After uttering the first word, Satin swallowed her breath.

Even though she was acting calm towards him now, it took great courage inside because there had been a period when she forcibly tried to keep her distance.

She didn’t know why she suddenly felt like calling him back. She didn’t know what she wanted to do. Calling him ‘Rub’ like before was still not easy.

Because happy memories coexisted with memories of losing all that happiness and falling headfirst, she tried to treat him like a complete stranger to protect herself.

Changing how she addressed him, trying to erase her emotions, realizing how much influence he had on her by having to make such efforts, feeling resentful and lost…

“Yes, I’ll be back soon.”

There are moments when the man who says it’s okay to hurt him, that she has the right to do so, suddenly seems pitiful.

The man who seemed unbothered when hit randomly, who remained silent even when she was angry and shouted, cried silently at the words that a broken relationship shouldn’t be mended.

There were moments when that expression, tinged with fear, felt somewhat heartbreaking.

“Okay, come back. And…”

Satin stood on her tiptoes. She had something more to say to him.

But standing on tiptoes wasn’t enough to reach his height. So Rublier leaned down to hear the rest of Satin’s whisper.

“…I understand. Satin, promise me one last thing. That you’ll be safe here.”

Satin hesitated for a moment, then answered haughtily.

“The sooner you come back, the safer I’ll be.”

That crisp tone was so much like before that Rublier could feel somewhat relieved.

He still knows that Satin sometimes wakes up startled from sleep. He knows that she blankly looks around to see if her place of stay is a prison. He knows that the wounds from the past haven’t healed.

Nevertheless, she deliberately showed a composed appearance as she saw Rublier off.

Rublier felt so sorry and so grateful for that small warmth that Satin didn’t show outwardly.

* * *

“Madam… I mean, Lady Satin.”

The lieutenant, who had been watching the main road leading to the capital for several days, came running in hurriedly.

Having unconsciously called Satin ‘Madam’, the lieutenant hastily corrected the title.

The lieutenant’s expression was full of tension. Just by looking at his face, Satin could tell what was happening.

“It seems people have been sent from the Papal Palace. Don’t worry. I will protect you as much as I,”

It was bound to happen sooner or later anyway. Satin immediately cut off the lieutenant’s words.

“No, leave here right now and go find Rublier. You need to confirm His Eminence Vitalis’s safety and quickly deliver the news from here.”

She never intended to pit one lieutenant against Kirion. The lieutenant was the link between the Holy Knights and Rublier. When they should be hiding him, was there any reason to let him be discovered?

“I promised the Commander that I would protect you, Lady Satin.”

“Then who will deliver my news to Rublier? What if you try to fight unnecessarily and end up fanning the flames?”

“……”

“Go quickly, hurry. Before you’re discovered.”

Satin pushed out the hesitating lieutenant and took a deep breath.

Yes. She knew she would meet him eventually.

Kirion came to find Satin himself, accompanied by Delilah. The Holy Knights following Kirion surrounded the house in a circle.

The servants, who had lost their only support when Satin sent away even the one knight they had, were terrified, but Satin was utterly calm.

Thud. The door, pushed forcefully, broke.

Kirion shook off the dirt on his shoes at the entrance. Dust flew hazily into the house.

The corridor that the servants had swept and cleaned morning and evening was in a mess, but Satin didn’t mind. She stood with her hand on the window.

“It seems you’ve been well. You look quite good.”

Kirion sneered. Satin replied coldly.

“Thanks to you.”

“My, what a lovely house. I’d get bored staying here for long, but it seems nice for occasional stays as a change of scenery.”

Delilah naturally took possession of Satin’s armchair. The prima donna, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time, looked much more glamorous and full of energy. Her posture, burying herself comfortably in the chair as if it were her own home and casting long glances, was relaxed.

Kirion drew close to Satin. Satin didn’t step back.

“Judging by your attitude, it seems you’ve already guessed why I visited?”

“How could I not know? Your Eminence gave me hints even during the trial.”

“If so, let’s ask without wasting time on both sides. Where did you put it?”

