Upon entering the chapel, Ranshel immediately spotted the two standing close to the main wedding party.
Even from a distance, the engagement rings sparkling in unison on their fingers caught his eye.
Ranshel blended into the crowd, fiddling with the area around his chest where his own ring, hung on a necklace, touched his skin beneath his shirt.
“……Ranshel.”
As he waited for the tedious service to end, a familiar voice called out.
It was Kon, his colleague from the training center.
Information regarding the prayer meetings was already overflowing; there was no need to pry anything further from him.
Ranshel exchanged formal greetings, preparing to move elsewhere at the right moment.
“I heard you quit your job at the castle.”
“Yes. My health took a turn for the worse.”
“Oh dear, are you alright now?”
“Of course. I’m standing right here in one piece, aren’t I?”
Kon, who seemed worried about Ranshel, glanced toward Zavad standing on the dais with Frey and whispered.
“Are you… still working at the Duchy?”
“Naturally. I can’t just give up my livelihood.”
“…Then, you must still know a lot about the master you serve.”
“……Is there something you want to say to me?”
At the direct question, Kon swallowed hard and shifted his eyes nervously, speaking as if revealing a secret scandal.
“Actually, there’s a rumor going around that the one engaged to the Saintess… has a separate lover….”
“…….”
“I was just curious. Since you’ve been serving him, I thought you might know more than others….”
Ranshel hid his clenched fists behind his back and smiled naturally while his mind raced.
‘He didn’t approach me for no reason.’
He had never been particularly wary of Kon due to his timid and clumsy demeanor, but Kon was a believer belonging to the Archbishop’s prayer circle.
He was undoubtedly under the influence of the curse, offering his loyalty to the Archbishop and acting on his orders.
No matter how meticulously Zavad checked the backgrounds of the servants entering his mansion and enforced silence, dealing with people can never be perfect.
There would always be a hole somewhere, a mouse eavesdropping on whispers in the night.
It was highly likely that the existence of someone Zavad shared a bed with every night had been leaked.
‘He doesn’t know it’s me yet.’
The Archbishop had already attempted to put Zavad in a bind using the aphrodisiac incense.
If Zavad betrayed the Saintess and broke the vow of the engagement service held under the Pope’s authority, it was only a matter of time before public opinion within the Temple leadership soured.
“…You’re more interested in other people’s business than you look.”
“Ah, well, I didn’t mean anything serious by asking….”
“I’m glad to hear that. Because there isn’t a scandal that would satisfy your expectations.”
Ranshel gazed at the two standing side-by-side in an elegant atmosphere, speaking as if it were nothing.
“The two of them get along so well. Why would he keep a separate lover?”
If they had returned to a master-servant relationship after that one night under the influence of the incense, there would be no need for these words.
He could simply feign ignorance and scold Kon for defiling a noble’s honor.
But their relationship had already grown too deep to be stopped by sheer will.
As long as they weren’t completely severed, this situation was bound to happen eventually.
Since information—however small—had leaked, continuing to play dumb would only invite suspicion.
Ranshel crafted the most plausible excuse.
“Of course, he might enjoy some light amusement. That’s not exactly rare, is it?”
“Ah, I suppose so. He is the son of a Duke, after all….”
Kon nodded, seemingly convinced by Ranshel’s utterly calm demeanor.
“A noble gentleman seeking out a prostitute is no big deal…. I let myself get swayed by hollow rumors and said something strange. I’m sorry.”
“…What is there to apologize for? It’s natural to be curious.”
Ranshel felt a sensation as if something inside him were rotting, but he ignored it.
Just as he had pushed everything else aside until now, he tried to cast this away into the invisible distance and forget it.
However, this time, it seemed to be a bit too much.
His stomach churned with a heavy nausea that began to surge.
After excusing himself from Kon, Ranshel rushed out of the chapel.
Cold sweat poured down his spine.
Having no intention of vomiting in the clean corridors of the Temple, he hurried out of the building toward a corner of the garden where green leaves swayed.
Fortunately, once he left the stifling indoor air, the nausea gradually subsided.
Ranshel leaned against a thick tree trunk and breathed in the fresh air carried by the cool breeze.
His stiffened muscles slowly softened, and his deathly pale complexion regained its color.
Ranshel leaned forward, fumbling around his neck to pull the ring on the necklace out from under his shirt.
The brilliant light of the ruby still glowed with a beautiful red.
Ranshel fiddled with the ring on the string and breathed calmly.
‘This is his heart.’
This vivid red revealed the color of Zavad’s heart.
No scandal could defile Zavad’s sincerity.
‘He loves me.’
Ranshel murmured internally, filling his mind with that vivid red—as if there were nothing else he needed to think about.
It was then.
A hand suddenly entered Ranshel’s downward-tilted vision and snatched the ring hanging from his neck.
Before Ranshel could react, the hand swiftly snapped the necklace and took the ring.
“What……!”
Startled, Ranshel snapped his head up.
Baha, who had approached without a sound, was looking at the ring in his hand with a strange, mocking smile.
If it had been anyone else, Ranshel would have noticed even the quietest footsteps, but because his opponent was a superior assassin, he hadn’t realized Baha was there until he was within reach.
“What’s this, Ranshel?”
“……Give it back.”
“Why? Is it precious?”
Baha let out a soft laugh, his lips curling into a smirk.
Ranshel felt his stomach churn again as he recognized the playfulness in that face.
“It’s quite a high-quality item… Could it be the Young Master’s? Why would he give you something like this?”
His voice was full of laughter as he tapped the ring.
If Ranshel offended him, Baha wouldn’t return it; if the value of the item was fully exposed, it would be the same.
Ranshel shrugged his shoulders as if it were nothing and spoke lightly.
“He just gave it to me as charity, something he doesn’t use. I need to sell it later, so hand it over.”
“Oh, if he gave you something like this, he must be quite fond of you. Are you acting quite charmingly?”
“I’m making an effort. I can’t be kicked out before I fulfill the mission.”
Baha nodded readily as if he understood.
“I see, so you’re serving him very sincerely? For the mission?”
“Yes. Even if I hate it, I have no choice if I want to kill him without a mistake.”
“Right, I see.”
‘Right, right.’
Baha, who had been nodding along, suddenly asked:
“But what are those marks on your neck?”
“……!”
Ranshel hurriedly felt his nape with his fingertips, then realized his mistake.
He was already wearing a thick ribbon around his neck to hide all the traces.
It was a natural precaution for coming to the Temple, but in his sudden panic, his body had moved first.
“Mm, I was just testing you… Have you really gone all the way with your target?”
“…….”
“Selling your body like a whore just to fulfill a mission—that’s quite impressive. The Head of the House will truly adore you.”
Ranshel glared coldly at Baha as he walked slowly toward him.
Baha opened his palm as if telling Ranshel to take the ring himself, and Ranshel, despite a sense of dread, had no choice but to reach out.
And as predicted by his dark premonition, Baha—with a beaming face—snatched Ranshel’s wrist before he could pull away.
“…If it’s that easy, do you want to try it with me too?”
