Chapter 15
“Um, excuse me… but is His Grace the Duke coming along too?”
It turned out I wasn’t the only one uneasy about Rixion Luhanes tagging along.
Priest Lenon, who had been glancing nervously back at us, finally asked the question carefully.
Thanks to him, I was freed from Rixion’s persistent stare and let out a small sigh of relief.
What was surprising, though, was that even this clumsy little priest knew who Rixion Luhanes was.
It hit me again that the man standing next to me was ridiculously famous, which only made me want to keep more distance.
“Is there a reason I shouldn’t come along?”
The question was returned with another question. Rixion Luhanes pulled up one corner of his lips into a faint smile.
Even the small act of tilting his head slightly to the side somehow felt threatening.
Priest Lenon looked at me with a face on the verge of tears, clearly begging me to help him out.
I lifted a hand to rub the back of my neck and rolled my eyes away.
Well, he had helped me earlier. And judging by Rixion’s confident attitude, even if I asked him to leave us here and go his own way, he wouldn’t listen.
And honestly… when he stepped up to help me a while ago, it had been a little reassuring.
Well, I’m just going to get the holy water from Jade and leave right away anyway, so it should be fine.
I deliberately ignored the pleading look from the priest.
“Jade must be waiting. Let’s hurry.”
Priest Lenon’s big eyes looked even more watery than before, but there was nothing I could do. It’s not like I had a way to drive this man away from here.
So Lenon led us inward, into the temple grounds. Though he kept glancing nervously over his shoulder, he didn’t dare openly complain to Rixion Luhanes.
I followed the path I was somewhat familiar with, having visited here once or twice a year.
After passing one of the entrance buildings, a wide garden inside the temple came into view.
The capital’s great temple was arranged with four snow-white buildings surrounding this central garden.
And in the very middle stood a huge glass greenhouse, almost the size of one of the temple wings itself. That was where I usually met Jade to talk.
“This way, please.”
Just as I expected, Priest Lenon stopped at the greenhouse entrance and spoke politely.
Even as he held the door open for us, he kept sending Rixion worried glances. He looked so pitiful I almost felt bad for him.
I couldn’t ignore it anymore. Feeling weighed down by Rixion’s presence, I looked up at him.
“Um, I can go alone from here….”
It was the gentlest way I could tell him not to follow me inside. But the answer I got wasn’t what I wanted.
“I’m worried. I’d like to go in too.”
“I’m just meeting a friend to ask for a favor.”
“There are suspicious things everywhere in here. I can’t help but worry.”
He casually glanced around as he said this, and I saw poor Lenon trembling as though on the verge of crying.
I shot Rixion a glare when he wasn’t looking.
I’m more worried about the way you keep badmouthing the temple, you know.
Yes, yes, I understood he was powerful enough to wipe this place off the map if he wanted to…
But please, can’t you just behave for once?
Swallowing the words, I stepped quietly inside the greenhouse.
I decided to keep my conversation with Jade as short as possible, get the holy water, and leave quickly.
Though the day was fairly warm, the moment I stepped into the greenhouse, it was nothing compared to the cozy warmth inside.
The air wrapped around me gently, making me quicken my steps deeper inside. Rixion’s presence following behind me was impossible to ignore, but meeting Jade came first.
I searched among the vibrant flowers and trees for the familiar figure with long black hair.
It didn’t take long to spot him—a beautiful figure watering plants, like something out of a painting.
His long hair was loosely tied back, and his gentle eyes and calm aura were the same as always.
“Jade!”
Overjoyed, I called his name loudly.
We had exchanged letters now and then, but it had been ages since we’d met in person. He had been away from the Empire, staying in the Holy Kingdom all this time.
“Liz.”
Jade turned at the sound of my voice and smiled brightly.
Surrounded by the colorful flowers, his smile seemed to shine even brighter.
In that instant, I felt Rixion hesitate behind me. I couldn’t help but glance back.
His expression was strange—surprised, but also openly displeased, as he looked at Jade.
What’s with him? I wondered, frowning slightly.
But when I looked back at Jade, I was even more taken aback.
Jade was wearing a similar expression—an uncharacteristic chill in his eyes, as though a strange hostility had risen between the two.
Wait… do they know each other? The thought flickered through my mind, but it didn’t make sense. How would a low-ranking priest like Jade have any dealings with a ducal lord of the Empire?
“Liz, welcome.”
As the awkward tension thickened, Jade spoke again with his usual gentle smile.
“Jade, listen—ah!”
I ran toward him, half overjoyed at seeing my old friend, half desperate to ask for holy water.
But I tripped over my own feet and stumbled forward.
“Careful. I’m glad you’re happy to see me, but calm down, Liz.”
Thankfully, Jade caught me before I could make a fool of myself by falling flat onto the dirt.
Still startled, I quickly straightened myself and clutched his hand tightly, looking up at him with desperate eyes.
“Jade, I’m sorry to suddenly ask, but please—get me two bottles of holy water. Please.”
“…Holy water?”
Jade blinked in surprise at the blunt request.
“Why are you suddenly asking for holy water…?”
In his gray eyes, I caught a flicker of discomfort. He seemed troubled as he quickly scanned me up and down, as though worried I might be injured somewhere.
“What’s with the blanket? Are you sick?”
Jade frowned at the sight of me wrapped up in a shabby blanket. He even pressed a hand to my forehead with a serious look.
I quickly hid the chewed-up fingernails of my left hand and dodged his gaze.
“Oh, this? There’s… a reason for it.”
When I had gotten out of the carriage earlier, Rixion had insisted I cover up. My sleeve had been torn off, and seeing my half-ruined outfit, he’d practically forced the blanket on me.
It had been a choice between looking ridiculous in a mismatched outfit or ridiculous wrapped in a drab blanket. I’d chosen the blanket. Not that I really had a choice—Rixion would have wrapped me up anyway.
“No, that’s not the point. Please, Jade. Just two bottles of holy water. I really need them.”
I pulled his hand down from my forehead and spoke urgently. His expression only darkened.
“I’m sorry, Liz. But right now, no temple in the entire continent can provide holy water.”
“Yes, I know. I know that. But… I really need it. Can’t you find a way?”
I pressed my hands together and begged in earnest. Jade hesitated, then lowered his voice carefully.
“…May I ask what you need it for?”
I almost blurted out the truth about the epidemic spreading among the children—but bit my lip just in time.
Because Jade was, in the end, still part of the temple. Sometimes in our talks, I had felt just how deep his faith and loyalty ran. If he had to choose between me and the temple, I knew he would choose the temple without hesitation.
So I trusted my instinct: better to keep quiet and make something up.
“Um… someone I know was badly injured. Really badly. The wounds are too severe—they need holy water to survive.”
“In that case, wouldn’t it be better to formally request a priest through the temple?”
Wait—what? I hadn’t expected that answer.
I was caught off guard, fumbling for words, when the sound of approaching footsteps came from behind.
“They’re not nobles, so the temple wouldn’t care enough to help them.”
A voice laced with mockery cut sharply into our conversation.
