While Lady Rohanson went to try on her dress for a moment, Gabriel was able to have a brief conversation with Daisy. It seemed as though Evangeline had deliberately stepped aside to allow them to talk.
"I received the message regarding Mr. Ponol well. It appears the Lady intends to keep Mr. Ponol by her side."
"Yes. She said that Mr. Ponol seems to be reflecting a lot, so I think he has caught the Lady's fancy."
Despite being a spy sent by Bishop Jabaniya, the fact that she would keep him close meant he had certainly pleased her. Fortunately, Evangeline's information had not leaked out.
Since Ponol of Doline's dispatch had not arrived, Bishop Jabaniya seemed extremely anxious. He was so anxious that he indirectly asked Gabriel about the tutors Lady Rohanson had hired.
"I made up something appropriate for Bishop Jabaniya."
"Is that so?"
Daisy organized what she needed to convey to the butler. Then she looked at Gabriel with a strange gaze.
She wondered why that knight, who should rightfully follow the Sun God, was taking Lady Rohanson's side. Even though he hadn't received help like Daisy had.
According to Kanna, Gabriel had expressed a favorable stance toward the Lady from the beginning. Hearing that, she realized that when she was a nun, she had chosen the wrong target to expose Lady Rohanson's corruption to. Thanks to that, she was now able to keep the Lady's secret.
"Why does Sir Gabriel stay by the Lady's side?"
At Daisy's sudden question, Gabriel seemed inclined to avoid answering. Before he could change the subject, Daisy asked again.
"Is there something you desire from the Lady?"
Or perhaps, as Sir Raphaela said, had he really been bewitched? Daisy pressed sharply. Gabriel noticed Daisy's attitude of unconditionally wanting to extract an answer. Something he desired.
"Yes. There is."
Amusingly, that was exactly the case. Gabriel was not someone who acted without purpose, and he did have something he desired from Lady Rohanson. Outwardly, it was to manage the aftermath of the curse formation's influence. And privately...
That day when fire rippled, the sight of white hair dyed by the firelight spreading into crimson was vivid. If Gabriel's heart had stopped at that first moment when he faced Evangeline, he would have handed over detailed information to the temple long ago instead of protecting her.
Certainly, at first it was curiosity. Like a leafless flower blooming from a withered tree, it was fascinating to see a corpse moving while ignoring divine power. Next was fear. He feared what she, stripped of her Evangeline Rohanson guise, might do. So he tried to accommodate her to avoid offending her.
Change happens unexpectedly. A tsunami swept over Gabriel in an instant.
When he heard that Lady Rohanson, unlike her usual self, had saved the children from the orphanage, a faint hope arose. When he felt the slow heartbeat, he realized that Evangeline was alive.
That's why he was secretly disappointed when she said there was no way to save the Young Marquess. Unknowingly, he had been overlaying Gabriel's past onto Young Marquess Toten.
That's why, because he imagined Evangeline Rohanson promising salvation to his younger self, he was disappointed on his own when she said there was no method.
He thought that if she were an almighty existence beyond reason, she would perform miracles humans couldn't achieve. He arbitrarily thought of her as human-like in some ways, and yet in moments like this, he considered her not human.
He had arbitrarily expected Evangeline Rohanson to be different from things of the past.
Paradoxically, through that presumptuous disappointment, Gabriel realized that he was slowly opening his heart to Evangeline.
"Sir Gabriel?"
That's why he didn't want to let go of the hand Evangeline had first extended. Not even realizing it himself, like a young child who wouldn't let go of a hand, he felt ashamed at being a fool who didn't even properly know his own feelings.
Before Gabriel could compose himself, Evangeline returned after finishing trying on the clothes.
"Sir Gabriel, how does the Lady look?"
Gabriel looked at Evangeline.
"It suits you well."
The dress that Artemisia had spent days crafting seemed to clearly know who it was made for, matching its owner extremely well.
Gabriel tried not to look at the fully exposed white neck. Since he and Lady Rohanson didn't have any special relationship, it felt sinful to peek.
Unaware of Gabriel's feelings, Artemisia kept forcing him to look at Evangeline. When he couldn't offer proper commentary, she gave examples and spouted all sorts of praise. It made him wonder if she just wanted to praise her herself.
