CHAPTER TWO.
The Development (1)

Mishael took out a scone from the tray and began spreading clotted cream on it. With his long, white fingers delicately holding the butter knife, the scene of him lightly dabbing the cream and trying to make it as neat as possible looked reverent. It was like a scene from a sacred painting, a proper supporting character in a refined period drama…

“So, Miss.”

As I admired Mishael’s figure, his red irises peeked out from beneath his eyelashes and turned towards me.

“You’re… looking for a wealthy suitor in high society, aren’t you?”

“Yeah, so what?”

Mishael’s voice as he repeated my words, resonated as if it was floating away, but I didn’t pay much attention.

“Well, wouldn’t it be fine to settle for a son-in-law from a modest but noble family? Of course, as the husband to the marquis of Parma, he should possess the basic qualities and appearance.”

“I see…”

“Appearance and physique are especially the most important. We have to consider an heir, after all.”

“An heir…”

For some reason, Mishael’s response and facial expression when he replied seemed gloomy. His lowered eyes and the corner of his mouth that only twitched slightly conveyed a profound melancholy. After observing his lonely face for a while, I suddenly realized that I was worried.

“Why? Is there something bothering you these days?”

“….”

“You don’t have much time left until my promotion as a priest, who’s bothering you now?”

In reality, my monthly visits to Mishael were not only to confirm if he had met the original protagonist or whether he developed any resentment towards Parma.

Mishael was officially described as my childhood playmate, a commoner who received sponsorship from the Marquis of Parma. While it may be hard to associate him as a product of illegal businesses like slaves, since among those training to become priests there were nobles and affluent commoners, it was possible that there could be individuals who would harass Mishael, considering his background as a servant.

So, the nominal reason for my monthly visits to the Holy Kingdom was to pay the sponsorship fee. In a way that didn’t disrupt the pious atmosphere of the Holy Kingdom, I dressed as extravagantly as possible and presented an enormous amount of sponsorship money.

So our child won’t lose heart.

Through Mishael, it was a profitable business to establish a good relationship with the protagonist who would become king in the future, as it would further prosper Palma.

“No, there’s no one bothering me….”

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

“Mishael.”

I stood up and went to Mishael’s side, kneeling down next to him. I rested both of my hands on his knees and lifted my gaze to his beautifully carved face like a marble sculpture. If someone―specifically Mrs Entera―were to witness this scene, they might ask what nonsense I was up to since nothing had changed in terms of status. But the formalities had long disappeared when it was just the two of us.

As the successor of the illustrious marquisate, I couldn’t openly take care of Mishael in front of others. But in our private time together, I provided him with as much convenience as possible.

“If there’s something wrong, you have to tell me okay?”

“Yes, Miss…”

“Really. Huh? Those who torment good and honest people like you are not worthy of serving God. It may be a secular logic, but ignoring you is like ignoring Parma.”

“It’s okay, Miss.”

Mishael, faintly smiling, gently lifted my hand that was folded on his lap and slowly helped me get up so that I could stand on my own.

“Really, I’m fine, so don’t worry. Thanks to you, I’m enjoying all of this.”

Mishael kept holding my hand and moved his body to put me back in my original seat. Then, he suddenly fed me a scone covered in strawberry jam.

Biting into the scone, I tasted the harmonious blend of clotted cream, strawberry jam, and the buttery fragrance that Mishael himself made for today.

“Mmm… Your skills are improving more and more?”

“Preparing tea time for you is my pleasure, Miss.”

Mishael smiled brightly. His dimples, lightly visible beside his smile, added charm to his smile.

Every time I visited the Holy Kingdom, I had a simple tea time with Mishael. It took a couple of hours by carriage from the Marquis’s estate to the Holy Kingdom, so it was difficult to bring other things, even if I brought the tea leaves myself. However, Mishael had somehow learned baking and prepared everything by himself. Although the Holy Kingdom valued frugality as a virtue, but I could tell he did his best with what he could find, even though it couldn’t be extravagant.

I enjoyed eating Mishael’s scones today, crisp on the outside and moist on the inside.

“Oh, Miss.”

Suddenly, Mishael, who had returned to his place, reached out his hand and stole a touch on the corner of my lips with his thumb.

“Here, you had something there.”

“Oh, it’s because I’m clumsy.”

“No, it’s because I put too much cream.”

It was as if there was some clotted cream left on the corner of my mouth, and he’d carefully wiped it away with his hand. As expected the kind-hearted sub-male lead in a romantic novel. Mishael’s considerate gesture made me feel oddly flattered.

But Mishael did not remove his hand. The clotted cream that had been on my lips was still there, and his searching gaze seemed strangely lonely.

“Why, Mishael?”

