When I Infiltrated the Enemy Nation as a Slave, the Yandere Beauties There Started a Civil War Over Me - Chapter 25: The Church Faction

Chapter 25: The Church Faction

“Good morning, Luke!”

When I woke up in the morning, Cecifelia, who had already been awake, greeted me.

“Good morning, Miss Cecifelia.”

So far, this was just a normal exchange… but then Cecifelia asked something far from ordinary.

“Oh, by the way, Luke… are you feeling uncomfortable?”

“…Huh?”

Uncomfortable…? Why is she suddenly asking something like that?

The handcuffs had already been removed, I hadn’t eaten anything strange yesterday, and I actually slept quite well because of how tired I was.

“What do you mean?”

I had no idea why she was asking if I felt uncomfortable, so I asked. Cecifelia explained.

“Yesterday, Luke’s… well, Luke’s thing was really big, wasn’t it? I’ve heard that’s especially common for boys in the morning when they wake up, so I was wondering if it might be uncomfortable for you now.”

“!!”

Uncomfortable… I thought she meant something related to my health, but that’s what she meant…!

“If it is uncomfortable, it might be partly my fault for misunderstanding and thinking you went to a brothel yesterday, so if you need any help, just say—”

“N-No! I’m fine, really, no need to worry about it!”

Not wanting the conversation to go any further in that direction, I quickly shut it down, but Cecifelia moved closer and said,

“Really? It must be hard to hold something like that in for so long. If you tell me, I can help you release it right away.”

“N-No, I’m really fine! Please don’t worry about it!”

I firmly reassured her, and Cecifelia stepped back, saying,

“Alright, if you say so… But if you ever want to release it, just let me know anytime—I’ll do anything for you, Luke.”

She said this with a gentle smile, but in my mind, I was screaming—That will never happen… or even if it did, I could never ask!

Afterward, we headed to the dining hall for breakfast. As we ate, I paused for a moment and spoke.

“Miss Cecifelia, I’d like to go into the city again around noon today. Is that alright?”

Since I’m a slave, I can’t leave without permission, so I asked her to confirm. Cecifelia responded,

“I’d love to say no and keep you here so I can see your face during breaks, but… since I caused you trouble yesterday with my misunderstanding, it’s fine! Just make sure to come back on time this time, okay?”

“I promise.”

Since I already planned to return on time for my own sake, I nodded in agreement. Cecifelia smiled in response.

…If I were to be late again today, I can already imagine that smile turning into a cold expression with hollow eyes, leading to something I wouldn’t be able to handle. So, I’ll make sure to learn from yesterday’s mistake and return on time.

After finishing breakfast, I spent the time until noon watching Cecifelia as she worked, occasionally chatting with her to keep her company.

When noon arrived, I made sure to pocket the 100,000 gold in my suit and then got into the carriage, heading toward the city.

“—Finally… finally.”

Upon arriving in the city, I found myself in front of a restaurant frequented by nobles, one that Cecifelia had recommended. I couldn’t help but whisper those words to myself.

The effort it took to get here… But if I can successfully mingle with the nobles here, I should be able to gather the information I need.

With that in mind, I entered the restaurant. The ceiling was adorned with perfectly spaced chandeliers, and several tables, covered with white cloths, were filled with Elenorde Empire nobles engaged in lively conversation.

“…”

Seeing the nobles of an enemy nation enjoying their meals while even one person from the Sandrotheim Kingdom might be suffering made my stomach churn. But I forced myself to endure it as I scanned the room for the right person to approach.

“…There he is.”

I spotted the man sitting alone at a two-person table, adorned with an excess of jewelry, and I approached him.

“May I join you at this table for a meal?”

“Hmm?”

The man, who had been eating, glanced up at me, looked me over from head to toe, and then said,

“Very well, have a seat.”

“Thank you.”

As I sat down across from him, a waiter came by, so I ordered a simple pasta and soup course.

“How do you find the food here?”

I asked the man, who was eating a meat dish. He responded proudly.

“It’s exquisite… A taste that commoners could never dream of, fit only for nobles like us.”

“I’m glad to hear it.”

Next, the man stroked his chin thoughtfully and asked,

“Are you from a duke’s family, perhaps?”

“What makes you think that?”

“I like to think I have a discerning eye for luxury, and that suit you’re wearing seems like something either a duke or, at the very least, a marquis might afford.”

“Sharp observation. You’re correct.”

“Haha, this is nothing, really!”

He laughed heartily, clearly pleased with himself.

“I am from a marquis family, and I have considerable confidence in my wealth.”

“Indeed, just from looking at the many fine ornaments you’re wearing, I can see the prestige of your house.”

“You have a discerning eye! To recognize such charm, you truly know your stuff.”

Seeing this man swell with pride once again, I was convinced that I had made the right choice in approaching him.

Normally, I’d never want to smile and praise a noble who’s so obsessed with status and mistakenly believes his jewelry proves his authority—but this was necessary to gather the information I needed.

I’d lower his guard and let him drop valuable information for me.

As I silently vowed this, the waiter brought my pasta, salad, and soup. After taking a bite of the pasta, I decided it was time to steer the conversation toward my true goal.

“Still, the external situation with the Elenorde Empire has been quite tense for a long time, hasn’t it?”

“Indeed, especially with that country—what was it called again? Ah yes, Sandrotheim. If only that country would fall, we could finally claim victory after so many years of war.”

“…!”

I barely managed to resist the urge to use the knife in my right hand to attack this man.

Calm down… I need to get information from him, and besides, causing trouble here isn’t an option.

After taking a deep breath to steady myself, I decided to steer the conversation in a way that would lead me to the information I wanted.

“Speaking of the Sandrotheim Kingdom, I’ve heard there are factions within Elenorde that oppose the war with them.”

“You must be referring to the church.”

It seemed this topic was so well-known in the Elenorde Empire that he could respond instantly.

“Yes.”

“The church faction is quite a nuisance… Not even the nobles, or the royal family for that matter, can easily deal with them. And to oppose the war with Sandrotheim? It’s madness, if you ask me.”

“…Regarding that, do you know why the church opposes the war with Sandrotheim?”

“I don’t know the details, but it’s said to be the will of the Saintess, who holds immense power within the church.”

“The Saintess…?”

I wasn’t familiar with the church, as it doesn’t exist in the Sandrotheim Kingdom, but apparently, this saintess is someone with great influence within it.

“What a foolish woman she is! If she hadn’t opposed the war with the Sandrotheim Kingdom, the church could have expanded its influence even more—bwah!?”

As the man rambled on, two men from a nearby table suddenly grabbed his arms.

“W-What are you doing!?”

“The sin of insulting the Saintess can only be redeemed by her judgment.”

“Let us pray that the Saintess will save this sinner.”

“N-No way! You… you’re from the church!? Let go of me!”

As the overweight man shouted, the two men placed enough money on the table to cover his meal and dragged him outside. The church… Could it be that they’re taking him to see the saintess?

I had gathered some information about the church faction, but I still didn’t know enough—especially about the saintess. I needed more.

“…I have to go.”

With that decision made, I quickly paid for my meal and began tailing the three men, determined to see for myself what kind of person the saintess, who opposed the war with Sandrotheim, really was.