Richard’s face turned serious. After seeming to contemplate for a moment, he gripped my shoulders firmly.

“But Cioranne, your life belongs to you.”

At those words, I broke into a wide smile. I knew Richard was saying this with my best interests at heart.

“You’re right. The deity I serve says the same thing.”

How could I not be happy when those I care about look out for me? But that meant I needed to stay grounded.

“But others won’t see it that way.”

And I would feel terrible if the person I loved enough to marry—though no such person existed yet—faced the world’s condemnation.

“You saw it earlier, Richard. Even a Grand Priest who has served God for over 90 years loses his way in the face of death, frightened. What about everyone else?”

In truth, Arnold the Grand Priest had been relatively calm. People truly facing death often rage and threaten to kill me if I don’t save them.

“If the holy power they’ve seen heal so easily disappears, they’ll surely resent it first. They’ll call a Holy Maiden who lost her power through marriage selfish, and they’ll condemn whoever married her. Most importantly, His Holiness the Pope wouldn’t leave it be.”

Marriage was the most terrible outcome I could imagine. Richard must not have thought that far, as he stood frozen with a pale face, unable to speak.

I lifted Kyle with both hands and smiled brightly.

“Kyle is enough for me.”

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ says that one is the most lecherous of all.]

‘You really have no filter when it comes to our adorable baby cat!’

Why doesn’t anyone appreciate Kyle’s cuteness! Kyle’s adorableness is supreme. Just looking at him is healing. Why didn’t God make cats His messengers? The world would look better with cats walking around healing people instead of priests and nuns!

‘If God’s messengers were cats, I wouldn’t have to worry about this.’

I had sorted out my thoughts about marriage and love long ago. I patted Richard’s arm to reassure him.

“And I’m satisfied with my life. I can help others with actions as simple as breathing.”

“…Why did God give you such strong holy power?”

Deep sorrow permeated Richard’s voice.

I sometimes felt awkward dealing with Richard. While I was perfectly fine, Richard was so sad.

I really am okay. I twisted my hair around my finger as I answered.

“Perhaps He gave it to me to be happy?”

“And are you happy, Cioranne?”

“Hmm.”

Kyle, nestled in my arms, let out a long yawn. I chuckled and replied.

“…At least I think I’m happy now.”

Time spent at the temple wasn’t boring anymore like before. Isn’t that enough to be happy?

I don’t wish for anything. I’m just letting this time flow by.

* * *

Though Cioranne didn’t realize it, Kyle was listening intently to her conversation with Richard, his ears perked up.

Richard’s unrequited love for Cioranne had been a source of amusement for Kyle since he first saw Richard. And Kyle, true to his desires, knew exactly why Richard’s one-sided love was so entertaining.

He didn’t like that guy fawning over Cioranne. He didn’t like how much space Richard occupied in Cioranne’s heart. But.

‘He got rejected, just like I thought.’

Knowing Richard would definitely be rejected by Cioranne made the process simply amusing.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ says, “So he got rejected, huh.”]

But seeing the deity enjoying it just like him made Kyle’s blood boil.

‘What have you done to enjoy watching this so much?’

Kyle growled and said, ‘If you bestow holy power once, shouldn’t you let them keep it? Why take it back so pettily!’

That was what angered Kyle.

The part about women losing their holy power when they marry.

Because of that, Cioranne had to serve under a villain like Incensino. From Kyle’s perspective, this was the height of unfairness. If Cioranne were at the top of the temple, the relationship between the temple and the empire wouldn’t be like this! There would be no bad blood with the beast-folk either.

‘Petty, petty, petty!’

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ jumps up and down in rage, calling you an insolent fellow.]

The deity became angry at Kyle’s repeated “petty” attacks. Kyle made a prim face.

‘Then stop that petty discrimination right now. Then I’ll acknowledge you.’

Kyle wanted only one thing: for the temple to operate based on character and ability, regardless of gender.

Stop this pathetic discrimination immediately!

