Jeron gasped and opened his eyes wide as he drew in a sharp breath.
Thinking it had been a dream, he looked around, but only after seeing Edith sleeping beside him did he realize it hadn’t been a dream.
“Haa…”
Letting out a sigh of relief, Jeron stared at Edith’s face for a long time.
Her appearance was completely different from Aisha’s.
Her much gentler features suited Edith’s actual personality far better.
Thinking about it, he had been so overwhelmed just by the fact that Edith had returned alive yesterday that he hadn’t been able to ask what had happened.
She wasn’t hurt anywhere, was she?
Then Jeron flinched at the sight of Edith lying completely still in sleep.
Without realizing it, he reached out and lightly touched her face.
She didn’t disappear.
The tension in his shoulders, which had been braced in case this was a dream within a dream, finally loosened.
“Not sleeping?”
At that moment, a low voice sounded from behind him.
“Eek.”
Startled, Jeron turned around, and there was Luzbel, staring directly at him.
“Lie back down.”
“…Why are you there…?”
“Why else? Yesterday you threw a tantrum saying you didn’t want to leave Edith’s side.”
“No…”
“I was worried about you too…”
“Huh?”
“Why are you so surprised?”
Normally, Luzbel would have been lying beside Edith, not beside him.
But now, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, he was beside him.
He had gradually begun to change after meeting Edith, but to think he would lie beside him.
“Edith is not hurt anywhere.”
“…I did not ask…?”
“You looked worried.”
“Hmph.”
Jeron snorted, then carefully lay back down.
Luzbel, smiling faintly, carefully pulled the blanket over him and gently patted him on top of it.
Just like Edith had done yesterday, as if telling him to sleep well.
Jeron found Luzbel unfamiliar like this, but he no longer pushed him away.
“If you change again like before, I really will not let it slide next time.”
That didn’t mean he would stay silent.
He had issued it as a final warning.
“Hm?”
Luzbel asked reflexively, startled.
If one listened carefully, it meant he was giving him one more chance.
Regardless, Jeron shut his eyes tightly and pretended to be asleep.
“…Thank you.”
“…”
And he thought, perhaps his son might have a greater heart than his own.
He was a father who had done nothing but disgraceful things, yet he forgave him every time.
This time, Luzbel vowed that he would truly not disappoint Jeron.
***
Edith and Luzbel appeared in the Valencia estate.
Because Edith had quickly sent word to House Capanteni, the Capital was thrown into chaos once again.
The Saint and Duke Valencia, who had been believed dead, had returned alive.
What had happened to them during that missing period?
Countless questions followed.
Above all, there was great curiosity about how they had ended up in the duchy when the accident had occurred in Meirin Village.
Upon hearing the news, House Capanteni immediately headed for the duchy without hesitation.
In the meantime, the rain in the Valencia territory stopped.
It was Edith’s power as the Saint.
Having witnessed her power firsthand, the duchy was almost in a celebratory atmosphere.
Although she had been declared the Saint, not everyone believed it.
Especially those who envied House Capanteni deliberately spread false rumors.
Now they were even saying that House Capanteni had gone so far as to fabricate a Saint.
However, since she had so plainly stopped the rain, they couldn’t speak freely even if they wanted to.
Well, House Capanteni didn’t care what they said anyway.
“It feels like it has been a very long time since we have seen sunlight in our territory.”
Mika murmured in wonder.
“Come to think of it, when Lady Edith first visited, the rain stopped too! It must have been because she was the Saint!”
“…Haha.”
Back then, she had already known she was the Saint but had been hiding it, so she could only laugh awkwardly.
“Let’s go outside too.”
Jeron said.
Most of the servants had already gone outside, welcoming the sunlight and enjoying it.
“Shall we?”
Mika brightened, as if she had wanted to go out as well.
“Yes!”
So when they went outside, Jeron, who followed Edith wherever she went, naturally stayed right beside her.
“This is fascinating.”
Jeron murmured.
“Fascinating?”
“Yes. How do you control the rain?”
“…Hm… how do I control it? It just happens.”
At first, Edith had worried because although she had awakened as the Saint, no one had told her what she was supposed to do.
The High Priest and everyone else had simply said she would be able to do it if she tried.
