SVMS 04

~Chapter 04~

“At our temple, I personally brew the tea. Please enjoy the aroma first.”

As they entered the reception room, the High Priest seemed to have relaxed a little—or maybe he was trying hard to seem relaxed. He smiled warmly.

Floria, sitting beside him with her legs neatly folded together, was also served tea.

Normally, priestesses were supposed to wear a white veil to cover their faces, but since she was meeting a duke, the veil had been removed and set aside next to the sofa.

On the duke’s side, only one knight stood at the door, under the pretense of “protection.”

The moment Duke Fonhas picked up his teacup, the High Priest got straight to the point.

“So, Duke, how did you come to hear about Priestess Floria and decide to visit?”

“I heard that if you confess to her, good things happen.”

“Ah, I see.”

Duke Fonhas sat with one arm lazily draped over the sofa’s armrest, his posture already disrespectful.

He leaned back with his legs crossed like he owned the place.

‘Wait, my rumor reached the ducal house already?’

And he came here himself?

Floria’s eyes darted in confusion.

Duke Fonhas stared straight at her.

“I found it very interesting. I had something I wanted to confess.”

His golden-yellow eyes glinted with curiosity—so intense, they almost looked insane.

Clack—The duke slammed his empty teacup down on the table.

The High Priest had said to smell the aroma first, but it seemed the duke had just gulped the tea down in one go.

His behavior didn’t match his status at all. And yet, maybe because of that very strangeness, the atmosphere grew heavy.

Before long, both the High Priest and Floria were just watching the duke, waiting for him to speak.

“Hmm… Now that I think about it, I have so many sins to confess.”

Finally, the duke spoke, brushing his chin with his index finger as if lost in deep thought.

“I was so handsome that the former duke adopted me. The heir was supposed to be his cousin, but that cousin suddenly died, and I became the duke. People gossip that I killed him.”

“…Your Grace.”

The knight, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up.

He didn’t feel like a bodyguard—more like a babysitter trying to stop the duke from getting out of hand.

The duke waved his hand dismissively and leaned forward with his chin in his hands, getting closer to Floria.

“Okay then. What about this one? Every business I touch turns to gold, and people say it’s because I seduce women with my looks. Do I seem like a womanizer to you?”

“Your Grace!”

The knight finally couldn’t take it anymore and stepped up to the duke’s side, clearly about to suggest they should leave.

The duke just burst out laughing.

“Hahaha! Fine, fine. My knights never let me say anything.”

The knight flinched slightly. There was a subtle edge in the duke’s laughter—a coldness that only someone familiar would recognize.

His pupils narrowed for just a moment before returning to normal.

‘What the heck is going on with these two?’

Floria hadn’t dared to breathe properly and now realized her throat was dry.

Forget manners. I’m going to suffocate in here.

Just like the duke had, Floria grabbed her teacup and downed it in one go, eyes closed, gulping hard.

“……”

All three men in the room stared at her with strange expressions.

It would’ve been a strange sight to anyone watching from the outside.

Ahh, now I feel alive again.

The moment she set down her teacup, all three immediately averted their gazes like nothing had happened.

Then, the duke suddenly said something completely unexpected.

“Actually, I don’t think I need to confess anymore.”

“…What?”

Floria responded without thinking, startled by his gaze as he stared straight at her.

Maybe because of her reaction, the sharp expression on Duke Fonhas’s face softened.

Even his eyes curved into gentle half-moons.

“Looking at your face, Priestess Floria, I feel like all my sins have been washed away.”

What… the hell are you talking about, Duke?

Floria barely held back from saying something rude.

She now wanted to say yes to his earlier question about looking like a flirt.

Everything he’d said suddenly made perfect sense—though he didn’t seem the least bit offended by it.

As frustrating as it was, Floria had to admit—he was so handsome that he could act as confident as he did. Anyone who saw him might genuinely fall for him.

“I’m thinking about two things right now,”

The duke said suddenly, tapping his forehead like he was deep in thought.

Then he pulled a small coin from his pocket.

“Alright. If it lands heads, I go with plan one. If tails, then plan two.”

He handed the coin to Floria.

“…?”

“Toss it.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. My fate’s in your hands now, Priestess Floria.”

“……”

At this point, Floria honestly felt like crying. Of all things, the most perfect-looking man she had ever met had to be insane.

And worse, he was nobility—someone she couldn’t just snap at or walk away from.

She couldn’t hide her brows pulling down in disbelief. Pouting slightly, she tossed the coin into the air.

The duke caught it and opened his hand.

Heads.

“Ah, so plan one it is.”

She didn’t even care what that plan was anymore, but the duke stared at the coin like he was considering the fate of the universe.

‘I don’t care. I just want him to leave now.’

She slumped slightly, her whole body drained.

Especially knowing she still had to return to the confessional booth, where dozens of people would surely be waiting.

But then—

“So, will you date me, Priestess Floria?”

“…What?”

Floria jumped up in shock.

If she had been sipping tea just then, she would’ve spat it straight in his face.

Did I really just hear that?!

Her wide eyes darted nervously.

The man who had just confessed looked way too calm. Maybe she heard it wrong?

But no—he made sure she didn’t mistake it.

“Plan one was confessing right now. I fell for you at first sight, Priestess Floria. Your face is exactly my type.”

“……”

And yet, he wasn’t even looking at her. He just kept rolling the coin across his fingers, completely casual.

To anyone else, it would’ve looked like a joke.

I should say no…

That was the thought in her head, but her mouth wouldn’t move.

For someone who had jumped up a second ago, she was frozen now.

And really, she couldn’t say no.

Even if he was joking, unless he withdrew it himself, there was no way she—just a commoner—could reject a duke.

“…Your Grace. I heard you have a meeting this afternoon.”

After a tense silence, it was the knight who once again stepped in.

He even leaned in to whisper something serious in the duke’s ear.

The duke’s face twisted in irritation, but Floria was just relieved.

If no one stopped him, who knows what else he would’ve said?

“Ah, right, right.”

Grumbling, the duke stood up and waved it off.

“I suppose it might’ve been a bit much on a first meeting. I apologize.”

He said it so smoothly, like it was nothing at all.

‘No matter how flirtatious someone is, is it really okay to flirt with a priestess?’

Floria finally managed to calm herself.

She naturally escorted him out, thinking the strange incident had finally ended.

***

“The ring given by a young saintess. You’d better wear it.”

Those were the words the duke whispered mysteriously as he passed her.

They sent chills down Floria’s spine.

Once he left, she headed to her room and opened the top drawer of her desk.

Inside, sitting alone, was the rough, yellow ring—the one Rose had given her.

“……”

Like she was under a spell, Floria slowly picked up the ring and slid it onto her right ring finger.

Then—

“…What was it again?”

She tried to remember what the duke had whispered to her earlier… but it was suddenly gone from her mind.

Like someone had cut that memory right out.

She stared down at the ring, dazed.

But even so, she didn’t feel like taking it off.

Her eyes lost focus for a moment, like she was in a trance.

Then, snapping out of it, she quickly got up and headed straight for the confessional—like nothing had happened.