Side Story 1.1

The annex of the Duke of Ephelmar’s mansion.

The young ducal couple, Reitan and Erta, were strolling together through the garden of the estate.

The exceptionally clear weather today pleasantly enveloped Erta’s skin.

Just like that day at the tea party when she first heard about Bondridge Cathedral.

‘Quite some time has passed already.’

It had been over three months since she had taken the surname ‘Ephelmar’ instead of ‘Geranion.’

When she first married Reitan, she had lived almost confined to the bedroom, without even the leisure for walks like this.

Now, the two of them had developed quite a comfortable relationship.

Erta glanced up at her husband Reitan, who always looked splendid, and opened the conversation.

“Um, darling. Reitan.”

“Yes, my lady.”

“I’ve actually been curious about something for a while.”

“What might that be?”

The look in Reitan’s eyes as he gazed at her was tender.

He seemed like a completely different person from when he roughly handled Erta in the bedroom.

If one had to distinguish, in the bedroom he was like a priest or a mysterious man.

Of course, Erta loved both sides of him.

‘Would it be alright to ask?’

Erta felt that it was time to satisfy her curiosity.

It was a question she had always wanted to ask.

“After hearing my confession, how did you know it was me?”

The reason her husband could enter her bedroom and fulfill her fantasies.

“…Is that what you’re curious about, my lady?”

“Of course! Naturally!”

In response to Reitan’s question, Erta raised both fists to her chest as she answered that it was obvious.

Her honest display of emotions in front of her husband was truly characteristic of her.

As Reitan faced her eyes that sparkled with undisguised curiosity, the corners of his mouth naturally lifted.

He found it adorable that his wife, who still acted like a noble flower when with other ladies, didn’t do so in front of him.

“Come to think of it, I’ve never told you, have I?”

Reitan’s sweet voice settled between the two of them.

“How I was able to know everything about you.”

He slowly began his story.

“For me too, meeting you, Erta, was very special.”

He meant it sincerely.

For Reitan as well, Erta’s confession was a new stimulus and an eye-opening encounter in his monotonous life.

Reitan recalled that first meeting with her.

***

“Reitan. Go to the Holy Kingdom.”

“……What? Already?”

Reitan Ephelmar.

He was the heir to the House of Ephelmar, one of the most prestigious families in the Empire.

A man born into the highest family with a predetermined future.

Someone who had never experienced anything unexpected.

That was Reitan Ephelmar.

“Yes. This father of yours also studied abroad in the Holy Kingdom at your age, so it’s time for you to go too.”

At twenty years old, as soon as he came of age, he had to depart for the Holy Kingdom.

Following the traditional teachings of the long-established House of Ephelmar.

As it was already foreseen, Reitan accepted without hesitation.

“I understand. I will go.”

Although the study abroad was regardless of Reitan’s wishes, it was also a process that must be undergone to become the Duke of Ephelmar.

Due to his devout parents, the five years spent in the Holy Kingdom were quite challenging.

No, they were boring.

That was because Reitan did not believe in God.

The teachings conducted in the name of training were all just stale words.

“Brother. God knows everything. And He watches over all brothers and sisters.”

‘……Nonsense.’

If it weren’t for the succession process, he would have given up on life in the Holy Kingdom and returned immediately.

While nobles of his age would build connections through active social activities upon coming of age, he felt quite pitiful spending such a golden period in a place like this.

Of course, he was the future Duke of Ephelmar.

It was clear that he would receive everyone’s attention just by returning to the Empire, but even though he understood this intellectually, he couldn’t suppress his feelings of discontent.

And so, he endured for five years.

After spending a long time, finally only the last process remained.

‘Ah, at last I’m returning.’

The day to finally put a period on the time spent invoking a God he didn’t believe in was approaching.

But then.

“Brother. The final training will take place in the Empire.”

“In the Empire, you say?”

It was unexpected for Reitan.

To conduct the final training back in the Empire rather than in the Holy Kingdom.

“Yes, that’s right. You will complete your final training at Bondridge Cathedral in the Empire.”

For Reitan, this wasn’t bad at all.

Being able to leave the Holy Kingdom even a little sooner—how could he dislike that?

Thus, Reitan Ephelmar returned to the Empire after about five years and stayed as a priest at Bondridge Cathedral as part of his final training.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance. I am Reitan Ephelmar.”

“Welcome. This place is scheduled to close next month, so many priests have already left.”

Bondridge Cathedral, said to have been established by a priest from the Holy Kingdom who came to the Empire.

Though it had maintained its legacy in the Empire for quite a long time, it was finally closing next month.

“We requested help from the Holy Kingdom because we lacked temporary priests to assist until the closure, but to have the young master of Ephelmar come… it was unexpected…”

The priest there welcomed him upon his arrival at Bondridge and said so.

“Since you are still in training, we ask that you help us with the final days of our Bondridge, Brother.”

***

Having returned to the Empire, Reitan headed to Bondridge Cathedral every day.

As he was staying in the capacity of a trainee priest rather than a young master, he continued a life no different from the other priests.

This continued for a week.

Today as well, just as he was about to board the carriage to head to Bondridge Cathedral, his mother stopped him.

“Reitan.”

“Mother. Is something the matter?”

“You’re already twenty-five, so it’s time for you to marry.”

His mother’s business was unexpected.

It was about Reitan’s marriage.

“I suppose it is indeed time.”

“I plan to look for a suitable lady for you. Prepare to marry around the time you finish your trainee priest training and leave the cathedral.”

“I understand, Mother.”

Reitan immediately nodded.

In truth, Reitan felt little excitement at his mother’s talk of marriage.

Despite being the party directly concerned with the marriage.

The reason was simple.

As much as he had to become the Duke of Ephelmar, marriage was essentially an obligation.

Since he would end up forming a connection with a lady chosen by the family anyway, he had no particular desire to meet other ladies.

He just needed to meet whoever his parents decided would be his fiancée and marry her.

It was obvious that their married life would lack any emotional exchange between them.

A formal marriage.

A woman who would be of at least some help to the House of Ephelmar, regardless of who she was.

That would be enough.

Reitan headed to Bondridge Cathedral with the same mindset as usual, undisturbed by the sudden talk of marriage.

And as he had done last week, he listened to the confessions of those who came.

“…I see, you must have had many worries, Sister.”

“Sob… Thank you for listening, Father.”

“God watches over all people. Surely that light will eventually shine on you too, Sister, so please don’t worry too much.”

Although he was fulfilling his duty, listening to others’ confessions was quite tedious for Reitan.

It was fortunate there was a set period of one month; otherwise, it would have been considerably difficult to sit in this position.

‘Why do I have to listen to such concerns?’

If it were just like regular confessions where individuals atoned for their wrongs, it would actually be easier than now.

He could simply repeat the words he had heard until his ears were worn out in the Holy Kingdom.

But the confessions at Bondridge were different in nature.

The Holy Kingdom’s belief that the true role and meaning of confession was to help carry someone’s inner burdens.

Following this, Bondridge operated confessions almost like a counseling center.

From love stories about having feelings for someone, to tales of infidelity suspecting a husband of having an affair.

‘…This is truly exhausting.’

In addition to all that, people poured out their personal troubles, making Reitan think every day that this month here would be quite an exhausting training.

From the beginning, he couldn’t understand why he, the heir to a ducal house, had to go through all this, even if it was his father’s teaching.

Of course, the concerns of those who appeared to be nobles might possibly be helpful in the future.

But he didn’t want to be so petty as to use such things.

Then one day, as he was carrying on with his cathedral life in a perfunctory manner.