I Became a Fake Priest the Saintess Is Obsessed With

32 – Blooming Unattractively, Withering Beautifully

A few months after resolving the conflict between Mabel and Viscount Aekyd.

It was revealed to the public at a party hosted by Viscount Aekyd that he had violated a taboo.

The viscount was arrested for treason and, a few days later, publicly executed in the square while people watched.

The Aekyd family completely collapsed, and Viscount’s decree was temporarily managed by the Marquis, who had previously supported Aekyd.

I just heard the news.

I had been unconscious for three months due to penalties for treating three massive conglomerate lumps.

Still, Pobi, the imp sitting by my bedside, explained the news in a babble, making it easy for me to gather information effortlessly over the past few months.

Upon hearing about the viscount, I intended to go find Mabel immediately, but…

“Mabel, are you there?”

Opening the door and rushing out of the ward, I met eyes with Mabel, who was sitting quietly.

She looked quite different from the impression I had before I passed out.

Her hair, which had been short for months, now reached down to her shoulders, and the ragged clothes she always wore were replaced with a white dress, seemingly disposing of wherever she kept them.

For the first time, she looked like a real lady, not just a pretend gentlewoman.

“Uh, huh? You’re awake?”

Mabel seemed surprised as our eyes met, then her face lit up as if embarrassed.

I wondered why she suddenly lit the fire, but when I saw the small gift box on her lap, I roughly figured out why.

I pointed at the box with my hand.

“Wow, is that my gift? A discharge gift? Is that it?”

“Oh, no! This is just a… token of appreciation.”

Mabel’s face turned as red as a persimmon.

She pushed the gift box into my arms.

“Open it… when you’re alone later.”

“What’s inside? Can’t I just open it now?”

“No, you can’t!”

As I tried to unwrap the package, Mabel urgently stopped my hand.

I didn’t give up trying to tease Mabel by unwrapping it, but then a status window popped up.

[The goddess is saying you’re pushing it, so I’ll let it go]

“Alright, I get it. I’m not completely clueless, you know? I just wanted to play a little prank after seeing the shy girl~”

“Ugh…! What are you saying!!!”

“Cough! Just talking to myself.”

Mabel tried to get angry, mumbled awkwardly, and put the gift back in her arms.

“Ugh… I went to the trouble of preparing a gift, and you don’t even thank me, just teasing me…”

“Thank you, Mabel. I received the gift well. Okay?”

“You’re getting on my nerves…!”

Hmm, I thought I was being serious, but I guess it seemed like a joke.

I scratched my head, feeling a bit awkward.

“By the way, how are the kids doing? I couldn’t find out because I fainted…”

The kids from the alley were safely rescued by Boppi in the underground.

Boppi sent the kids to someone trustworthy, as I had instructed.

Mabel seemed to have followed Boppi for a while on her own will…

Boppi heard about that much, but after that, it seemed even Boppi didn’t know how the kids were doing.

“Yeah, thanks to you, my face has improved compared to before. If you’re curious, why don’t you come and see for yourself?”

“…Should I?”

Incidentally, all the urgent matters were resolved at that very moment.

The main quest that tormented me was extinguished urgently.

And I had no intention of immediately using the priest who had been unconscious for months in the cathedral.

Moreover, I had to express my gratitude to the person who took care of the kids, so I nodded in agreement with Mabel’s suggestion.

***

The place where the kids were was a village a day’s ride away by magical train, slightly away from the frontline of the ongoing war.

And that village was my hometown, my workplace where I spent almost my entire life, and where my family home was.

After a long time, in the familiar… well, not really charming, but anyway, I stopped my feet in front of the church with a shabby cross hanging in front of it while wandering the streets of my hometown.

Inside, there were sounds of kids chatting, sounds of something cooking, and the enticing smell that tickled my nose.

Before savoring the nostalgia of returning to my hometown after a long time, I knocked on the church door with all my strength.

“Excuse me! Is Mr. Chris here?”

For a moment, silence flowed, and suddenly, the door banged open, revealing the familiar face of a middle-aged person welcoming me.

No, his face is a bit intimidating for a welcoming…

“The house is going to collapse! You rascal!!!”

Chris screamed into my ears abruptly as soon as we met after a long time.

He’s been a priest who worked with me for over a decade, the head of this church, and the person I entrusted with the children.

“Ugh… my ears hurt… please don’t make such jokes… How can someone as weak as me do that?”

“The building is so old that even a weakling like you could break it!”

