“…What?”

“Your expression looks exactly like my friend who got dumped by a woman and came back.”

“It seems you have too much free time.”

Adriel’s expression was colder than ever as he looked down at his subordinates.

“Wouldn’t it be more reasonable to worry about your own skills before concerning yourselves with others?”

Only then did the knights realize they had tickled the sleeping lion’s whiskers, and their expressions turned desperate.

The Vice-Captain was properly angry.

Just as the knights were feeling dizzy at the thought that they might have to endure high-intensity training until dawn,

“…!”

Adriel’s eyes widened as he looked behind the knights.

The silhouette in the shabby robe reflected in his red eyes was that woman he couldn’t possibly fail to recognize.

***

Upon arriving at the temple, I looked around.

Numerous white buildings stood on a vast plain.

Where on earth does the Saintess stay?

Since I felt uncomfortable bringing Wit to the temple, I had left him at home, so I couldn’t ask for his help.

I was just thinking of asking a passing cleric when,

“…?”

I sensed someone behind me.

As I turned around, I was startled.

“Sir Knight?”

The face I had to look up quite far to see was none other than Adriel’s.

His silver hair was disheveled by the wind as if he had rushed over in a hurry.

As I stood there bewildered by the unexpected situation, Adriel spoke first.

“You’re still easily surprised, I see.”

That’s because you always appear suddenly….

As I was making excuses in my mind, a chilling thought occurred to me.

Why is this man suddenly looking for me? Could he be here to arrest me?

“Sir Knight, could it be that you’re…”

“What brings you here?”

I couldn’t finish my sentence due to his question as I was warily watching Adriel.

After briefly contemplating what to answer, I gave a neutral response.

“Just… I have something to take care of.”

But then Adriel suddenly put on a triumphant expression.

“You said you wouldn’t regret it.”

…What is he talking about?

Regret? Why would I regret anything?

Oh, could he be thinking that I came to see him?

I couldn’t help but laugh mockingly.

“I didn’t come to see you, Sir Knight.”

I continued speaking as I watched Adriel’s shoulders stiffen.

“I came here for other business. As if I would come all this way just to see you, Sir Knight?”

As I spoke sarcastically, his expression, which had been arrogant until just now, grew cold.

He really was misunderstanding on his own.

With his mood seemingly twisted, Adriel gritted his teeth and asked me.

“…I’m very curious. What exactly is this business of yours, my lady?”

I snorted. But secretly, I felt relieved that he didn’t seem to be here to arrest me.

And this is an opportunity, isn’t it?

Adriel is the Vice-Captain of the Holy Knights. That means he surely knows where the Saintess is.

I cleared my throat slightly and glanced up at him.

“Well, you see…”

Adriel was looking at me with an expression that seemed to say “go on, let’s hear it.”

“I came to see the Saintess, do you happen to know where she is?”

“The Saintess?”

Adriel’s elegant eyebrows twitched.

“…not for me?”

“Pardon?”

I tilted my head at him as he muttered something to himself.

But Adriel just pressed his lips together with a furrowed brow.

While making it abundantly clear that he was in a bad mood, he asked me.

“Why are you suddenly looking for the Saintess?”

“Ah, well… I have a problem. I need the Saintess’s help to solve it.”

At that, Adriel’s brow twitched.

What is he thinking now?

I quickly waved my hands and explained.

“I’m definitely not going to ask for anything strange, so you don’t need to worry.”

“……”

“Hey? Really, I’m not!”

Has this person been deceived his whole life?

Adriel stared at me with my wronged expression for a while before slowly opening his mouth.

“What happened to you?”

What happened? Well, something huge happened.

“Well, it’s not that big of a deal.”

But instead of speaking honestly, I evaded the question.

I didn’t think it necessary to explain everything to someone who had nothing to do with this matter.

Adriel frowned at my unsatisfactory answer.

“Is it something I cannot solve for you?”

Huh? What does that mean?

Oh, perhaps he doesn’t want my problem to reach the Saintess?

I shook my head.

“Yes. It has to be the Saintess.”

“……”

…What now?

Adriel looked down at me with an intense, piercing gaze. Then he spoke to me in a voice that seemed to be suppressing his emotions.

“If that’s what you want so badly, I’ll guide you.”

“Ah, thank y—”

“You’ll have to accompany me while you’re in the temple, so you don’t get lost and bother innocent people.”

“…Are you saying you’re going to monitor me?”

“I’m glad I don’t have to say it twice.”

After responding coldly, Adriel walked ahead.

This guy…

I glared at his back and started walking half a beat later.

***

Where on earth is this place?

“Um, Sir Knight?”

“What is it?”

“Haven’t we been going around in circles?”

I mean that goddess statue on your left.

It looks exactly the same as the one we saw five minutes ago.

“It must be your imagination.”

My imagination?

I looked around.

White walls, white corridors, white ceiling. And a white goddess statue.

The grand temple was as vast as an ant colony, and since all the floors, corridors, and even decorations looked exactly the same, it was hard to tell where I was.

I sighed and continued walking.

“……”

For some reason, my gaze kept being drawn to Adriel’s broad back.

Was it because I was used to it? Or did I miss him a little because his absence felt particularly large?

I was mulling over these unfamiliar emotions when Adriel seemed to slow his pace and came to walk beside me.

“My lady.”

“…?”

“How have you been…”

Just as he was about to ask me something,

“Adriel!”

A clear voice called from a distance.

Both Adriel and I turned our heads at the same time.

There was a woman with blonde hair and gray-blue eyes running toward us.

My question of who she might be was quickly answered.

“Saintess.”

At Adriel’s words, the Saintess who had approached us smiled brightly.