But when she actually tried, it simply worked. Just by existing, she could stop the rain, and without effort, she could make it fall or stop.
While they were enjoying the sunlight and talking for a while, a guard suddenly ran up in a hurry and spoke.
“Your Grace! Someone from the Temple has arrived!”
“From the Temple?”
“Yes. It seems they urgently sent someone from the temple in the duchy.”
“Bring them inside.”
“Yes.”
The guard delivering the message wore a bright expression.
***
“Greetings, Saint. I am your humble servant, the High Priest of the Valencia branch.”
He was someone she had seen before, back when she was Aisha.
But to him, Edith would be meeting him for the first time.
Even when she had been the Duchess, she had never received such a deeply respectful greeting.
“Welcome.”
“Yes.”
The High Priest had a deeply moved expression as he lay flat on the ground at Edith’s feet.
“Please sit comfortably.”
“…Yes, then.”
The High Priest rose and took a seat.
“So, you must be wondering what happened during that time.”
“Yes. That is correct. The temple is taking this matter very seriously.”
That was understandable.
The Saint they had found with such difficulty had nearly died immediately after being publicly revealed.
Moreover, the more they investigated, the more unsettling things seemed.
“Given the gravity of the situation, those above are very concerned.”
Edith hesitated briefly, wondering what to do.
“Is there anything you suspect?”
“…”
“You must tell us everything honestly so that we may assist you.”
The High Priest pleaded earnestly.
But this was something that fewer people should know.
“What about the High Priest who was previously assigned to me?”
“He is on his way.”
“…You are the High Priest of the Valencia branch. You must have many other duties ahead of you.”
“Pardon?”
“…Above all, the one who will assist me directly will be the High Priest previously assigned to me.”
“Ah. I understand what you mean. Then I will assume that everything will be told to that High Priest instead.”
“Yes.”
Once she gave her clear answer, he withdrew obediently without pressing further.
After he left, Luzbel asked,
“Are you going to tell him? Everything?”
“The Temple should have at least one person who knows. It will make it easier to receive help.”
That didn’t mean she intended to tell the entire Temple.
Nor did she want to.
“Above all, this is something we cannot handle on our own. You saw the mountain of corpses.”
And according to the most recent article, the two black-robed figures had committed suicide in the Imperial underground prison.
No matter how severe the torture, they had refused to speak, and in the end, they had even taken their own lives.
It also meant their loyalty to their organization was extremely strong.
Luzbel had believed that the sorcerers were targeting Edith’s life.
Because of what was connected to Aisha.
But seeing that mountain at the time, there was surely something far greater behind them.
So no matter how powerful the two Dukes were, it was too risky to conceal everything and investigate on their own.
Receiving help was more efficient.
***
Some time later.
Members of House Capanteni, envoys from the Temple, and even Imperial officials arrived in the Valencia estate one after another.
“Edith!”
Her family, seeing Edith standing there unharmed, was overcome with emotion and relief.
“Are you hurt anywhere? Are you unwell?”
“I am fine.”
“Hah… Do you know how worried I was…!”
“I am sorry for making you worry. But there was something I needed to find out…”
“No. It is enough that you are safe like this.”
“More importantly, Brother Ellos.”
“Hm?”
Ellos had been greatly commended by the Emperor for his contributions in this matter.
Since he was already the Knight Commander, the highest rank among Imperial Knights, there was no higher position to grant him, so he had simply received a reward.
Ellos’s eyes lit up, wondering if Edith was about to praise him for that.
Naturally, Duke Capanteni cast him a jealous glance, but it lasted only a moment.
Because what Edith said, smiling playfully, was not praise.
“I never imagined you trusted Luzbel that much, Brother.”
“…”
“Even with Jeron, you were so…”
Duke Capanteni looked confused.
“Ahem! What are you talking about!”
It seemed Ellos hadn’t told Duke Capanteni what he had said to Jeron while handling the situation.
“Why? Luzbel was very happy.”
“…Edith.”
Embarrassed and unsure what to do, Ellos was flustered, and Edith burst into laughter.
Soon, Duke Capanteni began pressing Ellos, asking what had happened.
The heavy atmosphere dissolved in an instant.
