“You seem particularly intimidated by Sir Kian. Perhaps because he’s somewhat rigid in temperament……”

“……”

“Though even I at first……”

Yerena, who had been smiling while thinking of the man, stopped mid-sentence. Her expression had already darkened.

‘What am I thinking……’

To have spent all day thinking about the man rather than the precarious Sedas. And an imperial knight at that…… Self-loathing washed over her. She bit her lip until it bled, then said to Jane,

“……Jane. I need to retire for the night. You should go rest too.”

Jane responded with a simple acknowledgment to Yerena’s serious tone and left. As soon as Jane departed, Yerena entered her bedroom and lay down. She wanted to fall asleep quickly, to end today’s version of herself.

But sleep refused to come, and blue eyes continued to float in her mind, changing colors.

* * *

“Lady Yerena, you won’t need to worry. If you just focus on prayer as the high priest instructs……”

“I know. Whatever happens, a decision will be made, right?”

Yerena, who had been listening to Alicia, stood up impatiently but soon sat back down. Her hands moving restlessly made her appear quite anxious.

“But…… Isn’t there something I should be careful about? For instance, would there be a problem if I recite a prayer incorrectly?”

After sighing and behaving unstably for a while, Yerena finally asked Alicia. Tomorrow she would leave here to be examined regarding the curse. And if told the curse was gone, she would likely go straight to the emperor.

“What would be the use of that?”

Alicia knew why Yerena was anxious. But she coldly retorted to her question, who stiffened momentarily. Alicia continued without concern,

“You don’t believe in the Goddess of Light or the curse anyway. So what difference would a mistake in prayer make?”

Though phrased as a question, it was essentially criticism. Alicia pointed out the contradiction in Yerena wanting the curse lifted while believing in neither the curse nor the goddess. Since it wasn’t incorrect, Yerena closed her mouth instead of responding.

“I know what outcome you want, Lady Yerena. But there’s nothing you can do yourself.”

“……”

“So wait. Whatever the result, it’s all the goddess’s will.”

Alicia then told Yerena that she could do nothing about tomorrow’s decision and should just wait. This wasn’t wrong either, but for some reason, Yerena felt upset and bit her lip. Soon, however, she relaxed her shoulders.

Frederick, who had been listening to the two women’s conversation from a short distance, frowned. He had noticed the priestess becoming strangely cold toward Yerena for some time, but today she seemed even colder.

“I went too far. Please forgive my disrespectful words.”

Perhaps noticing Frederick’s gaze, Alicia sighed deeply and apologized to Yerena. Yerena shook her head and spoke,

“……It’s fine. You didn’t say anything wrong.”

Though she said this, her voice lacked strength. Moreover, Yerena’s face, drained of color and pale, looked exactly like a sick person’s. The symbol in the middle of Alicia’s blindfold pointed directly at Yerena.

“Give me your hand.”

Alicia extended her hand to Yerena. Though puzzled, Yerena obediently offered her hand. After grasping it, Alicia exhaled a deep sigh. Yerena’s hand was ice cold.

“Miss Jane. Please bring some warm tea.”

Alicia requested Jane, who bowed and immediately ran off. Yerena tried to withdraw her hand, feeling awkward. But Alicia stopped her, saying,

“Please stay still for a moment.”

The grip of Alicia’s hand holding Yerena’s tightened. It was strong enough to cause pain, making Yerena unconsciously furrow her brow.

“Alicia.”

As Yerena called out to Alicia due to the increasingly strong grip, Alicia felt something through the hand she held. Like water flowing in, like wind passing by, she sensed a flow. And for a moment, Yerena’s vision flashed.

‘Huh?’

She thought she saw a rippling golden energy before her sightless eyes, and then something appeared. She couldn’t see colors or exact shapes, but like moonlight obscured by clouds on a dark night path, a soft light traced forms.

Startled, Yerena blinked. Then the familiar darkness returned. She closed and opened her eyes several times, but the darkness before her remained.

‘It was an illusion.’

Yerena dismissed what had just happened as her imagination. Shortly after, Alicia released her hand.

“Lady Yerena. Take care of yourself. Consuming this much divine power means…… your health isn’t very good.”

The strange energy flowing in through Alicia was suddenly cut off. But her body felt warmer. Not only that, she somehow felt energized.

Yerena still didn’t believe in the Goddess of Light worshipped by the empire. But she couldn’t help but believe in Alicia’s divine power.

“Thank you for your concern. I feel much better.”

“It’s a power I can’t use often, so I apologize. But it’s almost your mealtime. I’ll take my leave for today.”

Alicia, having received Yerena’s thanks, rose from her seat. She seemed somewhat hurried. Yerena sensed this but simply nodded without comment.

“I’ll come early tomorrow.”

