Chapter 10
The white deer raised its head.
Under the dark night sky, a soft light surrounded its body. The wounds on its neck had disappeared, leaving only faint scars.
The white deer looked at the large mansion for a moment, then turned its body.
Soon, it disappeared deep into the forest.
When Orte woke up again, it was already late afternoon.
She blinked slowly, waiting to fully wake up, when someone knocked on the door.
“Lady. The butler has come to see you.”
Hearing an unwelcome visitor, Orte frowned slightly, then sat up.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and the butler bowed lightly before speaking.
“You are awake. The Duke has called for you.”
The Duke of Weekend never called her for small matters, so Orte did not complain and went to his office.
“The young lady has arrived.”
After permission was given, the butler opened the door and stepped aside. Orte entered the office alone.
The Duke of Weekend was busy with documents. He only glanced at her briefly.
“Sit.”
Orte sat on the sofa.
There was no tea prepared, so she simply placed her hands together and stayed quiet.
Since the Duke was still working, she looked around the office without hesitation.
The office looked the same as she remembered.
Some items were different, but overall, it still felt clean and organized.
Then, her eyes stopped on a flower vase on the Duke’s desk.
Inside it were flowers that were starting to wilt.
Orte froze.
She used to change those flowers once every week.
It was one of the few things she loved doing.
Seeing this trace of the past, Orte unconsciously frowned.
“Orte.”
The Duke finished reading and spoke.
“Go to the temple.”
“I will.”
Orte nodded quickly, trying not to reveal she had been looking at the vase. Only after answering did she recall what he said.
Going to the temple was fine.
Even though she lived in the Duke’s household, she was still the Saint’s child. The temple had agreed that in exchange for her joining the Duke’s family, she must visit whenever they requested.
The visits were not frequent, and the people at the temple treated her very respectfully.
Objectively, it was not a bad place.
But the problem was—
“They expect too much from me.”
The reason they called her was always the same: to check if she had received the mark of the main god.
Each time she went, she could see their growing disappointment.
As she grew older, she began to avoid going to the temple.
Even though the Duke’s house was no better.
“When should I go?”
“The carriage from the temple will arrive tomorrow.”
“Yes, I will go.”
Orte stood up.
Without looking at the vase again, she left the office.
The Duke raised his head.
There was no special reason.
It was simply because Orte had been looking somewhere while sitting.
His gaze moved to the vase on the desk.
The flowers inside looked simple, like wild plants, and were wilted.
‘Since when has this been here?’
He couldn’t remember.
To him, the office was just a place to work. He had no interest in the things around him.
Only documents mattered.
He touched the wilted flower.
With just a light touch, petals fell down.
He quickly pulled his hand back, but the petals had already fallen.
Only then did he notice that the water in the vase had dried up.
The Duke narrowed his eyes.
He felt something strange.
As if he had missed something important.
But he still had too much work to do.
After a short moment of hesitation, he returned his focus to the documents.
Tap.
Another petal fell on its own.
But the Duke did not notice.
Just as the Duke said, the next day near noon, two pure white carriages stopped in front of the mansion.
Orte, who had been staring at the ceiling, looked outside after hearing the noise.
When she saw it was the temple’s carriage, someone knocked on the door.
“Come in.”
Ceff entered.
“I will help you change, Lady.”
Entering the dressing room after a long time, Orte let out a small laugh.
Most of the clothes were plain and colorless, with little decoration.
She had always chosen modest clothes, afraid her family would dislike it if she dressed too extravagantly.
And in truth, they did not like her wearing noticeable clothes.
She thought that was simply their preference—
until she saw them giving Yvonne beautiful and expensive dresses.
Still, she no longer wanted to wear the pink lace dresses she once liked.
“What’s the point of standing out to them?”
Orte waved her hand and picked something randomly.
Ceff helped her change, and since there was no special styling, Orte left the room quickly.
“Lady Orte.”
A priest, who had been standing proudly, smiled brightly when she came down.
“Yohan, it’s been a while.”
Orte greeted him with a small smile.
In her memory, Yohan was already a full priest, but now he looked like a trainee.
It made her realize again—this was the past.
Yohan, her assigned priest, approached her.
“Have you been well?”
“Yes. It’s been a while. What about you?”
“I’ve been well too.”
Orte gave a faint smile.
It really had been a long time.
As she grew older, she avoided the temple more often.
And then Yvonne appeared.
After that, even though the temple kept calling her, she could not go.
She feared their anger after the truth was revealed.
So for her, it truly felt like a long time.
They chatted lightly as they left the mansion.
“Lady Orte.”
Holy knights got down from their white horses and bowed.
Each of them was extremely valuable, as they were close to sword masters in strength.
Seeing the five knights assigned to protect her, Orte always felt how much attention the Pope gave her.
And also—
a deep fear she could not understand.
“Please take care of me.”
Orte entered the carriage with Yohan’s escort.
After sitting down, she spoke to Ceff, who had followed her.
“Ceff, stay at the mansion. I’ll have protection on the way back too. Yohan, please close the door.”
“Then I will see you at the temple, Lady Orte.”
Yohan smiled gently and closed the door.
Through the small gap, Orte saw Ceff moving her lips, but she turned her head and looked outside.
Soon, the carriage began to move.
Orte leaned back and closed her eyes.
[Orte.]
It was a voice she had never heard before.
But what surprised her was not that it was unfamiliar—
it was how gentle it sounded.
No one had ever called her name like that before.
[Do you really love them?]
Them? Who?
She didn’t know who the voice meant.
Her body wouldn’t move as she wanted. When she tried to speak, the figure smiled faintly.
The lips were smiling, but somehow looked sad.
The face looked dry, yet it felt like tears were falling.
[I just want Orte to be happy.]
No one had ever said that to her before.
Orte tried to see the person’s face.
[Shh.]
But the person covered her eyes first.
[It’s not time yet.]
“I don’t understand…”
Orte murmured.
[If it’s you, Orte… you will find me again. Like before.]
The person laughed softly.
[Orte… just remember this.]
The voice whispered close to her ear.
[For your happiness, I would lose my wings and fall again… as many times as it takes.]
A quiet whisper followed.
[So please… in this life, be happy.]
