When Dana Rowen took a break after finishing lunch with her maids, Countess Vicar approached her, looking quite embarrassed. Dana, who had been considering a visit to the music room, returned to the sitting room to meet the Countess. She sat across from her, while Hilda took a seat beside them.

The Countess bowed her head, feeling ashamed that her husband had woken the princess at dawn and rushed her to get ready.

“I was so surprised when I heard the news this morning. My husband was quite inconsiderate to disturb you so early, Princess.”

Dana waved her hand dismissively at the Countess, who was unable to lift her gaze.

“Don’t worry about it too much. Starting the day early makes it feel very long.”

Unlike Count Vicar, the Countess seemed to grasp the princess’s subtle reprimand. Internally cursing her husband for her hasty actions, she quickly shifted to the purpose of her visit.

“I brought the monk from Cargot that I mentioned before.”

“I’ll meet them.”

With Dana’s permission, the Countess signaled to the maid standing behind her. The maid left, and shortly after, the door opened, revealing a person dressed in a shabby, ash-colored monk’s robe. The eyes of the three women in the room turned simultaneously toward the monk.

Even though the Countess had already seen the monk, and the two cultured young women showed no change in expression, Dana and Hilda were inwardly surprised.

Cargot Kingdom, one of the four great kingdoms located at the southernmost part of the continent, was blessed by Solsita, the goddess of summer. It was a place where Solsita’s gaze shone down most intensely, described with words like heat and intensity, evoking the essence of summer.

As if to prove her origins from that hot land, the monk from Cargot had tanned skin and freckles covering her cheeks. However, that wasn’t the reason Dana and Hilda were taken aback.

The monk who entered was a woman with her hair completely shaved off. Her round head was fully exposed, and her short blonde hair was so sparse that her scalp was visible. Neither Dana nor Hilda had ever seen anyone, man or woman, with such short hair.

‘Is it a punishment for being on a pilgrimage of silence?’

Though they were very surprised, they managed to conceal it. Dana was the first to speak to the monk standing before her.

“I heard you’re a monk from Cargot. May Solsita’s gaze accompany your journey, and may Vican’s grace bring you peace.”

Dana held her palm up and drew a circular sign on her chest. The monk, fixing her bright green eyes on Dana, responded.

“May the breath of Yurhemia be with you. Please call me Noah.”

The monk introduced herself in Vicanthus, the common language of the continent, with a strong southern accent. Then she fell silent, raising her hand to make the same sign.

Being on a pilgrimage of silence, the monk could not have a personal name and was to be called ‘Noah,’ meaning tranquility. Countess Vicar offered her a seat, and Monk Noah took her place.

“I heard you’re on a pilgrimage of silence. That must be tough.”

Dana’s Vicanthus had a sharper pronunciation compared to the monk’s southern accent. This was because the names, places, and accents of the Rowen people often mixed with the cultures of the ancient northern kingdoms of Ritz and Celsus. From their appearance to their clothing styles and speech accents, Dana and the monk from the south seemed completely opposite.

Noah replied to Dana’s comment.

“For a servant of Vican, the pilgrimage isn’t a path of suffering. Also, this haircut isn’t a punishment.”

Dana and Hilda exchanged glances. Had they stared at her hair too much? Did it show? Though they felt a bit flustered, the young women concealed their reactions behind calm expressions. Noah, as if sensing their thoughts, spoke.

“I mentioned it because it’s a question everyone who sees me wonders about. Of course, you two didn’t show any surprise compared to the Countess.”

Dana and Hilda both looked at Countess Vicar, who cleared her throat awkwardly, her face flushed with embarrassment.

“It’s just that I’ve never seen hair so short before.”

Noah smiled warmly. Dana realized that Noah’s wide smile, with her lips curved upward, looked very refreshing. If she had neatly groomed hair instead of a shaved head, she would have made an instant good impression. However, thinking such thoughts about a monk devoted to Vican felt pointless.

Since the monk had initiated the topic, Dana felt comfortable asking.

“If it’s not a punishment, why did you cut your hair so short?”

In response to Dana’s question, Noah answered with a gentle smile.

“In the past, I thought I knew what I had to do and believed I could accomplish it. But I realized I was mistaken. When I set out on this pilgrimage, I decided to let go of everything I had and clear my mind. So, I shaved my head myself.”