“….”

“Really, what’s wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing.”

“I’m… I’m fine.”

However… Mishael’s face turned paler as he said that. While his face was normally as smooth as fine marble, now even his complexion seemed to have faded away.

Finally, he sealed his lips. His usually red lips pressed tightly together as if he was trying to hold something back. Somehow, he seemed to be sweating coldly, and his eyes reddened…

“Mishael, what’s wrong?”

Startled, I forgot my manners and quickly put down the scone I was eating on a separate plate and swallowed what was in my mouth.

I was weak against Mishael’s tears. And even more so when he seemed to be in pain. It was only natural that as Mishael’s physical and mental health improved, our family’s tragic ending would drift further away.

“Where does it hurt?”

“….”

“Don’t push yourself if you’re in pain. Did you catch a cold or something?”

I quickly took off my glove on one hand to touch Mishael’s forehead, but I only felt a slight coolness, and there was no significant difference in temperature.

‘It’s okay,’ Mishael said, gently releasing my hand. There was a poignant smile on his face as he looked at me. Seeing that smile, my heart raced. No matter how well I had treated Mishael, I still carried a fundamental sense of guilt towards him. Over the years, I had been living with constant anxiety, thinking that any mistake would bring about our downfall.

Because of my short-sighted father, it was only natural for me to feel wronged. Accumulating resentments like that eventually turned into a bottle of anger.

“Miss…”

“Yes, go ahead.”

I was ready to listen to anything he had to say.

“I didn’t want to tell you like this… but… I’m actually suffering from an chronic disease.”

“What, huh?”

Mishael had an chronic disease? Well, if a mental illness is also considered chronic, is it that chronic disease? It was a little surprising and I was taken aback considering it was not mentioned in the original. I calmly waited for his next words.

“Well, if it’s an illness…”

“That’s…”

Mishael rolled his eyes awkwardly as if he were in distress, looking around before sighing.

“It seems difficult to talk about it here…”

“Ah, really?”

Even though there weren’t many people on the outside, it could still be difficult to confide in a space where other people might overhear. Physical defects wouldn’t disqualify him from becoming a priest, but… it seemed to be more of an issue of personal privacy.

After all, if a priest, who should have a pure heart above all, really has something like a mental illness…!

“Miss, I’m truly sorry, but… would you mind walking me to my quarters?”

“Oh, um, sure…!”

I willingly accepted his request. It was a sign that Mishael trusted me enough to confide in me.

On the other hand, there were things I could do to help him with his illness outside of the Holy Kingdom, such as looking for medicinal herbs. Although it seemed strange for someone as powerful as Mishael, who possessed extraordinary holy powers, to be unable to heal himself, it was necessary to properly understand the situation first.

I supported Mishael as he tried to get up. Since he was taller than me by a head, it was more like him leaning on me than me supporting him…

Regardless, I carefully led Mishael, who had a pale face like a blank sheet of paper, to the dormitory inside the monastery.

Outsiders were generally prohibited from entering the residence of the priests, and women were even more restricted. However, exceptions were made for patrons who provided a substantial amount of support, like the Marquis of Parma.

And so, she found herself in Mishael’s bedroom…

‘Oh, it looks okay?’

Unlike the dormitory’s shabby, austere exterior, the room where Mishael stayed was remarkably neat and spacious. The donations I made to the Holy Kingdom over the years had paid off.

Well, it was also because of the effort I made to somehow keep someone as powerful as Mishael in the Holy Kingdom.

‘Come to think of it, it’s my first time seeing Mishael’s room…’

When Mishael stayed at our mansion, we couldn’t give him a separate room due to his status as a whipping boy, so he always stayed in my room.

I carefully examined the room with a sense of unfamiliarity. No matter how spacious it was, there weren’t many things in this room, perhaps due to Mishael’s ascetic nature. There was only a bed, a desk, a wardrobe that didn’t seem to be used much except as a personal altar for prayers, and some clothes. The closet contained only ceremonial robes, communal clothing for training sessions, and robes. Overall, it was not a room that gave a strong sense of living.

And representing Mishael’s temperament, the bedding on the wooden bed was meticulously tidy. Even though there was no one to take care of the room, it was neatly organized, reflecting his austere and noble nature.

‘If someone sees it, they might think it’s an unused room.’

While I carefully examined the details of the room’s decor, Mishael meticulously checked the door. Perhaps it was because it was still early spring and the weather was cold, but he closed every window tightly and even drew the heavy curtains. Well, even though I am a generous donor and Mishael was favored by the Holy Kingdom, it would be awkward if I were seen entering his bedchamber. Especially since my vibrant ginger hair is highly saturated and easily catches the eye.