“…You’ve come a long way. You should go and rest now.”

Shed rose from his seat, signaling the end of the conversation.

Dietrich hesitated, fidgeting awkwardly before standing as well.

“Ma… may the Lord be with you.”

“And with you.”

Shed ordered the servants to see that the High Priest was made comfortable, then turned toward his study. As he walked down the corridor, only one thought remained in his mind: what to do about Luise.

It felt wrong to take her with him to Faradel, where the Temple of the High Priest was located, but leaving her here alone felt just as dangerous. Dietrich already knew she was in this place—so Giselle would surely find out as well.

‘And besides… there’s Eclace.’

He had all but abducted Luise from Scizlon.

‘He feels guilty enough that he won’t act rashly, but still…’

Even though he knew that Shed was searching for her, Eclace had deceived him and driven him to war. He carried his own share of sins, so he could not blame Eclace entirely, nor could he afford an open confrontation. Going to war against House Lester, the most exalted house in the empire, was unthinkable.

But Shed knew the cunning merchant all too well. He was not the kind of man to give up what he had taken. He would wait, patient and calculating, for the moment Shed let Luise slip through his fingers.

Shed’s fists tightened until his knuckles ached. No matter which path he chose, danger lay in every direction.

‘…Fine. If everywhere is dangerous, then it’s better to keep her close to me.’

Whether the High Priest discovered her crimes, or Eclace came for her himself—if she remained by his side, at least he could respond.

🌺⟡───⟡🌺 🌺⟡───⟡🌺

Back at the Recherdam estate, Luise took Eve outside to the rear garden.

The garden was small enough that she could watch the child play at a glance. Autumn leaves, red and gold, had begun to scatter along the edges of the path, drifting down one by one.

Eve gathered them up and set them around the water basin in a circle, arranging them like flower petals in play.

It was cold and blustery, so Luise wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and folded her arms as she watched the lively, energetic girl.

Fortunately, the wing where Dietrich was staying was on the opposite side of the mansion to her own quarters. Their daily paths did not overlap, so she had assumed they would never meet.

At least, until he came to find her.

“Li… Liana! At last, I finally see you!”

Startled by the unexpected voice, Luise lifted her head and glanced up from Eve’s water play to face her uninvited guest.

“High Priest… how are you here?”

“And may the Lord be with you…! I—I truly longed to see you, Lady Liana.”

Dietrich greeted her with a smile so guileless, so brimming with welcome, that it seemed almost childlike. Luise masked her expression and bowed her head.

“It has been a long time, Your Eminence.”

“And that charming little girl—who might she be?”

Dietrich craned his neck towards the basin where Eve was splashing and playing in the water. With her sleeves soaked through, the child flapped them as she stared curiously at the newcomer.

Her silver hair shimmered like silk spun from a cocoon, catching the light with a delicate gleam. Pale, silver-blue spectacles rested on the bridge of his nose, behind which his blue eyes shone clearly. He was beautiful — clean and crystalline, like unblemished ice.

But Eve stopped playing when she recognized the white robes he wore. She had seen someone dressed like that once before, back in Scizlon.

As Eve froze in place, Luise answered,

“She is my daughter.”

“Y… your daughter?”

Dietrich’s lips parted soundlessly as his gaze darted between Luise and Eve.

“I… I see. Has it really been that long?”

He scratched his head awkwardly, as if entirely unprepared for such a revelation. Yet considering Luise’s age, it was hardly unthinkable that she might have a child.

“Eve, greet the High Priest.”

Luise urged, though reluctantly, out of courtesy. With her dress clinging damply to her front, Eve scurried over like a squirrel and clung tightly to Luise’s leg.

“Eve.”

Startled by her daughter’s sudden shyness, Luise picked her up. The child had never hidden from strangers before. In fact, Eve was usually so affectionate with strangers that it often worried her mother.

And yet, when she saw Dietrich, she reacted like this.

“Eve, you must say hello.”

“…Hello.”

She gave the briefest of nods. Dietrich blinked, slightly stunned, then returned the gesture.

“Ma… may the Lord be with you too, little one.”

He said, smiling awkwardly. But Eve burrowed deeper into Luise’s arms at once.

“S… she seems a timid child.”

“She may not be feeling well today.”

Luise replied, though truth be told, she was almost relieved. It was better for Eve to shy away from the High Priest than to warm to him. Currying his favor would achieve nothing.

“Well then…”

Dietrich lingered, staring at Eve, before speaking again cautiously.