Shumitiana fearlessly hovered around Evangeline with both cheeks flushed. That appearance was exactly like Michelle, who had been whining with tears in her eyes this morning wanting to welcome Lady Rohanson. Seeing that, Raphaela clicked her tongue saying blood couldn't be deceived.
Unlike Michelle, Artemisia didn't seem to have any particularly likable aspects, but perhaps something happened while staying at the Rohanson mansion?
"She looks like an angel!"
"Yes! Mary, you did really well!"
"She looks like a fairy!"
"That's right!"
Artemisia and the young child sang praises in turn. Evangeline watched that chattering appearance with an uncharacteristically softened face, as if observing birds chirping.
Though it was the same arrogant and matchless indifference as usual, Gabriel felt a small warmth from Evangeline. Perhaps it was a misunderstanding.
Adjusting a dress like an ordinary noble lady and humoring a small child's noisy chatter, she looked like a truly complete Evangeline Rohanson.
Lady Rohanson seemed to be becoming increasingly familiar with her human guise. To be precise, she was getting closer to 'Evangeline Rohanson.' Or perhaps Gabriel was increasingly being influenced and that's why he felt that way.
Noticing that Gabriel had fallen into thought, Shumitiana demanded a retest.
"Now, Sir! Now you know what to say, right?"
His own impressions? The examples the two had given so far were all the beautiful nouns in the world. A fairy? An angel? Gabriel thought of something that didn't overlap with those, and recalled a familiar phrase. It was words that came to mind because of the angel Mary had mentioned.
Among the words written on the white paper found in the ashes of the ruined Donau, the most memorable was the phrase 'Angel of Light.' No words could describe Evangeline Rohanson better than that. Angel had already been said, so only one remained.
"Lady Rohanson is like the brightest star."
Literally light. He said the most shining star, but actually he should have added more modifiers.
Evangeline Rohanson is a star that shines strangely bright. Among those that rise avoiding the sun, is there anything brighter than her?
"We'll be going now! Have a good time."
In the meantime, Shumitiana, who had been smiling sinisterly thinking something or other, took the other two and left the room.
The door that had briefly opened closed again, and cut off from the outside, only Gabriel and Evangeline remained in the world.
"Would you dance with me?"
This time Gabriel extended his hand first. He didn't know the reason Evangeline had asked for a dance, but for Gabriel, the fact that he could continue holding Evangeline's hand was good fortune. Gabriel's body temperature was quite high, so if he held it for a long time, the coldness might fade.
"One song won't be enough."
She had asked for a practice partner because she was afraid of making mistakes since she had never danced before. However, Evangeline couldn't have not memorized the dance. Evangeline tended to remember very well things she was interested in or needed to remember.
Of course, he didn't know how difficult it was to enter that boundary. Last time, Michelle wet her pillow crying because Lady Rohanson didn't recognize her.
"I will accompany you as many times as you wish."
So Evangeline must have asked for a dance specifically to immerse herself in the role of 'Evangeline Rohanson.'
Why does Light wear Evangeline Rohanson's appearance? He couldn't even guess how much patience it takes for an existence that looks down on humans to pretend to be human.
Gabriel placed his hand on Evangeline's waist and took position. He was extremely pleased that Evangeline was leaning against him.
There was no accompaniment. However, if there was a song playing now, it would surely be a funeral march for Gabriel.
While Evangeline was trying on the dress, the sun had set and darkness rippled beyond the closed curtains. As the sun set, Daisy, checking the time, drew the window curtains.
With even the curtains drawn, the room was even dimmer. In the dark world, only Evangeline shone completely. Because she devoured all the surrounding light, the surroundings sank further and the star stood out even more.
Gabriel thought of himself as the dark ring around the star. Having had all his light stolen, his gaze went to Evangeline and he couldn't leave her side, hovering around her.
"It seems that's what happens when you take me into your eyes."
It wasn't just Gabriel. Those who trembled with fear, terrified and frightened, also didn't think of coming out after entering the garden Evangeline cultivated. The maids Evangeline cherished, the children she brought, even Michelle and Shumitiana. They would all be looking at the same light with their backs turned to the sun they originally headed toward.
"My beliefs too."
And philosophy too.
"My ideals too."
Everything built up since birth felt futile.
"It's as if you're arbitrarily rebuilding the world from the beginning."
That was the influence Evangeline possessed. It felt like milestones were being newly set.
