* * *

“You’re not planning to just let Kaindel be, are you?”

“I’m still figuring that out. Him showing up at the temple wasn’t part of the plan.”

“Even I wouldn’t have expected it. Normally, he wouldn’t give a second glance to an anonymous letter.”

“Exactly. If it were before, he wouldn’t have cared about my letter at all.”

Nodding slowly, I let out a small sigh.

What now?

This morning, I thought I could avoid Kaindel entirely.

But now, it was clear that wouldn’t work.

If I kept trying to keep my distance, others would only get involved.

I thought back to the things Kaindel said in the confessional.

If Harilson overheard even a fraction of that conversation, I didn’t want to imagine the consequences.

After a long pause, I spoke.

“For now, can you make sure Kaindel’s confessions come only to me?”

“Confessions? Are you really planning to keep meeting him? Wouldn’t it be better to avoid him entirely?”

“I realized today that avoiding him isn’t an option as long as he’s here in the temple.”

If avoidance wasn’t possible, I’d have to face him directly.

It was better to settle things discreetly than to let others get tangled in this mess.

After all, Kaindel’s indulgence would only last until the wedding.

Owen’s gaze sharpened as if he understood my reasoning.

“Fine. Is that all you need? Nothing else?”

“Oh, and call me Ein when Kaindel’s around.”

Owen frowned at the unfamiliar name.

“Ein?”

“It’s an alias. I can’t use my real name in front of Kaindel, can I?”

From the start, coming to the temple was a way to avoid Kaindel’s attention, so using my real name was out of the question.

Hence, I was determined to thoroughly play the role of “Ein” in his presence.

Owen’s expression suggested he finally grasped the situation after hearing my explanation.

“Ein….”

Ein, Ein.

Owen muttered the name a couple of times before clicking his tongue.

It was a sound that always escaped him when he found something unsatisfactory.

“It doesn’t suit Isa.”

His comment, which spilled out like a childish complaint, made me chuckle quietly.

Apparently, Owen was displeased with the name because he felt it didn’t suit me.

Understanding his feelings, I couldn’t help but let out a sly laugh.

After my laughter had died down a little, I leaned closer and whispered to Owen, “To be honest, it feels awkward to me too.”

Still, knowing Owen was willing to help eased some of the burden.

---

It was a cold winter day.

All around were dried grass and stones.

A single glance was enough to tell me where I was: a plateau.

Under the dusky evening sky, cries of wild animals echoed.

Whether it was the wind clashing against the rocks or actual animal calls, I couldn’t tell.

But one thing was clear—this place was at its core.

As I stared blankly at my surroundings, a faint voice broke my trance.

I turned my head and saw Kaindel standing before me.

As soon as our eyes met, he gave me a wide smile—a smile that seemed unable to contain the roiling emotions within.

‘I love you. I love you so much.’

He reached out to me.

His hand, which initially patted my head, slid down to my neck, traced my collarbone, and wrapped around my waist.

‘Not a moment has passed where I didn’t love you.’

Yet, despite being so close, I couldn’t feel any warmth.

His voice was right next to me, but the warmth that should have accompanied it felt so far away.

‘Thank you for becoming my lover. I love you. I love you.’

Kaindel, saying this, seemed overwhelmed with joy.

His tone, unfamiliar and foreign, startled me.

No matter how much I racked my memory, Kaindel had never thanked me for becoming his lover.

The landscape surrounding us was easy to recognize—it was the Behamdon Plateau we had passed during a journey five years ago.

However, while the scenery was familiar, the situation was entirely foreign.

Back then, our conversations had been nothing like this.

Right up to the moment I lost consciousness while dealing with Morhan, our exchanges had been cold at best—never this tender.

That realization came naturally to me.

‘I love you.’

This was nothing more than a dream.

---

“Ha.”

As if the weight of sleep had been rinsed away, my tightly shut eyes flew open.

My erratic breathing passed through parted lips.

Staring at the white ceiling, I gripped the blanket tightly.

My damp back felt unpleasant, likely due to the sweat I had shed while sleeping.

Just a strange dream…

As fragmented memories of the dream came to me, I let out a long sigh.

Sitting up, I rubbed my face, slowly regaining clarity.

Outside, faint dawn light was beginning to spill in.

The sky between night and morning was painted a peculiar shade of pink, heralding the arrival of a new day.

I reached for the water on the table and soothed my dry throat before leaving the room to wash up.

Holding a neatly folded towel, I moved quietly, knowing others were still asleep.

I resolved to wash up quickly and get breakfast.

With that in mind, I headed toward the communal showers on the first floor.

The reason Kaindel had appeared in my dream was likely because I had been seeing him almost daily these days.

Since Owen had asked me to handle Kaindel’s confessions, Kaindel had made a point of seeking me out.

Yet, when he came for confession, he rarely said anything.

I had expected him to launch into his usual long stories, but instead, he would sit quietly, ask after my well-being, or find something to occupy himself with.

Yesterday, he read a book. Or was he reviewing some documents?

Because of this, I started occupying myself with other tasks, relieved to avoid the discomfort of forced conversations.

If he read, I read too. If he reviewed papers, I transcribed beside him.

Occasionally, I skimmed through weekly journals that Harilson had dropped off.

During these moments, I made an effort to gauge his intentions.

It was odd how much he had wanted to talk to me, yet now did nothing.

Was there some hidden agenda?

After observing him for days, I concluded he truly had no ulterior motives.

On days when he didn’t bring books or papers to the confessional, he would simply stare out the window, lost in thought.

He didn’t even openly watch me. It was clear he was just spending time on his own, whether I was there or not.

So, I decided to let him be.

If things continued this way until the wedding, it would be a good thing for me.

“I’m tired.”

After rinsing my face with cold water, I dabbed it dry with the towel.

Even after washing up, the exhaustion lingered.

That unsettling dream had left me more irritable than refreshed.

Maybe I should sleep a bit more.

I glanced at the wall clock just as a voice broke my thoughts.

“Excuse me, could I ask for directions?”

A man, seemingly having come down from the upper floors, spoke to me abruptly.

Who is this?

Caught off guard by the unexpected presence, I stared at him in confusion.

It was unusual for someone who wasn’t a priest to be in the annex.

Adjusting the slightly crooked mask on my face, I replied, “Where are you headed?”

“Ah, I think I must’ve gotten lost. I was originally trying to reach the main building.”

“The main building.”

The main building was directly connected to the front entrance, so how had he ended up in the annex behind it?

The suspicion creeping in was quickly dismissed.

He probably wandered here by mistake while exploring the main building.

I had recently learned that digging too deeply into others’ motives only gave me headaches, so I let it go.

“I’ll guide you to the main building. Follow me.”

“Thank you.”

As I motioned for him to follow, the man smiled brightly, clearly pleased.

His cheerful demeanor made me think he was just another devout follower.

But then, a ray of light streaming in from the window briefly illuminated his face.

“This early in the morning, to encounter such a kind priest… I must be lucky.”

The man was none other than Viscount Chernian.

* * *