Vol. 1 - Ch. 288 - The Case of Saintess's Disappearance (1)

"—As long as I have the Saintess's grace, the seat of the Holy See shall be mine in due time, and it shall also bring a never seen before prosperous glory to your noble house. So please, Marquis, I beg you to reconsider this once more."

In the reception room of Leverance estate in the royal capital, Dolittle, the archbishop dispatched from the Starlight Theocracy, pleaded to Marquis Samuel von Leverance, a.k.a Jue's father. 

However, even that term came to an end this spring. His successor would take his place, while Dolittle was to be returned back to theocracy.

The man's name had come up in conversation when he was seen as the potential marriage candidate  for Jeu, whom he had been teaching about the Holy Magic. 

Then again, all those talks were now buried six feet under. Ever since Jeuri had made it to Royal Academy, her talent had only continued to blossom, and at present, she was famed as one of the spotlight members of the present sophomore group. 

The fame had even made it beyond Yuglia as well. The words about her exercising an area healing magic, which was extolled as God's Miracle, previously used only by "Saintess Sari", the legendary holy magic user in the past, during freshmen year's outdoor class had already spread far and wide.

By contrast, Dolittle's reputation was in a meteoritic downward spiral. 

He had initially cemented his fame by becoming the Archbishop at the young age of 40 by virtue of his holy magic's proficiency, and an impeccable demeanour. At his peak, no one doubted he could be another cardinal, or even Holy See himself, which made others see him as a potential candidate for Jeu. 

However, since being assigned to the monumental post of Archbishop of the Yuglia's Royal Capital’s Grand Cathedral—a position once held by the current pope himself in his youth—Doolittle’s standing had only gone downhill.

Arriving amid trumpets and high expectations as a Holy See candidate, he had allowed his inflated pride and the liberating atmosphere of foreign postings—where piety was less strictly enforced—to get the better of him, and wantonly indulged in womanizing.

To make matters worse, he doubled down on the authoritarian and money-grubbing habits inherited from his predecessor.

Given the lofty expectations pinned on him, people inevitably compared him to the current pope—renowned for his integrity—and the contrast was painful.

Put simply, the mask had slipped.

To no one's surprise, the engagement talks with Jeu fell apart, which only worsened his position.

The more Jeu’s renown grew, the more he would be remembered as “the man rejected by the Saintess” and his reputation would only sink further.

“You’re a persistent man, Archbishop Dolittle. You had barely bothered to even glance at it, and now that you’ve fallen from grace you believe you can gain the same treatment? Too little, too late. Well, if Jeu herself had wanted it, I might’ve given it some thought, but what had you done then? You still indulged in debauchery, changing women like clothes despite the words of marriage already being widespread. Your downfall was already written."

Dolittle sunk in silence as Marquise Leverance poked him at his sore spot.

"I, I was merely learning the way of society. I heard you'd quite a playboy reputation on that aside as well, Marquis."

The Marquis scoffed through his nose at that pathetic excuse.

“I’m not saying a clergyman has to be pure as the driven snow. But, I have seen your true character in that so-called ‘social education.’ You flash money and authority just to prey on women, there’s not a shred of class in it. I ask you, is even a single woman among them willing to throw everything away, and follow you back to the Starlight Theocracy? This is my answer to you."

"I, It's precisely why I had did, to protect the authority of Church—"

Dolittle tried to argue, but he closed his mouth before finishing his words. The cause was the Marquis before him, clearly seething in rage as if he had touched his reverse scale. 

After a long stare at quiet Dolittle for a good five or so seconds, Marquis then spoke in a slow, dismissive tone.

“…Power, prestige, the prosperity of House Leverance, and you take my daughter for some sort of tool? I’m not denying that marriage can be political for nobles. But Jeu’s partner must first be someone who can make her happy. This is entirely the premise before I can even think of the second phase. I will never give my daughter to anyone unless they can confidently say to me  "I will make sure Jeu get the happiness of all the world.""

With that, he rose to his feet, making it clear the discussion was over.

“W-wait, please, Marquis! At least—at least allow me to continue as her instructor! I swear, I can raise her into a saintess to rival even Saintess Sari—!”

The Marquis, already heading for the door, glanced back at the pleading Dolittle with cold eyes and shook his head.

“…You know better than anyone, don’t you? She's already embarked on a path of holy magic none of his predecessors could ever dream of. Jeu, too, believes she no longer requires teaching on minute stuff. If you want to blame someone, blame your past self.”

"Now see yourself out," Marquis compelled from his silent stare alone, and the latter finally released his grip on Marquis's sleeve.

"...If......If your daughter, Jeuri, says she chooses me, then I believe you will have no objection either, right?"

Dolittle spat out the words while trembling with suppressed rage.

The Marquis snorted. “Hah. Jeu? Choosing you? You think too highly of your pathetic self.”

Dolittle ground his molars so hard they creaked, bowed stiffly, and left the room.

◆

Bastards. They all are bastards. Damnit! 

All they do is to keep mocking me!

As the Marquis estate gradually became distant scenery, Dolittle’s hands trembled uncontrollably.

Ever since his magic organ awakened, he had been praised as a prodigy. His exceptional talent had earned him a place at the New Starlight Church's Main Sect in the theocracy, where he consistently outpaced all his countless rivals.

But ever since he came to this country, the gears of his life had begun to slip out of place. 

All of a sudden, his trusted friends, with whom he had spent so much time together at the Main Sect, had begun measuring each other's action, always thinking of pulling each other down, and dragging them.

He survived that scheming, suffocating environment, and at long last was freed and allowed to go abroad. So what if he had enjoyed it a bit? Dolittle believed he didn't do anything wrong. 

Meanwhile, despite being the archbishop, he would clear his schedule to personally teach Jeuri magic. But the ungrateful girl, as soon she had progressed into further education, the number of times she came to seek his guidance dropped sharply.

On top of that, she didn't even show up to bid him farewell when he was stepping down from his post.

Though, Dolittle knew the reason well enough.

The girl had clearly avoided even the slightest physical contact, and never allowed herself to be alone with him indoors. While she had only spoken words of respect and gratitude, deep in her eyes he always saw a glint of disdain.

Only he knew how many times he had gone over trampling her dignity beneath him every time he gazed upon those contemptible eyes in his mind, breaking her until she had become his little obedient bitch. 

But that dream was now a fleeting distant scenery, beyond a void.

He had been dismissed from his position as Archbishop of the Grand Cathedral of Saint Sari, and was to return to his homeland.

The annulment of their engagement, and her refusal to appear even at his departure ceremony, would surely leave a deep scar on his career. And no doubt the wretched, spiteful rats festering back at Main Sect would tack on whatever lies or rumors they pleased to use this as ammunition to pull him down.

Once he was back, all roads to Holy Pope would be shut for him forever. 

If only that girl—

If only he could have had that arrogant girl—

Dolittle’s eyes grew darker and darker, the light draining out of them.

He was gaining the eyes of a cornered beast, with nothing but a dead end before him, and field of vision narrowed to a single point.

Comments