“Are you okay, Chris? Look, even if I pull the doorknob this hard…! Ugh…! It’s… still intact…”

Chris sighed deeply, looking at me. “Boasting about being weak isn’t something to be proud of…”

“So why did you come here?”

“Just to thank you for taking care of the kids and to see their faces.”

“You spoke well…! Daring to treat a middle-aged person living alone as a babysitter and entrusting six kids to them?”

“To be honest, it was too quiet after you left, and it seemed suitable for you to live alone. Isn’t it nice, even if it’s lively from a distance?”

“Ugh… I thought it would be fixed if I went to the capital… You’re still shameless as ever…”

“It’s just my nature.”

Complimenting shamelessness as a good quality to a con artist made me feel good.

I laughed heartily at Chris.

“Ha… yeah, you’ve been like that since we first met. So, who is this kid? You’re not asking me to take care of another one, are you?”

From Noble mtl dot com

“Well, I’m not sure. I haven’t asked for his opinion yet. Miss Mabel, would you like to be raised by him?”

“Huh? Oh, no. I don’t plan on staying in a place like this.”

Upon hearing Mabel’s words, Chris let out a sigh of relief.

“Ivan. I feel like I’ve been hurt in my heart.”

“It’s okay. Honestly, the church isn’t the best place for someone from the Yeongae background, right…?”

“It’s not like that! I just…”

“Just what?”

“Uh… You, you and I… Uh… It’s nothing!”

Mabel hesitated with her words and then burst out.

“I said we came to see the kids’ faces, didn’t I? Come in.”

Chris, taking a deep breath, gestured for us to come inside with a wave of his hand.

Upon that, Mabel said, “Idiot!” and went inside first.

Hmm… What was wrong with what I said?

I only spoke the honest truth, so why is she so angry?

I shrugged my shoulders as if to say I don’t understand English, and Chris, calling me a “stupid guy,” pulled me inside.

…Did I really do something wrong?

“Wow! It’s Miguel unni and Priest Oppa!”

“Miguel unni!”

As we entered, Candel and Lily, who were preparing the meal, greeted us.

Wondering about the other kids, I looked around inside. Lucia was secretly holding onto my leg, and Nasun and Shirin had their mouths wide open in surprise.

“No, when did you two arrive? And why do Shirin and Nasun look like that?”

“Miguel Oppa said… said he wasn’t Oppa…?”

“Shocked.”

Hmm… Seriously, have they ever thought of Miguel, no, Mabel as a man?

Of course, even I was confused about whether they were a man or a woman when I first saw them.

But to be confused about that after living together for a few months…

“Quiet down, it’s time to eat, so take your seats!”

Thanks to Chris’s shout, I could stop unintentionally looking at the kids pitifully.

***

Enjoying the food Chris provided, Mabel and I went out for a walk for a while.

“Ivan, what do you want to be in the future and live so diligently for?”

The sudden question came at that moment.

As for the future… nothing came to mind right away.

“To become a high-ranking priest.”

“Isn’t that a big dream?”

“Well, big dreams are good. What about you, Mabel? What do you want to do in the future?”

Being asked in return, Mabel was greatly surprised.

After a moment of thought, they opened their mouth.

“I… I want to become an adventurer.”

“An adventurer? For what reason…”

“Well, traveling the world freely seems a bit cool. Just seems like it would be fun.”

About to jokingly ask why that’s a reason, I stopped when I looked into Mabel’s eyes.

Her eyes shimmered with pure desire.

In those eyes, it wasn’t just some trivial reason, but fantasies about an adventurer oozed out.

I pulled out a withered flower from my pocket and handed it to her.

“Please consider this as a gratitude for the gift you received during the day.”

When I first got this flower, I instinctively thought its owner was Mabel.

This wilted flower of happiness was a memento left by René for Mabel, an item she had lost long ago.

So, I’m just returning this flower to its original owner.

Mabel, looking surprised for a moment as she gazed at the flower, soon took it and delicately placed it in her hair like an ornament.

“Thank you, Ivan…”

She seemed genuinely happy, showing me a smile more dazzling than the sun shining in the clear sky.

No one can predict the life Mabel will lead from now on.

It could be a smooth path without any difficulties.

Or she might live a tragic life, facing challenging hardships.

Nevertheless, Mabel will move forward.

She will overcome any adversity or sorrow and continue further ahead.

Even if the flower withers, the beautiful happiness will protect her.

I followed her with a bright smile.

Wishing that she won’t lose happiness in the future and hoping that the flower that bloomed in the midst of suffering will remain with her forever.

Though it’s a modestly bloomed flower, I hope it withers beautifully in the end.

I just smiled brightly.