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The once-fierce lines of his face had softened with age, but today they were etched with the familiar strain of his duties.

"Really... This is just astounding..." he muttered to himself, his voice heavy with weariness.

He reached up to massage his temples, trying to ward off the dull ache that had settled there. His eyes fell on the document at the top of the pile—a marriage proposal, one of many that had flooded the temple since the discovery of the Saintess Maris Rainsa earlier that spring.

The proposal was not addressed to him, but to Maris herself, a young woman whose beauty and divine blessing had captivated the kingdom. The letter was ornate, the handwriting elegant, and it was accompanied by a list of lavish gifts that the suitor had sent in hopes of winning the Saintess\'s favor.

"Gold, jewels, paintings, antiques, even mansions and land... I can\'t believe they keep coming up with so many gifts..." Kerum murmured, shaking his head in disbelief.

Beside him, one of his subordinates, a younger priest with a calm demeanor, shrugged in response. "It seems they really want to win the Saintess\'s favor. Even though she\'s not the type to be swayed by such materialistic methods..."

Kerum could only nod in agreement. Since Maris had been recognized as the Saintess by the Grand Temple, there had been an unceasing stream of marriage proposals from nobles and wealthy merchants alike. Each proposal came with increasingly extravagant gifts, as if the suitors believed they could buy Maris\'s affection.

But Maris was no ordinary woman. Her beauty was ethereal, her presence calming, and her devotion to the gods unwavering. She had no interest in wealth or material possessions. Her only desire, it seemed, was to spent time with person she love.

"Of course, these are not merely proposals," Kerum continued, his tone laced with frustration. "They come with the expectation that they will be accepted, that the gifts will sway her decision..."

He leaned back in his chair, letting out a long, weary sigh. "When Maris was informed of this, she instructed, \'Please decline all of them,\' and \'Return the gifts.\'"

The younger priest chuckled softly, though there was a trace of pity in his eyes. "The Saintess is selfless. She desires neither wealth nor artistic treasures."

Kerum nodded, his expression softening as he thought of Maris. "If there is something she wishes for, it is probably only the \'heart\' of a certain man."

The younger priest looked at Kerum with a curious expression, but the Archpriest offered no further explanation. Instead, he pushed the pile of proposals to the edge of his desk, out of sight and out of mind.

"…It would be fine if it were just the gifts," Kerum said after a pause. "But it\'s lamentable that there are even those who resort to threats."

The room fell into a tense silence. The younger priest\'s expression darkened, and Kerum continued in a low voice, "There are those who demand that the Saintess be handed over, or else…"

He didn\'t need to elaborate. The threats had been real and frightening, issued by high-ranking nobles and even influential figures from neighboring countries. Some had gone so far as to threaten the Grand Temple itself, believing that their wealth and power could force Maris\'s hand.

But Maris was not one to be intimidated. She had met each threat with calm defiance, her resolve unshaken. And each time, the Grand Temple had stood behind her, refusing to bow to the demands. After all, Grand Temple had been around for centuries, with strength of Grand Temple, it\'s easy to conquer all countries to make a kingdom.

(Kingdom is made of nine countries or more and Empire is made of nine kingdom and more. Currently there is no empire in the world. There is only two Kingdoms and 27 countries.)

"Some even demanded favors," Kerum continued, his voice tinged with disgust. "Claiming that since the gifts were accepted, they should be accommodated despite their return being refused."

The younger priest shook his head, his expression one of disbelief. "The audacity…"

"It is astonishing," Kerum agreed. "To see such audacity when dealing with the Saintess."

He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk as he clasped his hands together. "Even though I, too, was mistaken for a while… The Saintess is a being beyond our worldly notions. She cannot be bound by power or status."

The younger priest looked at Kerum with admiration. "But… how could Your Eminence consider yourself a worldly person…?"

Kerum smiled faintly, though it was a smile tinged with melancholy. "I am indeed a worldly person. My interactions with the Saintess have made this painfully clear…"

He stood up and moved to the window, looking out over the courtyard where the temple\'s gardens flourished in the warm sunlight. "No matter how high a position I hold as an Archpriest, such titles are useless against the Saintess. There is no way to control her. She is the divine representative… If she has decided \'thus,\' we lowly beings have no choice but to follow her will."

Until recently, Kerum had indeed tried to manage Maris, to guide her in the direction he thought best for the temple and the kingdom. He had even attempted to arrange marriages with high-ranking priests, believing that a union with a powerful man would secure her future and the temple\'s influence.

But every effort had failed. Maris had shown no interest in any of the suitors, no matter how handsome, wealthy, or powerful they were. She had remained steadfast in her devotion to her duties and her own mysterious path.

"Some men even tried to create de facto situations out of desperation," Kerum said, his tone growing darker. "But their fates were grim."

He didn\'t need to explain further. The few who had tried to force Maris\'s hand had met with divine retribution—sickness, misfortune, and in one case, a mysterious disappearance. It was as if the gods themselves were protecting her.

"I see… So the Saintess is indeed protected by gods and angels…" the younger priest murmured, his voice filled with awe.

Kerum let out a low chuckle, though there was little humor in it. "That was not my intended meaning, but perhaps you are not entirely wrong…"

He returned to his desk, but instead of sitting, he leaned against the edge, crossing his arms as he considered the situation.

"However, what was the reason for certifying the Saintess\'s guardian as a Holy Priest and recommending him as a teacher at the academy?" the younger priest asked, his tone curious.

Kerum\'s expression grew thoughtful. "To keep the Saintess here, it\'s necessary… The center of faith must remain at the Grand Temple in the royal capital."

The younger priest tilted his head, clearly confused. "…?"

Kerum sighed, realizing he would need to explain further. "Attention is drawn to the temple where the Saintess was born and raised, and many believers come for pilgrimage. If the Saintess graduates from the academy and returns to her hometown… People\'s faith might shift to that town."

The younger priest\'s eyes widened slightly as understanding dawned. The temple in Maris\'s hometown, once a small and humble place, had become a site of pilgrimage for the devout. The town\'s transportation network had developed rapidly to accommodate the influx of visitors, and the town itself was growing into a regional city.

"Though it is currently a mere frontier town," Kerum continued, "it will likely develop into a regional city eventually. Maris has no attachment to the royal capital and returns to her hometown as soon as she has a long vacation. If she graduates from the academy, she might quickly abandon the royal capital as well."

The younger priest frowned, clearly concerned. "But the Saintess\'s presence here is crucial…"

"Exactly," Kerum said, nodding. "The splendor of the royal capital and the rich and convenient life cannot retain the Saintess. Therefore, we must move her place of return here."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Fortunately, the talk of recognizing the Saintess\'s guardian as a Holy Priest had been underway for some time. With the Archpriest\'s agreement, it was soon approved."

The younger priest\'s eyes lit up with understanding. "And by appointing him as a teacher at the Royal Academy, we ensure that they both remain in the capital."

"Precisely," Kerum said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "The talk of welcoming them as a teacher at the Royal Academy also progressed smoothly. Coincidentally, a female faculty member teaching theology at the Royal Academy was retiring, creating a vacancy."

The younger priest\'s respect for Kerum grew as he realized the careful planning that had gone into this decision. "…This must be the will of the gods."

Kerum smiled.

The younger priest watched as Kerum returned to his work.