The victory banquet continued for several days. As a result, the imperial palace was bustling everywhere. But the tower in the secluded part of the imperial palace remained quiet as always.

“The goddess, with her great power of light, diverted the direction of the river in the Lain region and saved the people from the damage of the flood. Now, if you look here, the goddess……”

As she had said before, Alicia was in charge of Yerena’s religious education. Yerena felt uncomfortable with her coming every day but didn’t show much resistance, considering her position.

“But there were certainly people who died. They were all heretics who worshipped ancient gods that don’t exist……”

And Alicia’s words were sometimes so unpleasant that it was difficult for Yerena to manage her expression. The ancient gods Alicia spoke of. Some of them were gods Yerena had prayed to in the Sedas Kingdom.

Yerena hadn’t been particularly devout even in her kingdom. But they were gods she had seen and learned about since childhood. Being asked to deny these familiar gods and follow the Goddess of Light whom the Empire worshipped made her blood boil.

“Lady Yerena.”

When Yerena turned her head, Alicia called her while closing the book. Her soft voice was pleasant to hear, but Yerena, already irritated, kept her mouth firmly shut. After a moment of silence, Alicia spoke first again.

“……It seems difficult for you to concentrate. Shall we take a break and have some tea?”

Only then did Yerena nod slightly. At her gesture, Jane, who had been fidgeting between them, quickly went to fetch tea.

“Here…… Both of you, be careful, it’s hot.”

Soon, the tea’s fragrance subtly filled the air. Yerena silently drank her tea, thinking about something, then abruptly put down her cup. And she asked Alicia bluntly, aggressively.

“You said you’re from the Sedas Kingdom, right?”

“Yes.”

Alicia nodded lightly. Her voice showed no emotion. Yerena unconsciously bit her lip.

“Then why are you in the Empire…… Why are you a priestess of the Empire?”

Yerena’s voice was infused with the sense of betrayal she had been ruminating on for the past few days. Of course, people sometimes leave their native countries depending on circumstances, but isn’t the position of a priestess different from that of ordinary citizens? Yerena even felt angry that Alicia, originally from Sedas, had prayed for the Empire’s victory as an imperial priestess in a war invading Sedas.

“……As you may have heard from Miss Jane, I cannot see. More precisely, it would be correct to say I have no eyes. Under this blindfold, there are only beads mimicking the shape of eyeballs.”

In response to Yerena’s question, Alicia gave an unexpected answer while touching her eye area. She felt something hard under the blindfold…… Alicia lowered her hand, never getting used to the feeling. Then she slowly brought up a story from long ago for Yerena, who would be puzzled by her answer.

“My eyes became like this…… because of an accident in the Sedas Kingdom. Perhaps you’ve heard about it? The great fire at the Hestia Grand Temple 15 years ago.”

Yerena’s face hardened. The fire at the Hestia Grand Temple in the Sedas Kingdom 15 years ago…… It was a terrible tragedy that would be talked about for a long time.

‘Fire! There’s a fire at the orphanage!’

‘Ah, the children? All the children are inside! Help! Please……’

The sudden fire started in the basement of the orphanage within the temple. People tried to extinguish it, but whether due to the weather that day or for some other reason, the flames couldn’t be easily contained, and the fire eventually burned down the entire temple. And because of that inferno, most of the children belonging to the temple orphanage died.

“I’ve heard about it. Especially that the children suffered greatly……”

Yerena, who was young at the time, didn’t hear the exact details of the tragedy. But she had witnessed her mother, Queen Adora, becoming depressed and praying with clasped hands whenever the story came up.

‘……Gods, please welcome the children warmly.’

Just as Yerena was naturally recalling her praying mother, Alicia called out to the Goddess of Light in a small voice and continued.

“I was there at that time. I was ten years old.”

Surprised, Yerena even stopped breathing. Alicia made an unreadable expression toward her, and in a calm voice, she traced back her past.

“Perhaps watched over by the goddess, I was able to save my life unlike my friends. But when escaping, sparks flew into both my eyes, causing severe injuries.”

“……”

“As an orphan, I didn’t receive treatment in time. Eventually, my injured eyes began to rot, and due to the sticky, dried pus, I couldn’t even open my eyes. No one helped me. In a way, it’s understandable. My appearance must have been terrible.”

“……”

“How long did I live like that? On a rainy day, I was crouching on the street, having given up everything. But then light descended. My master saw me.”

“……”

“My master, Priestess Leila, immediately took me in. Her embrace was truly cozy. But my eyes were already damaged beyond repair. I still vividly remember the physician shouting that maggots had formed in the wound and my eyes needed to be removed immediately.”

