Chapter 17 – English Translation
“Eh?”
Mirea’s voice cracked strangely. Ludekias also gaped, staring at Sephiros in disbelief.
“I don’t need someone to take care of me! And it’s not even been decided that I’m going to stay here!”
“You asked for time to think, didn’t you? Then at the very least, you’ll need to stay here for a while. I don’t care if it’s just a few days—keep quiet and behave. And I have plenty of reasons to place one of my people beside you, so accept reality.”
Before Ludekias could voice his protest, Mirea beat him to it.
“You’re telling me to guard this guy by myself? What if he kills me and runs away?”
It might have sounded absurd at first, but if viewed objectively by a third party, it was actually a valid concern. Still, saying it with the person in question right there made Ludekias visibly uncomfortable. In truth, what bothered him more wasn’t the danger, but the idea of a grown man and woman sharing a house. He was more conservative than he looked.
“Then you’re unfit to be a watchdog. Just die. I don’t need a useless one.”
Sephiros’s brutally cold words made Mirea pretend to sob.
“Being a watchdog is such a harsh fate.”
“…I won’t kill you.”
Ludekias muttered a quiet excuse. Whether Mirea actually heard it was unclear. Sephiros waved a hand dismissively at her, looking notably lazier than when dealing with Ludekias.
“Anyway, it’s settled, so forget about the dorm apartment.”
“Ugh…”
“Mirea Janester.”
“Yes.”
“When I say bark, you bark.”
“…”
Mirea pouted with exaggerated lips.
“Answer me.”
“…Yes.”
“Good. That’s all I have to say. You two can go now. Go to Laked—he’ll give you the keys to the place Ludekias will stay. Ludekias, take some time to rest and think things over. You’ll need time to process everything, I’m sure.”
With that, the dismissal was clear. Mirea and Ludekias exchanged glances of mutual annoyance, bowed stiffly to Sephiros, and turned to leave the office. But just before touching the door handle, Mirea paused, turned back, and opened her mouth again.
“Wait, but—”
“What?”
Mirea looked at Sephiros with a sulky expression. She opened her mouth as if to speak but closed it again. After a short silence, she spoke in a formal tone to Ludekias.
“Your Highness Duke Panidrau, could you wait for me just a moment outside? I have something to discuss with Chairman Sephiros—it won’t take long.”
Ludekias glanced between her and Sephiros, noticing the strange and tense atmosphere between them, one that left no room for outsiders. Raising an eyebrow, he replied:
“I don’t mind waiting, but what if I run away while you’re in there?”
Sephiros gave a faint smile, as if to say “try it if you dare.”
“I might not be here the next time you come looking for me.”
Ludekias’s half-serious remark was met with Sephiros waving his hand dismissively again. As the door closed with a click, Mirea spoke accusingly.
“Honestly, Sephiros, your intention is way too obvious right now.”
“My intention?”
“You kick me out of the dorm and then just happen to ‘assign’ me this role right away? Isn’t it too perfect? Feels like you planned this all in advance.”
“You’re right.”
Sephiros admitted it without hesitation. Mirea nearly exploded.
“Fine, let’s say I accept that for now. But what about after this? What are you planning?”
Though she didn’t specify what she meant by “after this,” Sephiros clearly understood.
“That’s the question I should be asking you. What are you planning to do afterward?”
Mirea hesitated, then lowered her eyes.
“If I can’t stay in the dorm, I’ll have to find another place.”
“Fine. Then do that.”
When Sephiros nodded calmly, Mirea narrowed her eyes, unable to believe it.
“Don’t tell me the next place will be rigged like this one too…”
“As sly as I am, I don’t have that kind of reach.”
Sephiros laughed and waved it off.
“Do whatever you want. I know I can’t win against your stubbornness.”
Mirea let out a short scoff, then bit her lip with irritation. Sephiros continued in a gentler voice.
“But Mirea Janester. Stop running from the past. Leaving that house as it is—it’s not respectful to the past you shared with us.”
Mirea’s face hardened. Seeing that, Sephiros sighed softly.
