Chapter 1 – Three Sins

Saintess Ariena let out a deep sigh and roughly swept her hair back. No matter how hard she tried to focus, the documents simply wouldn’t register in her mind. It was a pitiful situation, especially when every minute was precious with the charity event just around the corner.

It was inevitable. That man would be arriving soon.

Ariena glanced at the clock tower visible beyond the arched window. Since it had been a while since the bell had rung, it wouldn’t be strange if he barged in at any moment. Finally giving up, Ariena placed the quill back into its holder. She gathered the scattered pile of papers, tapped them neatly together, and clipped them in order.

Karil. How much had he changed? The last time she saw him, he was a young knight newly appointed as the commander of the knight order. He looked more like a Prince than a knight—always impeccably groomed with his golden hair never out of place. The memory made her inexplicably anxious.

Ariena carefully stepped down from the platform where her desk stood and walked toward the cross-shaped mirror placed by the entrance. She studied her reflection with rare scrutiny. She didn’t like the slightly rounder contours of her cheeks, but she consoled herself that it was better than the gaunt, hollow face she’d had upon returning from Sacred.

Only her long silver hair, trailing down to her waist, bothered her a little for its slight messiness. Considering she’d never used the hair oils favored by noblewomen, it was still passable. Ria combed her hair with her fingers, wondering whether to let it flow down her back or gather it to one side.

In the past, when she was pampered by maids, she always wore her hair to one side, exposing her long neck, which was said to be beautiful. Ariena gathered her thread-like hair over her left shoulder. It would have been nice to have some adornments, or at least some lip color.

Touching her lips wistfully, Ariena suddenly looked at the woman in the mirror. For once, her face, usually pale and shadowed, was flushed with joy. Facing herself, reality struck her.

Foolish, foolish Ariena.

Esallin’s mirror was a sacred relic made by Saintess Esallin to remind future saintesses to always mind their appearance. Using such a precious item for personal adornment—especially for a man who had belittled her and broken his promise—was nothing short of foolish and disgraceful.

Ariena bowed her head, tracing a small cross and murmuring a prayer of repentance. She roughly scattered her once-neatly gathered hair down her back. Her emotions surged wildly. Trying to calm herself, she gripped the emerald cross at her chest and closed her eyes tightly, repeating deep breaths to steady her feelings.

Ria slowly opened her eyes and looked at the woman in the mirror again. Her gentle green eyes had sunk back into their usual somber darkness. It was the solemn, dull face she knew so well. Yes, this suited her.

Swallowing her gloom, Ariena took a fresh look around her office.

Walls and floors finished in creamy white marble were always immaculately maintained. The obsessive purity stifled Ria.

The room was filled with items that were anything but easy to handle. The mahogany door carved with a sacred flame. The nearby basin and Esallin’s mirror. The massive altar made of dark marble edged with obsidian. Even the desk, raised high for visitors to look up at.

The highlight was the enormous tapestry covering the wall behind the desk. The goddess’s miracles were grandly woven against a black background. Among countless scenes, the goddess’s green eyes always faced forward, as if countless emerald eyes were watching the office.

Her gaze, bouncing over the tapestry’s surface, landed on the central image—a scene of the goddess riding atop a giant golden wolf. Considering the golden wolf symbolized the Emperor, its meaning was clear.

The descendants of that golden wolf would soon visit this room. The message to never forget dignity, even before the Imperial Family, made Ariena tense, and she turned her gaze away.

Afternoon autumn sunlight streamed through the vast domed stained glass ceiling, painting colorful patterns on the marble floor. In the heavy, monochrome room, this was the only splash of color. Ariena would often gaze blankly at those lovely lights.

It was a space designed to overwhelm and display purity. Ariena thought wryly that the only trivial thing in this room was herself—a saintess who had lost all her sacred power.

Being chosen as a link in the holy chain had once been Ariena’s honor. To be precise, it ‘had been’ an honor. Sometimes, she felt like a ghost while still alive. Having finished all her tasks in life and prepared to leave, yet shackled, unable to escape—a miserable, earthbound spirit.

