Chapter 98
When asked if they were close friends, Charlotte had nodded immediately, and when Esch asked her to call him by his name, she moved her lips without much hesitation.
Esch’s gaze briefly landed on Charlotte’s pale pink lips, then quickly drifted away. It wasn’t a lingering or obsessive look, but there was certainly a sense of waiting in his eyes. However, Charlotte didn’t call out his name; she responded with something else.
“Then, will you also call me by my name, Duke?”
“!”
A ripple appeared in his calm silver eyes. Esch, momentarily silent at the unexpected reply, soon smiled. A clear trace of joy appeared at the corner of his lips.
“Let’s do that, then.”
Charlotte’s smile brightened like a clear blue sky at midday, even though it was nighttime. Feeling the intimacy she shared with Esch deepening as they could once again call each other by their names, she spoke his name with a clear, gentle voice, without a trace of shyness or embarrassment.
“Esch.”
His silver eyes fluttered once more. He desperately tried to suppress the heat rising to his face, blinking rapidly to control the accelerated rhythm of his heart. Perhaps for this reason, unlike Charlotte, who had called out his name so naturally and brightly, Esch struggled to say her name.
But when he looked at Charlotte’s expectant face—hoping he would call her by her name as well—it seemed impossible to ignore. Seeing the blush lingering across her cheeks, Esch finally opened his lips. Leaning slightly closer, he whispered softly:
“Have we become closer, Charlotte?”
Charlotte’s face lit up. She had worn that expression even in her childhood—the bright smile she gave when she called out to play, standing at the door. That same smile came to her now. Her next words carried a slightly playful tone.
“I thought we had grown quite close while coming and going in the North.”
“!”
“Or was that not the case?”
Esch felt a tingling at his tongue, lips, and heart as he reached out to smooth her disheveled hair. Despite the sudden touch, Charlotte didn’t shy away. Warmth radiated from his fingertips.
“That’s true. But we could become even closer, couldn’t we?”
Immediately after reuniting with Charlotte, Teodor spent the entire night selecting words for a letter and, from early morning, visited the High Priest’s chamber.
He hadn’t slept for even two hours, but he didn’t feel tired. On the battlefield, he had gone a week without food and stayed up all night, so this was nothing. In fact, his mind was clearer than ever, and he felt exhilarated, confident that his condition was excellent.
The letters he had written, consuming nearly a hundred sheets of paper in place of sleep, had neat, precise handwriting, a sharp contrast to the letters he had exchanged before.
The sentences themselves weren’t overly sentimental; they were simply words befitting close friends. It would have been nicer if these were love letters, but he restrained himself.
Charlotte was cautious, careful, and sometimes fearful in her relationships with others. Not even close friends were an exception.
Thus, when he wrote about going together to choose banquet attire, he first asked for her consent and scheduled according to her convenience, leaving the final decision in her hands. It was fine if she refused; he would never force her if she didn’t want it.
Teodor began estimating when Charlotte might reply. He sent his letter first thing in the morning, and since Charlotte typically wrote quickly, he guessed he would hear back within three days. While musing on this, he sipped on Lagancia tea, which helped ease his fatigue.
While lost in thought, the High Priest, who had briefly left, returned.
“Apologies. Something urgent came up this morning.”
“That’s fine. But may I ask why you summoned me? Weren’t others supposed to come?”
“No one else will. How is the tea? I prepared it especially for you, hoping to have a cup together.”
“It’s delicious. Thank you for preparing it.”
For the High Priest to summon someone personally often meant the matter was important and confidential. Moreover, since it was the day after the joint council and in the High Priest’s chamber, Teodor had assumed that Klagen and several priests would also be present.
He had come early and waited, and even after finishing three cups of Lagancia tea, no one else appeared. When the High Priest returned from handling urgent matters, still no one was with him.
Only then did Teodor realize that he was the only one summoned. Curiosity stirred: what important matter required this private meeting?
