Chapter 2

“Thank you for your gracious tolerance of my rude request.”

“…It is my duty as a Priestess.”

His impassive eyes, their earlier glow faded, swept over her blushing face. Was he mocking her for reacting to every meaningless gesture? Ariena lowered her head to hide her face and pointed to the altar.

“Please sit across from me.”

Karil, with a stride befitting his long legs, took a seat across the altar. He narrowed his eyes, full of emotion, and surveyed the office.

“It’s been a long time.”

“……”

“Nothing has changed here.”

Ariena’s brow furrowed. Did this man even remember the promise he made at their last meeting? He had probably forgotten long ago. That’s why he could mention their previous encounter without guilt after breaking his promise.

His thoughtless attitude hurt Ariena, but she wasn’t foolish enough to show it. She composed her expression and replied politely.

“Of course. This is the temple’s only sanctuary. Even after I’m gone, and the next, and the next Saintess comes, it will remain unchanged—except for a few more relics.”

“Relics, huh. I heard only Saintesses who receive divine revelation can create relics. Like your pendant, Lady Ariena.”

His calm blue eyes drifted to the cross hanging at her chest. His face showed no emotion, but his gaze dissected the relic with persistence. Unconsciously, Ariena swallowed. She wasn’t sure if he was really looking at the cross.

But this was Sir Karil. The stone-faced commander of the knight order wouldn’t flirt with a Saintess. Ariena straightened her back with effort, thankful she’d cinched her chest band to avoid showing any curves.

Karil tilted his head against the altar and met Ariena’s eyes. His impassive gaze met Ria’s trembling eyes in the air.

“Forgive me. It’s been a while since I’ve seen it in sunlight—I couldn’t look away.”

“……”

“It’s beautiful. Even more than I imagined.”

His low voice, praising her beauty as if directed at her, made Ariena clench her hands tightly. Her neck burned with embarrassment.

There was no reason for foolish misunderstandings. Creating a relic was a rare honor for a Saintess, and praising it was customary etiquette.

Ariena tried to respond politely to his compliment, but her lips wouldn’t part. Karil watched her patiently as she mouthed silent words.

“Is this table a relic as well?”

Karil traced the obsidian edge of the altar with his finger. Grateful for the change of subject, yet embarrassed that he’d noticed her discomfort, Ria cleared her throat softly.

“…You should call it an altar, not a table. Saintess Yustea herself imbued it with sacred power.”

“So it’s carved from a single block of marble. I like how sturdy it is.”

He likes how sturdy it is? That was an oddly practical comment for a relic. The slightly irreverent remark made Ariena frown lightly. But she wasn’t in a position to criticize Karil’s manners.

“…In any case, I’m glad you like it.”

“How about you, Saintess?”

“What do you mean?”

Ariena asked back. Without answering, Karil gripped the surface of the altar with one hand. His forearm tensed, and the altar shifted slightly. Seeing him move something that would require dozens of men to budge, Ria was secretly amazed.

“Sir, you shouldn’t touch relics carelessly.”

“Sorry. It’s hard to resist.”

“You sound like a child.”

“…Do I seem like a child to you?”

He laughed briefly and obediently let go of the altar, retreating to the sofa as if avoiding something dangerous. His strong arms folded, veins pulsing blue on his hands, as if he were locking himself inside his own arms.

“You haven’t answered.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m curious whether you like this altar.”

“What I like hardly matters.”

“You’re the sole master of this room—how could it not matter?”

With a troubled smile, Ariena revised her earlier judgment. This man hadn’t changed. He still had the knack for asking questions no one else dared, digging into people’s hearts. As he silently waited for her answer, Ariena spoke.

“It’s irreverent to judge relics by preference, but this altar is the relic I treasure most in my office.”

“……”

“When you touch it, you can feel Saintess Yustea’s sacred power. It’s refreshing and clear—it lifts my spirits.”

“…That’s wonderful, but also troubling.”