“Well…”

No one in this house raised their voice, and the formality of expression was also impeccable, but the flow of air was sharp and cold.

Kirion twisted one side of his jaw.

“Why are you being so dangerously stubborn over that mere piece of sword?”

“You came because you need that mere piece of sword, didn’t you?”

“That mere piece, it won’t be a problem for me to ascend even without it.”

“Isn’t that mere piece the very symbol of the Holy Kingdom’s establishment?”

“What good is a symbol? It’s just a useless piece of scrap metal.”

Satin didn’t fall for the bluff.

“The nobles are the ones who stake their lives most on that legitimacy and symbol, Your Eminence. It’s always legitimacy and symbol that kill the nobles.”

It was a rebuttal that came from the mouth of a woman who had almost died because of that legitimacy and symbol. It certainly carried a different weight.

Kirion pressed on without flinching.

“Aren’t you the sole heir of Del Mare? You should protect your family.”

He brought up Satin’s weakness. Del Mare. It was a name that weighed heavily on one side of her heart. His intention to intimidate was clear.

If it had been before, she might have been quite shaken by Kirion’s intention. But Satin had gone through thick and thin, including scandals, prison, and trial.

Although it was a painful time, because she had gone through that period, she could withstand Kirion today.
Satin retorted without being intimidated.

“Del Mare might disappear from here, but as time passes, someone in the distant future will understand. That as a guardian family, they were exterminated while trying to protect their pride from an illegitimate successor. There are always people who seek the truth, you know.”

Even Gjorn, after hearing the truth, wanted to share it with Satin, didn’t he?

Caldeblanca of this time is clearly swept up in chaos. Moreover, among the guardian families, Del Mare is the only one that has undergone the most noticeable change.

Surely, someone in the future would doubt Kirion, who caused controversy over the position of the Pope against Del Mare at that time.

Satin stared at Kirion’s flawless, brilliant blonde hair. It was chilling to imagine that the devil was tinted within that bright and radiant color.

Although she was the first to suspect the devil, looking at Kirion acting and thinking comfortably, she also wondered if this person was really connected to the devil.

However, her doubt was brief.

The number of people Kirion brought was unusual, and he had gathered knights and servants from the Papal Palace with the intention of completely overturning the newlywed home.

They drove out the servants of this house and searched each room. Making a commotion of removing furniture and tearing down walls was noisy.

Yet Kirion restricted Satin’s every move to ensure she didn’t leave his sight.

“Let’s talk for a moment.”

Satin was pushed into a small room. Soon after, Delilah, summoned by Kirion, entered the room and closed the door. Only the three people who knew the secret of the oracle remained in the room.

“I don’t think you would have carelessly placed something as important as the sacred artifact. Usually, precious items are kept on one’s person, aren’t they?”

Kirion’s gaze swept over Satin’s body. Satin glared at him.

“…What do you mean?”

Delilah approached Satin. As if it had been agreed upon beforehand, Delilah naturally placed her hand on Satin’s front collar.

“Excuse me for a moment, Lady Satin.”

Just before Delilah’s hand could delve into her clothes, Satin strongly grabbed her hand to stop her.

“What are you doing?”

“Ah. You must be feeling shy because His Eminence is watching. Don’t worry. His Eminence is a gentleman to women.”

“I’ll leave the room. I’ll wait outside. I hope for your cooperation. You understand my meaning. You’re not a foolish woman who would cause a useless commotion.”

The problem was that she understood too well.

A body search?

Satin’s eyes widened at the unbelievable demand.

“Take your hands off.”

“Wouldn’t Delilah be better than me directly searching your body?”

Kirion shamelessly retorted.

Not only had all the servants who could be called for help been driven out, but even if someone were there, there was no way they could give orders that would go against Kirion’s mood in this house full of Kirion’s minions. It would only result in a vain death like Larie’s.

Satin bit her lip.

“You’ll regret laying hands on my body.”

“Well, by all means.”

Kirion shrugged and turned to leave. Delilah’s hands untied the strings fastening Satin’s clothes.

Satin tightly closed her eyes.