Be Fascinated

chapter 22

Philia raised her wrist and screamed in surprise at the feel of arms wrapping around her waist. Philia’s body trembled.

“Let me go, let me go!”

Philia struggled, but the strength around her waist was overwhelming. Her body was forcibly turned around. Philia had to face the reality that she wanted to turn away from.

“Was this the best place to escape?”

Claude was standing in front of her. He was smiling brightly. But Philia trembled like a deer caught by a wild beast.

Since meeting him, he had the scariest face.

As though he was going to devour her whole.

* * *
Claude gently took her hand and led Philia out. He was like a sweet lover. Had it not been for her two wrists that were bound, it would have been like that.

Claude walked around the temple leisurely, as if taking a walk, but Philia was terrified. There were bloodstains everywhere in the temple, which Philia had never seen before.

What happened here? As Philia stood at the entrance to the temple, she saw the priests tied up. Fortunately, no one seemed to have lost their lives. However, there were traces of assault on their faces.

“Claude!”

Philia looked at Claude, frightened. Claude whispered.

“Be quiet. Before I swallow those pretty lips here.”

What kind of person could be so eerie?

“There are people who want to confuse the country by using a false saint.”

At Claude’s words, the eyes of the villagers changed. Some of the tied priests also looked at Philia, who was standing next to Claude, with a puzzled expression.

She couldn’t resist. The number of knights he brought was greater than the number of priests.

“What do you mean a false saint! Who in the world!”

Asked the priest. Claude laughed.

“This is what the Emperor has commanded me to do.”

“……!”

The priests’ faces hardened. They seemed to have finally figured out who Claude was. A look of wonder appeared to all of them, including Philia.

What do you mean? What does it mean if he was not the emperor? Who ascended the throne? Before answering those words, one of the discerning priests spoke.

“This is ridiculous! We didn’t even know she was a fake saint!”

Claude raised his lips and gestured. Then the priest’s captivity was released. It meant to say more. He mustered up the courage and said, pointing to Philia.

“If we had known that the woman was a fake saint, we wouldn’t have brought her. We thought she was strange from the start.”

“Strange? What is?”

“It was strange that a young woman was brought in by the high priest!”

“Yes. We just took care of her because the High Priest asked to take care of her.”

Claude asked, tilting his head.

“Did the high priest ask you to look after her?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Well, as far as I know, High Priest Irik and her were very close.”

At Claude’s move, they were very agile and figured out a way to live. Pretending to know nothing, they blamed Philia for all their sins.