|| ᴀ ꜱᴀɪɴᴛ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀᴅᴏᴘᴛᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴀɴᴅ ᴅᴜᴋᴇ || ᴄᴏᴍᴘᴇᴛᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜱɪᴅᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀɪᴇꜱ ||

Chapters 111-115

Episode 111: When Desires Clash (V)

"Right. Call Prince Noah and make an appointment."

"I understand."

Rabienne returned to her office, leaving her handmaiden to coordinate her schedule.

Meanwhile, documents related to ancient readings were piled up on the desk.

Silently, Rabienne clenched her lips.

She assumed that she would be able to do everything well after becoming a saint, but there weren't just one or two daunting tasks awaiting her.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

"Saint."

"Yes, High Priest Lucas."

Rabienne was going to request an interpretation of the ancient letters, so she was glad he appeared at the right time. But her eyes soon narrowed as she noticed his unusual expression.

"I... I'm afraid I have to tell you some bad news."

"Please speak."

"Recently, an epidemic has occured along the border."

Rabienne's mouth widened, shocked by his mention of an epidemic.

"Has there been a crack in the barrier...?"

"It seems that way."

Lucas' expression was as critical as Rabienne's.

The fact that the barrier was cracked, including the plague that had started to circulate, meant that the damage was already at a dangerous level.

"What do we do?"

"There is a limit to preventing it with our strength... I think this happened as a result of Saint Cespia's delay."

This problem appeared to have gradually ensued as a consequence of Cespia's weakening for the past several years.

"For now, we need the high-ranking officials. We must supplement the barrier by adding more power."

"We also wish the same, however... As with recent prayers, it will take some time until they recover the amount of divine power they have lost."

It was out of the question to ask for their use of divine power, as it could affect the person in a harmful way when cast excessively.

Rabienne clasped her eyes shut before opening them in a state of frenzy.

"Do they truly require treatment?"

She had too many affairs in her hands to waste her time treating the commoners dying from the plague.

"It isn't a problem as of right now, but... If the epidemic spreads any further, we won't be able to do anything then."

"Then, to start off, let us gather support from the temples near the border. Please be careful to prevent any rumors."

Since the emergence of the saints within the empire, there had never been a single outbreak of deadly plagues.

Therefore, if rumors of an epidemic began to circulate, that would reveal the incompetence of the current temple.

"I understand. I will do my best to stop the rumors."

At this point, Lucas also gradually accumulated dissatisfaction towards Rabienne.

As Rabienne could not utilize her powers as a saint, it forced the high priests who were under her to solve such an important affair.