Even as a trainee priest, basic food, clothing, and shelter were provided, and the parents who had to give up their child were given substantial compensation. And once they passed through trainee status and became full priests, they faced another choice. Whether to remain at the temple, welcoming the faithful who came, praying with them, and serving the god as a common priest. Or to learn the sword or the bow and undergo further training to become a holy knight.

And yet, bullying among trainee priests who had to grow up living alongside one another. And directed at someone the high priest himself had personally assessed and approved.

— You’re not going to become a full priest anyway, so just leave now. They won’t stop you if you say you’re going, will they?

— Or start serving us from now on. Then even after I become a full priest, I won’t abandon you.

The snickering laughter of several voices made her blood boil, and she moved her feet, which had been about to carry her elsewhere, right toward them instead. The grass crackled underfoot, and the laughter cut off.

— I thought all the priests of Avilion’s temple were equal. I suppose that was a lie too.

At Isabella’s jab about why they were drawing ranks among themselves when they were all the same trainee priests, the three who had had their backs to her turned to face her.

— Eek!

— My lady, this isn’t what it looks like……

She was from a barony, but Isabella was a noble all the same. Incomparably above a trainee priest. And when a noble family came to the temple to pray, they brought donations, so no matter how young the noble, they could not be dismissed. The trainee priests knew this all too well, and the color drained from their faces the moment they saw Isabella.

— What do you mean it isn’t what it looks like? I heard it perfectly clearly.

— ……

— You asked whether he had bribed the high priest to get in, didn’t you? May I go and ask His Holiness directly whether that is true?

— My lady, those words weren’t meant to……

— If even fellow trainee priests are dividing themselves by rank like this, I can only imagine how much worse it will be once you become full priests. I ought to report this to the priests right away.

— I’m sorry! We’ll never do it again, so please, just this once……!

It would have been genuinely difficult and entirely unreasonable for Isabella, a noble’s daughter, to actually meet with the high priest, but they did not seem to think so. She had only meant to frighten them, yet they all came rushing over, fell to their knees before her, and clasped their hands together begging for forgiveness.

— Why are you asking me for forgiveness? The person who should receive the apology and grant forgiveness is right over there.

Isabella raised her hand so they could see clearly and pointed to the small boy who was only standing there, staring blankly. How long had he been put through this? The boy, who was considerably smaller than the ones now kneeling before her and begging for mercy, was trembling.

— Apologize. If you don’t apologize to that child right now, I will go straight to one of the priests and tell them everything.

— S-sorry! Reymon.

— And say you won’t bully him again!

— We won’t bully you again.

The three kneeling figures took turns opening their mouths and begging the small child for forgiveness. The boy trembled and watched them for a long while, then slowly nodded, and only then did the apologies come to an end.

— If something like this happens again, I will tell the priests immediately.

— Yes.

— You may go.

The moment Isabella dismissed them, they vanished from the lakeside in a flash. She watched their retreating backs hurrying away for a long moment, then walked over to the boy and held out her hand.

— Get up.

— I, I’m sorry.

— For what?

— For making you angry over something so trivial.

— How is this trivial? Don’t worry about that.

— ……

— Do you want something to eat?

The boy showed no sign of getting up, as though his legs had given out. She looked at him for a moment, then opened the small bag she was carrying and slowly unwrapped the bundle of snacks Bailey had packed for her. She had asked what the point of bringing snacks to the temple was, but Bailey had always stubbornly tucked snacks into Isabella’s small bag. Just in case they might be needed, she would say. How had she known? That they would come in handy like this.

— What is this?

— Chocolate. Oh, wait. Are priests not allowed to eat chocolate?

Only then did Isabella think of the boy’s situation and sighed. Was chocolate off-limits too? Had she been wrong to show it to him? Was she only rubbing it in when he couldn’t even eat it? Feeling a surge of guilt, she was quietly watching the boy’s expression when she heard his voice and looked up to meet his eyes.

— Am I allowed to have some?

— Of course! Eat up! You can have it all!

The two of them sat side by side at the edge of the lake and shared the snacks Bailey had packed together.

That was how it began.

Isabella’s feet, which had carried her to the temple on the anniversary of her mother’s death, now carried her there even when the anniversary was not near, and the more often she visited, the closer she and Reymon became.

— I miss my mother.

— She must miss you too, Isabella.

— Don’t you miss your parents?

— ……

— Mine passed away, but yours haven’t.

They grew close enough to open up about the worries and feelings they had each been hiding and holding down.

— I do miss them. But I can’t leave.

— ……

— Sometimes I get so lonely.

Reymon’s face was full of a bitter smile as he said it.

