* * *

Seo Woohyun gazed at the meal before him and mused that rejecting Habios’ offer to accompany him might have been a regretful decision.

During their travels to the Duchy of Soznian, every camp meal had been well-balanced.

Thanks to meticulous ingredient management, they enjoyed a plentiful supply of vegetables, soups as a staple, and even occasional desserts despite their modest setup.

Yet, a meal prepared systematically by professional chefs and attendants was a different experience altogether.

The courses began with two light appetizers, followed by soup, salad, fish, a meat dish, a simple cake, cookies, and tea—all served in sequence.

The fish dishes, made from ingredients procured in the Principality, disappeared midway through the Great Forest due to their short shelf life.

‘I never imagined eating such elaborate courses while camping…’

As Seo Woohyun sliced into perfectly cooked meat, he couldn’t help but marvel.

This joy was of a different kind compared to the camaraderie of sharing soups and roasted bird under the stars with his companions.

‘Maybe I shouldn’t have turned down Sihero’s original plan for luxurious hospitality.’

The thought crossed his mind briefly, but he dismissed it.

Hogging two entire food wagons just for himself would have been excessive.

Moderation, after all, was best.

After the meal, he sipped fragrant tea and enjoyed a moment of relaxation.

Soon, a familiar silver-haired figure approached him.

Habios, whose mere presence had the knack for unsettling others, took the seat beside him without ceremony.

“That person isn’t here, I see,” Habios remarked casually.

Unlike before, his expression carried none of the infatuated glimmer it once did.

His gaze was now composed and respectful, more befitting someone addressing a saint.

Seo Woohyun noticed this shift immediately.

“Ah, they’re busy with other matters,” Seo Woohyun explained briefly, referring to the absent figure Habios had mentioned.

He didn’t know when they’d return—or if they ever would.

Perhaps their voice would occasionally resurface, but a permanent return seemed unlikely.

As time passed, Seo Woohyun often revisited his final conversation with Erdian, either consciously or unconsciously.

It had been a farewell, without a doubt.

“Stay well and healthy” wasn’t something one said to someone they’d see again soon. It was also an answer to his own words.

‘I don’t think I can date Lord Erdian. No, I’m certain I can’t. No matter how I think about it, I can’t surpass the love you once shared with Ciel.’

In response to Seo Woohyun’s admission, Erdian had made his peace and departed, leaving behind an unconditional and one-sided kindness: permission to do whatever he pleased.

“Are you disappointed that El isn’t here?” Seo Woohyun suddenly asked Habios.

The prince feigned surprise but shook his head.

“No, if I’m being honest, I’m somewhat relieved.”

“Why is that?”

“Perhaps because of what they showed me on the mountainside. I still want to avoid crossing them.”

Whatever Erdian had revealed on the mountainside, Seo Woohyun didn’t know.

His sight had been obstructed the entire time, and no one in the group had brought it up afterward.

“But it’s true that I wanted to be helpful on this journey. This time, I can confidently assure you there won’t be threats like before.”

‘It seems the imperial palace has been thoroughly shaken,’ Seo Woohyun thought as he listened to Habios’ commanding tone.

Through occasional meal-time conversations, Seo Woohyun had gathered surprising amounts of information.

The imperial knights accompanying Habios were said to rival the Holy Knights of the Erdian Order in skill.

On top of that, they were an elite force answering only to the Emperor himself.

Even their dedicated chef was the head of the imperial kitchens.

‘From what I’ve learned, the Emperor is supposed to maintain a strictly businesslike relationship with the Order. For them to go this far based on Erdian’s words…’

Suddenly, Seo Woohyun recalled Erdian’s chilling mutter:

‘The imperial family will need to show their sincerity. I’ve stayed my hand only because I still honor my promise to Calliope.’

What promise had been made to Calliope?

Seo Woohyun thought of the red-haired man with a mischievous smile, who had been both Habios’ ancestor and the Empire’s founding emperor, as well as Erdian’s close friend and high priest.

Even as Seo Woohyun retraced fragments of memories he’d glimpsed, he couldn’t guess what vow Calliope and Erdian had made.

