“Before I was sent to the temple, I lived with my dad and stepmother. She didn’t mistreat me just because she was my stepmother, but sometimes I wonder what my real mom was like… I think they said she was a foreigner who lived at the docks. They say I was born to live as a servant here, but is that really true? Someday I want to cross that vast ocean and go outside.”

“…….”

Lev, an illegitimate child born from a single night with the lowliest pr*stitute. Her father, wanting to hide this, tried to kill his own flesh and blood, but his plan was discovered and stopped by his devout stepmother, so he sent his daughter to the temple instead.

Solaith listened to Lev’s story with a serious expression, racking his brain to find something to comfort her pain.

“I came here after living with my birth parents, but, well, the palace tutors were scary. They made my brother and me compete academically while learning imperial studies. I once practiced my handwriting and signature until I had blisters on my hands.”

He couldn’t invent villains where there were none. Though Solaith, who had loving parents, felt sorry he couldn’t comfort her better. 

So the best he could come up with was his academic obligations. But Lev looked at that with envious eyes.

“And there’s a family rule that those who inherit Yusdainut blood must serve the people. On top of that, I received the saint’s mark, so I’m also destined to spend the rest of my life here.”

“The saint’s mark?”

“Yes. The divine mark on the saint’s body mentioned in the Book of Revelation.”

“Where is it?”

“Ah, that’s…….”

His face flushed, and he mumbled that he’d show her next time.

Is he embarrassed? Where exactly is it? 

Something as significant as the saint’s mark probably can’t just be shown casually. Lev’s curiosity surged, but seeing Solaith cover his reddened face with the back of his hand made her feel sorry for him, so she dropped the subject.

Good. When the boy noticed the sadness had lifted from Lev’s eyes, his smile bloomed again. 

Having successfully redirected her attention, Solaith gave the remaining bread to Lev and watched with satisfaction as the girl accepted it with mumbled thanks.

“Though we were brought here by necessity rather than our own will.”

The boy’s mature eyes turned to the girl innocently chewing her bread.

“Since we’re already following the divine will, let’s enjoy ourselves.”

Lev nodded at his words, seeming to gain some enlightenment. 

‘I wanted to help him, yet somehow today I received comfort from Solaith instead. Right. Since we’re in a place led by heaven’s will, it’s better to paint it with joy rather than regret.’

The two parted in the temple corridor where moonlight secretly descended.

Lev turned lightly and headed toward her dormitory room, unaware that the boy still hadn’t moved and was watching her.

Rustle, rustle. 

She simply enjoyed the leaves of the red crape myrtle swaying as she walked among the beautiful sculptures depicting scenes from scripture.

Though their footsteps led in different directions, their hearts were the same. She believed that.

Those pure and joyful days seemed like they would last as long as Lev’s slow growth.

Sometimes she felt afraid that everything might shatter like a dream, but it was only fleeting.

Until she grew up just a little more.

* * *

She had a strange dream. A dream where short demons reaching up to her shins stabbed her belly with skewers. Everything around her was red. Her body felt endlessly heavy, and she couldn’t move her limbs to resist.

“Hff, ugh.”

Red hair stuck to her sweat-drenched forehead like water moss. Lev expressed her pain with frail sounds that could have been breathing or moaning, but the dream wouldn’t easily release her.

“Mom! It hurts…….”

When she thrashed her limbs, the demons grabbed her extremities and stabbed at her lower abdomen. Tears burst out and she called for a mother whose face she didn’t know. 

The little demons scattered eerie giggles watching her trembling lips. When she cried out that dear name once more, everything was sucked into space-time, and she could escape the frame of chaos.

Lev bolted upright, panting like an injured puppy. Judging by the blue light coming through the rusty window frame, dawn hadn’t even broken yet.

She lay back down and closed her eyes. Some inexplicable damp sensation seemed to settle between her legs, but she deliberately ignored it. After pulling the blanket over her head and crying in small sobs for a while, sleep dragged her back into the depths.

She was nineteen. Before she knew it, Lev had become a young lady one year away from adulthood. Her body had undergone changes in a short time, showing considerable maturity, and her face ripened chastely like fruit. But the greatest change had occurred in her heart.