— Did you not come here of your own will?

— I did come of my own will. Even if it was my choice, missing them is still missing them.

— That’s true.

— Sorry. That was a strange thing to say. You must miss your mother too, Isabella.

The small hand wiping away the tears pooling in her eyes went still. Reymon turned his head and met Isabella’s eyes. Reymon’s eyes, a blue so vivid it was almost blinding, looked just like the deep, wide lake on the temple grounds. Looking into those bright blue eyes sparkling in the sunlight made her feel at ease. She could bring out the words she pressed deep down in her chest, the ones she could not say to her father Henry.

— I miss her. But there’s nothing I can do about it.

— Isabella.

— Oh, Reymon!

— Yes?

— You can’t go yourself, but what if I looked into how your parents are doing?

— What?

Those large eyes, the very image of the deep, wide lake, went round.

— I could find out and tell you. Whether they’re doing well, how they’re getting on.

— Would you really do that? No, don’t. Isabella.

Reymon’s face had lit up as he asked whether she really could, but then he suddenly hardened his expression and refused her offer.

— Why? I’ll find out if they’re healthy and let you know.

— I couldn’t impose……

— It’s fine. I can do at least that much for you.

She did not rush Reymon as he deliberated without answering for a long while. And it was only when Isabella was about to leave that Reymon quietly told her, with some embarrassment, that he would be grateful if she would.

— My lady! I found out what you asked me to look into.

— Thank you, Bailey!

Before long, she was able to bring news of Reymon’s family. The moment she heard, she ran to the temple and told Reymon everything about the family he had missed so dearly.

— They’re doing well. They said they’re in good health. And Reymon, you have a little sibling now. A pretty little sister, apparently. With beautiful blonde hair and blue eyes just like you.

She had expected Reymon to break into a bright smile at the good news, but before Isabella had even finished speaking, he grabbed hold of her and wept. Isabella patted his shoulder, wiped his tears, and offered him clumsy words of comfort. Were they tears of relief, or tears of loneliness that his family was getting along fine without him? Young Isabella could not tell, but she did her best to stay by his side and comfort him until he was all right.

The two of them grew even closer after that and spent a great deal of time together. In the meantime, Isabella, who had always been more on the quiet side than the boisterous, became even quieter and more composed, and grew into a noble young lady of incomparable beauty.

— Isabella. You’re here.

— Have you been well?

— Of course. Come in. I made tea. It’s Jasmine, your favorite.

— Thank you.

Reymon, once a trainee priest, became a full priest in time. He was a low-ranking priest, but Reymon said even that was more than he could ask for. When Isabella suggested he try becoming a holy knight, he smiled and shook his head. With his tall frame and broad build, unusual for a priest, he looked more suited to being a knight than a priest, but Reymon said he had no desire to kill anyone, so Isabella never brought it up again.

— Isn’t it about time for your debut? From what I see of the other young ladies, it seems like now is the time.

— You’re right. I’ve actually decided to do it this time.

— To think you’re already that age.

— What? You were young once too, and now you’re a priest. I’m that age too.

— Have you decided on a dress?

— More or less. I’m not expecting much either way.

Reymon poured fragrant, steaming tea into a cup and asked, and Isabella gave a listless answer. She was not expecting much. She was from a barony, after all. A noble house this small would attract no proposals.

After the debut, she would have to throw herself into the marriage market in earnest. That was what it meant to be the daughter of a noble house. She had no desire to start fretting over a marriage in which she would have no say whatsoever. Of course, if she told her father she did not want a loveless marriage, he would surely listen, but Isabella thought the aftermath was its own problem.

— Why aren’t you expecting much? I’ve heard that noble sons and daughters all look forward to their debuts.

— Because after the debut comes marriage?

— Already?

— In noble families, “already” doesn’t apply. Some houses arrange betrothals before the child is even born, and many have already held engagement ceremonies by now.

— I see. Priests can’t marry, so I’ve never once thought about any of that.

Isabella glanced at Reymon, whose expression had grown serious to match hers, and let out a quiet sigh so he wouldn’t hear.

— I wonder who my husband will be.

— What kind of person would you want?

— Someone kind.

— And?

— And?

— Yes. And?

Someone kind. What else was there? She had never really thought about it properly. She had only recently come to realize that she would have to marry someone.

— Once you’ve made a splendid debut, our young lady will soon be engaged to a fine gentleman, won’t she?

It was because of something Bailey had said while they were choosing fabric for the dress.

She had never thought about having to marry someone. That was not the problem. The truth was, Isabella had never had feelings for anyone.

— Reymon.

— Yes?

— What does it feel like to like someone?

— What?