CHAPTER 14
Samuel instinctively glanced at Killian in response to the sudden, intrusive question.
He worried that the topic might have displeased him again, but true to form, Killian acted as if he hadn’t heard it at all.
Samuel nodded cautiously.
“Most likely. The eye color that runs in their family is so unique, it would be hard to hide their identity.”
“I thought so! The gatekeeper said her eyes were pink. What was it again? Oh… right! Like the tip of the commander’s pen!”
“What a disrespectful thing to say!”
As Renald boldly pointed to the pen in Killian’s hand, Mikael scolded him harshly.
It was true that the red ruby on the pen’s handle resembled the lady’s eyes from afar, but it wasn’t something to be said here.
Mikael feared Killian might be angered, but from the very beginning, the man had never shown a single strong emotional reaction.
Even now, he seemed to exist in silence, as if breathing different air than everyone else.
“Anyway, save that kind of talk for outside. Not in front of the commander.”
“…Are there things I’m not allowed to say in front of me?”
“N-No, Commander, it’s not that…”
Mikael faltered under Killian’s icy gaze.
See? Even the commander didn’t seem to mind!
Oblivious, Renald grinned and continued his chatter. Having been stiff from delivering formal reports all day, he was clearly enjoying the chance to let loose.
“Anyway, the trainee knights were in an uproar, weren’t they? I wouldn’t know since I’m from the northern region, but the locals say she’s really famous. Oh, come to think of it, isn’t the Vice Bishop from the south too? Is that family really that prominent?”
“Hmm, there’s hardly anyone who hasn’t heard of House Sergio. They were always wealthy, but the current head of the house, the Count, expanded their wealth exponentially. It’s said that all the money in the South flows straight to them.”
“Whoa!”
Renald let out a whistle, and Mikael smacked his back.
How vulgar.
If he hadn’t just been scolded by the commander, Mikael would’ve dragged him out on the spot.
“Come on, what’s the big deal! Everyone thinks the same.”
“Thinks the same about what?”
“A lady that beautiful and from such a powerful house? Sit a hundred trainee knights down and ask them. I’ll bet my arm not a single one has a different thought.”
“You really are—”
“Anyway, must be quite the life, huh? Everything you want just falling into place.”
He sighed dreamily, imagining someone else’s life, then scratched his cheek. He could’ve sworn someone had just glared at him. Maybe even scoffed.
He looked around, but Mikael and Vice Bishop Samuel were too busy trying to stop him to notice anything odd.
“Wait—ugh, fine. I’m going, okay!”
“You should’ve stopped when I told you to. Have you already wiped out all the monsters beyond the barrier?”
Grinding his teeth, Mikael glared at him, and Renald shrugged.
“Ah, well… we’ve done our best, but they really multiplied over the winter.”
“I told you to clean them out before the temple gets busy again. What if a carriage gets attacked?”
“Even when I skewer two or three at a time, it’s not enough. It’s crawling with them.”
“…That many monsters?”
“Commander?”
For the first time, the soft scratching of Killian’s pen came to a halt.
Mikael turned in surprise to see Killian’s expression darkened.
It was rare for the commander to show emotion, and everyone in the room paused and looked at him. He tilted his chin in the air, eyes cold as if carved from deep ice.
“That’s enough. Everyone, leave. You too, Vice Bishop.”
“Ah, yes.”
Even before he finished speaking, Renald dashed out of the room first.
Vice Bishop Samuel scolded his behavior and followed, and Mikael, left alone, clicked his tongue.
“Please understand, Commander. He’s only used to roughing it outside. The temple must feel suffocating to him.”
“…”
“Commander?”
Killian’s gaze was fixed on one spot.
Was there really anything worth staring at on the ruby-encrusted pen?
As Mikael tried again to speak, Killian suddenly stood. His neatly tied silver hair swayed like a waterfall.
“Are you heading somewhere? I’ll accompany you.”
“No.”
“At this hour? And with your sword…?”
“I won’t be long.”
Clearly, that meant don’t ask further. But Mikael couldn’t just let it go—Killian hadn’t looked this serious since returning from the Ice Caverns.
