Chapter 35……………………………..
Just when I thought Lancelot had finally changed his mind, the problem turned out to be Sertina.
“Why…?”
I reread the letter several times, but no matter how I looked at it, the issue wasn’t Lancelot—it was me.
“I knew it… her expression wasn’t good that day.”
It hadn’t been my imagination.
Sertina disliked me.
We’d only met once. Why did she hate me?
Pushing my troubled thoughts aside, I climbed into the carriage bound for the Imperial Palace—and froze.
“Sonia.”
Cassius was seated inside.
“Your Holiness? What brings you to our estate?”
“I made time briefly because of the pheromones. It seemed best to take care of it before arriving at the palace.”
Prince Shane was at the palace.
Schwarz appeared there from time to time as well.
So he’d come early to prepare.
“Please.”
As if intending to do two days’ worth at once, Cassius pressed his lips firmly to my neck and released his alpha pheromones.
No matter how many times it happened, my heart still raced whenever his lips touched my skin.
After receiving his pheromones, we headed to the palace together.
The day’s schedule began with a group prayer in the morning, followed by an outdoor party in the palace rose garden.
This time, I wore priestly robes rather than a dress.
Some priests actively “marketed” themselves to the gathered nobles.
“If you’re worried about business, please seek out me, Hans!”
“You can’t sleep well? My prayers will help you rest peacefully!”
That sort of thing.
Some priests were desperate to earn promotion points; others simply chatted normally.
I stayed in a corner, sighing repeatedly.
“Sonia, did something happen at the estate?”
Cassius approached after finishing his conversations with the nobles.
“No. Thanks to Your Holiness’s consideration, I had a wonderful time with my family.”
“I’m glad.”
“That aside… are you truly all right? You revealed yourself as an alpha, and then there was the pheromone clash with Duke Lyndmere…”
Alpha disputes over pheromones weren’t unheard of, but for something like that to happen at a public event…
“It wasn’t widely known, but my being an alpha was never exactly a secret. I’ve even sought an omega betrothed in the past.”
If he were an ordinary alpha, it wouldn’t be a problem.
The real danger was with ability-wielding alphas—those who could lose control without an omega and die at any moment.
Since it came to mind, I asked,
“Your Holiness’s rose… shouldn’t I examine it again?”
I used “rose” instead of “curse mark” in case someone overheard.
“It’s fine. We’ve made frequent contact to share my alpha pheromones, and lately I’ve been suppressing my power.”
What exactly was his ability?
I was curious, but it felt rude to ask.
Cassius spoke again.
“You still seem troubled.”
He followed my gaze.
Standing some distance away was Schwarz, his long black hair unmistakable even from afar.
Alone, he sipped red wine.
It was surely wine—but it looked as though he were drinking blood.
Still, perhaps because he had saved Lancelot, I found the courage to look at him properly.
When examined calmly, he was undeniably handsome, with bold, striking features.
“Is Duke Lyndmere bothering you?”
He, too, was an alpha.
That was the implication.
Schwarz still frightened me.
At the same time, I was grateful to him for saving Lancelot.
“If he troubles you, I can have him escorted out.”
“No. It’s not because of the Duke.”
If I was bothered, it was because I thought I should at least thank him once.
As if sensing my gaze, Schwarz turned—and our eyes met.
Then he started walking toward me.
Wait. Why is he coming over?
I’d planned to thank him someday, but not right now!
“Duke Lyndmere, what business do you have here?”
Cassius’s tone was gentle.
Schwarz ignored him entirely, looking down at me as he spoke.
“I have business with Sonia.”
“Have you forgotten what happened in the ballroom?”
Cassius smiled calmly.
“Last time, I applied for a counseling prayer but couldn’t proceed. This time, I’d like to receive it properly.”
“Don’t make excuses. If you’ve forgotten, I can remind you.”
“Why block me? Is it wrong to meet a priest?”
Cassius’s gaze turned cold.
His anger wasn’t directed at me—but at Schwarz.
The calm, lake-like Cassius felt like a sea struck by a storm, ready to sweep everything away with violent waves.
