Chapter 73: Chapter 75

Sienna9-11 minutes 25.07.2022

Demalo’s heavy sigh was heard behind her back.

To be suspected of being the cardinal’s hidden lover.

Demalo’s heart sank.

Adelia pretended not to hear Demalo’s sigh, and cut out Bishop Berg’s suspicions with a single stroke.

“You are making absurd suspicions without any basis.”

“Well, I’ve learned that strong denial is like an affirmation.”

“Sometimes you need to admit that what you learned is wrong.”

Adelia and Berg’s eyes met closely. Berg’s eyes narrowed. He looked inwardly at Adelia, who was sticking out a sharp thorn.

It’s not easy.

Berg had to figure out Eustaf’s weakness. His keen sense was saying that the woman in front of him was quite important to Eustaf.

But I don’t think she’s going to open up her relationship with Eustaf…

Berg was still in the middle of a ridiculous doubt that Adelia was the hidden lover of Eustaf. If Adelia could read Berg’ thoughts, she would snort.

A meaningless war of nerves ensued. Adelia thought she was wasting her time and spoke with a sigh.

“Let’s stop wasting time. Let’s finish this quickly because we’re both busy. Is that all you wanted to ask?”

Adelia’s sharp eyes were fixed on Berg. Berg wondered how he would make Adelia reveal her relationship with Eustaf.

It was then. A small disturbance drew nearer to the drawing room. It was natural for Adelia, Berg, and the guards to look at the source of the disturbance.

“Ca, Cardinal! If you come in like this….”

Adelia found Eustaf approaching the drawing room, resisting the servants’ dissuasion.

What the hell is going on…?

She was confused, but she watched the situation as quietly as possible. At the appearance of Eustaf, the corners of Berg’s mouth were raised unconsciously.

“Haha. This is…. I guess I got it right.”

“Bishop Berg.”

Eustaf’s low voice called for Berg.

“I have warned you. If you dig deeper, I’ll send your soul to Vishna”

“I guess this woman is your mistress.”

Berg said, looking at Adelia with the face of a fisherman who had caught a big fish. Eustaf’s straight brows crumpled badly at the sight.

“What groundless nonsense….”

“You don’t have to act like you’re not. I know everything anyway.”

What the hell do you know?

Adelia had no choice but to doubt Bishop Berg’s intelligence at this moment. He’s either low-intelligence or he doesn’t listen to others at all. It was one of the two.

What in the world made you think that me and Eustaf have that kind of relationship?

In this situation, isn’t it more likely to think that I’m Eustaf’s servant?

But whatever Adelia thinks, Berg’s ridiculous doubts were not over. Perhaps he simply wanted to bring Eustaf down to the lowest mud.

The faithful cardinal was defeated by lust. Isn’t that a very good scenario to discredit him?

Bishop Berg again spouted nonsense.

“Oh, no. You’re even angry that I touched your lover.”

“Bishop Berg. I can’t condone any more disrespect.”

Eustaf summoned the Holy Sword Istiff and aimed at Berg. In response, Berg said with a laugh.

“You don’t think I came here without any preparation, do you?”

Adelia’s brows crumpled for a moment.

Did you prepare something for your safety.

However, Eustaf did not seem to care much, and did not withdraw the sword that was aimed at Berg.

“It doesn’t matter. You’ve already broken your warning once.”

“I can’t let the unpleasant misunderstanding slide either.”

Ivan’s voice, which was definitely supposed to be in the palace, rang out in the drawing room. Adelia sighed as she touched her forehead. It was a total mess.

This three-way meeting was not in her calculations.

There is a period called winter even in a duchy where snow doesn’t melt throughout the year. Ivan looked at Berg and Eustaf with a look reminiscent of the bitter wind blowing that winter.

They were an unwelcome guest, an uninvited guest.

“I don’t know why the Bishop and the Cardinal are in my mansion but I want to kick them out right away, but I’ll have to clear up the unpleasant misunderstanding first.”

Berg was also surprised by the sudden appearance of the Grand Duke.

Something’s wrong….

By this time, Berg had also implicitly noticed that something was wrong with his suspicions.

“Adelia Yurpheon is my lover.”

“Don’t tell me a lie to avoid this situation….”

