(12) The Predator’s Prey

Asla smiled kindly at Ian, who still called her princess, and corrected his form of address.

“I’m no longer a princess. ‘Lady’ is sufficient.”

“But……!”

Ian raised his voice excitedly, then stopped and clutched his forehead in frustration.

She thought Ian was quite stubborn and decided to compromise.

“Then call me Lady Asla.”

“……It’s not about the title, but I’ll call you that for now.”

“Very well.”

Asla nodded. Then she smiled gently.

“It feels good to meet an old citizen of the Holy Kingdom after so long. Have you been well? The last time I saw you……”

“Was at your wedding, Lady Asla.”

Ian’s voice trembled. Asla was very surprised and stammered.

“You came to my wedding? I had no idea.”

“You wouldn’t have known. There were circumstances.”

A flash of anger appeared on his face, but Asla didn’t notice his emotion as she tried to recall her wedding day.

She had been so overwhelmed that she couldn’t remember who the guests were.

“Excuse me……”

May intervened between Asla and Ian with a troubled expression.

“Too many people are staring. Should we move somewhere less crowded?”

As Ian, a celebrity in Dynus, and Asla, a striking beauty, conversed, passersby stopped to glance and whisper.

Ian narrowed his eyes, looked around at the passersby, and said.

“This way, please.”

Following May’s suggestion, Asla moved to a small open space beside the temple building and looked around.

It was a quiet place.

“I seem to have caused you trouble.”

“Not at all. I was actually about to go to the Luitel Hotel after hearing that you’ve arrived in Dynus, my lady.”

“You heard that I had arrived?”

Asla looked at Ian’s clear green eyes and opened her eyes wide.

She asked without hesitation.

“Why were you coming to find me?”

What reason could Ian have to look for her? Ian Herta was someone she had never had deep interactions with.

They had only met briefly a few times during major events in the Holy Kingdom.

As a breeze shook them and passed by, Ian brushed away his hair that was stinging his eyes and looked directly at her.

“I know that you sent a divorce petition to the Grand Temple.”

Asla was honestly surprised to hear that he knew about her divorce petition.

She was surprised that there was a priest who was interested in her divorce. Or…

She carefully asked him.

“Are you also against my divorce?”

Ian’s expression hardened. He asked in a resolute voice.

“Who else is against it?”

“Ah, well.”

Asla closed her mouth in embarrassment.

For reasons unknown, both God and her husband were against it.

But she couldn’t share such detailed personal matters with Ian.

When Asla remained cautious and didn’t answer, Ian gently reassured her.

“I apologize.”

“It’s alright.”

“I don’t oppose the divorce. In fact, I support it, which is why I was going to find you, Lady Asla.”

Looking at Ian who was saying unexpected things, Asla nodded dazedly.

“Thank you.”

Upon hearing Asla’s response, Ian’s expression softened and a gentle smile appeared. He stepped closer to her, narrowing the distance.

The distance closed in an instant. Startled by the sudden proximity, Asla flinched, but Ian immediately knelt on one knee and extended his hand to her.

“I will help you.”

“……?”

Asla looked down at him in confusion, not taking his outstretched hand.

‘Why? Help with what?’

But Ian’s gaze looked so determined that she couldn’t bring herself to ask and only opened and closed her mouth.

It was then.

“Asla Ventus.”

It was a much deeper voice than Ian’s. Asla’s lips parted involuntarily as she turned her head.

Enoch, neatly dressed in a black jacket and white shirt, with his shining silver hair smoothly swept back, gave her a cold smile as he approached.

He was clearly smiling, but it was as if he was wrapped in the cold wind of midwinter.

Asla trembled with fear, somehow feeling like a herbivore that had become prey to a predator.

‘Enoch?’

The surprised Asla looked past Enoch’s shoulder and saw May fidgeting beside Talet.

She froze as she watched Enoch approaching her with a chilling atmosphere.

‘Why did he come all the way here?’

She thought he’d be disgusted after what she said last night. Ah, if not that…

‘Does he want to divorce me as soon as possible? Is that why he’s here to take me to the capital right away?’

While Asla was jumping to various conclusions, Ian slowly stood up.

He coldly glared at Enoch, who was approaching like a predator closing in on its prey.

Forgetting the status difference between a duke and a priest, Ian subtly shielded Asla with his body.

Enoch, considerably displeased, let out a short laugh without hiding his incredulity.

