The Bewilderment of the Sacrificial Second Princess

Chapter 66: Tolerance for the scriptures, understanding of him

“Before we delve into the discussion, please take a look at these documents.”

“…What is this?”

“These are copies of the sacred scriptures from my homeland, which I personally transcribed on paper for widespread use. It’s a part of my training.”

In front of me lay a stack of paper about five centimeters thick, bound together by a ribbon. Four, five, six books in total.

I was aware that I needed some prior knowledge to comprehend Hillian’s religion, but I never expected it to be this extensive.

“I’ll be occupying that desk over there, so please inform me when you’re done reading. I don’t require your opinions or comprehension, just your tolerance. If you make any negative remarks, I’ll consider this conversation never took place.”

“U-Understood.”

With that, he gave a polite bow and settled at his work area. In the General Affairs Department, those in prominent positions are given private chambers, and Hillian’s room is adjacent to Lord Balk’s, where I currently am.

I don’t harbor any ill feelings towards Hillian, but I don’t hold a particularly favorable view of him either. Even if I do have some reservations, he still accommodates me to the best of his ability.

If what Auglia-sama stated is accurate and this is a manifestation of jealousy, then what could he possibly be envious of Lord Balk and I? It’s natural for the individuals I work with to fluctuate based on the task at hand. Will he truly discard someone due to jealousy resulting from that?

I set aside my thoughts about information that I could only obtain by directly asking the person and focused on the pile of parchment in front of me.

This was an obscure text that I had consciously shied away from. But after discovering something enigmatic, I realized that merely reading this text would not provide enough evidence.

I yearned to understand. Why does it occur, what did our forefathers believe, and does a god truly exist? What exactly is a god and how is it perceived as such?

This was a copy of the sacred scripture from the Sinn Fe nation. Its values were vastly different and, as expected, the cover was written in Sinn Fe script.

I inhaled deeply and released a sigh before resolutely flipping open the cover.

The script was somewhat complicated, but the content was a mixture of a fairy tale and science. I became so engrossed that I was unaware that the sun had set. When I looked up due to the dimming light and difficulty in reading, I saw that someone, likely the maid, had placed bread with toppings and cold tea beside me.

I was uncertain who had done it, but I felt remorseful for causing them to do so.

“My apologies, I have not yet finished reading.”

“No…uh, what book are you currently reading?”

“Well, I’ve progressed to the fourth book.”

“…I intended for you to read in silence for a week, but today marks the end of work. Please return tomorrow.”

With a weary sigh, Hillian spoke to me.

A week, so there must be days off. The plan was to read one book per day, at a pace of one day per book.

Unfortunately, when I get engrossed, I forget everything else, so I don’t spend much time on it. I don’t need to reread it, and so far the content hasn’t been difficult to comprehend.

However, I feel like the interpretation is up to the reader. The way it’s presented is almost as if to say, ‘It’s up to the person who reads it.’

The person who wrote the scripture probably wrote it for those who believe in it. It feels like the book is being appreciated without blindly trusting it. If one can’t trust it, then it’s not suitable for this doctrine.

“Yes, I’ll heed your advice and see you tomorrow. I’ll be ready to listen to Hillian’s tale properly the day after tomorrow.”

“Alright… Well then, I’ll see you tomorrow, Your Royal Highness.”

“Yes, see you tomorrow, Hillian. Oh, I need to take this with me…”

As I carefully organized the book and placed it on top, I noticed some bread. I couldn’t bear to throw it away, but if I ate it now, I wouldn’t have dinner.

But Hillian, who approached, took a bite and devoured three pieces in one swift motion.

“My apologies, I was feeling famished. It’s already 7 PM, you see.”

“O-Oh, ah, yes, thank you. Have a good evening, Hillian.”

I responded, taken aback by his unusual behavior, and offered a polite bow before departing from the office.

As I made my way back to my quarters to get ready for dinner, I couldn’t help but ponder if Hillian was like someone from a religious text.