‘Mishael keeps saying he won’t go, but… yes. Even if it’s just to take care of this child, I must attend. If Mishael happens to come, it will be a great support.’

Originally, I was supposed to go see Princess Daniella, the protagonist, but without realizing it, I found myself completely absorbed in the possibility of meeting Mishael.

***

The palace temple was magnificent.

The Holy Kingdom itself is also grand, but as I was just visiting the monastery where Mishael’s dormitory is located, it had been a long time since I saw a structure that so fully concentrated advanced religious art. Although I regularly sponsor the church for Mishael, I have rarely been to the temple because of my lack of devotion.

‘There are so many people.’

Because it is a charity gala, not only the chapel, which is only open during ceremonies, but also the rear garden and the courtyard accessible only to clergy, have all been opened to the public, excluding residential areas.

Curious people gathered to see the unseen relics and treasures that were not usually made public, while others attended the banquet to interact with wealthy and cultured individuals, who were either interested in visiting the temple or supporting the religious order.

And I, who’s in charge of the ‘wealthy and cultured individuals who support the religious order’.

“May the grace of the divine be upon the young shoots of the earth. Aren’t you the esteemed lady of the Marquis of Parma?”

“God bless you. Hello, Father.”

When I entered the lobby of the temple today to make a large donation, I was greeted by a middle-aged man with the expression of great delight, who seemed to recognize me and welcomed me as if he knew me. Although I couldn’t exactly determine who he was, I immediately showed respect as a devout believer.

It seemed like he was the financial officer in charge of managing sponsors.

“How sincerely our sister dedicates herself to the Lord… If it’s alright with you, would you like to exchange a brief greeting with His Eminence the High Priest later?”

“Thank you for your excessive praise. I am merely offering my best as a sprout growing by the blessings of the Lord… I am deeply grateful for your overly generous compliment.”

“Aah, your words are truly modest… If you don’t have any companions, would it be alright for our temple novitiate to introduce you to the Grand Temple?”

As the reverend said that, he pointed behind him to a row of young men. They were all dressed in navy blue robes, meaning they were novitiates from the Holy Kingdom…

Huh?

That familiar silver head sticking out from a distance…

“Mishael!”

“M-Miss…!”

Sure enough, Mishael was there too…! And come to think of it, the priests standing next to Mishael were no less noble or at least as good-looking as Mishael…

‘They’ve gone so far as to bring out the pretty face to coax more money from the sponsors.’

No matter how sincere the temple is in its offerings, isn’t this just exploiting those who are not even official priests? How guilty must our Mishael feel about being involved in such matters? If someone other than me received Mishael’s guidance and got mesmerized by his innocent charm, I wouldn’t know how things would turn out…

So, in many ways, I made the right decision to come to this banquet.

“Father? Then, may I… ask Mishael to guide me through the temple?”

“Oh, yes, by all means. After all, Brother Mishael’s benefactor is Marquis Parma…!”

To be precise, it was me, Lionella, using the name of Marquis Parma.

With the priest’s approval, Mishael and I explored the temple by ourselves. Even if my donations in recent years were a bit modest, I will wager 500 gold coins brought today that, had I contributed a bit more, the top-face like Mishael would have been assigned to another supporter.

‘I wonder if I should also meet the temple’s high priest later and make sure Mishael lives a more comfortable life…’

Following Mishael’s diligent guidance, after briefly visiting the chapel and rear garden, we walked through the sparsely populated corridor to return to the front yard where the banquet would take place.

“How have you been all this time? Nothing unusual happened?”

“I’ve been well, thanks to you…”

From his words, I could tell that he was continuously suffering from his chronic illness and that he had taken it into his own hands at least once. Perhaps because of the pity I felt for him, my heart throbbed softly.

“Mishael, bear with it a little longer.”

“A little longer.. If you say so.”

I moved closer to him, to the point where our chests touched. It might have been an inappropriate distance for a novitiate, but since it was well-known thst Parma was his patron I didn’t mind being seen.

I lowered my voice and whispered,

“I’ve searching extensively, so I might find a way to fix it.”

Although I gained nothing significant from medical books obtained through upstream channels, and the top guild that had been dealing with such matters for a long time has made no contact… Still, someday, wouldn’t I find a clue to solving this?

“Just trust me. Don’t worry too much. Until then… Keep the secret well.”

I smirked as I said that. Mishael’s face showed a deep sense of gratitude, but I wondered if I unintentionally put on a villainous smile since his eyes seemed slightly cold.

“…Thank you, Miss.”

Upon reaching the courtyard of the temple, most of the attendees who had finished touring the temple were gathered there. Among them were individuals dressed in navy blue robes like Mishael, who seemed to be sponsors chosen by the church.

“The Lycius royal family has arrived!”

At that moment, with the loud cry of the temple’s gatekeeper, the entrance to the temple became noisy. The royal carriage had arrived at the main gate, and it seemed that the members of the royal family were descending one by one.

The king, with his golden hair, was the first to disembark, followed by the queen, and between them, there was a boy and two girls, and finally…

‘Wheat-colored hair and light green eyes…!’

Princess Daniella, the protagonist of ‘Wildflowers.’ Although she seemed gentle at first glance, she was a cynical and strong-willed protagonist…! The moment I confirmed the appearance of the woman who appeared at the very end, I became convinced that I had embraced the protagonist of this world.

