4. A Cursed Fate

After that day, the social circles buzzed for quite some time with rumors of Kazerre and Aveline’s falling out.

Numerous witnesses and gossipmongers gleefully chattered, claiming that Aveline had merely been obsessing over Kazerre all along, while he had only ever tolerated her.

“Wasn’t Lady Croeta’s obsession with the Duke rather excessive?”

“It was certainly embarrassing to watch.”

“Honestly, I feel sorry for His Grace.”

“I always wondered why he never reacted much despite knowing fully what she was doing, but it turns out he was just enduring it all along. Because of that oracle.”

“Really, how could he ever love a woman like that?”

Even as they sympathized with the Duke, their lips curled in satisfaction. That was how much schadenfreude Aveline’s downfall brought them.

The marriage may have been decreed in the name of God, but could God truly dictate human emotions?

If the Duke had never loved Aveline in the first place, then surely he would never love her in the future either. Just the thought of this possibility felt like a long-awaited relief after ten years of frustration.

Particularly, the young and naive ladies who still dreamed of romance secretly rejoiced.

Perhaps one of them could be the one to show the Duke what true love really was.

If love burned even in the face of parental opposition, then what of a love that defied even the will of God? The extreme romanticism of the idea left these ladies wandering through social gatherings with eyes alight in dreamy anticipation.

But Kazerre had not appeared in public since that day. Unfortunately, neither had his infamous fiancée, leaving the gossip mill unsatisfied.

Come to think of it, he had only ever attended social events because Aveline dragged him there. There was no reason for him to show up now that she was absent.

Though they had found her presence intolerable before, her absence now felt oddly disappointing.

Yet it would have been absurd for Aveline Croeta to go about as if nothing had happened under these circumstances.

Her pitiful reality of being unloved by her fiancé had been laid bare, so surely, out of sheer embarrassment, she would be unable to show her face.

She was most likely holed up somewhere…

‘Crying? They truly don’t know Aveline Croeta at all.’

Samuel frowned slightly as he observed Aveline sprawled out lazily with her legs crossed.

He was a priest dispatched from the Grand Temple and had spent the entire morning waiting just to have an audience with her.

Yet despite keeping him waiting for so long, Aveline showed not the slightest interest in him.

Her arrogant posture on the sofa exuded neither respect nor humility. It was clear that Aveline Croeta was not the type to shrink back simply because of a mere rumor.

Samuel quickly discarded the fleeting trace of pity he had felt. Such an emotion was utterly wasted on a woman like her.

“Lady Aveline.”

“…”

“Lady Aveline?”

Despite his harsh internal judgment, Samuel made an effort to keep his voice gentle, coaxing her as if soothing a child.

As a servant of God, how could he dare disregard someone personally chosen by the divine? But beyond such formalities, the clergy had no choice but to be deferential toward Aveline.

The revival of the temple was entirely thanks to the oracle concerning the Duke of Evuteren and Aveline herself.

Before the oracle, the temple’s influence within the empire had been almost negligible. The only evidence of divine existence was the sacred power manifested by a handful of individuals, and the temple had long since fallen into mere servitude to the emperor rather than to God.

To the empire’s people, God either did not exist or, if He did, was an indifferent entity unworthy of worship.

Then, on one eerily silent night, everything changed. Those who possessed sacred power heard the voice of God, and the world was thrown into upheaval.

「The first master of an ancient covenant, long dormant in blood flowing upon the snowfield, shall soon awaken.

And the soul drawn by this calling shall also be waiting where the eleventh light fades. The rightful promise shall be fulfilled.」

Hundreds—no, thousands—of people heard these divine words, spoken to fulfill an ancient promise.

Witnessing a miracle that shook the world, the clergy set out searching for divine grace. Ordinary people who had heard the voice of God willingly pledged themselves as His servants and made generous donations.

Riding this wave of fervor, a grand temple was constructed in the capital, replacing the old, decrepit one. The new temple’s magnificent sanctuary was crowded daily with devoted worshippers.

Thus, how could Aveline Croeta, the one who brought them such glory, not be esteemed?

Moreover, at the young age of ten, she had even manifested sacred power, further elevating the temple’s status.

Although she had since become a coldhearted woman who refused to use her powers for others, there were tales of how, as a child, she had once healed an injured bird and sent it soaring back into the sky. People said the sight had been so breathtakingly beautiful that she could have been hailed as a saint.

‘Aveline Croeta, a saint? Not a chance.’

Samuel clicked his tongue inwardly.

If the temple were to nominate her as a saint, he would be the first to oppose it.

It wasn’t that Samuel had found Aveline disagreeable from the start. In the past, he had entertained some illusions about the chosen protagonist of fate.

A very vague illusion that she would be a pious, kind, and merciful woman—someone blessed by God Himself.

Then, on the day he coincidentally encountered her when she visited the temple in the north to pray for the duke’s safety, Samuel felt a shock that pierced straight through his spine.