Karil squeezed his folded arms tightly against his body. The navy fabric stretched as if about to burst. He leaned deeper into the sofa, slowly turning his head. His sharp jaw tightened and relaxed repeatedly. His breathing was rough, like someone in pain.

Ah. Ariena belatedly recalled that there are people who feel uncomfortable when close to sacred power. It was something unimaginable for Ariena, so she hadn’t considered it in advance. Perhaps the emanating sacred power was troubling him.

“What is it that troubles you? If you’re feeling unwell, I can help you.”

“……Heh.”

The man’s body stiffened as if frozen. Ariena, startled by his reaction, was about to rise from her seat when the man slowly turned his gaze and met her eyes. His sharp gaze pierced straight through Ariena.

Karil gave a deep smile. The corners of his eyes drew a beautiful arc. The scar beneath his eye folded like a dimple, adding a wild line to the knight’s face. His ascetic features were tinged with a sensual energy. His smiling face, showing his teeth, was like a beast with its prey right in front.

“Will you… help me?”

The man rose from his seat, bracing both hands on the altar and leaning his upper body toward Ria. His clear blue eyes narrowed as he watched Ria, like a wild animal gauging the moment to pounce. The muscles hidden beneath his navy uniform tensed tightly.

The tension was on the verge of exploding for reasons unknown. Ariena unconsciously inhaled and moved back, but Karil instantly closed the distance.

His sharply chiseled features radiated a coldness without a hint of laughter. Noble as a knight, yet cruel as a beast. His blue eyes glistened with an inscrutable light, slowly blinking.

Ariena instinctively sensed that something was about to happen. She thought she must stop it somehow, but all she could do was clasp her hands tightly as if in prayer. The man’s healthy lips stretched into a wide smile, almost as if he were about to call Ria by her nickname.

Creak—

The poorly fitted door hinge screeched as the door opened. Soon, a red-haired maid hurried in, carrying a tray with teacups and simple refreshments. Ariena looked at the maid as if grasping a lifeline, but the persistent gaze from the side continued to pour over her.

The maid, seemingly unaware of the tense atmosphere in the office, placed the teacups down with a calm expression. Karil let out a rough sigh and slumped into the sofa, lazily crossing his legs. As the urgent tension faded into peace, Ariena secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Karil folded his arms tightly, as if shackling himself, and looked at the neatly arranged refreshments with a dissatisfied expression. Though he looked thirsty, he didn’t touch the tea in front of him. After the maid finished her greeting and left, Ariena spoke first.

“This is Kamue tea, the pride of the temple. It may be a humble offering for a Commander, but it should be enough to wet your lips.”

“…….”

“But, you seem unwell since earlier. Do you perhaps have a reaction against sacred power?”

“…No.”

“I’m glad you’re alright. Then, I won’t need to assist you.”

Ria deliberately sipped her tea slowly, organizing her confused thoughts. There was only one conclusion. This man was dangerous. She regretted accepting Karil’s request for confession on impulse.

Karil had sent an attendant to request confession just yesterday afternoon. He insisted on scheduling it for today, saying it was urgent. That much was barely tolerable, but the problem was that he specifically asked for Ariena to hear his confession. On top of that, he added that he wanted it to be held in the Saintess’s office.

Every detail was unreasonably rude. Nevertheless, the High Priest, who would do anything to undermine Ariena’s dignity, strongly pressured her to accept. His reasoning was that, with the temple’s finances dried up due to renovations, they needed to please the wealthy donor.

However, even the High Priest couldn’t force entry into the office. Only the Saintess could decide that. So, facing Karil in her office right now was entirely her own decision.

At first, she intended to refuse. But she worried that avoiding him might look like she was still conscious of him. Instead, she decided to face him boldly and show an indifferent, composed demeanor. She accepted the request half out of impulse.

It was foolish bravado. She had underestimated the man’s allure. Her frozen heart wavered at every little action he made. Ariena remembered all too well how much pain that wavering could cause.

