The Priest Wants to Retire

EP.247 Epilogue. Beltein has a lot to say. (2)

Beltein’s morning in the monastery is faster than anyone else’s.

Even the monks who live by diligence and sincerity are rubbing their sleepy eyes and fussing with their bedding in the quiet dawn.

Dressed neatly and freshly made up, Beltein was already at the last line of the morning prayer.

Even this was quite leisurely compared to usual.

With the absence of the upper leadership of the Vatican, Beltein has been caught up in a busy daily life where she wouldn’t hesitate to spend countless nights awake if work piled up.

In fact, the amount of work wasn’t much different from before.

With the inept higher-ups who used to waste space gone, not much has really changed.

In some ways, it was actually easier since she didn’t have to worry about the political squabbles above her.

However, the backlash from abruptly changing a system established over decades has brought about a different kind of pressure.

Some self-important high-ranking clergy are trying to seize the papal seat amid the vacancy of the throne.

The remnants of the previous generation that weren’t cleared out in time.

Even the royal family’s secret moves trying to swallow the now unstable Vatican.

If Regis, acting as the papal deputy, hadn’t married the hero and quelled the activities of those disturbing forces, the situation would have surely worsened beyond control.

The saint candidates, who regained their true selves with Regis’ help, also contributed significantly to this.

In the dark underbelly where Beltein’s schemes couldn’t reach, various slanders would not have been prevented without their help.

Of course, they wouldn’t even listen unless it was Regis’ orders.

Like the former saint, they all cling to Regis at any time, which was quite bothersome.

But considering the benefits and safety gained from their help, it was within a tolerable range.

It had been a year and a few months since those tumultuous days.

Half of the saint candidates returned to ordinary lives, regaining their lost selves.

The other half chose to stay here of their own volition and established a new unit directly under the papal deputy.

Regis’ expression at that time was quite amusing. Beltein often recalled that day.

The dazed look he had when he realized his retirement was off the table was so ridiculous that she almost wanted to sneak a photo.

“Hehe.”

Completing her morning prayer, Beltein rarely drew a smile on her lips.

The reason she never skipped her morning prayer, which might seem meaningless to some, was precisely because of this.

For Beltein, morning prayer was a kind of routine that briefly calmed her mind, which was constantly in turmoil.

“·····”

A sharp glint appeared in Beltein’s eyes as she enjoyed a brief moment of peace.

Since another exhausting day was expected, she needed to armor herself, both physically and mentally, as quickly as possible.

“I’m heading out, Welna.”

A whisper more careful than a whisper, a melody more graceful than a pure prayer.

Unbeknownst to Beltein, the solemn expression she wore, charged with resolve, softened the moment she spoke that name.

Swish.

Beltein’s white hand gently caressed the sleeping saint’s hair on the bed.

The saint had a doll-like appearance even on ordinary days, but her slumbering form radiated a mystical charm, as if Beltein were peeking into a fairy tale.

Peck.

After lightly kissing the saint’s white forehead, Beltein rose from her slightly drowsy body.

If it were up to her, she would shower that adorable face with meteoric kisses, but she suppressed that impulse with superhuman patience.

“Today is the day…”

Placing her clenched fist over her heart, Beltein steeled her resolve.

Her principles of action remained unchanged.

For the saint. For her only younger sister. For Welna.

“Today, I will definitely snatch away Regis the priest…!”

Lately, Beltein’s motivation was singular.

She needed to finish today’s workload quickly and secure as much of Regis’ time, which the hero fiercely monopolized, as possible.

The reason was simple.

Right now, the saint needed him.

Exactly one year and ten months had passed since the day the hero defeated the demon king.

That was the name of the time that had flowed since the saint fell into an undisturbed sleep.

◈◈◈

At first, Beltein thought it was just the fatigue of unfamiliar adventures.

But as days turned into three, then five, then a week, it became undeniable that something was wrong with the saint.

