C 88
"What's going on with you?"
"You."
"What?"
"No, are you willing to listen anyway?"
I replied politely.
Funding is the topic he'll react most sensitively to, so I only mentioned it.
Dad was great, but he wasn't as passionate about society as to discuss giving donations with the other aristocrats.
If it were a threat, it might be possible, but I didn't want to do that.
It would probably be right to ask my father's sister, Akrea Safile, to ask him to cut off the funding line.
From what my dad told me, she keeps society on a firm footing.
Come to think of it, it's a great family.
Charniel Etham was said to be one of the five strongest men, and Akrea Safile was the queen of society.
Nelia Zardan has strict control over trade, and I heard that Hayel Etham is exceptional at gathering information by awakening the ability to communicate with animals and insects among the dragon's abilities.
My dad is a genius whose only deficiency is his personality...
I don't know about Chronos Etham. As he said he restrained himself, it was clear he had some ability.
"Despite that... A Suin can't be left loose on the street..."
"Yes, then I'll send him to the Southern Continent so the High Priest won't worry. You don't have to worry about that."
"Whatever happens, I've fed them, clothed them, and given them a place to sleep... Besides, I only gave them a job and a chance to atone for their sins."
Listening to the High Priest's nonsense was a bit exhausting. It was also time to visit Chronos Etham.
I smiled faintly.
"So, do I cut off 80%? I'll tell my dad as soon as I get home today..."
In fact, if I revealed that I was the matriarch of the family, it would add a bit more credibility to this threat, but my father and grandfather didn't seem to want to reveal it officially yet.
"...Ah."
I know the Suins are in charge of the general administration of the temple, so they won't give up easily.
"If my dad had come, it would have been easier, but..."
In fact, I can resolve it easily.
"I don't want to just ask the High Priest. Dad said it's embarrassing to ask for something for free."
Of course, something like that never happened.
"But, there are other priests even if there are no Suins. And I'll increase the donation by 50% more than it is now."
"Really?"
"Of course, I'll create a bribery fund so the High Priest can have it all to himself."
At my words, he opened his mouth.
"I'll keep asking you to do that as long as my dad is the patriarch of the family. Of course, you can write a contract."
The High Priest's eyes widened. His greedy double chin moved.
It was clear he was probably thinking about how long he would hold the position of patriarch of the family.
"Since my dad is great, wouldn't it be as good as my grandfather?"
The moment I muttered as if I were talking to myself, indeed, the High Priest's eyes gleamed.
"Ahem!"
He cleared his throat a couple of times, then sighed and nodded.
"I can't help it, the young lady's heart is so good that even God raised his hands in the end. They may not be able to receive God's blessing and atone for their sins, but they will surely be saved in the warm embrace of the young lady."
Have you oiled your tongue?
The flowing words are truly clear as crystal. Seeing him nod, I extended my hand to Iona.
In fact, today I had already made up my mind and consulted a lawyer to draft a contract.
"Alright, this is what I promise. Make sure nothing is missing."
It was a contract that had already been sealed with the official seal of the Etham family.
"Alright!"
Excited, he examined the contract. Then he nodded as if he hadn't found anything strange.
Indeed, from what I could see, it was a clean contract without any redundancies. I had it notarized by a legal advisor.
I signed the contract and held onto it. And I handed him another contract.
"Now, please sign this one. If the High Priest delays and I don't return quickly, my dad will come for me."
When I urged the High Priest, he quickly read a few lines of the contract and then signed it lightly after smiling at the large amount of money.
Iona quickly took it. I had already finished my business, so I got up from my seat.
"There's no need to visit the High Priest now. But can I visit my uncle often?"
"Yes, of course. Cardinal Chronos also has the right to meet with his family. I'll recommend he do less penance from now on."
"Yes, the High Priest is better than I thought with his words."
I smiled broadly.
As the High Priest, he got the contract, so he wouldn't have to obsess over Chronos Etham from now on.
In the first place, it was absurd for things that could have been solved with money to pile up on Chronos Etham due to mental pain.
The first two goals I had in mind were accomplished.
"May I read this contract, Matriarch?"
"Yes, read it carefully."
After responding to Iona, I left the High Priest's office and headed to Chronos Etham's office.
After reading the documents for a while, Iona exclaimed.
"This..."
"As expected, bad people are only happy when they get a stab in the back of the head."
Perhaps Erno Etham would have done more than that, but I wasn't sure enough.
Many of the priests I encountered on the way to Chronos Etham's office greeted me with a smile every time they saw me.
As I had been wandering around the temple for several days, the priests and paladins didn't interfere or stop me, as if I had become accustomed to it.
I saw the priests hesitate as I stopped at Chronos Etham's office and smiled broadly.
I took out two shiny gold coins from my pocket, one for each of them, and the two priests pretended not to accept it and opened the door.
Chronos Etham wouldn't have let me in, but if he did, they would probably scold them later, so I paid them in advance to turn a blind eye.
"Uncle Third!"
Chronos Etam's face distorted as if my call was very familiar and annoying.
He set aside the papers slowly, suppressing the irritation that had shot to the limit.
I sat boldly on the sofa in his office and swung my feet. Adam and Iona were behind me.
"How the hell are your classes that you come here every day? Now that you've inherited the title, do you think you can quit your studies?"
"No, I'm working hard."
"How the hell...?"
"I always have an interview with the High Priest before coming here."
That's how I got the Suins released and Chronos Etham released today.
"...I don't know what you think of me, but don't worry about me. It's none of your business."
Chronos Etham spoke coldly today as well.
These days, I've been invading his office every day, leaving everything aside for the moment, so he seemed annoyed.
But I didn't come here to do nothing.
All I did was watch Chronos Etham work without saying anything, then eat snacks and go home.
"...I want to see Lucy."
Of course, I didn't forget to appeal from time to time.
"I've told you that you can't see him."
"Don't you think it would be good if the temple changed, uncle?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Uncle, do you really want to become a priest? Not all priests are clean and upright."
On the contrary, in a way, it must be exactly the opposite of what Chronos Etham expected.
Moreover, the High Priest was crazy about money. Unless Chronos Etham was an idiot, there was no way he didn't know about the High Priest's shortcomings.
"The High Priest said he would release the Suins and other races."
"...What?"
"I said I would increase the donations by 50% more than now, and he did it."
Chronos Etham looked at me and said nothing.
"That's the kind of person my uncle follows and trusts. A person who wastes my uncle's time."
"I don't know what you're talking about. You can't meet the priest candidates, so go back now."
Even an iron wall can't be as rigid. I pouted unsatisfied.
"No, I don't want to."
"You, really..."
"In reality, you don't like the light."
The essence of Chronos Etham is darkness.
The dragon ability he awakened was endless darkness.
However, due to a certain incident, Chronos Etham sealed his abilities and entered the temple.
His power originally lay in handling monsters and taming them. But in childhood, he triggered the berserk state.
It was unfortunate for Chronos Etham.
Because of that, he lost the young woman to whom he had given his heart right before his eyes.
At that time, Chronos Etham was only thirteen years old.
"Uncle is here to punish himself and torment himself. For Anzu."
