Karentina erased the disappointment from her eyes and turned her head towards Zion.

“Any news from your end?”

“They’re expected to arrive soon.”

‘Alright. Let’s take a peek.’

Karentina stifled her bursting smile and flashed a victorious smile.

Two days later, chaos erupted at the temple in the North.

Upon hearing that the paladin had laid siege to the temple, Karentina hurriedly made her way there. The paladin, clad in silver armor with navy capes billowing, exuded a formidable aura as if they were warriors sent by the gods.

‘Wow! They’re really fast.’

She couldn’t help but marvel once again at the rapid postal system enabled by teleportation magic circles.

“Th, this is a set up! God knows of my innocence!”

Seeing Bishop Viano bound, she felt a refreshing sensation akin to drinking sparkling water.

‘This toad. Let’s say goodbye here and never see each other again.”

There was a reason why she didn’t catch the Bishop at the port; instead, she sent a copy of the evidence of his corruption to the Great Temple.

For one thing, it was impossible to condemn Bishop Viano directly with her own hands.

Despite being a sinner who committed a great sin, he was still someone who belonged to the temple. Even though she was the daughter of a great noble with immense wealth, it was dangerous to meddle in temple affairs without caution. So, as she pondered how to dispose of the irredeemable trash, suddenly, one person came to mind.

Pope Leonius II.

In the original story, he was a remarkable priest chosen by God at a young age, renowned for his compassion and fairness.

‘It was at the Great Temple where the female lead Ceria sought refuge after enduring Ignis’s obsession and imprisonment.’

Although there was no romantic storyline between Leonius and Ceria, many readers considered him their favorite character for his upright and unwavering personality.

What if the righteous Pope saw evidence of overwhelming embezzlement?

Of course, there was no way he would just let it slide. Her prediction was correct.

‘It’s fortunate that the Great Temple is close to the North.’

The corners of Karentina’s mouth crept up as she watched the paladin herd the Bishop and corrupt priests into a black carriage like candy. At the entrance of the temple, a priest wearing black robes with a red decorative sash around his waist looked at Bishop Viano, clicking his tongue.

As she approached, the priest greeted her with a kind smile.

“Blessings from the embrace of God. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Andrea, the newly appointed auxiliary bishop.”

“Hello, Bishop Andrea. I’m Karentina Lorraine.”

Bishop Andrea’s eyes widened.

“Oh! You must be the young lady who sent the letter to His Holiness?”

“Yes?”

Karentina took a step back, nervous at Bishop Andrea’s words. While her existence was revealed in the contents of the letter, she was a nameless figure who didn’t even have the seal of her family on the outside.

“Please don’t be too surprised. I’m here as His Holiness’s representative.”

“Ah…”

“Thank you from the bottom of my heart for shedding light on the unfortunate incident at the temple.”

As Bishop Andrea bowed deeply as he finished his words, Karentina widened her eyes at his actions.

“No, I was just trying to help the children.”

“That’s why you’re even more admirable. His Holiness has promised to personally oversee the responsibility for this incident and punish those involved severely.”

‘I can’t believe the Great Temple is taking this incident very seriously!’

It was a very good thing. Karentina barely managed to suppress the laughter that threatened to escape.

“That’s great news.”

“His Holiness has promised to send Young Lady Lorraine a letter of gratitude in the near future.”

‘…Oh, my goodness. It looks like I’ve suddenly become acquainted with the Pope.’

‘I should ask them for help to uncover the connections with the butler once the Bishop is thoroughly investigated by the Temple.’

Karentina smiled with a hint of surprise and nodded her head.

“It’s an honor to receive a letter from the Pope.”

“You’re welcome, but since it’s still early, may I ask what brought you to the temple?”

Despite what she wanted most, to witness the Bishop being dragged away, she quietly opened her mouth to convey her original purpose.

“I actually brought the donation that I promised to take care of the children.”

This time, Bishop Andrea’s eyes were as big as the size of a lantern.

“I’m sorry, but His Holiness has instructed me not to accept any donations until all allegations have been thoroughly investigated.”

As expected, he was a likable pope.

 
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