“You started your first period? Thank goodness it came, even if late. Go to the choir room and ask Sister Melinda for advice.”

“It’s fine. I have enough knowledge.”

Her very composed attitude as she washed her blood-stained bedspread showed a maturity different from before. 

If it had been her from a few years ago, she would have made a fuss to Margareta, boasting—not really boasting—that she’d grown up too, but now she just quietly chewed the inside of her mouth and endured the pain.

“Your menstrual cramps look severe. On days like this, especially take care of yourself…….”

When the older woman furrowed her brow sympathetically at Lev’s pale complexion, she responded with a pale smile.

With her softly waved red hair tightly tied with a black rubber band, her appearance was both precarious and beautiful. The servant’s uniform that now fit snugly on her upper body seemed to show off her pretty figure.

She’d also gained recognition for her experience at the temple and moved from managing plateau and corridor cleaning to cleaning the chambers of second-rank priests. 

The fact that there wasn’t much difference in pay or treatment was tolerable enough. Especially compared to situations like this.

“Are you sick? Don’t tell me you’ve started your period.”

Raoul. A young priest who’d passed the ordination exam with his clever mind from a rural estate and been assigned to Demaret Temple.

He was a man with a vile and creepy impression, far from what a priest should be. At least that’s how Lev felt.

It was serious harassment, but it could easily pass as simply a dedicated servant’s superior worrying about her health. When Lev said nothing, he added:

“Women have many sins. That’s why they suffer great pain during menstruation or pregnancy. You know, right? The origin of your name. The name of the woman who drove humans from paradise. Everything follows the natural order taught in scripture.”

After the subtle advances he’d thrown at her were coldly ignored, he harbored clear ill feelings toward Lev. So he tormented her knowingly and unknowingly with various comments. Making false complaints to the servant manager that her room wasn’t clean enough was routine.

Even as his voice continued, Lev only wore a neat expressionless mask. When plausible-sounding words scattered her mind like now, even ignoring him didn’t work well.

Not wanting to be defeated by that wicked tongue that even shattered faith, Lev bit her lip and endured. Then after finishing cleaning the room, she left Raoul’s private chamber without a word.

“Pretty jewels have their price.”

He spat out vulgar words without feeling the weight of the cassock he wore. Then with hands that felt no religious guilt, he picked up his rosary and began to pray.

* * *

The organ sounds lay low. When the men in white playing the harp closed their eyes deeply, a thicker reverence resonated through the chapel.

The altar where man-sized golden candlesticks lined up in rows. The saint went there, lifted the chalice containing wine, and prayed quietly.

“Blessed be. Holy Spirit of all creation and benefactor of all things. Through your generous grace, may this become the bread of our life…….”

Solaith’s appearance was the pinnacle of solemn beauty. He was mature for seventeen years old.

His shoulders had broadened enough that the splendidly embroidered stole no longer felt burdensome. He’d grown tall enough to be two spans taller than Lev, and though his voice had dropped several levels, his clear speech remained unchanged.

Then, Lev remembered.

‘Remember, Solaith. When you’re nervous conducting worship, think that I’m watching from the side room across. Think that I’m cheering for you while looking through the keyhole, and it’ll be a bit better.’

Was that boy who nodded excitedly back then really this person now? 

Her cute younger brother had transformed into a reliable saint. Even as the chapel grew larger and the watching eyes became denser, he’d grown enough that he didn’t need her watching through the keyhole.

When he came close to her, the shadow he cast would completely cover her. When they were young, he seemed just like a friend. The gap she suddenly felt brought an inexplicable sense of disappointment.

The deacons distributed the consecrated wine to those seated, commemorating the labor of the Holy Spirit.

A gathering attended by monarchs from various countries, archbishops, and generals. It was arranged to hold a blessing service at the emperor’s request before the frontier subjugation war.

Solaith finished the blessing service without a single disruption. Then he immediately entered confession. It was specially arranged by His Imperial Majesty the Yusdainut Emperor so that high-ranking generals who might die on the battlefield wouldn’t fall to h*ll.

The confessions continued until the sun completely tilted westward.

After her work ended, Lev entered the confessional and cleaned more diligently than ever. 

Customarily, the two would meet here on days when there were confessions. Of course, it wasn’t only because she wanted to strengthen their friendship.