After finishing my conversation with the bishop, I felt as if I had just gone through a confession. With a strange sense of relief, I waited for Ian. Shortly after, he appeared, looking somewhat worn out.

“Have you been waiting long? The discussion kept dragging on.”

“It’s fine. What was it about?”

“Oh, just adjusting the timeline for the cathedral’s dedication ceremony.”

Dedication ceremony? Had it really been built that quickly?

“You mean the dedication ceremony, not the groundbreaking?”

“Yes.”

“But… wasn’t construction supposed to have started right after I collapsed?”

“That’s right.”

Only a year had passed since then, and they were already holding the dedication ceremony? I knew the architecture here wasn’t bad, but building something that quickly?

“Ian, is this really okay? They didn’t exploit the workers or anything, right?”

“I wouldn’t do something like that. It’s a dedication in your name, after all.”

“Ugh.”

I let out a strange sound without realizing it, and Ian looked at me with a hint of surprise. Embarrassed, I covered my face with my hands.

“Is there any way to cancel that? The part about dedicating it in my name?”

“We already held the dedication ceremony at the groundbreaking.”

Why had I forgotten about that? I stammered unintentionally.

“W-when is the dedication ceremony?”

“It’s in about two months. If you’re to attend, we can’t postpone it any further.”

Considering the divorce’s mandatory three-month waiting period, Ian’s meaning was clear: I had to attend before the divorce. My face flushed. Just when I thought I didn’t mind a bit of attention, this was… too much. Buildings last for ages. Now I’d be remembered in history.

“Liv, I’m sorry… But when you were in a coma, I was desperate to get the clergy’s continued support, so I needed to give them something. I was so desperate I was willing to believe in a silly notion—that dedicating a cathedral might move the goddess to return you.”

“Oh…”

Ian looked troubled as I groaned, and he apologized again.

“I’m sorry. But thanks to it, the bishop’s endorsement was easy to obtain, wasn’t it?”

True. When I came to offer worship after a long time away, they treated me as if I were the pope or something. They seemed ready to grant anything I asked. Even if the bishop had refused to sign, other priests probably would have pressured him to sign anyway, considering the funding Ian had poured into the cathedral.

“It feels like a waste of money.”

“Not to me.”

“Think of all the things you could do with that amount.”

“But consider the benefits to the Keppel family for supporting a cathedral.”

I looked at him blankly, not understanding. Ian laughed and explained.

“The religious sector is the biggest opposition to passing legislation on magic. They have a significant number of seats, and if they were dead set against us, we wouldn’t have achieved half of what we’ve done. But because they consider our family an ally, they’re hesitant to oppose my policies directly. Besides, Liv, you’ve been so devoted in your attendance…”

Ian suddenly burst out laughing. I looked at him, puzzled, and he barely managed to stop laughing as he explained.

“Sorry. It’s just… Did you know Benjamin has been the most diligent churchgoer lately?”

“What?”

“He’s from the devout Hershey family, so he’s been taking your mother to church every weekend.”

I gaped in disbelief. Benjamin never struck me as a church-going type.

“It’s funny now because whenever I see him at assembly, he’s the first to greet me warmly. He’s too cautious to oppose me directly, but also wary of my motives. And he can’t outright suspect me either because Liv, raised in the Hershey family, is known for her devout faith.”

Well, I guess it’s good if I was able to help in some way. I was reluctant, but I decided to see the bright side. I’d only attended church regularly for reputation’s sake, not out of any deep faith.

In this world, skipping weekly worship was viewed almost like skipping school. Missing once or twice due to illness was acceptable, but frequent absence led to a reputation as a delinquent. Just ask Lady Avery.

“In any case, thanks to you, the church’s resistance has been minimal. Cade’s already considering dedicating a cathedral in Arthur’s name to follow suit.”

That would be better. Having multiple cathedrals dedicated around the same time might reduce the attention on me. Still, was it realistic to finish construction in just one year?

“Ian, who oversaw the construction? I’m worried. It shouldn’t normally finish that quickly.”

“We provided the funds, but supervision was shared between Keppel’s team and the Papal administration. Initially, we planned for a longer timeline, but hiring locals eager to work ended up speeding things up. With so much labor, it was more economical to shorten the timeline.”

