“Holy Maiden?”

As she stood catching her breath in front of the dining room entrance, a maid came out and looked up at her with a puzzled expression.

Belladonna quickly composed herself and gave the maid a graceful smile.

“Ah, Holy Maiden… The Pope is waiting for you.”

The maid, with an enraptured look, opened the dining room door herself.

Belladonna slowly walked inside and looked at her adoptive father sitting at the table.

“Belladonna, you’ve come.”

He asked in a low voice, holding a glass of water.

Belladonna bowed naturally to greet the Pope, then took a seat across the long table.

As she reached for a cup while watching the Pope’s reaction, his dignified voice was heard once more.

“Ah, could you wait a bit for the meal? We have a guest joining us today.”

A guest?

Belladonna rolled her blue eyes once and nodded.

It wasn’t uncommon for someone to accompany the Pope at meals. Belladonna would just silently listen to their conversation with one ear and let it go out the other while eating.

‘I’m hungry…’

Belladonna licked her lips as she looked at the appetizing food on the table.

Whoever it is, please come quickly.

Knock knock.

Just then, the sound of knocking came from behind.

Ah, it seems they’ve arrived on time.

Belladonna stood up to greet the Pope’s guest and turned around. She put on her characteristic bright smile and watched as the door slowly opened.

It was likely to be a high-ranking nobleman visiting the Pope for political reasons…

“…!”

Huh?

Belladonna’s eyes widened as she saw the large figure entering through the door opened by the blushing maid.

“Lord Diete. Welcome.”

The Pope stepped forward and extended his hand to him.

The huge man who entered the dining room and naturally shook hands with the Pope was…

The same man who had been calmly sleeping under the tree just a little while ago. That, that intruder…!

‘Oh no…’

Belladonna felt dizzy as she couldn’t take her eyes off him, slowly scanning him from head to toe.

He was at least a hand taller than average people, with a solid build. Black hair naturally falling over his forehead, and golden eyes shining dangerously beneath.

He had been wearing simple, form-fitting clothes under the tree earlier, but now he was dressed in a proper uniform in front of the Pope.

Though the buttons weren’t fully fastened.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Holiness.”

When he opened his mouth, a pleasant baritone flowed out.

“Bella?”

The Pope turned his head towards Belladonna, who was standing motionless.

At his call, Belladonna finally came to her senses and quickly pulled up the corners of her mouth into a smile.

She bowed her head slightly to greet him.

Ah… I think I’m in trouble…

“Hahaha, this is my one and only daughter, Belladonna. It seems my daughter was momentarily stunned by your handsome appearance, Lord.”

“I believe it is I who should be stunned, not the Holy Maiden.”

The man replied, looking directly at Belladonna with his shining golden eyes.

Belladonna felt her breath catch as she was about to be drawn into his deep gaze, and she swallowed hard.

W-what kind of look is that…?

Belladonna focused on managing her smile while cold sweat ran down her back.

Ha, hahaha…

“Hahaha, you flatter us. Please, have a seat. The food I’ve prepared will get cold.”

The Pope turned around with a hearty laugh, gesturing towards the table.

He guided the man to a seat and then went to his own seat across the table.

Belladonna also sat down in her chair, conscious of the man sitting at a slight distance.

Surely… He didn’t hear my voice earlier, right?

It can’t be.

It can’t be… right?

“As you already know well, my daughter cannot speak.”

Wait, are you starting with this, just like that?

Belladonna looked up sharply at the Pope, who had blurted out such an abrupt statement.

Feeling oddly guilty about what had happened earlier, Belladonna quickly shifted her gaze to check the expression of the man sitting next to her. There was no response from the man as he brought a wine glass to his lips.

“…”

Feeling her gaze, he suddenly averted his eyes.

Belladonna, startled by meeting his shining golden eyes, quickly turned her head away.

“Though my daughter is lacking in many ways… I hope you will think of her positively.”

What? So what are you talking about with the person in question right here?

Feeling frustrated and anxious, Belladonna fidgeted with her hands under the table.

Perhaps because she thought he might have heard her voice, she felt unusually uneasy, unlike her usual self.

She slowly reached for the water glass on the table and brought it to her lips.

My throat is parched, so parched…

“Actually, I had already made up my mind on the way here.”

A low voice flowed from the man in the next seat. Both the Pope and Belladonna’s eyes fixed on him.

He set down the wine glass he was holding with a relaxed gesture and opened his mouth.

“Even I couldn’t marry someone I’ve never seen before.”

“Pfft!”

Belladonna spat out the water she had been drinking.

The clear liquid soaked not only her dishes but also her dress completely.

“Holy Maiden! Are you alright?”

The maid standing a step behind quickly approached and wiped her wet clothes with a dry cloth.

