Pwuh

She raised her head out of the water and swam in the direction of the flask of fragrant oil.

Ah, whatever. Were gonna go our separate ways once hes healed anyway, so lets not bother too much. Kynemeia shook her head.

He said the injury cant be healed, but just in case, itd be better to call over a priest to check on it.

Eian did say that time is medicine, but a solution might actually turn up if divine power was involved.

Shed finished washing up and was about to summon a priest when the maid Shane came to inform her of a guests visit.

Oh!

An old man with a greyed beard recognized Kynemeia as he approached her.

Hoho, Lady. Youve grown so much.

Huh!

Priest Andrea?

Greetings to the wings of Lyonne. Lady Kynemeia, its been a while.

Priest. Speak of the devil! Kynemeia smiled slightly and skipped towards him.

Long time no see, Priest. Have you been well?

Ive just been grateful for the days that God has bestowed upon me. Lady, you seem to be getting even prettier.

Thank you.

As expected, just like your father, your beautiful Uh Beautiful

Andreas words petered out as he bit back his words. Kynemeias dad, Troy Lyonne, had conquered high society with his beauty and later died from a thrust of a knife during a fight of blind love.

An uncomfortable silence fell between the two. Andrea drew a cross and offered a prayer for the deceased.

Lady, Im sure the previous Grand Duke has gone to a better place.

Really? Can he go to a better place even though he was the centre of a fight of blind love and got stabbed? But Kynemeia couldnt give voice to the question that was on the tip of her tongue.

Lets just believe it to be so.

But, Priest, what brings you here?

Ah That

As he slurred his words, she beckoned Shane who was watching them nearby.

Ah, Shane. Prepare some refreshments in the parlour.

Yes, Young Lady.

Priest, please come this way.

Andrea let out a hoho as he followed her.

Pardon?! AhHot!

Hearing the news which was like a bolt out of the blue, Kynemeia burnt her tongue as she sipped on the hot tea then stuck out her stinging tongue.

Are you alright?

I-Im fine. But what did you say just now? Youre retiring from the clergy?

I have gotten much older, after all. Since divine power is much like water in a bowl, someone of my age would have depleted every drop.

Ah

How sudden Her eyes trembled. Having to see the priest who had been working for so long retire was indeed a pity, but truthfully, there was another reason why she was so stunned that she burned her tongue.

Uhh If you leave, Priest, when will another priest come to our temple?

Ah Uhm

His expression crumpled into dismay.

I can tell just from that face!

No one was coming. His was an expression that said there was a 99.98% chance of them coming. But this was simply the start; the priest suddenly dropped an even bigger bomb.

I cant say this with certainty, but

No way She tried to erase the hopeless imagination from her mind, but the truth was much worse than shed imagined.

Ive heard that the main temple is planning to shut down the temple in the Grand Duchy

That means!

Yes I think the Church Order is thinking of pulling out from the Grand Duchy

Andrea stroked his beard, reflecting on their shamelessness.

But why!

As Kynemeia turned stone-still like she just got knocked on the head, Andrea patted her head asking her if she was okay.

Im Not okay

Im not fine! Theres no way I can be fine!

Hohoho

The man laughed awkwardly.

Theyre suddenly pulling out?

The Grand Duchy wasnt even a territory that lacked money She fiddled with the teacup as she cudgelled her brains. All of a sudden? Shutting it down abruptly like this? There must be a reason. After all, Lyonne pays the temple handsomely for the priests dispatch.

Priest. You know, about that temple shutdown

Yes.

Could it be caused by Duke Rosaline?

Andreas eyes darted left and right when she brought up Duke Rosaline.

That, Im not quite Cough, cough! My throat feels dry Cough!

He gulped down the hot tea then started to heal his throat with divine power. She studied the spectacle before her with dim eyes. It must be because hes a priest that hes not good at lying

Duke Rosaline was the most eminent of all the investors; he contributed the most to the temple. And as for his identity

The father of Faery Rosaline, who yearned for Dad so much she broke her marriage!

Faery Rosaline did not only bring dishonour to her house, but she also poured a plentiful amount into the investment project Troy Lyonne had proposedan amount which vanished into thin air with his death

Im sure he despises even the sight of Lyonne now.

If he declared to the temple Ill cease all contributions if you work with Lyonne, then the temple would have no choice but to accept it.

Honestly, it wasnt like Kynemeia couldnt understand the Dukes feelings. She did, but If they suddenly stopped cooperating so spitefully, then who would heal the people of the Grand Duchy?!

The West Continent did not have well-developed medical practices owing to the existence of divine power; they had neither a clinic nor the means to diagnose an illness, nor did they know which medicine was best suited for which injury.

Then our fief will now Her face turned pale envisioning the terrible future that lay ahead.

Hoho, my Lady. Please dont grieve too much. Im sure the Great God will lend a hand.

As Andrea spoke words of comfort that didnt feel reassuring at all, she stared at him vacantly. The priest then cleared his throat and looked away.

*

*

*

How could this be

After she saw Andrea off, she sank down onto the sofa in the parlour. She was really hard on poor Andrea even though he had been defending the Grand Duchy until now. He mustve protected the Grand Duchy even under Duke Rosalines threats because of the affection hed fostered over the many years with Lyonne.

Hnng.

The tearful girl curled up on the sofa.

Young Lady, are you okay?

Shane asked with a gentle voice, but Kynemeia was too busy holding her tears back to reply.

Isnt this a big problem?

The poor inhabitants might not be able to leave the fief, but the rich ones could. Regardless of whether its the previous life or the current one, nothing is impossible when one possesses money. If so, would those people remain in the fief where there was no temple they could receive treatment from?

Of course, they would leave. And if that happens, then

Lyonne will be empty!

Furthermore, when the rich tenants leave, the impoverished ones would Kynemeia trembled and hugged her knees.

I need a solution!!

The first thing she thought of was engaging in a donation war with the Duke. Simply put, the plan would be to pour donations into the Church Order as if she was in an auction along with him until one of them gets tired and drops out!

Umm!

If she used the money her dad left behind and the tax from the fief, as

not be able to endure the complications that came with diseases. A vision of the tenants appeared in her minds eye.

Whos to blame for the closure of the temple?!

Its because of that Evil Lady of Lyonne!

Hang the Evil Lady of Lyonne!

Guillotine!

SLICE

A bitter ending well as the profits coming gradually from Behemoth The scale in her mind started moving.

Only

No matter how I look at it, its a crazy chicken game, though?

Two of the empires grand nobles stuffing the Church Order exclusively.

Its not feasible.

She didnt want to lay down a bed of roses for the people who were embodiments of mammonism; people who would neglect the ailing due to the sway of money and didnt have

Chicken game theory: While the outcome is ideal for one player to yield, the individuals try to avoid it out of pride for not wanting to look like a chicken even an ounce of mercy. Then the second solution would be to find a new blue ocean in place of divine power.

Speaking of a blue ocean

Someone whos capable of healing.

Kynemeia suddenly remembered the name of one Munchkin who would be a perfect fit.