73.
“Ah, Sir Batar.”
Just then, Julie acknowledged him.
Come to think of it, the aide was holding a horse’s reins.
Only then did I notice the large horse standing quietly beside him, swishing its tail.
‘That horse? Isn’t that the black horse I picked during the hunting festival?’
The aide approached me with his face twisted into a deep frown.
Had that man actually been listening to everything from a while ago?
“What brings you here?”
The aide swept a meaningful gaze over me, Prien, and Jaka, who had been silent for some time, then clicked his tongue.
Then, completely ignoring me, he turned to Julie.
“I went to the backyard, but there wasn’t anything I’d call a stable.”
“Ah, that’s… You shouldn’t imagine the kind of stables ordinary noble mansions have.”
“Then… you’re telling me that place with a roof that looks like it barely keeps out the rain and a single feed trough is the stable?”
“Wait, I asked what brings you here.”
I cut in front of Julie, who was about to answer, and asked again.
The aide replied with his brow furrowed.
“Can’t you tell by looking? His Grace told me to return the horse to the baroness.”
“…….”
“Though from the look of things, it seems I picked the wrong day.”
In the end, unable to hold back, he added that last bit with a sneer.
I ignored it and asked,
“Wasn’t I only borrowing it for a bit back then?”
“In any case, I am merely carrying out the orders handed down to me, so I’ll be on my way now. If you have anything to say… please say it to His Grace the duke in person.”
The aide did not seem to want to get deeply involved in this complicated situation.
He shoved the reins into my hands without ceremony, then turned away without so much as a word of farewell.
I thought that would be the end of it.
“It doesn’t look like that fine a horse. Aren’t you putting on too many airs?”
A sharp tone.
All of a sudden, the holy knight declared war on the aide.
“…….”
The aide stopped walking and slowly turned back toward us, his eyes blazing.
‘No, why are you two suddenly fighting?’
Whether they did or not, Prien picked up the luggage the holy knight had set down.
His own companion had just picked a fight with someone, but he did not seem the least bit interested.
He simply approached me and swept a worried gaze over the inflamed corners of my eyes.
It was something he had been doing all morning whenever our eyes met, so it no longer even felt particularly embarrassing.
And I had no room in my head to pay attention to that!
“We can’t have a guest carry luggage. Just a moment, I’ll call someone to move it. Peter!”
Showing off her booming voice, Julie called the cook.
“We could just have Jaka do it….”
This time Julie jabbed me in the side.
Then she lowered her voice and whispered into my ear.
“If you were in his place, Lady Asha, would you want to carry your rival in love’s luggage with your own hands? He has his pride, you know?”
Oh, right!
Julie looked at my expression and shook her head as if I were hopeless.
And while we were having this pointless little tussle over the luggage bags,
beside us, the sparks continued to fly between the two men.
“Do you know me? If you don’t have an eye for quality, you should at least keep your mouth shut so you can pass for average.”
“What did you say?”
“And besides. Isn’t it only natural that the side giving a gift is better than the side packing up and barging in to impose on someone? This somehow feels like….”
The aide glanced over the luggage bags and the people in front of the entrance, then raised one corner of his mouth in a wicked smile.
“Nothing but burdens, doesn’t it?”
The aide’s provocation landed successfully.
The muscles in the holy knight’s jaw bulged, as if he had clenched his teeth.
“…Sir Izanar possesses a beauty beloved by God. How could he possibly be a burden?”
Then he suddenly began speaking politely.
The aide snorted.
“The world is full of beauties, and everyone’s tastes are different. Isn’t it still unknown who pleases her the ‘most’?”
Whether he did or not, the aide stubbornly maintained his condescending tone.
“If at least one person shows his face, while the other only hides behind his subordinate, he’ll miss even the chance to be pleasing.”
Perhaps the aide thought that was a weak point too, because this time he was the one who ground his teeth.
Seeing that, Julie wore an uncertain expression.
“Go stop them.”
When I muttered in exasperation, Julie let out a small laugh.
“Well, Lady Asha. Why would I stop such an entertaining spectacle…?”
“Julie!”
“Shh. I’m thinking right now.”
“Things have come to this, and you’re thinking about what?”
“I can tell for sure which side those two are supporting….”
Julie glanced at Jaka.
“So I was wondering if I should support Jaka….”
“No. Don’t. Please. Not you too, Julie.”
“Hmm….”
I gave up on Julie.
Then I turned my attention back toward the fierce war of words.
And the first thing I heard was this.
“What about wealth? Our side is one of only three dukes in the country.”
“What wealth cannot buy is honor and purity. Do you understand?”
“What are you talking about? His Grace is naturally pure as well…!”
“Stop! Please, stop! Enough already!”
