Richard couldn’t leave Cioranne’s room for a while after she left, because the cat she had asked him to take care of was nowhere to be found.

‘Where did this cat go in this situation?’

At first, he thought it might be hiding in a corner, but Cioranne’s room had so few belongings that he could quickly search every nook and cranny. The cat truly wasn’t in the room.

‘I really don’t like that cat.’

Richard twisted his lips. Jealous of a cat. Others might laugh out loud if they heard, but Richard was serious.

‘I don’t like how Cioranne has been changing because of that cat.’

Cioranne, who rarely let anyone get close to her, was strangely gentle with that cat. Kissing it, calling its name affectionately, smiling at it softly.

That was hospitality no human had received in decades of knowing Cioranne.

‘And strangely, it seems to understand what I’m saying.’

According to Cioranne, it was an aloof and haughty cat, but whenever Richard was around, it deliberately showed affection to Cioranne and wedged itself between them.

‘Almost like a person…’

A person could pretend to be an animal. After all, this world had beings that could shift between human and animal forms.

The beast-folk.

Having unconsciously thought of beast-folk, Richard was startled and shook his head.

‘That’s absurd. If it were beast-folk, I’d recognize it. I’ve heard they can’t maintain either beast or human form for 24 hours.’

Besides, beast-folk had remarkable self-healing abilities and strength greater than humans, but holy power didn’t work on them.

‘But that cat was supposedly saved from starvation by Cioranne’s holy power when it was a baby.’

Wait. Did holy power work on that cat back then, or not?

Richard’s face hardened. He remembered Cioranne’s tearful face when she thought the cat might die because holy power wasn’t working on it.

‘Could it be?’

Really a beast-folk?

Richard’s fingertips grew cold. But he quickly regained his composure. There was no time to think more about the cat now.

‘I should flee this place quickly, like Cioranne said.’

If the Pope truly viewed Cioranne merely as his tool, and was wary of her escaping that position through marriage to Richard…

‘He won’t leave me alone.’

Moving up the pilgrimage schedule and sending Cioranne to the provinces was likely done to eliminate Richard.

I absolutely cannot move according to that man’s wishes. Richard hurriedly left Cioranne’s room. He had barely taken a few steps outside when a taciturn man with lizard-like features approached him.

“Sir Richard.”

“Hello.”

It was Eric, a paladin from the same order. He spoke directly, “His Holiness the Pope summons you. Let’s go.”

“Ah, so you came looking for me.”

Richard followed Eric naturally, pretending not to be suspicious. After passing through a narrow corridor, they reached a wide gallery. Unlike Cioranne who used an inconspicuous corner room in the temple, the Pope used a spacious room near the Grand Cathedral. To meet the Pope, one inevitably had to pass through the gaze of many people.

Walking alongside Eric, Richard asked in a casual tone, “Will you not be participating in this provincial pilgrimage, Sir Eric?”

“I’m in the second group. I’ll transport the relief supplies once they’re fully prepared.”

“Since the pilgrimage was so sudden, it seems not all relief supplies could be prepared.”

“The drought conditions are very poor, so His Holiness decided it would be better to send the Holy Maiden first.”

How ridiculous. If the Holy Maiden were truly so precious, they should send her only after the preparations were completed.

Richard stopped walking. Eric naturally stopped as well.

“Sir Eric.”

Numerous people milled around in front of the Grand Cathedral—tourists, pilgrims, and those who came to pray.

With so many people nearby, Richard asked Eric in a cold voice, “Why weren’t you surprised to see me coming out of the Holy Maiden’s room?”

Despite the sharp question, no emotion appeared on the man’s stoic face. This might be normal, but to Richard’s eyes, it seemed they had deliberately sent someone with minimal emotional reactions.

Eric answered in a calm tone, “Well, you and the Holy Maiden are close friends, aren’t you?”

“But according to you, the Holy Maiden has already left for the provincial pilgrimage. No matter how close we are, isn’t it suspicious for me to be coming out of an empty room?”