Then he stopped walking toward them and smiled crookedly at Ian.

“Priest Ian Herta, what do you think you’re doing?”

“It’s been a while, Duke Ventus.”

“I didn’t ask for greetings. I asked why you’re blocking my wife.”

Enoch’s voice grew fierce.

But Ian didn’t even respond and only smiled.

Asla also didn’t understand Ian’s behavior, so she couldn’t help but step forward, pushing his shoulder slightly.

“……Lady Asla.”

Asla was perplexed when her eyes met Ian’s.

His beautiful green eyes were reproaching her.

She tried her best to understand him. Was he trying to protect her from Enoch because she was planning to divorce him?

But…

Asla only knew Ian as “the somewhat pretty eccentric priest who kicked away his fortune,” not someone close enough to receive protection from.

She narrowed her eyes and looked back and forth between Enoch and Ian, who were glaring at each other.

‘This whole situation is strange.’

She had never imagined that Enoch and Ian knew each other so well.

Enoch had said he was busy with business in the capital.

He would have had almost no reason to interact with a priest living in this remote city.

While she pondered the connection between the two, Enoch extended his hand toward her.

“Come here, Asla.”

Asla was filled with strange emotions as she looked at Enoch’s hand, extended toward her in a pure white glove.

At their wedding too, her husband had extended his hand wearing those same white gloves.

The situation was similar to then, but somehow it felt more heated than before.

Realizing that the emotion in his eyes was ‘possessiveness,’ Asla became even more confused.

Her husband, who had been so indifferent, couldn’t possibly be jealous. Could it be that he saw her as merely an ‘object’ he possessed?

In the past, when she had wished to be even his object, even just a chair in his study, she might have been happy, but now it was different.

‘I don’t want just that anymore.’

As Asla gently bit her lip, Ian leaned toward her.

“Lady Asla. Since you’re planning to divorce anyway, perhaps you don’t need to follow the Duke’s orders.”

Surprised by Ian’s breath whispering softly in her ear, Asla stepped back slightly.

She found it difficult to understand why he was acting so friendly and close to her.

Come to think of it, among the priests of the old Holy Kingdom, there were some who passionately sympathized with her.

Guessing that Ian Herta was one of those, Asla avoided Ian’s eyes and glanced at Enoch.

“I know.”

Ian smiled brightly, looking satisfied, and beautiful sparkling light swirled around him.

‘Ah, so that’s why women are enthusiastic about him.’

Asla nodded in admiration.

She thought he looked more and more like a beautiful painting and took a moment to appreciate him.

His appearance was more delicate and beautiful than most women, with a firm physique not hidden even by his priest robes.

“Asla Ventus.”

Asla came to her senses at the sound of Enoch’s voice calling her name precisely, suppressing his anger, and turned her head toward him.

Enoch, wearing white gloves, was still standing five steps away with his hand extended.

Such a stubborn man.

If he felt so possessive, why didn’t he come closer, grab her arm, and take her away?

Asla pouted, feeling somewhat annoyed.

Had he returned to being the formal, rigid Duke Ventus?

Missing the relaxed, comfortable Enoch from yesterday evening, Asla suddenly remembered the nonsense she had spoken last night.

‘Oh no!’

Heat rose to her ears, but she decided to act brazen.

‘I’ll pretend I don’t remember anything.’

She walked past Ian toward Enoch.

Ian’s smile slowly disappeared.

As she approached, Enoch slightly raised the corner of his mouth, but his expression hardened again when she stopped a step away from him.

Asla looked directly at Enoch and raised her chin slightly.

“How did you know to find me here?”

“May left a message. I recruited her because she’s a well-educated, excellent talent. Of course, when the Duchess of Ventus goes out, it should be recorded.”

“Ah……”

Asla glanced at May standing far behind Enoch’s shoulder.

It wasn’t May’s fault. As Enoch said, May had only followed protocol.

If she had wanted to leave secretly, she should have informed May beforehand, so it was her own oversight.

‘Actually, I wasn’t trying to leave secretly. I just…… wanted to find a way to go alone.’

She thought it would be better for both the busy Enoch and herself, who was embarrassed by the strange things she had said.

But why did she feel so uneasy?

As if she had been caught doing something wrong.

Asla realized why Enoch was glaring at Ian with such a fierce gaze.

He clearly misunderstood that she and Ian were having some sort of secret rendezvous.