If not for Evangeline, Gabriel wouldn't have paid attention to an existence beyond reason. If not for Evangeline, Daisy wouldn't have returned to the Rohanson mansion. Shumitiana wouldn't have abandoned her long-held beliefs to make clothes for maids who had departed from her tastes.
"That sounds like a confession."
Evangeline said with a very sour expression.
A confession... It wasn't that kind of warm heart that seemed like a warm breeze would blow. Even Gabriel himself couldn't name it. Was this fear, or perhaps terror? When with Evangeline, he felt chills as if seeing an alien existence. His heart trembled as if witnessing something ghastly.
When Evangeline stripped off her ordinary noble lady guise and revealed her arrogant and weary aspects hidden within, he couldn't take his eyes off her even though he was afraid. If he had to name it, right now it would be closest to curiosity. It was no different from peeking through a slightly opened door crack. That would also be why Gabriel protected Evangeline even while deceiving the temple.
"So you like me?"
So Gabriel watched Evangeline's reaction instead of correcting his words. He judged that saying he felt curiosity would sound better than saying he felt favor.
However, it seems Gabriel's choice was wrong. Gabriel touched a dragon's reverse scale.
The face that had been slightly smiling froze solid and the expression disappeared. It felt like returning to the moment he first saw Evangeline. The small emotion that had been sprouting disappeared and only a cold piece remained.
Evangeline Rohanson is a star floating in the sky. If it falls and touches the earth, the world will be ruined unable to bear its light.
However, Gabriel now realized that a fallen star also becomes distorted. It was a disaster created by his lowly desire to pull down the star.
"You don't even know who I am?"
Evangeline looked at Gabriel. Eyes that looked like blood was flowing.
At that moment, something strange happened.
The candle flickered. As if both eyeballs had disappeared, the vision was trapped in a curtain and darkened, then suddenly light came on and it opened wide. Was the room this wide? Something seemed twisted. Candle wax dripped from the ceiling.
The brightened world was completely different from what he had seen before.
The walls and furniture were covered with fibers. Lumps of flesh pulsed as if proving they were alive. Eyeballs hung in bunches from the ceiling and sprouted from all kinds of gaps. They each blinked at different speeds.
Every time it spun around, something soft burst under his feet. Nausea rose and Gabriel bit his lower lip hard.
In the world stained with red filth, only Evangeline Rohanson was purely white. There was nowhere to put his gaze but Evangeline, but he couldn't meet her eyes because her pupils were red too. It felt exactly like Evangeline's eyes were the heart of this place. The heart whispered right at his ear.
"Sir Gabriel, you just need to get along with me moderately."
A soft voice not like a rebuke. The gentle resonance was like the seduction of a devil with a forked tongue, and also like a voice leading Gabriel to the right path.
Is she punishing him for presumptuously stepping forward? Evangeline seemed to notice that Gabriel was particularly tense as she slightly shrugged her shoulders.
The past repeated. It was the same situation as when she warned Gabriel who had crossed the line while having a conversation with Evangeline at the Rohanson mansion.
Is she wearing that heartless expression now too? Afraid to face it, Gabriel looked at the mirror as an alternative.
In the world reflected in the mirror, the filth didn't exist. He felt relieved at the clean room scene. That was probably real. Gabriel believed so and kept looking at the mirror. And the moment he saw himself dancing reflected, he bit his lip tightly. The metallic taste of blood spread.
Evangeline Rohanson was not in the mirror. If that mirror was real, then similarly, she too didn't exist in the world.
The vision flickered again. The room that had regained its original color as if that was all it wanted to show was very quiet.
"Shall we stop here?"
She had a very regretful face as if watching an ant drowning in sugar water.
As if that was the signal, the blocked breath opened wide. Gabriel inhaled. From Evangeline came a withered sweet flower scent. As Evangeline moved her body away, the scent moved away from his nose.
After creating distance, Evangeline held the hem of her dress in a picture-perfect posture and slightly bowed her body in greeting. When she straightened up again, she looked very peaceful.
"I rather like you, Sir."
Evangeline smiled softly with curved eyes. It was a smile that Jim Nopedy, if he were alive, would have wanted to paint even if he had to sell his soul.
Evangeline looked at the mirror as if checking whether she had properly put on her disguise. Gabriel also turned his gaze in the same direction. In the mirror, an expressionless Evangeline Rohanson was reflected.