IBWCD 31

Chapter 31

Benjamin, who had grown up admiring the grand duke, had always resented the empress for not being able to like his nephew.

But personal feelings aside, the growing number of people who looked down on the grand duke was something he had to be wary of as an aide.

“Besides, the empress is aware of her status as a future grand duchess, and I’m afraid she might accuse you of abusing your power to get rid of the count’s illegitimate child.”

She was capable of that. Benjamin narrowed his eyes in concern, and Kalian snorted.

“True, but what’s the problem?”

“What?”

“It’s all going to come out anyway, of course, unless Count Lawrence is forced to keep quiet.”

Count Lawrence was quieter than expected.

He would have gladly met with him if he asked, to see if he had a Moorish excuse.

Still, for a paladin, he seemed to care about his image far more than Kalian had realized.

In any case, it was up to the parties to reveal the family they were marrying into.

It was against the law to gossip about the grand duke’s marriage prospects, no matter how imperial.

“The empress is not stupid, and I’m sure she realizes that with all the attention focused on my marriage, slandering me out of spite would only serve to undermine her authority.”

Besides, the only people who know of the countess’s crimes are him and the High Chancellor, the head of the temple, who has special authority to investigate black magic.

Kalian knew the empress very well.

She may be blinded by power, but she’s not blind to good sense.

She knew that rushing into a situation like this would only get her into trouble.

“Anyway, burn the portrait in the greenhouse.”

Suddenly, Kalian spoke in an uncharacteristically dignified tone.

Benjamin’s eyes widened at the seemingly out-of-the-blue instruction.

“The portrait?”

“Why? Is there a problem?”

There were many eyes in the mansion.

Not a few had seen the returning grand duke emerge from the glass conservatory last night with a sleeping woman in his arms.

He blushed as he imagined the two of them making passionate love, but Benjamin knew why she had gone to the glasshouse.

The maid’s words must have bothered her. He felt sorry for her.

“I was wondering if we could clear up any misunderstandings.”

“Well.”

Kalian sighed low as he pushed himself to his feet and looked out the window.

“It’s not like I’m going to be around her for long anyway, and it’s only going to be annoying if I have to say something.”

Benjamin looked at Kalian, still expressionless, and wondered if he really thought of Evelyn as a discard pawn.

He seemed to care too much about her to keep her around for long.

Benjamin swallowed what he wanted to say, and then answered as usual.

“Yes, sir, as you wish.”

By now, the caravan of wagons was pulling into the quiet lobby.

After a moment of silence, Benjamin grabbed his list of supplies and left the office.

Kalian stood there for a long moment, unable to tear his gaze away from Evelyn, until the heavy wooden doors closed behind him.

* * *

Sweat beaded on the knights’ foreheads as they loaded the wagons with the necessary supplies.

After finishing their work at the temple, they were going to head straight to Litchev without stopping at the manor.

The distance between the islands and Litchev is quite long, and even if they traveled by enchanted carriage, it would take a full day.

To make matters worse, most of the knights had no magic, so they couldn’t ride in this carriage.

Even with magic stones, it would take a great deal of energy for an ordinary person to ride a special carriage.

The estimated deadline was three days.

It was no wonder that the already exhausted knights were complaining about the long journey with the wagons and military horses they would have to lead to the north.

Dwayne, leading from the front, glared at the grumbling knights.

“Damn it,” he said, “don’t just do the work with your mouth, but double-check to make sure you haven’t missed anything, or I’ll kick you in the balls after the carriage leaves!”

“By the way, did you forget anything from the deputy?”

Dwayne asked his playful subordinate, as if there could be such a thing, and then looked down at his hands, which were suddenly empty.

“Eek, I forgot my axe in the training room!”

The knights’ boisterous laughter echoed off Dwayne’s back as he raced off, his mane of hair whipping behind him.

Meanwhile, Evelyn, watching from a distance as the knights busied themselves with their preparations, choked back the laughter that threatened to burst forth.

‘What a delightful group of people they are, as ever.’

In their former lives, they hadn’t liked her, and they hadn’t bothered to hide it.

But that didn’t mean they hated her.

In the eyes of loyal knights, it’s only natural that anyone who embarrasses their lord is perceived as an enemy.

So, if this went well, at least she wouldn’t be ostracized.

She watched the knights with a mixture of anxiety and anticipation and was about to turn away.

“Ow!”