That ominous suspicion turned into a strong conviction right after she heard a shocking fact from Regis.

During a dungeon raid, the saint had briefly passed through the meeting room and wielded transcendent holy power to assist them.

The signs indicated that the saint’s abnormal symptoms were the result of reabsorbing a massive amount of divine power.

When she realized this truth for the first time, Beltein was unable to come to her senses for several days, but after enduring this time, she could regain her cool.

As for why the saint acted this way, it remained a mystery for the time being.

However, if the cause was divine power, just as she always had, she could borrow Regis’ strength again.

In hindsight, it was a naïve thought, but at the time, Beltein lacked the clarity to recognize that fact.

Ever since she formally married Regis, the hero, instead of easing her vigilance, had become dozens of times more terrifying.

Stealing Regis from the imposing castle where the strongest guardian of humanity stood would be no small feat.

The fact that Dawna, a party member, had been secretly in love with Regis came to the hero’s attention late and became a source of trouble.

Now, even the trusty comrades she had always relied on in countless battles were seen as potential enemies vying for Regis.

Of course, Regis wasn’t just idly watching the situation unfold.

As the papal deputy, he bore the heavy responsibilities of work and the challenges of his rugged newlywed life.

Despite these adversities, he tried to be with the saint as much as possible, and thanks to that, her lifeless doll-like state improved to a mere light sleep.

However, the hero wouldn’t let such a sight slide.

As the time Regis spent secretly with the saint increased, the hero’s ferocity, akin to a mighty dragon stripped of its eggs, only escalated.

No matter how covertly things proceeded, she felt utterly helpless in front of her keen nose.

Though Regis would calm things down after much persuasion, it meant that only he could pacify the hero’s rage.

Bigtim, who had acted as a buffer, eventually declared independence, leaving no place for retreat anymore.

The once-thrice-a-month frequency of nights between the hero and Regis had increased exponentially due to these circumstances.

For every half day Regis spent with the saint, it took double that time to soothe the hero.

Watching Regis grow thinner by the day filled Beltein with guilt, anxiety, and restlessness, among other complex emotions.

But at the core of these feelings was a type of irritation she herself was unaware of.

Improving work conditions, managing diets, massages for fatigue recovery, etc.

While she wholeheartedly supported Regis as his personal assistant, it was inevitable that she occasionally found him annoying due to how often he spent time with the hero.

The recent sounds of their embarrassing moans from their newlywed chamber were unbearable to her ears.

Regis’ thick scent, like she had just bathed in the aroma of their intimate acts, made her nose wrinkle.

When the half-naked Regis emerged from their room asking for new clothes after calming the hero down, it caused her waist to go soft and her head to turn white from shock.

As a sister striving for a pure life, her reaction was perfectly natural, but even with that in mind, Beltein’s response had been unusually sharp.

Huff…

Taking a deep breath to sort out her chaotic thoughts, Beltein steadied herself.

A marriage certificate was placed upon her ample bosom, a document where a man and woman vow to marry each other.

The preparations were all complete.

The bandages that once pressed against her chest had been replaced with revealing lingerie that would emphasize her shape, something she would have dismissively thought was trash on a normal day.

The nun’s garb was no longer loose and baggy but rather something tantalizingly tight that revealed her curves.

Perfume, aphrodisiacs, stamina-boosting foods.

All means at her disposal were gathered for a single wish.

“Today, I will make Regis the priest say he will take Welna as his mistress!”

Clenching her fist, Beltein resolutely proclaimed.

She would use persuasion to somehow make the saint his mistress.

If that happened, she could secure time with Regis and the saint without shedding a drop of blood.

So, in order to prioritize, she had to make Regis take an interest in another woman.

“Watch me! Welna!”

With faith long discarded, now spending her entire day scheming to seduce men, could she still call herself a nun?

Gulp.

Beltein swallowed the momentary hesitation that had risen in her throat.

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