Alicia bowed and immediately started walking. Jane, who was just bringing in tea, met her and tried to bow, but Alicia left without even acknowledging the greeting.

* * *

“Lady Alicia?”

Jael and Juul, who had come to escort Alicia a bit early, widened their eyes when they saw her at the tower entrance. Though Alicia noticed their presence, she gestured for them to follow and quickly left the tower. Jael and Juul exchanged glances before following Alicia, who was moving at an almost running pace.

At the temple within the imperial palace, which they reached much earlier than usual, Jael asked Alicia while catching her breath,

“Lady Alicia. What’s wrong? Why such a rush……”

“It’s nothing. I’d like to be alone. Please leave now.”

Alicia spoke while heading to her quarters inside the temple. But Jael and Juul, concerned about her unusual behavior, followed her with worried expressions.

“But……”

“Leave now!”

Alicia shouted at Juul, who was murmuring behind her. Not only were Jael and Juul startled, but the priestesses in the corridor heading to their quarters also turned to look at them.

As Juul was about to speak again, troubled by her superior’s unusual behavior, Jael pulled her back and said to Alicia,

“Then we’ll see you in the evening.”

Instead of responding, Alicia nodded and quickened her pace. After passing two long corridors and climbing three sets of stairs, she reached her quarters as a high-ranking priestess.

Alicia’s fairly spacious quarters consisted of two rooms. She entered the personal prayer room beyond the bedroom and closed the door. The wooden door made a heavy thudding sound as it shut.

Inside the dark prayer room, Alicia opened the bottom drawer of a cabinet right next to the door. She took out a wooden box from the very back and opened it.

Inside the box was a bundle of papers. However, most of the papers had burnt edges and were partially destroyed, with some having only fragments remaining.

Alicia carefully held the fragile bundle of papers and moved to the center of the prayer room. She knelt before a small goddess statue placed on the altar.

A golden light illuminated Alicia’s entire body before concentrating on her face, specifically around her eyes. She removed her blindfold and began reading the damaged papers one by one. Wherever her invisible gaze fell on the papers, golden letters appeared over the missing parts before disappearing.

“Huk!”

It happened when she had read about half of the paper bundle. Alicia exhaled sharply and collapsed. The papers flew from her nearly fallen hands and landed beside the altar.

Crawling weakly to the altar, Alicia gathered the scattered papers with trembling hands. Then, barely lifting her head to look at the goddess statue directly above, she spoke,

“……Goddess of Light. I now understand your will.”

Her trembling voice was so frail it seemed about to vanish. But the emotion within was pure ecstasy and madness.

“You’ve given me an opportunity. You spared me so I could punish with my own hands.”

The smile of the goddess statue that met Alicia’s gaze seemed to deepen momentarily. Alicia gazed at it rapturously and bowed her head.

Still collapsed, she raised only her elbows and joined her hands as if in prayer. Then she began to murmur a verse from a prayer,

“The avenger must be prepared to lose everything and be ready to fall into the fire pit below……”

* * *

“You should leave now.”

After maintaining silence for over three hours, Yerena finally spoke when Jane briefly left the room. For the first time, a cold expression appeared on ‘Kian’s’ face in response to Yerena’s unusually frigid attitude.

The man turned his head to check the sun outside the window. Normally, he would have stayed for another hour. And he would have faced the woman who would say goodbye with a faintly regretful expression. He slowly turned his head and asked,

“Already?”

Yerena seemed not to have expected him to question her, showing an uncomfortable expression. She remained silent for a moment before coldly replying,

“You seem to have forgotten. The reason I originally allowed you knights inside was because of the weather.”

“……”

“Speaking of which, now that the weather has improved, from now on, inside……”

Yerena suddenly paused mid-sentence.

‘I might not be here tomorrow.’

Alicia hadn’t told Yerena much about her meeting with the high priest tomorrow. But from Alicia’s words, Yerena could predict one situation she hadn’t mentioned.

‘His Majesty the Emperor has ordered confirmation that the Goddess has mercifully removed the curse.’

If it were simply time to check the curse, the emperor’s order wouldn’t have been necessary. But Alicia had clearly mentioned the emperor’s command.

Though she didn’t show it, Yerena could tell from that brief statement that the emperor hadn’t forgotten her and still wanted her in his bedroom.

‘How dare a defeated kingdom’s princess fit for nothing but a bedroom slave dare to refuse me!’

The emperor, whom she had briefly seen months ago, seemed tyrannical and determined to have everything his way. If so, her curse would likely be gone tomorrow with high probability. Because none other than the empire’s emperor wanted her.

Of course, this was just speculation, but in most countries, the will of the supreme ruler was respected. Recalling this principle, Yerena judged that she was more likely not to be here tomorrow. And if the curse was gone as expected and she no longer needed to be here, the man before her would have no reason to be here either.