“If you hate that place so much, then come live at my house instead. Don’t shut yourself away alone in that cramped dorm.”
Mirea, who had been quietly listening, pressed her lips together before speaking with difficulty.
“I’m not running away. If I were really running from the past, like you said, I wouldn’t even be here. The reason I can’t go back home is just…”
“Just what?”
“It’s too big to live in alone.”
Though the words were vague, Sephiros understood the full meaning behind them.
“I still can’t handle that big house all by myself. So… just give me a bit more time—”
Mirea, mid-sentence, suddenly froze. She frowned slightly, lost in thought. Sephiros watched her curiously.
Then, her eyes lit up. She clapped her palms together and let out a small exclamation.
“Ah! That could work!”
Smiling brightly, she looked at Sephiros.
“Just grant me one request.”
Sephiros instinctively prepared to say no. But the next thing Mirea said was entirely unexpected.
“If you agree, I’ll go back home.”
Outside the office, Ludekias found himself face-to-face with a woman who had long platinum hair and chocolate-toned skin. She had clearly been waiting for him, leaning casually against the wall. Her golden eyes sparkled as she greeted him.
“Hello.”
The woman greeted him cheerfully. But Ludekias stared intently at her and asked:
“I can feel divine power from you. You’re a priestess of the Frost Church, aren’t you?”
“That’s right. You figured it out quickly.”
The woman gave a small nod.
“My name is Ribielo Ram. Nice to meet you, Ludekias Remina Ryu Panidrau.”
Ludekias didn’t return the handshake she offered—he only glanced at it, then ignored it. Ribielo withdrew her hand with a wry smile.
“I heard what our idiots did to you. I know I’m just a low-ranking priestess, but I want to apologize anyway—even if it doesn’t mean much.”
“Word travels fast, I see. So it’s not even a secret that I’m here?”
“Not exactly. Only a few people inside the association know the details. I just happened to be one of them.”
“I figured the Frost Church might know my whereabouts, but I didn’t expect they’d send a priestess to monitor me.”
“Technically I’m a priestess, yes—but I’m here on my own, not on the Church’s orders.”
“What do you mean?”
“Like you, I’m not exactly in favor with the Church. I don’t like them that much either. But that doesn’t mean I’m trying to say ‘I’m different from them.’ It’s just that my interests happen to align more with Chairman Sephiros than with the Frost Church. That doesn’t change the fact that I still serve the Frost Goddess.”
“Even so, it’s strange. As a priestess, you must know what the Frost Goddess whispered to me.”
Ribielo smiled cryptically.
“Oh, Ludekias. The Frost Goddess doesn’t hate or resent you. So why would I, her follower, hate or resent you?”
Ludekias couldn’t help laughing out loud. After a moment, he spoke coldly.
“Well, that’s the funniest joke I’ve heard this year.”
Ribielo remained pleasant, though slightly hurt.
“I’m serious. Want to bet on it?”
“I don’t know what your angle is, but I have no interest in becoming friends.”
“Angle? Come on. We’re going to be seeing each other often—no need to be hostile every time.”
“I doubt that.”
“Wow. You really don’t believe anything I say, huh?”
“Would you? I’ve lost count of how many Holy Knights tried to kill me. If the Frost Goddess didn’t actually hate me, then maybe—just maybe—the 48th Saint could have said something like ‘he may bring the end of days, but let’s still get along with him.’ Then maybe my life would’ve been a bit easier.”
Ribielo murmured like a sigh, her voice tinged with regret.
“Yeah… Why didn’t she say that, I wonder?”
Ludekias crossed his arms and leaned against the wall Ribielo had been leaning on. An awkward silence fell between them.
“…Do you have some other reason to be here?”
Ribielo tilted her head playfully.
“I’m just waiting for a friend.”
“A friend?”
“The one currently inside Chairman Sephiros’s office.”
“Mirea Janester?”
Ludekias turned slightly to look at her.
“While we’re on the subject—what’s her deal?”
“What do you mean?”
Ribielo looked confused by the unexpected question. Ludekias shrugged with a disgruntled face.
“Anything. Whatever you’ve got.”