But the response was nothing but hemming and hawing.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ says that starts from humanity’s original sin…]

‘Not listening. Do you think I gave you a chance to tell me such nonsense?’

Because Kyle curtly cut off the deity’s excuses, the deity’s message window became a mess. Even though it wasn’t actually audible, Kyle pretended to cover his ears just to provoke the deity. Then he narrowed his eyes and looked at Richard.

‘Seems like that guy was planning to propose today. But there’s not even room for a needle in Cioranne’s heart.’

Richard must have been quite shocked by Cioranne’s words, as he walked with slumped shoulders and heavy steps.

Looking at Richard’s back, Kyle snorted.

‘What do other people’s opinions matter? As long as I’m happy, that’s all that counts.’

Cioranne’s speech that shook Richard didn’t leave even a small crack in Kyle’s heart. Think about the people who can’t be saved if she loses her holy power? What’s in it for me if those people are saved?

‘Does that woman believe she can save the whole world by herself?’

You can’t save everyone anyway, so what’s the difference between saving one person or a hundred as long as you’ve done your best? He couldn’t understand why she would sacrifice her own life for service.

Reading Kyle’s thoughts, the deity sighed loudly for him to hear.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ says to share even a tiny fraction of your selfishness.]

What selfishness? Kyle bared his fangs and growled.

‘I really don’t understand that woman. If it were me, I’d wield my power like a sword.’

From the beginning, he wouldn’t have let someone cunning like Incensino manipulate him. Even now, his blood boiled when he recalled Cioranne collapsed on that cold floor.

As Kyle was grinding his teeth, the memory of Cioranne’s lips kissing him with a “smooch” naturally came to mind. Kyle blushed for a different reason and buried his face in his paws.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ smiles lecherously.]

[He teases you, asking why your face turned red.]

‘Damn it! Can’t you keep your mouth shut?!’

That was an accident. An unintended accident!

‘Just an accident, huh?!’

If he truly thought it was just an accident, there would be no reason to get so worked up! Kyle shook his head vigorously. Why did he have to endure such teasing? Growling, Kyle glared at Cioranne.

‘This is all because this woman thoughtlessly kisses without thinking!’

It was quite amusing. To her, it was just giving a cute cat a kiss, but the cat on the receiving end didn’t feel the same way. It’s a game where the one who gets butterflies becomes the fool.

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ laughs heartily.]

‘Shut up!’

In the end, only the omniscient deity knew about this situation. After being thoroughly teased by the deity, Kyle pouted and grumbled.

‘Anyway, it’s fortunate things don’t seem to be working out with that idiot. Someone who can’t even start a relationship because they’re afraid of others’ opinions shouldn’t even begin in the first place!’

In response to Kyle’s sharp words, the deity retorted:

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ asks if that’s about you.]

At those words, Kyle’s golden eyes gleamed as sharp as needles.

‘…Yes, it is about me.’

The emperor who thoroughly hid his beast-folk identity because he was ashamed of loving a beast-folk woman eventually drove away both the woman and their child.

Because a fluffy baby black panther couldn’t be concealed no matter how much they tried to keep it secret.

An incompetent man who abandoned both love and child out of fear of others’ judgment.

That was Kyle’s father.

‘Ran is a fool who doesn’t know how hard things are for her. She needs someone more dependable to lean on. Not a clueless idiot like him.’

Though concern for Cioranne was already seeping into Kyle’s thoughts, he didn’t realize it. If Cioranne had lived extremely for others, Kyle had lived extremely for himself.

The deity, who had been watching everything alone, asked with an amused smile:

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ says he doesn’t understand romantic relationships.]

[He teases you, asking what you’ll do if she confesses.]

‘Why are you teasing me? I’m not even upset. If anything, it’s troublesome how much Ran likes me.’

Having completely forgotten how he used to boast whenever Cioranne showed favoritism toward him, Kyle retorted sarcastically.

‘Besides, that idiot can’t confess. I’m certain of it.’

Exactly two hours later, Kyle would realize how wrong he was.

“Cioranne, marry me!”

Richard had found his courage!