘Huh?’
“Thank you just for… not forgetting me and coming to find me like this. I wondered who had been using divine power on a slave, and it was Priest Colton. That is enough for me.”
Is he being sincere? What Lucas needs is a helper to clear his name of treason.
A priest would be quite a big help.
It was strange that he would refuse when such a priest had come of his own volition.
Priest Colton denied Lucas’s words as if to ask what he was talking about.
“Duke. I am ready to do anything. You must return to your rightful place. You cannot live like this here.”
Ah. I see why Lucas said that.
Hearing the priest’s words, I understood Lucas’s intention.
The priest glanced at me and lowered his voice.
“I know that Count Patience is doing terrible things to you, Duke.”
Why am I being brought up here?
And that was a lie.
Honestly, I was surprised.
I didn’t think he would say something like that in front of me.
Lucas seemed quite surprised too; he turned around to look at my face.
“The Count?”
“I heard you are serving him at night. How can he do such a thing to a Duke… it is outrageous.”
Lucas turned his head and covered his mouth.
It was very clear to me that he was holding back laughter.
I’m the one who’s been the victim all this time, so I don’t know why I became the perpetrator.
“Ah, yes. I am doing such things.”
“Someone who has great work to do should not be living like this in a place like this. Please, let me help you. I will become your hands and feet, Duke.”
That was what Lucas intended.
It was Lucas’s strategy to induce the other party to say it themselves without him having to speak first.
That I ended up helping with that strategy… was absolutely not my intention.
I really just wanted to probe him, but to think it would turn out like this.
Lucas pretended to hesitate and said, “How could I ask such a thing of you, Priest Colton? Absolutely not.”
You shouldn’t accept immediately.
Refusing once is the standard procedure.
It needs to look like he accepted reluctantly after being asked several times.
That way, even while helping, the other party will feel like they owe him a debt.
Lucas refused once, as per the standard. If the priest pleads one more time, he will accept it reluctantly.
“Duke, you must think of your family.”
But that… that crossed the line.
Lucas stiffened like ice for a moment.
For a split second, it felt as if he had even forgotten to breathe. It was heartbreaking because I felt I knew what family meant to Lucas.
Even with all that divine power poured into him, the power that decisively made him endure the torture and violence must have been his family.
Lucas remained still without a stir, and then, as if the ice were melting, he slowly opened his mouth and said, “…Then, putting aside my shame, I will ask for your help. Please help me. Let me clear my name.”
“I will do so. I swear to the Goddess Gaia, I will stake everything I have and do my best to help you, Duke.”
Lucas had gained his first helper. I can’t say he got him easily.
To my eyes, it looked like Lucas had been wounded.
Lucas told the priest to return for now, as he would contact him later.
The priest bowed to Lucas. It was a formal greeting offered to Duke Lucas, not to a slave.
To me, he handed over the two pouches of gold coins he had brought, asking me to keep silent, and just gave a small nod.
He even went as far as to say he would give me more if it weren’t enough.
He was arrogant and proud, but that’s how priests are.
They believe they are superior to other humans simply because they serve a god.
It seemed he had a great psychological debt to Lucas.
A debt great enough for him to set aside even his sense of superiority.
Two pouches of gold coins was indeed a large enough sum to keep someone silent.
However, that is one thing, and if necessary, I will still report him.
It would be fortunate if things worked out well, but if they don’t, shouldn’t I survive, too?
I’ll take care of Lucas while I’m at it.
I won’t be able to look after the priest.
He’ll manage on his own.
It’s not like it’s the first time the Temple has covered for its priests, so they’ll just put on a show of punishing him appropriately.
After Lucas saw the priest off and we were left alone, he asked, “Why did you allow me to meet with the priest?”
That’s because I got my share, too.
Instead of speaking, I made a hand gesture meaning “money,” and Lucas looked dumbfounded before bursting into laughter.
“You look so upright, yet you took it.”
“Me?”
“Yes. You are cold, but you look sincere and handsome. You must be popular.”
Popular… I’m not.
I do receive marriage proposals, but I assume they are sent to the head of the household.
Since the successor is young and I am also young for a head of household, they probably send them because they think they can do something with our family.
That’s why I reject all of them, but hearing such a compliment from Lucas made me feel strange.
Lucas looks like he needs to go look in a mirror again.
“Was that flattery? You don’t need to do that.”
“…You don’t look in the mirror, do you?”
“Isn’t it that you don’t?”
Lucas seemed to decide not to respond at all and changed the subject.
“I didn’t expect you to let me meet the priest. Do you not care what I do, Count?”
“Of course not. Don’t do anything dangerous, anything crazy, anything where you throw your own body away. Do things in moderation.”
Lucas laughed instead of answering.
It meant he wasn’t going to listen to me.
Well, I have my own methods, then.
“If you cause trouble, I will punish you.”
“I will exercise self-restraint.”
It was annoying how quickly he answered when I said I would punish him.
Lucas only listens when the rewards and punishments are clear.
I’ve learned that from the things that have happened so far.
Still, knowing that I have to rule him like this didn’t make me feel comfortable.
“I’m worried, so keep yourself safe. Even if the priest is on your side, if you get hurt, it hurts, and there is a limit to how much divine power can heal.”
Instead of answering that he understood, Lucas stared intently at me.
His gaze was so intense that I couldn’t help but ask why he was looking at me like that.
Instead of giving a reason, Lucas asked an out-of-the-blue question.
“Are you engaged, Count?”