Perhaps it had been a promise made after Ciel’s death.

Habios’ presence had undeniably made their journey more comfortable.

Seo Woohyun nodded silently and sipped his tea beside him.

Habios’ expressions, when their eyes met, were undeniably different now.

‘This is better. Your Highness, stop pining for someone eleven years older and find someone closer to your age who’s bright and wonderful. I’m rooting for you.’

Their tangled connection, marked by assassinations and misfortune, had reached a point where it could no longer be dismissed as coincidence.

As Seo Woohyun wished for the young prince’s bright future, he instinctively glanced up at the sky.

‘A saint is basically a mascot. Sihero can keep managing the Order as an experienced leader, and I’ll just show up occasionally when necessary. If I stay as the saint full-time, I might never get to experience love before I die…’

The Erdian Order didn’t forbid marriage among its clergy.

Positions of authority couldn’t be inherited by one’s children, but Erdian himself had never decreed a ban on such matters.

The rules binding the Temple existed solely for human convenience, and the only divine law set by Erdian was simple:

‘Do not call yourself a saint.’

For someone indifferent to human affairs, this single decree revealed the one thing Erdian wouldn’t tolerate: false claims to sainthood.

Seo Woohyun resolved to consult Sihero about his thoughts once they returned to the Grand Temple.

Just as Habios had promised, no assassins interrupted their journey back.

Thus concluded the saint’s first tumultuous journey, leaving behind only complicated and bittersweet memories.

---

Deep within the Holy City’s Grand Temple lay a place reserved solely for the saint—the Palace of Silence.

The name hadn’t been Erdian’s choice but Calliope’s, the first high priest.

The meaning of silence, an unspoken sound, and its association with the palace’s name remained unclear.

Scholars speculated that it honored the first saint, whose name was unrecorded and unutterable.

Seo Woohyun, the palace’s first occupant, returned from his tour and collapsed onto the vast bed.

Beside him, Malrang wagged a paw to scratch his head before marveling at the soft bedding.

“This is enormous! I could roll all over it!”

Freshly bathed and back in his true form, Malrang was still the size of a small dog, unlikely to tumble off the spacious bed no matter how much he rolled around.

“Malrang, roll over!”

“Not Malrang, it’s Plang!”

“Plang, roll over!”

“Haha!”

After Eridian left, Seo Seo Woohyun, who had been devoid of energy, finally smiled brightly and played with the little hatchling.

Thrilled, the hatchling even attempted a forward roll.

Somehow, Malrang, who had accompanied him to the grand temple, showed no signs of wanting to leave.

When Seo Woohyun, seemingly after receiving regular reports from Giselle, awkwardly tried to introduce the child upon returning to the temple, Sihero spoke up first. “Ah, so you’re the ‘Francis’ I’ve heard so much about,” he said warmly, acting like they were already acquainted.

Sihero even reassured him, saying that since the hatchling had Eridian’s direct permission to accompany him and was Cecily’s youngest son, the temple planned to treat him with utmost care and respect.

A few days passed as Seo Woohyun rested and unwound from his journey.

But soon, a sense of boredom and unease began creeping in—symptoms of burnout and his workaholic tendencies taking turns.

Having never been idle for so long, Seo Woohyun found himself anxious and restless, unsure of how to relax.

Despite his growing certainty that Eridian wouldn’t drive him away, his deeply ingrained “office worker DNA” screamed at him to do something.

Even though this world had no resumes or job applications, he felt as if people might judge him for being unproductive if he couldn’t provide a plausible answer to the question, “What did you do during your break?”

Casually, he asked Sihero if there were any simple tasks he could take on.

Sihero looked utterly horrified. “You’ve only just returned from a trip, and you’re already asking that?”

“Ah… I guess in a world where no one worries about gaps in their resume, that kind of reaction makes sense.”

Seeing Sihero’s startled response, Seo Woohyun was reminded once again of his South Korean tendency to obsess over work and achievements.

Resolving to relax more, he concluded his daily prayers.

Yet once again, Eridian’s voice didn’t reach him during prayer.

Seo Woohyun felt oddly disappointed by the silence.

* * *