(11) The Priest of Dynus

The gray smoke that periodically rose from the incinerator had been somehow irritating to the eye.

“What a waste.”

“Pardon? What is, Madam?”

“Ah…… it’s nothing.”

She unconsciously muttered to herself, and May thrust her head forward in front of Asla.

When Asla opened her eyes wide in surprise, May grinned broadly.

“Are you perhaps talking about the dress sent to the laundry? That dress was truly beyond salvation! Coal tar was thickly smeared around the inside of the chest area…… I went to the laundry room last night just in case, and the laundry manager was absolutely horrified.”

“I see.”

Although she hadn’t been referring to the outdoor dress being a waste, Asla decided to let it be since May was so excited about it.

May continued.

“But the manager seemed to find your outdoor dress so white and holy-looking that he felt uncomfortable throwing it away and told me to handle it myself. So I brought it back, and when the master came to the room, I asked him what to do with it.”

Asla urgently interrupted May’s words.

“……Enoch came last night?”

“Yes. He carried you from the sofa to the bed. I thought you were awake because you two were talking about something. Were you sleep-talking? You didn’t know the master had come.”

Asla stared blankly at May, who tilted her head in confusion, and rubbed her temple.

So it wasn’t a dream after all.

‘What did I say yesterday? No, I mean. I!’

Asla’s face turned as white as paper as she remembered last night’s conversation.

“Madam, are you feeling unwell? Why is your face……”

“Ah, I’m fine.”

Asla was terribly embarrassed about complaining that Enoch hadn’t kissed her, not to mention calling him a fool.

She truly, sincerely wanted to disappear somewhere.

Flustered, Asla frantically fanned herself with her hand to change the subject.

“S-so, did you burn the dress?”

“No. After confirming you were asleep, the master took it himself. I suppose he threw it away?”

She tilted her head.

With coal tar on the dress. It would be quite troublesome if it got on his hands, so why would he take it rather than just throwing it away?

Asla vividly remembered Enoch’s strange expression as he listened to what she was saying while carrying her to bed.

She buried her face in her hands.

‘You’re the fool, Asla!’

If she truly had a lot of holy power, she would give everything to turn back time.

Asla wanted to run far, far away, and at least for now, she didn’t have the courage to face Enoch.

He must think she’s a woman consumed by desire.

But that wasn’t it.

She loved him, and because they were a married couple, she simply wanted to share her heart and everything with him.

‘Is that why Enoch didn’t come to see me this morning?’

Asla’s heart pounded.

Coward.

She pouted.

Although it was a bit embarrassing, it wasn’t something she shouldn’t have said.

They weren’t divorced yet, so she thought such complaints were acceptable between spouses.

Asla, resentful of her narrow-minded husband, didn’t want to see Enoch either.

‘Ah, come to think of it.’

Asla realized something and slowly raised her head.

Now that she had left the Ventus mansion, she could actually move around on her own.

What was the big deal about going to the capital?

She thought she could handle the divorce petition issue by going to the Grand Temple herself.

‘I can go alone.’

At that moment, Asla noticed May staring at her with a grin.

Asla smiled awkwardly and asked.

“What is it, May?”

“Ah! I’m sorry, Madam. I was…… being too presumptuous.”

“No. I just thought you might have something to say to me.”

May was startled and bowed deeply in apology, so Asla gently raised her up.

She wasn’t offended at all.

This ordinary walk with someone as nice as May was actually peaceful enough to be grateful for.

May glanced at Asla and slowly began to speak.

“Well…… actually, seeing you has been my wish since I was young.”

“……Me?”

Asla was quite surprised by her unexpected words.

May shyly tucked her hair behind her ear and hesitantly continued.

“My parents are devout, so I received religious education from a young age. But I wasn’t very interested in the doctrines…… I was only interested in the young princess who lived in the Holy Kingdom.”

May paused her story to glance at Asla, then lowered her voice.

“Is it too irreverent of me to have wanted to see the princess more than God?”

“Haha, not at all.”

Asla let out a clear laugh, finding May adorable.

‘Well, I was a princess of the Holy Kingdom, but could she be more irreverent than me who hates God?’

May nodded vigorously, looking relieved.

“A princess with fluttering soft pink hair and lovely mint-colored eyes, with a beautiful appearance seemingly filled with God’s love! From the moment I saw the portrait of the princess in the holy white dress of the Holy Kingdom, I truly admired you.”

“That’s enough.”

May’s praise was so explicit that Asla couldn’t bear the heat in her face.

