Chapter 44. Daphne Temple

Suddenly, Theo really thought he was like a bear.

He was exactly like a hungry bear desperate to devour a honey pot.

He tried to erase these irreverent thoughts by closing his eyes for a long moment before opening them again.

“Please drink.”

Yuelina handed Theo the deeply steeped tea.

Theo drank the tea in one gulp.

Yuelina blinked her eyes.

The freshly brewed tea must have been hot. Yet he downed it all at once.

“Wasn’t it hot?”

“Not at all.”

“I see… You finished all the tea.”

“Ah.”

Theo clicked his tongue at himself in self-reproach.

Finishing the tea meant there was no reason for him to stay in Yuelina’s room anymore.

Yuelina felt the same regret.

Now that she saw him today, it seemed like a good time to ask about visiting the temple.

Since the tea was hot, she thought they could talk while drinking it slowly.

Yuelina carefully opened her mouth towards him.

“Um, Theo. Would you like another cup?”

“Yes.”

That was fortunate.

Indeed, one cup of tea was too little for him.

Yuelina poured the remaining cup into Theo’s teacup.

This time, Theo only wet his lips with the tea before setting the cup down.

Theo also wanted to ask her something while facing Yuelina.

Just what she had talked about with Asarim in the cabin.

“How was your walk with Asarim?”

“Ah, it went well. We ended up walking all the way to the hunting grounds.”

“I see. You must have felt good talking with your friend after so long.”

Theo applied force to his hands while being careful not to break the teacup.

Just thinking about Asarim walking with Yuelina with their backs turned to him made his body tense up.

“Um, Theo. I heard there’s a temple in the north.”

“That’s right.”

The Daphne temples were located in the north, south, west, east, and the Bios capital in the central region.

While there was a main temple in the ‘Eye of the Storm’, ordinary people couldn’t enter there.

So usually when people asked about the Daphne temple, they thought of these five locations.

Theo raised his head to look at Yuelina.

Her long eyelashes seemed to tremble as she kept her gaze lowered.

Why is she suddenly asking about the temple?

Above all, the temple was also a place that thought of Yuelina as a sacrifice.

Then Yuelina slowly opened her mouth.

“Could we perhaps visit the temple?”

“The Phaenyx temple?”

Yuelina nodded slightly.

Theo hesitated.

The Phaenyx temple in the north was famous for its beauty.

The splendid gardens made with magic stones mixed with holy power. Intricately crafted statues and majestic buildings.

The number of daily visitors was also limited, making it difficult to enter unless you were nobility.

Perhaps because of this, nobles would visit the temple as a date course or to show off their power.

Maybe it’s because of Maelyn.

Theo considered the age of Ulysse’s sister who had entered as a maid.

At that age, she would be interested in social circles, and naturally could have told Yuelina about the nobles’ lifestyle.

Thinking about it that way, Yuelina’s request to visit the temple wasn’t problematic at all.

Theo would have readily agreed to Yuelina’s words.

If only she wasn’t a sacrifice.

“Why do you suddenly want to visit the temple?”

Theo asked while trying not to show his concern.

“Asarim said he wanted to visit once. I’m curious too.”

At Yuelina’s words, one of Theo’s eyebrows went up.

Asarim wants to visit the temple?

His assumption that she had heard about the temple from Maelyn was completely off.

The fact that Yuelina wanted to go to the temple because of Asarim didn’t sit well with Theo either.

Above all, the very idea of Yuelina visiting the temple made him uneasy.

Of course, visiting the temple now didn’t mean Theo would have to imprint on Yuelina.

Also, the Phaenyx temple wasn’t the temple trying to offer Yuelina as a sacrifice.

The one trying to gain power by sacrificing Yuelina was the Bios temple within the Bios Empire.

Well, bribing the Phaenyx temple priests now was a necessary procedure to prepare for the future situation of imprinting.

