When Evan got up from the bed, the wooden bed creaked. He neatly arranged the blanket on the bed.

‘I could ask Ariel about the incident that happened yesterday, but it probably wouldn’t make much difference.’

Since it was an event involving a priest from the Holy See, there might be an official response from the imperial palace. For example, there might be policies or regulations to protect the priests.

As Evan reached for the doorknob to leave the room, he paused and stood in front of the mirror hanging on the wall.

He smoothed out his tousled hair with his hand and checked for any possible eye discharge.

Finally, he made sure there was nothing stuck in his teeth. In the darkness, his pure white teeth emanated from his reflection in the mirror.

Seemingly satisfied, he sprayed a peppermint-scented breath freshener.

Evan, who had been leisurely preparing, realized that quite some time had passed and hastily opened the door.

“Hmm…”

After arriving at the reception room, Evan caught his breath.

‘Is it my imagination? Why do I feel so nervous?’

With a slightly pensive expression, Evan opened the door to the reception room.

The reception room of the imperial knights was quite lavishly decorated.

Long white leather sofas and tables made of marble were placed, and light golden curtains hung on the windows.

Bright light streamed through the curtains. The light looked like a halo around Liese as she sat by the window.

Even in the darkness, her beauty, which had not been concealed, was etched in Evan’s eyes.

‘Beautiful. Extremely.’

It was still far from spring, but his heart was excited as though spring had arrived.

But that emotion was brief. When her face came into view, he regained his composure. Her beautiful face was filled with worry and fear.

‘She must be worried. She might be afraid of being driven away.’

Evan, who stood in front of the door for a moment, took a short breath before moving forward.

Step by step. Liese raised her head at the sound of his footsteps approaching.

Lost in deep thought, Liese was startled to see him approaching quite closely. She quickly stood up from the sofa and bowed her head.

“Hello.”

“Thank you for coming. Please have a seat.”

Evan sat down opposite Liese. After confirming that he had sat down, Liese took her seat.

An awkward atmosphere lingered between them.

“The reason you called me…”

Liese swallowed dryly.

Yesterday, Evan insisted that she would not be harmed. But despite that assurance, Liese seemed worried. If she couldn’t even stay as a junior priest, then there was nowhere else for her to go but to the streets.

“As I mentioned yesterday, I called you here because we need a statement regarding the incident. Could you please explain in detail how the incident occurred?”

“I was loading luggage to go from the Holy See to Norca. The lady approached me and asked where she could meet someone named Liese.”

Evan’s brow furrowed.

According to what he heard from Ariel, she insisted on going to Norca with the intention of serving. But from Liese’s story, it seemed that Ariel’s original purpose was not to serve but to meet Liese.

Given the circumstances, Ariel must have already known about Liese’s presence at the Holy See.

However, as far as he knew, Ariel had never visited the Holy See or its vicinity.

“Were you acquainted with Ariel before?”

“No, I met her for the first time yesterday. I was also very surprised when she came looking for me. But it seems she heard rumors about my interest in helping others and came to find me.”

Had there been such rumors before?

Evan, who was generally indifferent to social gossip and personal matters, thought that such rumors might have circulated and dispelled his suspicions about Ariel.

“But why did you go to Norca without any escort?”

But mistakes needed to be corrected.

While the priests were affiliated with the Holy See or the temple, they did not belong to them.

They were individuals endowed with divine power personally granted by Lumiere.

Regardless of gender, rank, or the magnitude of their divine power, their existence needed to be protected.

“Occasionally, fights have broken out over relief supplies along the way, but this kind of threat was unprecedented. There was no benefit for a low-ranking priest like me to take part in it.”

There was no surplus manpower from the Holy See to assign to her.

He had never expected it even once, and for Liese, coming alone to Norca was natural.

He was the first person to raise doubts about this.

“Perhaps this incident could be the opportunity to rectify the evils in the Holy See and the temple.”

Liese listened attentively to his words. It seemed likely that things would unfold as he spoke. His inherently upright and just nature had the power to make it happen.

The light that filtered through the curtains lingered by Evan’s side. It seemed as if Lumiere’s grace had touched him.

Liese’s transparent and radiant gaze swept over Evan’s face.

Was it due to his training? His skin was slightly tanned. His healthy-looking skin bore beautiful features as if they were drawn on.

‘Even upon seeing him again, he really resembles Ariel a lot.’

Especially her plump lips…

Liese’s gaze landed on Evan’s lips.

‘What exactly am I looking at so intently.’

But soon realizing where her gaze was directed, she turned her eyes towards the window. Her round and concave ears turned red. Suddenly, a feeling of nausea overwhelmed her consciousness from within.

Liese clenched her hands on her knees.

Knock-knock.

“Liese.”

Evan tapped the table and called her name, and at that moment, Liese emerged from her confused emotions. She opened her eyes wide and looked at Evan.

“Oh, yes.”

“Due to the shock you received yesterday, remembering might be painful, but… please explain the circumstances before and after His Majesty arrived yesterday. We need to understand the cause of the incident and verify if what those scoundrels claimed matches the truth.”

Evan didn’t want to make Liese remember yesterday’s events again.

He was worried that being threatened by several men in a place where no one could protect her might traumatize Liese.

But he needed to understand the incident properly in order to give accurate instructions to the Holy See and the temple.

“I was so inexperienced at that time that I’m not sure if I remember it correctly. But I will tell you what I remember.”

At Evan’s request, Liese detailed the events of yesterday without withholding anything.

It was because she had resolved to return home last night. If she had to accept responsibility for endangering the safety of the marquis’ daughter, she was prepared to accept that fate.

Of course, she was also afraid because her life before leaving home was so miserable. She had almost been sold by her father as a concubine to a count.

“…. Then His Majesty took Ariel with her. That’s all.”

But she couldn’t shift all the responsibility onto her friend.

“I see. Because of my sister’s stubbornness, you’ve been put in a difficult position, Liese. I apologize on her behalf.”

Evan, who had been silently listening, nodded.

The shock from yesterday probably hadn’t fully subsided yet. He was somewhat surprised by her calm explanation of the events.

‘I thought she would be trembling with anxiety… She’s surprisingly strong-hearted.’

He became curious about what kind of life this woman had led so far, and what had made her so resilient.

Perhaps she had experienced even more than this and had become the person she was now. Even before knowing her past, he felt a sense of pity for her.

“It’s my fault for being negligent.”

“No, Liese, you did nothing wrong. It’s those despicable scoundrels.”

She smiled brightly at his words.

“Why are you smiling?”

Evan asked sincerely, wanting to know what had made her smile.

“I just felt like smiling. I’m sorry if it seemed inappropriate.”

“No, it’s not inappropriate…”

Evan swallowed his words. He couldn’t bring himself to express his hope that her smile was because of him, and he didn’t want her smile to fade from her face.

“Well, I’m glad.”

Liese faintly smiled. Being with him brought her joy. In her seemingly bleak and hopeless life, Evan’s presence was like bright and pure sunshine.

“What will happen next?”

“I will report to the Holy See. I promise you, Liese, you won’t suffer any harm. I stake the honor of the imperial knights on it.”

“Thank you for your concern.”

Finally, even her large eyes softened beautifully. Evan gazed at the sight in awe. Her emerald eyes shimmered like rippling waves.