He hurried to catch up, but Killian’s long strides had already taken him far ahead.
Could something urgent have happened?
But there hadn’t been anything noteworthy in their recent reports—just news about the Archbishop and monsters.
Mikael racked his brain as he hurried to keep up.
“Let me accompany you… Commander?”
He nearly tripped trying to avoid crashing into Killian, who had abruptly stopped at the stairs.
There was something strange about his expression as he gazed downward, almost as if he were mesmerized.
“Is that…?”
“What do you mean? Oh, you mean the people following the High Priestess?”
“…”
“Judging by their clothing, they seem to be volunteers serving under her.”
“I know that much.”
…Then why is she there?
Killian’s bewildered eyes locked on the figure modestly following at the very end of the procession.
She wore a white veil and robe, but her distinctive appearance made it hard to mistake her identity.
His grip on his sword tightened.
“Ah, Commander. There you are.”
“…High Priestess.”
Sensing his gaze, the High Priestess turned and greeted him.
They exchanged respectful bows, and his eyes quickly sought one figure.
“…That lady over there.”
“Oh, are you referring to the lovely young women accompanying me?”
“…”
“These young ladies visited the temple, expressing their desire to serve. With most of our regular volunteers aging, their help is truly a blessing.”
Her gaze and gentle smile as she looked toward Adelle and Jacqueline were overflowing with benevolence.
At her gesture to greet, the small figure approached gracefully and stopped before him.
Killian swallowed. Though he’d only seen that walk once, it was unmistakable.
“…What are you doing here, Lady A—”
“I am a humble servant of the divine. My name is Agnes.”
Her voice was as pure as the veil she wore, and her gracious smile radiated bashful reverence—enough to make one believe she’d been reborn.
“May Enes, the holy god, bestow his blessing upon the noble Commander of Saint Fidelio.”
Even the way she crossed herself was devout. Anyone else might have believed her.
“…”
Hello. We meet again.
If only not for those bold ruby-colored eyes looking up at him.
“Do we really have to be here, my lady?”
“Agnes.”
As Jacqueline pouted, Adelle quickly corrected her.
Just as Jacqueline opened her mouth to protest, a stern voice reprimanded her.
“Sister Jacqueline, please lower your voice in the temple.”
“Haah…”
Jacqueline gave up.
Ever since meeting the High Priestess, Adelle had fully transformed into a servant of God.
“You have to straighten your back. Volunteers are part of Saint Fidelio too.”
“Do we really have to go this far?”
“What else can we do? This is the only place a woman can stay inside the temple.”
Adelle demurely glanced around the High Priestess’s prayer room.
It was serene and calm—ideal for reflection. But unfortunately, not for her.
‘I’m not leaving empty-handed.’
Even if she returned now, there was no guarantee the perfect husband candidate would still be obediently waiting in his room.
She had come with the firm resolve not to leave without accomplishing something. Especially in a place teeming with ideal husband material.
“Will the company be okay without you? You’ve been handling all the work until the Count returns. Everyone must be waiting for you.”
“They can wait. If something goes wrong, I might not have a place to return to at all.”
“…”
“Luckily, the quarterly reports are done, and we have time before the trade ships arrive. I met all the important contacts at the last party, and Jerox can handle any urgent matters.”
It was the first time Adelle had ever completely let go of her business duties.
She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t anxious—but this place was no easy battlefield either.
She believed it was better to focus on one thing and do it right than to try juggling both and fail at everything.
“You’re still here? I told you to return to your quarters.”
“Ah, High Priestess.”
Right now, no matter what, she was simply Agnes, a servant of God.
Adelle stood quickly and knelt with a hand on her chest, only for the High Priestess to gently embrace her shoulder.
“That’s not necessary.”
“Please, don’t say that. It is an honor to finally serve Enes thanks to your kindness.”
“…”
What’s gotten into her?
Jacqueline narrowed her eyes at Adelle’s voice filled with reverence.
The others seemed just as bewildered, but Adelle had a habit of ignoring things unfavorable to her. And here, the High Priestess was the highest authority.
“To think such a devout lady hailed from House Sergio… what a surprise. I’ve lived in the temple so long, I never knew.”