Belladonna nodded with a bright red face.

“Bella, are you okay? You must have been very surprised.”

The Pope looked at his daughter with worried eyes.

But she could easily find the meaning of reproach hidden within them.

Belladonna bit her lower lip once, then quickly pulled up the corners of her mouth to indicate she was fine. She also gave a grateful smile to the maid who was busily wiping around her.

“I’m sorry I didn’t give you advance notice.”

You’re telling me so quickly, Your Holiness…

The Pope soon took his indifferent gaze off her and looked at the huge man in front of him.

“Does that mean I should take it as a rejection?”

Having roughly guessed what kind of occasion today’s lunch was, Belladonna thought to herself. It was truly fortunate that he was rejecting this sudden marriage or whatever it was.

She did not want to be entangled with this strangely scary and incomprehensible man.

“Ah, that’s what I meant until I was on my way here.”

The man said in his still relaxed voice.

There seemed to be a hint of joy in his voice.

Noticing that subtle emotion, Belladonna closed her eyes tightly. Surely not, right?

“Then…?”

“Now that I’ve met the Holy Maiden in person, I want to slap my past self who came here with the intention of refusing.”

The Pope’s face gradually brightened at the man’s answer.

The man turned his head to look at Belladonna and gave a handsome smile.

While the maids standing in the dining room all opened their mouths and blushed at his handsome appearance, Belladonna could not.

His burning gaze was like that of a predator with its prey in sight.

He slowly opened his mouth as he quietly stared at Belladonna.

“If you’ll allow it, I’d like to accept the marriage proposal.”

“…”

“I mean, I dare to wish to form a deep marital bond with the Holy Maiden.”

Belladonna put strength into her trembling lips.

She couldn’t tell if she was managing to put on her usual beautiful smile properly.

Ah, it seems this intruder wasn’t really sleeping earlier after all…

“Belladonna.”

In the dining room where they were left alone after the man who had maintained a relaxed and free-spirited attitude throughout had left.

The Pope, who had been sitting silently for a while, opened his mouth.

Belladonna nodded slightly.

“Escalion Diete. A war hero of commoner origin who received a duke title, territory, and enormous wealth from His Majesty two years ago, I hear.”

“…”

“Marry that man.”

Yes, I heard that earlier…

Belladonna lowered her head with a troubled expression. Marriage to a man she had never met before was too sudden.

The Pope clicked his tongue once while holding a wine glass and continued speaking.

“The financial state of the papal office has been in shambles lately. The number of believers who used to make large donations is decreasing, and people’s interest is not what it used to be.”

Isn’t that just because you’re being extravagant, Your Holiness…?

Belladonna, who had muttered inwardly, looked up at the Pope with the most worried expression she could manage.

“The temple needs a change.”

And that change is my marriage? Belladonna frowned, momentarily failing to control her expression.

“Escalion Diete. Do you understand why I chose that ill-mannered man of low birth as your husband, my beautiful and wise daughter?”

The Pope asked as he brought the wine glass he was holding to his lips. He began to snicker with a lewd smile.

Belladonna looked at him with sunken eyes.

Do people know that this is the true face of the Pope whom the citizens of the Ellinerus Empire respect so much?

“I intend to extort a hefty dowry from that country bumpkin who has lots of money but doesn’t know how to use it. You just need to endure for exactly three months after the marriage in his territory.”

Dowry…?

It was an amount paid by the husband-to-be to the family of the wife-to-be, and the amount varied drastically depending on the woman’s family background.

If she was the Pope’s only daughter… the amount would surely be one of the highest in the Ellinerus Empire.

“After three months, I plan to divorce him citing his faults and secure not only the dowry but also hefty alimony.”

At the Pope’s words, Belladonna frowned again.

Divorce after three months…? What on earth is he talking about?

“Belladonna. Don’t you think it’s too wasteful to send off Astanya’s one and only Holy Maiden as a mere man’s woman like this? The nobles want you. And I need to use you more.”

The Pope, who had spoken slowly, downed another gulp of wine with a twisted smile.

The red liquid that leaked and flowed down the side of his mouth looked obscene and filthy.

“Don’t worry about the divorce, I have information received through an insider. Well, it would be even better if you get hit once during the marriage period by offending his temper. It would give us one more justification.”

“…”

“A generous dowry and alimony. And the revival effect due to sympathy for the Holy Maiden who returned after being mistreated by a husband with a scandalous private life. Let’s aim for these two birds with one stone!”

Having finished speaking, the Pope chuckled and rocked back and forth, pleased with his own clever plan.

If this isn’t being sold off, then what is it…

Belladonna clenched her fists tightly on her lap. How did the Holy Maiden endure such a life…