Chapter 44: Ch 44: Welcomed Guests cause trouble

The way to the main temple was paved beautifully, with trees lining the way. They were currently blooming with beautiful flowers that made the path look even more beautiful.

Both the Duchess and the youngest daughter of the Duke looked spellbound as they looked out of the carriage.

"Mommy! I want it all. Please get me this as well. Or I will cry—"

"Honey, can’t you do something? Kara is crying."

The Duchess pointed, but for the tenth time, she was rejected by the Duke. Honestly, she should have learned her lesson by now, but she kept trying.

Aiden did not know whether he felt sorry for the Duke or the Duchess at this point.

He also got time to observe the Duke’s family.

The Duke was a sturdy man who was both tall and built like a swordsman. He looked to be in his late 40s, while both his sons looked just like younger versions of him. The elder one looked 18, while the younger looked 16.

Compared to them, the Duchess and their younger sister looked delicate. But they had a temper to match their looks and a desire to get what they wanted.

The aides were in another carriage, but Aiden had no doubt that they were just as troublesome as this mother-daughter pair.

Aiden breathed a sigh of relief as the main temple came into view, and he got there first to make sure it was safe for everyone else to come out.

The Duke and Duchess’s family were first, followed by the aides, but Aiden decided to stop them right before the main arch to go over a few things.

Of course, this did not sit well with the aides, who started protesting.

"You are crossing too many lines, priest. There is only so much insulting we can take. How about you—"

However, the Duke was level-headed and stopped his aide’s threats. Instead, he decided to listen to Aiden about the reason they had stopped outside.

"I am sure Sir Priest has a reason to pause here. We should not doubt his sincerity."

Aiden had a feeling that the Duke could become an ally for him and his Goddess. So he wanted to foster good relations with him and his sons at least. As for the wife and daughter...that remained to be seen.

"Yes, before we enter the main temple, there are a few rules you all should know and follow while in there. They are for your own safety, so don’t ignore them."

Aiden stressed these words out, but he could already tell that the aides were not interested.

’Thankfully, I have the cameras installed everywhere. They won’t be able to blame me if they ignore my words now.’

This security system felt worth it to Aiden now. And he ignored the aides’ scowling and spoke up.

"First, please do not touch anything that looks dangerous, and that includes plants and trees. If you need to go somewhere, please keep out of any area that is locked. Do not try to force your way inside, and most important—if you see a snake or an animal, ignore it. We won’t take responsibility for you getting hurt."

Aiden strictly warned the aides, but perhaps he should not have.

He could see the troublesome light and the will to break rules in their eyes.

’Darn it! Why are the aides stupid and suicidal? You need to have more competent servants, Duke Bazar!’

If he could, Aiden would have punched the Duke in the face to snap him back. But since he could not do that, he decided to secure another form of assurance.

"Duke Bazar, please give me your word in writing. That you won’t blame the temple for anything if you break the rules."

Aiden demanded this out of habit, and the Duke looked taken aback.

"Is it that dangerous inside?"

He asked with fascination, and Aiden quickly corrected him.

"It is not dangerous if you follow the rules set in place. However, this is the divine realm of a goddess. Please do not forget that."

Aiden stressed these words, and the Duke nodded at these words.

"I understand. Both my companions and I will make sure to not cause you any trouble during our stay here. And if someone does break a rule, you have the authority to take care of them. I will not interfere."

The Duke agreed, and Aiden finally showed them to their quarters.

However, he had one final warning to give them before he left them alone for the remainder of the evening.

"Food will be delivered to your room shortly. But please do keep in mind that you are always under surveillance. So if you do break a rule, you won’t be able to blame the temple."

With that, Aiden left the Duke’s party alone.

He had warned them and even told them outright not to do anything foolish. But he had a feeling his warning would be ignored, just like always.

’Honestly, if these fools want to stab their own foot, then I should let them. However...’

His goddess’s name was involved now, so Aiden at least needed to make sure the Duke and his family remained alive throughout their stay.

"Now, how long do I think it will take them to break a rule?"

It turned out that it did not take them long.

As soon as dinner ended and Aiden returned to be with his goddess, his goddess lifted her head and looked at him with an annoyed look.

"There are people in my temple. Are they uninvited guests?"

Goddess Apophis asked, and Aiden felt sorry for having woken her up. That had not been his intention.

As for her question...

"Those people? They are our esteemed guests that will help spread your name around. Please do not pay attention to them."

Aiden assured his goddess, who nodded and closed her eyes. But she was not able to fall asleep.

Instead, she opened her eyes with an irritated expression and looked outside.

"Those ’guests’ are moving around the temple as they please. One of them has even slipped into the forest and would soon reach the protective barrier. Tsk, what a fool."

His goddess sounded unbothered, but Aiden felt like he was developing a headache because of Duke Bazar and his people.