Chapter 34
No one knew what the previous Duke intended to do with the experiment results.
“…Those experiments.”
The priest wasn’t one of the high priests in the capital, so he didn’t know the details.
He only knew that the Pope had invested a great deal into the experiments, that the previous Duke of Tesseron had shown great interest in them, and that the current Duke had recently taken one of the experimental subjects without permission.
“What a reckless thing to do.”
Because of this, the pope had become very serious.
He sent the priest a letter along with the Emperor’s decree.
The letter contained a detailed description of the escaped test subject’s appearance and repeatedly ordered the priest to bring her back.
It also promised that if he succeeded, he would be promoted to the capital instead of remaining in Tesseron.
That promise awakened the priest’s ambition.
“I can’t spend the rest of my life exiled in Tesseron.”
If he returned to the capital, he could completely change his life.
The priest carefully examined Lucy’s white hair and black eyes.
She matched the pope’s description perfectly.
She had to be the missing test subject.
“I have to take her back.”
As the priest hurried toward her…
“So that’s why.”
Lucy finally understood why Rosendal had urgently called Edward away.
This really was an emergency.
“He could’ve at least told me!”
If he had, she would have stayed hidden in her room instead of coming to the library.
But now it was too late.
Even though she was terrified inside, Lucy calmly asked,
“Who are you, mister?”
“M-Mister?”
“I have a condition where I can’t remember ugly people very well. Have we met before?”
The priest’s face turned bright red.
Still, he kept walking toward her.
“…Control yourself. Personal feelings don’t matter.”
“Personal feelings?”
“You know what crime you’ve committed…”
“Crime? What crime did I commit?”
Just because she had been a test subject didn’t make her a criminal.
She looked genuinely confused.
“It doesn’t matter how much you deny it!”
The priest reached out to grab her roughly.
Lucy had always known something like this might happen.
But seeing someone trying to drag her away still made her heart drop.
“What should I do?”
How could she escape?
She stepped backward.
The priest reached for her arm.
Then…
Smack!
“Ugh!”
A loud slap echoed through the hallway.
The priest stumbled backward, clutching his burning hand.
“W-What is this… Duke?”
Lucy stared blankly at the arm blocking her.
The same strong, thick arm that had wrapped around her so gently before.
She looked up.
Edward was standing beside her.
His beautiful lips curved into a wide smile.
Although he was smiling, everyone could tell he was in a terrible mood.
“A temple priest…”
“Your hands are surprisingly filthy.”
“W-What are you talking about?”
“You came all the way to my mansion just to put your hands on another man’s woman.”
“…!”
“I’ve heard the Temple has become corrupt, but I didn’t expect this.”
The priest finally realized what Edward was implying.
He exploded with anger.
“What are you talking about?! Throwing me into the hallway wasn’t enough; now you’re insulting the Temple too?!”
“What?”
“I can’t hear ugly people.”
“Duke!”
“You’re already ugly, and your greed makes you even uglier.”
The priest’s face turned completely red.
“I-If Lady Sepina hears about this…”
Edward remained perfectly calm.
“So?”
“…!”
“She’ll dismiss you.”
“Not me.”
The simple reply made the priest turn pale.
As much as he hated to admit it…
It was probably true.
The Pope had wanted to control Edward for a long time but still hadn’t succeeded.
Until Edward married Sepina, the Temple would likely continue trying to keep him satisfied.
If it were a normal disagreement, they would almost certainly support Edward instead of an ordinary priest.
But this time, the priest had confidence.
“Hah! I wasn’t trying to touch that woman for that reason!”
“Then why?”
“You really don’t know?”
Now that he was standing closer, he could clearly see the injection marks on Lucy’s arm.
The marks every test subject had.
There was no doubt.
She was exactly the experimental subject the Pope was searching for.
The woman Edward had secretly taken away.
“I won’t ask why you did it. His Holiness is merciful.”
“…”
“Edward Le Tesseron. Even now, return that woman to the Temple…”
He tried to step toward Lucy again.
Edward’s arm blocked his path once more.
“Return?”
“…”
“Is it temple etiquette to talk about another family’s daughter as though she’s an object?”
Edward’s cold voice echoed through the hallway.
His glowing red eyes fixed on the priest.
The priest shivered.
For a moment, he almost lost control of his bladder in front of everyone.
So this was the power of a dragon incarnation.
Edward hadn’t even drawn his sword.
He hadn’t threatened anyone.
He was simply looking at him.
Yet the priest felt as though an overwhelming force was crushing his entire body.
As if an enormous creature stood before him.
Then more people arrived.
“My lord, what’s happening?”
“Is there anything we can help with?”
Edward’s trusted aides walked out of the reception room.
The moment they saw the confrontation, they immediately approached with grim expressions.
“How dare a Temple envoy raise his voice inside the Duke of Tesseron’s mansion?”
“It seems you’ve mistaken this place for the capital.”
They slowly closed in.
It looked as though they would draw their swords if the priest made even the slightest move.
The priest clenched his teeth.
“I can’t back down now.”
His future promotion depended on this mission.
His eyes met Lucy’s frightened black eyes.
“If I have to, I’ll call the Temple here and bring in the Holy Knights to take her.”
He wasn’t unafraid of fighting Edward.
But he believed the temple had the legal right.
No matter how stubborn Edward acted, it wouldn’t change the fact that he had taken the Temple’s test subject.
“That’s right.”
“They don’t even have a reason to keep her.”
He believed this was a battle he couldn’t lose.
Gathering his courage, the priest shouted,
“Duke Tesseron! What are you trying to do? If you’re planning to become an enemy of the Temple over this…”
He pointed toward Lucy.
At that exact moment…
“Help me, honey!”
Lucy shouted even louder than the priest.
Then she ran straight into Edward’s arms.
“Honey! Honey! Honey!”
Her loud voice echoed throughout the hallway.
