Chapter 71. I Miss You

“How much did you spend?”

[So much I can’t even calculate… The expenses will continue even after you return.]

“Did you hire people?”

[Yes. I hired two kitchen assistants, and I allowed the servants to have desserts too.]

“I see.”

[They say the ingredient costs will be enormous.]

Theo couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

She hadn’t spent money on dresses or jewels for herself, but on feeding desserts to the servants.

She was a woman who spent money in truly fascinating ways.

“Spend more money. Money is meant to be spent.”

[…Raye said the same thing. She said you probably don’t even know how much wealth you have. Even if I secretly take some… Ah! Please pretend you didn’t hear that!]

“I really won’t know. So spend as much as you like.”

[But it’s your money…]

“It’s the Grand Duchess’s money. What I have belongs to the Grand Duchess too.”

Yuelina smiled broadly at Theo’s low voice coming from the orb.

If Theo had been in front of her, he probably would have said that with his hands behind his back and an indifferent face.

Now that the sun had set and darkness had fallen, perhaps Theo would have come to his room.

Or perhaps Yuelina herself would have gone to the library to meet Theo under the pretense of brewing him Yas leaf tea.

Theo at night was more languid than during the day, and often wore thin, soft shirts as pajamas.

Yuelina imagined Theo holding a small teacup with his rough hands.

“I wish you would come back soon.”

[Hmm?]

“I miss you.”

Yuelina blurted out the words in her heart without even realizing it.

And Theo’s heart dropped with a thud.

She misses me.

She says she misses me.

Did his subtle display of wealth capture Yuelina’s heart?

If he had known this would happen, he should have tried buying Yuelina’s affection with money from the start.

Theo jumped up from his seat, wiping his flushed face with his hands.

He wanted to pack his bags and run back without rest right away.

It was regrettable, truly regrettable, that he couldn’t immediately see her saying she missed him with those adorable lips.

Meanwhile, Yuelina was struck speechless with embarrassment.

To say she missed him!

Wasn’t she just being whiny to her husband who had gone far away for work?

“Th-Theo. Let’s end the call!”

Yuelina hastily removed her hand from the orb in embarrassment.

Theo stared in dismay at the dimming orb.

“Yuna.”

[……]

“Yuna?”

She must have definitely removed her hand from the orb.

Yuelina also realized her mistake as she watched the orb’s light fade.

Once disconnected, the single-use orb couldn’t be used again.

Only one orb remained.

It felt like she had thrown away a precious chance to hear Theo’s voice.

She should have played it cool despite her embarrassment.

She hadn’t even asked what Theo did today or what the Sebran region was like.

Yuelina pouted with regret and blamed herself.

“Huh?”

But then the remaining orb began to glow.

Yuelina hesitantly placed her hand on the new orb.

“Theo. I’m sorry. I suddenly cut off the call…”

[Yuna.]

Theo called her name in a gentle voice.

[I miss you too.]

Yuelina’s heart rippled like waves.

* * *

The Sebran Temple in the southern region had a different atmosphere from the Phaenyx Temple.

The temple building at the foot of the mountain was built with birch trees, giving off a comfortable and mild feeling rather than grandeur.

In particular, Sebran Temple was famous as a place visited by pilgrims to rest rather than local residents.

Therefore, there was an inn below the temple building where pilgrims and priests from other regions could rest.

Theo was walking with Ulysse towards the inn in front of Sebran Temple.

Afraid of being recognized, both Theo and Ulysse wore hoods.

However, Theo’s towering physique made his presence unmistakable even with the hood.

Whenever people coming down from the temple glanced at him, Ulysse would fake a cough and try to divert their attention.

“Your Highness. I heard you exercised this morning?”

“So what?”

“Six wooden swords were broken, I heard.”

Ulysse carefully asked while looking over Theo’s body.

After hearing about the dawn exercise, his already robust body seemed quite worked up.

Breaking six wooden swords meant he must have trained quite intensely.

Why would he suddenly do such intense training all the way out here?

Ulysse was secretly anxious about whether there would be a situation where Theo would need to wield a sword.

“Why are you suddenly exercising so much?”

“Because I feel like I’m going crazy.”

“What?”

“I’m trying to control myself.”

Theo quickened his pace while muttering words Ulysse couldn’t understand. Ulysse struggled to keep up behind him.

The temple at the mountain’s edge was on a path too treacherous for carriages.

And since there were many sections too narrow for horseback riding, they had to walk.

“Why on earth did they build a temple in such a strange place?”

Ulysse wiped the sweat from his forehead while letting out wheezing breaths that reached his chin.

In contrast, Theo climbed the mountain path calmly without breaking a single drop of sweat.

Soon, the inn in front of the temple appeared before Theo and Ulysse’s eyes.

The inn was a wooden building made of walnut trees.

Several similar single-story buildings stood in a row.

Ulysse pointed to the inn located highest on the slope. It was also separate from the other villas.

“He should be there.”

At Ulysse’s words, Theo started walking again.

“There he is!”

Just then, the elder priest came out, opening the villa door.

Wearing priest’s robes, he was an old man with white hair.

Theo entered the villa’s yard and removed his hood. The priest seemed to recognize him and gave a short bow.

“You said you would come, and you really did.”

“It was a long journey.”

“Please come in. Though it seems there are no watching eyes, eyes are everywhere.”

The elder priest guided Theo and Ulysse into the villa.

Ulysse gaped in surprise at the interior facilities.

From the outside, it looked like a small building that might barely have one room.

But the interior was actually quite tall and spacious.

The interior was a studio-type room with no dividing lines between the kitchen, living room, and bedroom.

The furniture, including the bed, looked brand new as if it had been brought in yesterday.

There were even products that were hard to find in the north. They were clearly artisan furniture imported from the capital.

“It’s quite different from how it looks outside.”

“Everything is like that.”

Ulysse smiled awkwardly at the elder priest.

The elder priest pointed to the chairs at the table with a benevolent smile.

He poured brewed tea from a teapot for Theo and Ulysse.

Theo stared intently at the steaming teacup before fixing his gaze on the elder priest.

“Is this Yas leaf tea?”

“It’s Hazel. A tea that helps relieve fatigue.”

Theo thought the ‘Hazel’ tea the elder priest offered was similar to the Yas leaf tea Yuelina brewed.

He couldn’t easily dismiss the thought that everything from the scent to the color was the same.

“You must have a reason for seeking me out.”

At that moment, the elder priest asked while looking at Theo. Theo looked back at him.

The elder priest met Theo’s gaze without avoiding it. He showed no sign of fear towards Theo.

“What happens when a human obtains the power of a saintess?”

Theo got straight to the point. The elder priest stroked his chin at the question.

“They obtain the power of god.”

“What exactly is this power of god?”

“It could destroy the world, or make it prosper.”

Theo raised an eyebrow at the elder priest’s vague answer.

“Do you think I came all this way to hear something anyone could say?”

“Did you come to ask how to obtain the power of a saintess?”

The elder priest looked at him with a composed face.

Theo also met his gaze.

The elder priest came down from the ‘Eye of the Storm.’

He had met Delkan and answered that a ‘saintess’ would exist. Since the Shadow reported it, it couldn’t be a lie.

Theo tried to gauge his intentions.

Perhaps the elder priest knew about the prophecy that the Bios Temple was keeping silent about.

He might have already been acquainted with Delkan.

If so, was he on the side of the Bios Empire? Was he someone safe to discuss Yuelina with?

Theo couldn’t easily let go of his suspicions.