“Saintess Ariena. Commander Karil has arrived.”

The maid’s voice cut through the silence. Ariena quietly bit her lip. Her wandering gaze settled on the domed ceiling window, where red, blue, and yellow light shimmered like waves. It was beautiful—especially because it was unattainable.

Foolish, foolish Ariena.

Ariena murmured as if groaning.

“Please show him in.”

Creak—despite oiling, the old hinges screamed. The mahogany door, embossed with a sacred flame, swung open in a graceful arc. And finally, Karil entered.

‘Magnificent’ was a fitting word for his stature. The man, a full head taller than Ariena, filled the room with his imposing presence. His knight’s uniform, perfectly tailored for an imperial audience, added to the gravity.

Karil slowly turned his head to look at Ariena. His ascetic, chiseled face was taut with inexplicable tension. Unconsciously, Ariena held her breath. The young knight had become a complete man. The innocence of youth had ripened into the dominating aura of one accustomed to command.

He stood silently, gazing at Ariena. Still, he looked like the very concept of a knight carved into a statue. Every feature was impeccably shaped, almost ascetic in its neatness. His golden hair, slicked down without a strand out of place, and his flawless uniform could have graced any knight’s manual.

Yet, for some reason, despite his knightly appearance, there was something dangerously untamed about him. He seemed less like the spotless young knight she remembered and more like a beast with tightly coiled muscles—a wildness that made even his noble exterior seem like a disguise.

Thud. The sound of the maid closing the door was clear. As if that were a signal, Karil began to walk slowly toward Ariena.

Karil had come today for confession. Confession was to be conducted privately, in a closed room. Nothing that happened within could ever leave those walls… That simple fact made Ariena’s heart tighten.

With every step the imposing man took, Ariena felt a growing urge to flee. She clasped her hands at her lower abdomen so tightly her knuckles turned white. Soon, his powerful presence stopped just a bit closer than was typically permitted.

“I, as the sinner, greets the most beloved daughter of the Creator.”

“…I greet the Empire’s sword.”

Karil offered the prescribed greeting for the start of confession. Ariena, coming to her senses, replied in kind. The Empire’s second Prince had requested confession as the commander of the knight order. So, for the duration of this time, Saintess and Karil were nominally equals.

Before Ariena could finish thinking that his actions suited his generous nature, the Prince bent one knee and knelt. The unexpected gesture left Ariena frozen in surprise. Kneeling, he gently drew Ariena’s right hand, which was folded at her abdomen.

Soft lips landed on the first knuckle of her finger. Full and warm, they rubbed gently, radiating heat that seemed to melt her skin, while his cool grip on her fingers was almost chilly.

“Ah…”

Ariena let out a gasp tinged with a moan. The knight, indifferent to Ria’s embarrassment, calmly lowered his eyes. His deep eyelids, fringed with golden lashes, formed a graceful arc. His manners were impeccable.

As Ariena admired Karil’s face, she suddenly noticed something new—a scar under his left eye. It was a knife-like mark, about a finger’s length. A single flaw that lent a dangerous sensuality to his otherwise orderly knightly face—a wildness that defied societal rules.

Sensing her gaze, Karil opened his eyes. His long golden lashes fluttered upward like wings. His blue eyes, with their triple irises, pierced Ariena. As their gazes met, a cold blue light flashed in his eyes.

The unsettling glow snapped Ariena back to reality. His lips lingered too long. As she tried to pull her hand away, Karil loosened his grip but pressed her escaping fingers to his lips. The hot trail of his lips followed her fingertips relentlessly.

“Hff…”

Ariena clasped her flushed right hand in her left. The sensation of his lips tracing her fingers felt like a vivid brand. Her cheeks burned hot. She hated how easily her body blushed.

She couldn’t tell whether this was rude teasing or some fashionable courtly custom she didn’t know. The man before her was a Prince trained in the highest etiquette from birth and also a knight renowned for his uprightness.

Unlike the confused Ria, Karil rose with a calm expression. Ariena looked up at him through trembling vision. His unshaken, clean expression made it hard to guess his thoughts, but at least he seemed free of ill intent.