CHAPTER 37
Killian’s steps quickened as he exited the training grounds.
Even as the knights passing by bowed their heads, he didn’t spare them a glance and kept moving straight ahead.
Adele suddenly remembered that night when he carried the basket for her—how attentively he had matched her pace. It struck her more deeply now.
“Haa, Captain, how far are we going?”
Killian didn’t respond, nor did he look back until Adele, panting for breath, finally caught up. Even then, it took him a moment to turn and face her. He looked as though he were undergoing a difficult spiritual trial.
“Captain? What’s wrong?”
“Did you go out yesterday?”
The weight of his words made it clear this wasn’t an ordinary question. Adele tilted her head in confusion.
“How did you know that…?”
“Is that something I shouldn’t know?”
“…No, it’s not that, but…”
“So you did go out.”
Killian stated it as fact, and his brows furrowed even deeper. Adele, feeling suffocated, turned slightly to face the breeze.
“Yes, I went out. So what?”
“So what, you ask.”
“I don’t know what you heard or from whom, but nothing happened that would warrant your concern.”
From his tone, she felt like a criminal being interrogated. Despite her defense, the lines on Killian’s forehead didn’t ease.
“Nothing to be concerned about—what do you mean by that?”
“You’re only ever concerned that I’ll do something foolish or disgrace the temple, right?”
“…”
“I understand your position as the Archbishop’s representative. But since none of that happened, you don’t have to treat me like a criminal.”
Adele looked directly at him and fell silent, suppressing the sadness that wanted to surface.
Is that enough?
Just as she looked like she might turn away, Killian blocked her path.
“Last night, I heard you met someone at the west gate. With Sister Rebecca.”
“Ah…”
Adele now understood. Her smile, tired and resigned, didn’t suit her usual self. Killian’s eyes darkened further.
“I warned you before, didn’t I? Why do you always…”
“You’re so sure I’ve done something wrong, Captain.”
“…Lady Adele.”
“If someone saw me, it wouldn’t end with just meeting someone, would it? What else did they say?”
She didn’t sound accusatory, but her quiet sadness made it hard to look away.
“Did they say I blackmailed the man? Or that I bribed him?”
“That’s not what matters right now.”
“So it’s all of the above, then.”
“…”
“But do you know what really matters? The most important thing is that you never believed me in the first place.”
With a bitter laugh, Adele took a step back. This time, Killian couldn’t find a single word to stop her.
“If you had trusted me, you wouldn’t be this angry. You wouldn’t be scowling at me, dragging me in front of the children like a criminal.”
“…Adele.”
“You don’t have to go this far for me to know you dislike me. I’ve known for a while now. Still, that doesn’t mean I’ll just accept being treated this way.”
Her soft voice carried a quiet bitterness, and Killian could only clench his jaw.
Even so, he showed no signs of stepping aside.
He looked more lost than anything, unsure of what to do. Finally, Adele moved around him first.
“Seems like I’d better take the lead.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“But that’s exactly what I meant. I asked for too much from the beginning.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m saying I’ll go back.”
Her meaning was clear—not just that she would walk ahead, but that she would leave San Fidelio altogether.
Killian’s head snapped up to where her finger was pointing below the mountain, and he shook his head at once. But unless he physically grabbed her, he couldn’t stop her.
“If I leave, you won’t need to be so on edge. Things will go back to being peaceful. So congratulations in advance.”
“Congratulations?”
“You won’t have to look at someone as detestable as me anymore.”
Killian’s eyes grew so fierce, it seemed he couldn’t even imagine anything worse. But Adele wasn’t shaken.
“Maybe I was too foolish to hope for anything more. But at least now I know some things can’t be changed no matter how hard you try. That’s a lesson worth learning.”
“…”
“I wanted to at least see the Archbishop before I left. But I suppose that won’t happen. Captain—no, Archbishop’s representative—I hope you’ll forgive my past discourtesy. I’ll find another chance to apologize to His Grace directly someday.”
If she had stormed off, he might have chased her. But even her final bow, knees bending slightly in perfect form, was graceful and composed.
Killian’s hand moved involuntarily—no longer in control.
“No. I can’t let you go like this.”
“I may be a woman with no reputation, but you’re not the sort of man to grab a lady’s hand without permission, are you?”
Her indifferent voice froze his hand mid-air before it could touch her.
As if expecting this, Adele slowly removed her now meaningless white veil.
Her unveiled face, framed by fluttering fabric, looked utterly still—as if time itself had stopped.
“Still, I hope you’ll think about it at least once. The version of me you see now—maybe it’s just the version you want to see.”
There was a fleeting tremor in the air—one so subtle, only they could sense it.
The red lanterns prepared to welcome the Archbishop cast their light over her eyes, blending with her gaze.
“If you realize that, it won’t be a loss for you either.”
