Chapter 41

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 41

Chapter Title: A Devilish Contract

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It was when he smirked.

"...Huh?"

In an instant, Ursso's arm twisted grotesquely.

Thud-!!!

His body flew through the air and slammed into the wall as if pinned there.

Bang, bang, bang, bang!

A crushed chair hurtled through the air, embedding itself above his head, below his feet, and beside both arms—like darts.

It all happened in the blink of an eye, too fast for him to even scream.

'Whoa...'

I was impressed. Ursso was on the verge of passing out.

In the stunned silence of the chapel, the sharp click of Bune's heels echoed softly.

He stared at the pale-faced Ursso with expressionless eyes.

"Fool."

Ursso's eyes widened. Only now, hearing the voice, did he realize Bune was a man.

"Would you prefer your balls crushed, or your manhood bent?"

"Wh-what... what..."

"Oh, don't worry. If you hate both, we can always burst your ass instead, you piece of shit."

Bune delivered his curses with grandfatherly kindness.

Ursso, ashen-faced, desperately glanced toward the door.

"Out-outside! Is anyone there?! Help! Save me!!"

He shouted, but silence reigned outside.

'If anyone was coming, they'd be here by now.'

The Holy Knights by the door had vanished the moment Ursso entered—likely dismissed so he could pull off his dirty deeds. Karma at its finest.

"Wh-who are you? An assassin from Dori Farm? The Rotail Merchant Group? The village chief? N-no, it doesn't matter where you're from. I'll pay you triple their bounty!"

He must've amassed quite the fortune. Who knew how much he'd extorted from those around him.

But Bune showed no reaction. Gripping Ursso's throat, he raised his other hand. His nails extended long and sharp as blades.

"Stop!"

I rushed forward.

Ursso's eyes bulged at the sight of the blade glinting faintly in the moonlight.

"Can't kill now."

"Little One, some scum in this world aren't worth keeping alive."

"I know. But still can't."

This man needed a re-verification of my divine power.

If anything happened to Ursso before that, they'd blame the Duvereds—say they'd monopolized my power.

'The Papal Court might even step in.'

Acting rashly would only invite bigger trouble.

Bune looked displeased but released his grip on Ursso.

Ursso slid down the wall and hit the floor with a thud.

"Ch-Child of Destiny?"

Then he glared at Bune like he wanted to tear him apart.

"Oh ho, so you're the Duvered guard dog. Is that it? You dare try to kill a temple priest! I'll report you to the Central Temple—no, the Papal Court itself...!"

"This guy's clueless for real."

Ursso, mid-rant, turned wide eyes on me.

He'd finally realized I wasn't just any kid.

"Y-you... you...!"

I turned to Bune.

"Beat him till he makes sense."

Ursso froze stiff, while Bune's face lit up.

"Dori Farm, Rotail Merchant Group, Fanji Renea Merchant Group, village chief, three landowners, Baron Panoh."

I ticked off the names of everyone Ursso had swindled, counting on my fingers.

Then I looked at the pallid man.

"That all?"

"Y-yes! That's it!"

"Lie and no mercy, got it?"

I glanced at Bune, and Ursso flinched. "Motherland Hospital and a few loan sharks too..." he muttered.

What a haul he'd made.

I eyed Bune again. Ursso, battered from the beating, trembled.

'Bune, even without summoning a demon directly, can you make a 'contract'?'

I asked inwardly, and Bune replied silently.

[If it needs my power, I can use Little One's strength to seal the contract's mark.]

Bune's ability was necromancy—summoning the souls of the dead.

"Can priests contract with demons too?"

"Any human can contract with me."

I nodded, but Ursso's face twisted in horror.

"D-demons...?"

"Yeah."

"The Child of Destiny summoning demons! Such a horrific...!"

"Not your place to talk, priest who cheats the faithful out of their coin."

"Summoning demons and taking a bit of money—how are those the same? I'd just get demoted, but Little One, you'd face an inquisition!"

I smiled sweetly.

"Don't worry. No contract for me. You'll do it."

"Do I look insane enough to contract with a demon?!"

Ursso bellowed, but Bune grabbed the back of his head and smashed it into the floor.

"Raise your voice in front of Little One again, and I won't hold back."

Ursso gasped and fell silent.