“That makes sense. I’m not in a position to worry about Keppel’s finances, but it seemed like an immense expense.”

I tried not to dwell on it, since it was Ian’s project, but it truly was a staggering amount. Ian smiled gently.

“Local residents prayed a lot for you, Liv.”

“Huh?”

“It wasn’t intentional, but hiring them boosted the local economy. Most of them had lost jobs due to the war, so employment was a lifeline. When they learned the cathedral was for your recovery, they prayed a lot.”

A New Deal effect, without even trying?

“I honestly wondered if the goddess would care about a cathedral, but seeing so many people praying for you made me hope she might look upon you at least once.”

I didn’t know how to respond, scratching my face as a strange mix of gratitude and embarrassment welled up. Ian smiled and added.

“Anyway, let’s go get some food now.”

“We’re not going home?”

“Nope. I have another place to go after lunch. Phillip said that landlords need to step out often so the staff can take a break.”

“That’s true. How unusual of you to say something so considerate.”

I was surprised to hear something so thoughtful come from Ian. Even if it was something Phillip had mentioned, these were things he should have learned from his parents, not from Phillip. I took Ian’s outstretched hand. As I held it, I noticed it was bare again.

“Where are your gloves?”

“I don’t like wearing gloves—they’re uncomfortable.”

Ian said this with a grin. Since the weather had warmed up, I was wearing lace gloves, and through the thin fabric, I could feel the warmth of his hand. Was his hand always this warm? It felt odd. He was someone who always embodied formality, someone I once thought of as perfectly represented by his attire and white gloves. And yet, he found gloves uncomfortable.

I couldn’t help but laugh. Up close, Ian was far more free-spirited. Rather than collecting expensive whiskey in a display case, he’d hide strong rum in his drawer, and he’d drink coffee as casually as water—something the aristocrats frowned upon. He suited a lounge suit far better than a tailcoat, and a cigarette more than a cigar. I stifled a laugh.

“Why are you laughing?”

“No reason. Ian, have you ever wished you had an older brother?”

Ian’s eyes widened, startled by the unexpected question. If he hadn’t been the only son of a duke, or if he had been a fourth son, or perhaps a modest country nobleman, would he have been happier?

“I’ve never thought that before.”

“Why not?”

“I don’t know… I have, however, wished I had a younger sibling.”

His answer surprised me.

“Really? A little sister? A little brother?”

“Either one would be fine.”

As I climbed into the carriage, I pressed him further.

“Why did you want a younger sibling?”

Ian hesitated, looking slightly embarrassed. I shouldn’t have, but my curiosity got the best of me, so I pulled out my strongest persuasion card.

“I swear you have to be honest…”

Before I could even finish my sentence, Ian responded quickly.

“I thought I could make them happy.”

Oh. I covered my mouth. I had expected a casual answer, something like loneliness or boredom. But Ian seemed embarrassed by his own words. When I didn’t react, he added softly, as if uncomfortable.

“I was young back then… I thought I could make someone happy by just being kind. Just…”

“…?”

“I just wished there was someone in my family who could be happy.”

He seemed to regret saying this, pressing his large hand to his brow, covering his face, so I couldn’t see his expression. I wondered if anyone had ever asked him such a question in his life. Realizing this was a moment where he needed consideration, I turned my gaze to the window and asked as casually as possible.

“Where are we eating? The place we went to last time was good.”

“Oh, I made a reservation somewhere else. Do you want me to cancel if you liked the other place better?”

“No, I’d like to try a few different places.”

When would I get the chance to explore popular restaurants if we divorced? Knowing myself, I’d probably save money and cut back on outings. I decided to indulge in luxury while I still could. It might be the last bit of extravagance in my life.

“Oh, right. You said we’re going somewhere after lunch. Where?”

“I found a place for you to live.”

Already? I asked, surprised.

“How did you find one? There wasn’t anything available.”

“I persuaded the owner to sell, as they were planning to go on a trip.”

It was amazing that Ian could find something when I couldn’t.

“Take a look at it before we sign anything, just to make sure you like it.”

I nodded, seeing Ian’s smile again. Seeing him smile made me feel reassured. I didn’t want to see him look dejected. It felt uncomfortable and awkward. I wished he would always smile like this, even if it was forced. Afraid my selfish thoughts might show, I stared endlessly out the window.