“Before confession, I would like to thank you for your generosity, Lord. You have been the greatest help in restoring the house of God.”

There was only one answer: to finish this confession as quickly as possible. To drive out this dangerous intruder before the next bell rang. Ariena resolved to complete the sacrament before the next bell sounded.

But even her body wouldn’t cooperate. A dizzying drowsiness washed over her. It was the chronic fatigue that had plagued Ariena for some time. She hadn’t cut her sleep, but her body always felt limp, as if she were perpetually lacking rest. She bit the inside of her mouth hard, and the sleepiness faded slightly.

“The Goddess will also remember your generosity, Lord. Haam….”

But at the end of her sentence, a yawn slipped out. Ariena was startled by her own slip and hurriedly apologized. Embarrassment flushed her neck once again.

“S-sorry. My schedule has been overwhelming lately….”

His icy blue eyes quietly watched Ariena. She unconsciously held her breath. Karil wasn’t the type to nitpick etiquette, but he had a presence that could make anyone feel small without saying a word.

“You seem drowsy.”

Unexpectedly, Karil’s lips curled into a gentle, warm smile—quite different from his earlier fierce grin. His affectionate gaze, as if pleased, caught Ariena off guard.

“The harvest festival is near, and I’ve been busy preparing for the charity event.”

“…You are the Empire’s one and only treasure. Please take care of yourself.”

“Thank you for your concern. But the business of someone as busy as you should come first.”

Ariena gently drew a line at his overly personal tone. It was a subtle prompt to begin the confession. Karil surely understood, yet he only fiddled with his teacup in silence. His uncharacteristic hesitation made Ariena cut to the point.

“I heard you have something to confess.”

His hand, which had been playing with the teacup, slowly stopped. His well-built shoulders visibly stiffened. His sculpted face hardened with tension.

Like a curtain tearing, the anxiety he had barely concealed with his relaxed manner now showed plainly. It was strange. Wasn’t he a man who feared nothing in the world? What kind of sin could make such a man so anxious? Curiosity bloomed in Ariena’s heart.

“…Saintess. There are exactly two things I absolutely must have.”

“…….”

“One of them will definitely become mine. That fact makes me excited, yet the thought of losing the other forever fills me with dread.”

“…”

“Seeing it makes me want it more, but I don’t have the courage.”

Karil spoke as if in pain, roughly sweeping his face with his hand. He buried his face in his massive hand and breathed quietly. His well-built shoulders rose and fell slowly.

“…But if I must lose everything, it’s right to take at least one.”

As if making up his mind, the man straightened his back. Ariena offered a compassionate smile to soothe the sinner’s anxiety. It didn’t seem to have much effect, as his eyes suddenly flashed with an unknown color. His blue eyes stared directly at Ariena.

“Saintess. I have committed three sins.”

His voice was dignified and unwavering, belying the lengthy hesitation. The tone contained no trace of a sinner’s regret, making Ariena doubtful.

“Three sins, Commander? I can hardly believe it.”

“I have harbored feelings for a woman.”

“…….”

Ariena was momentarily at a loss for words. Karil had fallen in love… Her heart plunged as if sinking into mud. She felt her expression twist, but there was nothing she could do.

Ariena lifted her teacup and pretended to drink, hiding her face. The bitter tea slowly flowed down her throat. She sipped at leisure, reining in her swirling emotions. Thankfully, masking her feelings was something she’d grown skilled at over a lifetime.

“That’s not a sin, but something to celebrate, Commander.”

Fortunately, her voice didn’t tremble. Ariena put on the mask of a benevolent Saintess. Karil, his face stiff, continued his confession.

“…She is not someone I should dare have feelings for.”

“That’s hard to believe. It would be harder to find a young lady in the Empire who does not admire you.”

Even with her deliberately lighthearted remark, Karil remained silent. He hesitated with his clasped hands, then finally began confessing his first sin.