“I may not have had the chance to visit, but my heart has always been with God. Like other faithful of Enes, I too have dreamed of this opportunity.”
“So that’s why you already had a baptismal name.”
“Yes. My father brought me here himself and gave me the name Agnes.”
Because he knew this day would come.
Except for women, they were a perfect father-daughter pair.
Her father brought her here as an infant to be baptized, not out of piety but because Saint Fidelio was the most prestigious temple.
Adelle silently thanked the faith of Enes, now established at the center of the empire.
“The work will be harder than you think. It’s not something a lady who’s never even gotten her hands wet can handle.”
“No matter. I’ll accept it as divine guidance.”
In truth, running a business rarely involved elegant money-counting alone.
It involved decisions, confrontation, shouting—she had more real-world experience than most ladies her age.
A little physical labor might not be so bad.
‘I’m not in a position to be picky right now.’
Even if Noella inherited the merchant house, she’d die soon. Then Adelle, as her successor, would be seen merely as an appendage.
She couldn’t afford to hand her lifelong enemy a permanent, bite-sized target.
The higher the position, the more corruption clings to it. What’s hers must remain hers.
‘Besides…’
Adelle smiled unconsciously.
Just recalling Killian’s shaken eyes made her feel proud.
Seeing someone so cold react that way was an incredible revelation.
“Lady Adelaide, are you smiling while the High Priestess is speaking? You should focus.”
“Please, Sister Rebecca. I’m sure Sister Agnes had a pleasant thought. Isn’t that right?”
“Ah… yes. Of course.”
Adelle quickly bowed her head and reclaimed her demure posture. She felt sorry for making Sister Rebecca fume behind the High Priestess but played innocent.
Thankfully, the High Priestess, known for her compassion, didn’t reprimand her.
“I’ll assign you a detailed task tomorrow. For now, rest from your long journey.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
“No thanks necessary. This is all the will of the great Enes.”
“May the blessing of Enes shine upon the empire.”
As the High Priestess reached out her hand, Adelle gracefully bowed her forehead to it.
Jacqueline, watching, panicked.
Wait… do I have to do that too?
Before she could mess up, Adelle took her hand and led her out of the prayer room.
The High Priestess watched them go.
“Hmm… she’s quite a quick adapter. A rare lady in these times.”
“High Priestess! Did you see her eyes? How can such a woman belong in the sacred temple?”
“Rebecca.”
The High Priestess turned to her sharply.
Rebecca flinched under the High Priestess’s authority—but she wasn’t finished.
“You know what House Sergio is like—secular and materialistic to the core. Do you really think a lady from such a house would volunteer for pure reasons?”
“Did Enes not teach us to discard prejudice?”
“This isn’t prejudice! Didn’t she go to the Commander before coming here? She must have ulterior motives.”
Rebecca voiced her complaint bluntly, and the others nodded in agreement.
“How many ladies have volunteered just to get close to the Holy Knights? And she’s from House Sergio of all families! Her father is—”
“Killian is unmarried, is he not? It is natural for fine men and women to be drawn to each other.”
“Ha, do you know what kind of person Commander Killian is?! No matter how innocent or modest she acts, you can’t hide eyes gleaming with desire. Even a lowly priestess like me can see that. Surely you—”
“…Are you saying I’ve disappointed you?”
“I-I didn’t mean that… Forgive me.”
Rebecca quickly lowered her head.
Though gentle in appearance, the High Priestess had trained in spiritual power for over 40 years and was revered nearly as much as the god Enes himself.
“I only feared you were accepting her too easily, just because she is from House Sergio—”
“Exactly. That is why I must accept her.”
“…What?”
Rebecca looked up in shock.
Step by step, the High Priestess walked toward the massive statue of Enes.
“Think of it. If even the most worldly soul can be returned to Enes’s embrace, how pleased would He be?”
“…High Priestess.”
Such solemnity.
The priestesses were overwhelmed and knelt. They had momentarily forgotten—the High Priestess was not just the symbol of compassion and peace but also the fearsome queen of reformation.
“Even demons must be turned into humans. That is our duty.”