Normally, Richard wouldn’t have felt uncomfortable with that explanation, but he had already spoken with Cioranne and realized something was wrong. Richard pointed out sharply:

“Or… did you already know I was in that room?”

Perhaps realizing that Richard was on guard, Eric rubbed his face. Then, with a murderous glint in his eyes, he glared at Richard and said:

“My, I thought it would be better for your honor not to be dragged away in front of everyone… I regret things have come to this!”

Simultaneously, a sword was drawn from Eric’s side. Richard blocked it with his own sword still in its scabbard. The clash echoed through the corridor with a thud.

‘Damn it.’

Richard bit his lip. He had hoped it wouldn’t come to this!

‘So it’s true. He’s twisted because I proposed to Cioranne. She knew this would happen…’

He could only blame himself for being reckless. Once Eric attacked, he aimed repeatedly for vital points, apparently not caring if Richard got hurt. Blocking the sword with clanging sounds, Richard twisted his lips.

“Are you allowed to attack me in front of so many people?”

“The temple has always been strict with sinners.”

“Sinner? Am I a sinner? Tell me directly, what sin have I committed?”

“…”

Eric didn’t answer. Richard burst into laughter.

You can’t say it! Because there is no sin!

“What’s going on?” 

“Knights? Are they fighting?”

“This is a temple!”

“Hey, I know who that is! It’s Holy Knight Richard!”

Instantly, the gazes of many people gathered. Richard was particularly well-known for his handsome appearance, so many recognized him.

Perhaps conscious of those gazes, Eric sheathed his sword while grinding his teeth.

“If you’ve committed no sin, why are you so afraid to go to His Holiness?”

“That’s rich coming from someone who drew his sword first!”

“It is said that a cunning tongue belongs to the devil. I was the one who least wanted to believe you had fallen… but talking with you, I see it now.”

“Fallen?”

Richard laughed in disbelief.

“Aren’t you the ones who have fallen, trying to imprison an innocent person and then fabricate crimes?”

* * *

Using the crowd’s attention as a shield, Richard safely escaped the temple. Meanwhile, Noel, who had stopped by the Ferol household to change clothes, welcomed his brother who suddenly arrived.

“Brother.”

“Richard!”

Seeing Richard’s disheveled appearance from fleeing, Noel teased him in a mischievous tone:

“What’s this look? Were you in a brawl?”

“Brother, you said you supported me, right?”

“Well…”

Finally noticing the seriousness, Noel raised an eyebrow. Richard clenched his fists and said in an angry tone:

“The Pope sent the Holy Maiden away on an early provincial pilgrimage, almost like exile, and meanwhile tried to frame me as a criminal.”

“What? Why you?”

“Because I proposed to the Holy Maiden.”

Noel blinked. He remembered clearly, the memory fresh as yesterday, his brother proposing to Cioranne. He couldn’t forget it, especially since he had been disciplined by the young emperor for not stopping it.

But this was precisely why Noel hadn’t considered it important:

“But the Holy Maiden rejected you anyway, didn’t she?”

Why attach meaning to a failed proposal? As Noel tilted his head questioningly, Richard’s face turned bright red.

“How did you… no, that’s not the important part! The Pope doesn’t believe what Cioranne and I say!”

“That guy has always been a cunning snake.”

Having suffered much at the Pope’s hands, Noel wasn’t surprised by his suspicious behavior. Noel stroked his chin.

‘But he’s being excessively rash. Moving so suddenly like this will only provoke the Holy Maiden unnecessarily.’

Besides, did he think the Ferol household would remain idle if Richard were detained in such a manner? It seemed like an unreasonable move in many ways.

Why was he acting so impulsively all of a sudden?

‘Perhaps he’s conscious of my relationship with Richard and thinks the proposal means we’re now supporting beast-folk too.’

He must be reacting so strongly because something’s off with the Holy Maiden.

Making a fairly accurate guess, Noel suddenly looked up.

“By the way, Richard, where is His Catness?”

What mattered to him wasn’t Cioranne.

It was the cat she was raising!