I Just Wanted to Avoid Death - Chapter 187
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I thought things would come to a natural end at this rate.
After all, the lackeys had been cut off, and I even held evidence of the Empress’s crimes.
So I believed that if I simply left it alone, the ones harmed would tear the Empress apart on their own.
That plan had gone more or less as expected, but then came an unforeseen variable.
“……The Empress requested a visit to the temple?”
“Yes. And she specifically named you. She said to bring you along.”
A troubled look crossed Eldis’s face.
He had pulled every string to quietly detach public interest from the temple and let the matter become a squabble among nobles, but now the Empress had suddenly latched onto the temple.
“Is she planning to claim that it was my doing?”
“Who knows. I’ve erased any traces of your involvement… Even if she tries to blame you there, it shouldn’t cause any harm. But what is she scheming…?”
Eldis’s elegant brow furrowed.
The Empress had even said she could defend herself for all the actions she’d taken, and asked for Yeshion to be summoned.
“I suppose I should go, right?”
“……”
“Archpriest?”
Eldis stared at Yeshion with a conflicted expression. He looked like he was anxious about what might happen if he took Yeshion with him.
“There’s no way something will happen… right?”
“Now that you’ve said that, I’m even more anxious. It feels like something is bound to happen.”
“……What on earth do you think of me?”
“A massive troublemaker.”
At that, Yeshion pressed his lips shut. He muttered that he hadn’t caused that much trouble, but Eldis’s worry didn’t leave his face.
It seemed like he’d feel more at ease if there was at least something predictable, but there wasn’t, and that was precisely what made it worse.
“Still, I should go.”
Under normal circumstances, perhaps, but refusing to attend when the Empress was being questioned might cause a bigger stir. They might even say Yeshion was refusing to come because he had something to hide.
“Archpriest…?”
But even after Yeshion spoke, Eldis remained deep in thought.
Only when Yeshion tilted his head and waved a hand in front of him did Eldis lift his gaze to meet his eyes.
“……Ah, apologies. I was trying to think of anything the Empress could use as an excuse.”
“Did you think of something?”
“Not a thing. She might cling to the Crown Prince’s curse again… but there’s nothing clearly usable this time. Still, just to be safe, I’ll need to perform another ritual to suppress it.”
Eldis muttered to himself and suddenly stood from his seat, a look on his face that said he wouldn’t be at ease unless he did something.
Just as he was about to leave the office, he paused and turned back to look at Yeshion.
“If by chance….”
“……?”
“If something really does happen, I’ll do whatever it takes to stop it.”
His expression was so resolute, it looked as if he would take drastic measures if the Empress tried to pin all the blame on Yeshion.
Looking at that face quietly, Yeshion spoke with an unusual expression.
“I won’t try to stop you from doing what you think you must, Archpriest. But……”
“……”
“I just don’t want you to be harmed because of me.”
It wasn’t because he feared Divine Punishment. He simply hoped no harm would come to Eldis in any capacity as High Priest.
“It’s not only for your sake, you know.”
“……Pardon?”
“Priest Yeshion. You being alive and breathing… that’s something I need, too.”
Leaving behind those weighty words, Eldis smiled.
Yeshion was about to ask something more, but before he could, Eldis exited the office with that same smile.
* * *
Yeshion swallowed dryly and looked toward the audience chamber doors. Even though he’d been to the palace once before, the air still felt awkward and tense. He was so nervous, the tips of his fingers had gone cold.
He licked his dry lips and kept rubbing his cold fingertips. Behind him, Eldis gently swept a hand down his back.
‘……It’ll be fine.’
But the strange sense of unease wouldn’t go away.
Was it because this situation was something unprecedented? Or because he was about to meet the Empress— ‘Yeshion’s’ mortal enemy?
