CHAPTER 2 – Drenched in Lust Every Night

It had been two weeks since the visit.

Lilian sat in the carriage, slumped like livestock being led to market.

She had done her best to avoid Cedric, but she couldn’t shake him from her memory.

The way Cedric looked at her as if she were a talking frog, came to mind from time to time.

‘He must view me as a crazy woman he despises.’

She had left such an impression on the man she admired.

When she regained her senses, Lilian wished she could just die. She quit drinking the one or two glasses of alcohol she used to have every night.

Once the permission for the transfer was granted, Lilian planned to leave the capital immediately. She hoped that the lord of Tuirin, a rural territory attached to the outskirts of the empire, would be financially generous.

In the meantime, Cedric had come to the palace twice.

News of him unexpectedly appearing at the religious meetings, where he had never shown interest before, surprised everyone.

It was probably for official business, but Lilian feared the possibility of running into him.

Fear outweighed longing. After all, she could satisfy her desire to see him with dozens of portraits of Cedric.

Afraid of facing his accusatory gaze again, she even skipped lunch. Until she heard that Cedric had left, she covered the windows and secluded herself in her room, avoiding any contact with the outside world.

She had been avoiding religious meetings so much.

But she eventually had to visit the Cathedral due to the postponement of the visits by other priests.

‘I should have said I wouldn’t go from the beginning.’

The novice priest in the capital, who had been the youngest for years, realized that Lillian had a good rapport with the priests and so he entrusted her with all matters related to the religious meetings.

In the past, she had eagerly attended the religious meetings, hoping to catch a glimpse of Cedric’s face by chance. But now the situation had completely changed.

“Sigh.”

Her shoulders felt like they were about to give out under the weight of the piled scrolls.

Praying fervently that she wouldn’t run into Cedric, Lillian stepped into the ornate hallways of the Cathedral.

“Why are you sighing like that, Lillian? The floor might collapse.”

A cheerful voice came from behind.

It was Sir Felix Perry, a knight.

How did he spot her? Drops of sweat were forming on his forehead as if he had just run from the training grounds.

‘Sweaty smell.’

Lilian wrinkled her nose slightly at the overpowering scent of his body odor. At the same time, the bag that had been weighing down her shoulder slipped effortlessly into Felix’s hands.

“What’s with the look on your face, did something happen?”

Avoiding the hand that lightly touched her cheek, Lillian shook her head.

“No, nothing’s wrong.”

Turning her slightly hunched shoulders, Lilian engaged in conversation with Felix. He was a comrade who had been with her on a crusade together in the 7th Elite Corps

Normally, they should address each other formally, but Felix had known Lilian since her time in the orphanage.

<Suddenly, it feels awkward to be formal, Lilian.>

<Still, you should do it. I’m a priest now, you know?>

<I said it’s awkward.>

<Then I’ll use informal language too, Sir Felix.>

<Haha, yes. All right, let’s just be friends, and you can call me Felix from now on.>

With that, the two agreed to address each other more casually.

“Why has it been so long? I might forget your face.”

“Well… things turned out that way.”

“Well, Sir Andres was asking about your well-being.”

“Sir Andres asked about me? Why?”

“He said that the brat who used to annoyingly visit suddenly disappeared. He’s probably worried that something happened to you.”

“I should assure him that everything is fine.”

Sir Andres was one of the senior knights and was twenty years older than Lilian. He was the fencing instructor of the Knights of the Silver Cross, respected by everyone as if he were their father.

Lilian, who had been with the order for a long time, had a good reputation in the Knights. Amidst other priests who often caused trouble, she appeared very friendly and sensible.

When she was still a servant for the Knights of the Silver Cross, she would often receive gifts, such as hairpins, anonymously.

“Hey, Lil!”

Suddenly, warmth enveloped her from the left. It was Jeremy, casually wrapping his arms around her shoulders.

“Why has it been so long, our lady?”

Jeremy, a commoner-born knight, had been friends with Lilian since their time in the orphanage. Even after she became a priest, they continued to maintain a comfortable relationship.

“…….”

Felix was quickly pushed aside by Jeremy, who clung to her. Though Felix shot him a resentful look, Jeremy paid him no mind and kept his gaze fixed on Lilian.

“Didn’t you miss me?”

“What’s to miss about you?”

The commoners and knights she’d been friendly with before had stuck to her like leeches since she’d become a priest. It was clear they harbored fantasies of marrying her and leaving their knightly duties behind.

“Disgusting. Get away from me.”

Most of the priests had experienced a sudden reversal in their lives. Each time Lilian felt the excessive attention directed towards her, she gradually realized why priests became such arrogant individuals.

“What’s disgusting about me, Lillian?”

“Because you smell like sweat?”

Jeremy smirked back, not removing his hand from around her shoulder despite her continued rebuff.

“I’ve been on the battlefield every day. Can’t help it.”

“Spray some perfume. This is the capital.”

“Then, shall we see how fragrant our Lillian is?”

Before she had a chance to protest, Jeremy put his nose to the nape of her neck and sniffed. Lillian, whose face turned red in an instant, struck his chest with her fist.

“Get away from me!”

“Mmm, you smell like a lily, just like your name.”

“You pervert!”

When Lilian trembled, Felix sternly pushed Jeremy away.

“Sir Jeremy, it’s uncomfortable for the lady. Stop and apologize.”

“Sir Felix, Lillian, and I are close friends. This kind of joke is okay. No need to be so serious.”

Both men were of the same rank, but subtle tensions existed due to their different backgrounds. While the Knights of the Silver Cross emphasized equality regardless of origin, social discrimination still lingered.

Commoners or lower-class citizens had to excel greatly in skill to rise in rank. However, even with exceptional abilities, those promoted based on their background often struggled to gain respect from their peers. It created an unavoidable tension within the Knighthood.

But exceptions were always present.

Someone who couldn’t be casually criticized due to their prestigious background and possessed remarkable skills that no one could dispute.