* * *

Viscount Chernian was impeccably dressed, almost obsessively free of wrinkles, with a cane gripped in his right hand.

His emaciated frame and slightly hunched shoulders seemed to hint at his usual activities.

The next thing that caught my attention was his neatly combed brown hair and sharp, slitted eyes.

Those eyes, which perfectly masked his inner thoughts, sent a chill down my spine as I looked at them.

I stood there, staring at Viscount Chernian as he slowly descended the stairs.

My jaw felt locked in place, refusing to move.

A single bead of moisture, missed during my hurried attempts to dry off, trailed down my throat.

The sound of his well-maintained shoes and cane striking the floor filled the otherwise silent corridor.

The chilling resonance of those noises grew louder as he approached.

Only when he stood before me, smiling faintly, did time—which had seemed frozen—resume its flow.

A sigh, unintentionally trapped on my lips, slipped out.

I had thought he was merely a lost worshiper, but to think he was Viscount Chernian!

This was a grave mistake.

I should have feigned ignorance and walked away.

Foolish kindness had yielded the worst outcome.

“……”

“Priest?”

When I remained silent, trying to quell the unease rising within me, Viscount Chernian tilted his head slightly.

His expression was one of curiosity, his eyes glinting with mischief as if silently asking what was troubling me.

It was then that I snapped back to my senses.

Shaking my head to clear it, I glanced toward the annex entrance.

The quickest way to the main building was through the garden.

Having already agreed to assist him, I resolved to escort him there swiftly and then part ways.

“This way, please.”

Suppressing the tremor in my voice, I turned and started walking.

The Viscount, who had been standing still, leisurely followed.

“Hm~.”

He seemed oddly cheerful, humming a tune as he tapped his cane lightly against the ground.

All the while, a foreign scent clung to my nose, unsettling me.

I knew that nobles in the capital often wore heavy perfumes to mask their natural odors, but this fragrance was particularly overpowering—almost suffocating.

We exited the subdued atmosphere of the annex and began crossing the garden.

It was then that the Viscount, who had been silently observing his surroundings, suddenly spoke.

“The weather is lovely, don’t you think?”

“Is it?”

“Ah, but with that mask, perhaps the sky is hidden from you?”

“Well, yes.”

“Oh dear.”

In truth, even with the mask on, I could see the sky if I simply looked up.

But I didn’t have the energy to explain, so I gave a halfhearted nod.

As he fiddled with his cuffs, the Viscount posed another question.

“There’s no one else here but the two of us, so couldn’t you take it off for a moment?”

“According to the temple’s regulations, priests are forbidden from removing their masks in the presence of worshipers.”

“Ah, regulations.”

The Viscount blinked, his face suggesting that he fully understood, but the sly curve of his lips remained.

His tone, as he added, “Then I suppose you must keep it on,” was faintly mocking.

Choosing to ignore him, I refocused my gaze forward.

The outline of the main building was gradually coming into view.

I couldn’t shake my suspicions about his true intentions.

Why was he so curious about the face behind my mask?

It wasn’t likely that his suggestion came from any genuine kindness.

If it had, I wouldn’t have felt this creeping unease.

What an unsettling person.

As I mulled over this, the Viscount clapped his hands as though recalling something.

“Come to think of it, I hear you’ve been meeting the Hero quite often lately.”

“……”

Of course.

I bit the inside of my cheek.

The Viscount’s casual mention confirmed that he had approached me with full knowledge of who I was.

Moreover, if he knew I had been meeting with Kaindel frequently, it meant someone within the temple had leaked that information.

The informant was likely one of the priests—almost certainly.

Once my thoughts ventured down this path, I surprisingly felt calmer.

Showing any distress would only give Viscount Chernian an opening to exploit.

For now, I decided to play it cool, though I had no idea why he had brought up this topic.

“And?”

“How does he seem? In good condition?”

“I’m not sure what condition you’re referring to.”

“Oh dear, I suppose you haven’t heard.”

Feigning ignorance, I deflected his question, and the Viscount shrugged, tapping his forehead lightly with a finger.