Alicia’s voice was calm, but the expressions of Yerena and Jane listening to her story were not. When the word “maggots” came up, Jane unconsciously let out a gasp. Though she didn’t make a sound, Yerena couldn’t hide her devastated face either. But Alicia, the person involved, took a deep breath and continued her story.

“I can’t describe how desperate I felt knowing I would never see again. But then my master said something. That it was a miracle only my eyes were like this and the rest of my body was fine. Usually, such wounds fester throughout the body, but I must have been chosen by the goddess.”

“……”

“That’s how I became a priestess serving the Goddess of Light. It was a destiny I was truly grateful for.”

Yerena felt ashamed for feeling betrayed by Alicia solely because she was from Sedas, without knowing her circumstances. It wasn’t the kingdom but a priestess from another country who treated and cared for the injured young girl.

‘If I had experienced something like that…… I too would naturally have prayed for the Empire’s safety as an imperial priestess.’

As Yerena lowered her head, Alicia also slightly lowered hers following Yerena. Jane tilted her head at the sight of the two.

‘That’s strange.’

Alicia’s eyes were still covered with a blindfold. But Jane felt as if Alicia was staring ahead, specifically at Yerena. At the same time, Jane blinked a couple of times as she thought she saw a subtle golden light surrounding Alicia.

When Jane looked at Alicia again, the light was gone. Jane nodded, thinking it must have been her imagination, then noticed the tea had cooled and opened her mouth.

“The tea seems to have cooled, shall I make new……”

Knock knock knock.

But before Jane could finish her sentence, someone knocked on the door three times. Everyone’s attention turned to the door.

“I’ve brought what you requested.”

A cool but pleasant male voice was heard from outside the door. Jane, who knew who the man was, checked Alicia’s reaction before Yerena’s.

“I mentioned we needed firewood, but I didn’t expect Sir Kian to bring it himself……”

Alicia muttered in a surprised voice as Jane’s gaze fixed on her. Then she naturally asked Yerena.

“Lady Yerena. May I open the door?”

“Jane.”

Instead of answering Alicia, Yerena called for Jane. Jane moved her heavy, reluctant feet toward the door.

“……Excuse me.”

Soon the sound of the door opening was heard, and the man entered the room. Without any hesitation, he walked to where Yerena and Alicia were sitting, put down the firewood, and bowed. Understanding the man’s movements from the sound of his rustling clothes, Yerena nodded with a slightly uncomfortable expression.

“I’ll leave these here.”

The man seemed to move again, and then came the sound of well-dried pieces of wood being poured out near the fireplace. The faint woody scent was quite fragrant, causing Yerena to unconsciously lower her slightly raised shoulders.

The man bent down to organize some scattered firewood while glancing at Yerena from the corner of his eye. Jane, who had been watching this scene restlessly, hesitantly opened her mouth.

“I-I’ll do that.”

At Jane’s voice, Yerena turned her head with a puzzled expression. Jane seemed strangely tense.

“I didn’t expect you to bring this yourself, Sir.”

Suddenly, Alicia addressed the man. Yerena’s focus, which had been shifting toward Jane, naturally turned to the direction of the voice.

“I’ll speak to the high priest about bringing a boy to help with the chores. We can’t continue like this.”

“It’s not a difficult task. No need to worry about it.”

“Still…… You’ve already climbed the tower many times today.”

Alicia’s voice was full of apology. Only then could Yerena imagine how much work the man had done today. From meals to water, firewood, and other consumables. The man and Frederick had been moving all sorts of items all day like laborers rather than performing their role as guards.

“Lady Yerena. Shall we offer Sir Kian a cup of tea?”

Just as Yerena’s face was hardening with an unnecessary feeling of guilt, Alicia made a suggestion to her. Yerena bit her lip for a moment in contemplation but then nodded and said,

“……Please sit wherever you’re comfortable. Jane, could you prepare tea again?”

“Yes.”

With her permission granted, the man sat in front of Yerena. Yerena focused on the slight rustling sound of the man’s clothes, then held her breath at the cool and chilling air that suddenly rushed in, and raised her lowered head to fix her gaze on the man.

The man seemed to have been looking at Yerena for some time. As soon as she raised her head, she felt an intense gaze. Yerena felt her previous aversion growing stronger and tried to turn her head sideways.

“Thank you.”

As soon as Yerena’s face twisted slightly, the man’s voice flew in. He was clearly expressing gratitude for being offered tea. But the timing of his words was quite peculiar.

Unable to see, Yerena was sensitive to sounds and turned her face back toward the man. And for a moment, Jane, who was glancing at Yerena and the man while boiling the tea water, saw it clearly.

A very faint satisfied smile appeared on the man’s expressionless face that had seemed like it would never change.

* * *