Chapter 16
The tension that had been stretched tight enough to snap at any moment suddenly deflated when Heraith interrupted.
I elbowed Heraith in the stomach.
“…Quit saying embarrassing things and back off a little.”
“Sisi, I care about you so much. You’re being too cold.”
Despite his words, Heraith obediently let go of me.
Ethan, who had been frozen, finally spoke.
“…Who’s this?”
“My teacher.”
“Teacher?”
I clenched my teeth and answered, annoyed by the look in Ethan’s eyes that seemed to question whether I could possibly have such a thing.
“My magic teacher.”
“Magic…? That’s… No, never mind.”
He looked like he had plenty to say but chose not to voice it. That was a wise decision. Heraith isn’t exactly the forgiving type.
“Then what about that?”
Ethan, eyes narrowed and still not moving from his spot beside me, pointed at Ban.
“There’s something strange about the aura that doll is giving off.”
“That’s rude. That’s my beloved doll, you know?”
“…Is something wrong with your head?”
Well, it is a little odd for a twenty-year-old woman to be clinging to a doll like a child.
“That doll can’t be brought in.”
“Why? Who are you to say?”
“I’m speaking as a priest. A doll with unknown origins can’t be permitted inside.”
“Then you’ll have to take that kid’s doll too.”
I pointed to a child walking past us with a doll in her arms. The mother gasped and pulled her child protectively into her arms.
What, does she think I’m going to eat her or something?
I wanted to protest how people were looking at me, but I couldn’t deny I had a bit of a reputation.
“Don’t take your anger out on an innocent child.”
“I’m not! Haah… I’m simply objecting to your irrational judgment.”
“You…”
Ethan frowned like he’d just heard something outrageous.
“I didn’t think you even knew what the word object meant.”
Unbelievable. Is that what made him scrunch his face like that?
“That doll’s fine. It’s just an ordinary one.”
But then, he narrowed his eyes and glared at Ban.
“Your doll, though… the aura is off. And it looks suspicious.”
He was pointing at Ban’s black wings.
“Picking on its aura and appearance? That’s just nonsense.”
I tried to stay calm, but cold sweat ran down my back.
As much as I disliked Ethan Dyke, his skills were undeniably sharp.
He definitely sensed something from Ban.
Honestly, even I thought it was crazy to bring a demon to meet the High Priest.
“Hmph! Fine. I’ll just leave it behind.”
I exaggerated my displeasure and shoved Ban into Heraith’s arms.
“Heren, stay here with Ban.”
“Is there any need for that? Just throw away the fluff.”
Heraith picked up Ban’s tail with two fingers as if he didn’t even want to touch it.
Ban’s wings twitched in protest.
You idiot, what if you get found out!
I shot a nervous glance at Ethan, but luckily, his attention had shifted to Heraith.
“Sorry, but this is as far as you go. You can’t come in.”
“And why’s that?”
“We can’t allow entry to someone whose identity can’t be verified.”
Ethan wasn’t wrong. Not just anyone could meet the High Priest.
The problem was Ethan’s excessively hostile attitude.
Tension spiked again. The atmosphere felt like it might explode at any second.
If Heraith ended up killing Ethan, even the thought was horrifying.
“Should I just get rid of this nuisance?”
Ack! No, no, no! I quickly grabbed Heraith’s hand and stepped in front of him.
“You’d better not be rude to my people, Ethan Dyke.”
Ethan’s face twisted into an odd expression, as if he were seeing a stranger.
What’s with that reaction? I didn’t say anything weird.
As I glared back, determined not to be intimidated, a low chuckle behind me made me flinch.
“Sisi, are you protecting me?”
“What?”
“I didn’t know my lady was this cool. I feel so reassured.”
That’s not what this is. If I had to say who I was protecting… it wasn’t Ethan or Heraith. It was me.
I just don’t want this turning into more of a scene.
I didn’t want any more public attention. I muttered internally but didn’t bother correcting Heren’s assumption.
He looks happy, so I’ll let it slide.
It’s better if he listens.
“Heren. Stay here and wait.”
“If that’s what my lady wishes.”
As expected, the now-docile Heraith stepped back. I didn’t waste a second and nudged Ethan.
“Hey, move it. Let’s see Lord Ronen and get this over with.”
It was always this guy’s job to escort me. Like it or not, I had to move with Ethan.
Of all people, why does this guy have to be the next High Priest candidate? How annoying.
Ethan was as prickly as I was, but at least his skills were the real deal.
He was a commoner with no backing who rose to the position of High Priest candidate based on skill alone.
The blue brooch on his priest robe was proof of that.
And the moment he became a candidate, he was assigned to me. It’s already been five years.
We saw each other once a month, and instead of growing closer, our animosity only deepened.
It was like that from the first moment we met.
We’re completely incompatible.
I silently followed his back as he walked ahead with no regard for me.
A complete contrast to just a few minutes ago, when we were snapping at each other.
Neither of us likes the other, so there’s no reason to play nice.
I shut my mouth, for once not starting a fight, and a strange silence settled between us.
Only the sound of our footsteps echoed through the quiet hallway. Then Ethan suddenly stopped.
“Siena. Did you eat something weird? Or are you protesting?”
“What?”
“This is weird. By now, you’d normally have started a fight.”
Ridiculous. The guy who usually ignored me whenever I spoke was the one initiating conversation?
“Whatever scheme you’re up to, if it involves hurting Daphne again, forget it.”
“Hey.”
At my call, Ethan turned around. His eyes were full of dissatisfaction.
I should be the one annoyed here, not you.
“All you ever say is Daphne this, Daphne that. I’m sick of it. I’m done with her, so don’t bother me about it anymore. Haven’t you noticed how quiet I’ve been?”
“You say that, but I bet you’ll hurt her again. It’s what you’re best at.”
“I won’t.”
“How am I supposed to believe that?”
His eyes were filled with suspicion. He clearly wasn’t going to believe a word I said.
It was all my karma, sure, but it still pissed me off. Are you really making me say this out loud?
“I’ve got four months left.”
“…What?”
I walked past him as his delayed response reached me.
“I could drop dead any moment. I don’t have the luxury to care about Daphne.”
As I passed the frozen Ethan, I added:
“So quit picking fights. I’m going to live out the rest of my life quietly.”
✦ ✦ ✦
I entered the prayer room and placed a hand over my heart toward the back I immediately saw.
“I greet the representative of the Divine.”
With no elaborate preamble, just a short greeting, the High Priest turned quickly.
Long white hair down to his waist, wrinkles showing the passage of time, and eyes that seemed to see through everything.
He exuded both kindness and an overwhelming presence. I lowered my head slightly.
The High Priest’s eyes widened as he recognized me, and he quickly came down from the dais.
“My puppy! You’re here!”
He spread his arms wide and hugged me.
“Have you been well, Grandpa?”
“This old man thinks of you day and night. I just want you to get better. That’s all I wish for.”
The High Priest gently held my shoulders and looked me over from head to toe.
“How’s your body?”
“Good today.”
“I hope you recover quickly. My poor puppy, you’ve suffered so much.”
His hand caressed my cheek with such care. He treated me—someone the world pointed fingers at as a wicked woman—like a baby.
“I’m too old to be called a puppy now.”
“Nonsense, you’re still small—just like when you were five.”
I remembered the day we first met.
