Reincarnated in the Same World for the Nth Time

“You’ve returned.”

Martio said while standing in front of them as if blocking their path.

His face, which looked to be in his late forties, had a gentle impression, but the smile on his lips gave off a strangely awkward feeling.

The robe that covered his whole body was pure white, and along with the brooch on his chest, he had other ornate decorations, which were a sign that he was of a high status.

Thanks to that, the bishop seemed to be somewhat far from the impression of a clean and upright priest.

“It has been a while, Bishop Martio.”

Yuzelia lowered her head while holding the hem of her robe and spreading it to the side.

Her voice carried its usual firmness, but the end of her sentence trembled slightly.

“I knew it was you from the moment I heard that there had been contact from Igrail. I thought that you were better suited than me, which is why I left you there…”

Martio’s gaze shifted from Yuzelia and turned towards Aquila.

Aquila was keeping his face hidden because he had pulled his hood down deeply.

The bishop’s grayish eyes narrowed and changed into a searching gaze as he slowly examined him.

Shen frowned and was about to step forward, but Aquila grabbed his wrist and stopped him.

He wanted to see how things would turn out.

“I never expected you to come along. Well, you have never been one to give up so easily.”

Martio continued speaking while stroked his chin.

The bishop had several rings on his fingers, and the rings that had colorful jewels set in them were all large and smooth as if he was showing them off, even though this place was a temple.

‘He’s the type who openly flaunts his wealth. His position within the temple must be so solid that there’s no one around who can tell him anything, even if he goes around like this…’

Aquila’s gaze lingered on Bishop Martio’s various features as well.

His plump chin, which his fingers brushed against, only looked more greedy.

“So, it was you who told him that it’s possible to communicate using the crystal ball in the temple. If that’s the case…”

“No. I never said anything of the sort. It was Young Master Aquila who suggested sending a message.”

Yuzelia, who had been bowing her head, answered right away at those words.

Martio, who had been cut off, made an unpleasant expression in an instant, but he quickly concealed it as if he was conscious that there were other people there.

“Oh ho, it seems that you know a lot about the temple.”

Martio, as if only realizing Aquila was there now, shifted his gaze.

The attitude was so blatant that Shen almost burst out in anger again, but he held himself back because Aquila didn’t show any reaction.

Martio’s lips curved into a smirk.

“Anyway, it’s good to see you again, Lord Aquila Reshenhardt. Though I suppose it is your first time seeing me, since you were unconscious back then.”

Despite his belated greeting, Martio’s eyes held no warmth.

He didn’t seem to care about Aquila, even though he had a Reshenhardt right in front of him.

Rather, it seemed like he wasn’t even thinking about him.

‘It seems that he doesn’t even have the intention to be kind because he thinks that I’m someone who’s about to die.’

The position of bishop was on par with that of most nobles.

That didn’t mean that rudeness was allowed, but this was inside the temple that served the Sun God Rasphallara.

Since the followers who stepped inside the temple were no different from the children of Rasphallara, it was implicitly forbidden to flaunt their status like they would on the outside.

The temple was a place where they only praised the Sun God based on their devout faith.

That was why Shen’s patience was running out.

Aquila didn’t think for long before simply spitting out a reply.

“Yes. It’s good to see you.”

And then, as if he didn’t have any interest, he didn’t pay any more attention to Martio and turned his head to the priest who had been guiding them.

Just like Martio wasn’t showing any interest, Aquila wasn’t interested in him either.

‘Ianfel is pretending to have a lot of patience on the outside, and he must be the same right now. It would be a loss for only our side if he got in a bad mood and went back to his room.’

From the moment he had left Port Plum, Aquila’s focus had been solely on the unpredictable saint, Ianfel.

As he nodded his head as if to say ‘hurry up and guide us’, the priest instead showed a flustered expression.

“…It will be of no use.”

Martio, who had been making a blank face for a moment, raised his voice in an instant, his face turning red because he realized that he was being ignored.

“I don’t know how you knew about the information about that, but it is just an ordinary chalice.”

It seemed that Martio also knew what Aquila had said using the crystal orb.

Perhaps everyone with a fairly high position within the Great Temple of Port Plum knew.

Since, to begin with, there were only a few people who knew that the Right Hand of the Halo was in the basement of the Great Temple.

“Is that so?”

“…I don’t know what kind of nonsense Yuzelia has been feeding you, but you’d be better off giving up.”

Martio continued to speak as soon as Aquila answered indifferently without even glancing at him.

“Did she tell you something like, ‘This time, you can survive. I will do whatever it takes to help you’ giving you false hope?”

Yuzelia, who had been anxiously watching their conversation, flinched.

The bishop shook his head while speaking.

“I’ve heard a lot of complaints because of that. Starting with, ‘You said it was possible, so why isn’t it?’ and even making them resent Lord Rasphallara, and I had to clean those things up…”

“I don’t know what you’re trying to say.”

Aquila cut off Martio’s words and finally turned his gaze to him.

Martio briefly smiled as if he was pleased that Aquila, who had been indifferent, had taken interest in him more than anything else.

Then, realizing he had shown too much satisfaction, his expression soured, and he quickly smoothed his face over again.

After a meaningless cough to cover it up, Martio finally muttered in a voice filled with false pity.

“I just wanted to say that perhaps that kind of hope can become poison. Of course, it’s an unfortunate thing, but…”

At those words, Shen and Yuzelia’s faces froze in an instant.

That was the same for the priest who had been guiding them.

‘He knows that I have a Curse of the Deadly Poison, and yet he has no filter—even right in front of the person suffering from it.’

Those words were no different from saying that he was going to die anyway, so he shouldn’t come all the way here to resist and should just die quietly.