“I thought it best to inform you first, as Commander of the Paladin Order, even though it will soon be publicly announced.”
“What is it?”
“It’s the decision from yesterday’s joint council. Sonette will be returning.”
If Sonette meant the previous Saintess, Teodor’s eyes widened in surprise.
“The previous Saintess is coming back?”
“Yes. The Emperor agreed, and the Empress sent her approval this morning. You must have vaguely heard about the monster attack in Nostri. Sonette was the one who predicted those attacks.”
“I received reports on the Nostri monster attacks, but what do you mean by saying Sonette predicted them?”
“It means Sonette is an Emergent—a seer. She manifested prophetic abilities and will now serve under the Paladin Order.”
A continuous stream of surprises. The returning former Saintess was a born seer. Only then did Teodor understand why the High Priest had summoned him.
“By using Sonette’s prophetic powers, we can anticipate attacks from the Dark Magician and monsters. This will reduce the number of searches and dispatches, preventing wasted manpower and time.”
Teodor nodded. If they could predict the appearance of dark magicians and monsters, as the High Priest said, they could conduct much more efficient extermination operations.
Until now, they had to search periodically, even without signs of attack. Any accident or ambush could have disastrous consequences, which had been a major strain on manpower. With Sonette’s abilities, this could be fully addressed.
As the one commanding the entire Paladin unit, Teodor understood these problems better than anyone. He had wanted to solve them but could think of no immediate solution, which had troubled him. From the moment he assumed the command, it had remained an unresolved issue—but now a solution had emerged, bringing him relief and joy.
Seeing the excitement on Teodor’s face, the High Priest smiled.
“It won’t be a full council, but I plan to gather a small group for another meeting. And at that time…”
The High Priest’s gaze shifted to Teodor’s arm.
“We will discuss the humanoid monsters you discovered and the mark left by Leopold on your body.”
“!”
“This is not something to pass over lightly. Sonette will also be present, and you must attend as well.”
Teodor nodded.
“Understood. When do you expect this to happen?”
“When Sonette was exiled, her purification wasn’t fully completed. She spent several years in the North in that state, weakening her body. So, the plan is to issue her mission after she completes purification—likely after your investiture ceremony.”
“I see. Understood.”
Teodor brushed over the area the High Priest had indicated. Although fully healed, recalling the moment when the mark was etched by the Dark Magician still made his skin feel as though it were burning. Remembering Leopold’s cries sent chills down his spine.
Though unpleasant, he shook off the memory. The High Priest’s news was far too good to let bad memories dominate his thoughts. He offered his well-wishes to Sonette, whom he had not yet met but already felt a positive impression of.
“It’s fortunate that Sonette is returning. I hope she recovers quickly and that her name becomes known throughout the empire once more.”
“Yes, I hope so too. I will pass along your message to her.”
The High Priest quietly lifted his teacup, then put it down as if recalling something.
“Ah, speaking of your investiture, have you found a partner to attend with you?”
“!”
“Judging by your face, it seems you have succeeded.”
The word “partner” instantly brought Charlotte to Teodor’s mind.
He recalled vividly how Charlotte had willingly grasped his hand when he asked her to be his partner. At that moment, seeing his reflection in her deep blue eyes, his heart swelled with a thrill that made it feel like it might burst.
He had held hands reflexively before realizing it, letting go as naturally as possible, but his hands were flushed red, and he struggled to cool them.
Teodor hesitated briefly. If he spoke now, the heat rising inside him would be unstoppable. Taking slow, deep breaths to act casual, the High Priest suddenly smiled and dropped a bombshell.
“Your partner is Charlotte, isn’t it? I’m really looking forward to it. I must attend that day too.”
His heart thumped again—but this time it was different. Earlier, it had raced for Charlotte; now, it raced from the secret he had hidden being discovered.
“…How did you know?”
He was genuinely curious. How could the High Priest have known? But the High Priest simply replied with a knowing smile:
“How did I know? I just inferred it since you like Charlotte.”
“Eh?”