I crouched down and met his eyes.

"No worries. Won't lose out."

"Wh-what do I even get from a contract?"

"Walk out alive."

Ursso gaped like that was no deal at all, but I grinned.

"See? No loss for you."

Speechless, he bowed his dirt-smeared face.

I turned to Bune.

"Make the contract."

Bune looked reluctant but sighed faintly.

"If that's Little One's will."

I laid out the terms.

1. Ursso cannot tell anyone about what happened in the chapel today or Leblain's true nature.

2. Ursso will return all the money he's taken from the people.

3. If all terms are fulfilled, Leblain will not kill Ursso.

"One more."

Ursso shot me a what-now glare.

I whispered the fourth term in his ear.

The next day.

Lea dressed me while I dozed like a sickly chick.

"Tired?"

Lea asked worriedly, so I nodded.

"Yeah."

"Shall I fetch the temple priest for a check-up?"

I shook my head fast.

'What if Ursso does something to me?'

Even worse, no way I'd let that pervert grope me under the guise of an exam.

"I'm fine, just sleepy."

"We'll head back to Duvered before dinner. I'll get the fluffy new quilt ready—you can roll around all you want."

"With strawberries."

I pleaded, and Lea chuckled, kissing my cheek.

"Loads of cream too."

Yay!

I cheered inwardly, grabbing her hand.

Outside, the Central Temple priests had already arrived.

"Greetings, Little One."

"Greetings, Little One."

The two priests bowed, and the line of Central Temple attendants prostrated themselves.

"Wow..."

The young page stared at me in awe.

To sum up the Wigzentra Empire's temples:

The Papal Court, led by the Pope and cardinals.

The Central Temple, guarded by 21 elite priests.

And the mid- and small-sized temples branching out like tree limbs across the empire.

Priests weren't commoners or nobles—they held rights equal to nobility.

Even a common-born priest enjoyed noble privileges.

Among them, only the best were selected for the Central Temple, a dream posting.

Even capital nobles couldn't touch them lightly—immense power.

They'd only heard I was fake, so they never expected this deference from Central Temple folk.

'Things were all smiles until my ninth birthday.'

How much? When I scraped my knee falling, all 21 priests got summoned to the Papal Court, flogged, and sent back.

But on my ninth birthday, when my divine power didn't improve as hoped, attitudes shifted.

Complete disillusionment—no one in the temple called me Child of Destiny anymore.

That's when Duke Ballua started beating me.

We headed to the antechamber for verification.

Ursso was already there, bandages wrapped tight.

The Central Temple priests clicked their tongues.

"So careless on such an important day..."

Ursso shot me an aggrieved look under their scorn, but I glared, and he looked away.

I climbed onto the circular dais in the center. A Central Temple priest spoke.

"You've done verification before, so you know. Just sit and count to a hundred—it'll end before you know it. No need to worry."

The priests soothed me.

Lea clenched a fist behind me in encouragement.

Two Central priests and Ursso surrounded the dais, kneeling and beginning their prayers.

The floor grew hot beneath me. I swallowed.

'Bune.'

I murmured inwardly, and Ursso's back twitched—bound by our contract.

When verification ended and we exited, the priests' faces beamed. A far cry from the first time, when my power barely registered.

"The Papal Court fretted endlessly over Little One's weak divine power. What a relief."

"Must hurry back with the good news."

They grabbed Ursso, stressing his role as the nearest temple head to Duvered territory.

After the Central priests left, the Northwest Temple buzzed with festival vibes.

Ursso's Third Northwest Temple was remote from the capital and at odds with Duvered lands—practically abandoned by Central.

But if the Child of Destiny was real, its status would skyrocket.

"If the Child grows safely, we could transfer to Central too."

"Of course. First beneficiary's the temple head."

"Lord Ursso, better not send the Child back, right?"

"Yes, all nearby temples will scramble for her education. We should secure her first—"

But Ursso slammed the door shut without a word.

The priests shook their heads, tutting.

"Lord Ursso, always..."

"Doesn't know what's important."

"Eyes only on the pot."

"Tragic."

Inside, hearing them, Ursso slammed his desk.

'Me, a beneficiary? Nonsense!'

If they knew what he'd done during verification, forget Central transfer—he'd face inquisition.

'I rigged the damn thing!!'