Chapter 54
Valentine raised an eyebrow.
“You just woke up. What if you collapse again while walking? If a guest of the Grand Temple faints the moment she leaves, it’ll be a disgrace to the Temple, you know?”
He pointed to the bed.
“Go lie down.”
‘Right, things were never going to go smoothly this easily.’
If she refused and tried to force her way out, it would only make her look more suspicious.
So, she obediently did as he said and lay down on the bed. The sheets and blanket had been changed while she was bathing, so the bed was clean.
Cecile had intended to find a chance to escape once he left, but Valentine didn’t leave.
Instead, he dragged a chair over and sat beside the bed. Apparently, he intended to nurse her.
“I’m Valentine Kerberios.”
He rested his chin in his hand with a drowsy, languid expression.
“And you are?”
Cecile hesitated.
With anyone else, she would’ve used a false name. But the Temple’s information network was strong. If she gave a fake name and it was exposed, she would look incredibly suspicious.
‘Besides, Valentine is a Holy Knight of the Temple. He often goes in and out of the Imperial Palace. The chances are low, but he might actually recognize me.’
In the end, Cecile decided not to lie.
“Cecilia. Just call me Cecile.”
Before he could ask more, she quickly steered the conversation away.
“But the Grand Temple… and Valentine Kerberios… don’t tell me you’re that Valentine? The one called the prophesied Savior…?”
“Well… yeah, I guess.”
Valentine answered indifferently, leaning back in his chair. He didn’t look boastful or conceited—if anything, he seemed bored.
“That’s amazing! So it was true you were my age. I can’t believe I was saved by the Holy Knight of prophecy! I’m so happy.”
Since he was a boy, Valentine had always been a subject of awe and admiration. Cecile clasped her hands together, feigning excitement and admiration.
‘This should be enough to make me look like a young girl who idolizes the prophesied knight.’
Valentine didn’t respond. Cecile pressed on.
“But if you’re the Savior who’s supposed to save the world, shouldn’t you be incredibly busy? Is it really okay for you to be here?”
“To save the world… you have to start by saving young girls… that’s what the High Priest said.”
He grumbled with a disgruntled look.
“It’s not like I want to be here. You think I enjoy this? Thanks to a certain someone who collapsed all day long, covered in mud, I’ve got even more work to do now.”
He leaned his cheek against his hand with a crooked posture.
“Everything’s annoying. Training, missions, and even nursing some random girl… This is something any other priest could handle.”
From the bed, Cecile studied him.
‘So even twenty years later, or before… he’s still the same.’
In her previous life, he had been one of her greatest enemies.
If Duke Bartholomew had pursued her to steal Nibelung, Valentine had pursued her to eradicate evil as the Apostle of Prophecy.
Though his life had been nothing but harsh training and endless missions, he had never once neglected his duties.
Cecile had nearly lost her life to him countless times.
‘He always complained about how annoying things were, but he never failed to fulfill the duty placed on his shoulders since birth. He was a truly dangerous enemy.’
There had been nothing more terrifying than being hunted by Valentine.
His silver hair gleaming under the moonlight, his blade moving at the speed of light, and his chilling crimson eyes—all of it was a nightmare to her.
After she was nearly killed by him for the first time, she dreamed of him whenever she was at her weakest.
And he hadn’t been alone—he had capable subordinates like Isaac.
Facing Valentine alone had been bad enough. But when chased by his entire unit, Cecile had been forced to run desperately, sleepless and terrified.
As Cecile was lost in those memories, Valentine suddenly asked:
“You ran away from home, didn’t you?”
It was a direct hit. Cecile forced her expression under control and asked back:
“What makes you say that?”
“You should’ve seen yourself. A little kid like you traveling all alone to a distant friend’s house? With luggage, collapsing from exhaustion? Yeah right.”
‘This is why I hate sharp-witted kids.’
Cecile sighed inwardly. Still, this was within what she had expected.
“Fine. I was running away from home, on my way to a friend’s place.”
“Why did you run away?”
“…”
She didn’t answer immediately.
‘I’ve got a dark artifact hidden in my body, and the master of the house I was staying in is about to discover it. I thought he might kill me to steal it.’
Obviously, she couldn’t say that.
Thinking of why she had left the duke’s house, the gloom she had briefly shaken off while bickering with Valentine returned.
The thought that she would never see the duke’s household again tore at her heart. She hated Duke Bartholomew for betraying her twice.
Tears welled up in Cecile’s large eyes.
‘Ugh, the last thing I want is to cry in front of a brat like this.’
She hurriedly wiped at her eyes with her sleeve, but it was no use. Once the tears started flowing, they wouldn’t stop. They streamed down her cheeks in big drops.
Valentine looked utterly flustered.
After all, he’d been trained his whole life for battles and swordsmanship, not comforting crying girls.
Looking awkward and lost, he stammered:
“Stop crying.”
But Cecile didn’t. She buried her face in her knees, arms trembling as they hugged her legs.
Looking desperate, Valentine raked his hand through his bangs and glanced around the room as if seeking help. Of course, there was no one else there.
Finally, he seemed to make up his mind. He reached out—
And patted her head.
It was clumsy and awkward, but it was the only way he could think of to comfort her.
“It’s okay.”
He whispered.
“Don’t cry.”
The room fell quiet except for Cecile’s muffled sobs.
Valentine stroked her head again and again.
At first, his touch was stiff, like a wooden puppet’s. But the more he repeated it, the more natural it became.
And eventually, his effort bore fruit. Cecile’s sobbing slowed.
When she finally lifted her head, her face was wet, and her eyes were red like a rabbit’s.
“Why did you run away?”
This time, Valentine’s voice was much gentler than before.
A silence passed. Cecile hesitated, unsure if she should tell him.
Rationally, it would’ve been best to say nothing. In her previous life, she certainly wouldn’t have told him a thing.
But her body was too small to hold all of her emotions inside. Since returning to the past, she often failed to control her feelings and acted like a child.
This was one of those times.
“I… was betrayed.”
Fresh tears welled in her eyes. She rubbed them away with her sleeve.
“There was someone who promised to be my family… but he betrayed me.”
Valentine gazed at her with his piercing crimson eyes, completely different from the disinterested attitude he’d shown earlier.
“So that’s why you left his house? To stay with a friend?”
Cecile nodded.
‘It’s not true—I was planning to go abroad and live alone… but close enough.’
Clutching the blanket tightly, she whispered:
“I’m so angry. I can’t forgive him. I can’t trust anyone anymore. I hate him so much…”
Her murmurs sounded more like a confession.
“And I hate myself too. I shouldn’t have fallen for those lies. I was so stupid… to be tricked not once, but twice!”
“Twice?”
Valentine frowned.
“You mean the same person betrayed you twice? How?”
“That’s… a long story.”
Cecile turned her gaze away.
Valentine rested his elbow on his knee, looking deeply troubled.
“Being betrayed twice means you trusted him twice.”
His crimson eyes bored into her, sharp as if piercing her very soul.
“If you trusted him again even after being betrayed once… then you must have really, really cared about him.”
