CHAPTER 075
The valet standing at the door loudly announced the entry of the delegation.
"The High Priest of Marbel is arriving!"
What kind of person is the High Priest?
Would he exude kindness as Charlotte and Michael had described?
Nobles who had never seen the High Priest of Marbel before also waited with curious faces.
"Finally...!"
I heard Charlotte mutter softly at the same table.
But something seemed strange.
The first face to appear as the doors opened felt very familiar...
"What?"
"What's this?"
I wasn't the only one surprised.
Bella, next to me, made a startled sound.
It was him, the old man who had picked up a wallet and gotten into trouble with those bad men, Raven!
That person was the High Priest of Marbel?
"He truly looks benevolent, just as they said."
Charlotte fixated on him and didn't notice the expressions on Bella's and my faces.
Benevolent?
His relaxed smile was indeed as Michael had described, but he certainly didn't look like the High Priest I had imagined.
As I was thinking this, Bella whispered beside me.
"How did you meet the High Priest in such a place?"
"Right? That was even before his scheduled arrival!"
"What kind of High Priest gets into a quarrel like that?"
Bella said, bewildered.
If Bella reacted this way, it said it all. I could understand the sighs of his aide who had asked where he had been.
The Marbel delegation sat at their designated table.
Raven sat at the same table as the royal family. The High Priest of Ravens I had seen before was also at that table.
Seated with the key figures of the empire, Raven spoke with a bright face.
"Thank you for arranging this place for me."
Philip responded politely to his words.
"The royal family also believes in the god of the sky. Many nobles gathered here believe in the god of the sky as well."
"Is that so?"
"It's the state religion."
Philip smiled faintly.
Raven looked around at the nobles seated.
Then, our eyes met. Raven looked in the direction where Bella and I were seated.
He knew our identities, thanks to the guards. He must have expected us to attend this banquet.
Raven recognized us, widened his eyes slightly, and then smiled.
It was a friendly smile for someone he knew.
I didn't expect to see him again in such a place... I still felt dazed.
An hour passed. The meal with wine was in full swing.
"I'm surprised you're not getting drunk today?"
Lewis, watching me sip wine, remarked.
He had been worried I might get drunk since earlier. I smirked and took another sip.
"I was off guard then. I don't get drunk that easily."
If you drink something sweet like juice, you'll quickly find yourself tipsy.
Today, there is no chance of making the same mistake.
Why? Because this definitely tasted like alcohol!
There was no chance of drinking it carelessly.
As I was smiling happily with the wine glass in hand,
"Ah...!"
Charlotte, sitting across from me, suddenly widened her eyes.
"What's wrong, Lady Yaniels?"
Noticing Charlotte's reaction, Michael asked.
"The High Priest is coming this way."
"You must be mistaken."
Lewis, without looking in the direction Charlotte was seeing, said.
"No, it's not a mistake... He's really coming this way!"
"Then it's good. You said you wanted to meet him."
Lewis replied indifferently.
Hmm... It didn't seem like Charlotte was mistaken.
I saw Raven walking directly toward me.
It was not a mistake.
"Really, Marquis. The High Priest is coming this way!"
"My ears are burning. Were you talking about me?"
"...!"
Charlotte, who had been whispering quickly, gasped.
Raven had indeed stopped in front of our table.
His aide, whom I had seen a few days ago, glanced at us nervously.
If he's the High Priest's escort, he must not be an ordinary knight. Perhaps a holy knight?
For such a high-ranking person to be so nervous. The knight must have had a tough time...
"We meet again!"
Raven greeted cheerfully, ignoring the surrounding stares.
Lewis looked at me.
"What, do you know each other?"
Not really, we just ran into each other once...
"I met him a few days ago in the street. He was having some trouble."
"What kind of trouble?"
"It wasn't my problem. The High Priest was having some trouble on the street, and I tried to help."
After quickly explaining the situation, Lewis looked at Raven with a puzzled face.
Raven, receiving the stare, just kept smiling.
"I don't remember your name. Could you tell me?"
"My name is Selina Elsner."
I replied reflexively.
I had never properly introduced myself to Raven back then.
