Chapter 12
“I don’t want to wear a saint robe… I want to wear a pretty dress that day. It’s not just any day—it’s the day God displays His power. It’s a meaningful day.”
Ivlea swallowed the words that almost came out.
‘If it’s such a meaningful day where God shows His power, shouldn’t you be wearing a saint robe even more?’
What an excuse. If she just honestly said she wanted to wear a pretty dress, it would’ve been understandable.
She was a twenty-year-old girl after all. Of course she would like pretty clothes and shiny jewels. If she had said it honestly, Ivlea would have understood.
But instead, she wrapped her selfish desires in the name of God. That made it hard to like her.
“Lady, about that…”
Paisley spoke carefully.
‘What is it? Why does it feel like she’s suddenly watching my mood?’
And just as expected—
“Can I borrow some money?”
“…Pardon?”
Ivlea thought she had misheard.
Money?
She even questioned her own hearing for a moment. It felt like her ears were still adjusting after five years.
There was no way someone she had just met today would suddenly ask to borrow money…
‘…No, I guess it is possible.’
Ivlea immediately changed her attitude.
She herself had done something similar to someone she had just met earlier today.
So she suddenly became strangely generous toward Paisley.
‘Well… if someone urgently needs money, it can happen.’
But even though her thoughts softened, she had no intention of lending it.
She didn’t have a single coin on her anyway. In fact, she was already in debt because she broke a temple artifact.
Of course, she could borrow money from the Kallin ducal house later, but she didn’t want to go through all that trouble.
“Five thousand gold should be enough!”
“…”
At that amount, Ivlea was speechless.
A noble lady’s dress usually cost around two to three thousand gold. But five thousand?
‘Does she think five thousand gold is nothing?’
Ivlea almost scoffed.
But then she suddenly remembered herself casually asking Calypso for a much larger amount earlier.
‘…Well, it could happen.’
If you can repay it, it’s fine, right?
Feeling slightly guilty, she once again became somewhat understanding toward Paisley.
Not that she would lend the money, though.
“Hmm… I’m afraid that won’t be possible, Saint.”
“Pardon? Why?”
Paisley looked flustered, as if she had never expected to be refused.
“You think I can’t pay back five thousand gold?”
‘“Five thousand gold is nothing?”’
Ivlea almost laughed.
For a commoner-born saint, five thousand gold must have been unimaginable. But now she was speaking as if it was nothing.
“It’s not that.”
“Then there’s no problem! Oh! Since we’re here, shall we go to a boutique together? You were going to buy clothes anyway, right? Let’s go together!”
Paisley spoke excitedly, trying to drag her along.
Ivlea sighed.
“You seem to have misunderstood me, Saint.”
“Pardon? What do you mean…?”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t repay it. I said I don’t have five thousand gold to lend you.”
“…What?”
Ivlea let out a long sigh.
“I have no money on me at all.”
“That’s impossible. Then just go home and bring it…”
“Go home and bring it?”
Ivlea widened her eyes.
“Are you suggesting I steal my father’s money?”
“Ah—no!”
Paisley quickly shook her head in panic.
“I didn’t mean steal it! I meant your own money!”
“My money?”
“Yes.”
“Why would I go through the trouble of going home just to bring money and lend it to you?”
“…”
Paisley fell silent with a gloomy expression.
Finally, maybe she would quiet down.
Ivlea hoped so as she suppressed her irritation.
Meanwhile, Paisley felt discouraged.
She had tried to help Ivlea because she said she was afraid of being alone, and she had even stayed and prayed with her.
But what she got in return was rejection.
‘I gathered my courage for this…’
Still, she could understand Ivlea’s point.
There was no reason for her to go through such trouble just to lend money.
‘But still…’
Paisley’s gaze landed on Ivlea’s necklace.
It looked extremely expensive.
As far as she knew, noble ladies rarely wore the same dress or jewelry twice.
That necklace would likely never be worn again.
‘Then it would be better to sell it and use the money.’
Or if it was troublesome, she could just hand it over to her.
Paisley carefully spoke again.
“Lady, if it’s not too troublesome, can you lend me money?”
“Didn’t I already say I have no money?”
Ivlea was already exhausted from this conversation.
“Ah! That’s not what I meant. I mean you do have money—you just don’t know how to use it.”
“…What?”
“Your necklace.”
Ivlea looked down at her chest where Paisley was pointing.
The beautifully crafted, jewel-studded necklace shimmered perfectly.
“What about it?”
“I’m saying you could sell it. I can even handle selling it for you. You just need to hand it over.”
“…Pardon?”
“You nobles have so many jewels anyway. You’ll just wear a new necklace tomorrow, so this one will just sit in your jewelry box forever. Isn’t it better to sell it and let someone else use it?”
Ivlea was speechless.
Paisley looked at her expression and smiled slightly, thinking she had made a clever suggestion.
“How is it?”
Then Ivlea let out a short laugh.
“Hah.”
Her sharp gaze turned to Paisley.
“Saint, do you realize how rude that is?”
“Rude?”
Paisley looked confused.
“What you just said is basically a curse wishing for the fall of House Kallin.”
“Pardon?!”
“If I sell this necklace, rumors will spread that House Kallin is short on money.”
“That’s ridiculous! It’s just a necklace!”
Paisley looked offended.
She thought Ivlea was just refusing to lend money.
But Ivlea had already reached her limit.
“Listen carefully, Saint.”
Her voice was calm—but cold.
“If I sell even one necklace, people will start whispering that House Kallin is struggling financially.”
“Wh-what?”
“And then the rumors will grow. They’ll say the Kallin estate is collapsing.”
“…”
“Investors will pull out their funds. No one will do business with us anymore.”
Ivlea pointed at her necklace.
“All because of this ‘just a necklace’ you’re talking about.”
Paisley’s eyes trembled.
“Th-that’s an exaggeration…”
Ivlea didn’t respond.
Instead, she pulled the bell rope beside her.