Sensing the ominous tension, people slowly backed away.
Now I understood how their confrontation in the ballroom must have looked.
I hadn’t witnessed it myself, but I’d heard that even betas had struggled under Schwarz’s killing intent.
“I have to stop this!”
Before they fought again.
“J-Just so happens, I had something to say to Your Grace! Thank you for coming all this way.”
Schwarz, who had been looking down at me, gave a faint smile and glanced at Cassius.
With everyone having already moved far away, there was no one to overhear us.
I spoke frankly.
“Thank you for helping Lancelot.”
“…Fine.”
It was a short answer, but I didn’t feel hurt.
Because Schwarz was smiling with his eyes.
Seeing that, the bone-chilling fear I felt eased slightly.
“He looks much better like this.”
And more handsome, too.
If he smiled like that more often, maybe the rumors of him being a mad dog who slaughtered people wouldn’t exist.
“That aside, I’d like to proceed with the counseling prayer I reserved.”
Counseling prayer?
Ah—because of Viscount Septimus, Schwarz’s appointment hadn’t happened.
The date had passed, so it was probably canceled.
But if he wanted to pray with me, I couldn’t refuse.
Being a priest meant doing my duty.
“Yes. Please make a new visit.”
“You heard her.”
He glanced at Cassius as he spoke.
“Yes. Please apply again through proper channels.”
Cassius’s tone was light, as though provocation didn’t bother him at all.
“My business is done, then. I’ll take my leave.”
As Schwarz headed toward the rose garden entrance, he suddenly paused.
Under a rose arch stood a woman with the same black hair as his.
“Brother.”
It was Sertina.
I remembered the letter sent to Lancelot that morning.
“She didn’t want to run into me…”
Not wanting to catch her eye, I lowered my head.
In the meantime, Schwarz said nothing to Sertina and briskly left the garden.
His back clearly expressed refusal.
With her injured legs, Sertina couldn’t follow him anyway.
She stared blankly at his retreating figure, then walked toward me.
“She said she didn’t want to see me—so why is she coming closer?”
***
At Sertina’s instruction, one of the maids holding her arms released her.
With one hand free, Sertina gathered her skirt and greeted Cassius.
“I greet the master of the Holy Kingdom.”
“So you are the Princess. It is a pleasure. May the blessing of the Lord be with you.”
Sertina’s fingers twitched.
She had long since stopped believing in divine blessings or miracles.
“…Thank you. I would like to speak privately with Lady Theodore. May I take her?”
Cassius glanced at Sonia.
He wanted to ask her opinion, but doing so openly before the princess would be awkward.
Placing a hand lightly on Sonia’s shoulder, he used his ability.
It would be good to talk with Her Highness. I have questions too.
Sonia also seemed willing.
“Very well. But please return her quickly.”
His voice was calm and gentle as he placed both hands on Sonia’s shoulders.
Cassius and Sertina’s gazes met.
“Before evening prayers.”
The sun was beginning to set.
It was a clear warning: say what you need and send her back promptly.
“Is it because he called me ‘Lady Theodore’ that I feel irritated?”
He’d deliberately used her noble title, avoiding calling her a priest.
Sertina had no desire to exchange a single word with a priest of the Holy Kingdom—especially a healing priest who hadn’t even awakened.
“Lady Theodore is everywhere I go!”
Especially whenever she wanted to speak with Schwarz, it felt as though Sonia interfered and got in the way.
Hiding her true feelings, Sertina placed a hand over her chest and bowed.
“I will keep that in mind.”
***
I arrived at the princess’s palace with Sertina.
She went inside first, while I waited at the entrance.
The rose garden party was still noisy, but the moment I stepped into the princess’s palace, it felt as though all sound vanished.
It was like entering another world.
“Please follow me.”
A maid guarding the palace spoke.
I nodded and followed her to where Sertina was waiting.
The room was a reception hall with long, towering windows.
Sertina and her maids were seated as they received me.
Naturally, there was no seat for me.
It was a familiar sight.
I’d experienced this kind of subtle exclusion countless times when I was a novice priest.
It didn’t affect me at all anymore.
