An Unexpected Proposal

October 12, 2020

"That old hag claimed she delivered a beast child, didn’t she?"

"She’s a drunk and drug-addled lunatic. Her claim of working as a midwife might be a lie as well."

"That’s fine. Right now, just the possibility is enough."@@novelbin@@

A child born as a beast—at that specific time. Others might dismiss it as nonsense, but for Jerpeneus, it was not something he could simply overlook. Resting his chin on his hand, he crossed his legs. He would have preferred to sit back and watch things unfold at a leisurely pace, but the situation was far from ideal. The old High Priest was seizing the opportunity to manipulate divine decrees, eager to tighten his grip on the imperial family, and the hound he had raised had finally turned to bite its master’s heel.

"If only Natalie had stayed behind, this would be much more tolerable. What a shame."

Jerpeneus’s lips twisted into a crooked smile, his usual smirk warping with irritation. Now that Cabelenus was in his grasp, the High Priest would never willingly let Natalie go. If Jerpeneus wanted to complete the unfinished deal from eight years ago, he would have to offer something even more enticing than Cabelenus.

"Lady Natalie—"

"Enough about her. It’s unfortunate, but I can always get her back later."

"But—"

"The child is more valuable than her now. Focus on that."

Even as he spoke, Jerpeneus absentmindedly stroked the bracelet hidden beneath his left sleeve. His feelings for Natalie were genuine. No other woman had ever been as special to him. But that specialness had its limits. He had loved her as Natalie, but not as the fallen daughter of the disgraced Marquis Leonard, branded a traitor and stripped of everything. He could have freed her from her priestly vows at any time, but he wasn’t willing to pay an unreasonable price for it. So, instead, he had played a waiting game, constantly renegotiating terms with the High Priest.

He had known that time was only causing her more suffering, but he had never regretted it. Power was built on a series of choices, and he could not afford to create a weakness that his enemies could exploit. Someday, he intended to grant Natalie a position befitting her—but not yet.

"You said Cabelenus has already met with them?"

"Yes. Lady Natalie acted first and intervened…"

"My dear little brother is such a troublesome one. Should I send the army?"

Jerpeneus’s eyes curved into a crescent shape. A small village like that could be razed to the ground in no time.

"If we deploy troops, the temple will notice."