Ch.158Chapter 158 – Those Left Behind

Eterna Lumio Sol.

She, the Chief Inquisitor and Saint of the Solar Order, was in the Solar Order’s temple built near Glesius Academy.

The place where she stood was the prayer room, the quietest place within the temple, and she was currently praying to the Sun God.

‘Sun God. How can I connect with Lord Pathos?’

The subject of her prayer was precisely how she could form a connection with Pathos.

As a Saint of the Solar Order, she could only marry someone who was at least an Apostle or Saint serving a higher deity, according to the common laws of all religious orders.

Moreover, she was an Inquisitor.

Only those with exceptional ability to detect magical corruption could become Inquisitors, and this ability had a strong tendency to be hereditary.

Therefore, according to the order’s laws, Inquisitors were required to bear children, and one of them had to be dedicated as an Inquisitor.

So Eterna, as the Chief Inquisitor of the Solar Order, had the duty to bear children with her genes to ensure the position of Inquisitor would continue.

However, being both an Inquisitor and a Saint, the laws governing her two roles conflicted with each other.

To begin with, the only deity higher than the Sun God was the Great Goddess Epitrina.

Epitrina had never once chosen an Apostle or Saint.

Various scholars had offered their opinions on this matter, but they were merely opinions.

In the end, the reason why Epitrina had not chosen an Apostle or Saint remained a mystery.

Eterna, too, after becoming a Saint, had realized this and had essentially given up on marriage.

While nowadays young people freely dated, and romance didn’t necessarily lead to marriage…

People in positions that attracted society’s attention, like priests or nobles, still held the fixed notion that ‘romance = marriage.’

That’s why one of the wishes in her heart was ‘to experience romance at least once before dying of old age.’

However, even when Eterna approached someone proactively, her position as Chief Inquisitor created aversion among people of all classes.

People in this world believed that if an Inquisitor approached them, it meant they were suspected of heresy.

From Eterna’s perspective, it was maddening, but while people welcomed Inquisitors finding and defeating heretics, they dreaded being approached by one.

For these reasons, Eterna was in a position where she couldn’t even have an arranged marriage, let alone freely date.

But then, the person who appeared before her was Pathos.

A power user who received abilities from the Great Goddess Epitrina, and who could freely speak her name without divine punishment.

While everyone revered and feared her, not daring to mention her name casually, he called Epitrina as if she were a neighbor.

It was at this moment that Eterna instinctively realized:

This man was chosen by Epitrina.

Having been chosen by Epitrina, who held a divine rank higher than the Sun God, he had the potential to rise to the level of Saint or even Apostle.

Bestowing power on someone was essentially designating them as one’s representative.

Particularly, the emergence of many power users signified that great changes were approaching the world.

If a power user distinguished themselves amid these changes, the influence of the deity who chose them would increase accordingly.

In other words, this man Pathos was someone Epitrina had chosen to expand her influence in the coming changes.

So from Eterna’s perspective, she couldn’t help but think that Pathos was qualified to rise to at least the level of Apostle, if not Saint, of Epitrina.

After all, Epitrina wouldn’t have gifted him powers without expecting something in return.

‘Sun God. Please answer me. How can Lord Pathos and I become lovers?’

Eterna continued to pray to the Sun God who gave no response.

And far away, in the palace of the Sun God, the deity who was listening to her prayer was utterly perplexed.

“How am I supposed to know that…?”

The Sun God felt a headache coming on from Eterna’s prayer.

His temples hadn’t throbbed like this since the ancient great war.

“Should I tell her that the person she likes already has someone…?”

The “someone” the Sun God referred to was Regina Blasteria.

Feeling anxious due to the appearance of Eterna and Aisen, Regina had made the first physical move, and it had worked—Pathos was now in a relationship with Regina.

If Eterna were to intervene now, the situation would obviously become awkward.

No, a woman suddenly barging in on two people who had just started dating and were showing innocent reactions?

Either Eterna would be criticized as an insensitive woman, or Pathos would be labeled a womanizer.

The Sun God disliked the idea of Eterna, the Saint he had chosen, being criticized, but he disliked even more the thought of Pathos, whom Epitrina had personally chosen, being labeled a womanizer.

In the former case, he would just suffer a bit, but in the latter case…

‘I’d be summoned by the angry Great Goddess and have to bow my head for hours.’

Despite the Sun God’s strong religious influence, Epitrina was a goddess with divine rank above all gods in the pantheon.

All gods in the pantheon were divine entities she had created to manage the world more easily.

So how could he dare to think of opposing Epitrina?

“Sigh…”

It was time to make a decision.

The Sun God conveyed his will to Eterna, who was praying to him.

‘Pathos already has a lover. So, approach him after giving it some time.’

‘W-what?’

Eterna was startled upon receiving the Sun God’s will.

What? Who had taken him in the meantime?

Who? Who dared to touch the man she had her eye on?

‘Sun God! Who is it? What woman dared to take the man I had my eye on…?’

‘Regina Blasteria, the Chancellor of Glesius Academy, has become his lover.’

Upon hearing from the Sun God that Regina had become Pathos’s lover, Eterna froze in her position.

Regina? Regina Blasteria? The Chancellor of Glesius Academy where Pathos was?

‘Could it be that Lord Pathos prefers older women?’

Eterna was shocked to learn that Pathos’s preference was for older women.

‘To think he preferred older women! If I had known, I should have been born a few years earlier!’

But this could actually be an opportunity.

‘But… if he prefers older women, does that mean he doesn’t see someone young like Lady Aisen as a woman?’

Aisen Beventus, who was now competing with her for Pathos.

Although she had come of age, she was still very young.

But what about herself?

She was an adult, slowly approaching thirty.

‘If I present myself well, I can captivate Lord Pathos with maturity no less than Lady Regina’s!’

Eterna felt relieved at the fact that she was at least more mature than Aisen.

‘Thank you, Sun God! I’ll work hard and definitely achieve a good result!’

‘Ah, yes… Good luck.’

After hearing the Sun God’s response and finishing her prayer, Eterna rose from her seat.

And the place she headed to was a cosmetics shop in town.

‘I may have lost the first round, but I won’t miss the second!’

◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈◇◈

Aisen Beventus was currently staying at the villa of the Beventus Margrave family near Archenium.

Of course, it wasn’t something they originally owned; it had been purchased when Aisen came to Glesius Academy.

The Beventus Margrave and the family elders unanimously approved the proposal to purchase a villa for Aisen’s comfort.

If it had been someone else, there might have been criticism about wasting money, but the subject was Aisen, who had barely survived a near-death experience.

“My lady.”

“Do you have any information about Count Severio?”

She was now staying at the family villa, gathering information about Pathos.

“Yes. I’ve brought information provided by Justin from the branch family.”

“Good work. You may leave.”

At Aisen’s dismissal, her maid bowed and withdrew.

A blush rose on Aisen’s face as she looked at the materials the maid had brought.

“Count Severio… I will definitely make you mine. The crime of stealing a maiden’s heart cannot be easily forgiven.”