"Lady Elsner. It's a pleasure to meet you again."
"Haha, I didn't expect to see you here..."
I laughed awkwardly.
Everyone was watching us!
Why did the High Priest come to our table? They must be wondering as much as I am.
Charlotte, seeing him up close, looked about to faint.
"Lady Croft, she seems to be struggling to breathe."
"Pardon? Lady Yaniels, breathe!"
While Bella patted Charlotte's back, Raven spoke to me.
"I wanted to thank you for helping me the other day. My aide was in a hurry, you see."
"Ah... Yes."
"But I never let a favor go unacknowledged. I'd like to invite you separately to show my appreciation. Would that be alright?"
"Invite me?"
"Yes. I'd like to give you a blessing."
Oh my. My mouth dropped open in surprise.
"Is it alright for me to receive such a thing?"
A blessing from the High Priest? Even if I didn't know much, it seemed like a significant deal.
"Don't feel burdened. If you feel uncomfortable coming alone, you can bring your friends."
Wow, goodness.
I couldn't close my mouth.
"I'll send the details through my aide. See you soon."
With that, Raven left our table.
Charlotte, still in shock, covered her mouth.
"Did I hear that right?"
"You heard correctly, Lady."
"Oh my...!"
Charlotte looked happier than ever. Even more so than when Philip had given her a birthday present.
Philip would be quite disappointed if he saw this, wouldn't he?
When I looked at Philip, he was staring at us with wide eyes. His expression seemed to ask, 'How?'
I quickly averted my gaze, pretending not to see him.
Anyway, I ended up attracting a lot of attention again because Raven came and spoke to me.
I had received similar attention when I got close to Lewis... again?
It just happened this way. I awkwardly smiled at the nobles who made eye contact.
Even after the banquet, Charlotte couldn't calm down.
"How can I receive a blessing from the High Priest of Marbel... Thank you so much, Lady!"
"It's not me. It's the High Priest who will bless you."
"But it's thanks to you!"
Wow, she was this happy.
"Isn't it possible to receive a blessing from the High Priest of Ravens too?"
Bella, who decided to come with me to meet Raven, tilted her head.
Charlotte, still excited, answered.
"The power is different! The High Priest of Marbel holds the most powerful force among all the priests on the continent. Even the nobles of Marbel Kingdom can't easily receive his blessing."
"That's really amazing..."
Bella nodded as if she understood.
Lewis looked at me curiously.
"You've been busy helping the High Priest of Marbel in my absence. You've been active."
"Indeed. Who would have thought the person I helped was the High Priest of Marbel."
By the way, I feel like there was something important I had to do. What was it?
I felt like I was forgetting something I shouldn't... What was it?
* * *
The place Raven instructed us to visit was a temple. The same temple Charlotte went to every weekend.
Today, I was with Charlotte and Bella to meet Raven.
"The location on the paper wasn't a temple, though?"
"Maybe it was a temporary location. It wasn't his scheduled arrival date."
Charlotte speculated on Bella's question about the different locations.
Since it was before the announced arrival date, Charlotte might be right?
It was just the three of us receiving Raven's blessing.
Lewis had no interest, and Michael decided to sit out. He thought too many people might not be appropriate.
"Here it is."
The priest guiding us seemed quite tense, perhaps because the highest religious leader was residing there.
Inside, only Raven and his aide were present.
"You came! I've been waiting."
He stood up to greet us warmly.
He was quite different from the High Priest of Ravens. The latter seemed much more solemn and older than Raven.
"Is black tea alright?"
Soon, a maid from the temple brought out tea.
We had a brief conversation while drinking tea.
"It is an honor to meet you!"
Charlotte sent looks of deep respect.
"You should have mentioned you were the High Priest. Everyone would have bowed immediately. You're much more easygoing than I expected."
Bella openly shared her impressions.
And me?
I just listened to the conversation.
Oh, I felt like I was forgetting something. I couldn't focus because my mind was elsewhere.
But that thought didn't last long.
"I promised you a reward, didn't I?"
"A blessing?"
"Yes."
Raven brought up the promised gift, the blessing, so naturally.
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