Unbeknownst to Me, I’m Secretly Dating the Emperor — Chapter 44

THIS IS OUR POORHOUSE-

ROBIN-!

WHERE ON EARTH HAVE YOU BEEN?!

HOW COULD YOU JUST RUN OFF WITHOUT SAYING A WORD?!

UGH... I'M SORRY...

DON'T BE MAD, NANCY... YOU'RE SCARING ME...

...SO SHE ISN'T IVETA AFTER ALL.

WELL, SHE IS THE ORIGINAL FEMALE LEAD, TO BE FAIR.

THERE'S NO WAY WE'D CROSS PATHS THROUGH SUCH A RIDICULOUS COINCIDENCE.

Her hair color is completely different, too.

UM, WHAT BRINGS YOU TWO ALL THE WAY OUT HERE...?

I'M LINA. And this is Ed.

WE HAPPENED TO HEAR ABOUT THIS PLACE FROM ROBIN.

WE DROPPED BY HOPING WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP OUT...

OH, ARE YOU TWO PATRONS HERE TO SPONSOR US?

IN THAT CASE, LET ME GUIDE YOU TO THE TEMPLE—

NO, THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY.

SHOW US AROUND THE POORHOUSE FIRST.

HIC!

...ED!

COME ON, GIVE THEM A SMILE!

YOU'RE TERRIFYING THE CHILDREN!

S-SMILE...?

LIKE... HOW?

...LIKE THIS?

He's drop-dead gorgeous...!

WE'LL GIVE YOU... THE ABSOLUTE BEST TOUR!

...I SUPPOSE STUNNING LOOKS WORK WONDERS ON EVERYONE, YOUNG AND OLD ALIKE.

R-RİGHT THİS WAY, PLEASE!

THIS PLACE...

THIS IS NO ENVIRONMENT FOR CHILDREN TO GROW UP IN.

LEAVING CHILDREN NEGLECTED IN SQUALOR LIKE THIS,

WHILE THE CLERGY LOUNGE AROUND INSIDE A LAVISH TEMPLE,

LIVING IN ABSOLUTE LUXURY?

ED.

THE BLUE HAWK HAS ALREADY BEEN PREPARING TO CLEAN UP THE TEMPLE'S CORRUPTION, HASN'T IT?

WOULD IT BE TOO DIFFICULT TO SET THAT PLAN IN MOTION RIGHT HERE?

NOT AT ALL.

IN FACT, I BELIEVE RIGHT NOW IS THE OPPORTUNE MOMENT.

ROBIN, NANCY.

THANK YOU FOR SHOWING US AROUND.

STILL...

THIS FACILITY HARDLY SEEMS FIT FOR CHILDREN TO LIVE IN.

IF YOU D ON’T MIND, COULD YOU BE COMPLETELY HONEST WITH US?

ARE THE PRIESTS TRULY LOOKING AFTER THIS PLACE?

TH-THAT'S... IT ISN'T USUALLY IN SUCH DISARRAY!

THE PRIESTS HAVE JUST BEEN TERRIBLY BUSY, SO...

IT'S ONLY LIKE THIS ONCE IN A WHILE...

"ONCE IN A WHILE" IS UNACCEPTABLE.

THIS IS AN OUTRAGE THAT SHOULD NEVER HAPPEN, NOT EVEN ONCE.

ONCE THE AUDIT TEAM CATCHES WIND OF THIS,

THEY WON'T LET IT SLIDE.

!!

N-NO, YOU CAN'T!

THE PRIESTS TREAT US WELL, TRULY!

WE DON'T HAVE ANY GRIEVANCES AT ALL!

WE'RE DOING JUST FINE HERE!

SO PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU, DON'T REPORT THIS TO ANYONE...!

...I SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

NANCY CAN'T AFFORD TO TELL THE TRUTH.

IF THE TEMPLE GETS INVESTIGATED AND THIS FACILITY IS SHUT DOWN,

THESE CHILDREN WILL LOSE THEIR ONLY ROOF.

SHE'S DESPERATE TO PROTECT WHAT LITTLE SHELTER THEY HAVE LEFT, NO MATTER HOW MISERABLE IT IS...

ROBIN, NANCY.

WHEN WE FIRST ARRIVED HERE,

DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT I TOLD YOU?

I TOLD YOU WE CAME HERE TO HELP.

WE DIDN'T COME TO STIR UP TROUBLE OR MAKE YOUR LIVES EVEN HARDER.

ALL WE WANT IS TO HELP YOU

FIND A MUCH BETTER PLACE TO LIVE.

SO PLEASE, TRUST US AND TELL US WHAT REALLY HAPPENED.

...THE PRIESTS...

THEY'RE HORRIBLE PEOPLE.

!

ROBIN, STOP!

I DON'T CARE, I'M TELLING THEM EVERY- THING!

PRIEST ORHAN BEAT YOU BLACK AND BLUE LAST TIME TOO, NANCY!

YOUR EYE WAS SWOLLEN SHUT AND BRUISED DEEP PURPLE!

...!!

WHENEVER THE PRIESTS COME BY, THEY SCREAM AT US AND THROW THINGS AROUND!

THEY STARVE US AND HIT US, CALLING IT OUR PUNISHMENT!

...I HATE IT HERE SO MUCH!

ALL THE OTHER KIDS WANT TO RUN AWAY TOO.

BUT NOBODY CAN LEAVE.

BECAUSE EVEN IF WE RAN AWAY, WE HAVE NOWHERE ELSE TO GO...

...SOB.

...IS IT TRUE?

WILL YOU TWO REALLY HELP US?

YES.

NO MATTER WHAT IT TAKES,

WE WILL HELP EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU.

WHAT WAS THAT? WHAT'S GOING ON OUT THERE?

SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE JUST WALKED INTO THE CHAPEL.

TCH, IT'S NOT EVEN SERVICE HOURS. WHAT A NUISANCE...

WHO'S THERE?

IF YOU'RE A BELIEVER SEEKING PASTORAL GUIDANCE, STEP FORWARD—

WHO IN THE WORLD...

I AM AN ENVOY DISPATCHED BY GODDESS MINOS.

IN HER HOLY NAME,

I HAVE COME TO PASS JUDGMENT UPON THE WICKED.