Chapter 17
Jade listened to my words intently, then slowly lowered his gaze, his face appearing deep in thought.
After that, no further conversation passed between us.
I tried my best to suppress my impatience and studied Jade’s expression. My heart was anxious, but I felt a twinge of guilt, so I hesitated to urge him on recklessly.
“Jade… I’m really sorry, but I need to take the holy water quickly.”
I couldn’t just keep standing there, so I swallowed my pride and spoke.
Jade, who had been staring blankly into space, finally turned his gaze back to me.
“Ah, right.”
He nodded with slightly vacant eyes, much like Rixion Luhanes had earlier.
“Could you wait here for a moment?”
Then he stepped out of the greenhouse through the door that Rixion Luhanes had exited earlier.
I watched him go with a touch of unease. Surely Rixion Luhanes wasn’t still nearby, but I worried they might run into each other and fight.
No, by now he’s probably gone somewhere else. There’s no way he’d still be hanging around.
I shook my head. Ever since getting entangled with Rixion Luhanes, I seemed to worry about all sorts of unnecessary things. The morning had been so eventful that fatigue suddenly crashed over me. I rubbed my stiff shoulders and moved my neck around.
At least acquiring the holy water was taken care of, so this matter seemed like it would end well.
Alright, then…
Now I had to worry about what came next: having unnecessarily interfered with the main episode of the original story, taking away the role of the original female lead, Ji Eunha, and what sort of punishment might fall upon me because of it.
“Artifacts these days are pretty useful.”
Jade spoke as he stepped out of the greenhouse toward the Second Temple.
A voice rang nearby as if it had been waiting, and Jade’s gaze shifted. A man leaned against a pillar of pure white, watching him with a smile.
“If someone didn’t know better, they’d really think that’s your natural hair color.”
Rixion Luhanes. It was him.
The moment their eyes met, his blue eyes cooled, and the smile on his face disappeared completely, as if there were no need to keep up the act.
So that’s his true face.
Jade sneered.
“Well, that’s good. I wanted to talk to you for a moment anyway.”
Contrasting Rixion Luhanes’ now-serious expression, a smile spread across Jade’s face. With each step closer to Rixion Luhanes, the smile grew more pronounced.
“In a place without Liz.”
He spoke the nickname harshly, as if to make him aware of the time they had spent apart. The voice grated on Rixion, who sank into a dark, cold stare.
“Very well, Jade… no.”
Rixion moved slowly, like a well-fed predator, standing before Jade. Concealing the surge of emotion in his eyes, he spoke his true name.
“Pope Abelios.”
Why is he taking so long?
I spun in place at the greenhouse entrance, unable to take my eyes off it. Jade had gone out to get the holy water over ten minutes ago and still hadn’t returned. My anxiety and unease deepened with each passing moment.
Should I have followed him? Did he perhaps run into Rixion Luhanes along the way? If they had fought, it wouldn’t be this quiet. There’d be a total mess.
Wait. What if Rixion Luhanes quietly… disposed of Jade without anyone noticing?
No, I had to go check…!
“Have you been waiting long?”
I had taken a step toward the entrance, unable to wait any longer, when the only greenhouse door suddenly opened. Reverend Renan peeked his face through.
“This is the holy water you requested.”
He hurried over and politely handed me two containers of holy water.
I quickly took them and asked, “What about Jade?”
“Oh, um… Mr. Jade is a bit busy, so I’m delivering it for him.”
He had gone busy, leaving the task to this priest. I felt a little awkward; I had expected Jade himself to bring the holy water. I also felt a little sad that I didn’t even get to say goodbye, not knowing when I’d see him again.
Is he angry that I brought someone else without saying anything?
Plus, that person had picked a fight out of nowhere, so it made sense if Jade was upset. I wanted to apologize again, but he was busy. It wasn’t a time for casual chatting either.
I gripped the holy water tightly with both hands, looking down at it. The containers seemed somehow more luxurious and expensive than I expected.
Could this be the so-called top-grade holy water? It looks incredibly valuable.
I wondered if it was okay for Jade to give me something so expensive without permission, but now wasn’t the time to worry about that. Carefully clutching the holy water so I wouldn’t drop it, I thanked him.
“Thank you. Please also tell Jade I’m grateful.”
“Oh, not at all. I just delivered it. I’ll be sure to let him know.”
Reverend Renan waved awkwardly and stepped aside.
“If you’re heading back immediately, I’ll guide you.”
I had no reason to refuse, so I followed him as I had when I first arrived, glancing around in case Jade had returned.
Then I noticed something: on the way here, I hadn’t seen any other priests. Surely there should be other priests around, but apart from the paladins and trainee priests I met at the entrance, no one else was in sight.
Come to think of it, it always feels like this when I come here…
Are there few priests at the monastery temple? Maybe they don’t assign many here since the empire and this temple aren’t on good terms.
“This is far enough.”
I hadn’t caught a single strand of Jade’s hair, arriving near the entrance. Seeing the paladins still guarding like walls, I dashed past Reverend Renan. Surprised, he quickly stepped aside.
“B-be careful!”
“Bye! Take care!”
I waved to him with the holy water in hand and dashed out of the temple.
“Miss!”
Sir Rachel, waiting outside, was the first to recognize me and approached. I glanced at the Luhanes carriage and the guards surrounding it behind him, then tilted my head.
Where’s Rixion Luhanes?
“The duke?”
I couldn’t see him anywhere and asked if he might be in the carriage. Sir Rachel looked puzzled.
“His Grace hasn’t come out yet.”
Huh? He hasn’t come out yet? I looked around the temple, bewildered. Rixion Luhanes had left the greenhouse long before me. How could he still be inside? Maybe he got lost… or worse, is he picking a fight with Jade again?
Sir Rachel continued, “Also, the children in the carriage don’t seem well. They seem to have high fevers, and there’s nothing we can do…”
Ah, right. This isn’t the time to worry about that. I hurriedly remembered the purpose of coming here and started moving. I replaced the makeshift mask from before with a blanket, wrapping it around my nose and mouth.
“Miss?”
Sir Rachel, perhaps thinking I was about to do something reckless again, called me with a trembling voice. I gave her a questioning glance.
“You’re not going back to them, are you?”
“I am.”
Her expression hardened.
“No. Earlier I couldn’t stop you because I was caught off guard, but this time I won’t allow it.”
“Don’t worry about my brother scolding me. I’ll handle it myself.”
“No, it’s not that. It’s my duty to keep you safe.”
An unexpected obstacle appeared. Sir Rachel seemed shocked that I’d risked running toward infected children before. Perhaps her pride was hurt, or maybe she was genuinely concerned for my safety. I felt slightly guilty. She had been personally hired by Michael, my brother, and I had disrupted her sense of duty with my recklessness.
But then…
“Gah! Sir Rachel, what’s that?”
I pointed behind her with wide eyes.