She backed away in alarm, but May’s eyes sparkled even more as she clasped her hands to her chest, growing more excited.

“The madam I see in person is much more radiant and beautiful! It’s an even greater honor to serve you as my madam. I will serve you with all my heart.”

“May. I…… don’t deserve such honor. The Holy Kingdom has fallen. So I’d prefer if you would just treat me as an ordinary lady.”

“Oh my, what imperial citizen would think that way? Madam, you have no idea how many people love and admire you.”

May grumbled.

Asla found it difficult to understand.

Admiring and loving her?

Who exactly? The imperial citizens?

Why would they love someone like her, from the fallen Holy Kingdom, with no holy power?

It was as unbelievable as Robert’s claim that Enoch had been attracted to her.

“Our princess, I mean madam, has been monopolized by the master. But it seems he treats you well, so that’s fortunate.”

“Treats me well?”

“……Doesn’t he? I apologize if I’ve been too presumptuous, Madam.”

When Asla smiled bitterly, May quickly apologized after noticing her reaction.

Asla continued walking along the path without confirming or denying.

There was no need to correct her.

After all, her relationship with her husband would soon be over.

Come to think of it, she wondered if she should tell May that she and Enoch were planning to divorce soon.

While contemplating when to tell her, Asla stared blankly at the back door of the hotel at the end of the walking path.

“May.”

“Yes, Madam.”

“If your parents are devout…… you must know where the Dynus temple is located.”

“Yes! Of course. My parents still work at the Marquis Kroitz mansion, and they attend the Dynus temple.”

“Then, could you guide me to the Dynus temple?”

“Now?”

May’s eyes widened.

‘Surely she’s not going to refuse?’

Asla suddenly felt afraid, remembering the maids who had disobeyed her orders in the past.

She pulled in her chin and straightened her back to look as dignified as possible as she commanded.

“I have something to find out.”

“Ah, yes. Understood, Madam. Shall we go like this? It’s not far. It’s certainly within walking distance. Dynus has excellent public safety, so there won’t be any problems.”

“Then, let’s go.”

As soon as Asla finished speaking, May ran ahead to explain to the security guard at the hotel’s back door.

Asla followed May slowly, organizing her thoughts.

If May knew her appearance well enough, the believers and priests working at the temple would surely recognize her even better.

No matter how much the Holy Kingdom had fallen, Asla guessed they wouldn’t refuse a request from her, the last royal.

Suddenly remembering someone, Asla’s expression brightened.

‘Come to think of it. There’s a priest from the Holy Kingdom living in this city.’

Asla searched her memory.

A talent who had awakened strong holy power from a very young age, and despite his youth, had been coveted by the Imperial Grand Temple as soon as the Holy Kingdom fell due to his exceptional holy power.

‘But he insisted on becoming a priest in this city due to some strange stubbornness.’

Asla remembered him because the city he had chosen to stay in was Dynus, the closest city to the Ventus territory.

She had been somewhat surprised by his actions when she read about them in the newspaper, but it was such a long time ago that her memory was hazy.

‘Who was it?’

Asla pondered this even as she followed May’s guidance to the temple, and when she encountered a young man in front of the temple near the hotel, she called out to him.

“Ian Herta!”

The black-haired man who heard Asla’s bright voice slowly turned toward her as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Princess?”

It was Ian Herta, famous for his black hair elegantly grown down to his neck, vivid green eyes, and an appearance more delicate and clear than most women.

As her memory became clearer, Asla felt pleased.

He was an eccentric man who would certainly have become the youngest high priest had he entered the capital of the Tulia Empire, but instead buried himself in this northern city.

Ian, beautiful enough to stand out even from a distance, was wearing pure white priest robes and conversing with someone in front of the temple.

He excused himself from the people and quickly walked toward Asla.

May, who had been watching Ian, blinked her eyes and made a fuss.

“So you came to meet Priest Ian Herta!”

“You know Priest Ian Herta?”

“Of course, Madam. He’s a famous figure in Dynus. With that beautiful appearance, he looks like God’s messenger who just descended from heaven, and his holy power is exceptional too. Above all, he’s extremely handsome, so he’s popular among women.”

“Handsome?”

Asla found May’s words puzzling and turned her gaze toward Ian, tilting her head.

Objectively speaking, he was aesthetically pleasing, but to Asla’s eyes, that was the extent of it.

In her heart, the only handsome man was fixed as Enoch Ventus, so all other men looked similar to her.

“Princess? Is it really you, Princess?”

Ian stared intently at Asla and asked again, as if he couldn’t believe it.