Something smacked her in the forehead.

“Was the night peaceful?”

It was Kalian, she thought it was a giant wall.

His face was stunningly handsome and grave in the brilliant sun.

Last night’s events swept over them like a storm, as if it were a midsummer night’s dream.

‘So, I am the only one who was shaken.’

Alone with her thoughts, Evelyn tugged at her reddened earlobe with sweaty fingertips.

“Yes, I slept soundly, and did your highness have a good night?”

“Yes.”

He replied dubiously, bending slightly at the waist to meet her gaze.

His sun-like golden eyes shone with the most precious light in the world, capturing Evelyn’s gaze.

“You seem quite cheerful, for someone on a secret mission.”

The way he said it was like a painting.

Evelyn stared at him for a moment, mesmerized, like someone admiring a masterpiece, before finally focusing on his eyes.

Now was not the time to fall in love with that chiseled face again.

“Because nothing is ever solved by fretting.”

The temple is closed to the public, especially women, except for priests and paladins. Even carriages are forbidden during the morning hours of prayer.

On this particular day, before the convoy of sinners, the plaza in front of the temple was open, but the interior was still closed. The only woman allowed inside was the empress.

Not surprisingly, she hadn’t yet been crowned Grand Duchess.

So, disguised as a priest, she decided to sneak into the temple and follow him.

“It’s not that hard, as long as you stay calm.”

She couldn’t deny that the mere thought of him nearby put her at ease.

Apparently surprised by her reaction, Kalian arched a dark eyebrow.

Her gaze locked on the aristocratic gesture, and suddenly a piece of cloth fluttered in front of her like a sack of artillery.

The brown cloth, smelling of leather, slowly descended over her head, covering her slender form completely.

It was a hooded priest’s robe.

“It’s a good thing you’re tall for a southern girl,” he said, “or I’d say you’re not so skinny in priestly robes.”

Reaching out, he brushed a hand through her hair, which had been disheveled by the robes.

A leaf that had been stuck in his hand for who knows how long clung to it.

Her heart fluttered instinctively at the gentle touch.

As he blew the leaf away in the breeze, he suddenly spoke.

“If you don’t like it now, stop. You’ll get another chance.”

Then he cupped her ice-cold cheek in his hot palm.

As if the heat had been transferred in a short time, her cool face flushed and her heart beat wildly.

Seeing her flush, he frowned and touched her forehead, wondering what was wrong.

Then, with a worried look, he said.

“I’m afraid you’re nervous, and I’m afraid you’re going to slip up and give them something to do.”

He was just trying to take the pressure off her.

He’d made the suggestion, but he didn’t think it was worth the risk.

But nervous as she was, Evelyn couldn’t help but take him at his word.

In this life, he seemed to have lived for nothing but the destruction of Babel.

Oracles and saints and purifiers.

There were plenty of reasons why he shouldn’t lose the temple and the pretense.

‘If I can’t help him, at least I can’t harm him.’

Evelyn nodded, her face determined.

“I’ll be as careful as I can.”

“Promise me. You won’t do anything dangerous, no matter how exciting it is.”

He held out his pinky finger. Evelyn nodded and intertwined her fingers with his.

“Yes, I will never do anything that would make me a stranger to your highness.”

“And one more thing, remember that even if you find out who’s behind the countess, you’ll only know what you know.”

It made sense.

There was no reason for him to step into a muddy fight for a woman he didn’t love.

Her fingers loosened around his, and she pressed the corners of her mouth, pale and bloodless.

“Of course, no pressure,” she said, “vengeance is mine anyway, and… is in the distant future.”

When the Grand Duke would be bound to the Saint, she would be completely irrelevant.

When all the circumstances were so clear that no one could escape.

“Then I’d better be going, I’m not quite finished with my preparations.”

She turned, her expression determined, but Kalian’s grip on her wrist tightened, hard.

“Insistent.”

There was a look in his eyes that told her he realized nothing he could say would dissuade her, but Evelyn didn’t notice.

Her attention was elsewhere.

“Ah…”

An alien sensation on her ring finger.

When she froze at the sight of the glittering jewelry, Kalian locked eyes with Evelyn and spoke low.

“Let’s hope this ring will help you.”

* * *

A huge crowd gathered in the square in front of the temple, which had been unlocked for the first time in a long time.

“May the sun god Adin bless the Guardian’s future!”