It felt like witnessing a miracle performed by God. Aveline Croeta was far more noble and divine than his meager illusions—she radiated brilliance.

However, while Samuel was lost in awe, she smiled sweetly, parted her soft lips, and spoke words that left him shocked in an entirely different way.

‘I’m thirsty.’

‘…Pardon?’

‘I said I’m thirsty.’

‘Ah…’

‘Why are you just standing there? Do I have to spell it out for you to bring me water?’

The sheer audacity, as if she were scolding a dim-witted servant…

But the real issue came next. A lay priest overseeing the apprentice priests, including Samuel, stepped in to admonish Aveline.

‘Lady Aveline. The priests are not your servants. Ordering them around for every little errand is inappropriate.’

‘If they are servants of God, then ultimately, are they not also my servants?’

‘Pardon…?’

‘I was chosen by God Himself, so if you are truly servants of God, then you should naturally obey me as well. Is there anyone here closer to God than I am?’

‘That’s…’

Looking down on a priest more than ten years her senior as if it were the most natural thing, Aveline Croeta wielded God’s name not out of faith but as a tool to assert her authority.

The thought that he had once mistaken such a woman for a miracle of God filled Samuel with shame and burning anger.

If one considered the circumstances, Aveline was no different from someone who had suddenly become rich overnight due to the oracle.

Even if she wasn’t devout, she should at least be grateful for God’s grace. And yet, why was she still so arrogant and insolent?

“Avel—”

“Enough with calling my name. Just get to the point, Priest. I trust you’re not here to give me some tiresome sermon.”

Aveline let out a small yawn and lightly wiped away the tears that had formed at the corners of her eyes.

The beautiful face that Samuel had once thought sacred was now filled with nothing but boredom and disinterest.

Samuel hadn’t come all this way because he wanted to see her. Why would he want to see such a materialistic woman who, despite receiving the temple’s blessings, shamelessly fawned over the crown prince?

He simply had no authority to refuse the orders.

“There was no particular message to deliver. However, the High Priests are deeply concerned about the recent rumors…”

“Oh my, are the great High Priests now meddling in romantic affairs? Perhaps the temple should operate a matchmaking service instead.”

Samuel actually shared the sentiment, but the reality was that the temple was suffering the most from the rumored discord between Kazerre and Aveline.

A divine couple, supposedly blessed by God, embroiled in rumors of strife—it was practically an act of defying God’s words.

To make matters worse, the duke’s excessively handsome face had only exacerbated the issue. People lamented that God was too cruel to Duke Evuteren.

If not for the oracle, he would never have been entangled with her. Among the nobility, the supposed divine blessing was even being ridiculed as a divine trial instead.

“Of course not.”

Samuel forced a denial and picked up his teacup to moisten his parched throat.

However, the ornate, extravagant teacup—something only the most luxurious aristocrats would use—only made him feel more unsettled.

He placed the untouched cup back down and continued speaking.

“The High Priests merely hope that both of you will attend the upcoming Oracle Day to reaffirm the strength of your bond publicly.”

Oracle Day was the grandest ceremony held at the High Temple, commemorating the day the divine oracle was bestowed. The High Priests had tirelessly used Kazerre and Aveline as symbols of that prophecy to promote their cause.

Now, with rumors of discord spreading, the High Priests were growing anxious that the two might refuse to attend, so they had hastily sent Samuel to persuade them.

Despite there being five High Priests, not a single one was competent or bold enough to handle the matter themselves.

“The temple must still be at peace.”

“…”

“For the High Priests to waste time worrying about something so trivial—it must mean everything else is running smoothly.”

Aveline smiled brightly as if genuinely relieved. Yet her words remained as cold as if they had been forged in ice water.

She ran her elegant fingers over the teacup and spoke softly, leisurely.

“But sending someone over just for this is nothing but a tiresome hassle for both sides. If you’re not careful, my already frail body might collapse from exhaustion, and I truly won’t be able to attend. Wouldn’t that be inconvenient for everyone?”

Aveline smiled sweetly, her eyes curving playfully—while delivering an unmistakably veiled threat.

The stark contrast between her words and demeanor always required a moment to discern her true intentions. This was why everyone became tongue-tied in front of Aveline.

“Of course, it’s troublesome.”

“Isn’t it?”

Samuel gave a small nod. Though he responded reluctantly, this time, he had no intention of arguing with her.

In truth, the one truly exhausted was Samuel, who had been pushed into coming here in person, while Aveline had merely spared a sliver of her time from her room.

Aveline took a serene sip of her tea, lifting the cup slowly with a gentle smile. Then, as she set it down, she spoke without even glancing at Samuel.

“What are you doing, Priest?”

“…Pardon?”

“Aren’t you going to leave now?”

Aveline flicked her fingers slightly as if shooing away a fly. Her gaze had already drifted back toward the window.

Despite the blatant dismissal, Samuel bowed his head slightly and quickly withdrew instead of taking offense.

After all, he, too, wanted nothing more than to end this private meeting with Aveline as soon as possible.