Chapter 50
Floria’s gaze dropped to the teacup in her hand.
At first glance, it seemed like just clear tea, but for a brief moment, her eyebrows twitched.
It was such a small, subtle motion that no one noticed.
Instead, leaning casually against the wall with the door wide open, Caspar said,
“Hmm, so you were already talking without me. How far did you get?”
His tone was slightly displeased.
“The… we were talking about appointing Priest Floria as a senior priest. The Duke already knows about this, doesn’t he?”
“Yes, I know.”
While the High Priest answered nervously, Caspar’s gaze once again landed on Floria’s teacup. This time, he was checking how much liquid was left.
Fortunately, she hadn’t taken a sip yet. Satisfied, he gestured outward with his chin.
“High Priest, I’d like to have a private word with you.”
“Ah, yes! Of course, Duke. Priest Floria, sorry, but please… wait here for a moment.”
“No need to kick anyone out. Let’s go somewhere else.”
“Yes… I understand.”
The High Priest flinched at every word Caspar spoke, nervously following him without even telling Floria to take a short break.
Just before the door closed behind them, Floria and Caspar’s eyes met briefly.
At the moment his face was fully covered, he gave her a wink.
‘Wink?’
The door shut with a loud thud. Alone in the room, Floria was momentarily stunned.
A playful smirk, as always, but…
‘Isn’t a wink usually something you do to seduce someone?’
‘He’s really crazy!’
She froze once, then thought again about how he had acted at the slave market with Count Ridante.
Although she should have been annoyed, her heart stirred instead. Of course, he probably did it without any thought.
The footsteps outside gradually faded. Only then did Floria regain her composure. She realized why he had taken the High Priest with him.
‘Still… thank goodness.’
She let out a long sigh, relaxing her tense body. Caspar had come late, but at least he arrived at the right time.
‘Now, I need to find the ledger.’
She didn’t know why he always showed up suddenly and made her do reckless things, but the plan was set, so she had to try.
Floria stood up abruptly and realized something.
“……Ah!”
The teacup was still in her hand, filled with the unknown clear liquid.
There was no time to hesitate. She moved directly behind the High Priest’s desk, opened the window, and poured the tea out completely.
It was to show that the cup was empty when the High Priest returned. Any remaining liquid might have raised suspicion.
The empty cup was placed back on the table, and she tapped it lightly to ensure nothing remained.
‘Smart thinking.’
She praised herself for her quick judgment in this urgent situation.
But the moment she raised her head, a wave of wanting to just give up hit her.
For some reason, Caspar was humming happily as he walked.
In contrast, the High Priest was drenched in cold sweat, trying desperately to watch him.
They had left the main hall without knowing exactly where they were going, walking slowly through the garden. Caspar hadn’t even told the High Priest the destination.
“D-Duke… where are we going?”
Caspar stopped humming and froze. The guards and the High Priest had no choice but to stop too.
“Ah, didn’t I tell you where we’re going?”
“Y-Yes… sir…”
The High Priest lowered his head nervously under Caspar’s piercing gaze.
“We’re going to the annex prayer room. It’s a quiet place, perfect for a conversation.”
“Ah… I understand.”
The High Priest realized they were heading to the annex prayer room. It was rarely visited now, mostly forgotten by nobles and priests alike.
‘Why would he bother going all the way there…?’
He had heard what happened in the confessional—that the Duke had kicked out Baron Beanel, claiming Floria as his lover. Perhaps frustrated that Floria wasn’t fully “indoctrinated” yet, Caspar decided to take matters into his own hands.
The High Priest followed, his heart pounding in fear.
Once they arrived at the annex, Caspar sat confidently in the front chair. The High Priest wiped sweat from his forehead, keeping a careful distance.
“Duke, I assume there’s a reason you brought me here?”
“Of course. A very big reason.”
The High Priest trembled slightly. Caspar’s tone was serious, his posture imposing.
“I’ve been thinking about something important lately…”
The High Priest’s mind raced—was Caspar threatening him over his position? But Caspar trailed off, saying nothing more. Silence filled the room, making the High Priest feel even smaller.
‘How much have I worked for this position…’
He had risen from a regular priest, building connections, giving bribes, even secretly meeting the emperor. And now, with orders to indoctrinate Floria, he thought he was so close…
But suddenly, fear turned into anger as he watched Caspar.
“I want to give Floria a gift to celebrate her promotion to senior priest, but I don’t know what to give. It’s really worrying.”
The High Priest froze, swallowing hard. This wasn’t a threat—just Caspar, being strangely thoughtful.
