~Chapter 23~
“Oh no, what do I do? What should I do?”
The priest started sweating nervously when he realized he had bumped into someone important.
He was so big that it was almost funny to see him so flustered, so Gilbert called out to him.
“Brother Vincent, calm down! Do you think madam is some kind of monster?”
“I’m sorry! I’m really sorry. I just couldn’t see well… I need new glasses, but I haven’t had time to get them…”
If those glasses get any thicker, he could use them as a plate instead.
Anyway, the man finally calmed down after apologizing several times and introduced himself.
“I, I greet the Lady of Lombard. I am Vincent, a priest from the Lombard archdiocese.”
Vincent was such a common name—because the first prophet who received a revelation from the sun god Leto was named Vincent. So, if you grabbed a priest on the street, at least one out of five would be called ‘Vincent.’
I shook off my thoughts and nodded.
“Nice to meet you, Brother Vincent. Your accent is unusual. Where are you from?”
“I’m from Argentbach, the holy city. I finished my priest training there last year and just started working in Lombard.”
Argentbach was the city where the Grand Cathedral was, under the direct rule of the Pope.
That meant Vincent was quite familiar with the church headquarters.
‘Maybe I can get some hints about the inquisitor coming to visit…’
I smiled at him, friendlier this time.
“Brother Vincent, even though you’re assigned to Lombard now, you’re still from the holy city. You don’t need to be so formal with me. Just call me by my name.”
“W-what? How could I be so rude…?”
Vincent jumped in surprise, but after I insisted a few more times, he spoke carefully.
“E-Elysia? Is it really alright to call you that? I don’t think I should…”
“In Lombard, I am the law.”
I really liked saying that line.
I decided to use it more often.
Since things felt friendlier, I tried to ask Vincent some things.
“Since you’re from the holy city, do you know the people at the Grand Cathedral?”
“I’m just a low-ranking priest, so I don’t meet central figures much, but I have seen them from a distance.”
“Actually, I’m interested in the Grand Cathedral. Especially in the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, who enforce the faith here.”
“Oh, they are truly admirable people!”
Vincent’s eyes sparkled behind his thick glasses.
With his hands clasped in front of his chest and his suddenly confident voice, it seemed like he knew a lot about them.
Trying to look casual, I added, “Some people say harsh things about them, but I think differently. Aren’t they the ones who show grace and mercy in the name of God?”
“It’s really upsetting. If only people could meet the director in person, those bad rumors would disappear…”
“Is it that serious?”
Without even thinking, Vincent answered,
“They’re very merciful. They love everything God created. Really.”
He smiled more sincerely than anyone I’d ever seen.
I smiled along with him.
Mrs. Olden was biting her lip without realizing it.
Standing alone at the edge of the walkway outside the sitting room, her face was stiff.
“Something’s definitely wrong.”
Elysia had changed.
She wasn’t the girl Mrs. Olden used to know.
Mrs. Olden had raised Elysia herself after her parents died in an accident.
She had controlled everything around Elysia and managed to isolate her completely.
In public, Elysia might act wild, but in front of Mrs. Olden, she always obeyed and submitted.
Mrs. Olden had worked hard for that.
‘So why now?’
Thinking about it, it started after they arrived in Lombard.
That troublesome girl began ignoring her control on everything.
‘Is she just being rebellious now, after all this time…?’
But even now, Mrs. Olden still controlled everything around Elysia—her food, her clothes, everyone who served her.
So she thought it would be fine to let Elysia have that stray animal.
At first, she let it go.
“But now she wants to hire a maid from outside the city wall?”
Not only did Elysia make this decision without asking permission, she told Mrs. Olden to arrange a place for the new maid as if it was her right.
She had let Elysia do as she pleased for too long. Now she was crossing the line.
‘Did that girl hide her true self all this time?’
Mrs. Olden shook her head.
‘No way. It’s been 11 years. Could someone really hide their true nature and pretend to be foolish for 11 years? She’s not that clever—I know her best.’
Still, Mrs. Olden felt uneasy. Even a tiny chance was worth checking.
If she ignored it and was wrong, everything she’d built could collapse.
“Did you call for me, madam?”
At that moment, a servant from the Lombard castle stables, who was from the same hometown as Mrs. Olden, arrived.
Looking around, Mrs. Olden whispered,
“From tomorrow, I want you to keep watch on madam’s every move.”
“Yes, leave it to me.”
“Just check who she meets and what kind of mood she’s in—don’t get caught. You know what I mean, right?”
“Don’t worry, madam. I’ll keep my distance and stay out of trouble if needed.”
If her uneasiness was right or just her imagination, she would find out soon enough.
Mrs. Olden’s eyes glinted coldly.
I was touring the church inside the city wall with Vincent.
“Wow, it’s amazing! It’s just as grand as the church in the holy city!”
“Your words make me feel relieved.”
I answered confidently.
I made every possible preparation—even the strict inquisitor would be impressed.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure about my own existence—I died and came back, and it was strange to accept it so easily.
With the inquisitor’s unusual warning about his visit, it was natural to be scared.
So I double-checked the doctrine and built the church to the standard style, using elegant but not too fancy materials.
The hospital, scriptorium, library, and school were also all rebuilt.
‘If Brother Vincent from the holy city is impressed, then it must be good enough.’
Vincent was very strict about rules and corrected anything that wasn’t right, even though he was usually timid.
Thanks to him, construction went smoothly.
I really thought he was an angel sent by God to help me.
Suddenly—
“Oh…!”
“A-are you alright?!”
Lost in thought, I wasn’t watching my step.
I tripped over something—though there seemed to be nothing there—and Vincent quickly caught and held me.
If he hadn’t, I might have fallen into the pile of building materials.
Just thinking about it made me dizzy.
“Are you hurt?”
“Thank you. You saved me.”
But then I flinched—when I fell, my hand landed on Vincent’s broad, solid chest.
I could feel his big chest rising and falling as he breathed.
I had never really been close to a man before, so I stared for a moment without thinking. When I realized, I quickly tried to pull my hand away.
“Madam!!”
Administrator Ramon came running with soldiers behind him.