This pot-bellied bishop seemed to be the type who had to say whatever he was holding inside, even if the words he spat out were like knives, if he was in a bad mood.

Shen, unable to hold himself back any longer, took a step forward.

“You are very rude…!”

“How can you sit in that position if you’re that stupid?”

But before Shen could even finish speaking, Aquila cut in first.

“I thought that those who knew how to use the bathroom would also have the literacy to know how to filter what they can say, but looking at you, bishop, it seems that isn’t the case.”

Aquila tilted his head as if he truly didn’t understand.

“If you can’t control your words, then at the very least, you should keep your mouth shut. This is a temple, not a bathroom.”

“Wh, what…!”

“Lord Rasphallara is definitely watching over us. If you keep spouting nonsense like that, even in this place, I can’t imagine how he must feel. Just thinking about it is terrible.”

Since the bishop had no problem being this shameless, Aquila decided there was no need to hold back either.

The atmosphere froze again but for a completely different reason this time.

The bishop made a blank expression for a moment as he pondered whether the insults, he had just heard were directed at him, his face turning red in an instant.

As Aquila sighed briefly as if he was trying to show it, his face turned red.

“How dare you! Using the name of Lord Rasphallara like that…!”

Just as Martio was about to shout in rage, another voice intervened between them at one point.

“Oh dear, I see you’re all still here?”

The voice was soft and gentle, completely unfitting for the tense situation just moments before.

A man who had approached closely with a relaxed walk looked at them, who were standing opposed to each other in the hallway.

“Saint Ianfel.”

The priest, who had been guiding them, immediately bowed his head.

The man with clean water-colored hair, Saint Ianfel, smiled and quietly asked.

“I was wondering what was taking so long since you didn’t come even after I had waited for so long, but what is this commotion?”

His mysterious violet eyes curved, but it was more than just being gentle, there was a subtle pressure and coldness within it.

‘He couldn’t stand waiting any longer and came here himself.’

Aquila took in the man before him, seeing him again after so long.

The last time he had seen Ianfel, his hair had been long, reaching down to his waist. Now, it was cut neatly at his jawline.

‘He must be around twenty. Or perhaps twenty-one.’

It was the first time that he was seeing Ianfel with short hair, but perhaps because of that, he seemed to look younger.

Of course, this must be the youngest he had ever been throughout all the previous rounds.

“My apologies. Our conversation dragged on longer than expected…”

“Ah. I am not blaming you, Chelsea.”

Ianfel took his gaze away from the priest who was called Chelsea and immediately looked at Martio.

The bishop had completely changed his expression from when he had been yelling, his face red, and bowed his head.

“Did you have important business with the guests that I had invited, Bishop Martio?”

“Oh, no. I was just worried after leaving Yuzelia at the Reshenhardt mansion, but it’s been so long since I’ve seen her face here, so I think I got a little too excited.”

Martio chuckled awkwardly, with no trace of the attitude he had before.

It was clear that he was watching Ianfel’s reaction.

Shen, who had been at a loss for words, twitched.

‘It seems his temper wasn’t great even at this time.’

Back when Aquila had been affiliated with the Great Temple of Port Plum, even the highest-ranking priests had cowered before Ianfel.

‘Originally, in order to keep your future peaceful, you have to take a step back when you’re in front of someone who’s more crazy, anyway.’

Aquila’s eyes, which were buried inside his hood, were directed at various parts of Ianfell’s face.

As if he had immediately realized that, Ianfel’s sharp gaze came as if he was trying to see through Aquila.

At that moment, a chilling sensation ran up Aquila’s back.

But that was only for a moment, as Ianfel, who had put on a gentle smile, turned his head as if nothing had happened.

‘…What an unpleasant guy.’

Aquila frowned, thinking that it was a good thing that he was wearing a hood.

“Then, may I take them away now? I hate to be kept waiting.”

“Oh my, I apologize. It seems I let our conversation drag on. Of course, go ahead.”

Martio smiled, but his lips were seen to be twitching, so it was clear that he was forcing it.

He only sent a smile to Ianfel and immediately sent a displeased gaze towards Yuzelia.

“Yuzelia. Come to my room right after it’s done.”

“…Huh? But, I…”

“Ah. About that matter, Priestess Yuzelia has promised to accompany us.”

“…Wh-What? I never approved that!”

“I heard that as long as the priest herself agrees she can accompany someone freely, so is the permission of the bishop needed?”

Martio immediately raised his voice, but whether he did so or not, Aquila directed the question not to the bishop, but to Ianfel.

Ianfel blinked his eyes as if he was startled by the unexpected question and then shook his head.

“No. You’re right. Priest Yuzelia, have you agreed to accompany them?”

Yuzelia, who was flustered by the sudden situation, looked back at Shen and Aquila as if she was confused.

Shen nodded his head, and Aquila was only quietly looking at her.

It didn’t take her long to make her decision.

“Yes. As a priestess of the Sun, I have promised to accompany Young Master Aquila.”

“Yuzelia!”

“Then it’s settled. Should we leave without any further delay?”

Even with Martio’s voice that was filled with betrayal, Ianfel ended the situation as if it was nothing.

His patience must have been reaching its limit since time had already been delayed to some extent.

As soon as Aquila nodded his head, Ianfel took his steps without any lingering attachment and brushed past the bishop.

There wasn’t a single greeting.

Aquila and Shen didn’t even glance at him, and only Chelsea and Yuzelia briefly bowed their heads before passing by Martio as well.

“This Disrespectful…!”

Martio spoke, but no one looked back.

He remained there, venting his anger that had nowhere to go, huffing and puffing by himself for a while.