Forgetting about the situation, my heart swelled uncontrollably. While I had calculated at some point to stand in the protagonist’s position as the Marquis of Parma and enjoy wealth and honor, seeing the protagonist in person made me truly realize that I was living in the world of ‘Wildflowers.’

‘Oh, right. What about Mishael?’

While I was caught up in my personal feelings, there was something more important. I briefly glanced at Mishael, who stood next to me without showing any apparent intention.

‘Hmm…?’

Although his gaze was directed towards Princess Daniella, there was no particular expression on his face.

Just like the last time when I asked about what had happened between him and her.

‘Phew, thank goodness…’

Huh?

What is this feeling of relief?

Ah, with Mishael’s current unexplainable state… Perhaps it might be difficult to showcase his ascetic nature as much as his dependability?

‘Haha, well, maybe that’s how it is.’

While I was pondering, the entrance of the royal family ended, and Princess Daniella, who held the lowest rank among the direct line of the royal family, disappeared into a place where she couldn’t be seen by the crowd.

‘…Well, I guess I should have a separate conversation at least to determine if I should stake my life on this fate.’

Maybe it’s not the right time yet. Since the first meeting of the two individuals in the ‘Wildflowers’ was only described as a drinking party, I could only speculate.

Soon after, a simple opening ceremony took place. The priest who greeted me earlier seemed to be presiding over today’s gathering. Following his lead, we all prayed together, and then the king’s congratulatory speech and the high priest’s toast followed.

After the ritual ceremony was over, the front courtyard of the high priest’s residence was transformed into a garden party-like atmosphere, and the banquet continued in a relaxed atmopshere. Although there was no separate space for dancing, the beer and wine brewed at the Holy Kingdom Monastery, and the performances of the high priest’s ensemble and chorus, added to the poetic atmosphere of the spring night.

“Miss, please try this sandwich.”

“…It’s not as tasty as what you would make, but well, it’s okay, I suppose.”

All the while, Mishael stayed by my side and waited patiently. He picked out finger foods that he thought I would like and fed them to me little by little while I enjoyed the wine. I tasted pickled olives, cucumber sandwiches, salmon ceviche, ham and cheese canapés, one after another.

Escorting the sponsors was not part of the priests’ duty, but it was a ritual that developed between us ever since Mishael began making tea for me when I came to visit him in the Holy Kingdom.

Mishael would personally feed me light snacks that he prepared to match the beverage I was drinking.

“Lady Lionella, how have you been all this time?”

At that moment, a gentleman approached us. I recognized him from a ball I attended not too long ago.

With his gaze fixed solely on me, he greeted me, as if he couldn’t see Mishael, the novitiate serving me.

“Oh, Lord Joel Landos. It’s nice to see you again in a place like this. How have you been?”

“Yes, thanks to you. I’m really glad to see you in a place like this.”

“Indeed. I never expected to see you in a place like this…”

He said he left the academy, but I heard he didn’t major in theology. Was he faithful in his own way?

“It’s a beautiful night. Lady Parma, you look beautiful as always.”

“Lord Stefan Kiel, you look wonderful today as well. Your face has become even better.”

“Lady Lionella. Were your uncomfortable feet okay now?”

“Lord Ramon Cedur, nice to see you again! Yes, thanks to your concerns, I’m all better today.”

“That’s really fortunate. It’s a shame that a separate ballroom wasn’t prepared for the Grand Temple’s banquet… I hope we can enjoy together that dance you promised last time.”

But that wasn’t all. For some reason, most of the gentlemen who had previously attended social events and made a name for themselves were present. Did they all come because they heard that the royal family was coming? If it weren’t for seeing Princess Daniella and saving Mishael at the same time, I would have just sent a donation instead of coming here.

‘…But it’s strange.’

None of the ladies I talked with at that time showed up. Could it be that the number of sub-male leads has dramatically increased without my knowledge? No, even if they can’t become sub-male leads, are they all planning to enter the spotlight in the protagonist’s fishery¹ 어장 generally means a fishing ground or fishery in Korean. However, it is also used metaphorically in the context of relationships, known as 어장관리, which refers to the act of keeping someone on the hook or playing the field in romantic situations?

‘…Ah, Mishael.’

As I was thinking about the protagonist’s fishery, I remembered a genuine sub-male lead. Since I was continuously greeting the gentlemen who came without a break and exchanging formalities, it must have been quite awkward for him to be by my side.

It’s a sorry sight to have someone standing there for no reason, somehow it makes me feel sorry…. As I was thinking that, I glanced at him.

‘What.’

For some reason, Mishael’s face turned pale.

Just like when we met last month in the Holy Kingdom.

No way…

“Mishael.”

“M-Miss…”

“Do you have… that again?”

“…..”

Mishael pursed his lips, unable to respond. His silence spoke volumes.

It seems like his ‘chronic illness’ is acting up…!

After exchanging greetings with the gentlemen who approached me, I led him to a secluded place. It was an obscure area filled with thick undergrowth, leading towards the corridor we had passed by earlier.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m not sure… about that.”

Mishael seemed on the verge of tears.

“I-I don’t think I can handle this alone…”