“When did you start your pilgrimage of silence?”

“Seventeen years old. It had already been five years.”

To think that someone so young had embarked on a five-year pilgrimage of silence made Dana wonder what wrongs this monk might have committed. However, she decided it was best not to ask, considering it a matter of etiquette. But as if reading her thoughts, Noah spoke up.

“This pilgrimage isn’t due to any sins I committed; I’ve chosen to continue it on my own for five years. This lifestyle suits my temperament better. A bald head is convenient too. Instead of spending time on hair styling, I can pray with gratitude to Vican.”

Dana was taken aback but maintained a composed expression as she asked, “Did you learn to read others’ silence through this pilgrimage of silence?”

Noah widened her eyes and then smiled.

“If that were possible, I’d do it for a lifetime. But the divine doesn’t provide answers to humans, and prayers are cries that go unanswered.”

Dana stared intently at the unusual bald monk. She found Noah intriguing, and somehow, her first impression wasn’t negative. Meeting this monk seemed like it would be quite interesting. However, there was one thing Noah appeared to overlook, and Dana wanted to point it out.

“We’re human, so we just can’t hear even if the divine speaks.”

The conversation blurred the lines between monk and devotee. Noah seemed to share that sentiment, looking at Dana with surprise. Dana offered a faint smile and replied, “I forgot that you are of the blood closest to the breath of the divine, Princess.”

Dana thought that was far-fetched. Divine beasts were beings created by the breath of Yurhemia, the goddess of spring, yet Dana had not formed a contract with any divine beast.

“I’m not sure about my blood, but that’s not the case for me.”

At those words, Hilda and Countess Vicar exchanged glances. Dana felt the need to shift the conversation before the atmosphere grew heavier. Of course, given her objective, it couldn’t be a complete shift.

“I wanted to interpret the library’s materials, but it wasn’t easy, so I called for you. I heard you can interpret ancient texts fluently. Do you know Celsus as well?”

“I do know Celsus. However, the Celsus I learned focuses on materials from the southern continent left in Cargot and the holy land of Vicanthus, so there might be differences in expression or interpretation compared to the texts in the Khalid library. But I also don’t often encounter historical materials like those in this castle’s library, so I ask for the opportunity.”

Dana nodded. The materials left in the holy land might be older than those in Khalid. Even if there were differences, such experience would surely be beneficial.

“I want to know about the records of divine beasts left in the library. Specifically, the types and characteristics of higher divine beasts, contracts with divine beasts, and more details on how the first king contracted with a divine beast.”

Hilda and Countess Vicar focused their gazes on the monk, remaining silently still. Dana hadn’t previously explained to them exactly what she sought in the library’s materials, but as the princess didn’t need to justify her reasons, they simply followed her orders. Even now, they sat motionless, as if the princess’s command was neither surprising nor unsettling.

“I was concerned about the pilgrimage of silence, but since it’s a path you chose for yourself, it shouldn’t be a hindrance.”

“Pursuing the traces of the divine is necessary for a pilgrim, so I gladly accept. May I start by checking the library?”

Dana nodded as if it were obvious and replied, “Of course. You may stay at Eluan Castle while you work or reside at the Vican temple in Khalid and visit the castle. However, books from the library cannot be taken outside Eluan Castle.”

Noah stated she would decide where to stay after checking the library. Dana thought that given the vast number of books, the monk would likely choose to stay at Eluan Castle, but she simply nodded without further comment.

“Additionally, because I’m a pilgrim, I can’t stay here for an extended period continuously. If checking the library takes longer than expected, I may need to stay in Khalid and travel to other regions.”

“Alright.”

Dana responded to Noah’s words and looked at Countess Vicar, who called for the head maid. Noah, after a light bow, stood up and followed the head maid, presumably to check the library.

Once only they remained in the sitting room, Countess Vicar spoke.

“She truly is a unique person. Perhaps her peculiar nature is why she’s on a pilgrimage of silence.”

Dana replied with a bright expression, “But she said she continues the pilgrimage on her own. She’s an interesting person, don’t you think?”

Looking at Hilda, Dana suddenly touched the back of her head and said, “With hair that short, it seems to look okay. Would it suit me if I shaved my head like that?”

Hilda smiled with only the corners of her lips lifted and replied, “Of course, you’d be beautiful, but please don’t say such things even as a joke.”