But that didn’t require Yuelina to go to the temple. Theo could handle it himself.

She shouldn’t know anything about being a ‘sacrifice’.

Theo let out a short breath before speaking.

“Visiting the temple is quite complicated. It’s not a place that allows everyone who wants to visit.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Even if Asarim wants to visit, it would probably take a very long time.”

Yuelina nodded with a stiff expression.

Theo’s words weren’t wrong.

Especially since Asarim was a foreigner, not even a citizen of the principality. The temple’s threshold was very high for foreigners.

Of course, he could visit the Phaenyx temple tomorrow or even now, whenever he wanted.

Because he was the master of the Phaenyx principality.

However, he had no intention of revealing this fact to Yuelina.

Yuelina pushed back her bowed head, showing signs of disappointment.

“I see. I should tell Asarim too. Ask if he’s willing to wait since it’ll take a long time. He said he’d return after seeing the temple.”

“…What?”

“But if it takes too long, his return might be delayed.”

Asarim is leaving?

He’ll return to the island right after seeing the temple?

Theo had been thinking every day about when this thorn in his side, Asarim, would leave.

His eyes flashed like a predator that had caught sight of prey.

“Tomorrow.”

“What?”

“We’ll go to the temple tomorrow.”

“But you said visiting is quite complicated…”

“Don’t worry about that. If they don’t open the door, I’ll break it down.”

Yuelina stared at him blankly. She was bewildered by Theo’s sudden change in attitude.

Seeing Yuelina’s dumbfounded expression, Theo gradually began to regain his senses.

“The Grand Duchess’s…”

He hurriedly opened his mouth to offer an excuse to convince Yuelina.

“Because he’s your friend.”

Though he wanted to confess that he wanted to get rid of the Grand Duchess’s so-called friend as soon as possible, he held his tongue.

Meanwhile, Yuelina was touched by Theo’s clumsy response.

To use his influence for a temple visit that was so difficult to arrange, just because it was for Yuelina’s friend.

Indeed, Theo was a kind and considerate man.

* * *

The next day, Theo wore a shirt with a high collar reaching his neck.

The buttons at the top of the shirt were shaped like snowflakes. It was the noble’s holy robe worn when visiting the temple.

His figure, dressed in a dark green velvet jacket and loose pants, exuded a noble appearance.

“Your Highness, please give this to Her Highness the Grand Duchess.”

Ulysse, who was attending to him, handed over a white veil with a satisfied expression.

The white veil, like Theo’s buttons, was embroidered with snowflakes.

It was a prayer veil worn by noble ladies when praying at the temple.

Yuelina would also be getting dressed in holy robes now.

Theo had never properly seen how ladies dressed when visiting the temple.

He only remembered that their clothes were navy blue and gave off a modest impression.

Perhaps that’s why he was looking forward to it.

Since Yuelina herself was as elegant as a goddess, how beautiful would she look in holy robes?

Just as Theo’s eyes were naturally curving pleasantly,

A rough knock was heard from the study direction, and the door flung open.

It was Asarim.

Theo moved with a coldly hardened expression.

“What’s that outfit?”

“Who are you to ask?”

Theo frowned looking at Asarim’s attire.

Asarim was also wearing a high-collared shirt, but unlike Theo’s white shirt, it was light blue.

Light blue was also the color of holy robes worn by nobles within the Bios territory.

“Where did you get those clothes?”

“I acquired them.”

“Bios Empire’s holy robes?”

“Since I came here through the Bios Empire.”

Asarim answered with a nonchalant face.

Theo didn’t like that Asarim was wearing Bios holy robes either.

He clicked his tongue and turned his head.

“I’m going to see Yuna.”

“We’ll see her soon anyway, what for?”

“Because I haven’t seen her room yet. I want to look around.”

“Her Highness the Grand Duchess’s room isn’t a place that anyone can look around just because they want to.”

Ulysse said, glaring at Asarim.