CHAPTER 42
“Haaa.”
As soon as she stepped outside, Adele placed a hand on her chest and let out a breath.
She knew Killian was staring at her, but she had no energy left to feign composure. Honestly, the fact that she was about to develop some sudden heart condition was largely his fault.
“You should’ve warned me. You can’t just spring something like that on me!”
“What do you mean?”
‘No, I mean that blessing or vow or whatever it was!’
Adele only mouthed the words, worried someone inside might overhear.
Killian stared at her for a moment, then stepped forward—perhaps feeling frustrated.
It wasn’t like they were far apart to begin with, but now that he was standing right there, complaining was pointless.
“Y-you startled me.”
“I couldn’t hear you well.”
“…You could’ve just asked me to speak louder.”
“No need. I can hear you perfectly now.”
Well, they were only a handspan apart—it’d be harder not to hear her.
While Adele was focusing on the sound of her own heartbeat, Killian looked at her impassively and spoke.
“Say it again.”
“Well…”
It was great that he could hear her clearly now, but speaking like this made it feel like she was whispering.
Could they really be doing this in the middle of the high temple, in broad daylight?
Even though she had only been sustaining her faith with makeshift devotion, her pea-sized conscience still pricked at her. Naturally, her boldness dwindled.
“What I mean is, what was all that the Archbishop said? It was just too sudden.”
“Too sudden?”
“Yes. I mean, you’d be surprised too if something like that happened out of nowhere, wouldn’t you?”
“Now that you mention it, I suppose I was.”
“See? You’ve had something like that happen to you too—”
“When you suddenly proposed to me.”
“…”
Why bring that up now?
Adele looked away, flustered. What little confidence she had evaporated like dust.
Only now did she realize that since they were on his turf, any argument on this would be pointless and leave her at a disadvantage.
“Unlike you, I’m not used to the work done in the high temple yet. I’ll try my best moving forward, but…”
“You don’t need to push yourself.”
“Pardon? But earlier, light came out of my hands and everything…”
“To the Archbishop, that was just a routine blessing. There’s no need to assign so much meaning to it.”
“…Is that so?”
A shade of worry lifted from Adele’s eyes.
So that’s what it was. She’d heard so many stories that she’d imagined some kind of divine oath that would get her impaled by Poseidon’s trident or something if broken.
“Whew.”
As she placed a hand on her chest in relief, Killian’s eyes narrowed slightly.
She thought she’d gotten used to him, but seeing those smiling eyes up close made her cheeks burn.
Just then, sensing Jacqueline approaching, Adele quickly stepped back.
“Looks like the carriage is ready. We should get going—and I need to take care of the child we brought.”
“…Please go ahead and get in.”
“You’re not coming with us?”
“I still have matters to discuss with the Archbishop.”
Killian removed the epaulet from his shoulder.
Was he supposed to return that?
He would likely be away from the high temple for a while, so it made sense he’d have a lot to sort out. Come to think of it, it was all because of her, so she felt bad complaining or rushing him.
Go on in.
As Adele gave a quick wave and disappeared, Killian let go of the epaulet.
He stared quietly down the steps, eyes deep in thought. If not for the presence waiting for him inside, he might’ve stood there forever.
“Commander, what should I congratulate you on first?”
“Archbishop.”
Killian entered, ignoring the Archbishop’s barely restrained laughter.
It’s only fun to tease someone if they react, and Killian was far too composed.
Even someone like him is getting married? With a mixture of resignation and exasperation, the Archbishop raised both hands in surrender.
“Still, you’ve truly gained an extraordinary wife in more ways than one.”
“…”
“To think that it awakened in her hands.”
The more he thought about it, the more incredulous Raphael III became.
Even though he was known as the most progressive and non-authoritarian Archbishop in history, he couldn’t stay entirely calm about this.
“It had been asleep for nearly four years. Even if the time had come, why her hand?”
“I’m not certain.”