“The rumor that the Hero has gone mad.”

“You’re asking if my worshiper appeared insane to me?”

“That wasn’t my intent, but…”

His vague response was as good as an admission.

Seeing my face momentarily harden, the Viscount’s smile deepened.

“I was merely curious.”

‘Purely out of curiosity,’ he murmured softly, his tone that of a predator poised to pounce.

One wrong step, and I had no doubt I would be devoured whole.

The strange pressure made me swallow dryly.

Thankfully, we had arrived just outside the main building, which offered some small relief.

“That is none of your concern, worshiper.”

“Ah, I see.”

It was a priest’s duty to safeguard the personal information of their worshipers.

This was doubly true for someone like Kaindel, whose reputation was widely known.

Hoping to convey this point, I looked firmly at the Viscount.

He seemed to understand, as his smile faded slightly, suggesting he wouldn’t press further.

“This is the main building.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

I bowed slightly and prepared to leave, believing my task complete.

After all, the Viscount had only asked to be guided to the main building.

But just as I was about to turn away, he placed a hand on my shoulder and leaned in to whisper.

“Priest.”

The pungent fragrance he wore, which had already been overwhelming, became even more unbearable at this proximity.

The stench, now mixed with a rotting undertone, churned my stomach.

Stifling the urge to gag, I maintained my composure as the Viscount spoke in a low, deliberate tone.

“Curiosity killed the cat, as they say.”

“……”

“Be careful.”

‘Curiosity killed the cat.’

A famous phrase.

A warning that indulging in idle curiosity could lead to danger.

His meaning wasn’t lost on me.

Viscount Chernian knew that I had overheard his conversation outside the prayer room.

This was his way of cautioning me not to meddle further.

A chill ran down my spine.

It felt as though every hair on my neck stood on end.

My breath hitched.

This was our first meeting—at least as far as my role as a priest was concerned.

I couldn’t fathom how he had identified me as the eavesdropper.

That day, I had fled before he could see my face.

How could he possibly know?

‘Was his visit to the annex also to find me? I hadn’t taken any action yet, so how could he have known I was interested in their affairs?’

Lost in unanswered questions, I watched the back of Viscount Chernian as he walked into the main building.

My feet felt glued to the ground, making it difficult to move.

My heart thudded so violently that the sound echoed in my ears like thunder.

“Haah…”

A sigh escaped my lips.

The creeping realization brought me back to reality.

‘Viscount Chernian has figured out my identity.’

My thoughts were consumed by this one overwhelming truth.

Although he didn’t seem to know why I was involved with Kaindel, based on the information he already had, it wouldn’t be long before he discovered that I was the missing “Isaac” from the capital.

A red warning signal blinked in my mind.

‘What should I do now?’

I rubbed my lips as I glanced back at the spot where Viscount Chernian had been.

The fact that he came to warn me in person suggested that the people accompanying him were of even higher status than he was.

After all, those who typically act in such situations are people who wouldn’t care if their involvement were revealed.

If I ignored Viscount Chernian’s warning and began to act now, the figure behind him would likely start moving.

Yet I was still unsure of what to do regarding Chernian’s plans and needed to avoid drawing further attention to myself.

I had already been planning to discuss this again with Owen, the only person I could trust in the temple.

“Stop overthinking.”

Pushing aside the tangled mess of thoughts, I muttered under my breath, rubbing the back of my neck.

I was exhausted.

Perhaps I should rest in the garden for a while to clear my mind.

---

“Isa…”

A voice called out from somewhere.

The sound, faint yet resonant, seemed to pull all my senses toward it.

“Running away again… because of me…”

I might’ve dozed off while resting.

The pressure on my eyelids wouldn’t subside, and leaning against the tree in a crouched position, I must’ve fallen asleep.

“Your ankle…”

Dazed, I strained to focus on the voice.

The sound of hurried footsteps approached before abruptly halting right in front of me.

The heavy breathing that followed filled the silence.

Judging by the ragged breaths, it seemed the person had been running.

“Haha.”

Not long after, they let out a soft laugh.

“Here you are.”

They murmured something unintelligible.

* * *