I threw myself between them, flailing my arms in the air, and barely managed to stop their argument.
“What on earth are you two talking about!”
The more I spoke, the more heat slowly rose in me.
“Why are you fighting in front of someone else’s entrance over something so trivial?”
“Trivial, you say—”
“Enough, stop! Sir Batar, please go back now. And you too, if you’ve finished moving the luggage, please leave.”
It was then.
Long fingers wrapped around my wrist, which was still wavering in the air.
Out of habit, my shoulders trembled slightly.
I felt everyone’s gazes fix on Prien’s hand gripping my wrist.
Prien lightly pushed the bracelet, which had slipped halfway down, back up, then gently guided my arm down.
“You should be careful.”
The bracelet glittered under the sunlight.
“Ah, I’m sorry.”
Stepping back, I clasped the wrist Prien’s hand had left behind.
The reaction was immediate.
The aide’s expression twisted.
In front of him, as if to show off, the holy knight straightened his back.
Even I felt my temper rise at that obnoxiously smug face.
Just as the situation entered a lull,
someone abruptly stepped into view.
“I will guide you.”
It was Jaka.
He picked up the luggage bag that had been in front of Prien and led the way into the mansion.
Prien looked at me for a moment, and when our eyes met, he smiled softly.
Then he followed Jaka into the mansion.
Julie clicked her tongue as if in pity, then when our eyes met, she suddenly pretended to be occupied with something else.
I suddenly looked down at the bracelet glittering on my left wrist.
Ah, so this….
‘Prien, you bastard.’
This fox of a man!
After making me cry by apologizing, now he was shamelessly pulling a scam in front of everyone!
“Wait, this, I didn’t receive it as a gift or anything!”
The holy knight put strength into his gaze and looked at me primly.
‘And the fact that the artifact was taken out of the temple must not be known to anyone.’
‘Understood. I won’t say a word.’
Not to be outdone, I flashed my eyes at the holy knight.
‘I know, okay? I’m not going to tell anyone, okay?’
At that, the holy knight left through the mansion’s front gate with light steps.
Faintly, I heard the carriage set off.
“You really are….”
The aide looked at me for a moment, then sighed and walked away as if utterly fed up.
This is unfair.
Somehow, I feel so wronged I could go mad.
When he goes back… will he report this to the duke?
I stood still for a moment, then scratched the back of my head vigorously.
“She’s only staying for the time being because of certain circumstances….”
The cook, who had appeared belatedly, saw me left alone at the door and tilted his head.
“Didn’t you call me?”
“No, it’s all settled…. Oh, prepare one more serving for the meal later.”
“It seems you have a guest.”
“Yes, and she’ll be staying for a while.”
The cook was startled.
“Shall I prepare a nice candlestick and tablecloth to set the mood?”
“It’s not like that….”
Haaaah.
I let out a deep sigh, as if the ground might sink beneath me.
* * *
The bishop recalled what had happened at dawn today.
He had been standing before the stone statue in the central chapel, waiting for someone.
Slowly, the door opened behind him, and he heard footsteps entering from beyond the corridor.
The bishop did not turn his head.
‘They say music was heard here. You once said something similar as well.’
Prien, who came to stand beside the bishop, raised his emotionless eyes and gazed at the stone statue.
‘On the day you first came here, you said you heard a strange song. Do you remember?’
‘I remember.’
Prien was silent for a moment, then brought up the matter he had come for.
‘I wish to take the “Fragment of Marietta” outside. Please grant me permission.’
The bishop was not surprised.
He merely asked something else.
‘How do you know this woman?’
‘I like her.’
‘And the woman?’
‘She promised not to love me.’
The bishop closed his eyes and let out a long groan.
‘A strange woman in many ways.’
‘…….’
‘She may truly be your match.’
Prien did not respond.
‘If she were a woman with no issues, we would have no reason to object either.’
‘…….’
‘But the way you’re suddenly acting as if you’ve become a different person makes me uneasy.’
‘I have not changed.’
‘If that is so, then I am relieved.’
The bishop continued lightly.
‘The baron is someone the temple has already investigated once behind the scenes due to that incident four years ago. As the temple did not find concrete evidence, the response level remains at a warning for now, but….’
The bishop’s gaze deepened with a chill.
The moment a red line, not a yellow one, was drawn over that name,
that woman would become a heretic to be eradicated.
‘Bear this in mind. The temple will never stand by and watch the moment you waver.’
‘I will bear it in mind.’
The bishop, failing to get the answer he wanted, clicked his tongue inwardly.
Prien was stubbornly refusing to mention that woman directly.
He had no intention of handing over any information about her.
After a brief silence, the bishop answered readily.
‘Very well. I permit its removal. Take it with you.’
‘Thank you.’
Prien bowed his head to the bishop.