“But it’s a fact that it awoke in her arms. Had it disliked her, it would’ve burned her hand clean off.”
Killian didn’t deny it.
He hadn’t shown the same shock as the Archbishop, but he did find it odd.
Still, he wasn’t one to dwell on what was already done.
“I’ll keep an eye on things—nothing unusual should happen.”
“Will you be watching it, or watching her?”
A subtle smile returned to the Archbishop’s face. Who knew pretending not to hear could be so endearing?
“In any case, I was worried it might never awaken, but since it opened its eyes, it will eventually fully awaken. When that happens, you’ll finally get what you’ve long desired.”
“…”
“By the way, did you like my gift?”
“Gift?”
“Come now—I personally gave you a blessing, didn’t I?”
The Archbishop raised his hand, feigning hurt. A golden mist—identical to the one that had enveloped Adele—floated above his palm.
The Oath of Skylla.
An ancient vow that only a true proxy of the divine could bestow.
Whether it would become a blessing or a curse depended on whether the oath was upheld, but the key point was this: even he, as Archbishop, had rarely invoked it.
“Once I knew what you were bringing, I figured it was better to act preemptively. Lady Adele may have dodged the questions cleverly, but it shouldn’t cause much disruption. At the very least, she won’t be able to hand it off to anyone else.”
“…I don’t mind.”
“And yet you staked your life without being asked?”
Again, Killian lowered his blue gaze in silence, but he wasn’t entirely calm.
Yes, the strongest of vows had brought him closer to his long-held goal—but truthfully, more than that…
“Commander?”
“Yes. Please continue.”
Killian instinctively brought his hand to his chest where her whisper had touched, then quickly turned away.
Truthfully, he had already staked his life long ago. He had believed he must, and saw no other way.
But if someone asked whether his heart had pounded like this back then…
No. It hadn’t.
That stark difference left Killian unsettled, and before he knew it, he was looking out the window—toward where Adele would be.
From behind, the Archbishop’s cautious concern continued.
“You’ll handle the rest as you see fit, I’m sure. But if the imperial palace finds out, they won’t stay silent.”
“Whatever they do has nothing to do with me…”
“No, I mean her. Lady Adele.
What do you think she’ll do when she finds out?”
Not just related—critically important.
Killian’s brows furrowed, but the Archbishop shook his head as if to say it wasn’t yet time to worry.
“It’s only a possibility for now. And isn’t that why I pulled some strings—to prepare for that moment?”
“…Thank you.”
“At last, I get to hear those words from you.”
The Archbishop smiled genially and began to wrap things up.
He had wrung a thank-you out of Killian, but he wasn’t blind to where the commander’s gaze was drifting. If he delayed any longer, even that hard-earned gratitude would become meaningless.
“Ahem. Then, may I make a request while I have the chance?”
“…”
“Could you deal with the monsters on your way down the mountain? We have other knights, but this is the kind of thing best handled quietly. The warmer weather’s brought them down toward the foot of the mountain, and I’d like it dealt with before anyone gets hurt. Would that be alright?”
It was a bit shameless, but there was no one else fit for the task.
Killian would be gone for a while, so now was the time if ever.
The Archbishop gave a sheepish smile to Killian, who stared back at him.
“It’s just, you said you were grateful. About twenty-five monsters in total. For someone like you, it should only take about an hour—”
“Where are they?”
Killian’s hand moved expertly to the hilt of his sword.
The Archbishop gave him the location, then stroked his beard as he saw him off. A bit late, but even he had a conscience.
“I do wonder if it’s proper to ask such a favor of a groom-to-be. Lady Adele probably won’t be thrilled if she finds out.”
“…It’ll be fine.”
With a leather glove in hand, Killian stepped outside, raising his elbow.
As the glove slid over his skin and fastened neatly at his wrist, his sharp, noble eyes narrowed.
“Not a single drop of blood will touch my hands.”