For a moment, Berg’s mouth closed in a straight line. Because the sword tip of the Grand Duke turned to his neck.

Adelia couldn’t just sit on the sidelines. That’s because she was bothered by what Bishop Berg said earlier.

If he came here prepared then he can’t die here.

Given that he disliked Eustaf and wanted to bring him down, he was likely among the forces that put Hestine on the line.

She has not yet been able to confront the temple forces who are antagonizing the Pope.

“Stop!”

There was a heavy silence at Adelia’s cry. The eyes of the three men turned to Adelia.

Adelia endured their gaze and agonized.

How can we take control of the mouth of Bishop Berg? The best thing is to get him on our side. Of course, it was not an easy option.

Unless he has enormous loyalty and faith in Vishna like Eustaf, it’s almost impossible.

But if that’s the case, there’s a possibility. But what if he’s already deeply involved in the opposition to the Pope?

I’m worried…

It was a 50 percent chance bet. Adelia’s long agony was over. She had an intuition that she shouldn’t send Bishop Berg so easily now.

The pattern engraved on Adelia’s bolt bone shone. Time stopped at the same time as she felt the heat that she would never get used to.

Eustaf and Ivan immediately noticed.

“You made a miracle.”

“Is it okay to use your strength twice a day?”

Adelia said, looking at the two men, who were freed from time constraints as she intended.

“It’s all right. I’ll be a little tired when I wake up tomorrow.”

“…but you’d better refrain from using as much strength as you can.”

Ivan’s eyes were filled with worry.

Adelia nodded with a wry smile.

The three men’s eyes turned to Berg whose time also stopped. Adelia smiled in vain at his seemingly fierce expression.

“Why did you stop time?”

To Ivan’s question, Adelia answered, looking at Eustaf.

“I want to ask you about Bishop Berg.”

Eustaf opened his eyes wide as if he had heard an unexpected question.

“About Bishop Berg… You mean?”

As Adelia nodded, Eustaf was lost in thought.

Berg Cichen.

The bad relationship between Eustaf and Berg Cichen has a long history. They were about the same age and both had enormous divine power. People have called the two the people who will be responsible for the Vishna religion in the future.

However, at the time when they fully awakened their divine power, Eustaf showed a higher level of talent than Berg.

Eventually, Eustaf rose to a tremendous position as a cardinal.

Of course, the sacred power of Berg is great, so he was crowned bishop in the year that Eustaf took the post of cardinal.

… It must have been from then.

Originally, they were always quarrelling, but Berg’s attitude changed from that year.

He quarreled with Eustaf’s actions in everything, but it was only then when he began to oppose the Pope’s opinion.

“He’s… He used to be a faithful person.”

Adelia’s eyes sparkled.

“Bishop Berg was a man of great tenacity and perseverance who always accompanied me in my early years.”

“…that’s a past tense.”

“I have stayed in the Holy Land since we took on heavy duties, and he has been sent to the Kingdom of Sadin. Naturally, the number of encounters has decreased, so I don’t really know what kind of person he is now.”

Eustaf suddenly felt ashamed.

No matter how much their relationship broke up, how could you not know the person you studied with as a child like this?

He was faithful when he was young…

Eustaf’s explanation complicated her mind.

The present-day Berg did not seem as tenacious and patient as Eustaf explained.

His eyes are full of desire to bring down Eustaf.

“Ha…”

At that moment, Vishna’s voice came into my head as if giving a hint.

– His prayers always reached me.

Adelia’s mouth became stiff.

If his prayers have always reached Vishna, can we expect his faith?

Ha. Okay. Let’s try it.

I can’t let him go, so I’ll try to apease him first, and if it doesn’t work….

I can only get rid of it.

Adelia’s eyes shone coldly.

Adelia, who made the decision, slowly rose to her feet and approached Berg. Eustaf and Ivan’s eyes followed Adelia’s movement. Ivan held the handle of the sword firmly in case of an unexpected situation.

Adelia’s fingertips gently touched Berg’s forehead. Then Berg’s eyelids quivered. His sapphire blue eyes looked around. People around him stood still like porcelain dolls. And the hands of the clock stopped moving.

“What’s going on?”

Berg did not immediately accept the situation. Adelia sighed and called his name.