“Who is the child’s father? Did he come with you?”

“No, just me and the child came. He’s busy with work.”

“May I ask what kind of man he is?”

“Just… an ordinary man. Someone who suits me well.”

“I… I see…”

Dietrich scratched his cheek again, looking awkward.

“Still, Lady Liana… or rather, what should I call you now? Ah, in any case, your daughter looks so very much like you.”

He smiled warmly at Eve, but the girl only cast him a brief glance before burying her face deep into Luise’s shoulder once more. Faced with her cold rejection, Dietrich let out an embarrassed laugh.

“But, High Priest, what brings you all the way to Recherdam?”

Luise was pricked by curiosity. Perhaps it was only natural that she wanted to know the reason behind this ill-fated reunion.

“Ah, the truth is… I’ve come to take Duke Lester with me. Everyone insisted that I was the best choice. They said he might actually listen to me — or at least he might…”

In other words, Dietrich had been forced into it. Shed was stubborn and unyielding; it would take someone of the High Priest’s rank to persuade him. A knight or retainer would have had no chance of persuading him.

“So, for various reasons… I ended up coming. But still, Lady Liana—”

“Benesch. Please call me Lady Benesch.”

She offered the name before he could stumble any further. It was the surname she was bound to through her marriage to Egon Benesch.

“Ah, of course. Lady Benesch. So I have met you again… and even had the chance to see your daughter’s face.”

Luise inclined her head. His concern was gentle and careful, yet also clumsy. Nevertheless, whenever she faced Dietrich, a chill crept over her. Was it because he was the High Priest? Or was it because the pure light in his blue eyes weighed heavily on her?

Whatever the reason, the truth remained: Luise Ideana’s corruption stood between them.

🌺⟡───⟡🌺 🌺⟡───⟡🌺

“Mommy, that white man from earlier—was he your friend?”

Back in their room, as Luise helped Eve change out of her wet clothes, the child asked in a subdued voice.

“Hm? No, not a friend… He’s someone important.”

“Important?”

Eve tilted her head, as though the idea of someone being high was too difficult to grasp. Her manner toward Dietrich had been unlike her usual self—noticeably different.

“Why? Were you afraid of the High Priest?”

“He wore bad people’s clothes.”

“Bad people’s clothes?”

“The ones in white clothes… they hit me. They scolded Aunt Greeta.”

Eve remembered the Scizlon priest who had struck her.

“He… hit you?”

Luise asked in shock. Eve went on to explain in more detail what had happened back in Scizlon.

‘Then the ‘bad man’ she mentioned on the ship must have been…’

At the time, Luise thought her daughter was exaggerating. Eve bore no visible marks and didn’t seem especially frightened.

“But then the bad man saved me!”

That was why she had followed Shed and stayed with him, Eve explained brightly.

‘Did he protect her because he knew Eve possessed dark magic? But why…’

“…That’s enough.”

Luise murmured, smoothing down her daughter’s tousled hair as her thoughts tangled.

“Mommy, is that man a bad person?”

Eve’s round, earnest eyes fixed on her, clear as glass.

Luise hesitated before forcing her lips to part.

“Yes.”

It was a decision made in Eve’s best interests. It was better to warn her now to avoid her coming into contact with priests.

“That’s why you must be careful of anyone in white robes. Especially—never let them touch you, understand?”

“Mm. I’ll be careful!”

Perhaps because of her lingering bitterness towards the priest, Eve nodded firmly in agreement at once.

🌺⟡───⟡🌺 🌺⟡───⟡🌺

“You mean to return to Faradel?”

Her voice was calm, almost even. Luise sat upright, as though she had expected this much. She must have realized the moment she saw Dietrich.

“I want you to come with me. You and Eve both.”

Shed let the sunlight falling across her face settle in his eyes as he spoke. His words felt more serious than usual—gentle, almost. What he offered was not a command but a request.

“Giselle will come here. Even if I leave alone, the priests won’t take their eyes off this place. And now that Dietrich knows you’re here…”

“Why Faradel?”

Luise interrupted him before he could give any more reasons. It couldn’t be for the upcoming Harvest Festival. If that were the case, they would be going to Munich, not Faradel, and Dietrich would not have travelled so far.

Shed rubbed his brow hard and dragged a weary hand down his face under her steady, unflinching gaze.

“The eternal snows of Prunig are spreading.”

A brief word. Yet Luise, born and raised on this land, understood its meaning at once.