In disbelief, I wanted to storm out, but the smiling face in front of me held me back.

‘Look at that face…’

There’s a handsome male lead in the making!

His long lashes fluttered like butterfly wings, his lips were red as if tinted, and his features were delicate yet distinct.

He can’t possibly be an extra.

If he weren’t blond like Carl, it might be different, but with platinum blond hair and such beauty, he’s undoubtedly a candidate for the male lead.

‘He subtly took my side when I was fighting with the lady. Maybe he didn’t actually see me in the alley…’

But we definitely made eye contact, didn’t we?

And he couldn’t possibly not hear my voice shouting for help in that narrow alley?

The head priest, who had been watching my confusion, spoke up.

“I’m sorry, I’m not good at remembering faces.”

He let his eyebrows droop, making one feel sympathetic.

“But I did manage to learn Miss Sharofe’s face quickly, which is rare.”

“…Is that so?”

Should I be happy about that?

As I showed a lukewarm reaction due to uncertainty, he leaned forward playfully to meet my eyes.

“I acknowledged you first this time. Won’t you forgive me?”

He smelled as pleasant as flowers as he drew closer.

His eyes curved like a fox’s, and his under-eye fat plumped up.

“Yes?”

“Alright, then at least…”

In the end, I was the one who surrendered.

The head priest chuckled softly and stepped back.

Caught up in his rhythm, I failed to notice the subtle tone in his ‘this time.’

“But really, why are you at the temple?”

“Oh, I’m here to make a donation.”

After I explained the situation, the head priest asked with genuine curiosity.

“Is there a reason you’re donating as many as a hundred magic stones?”

Yes, because of a mission.

I swallowed the honest answer that rose to my throat and made up an excuse.

“I heard heretics are increasing lately, and I wanted to help the temple.”

“Do you know specifically how donating magic stones helps the temple?”

But the head priest posed an unexpectedly sharp question.

His eyes, smiling gently, glinted strangely with their violet hue.

“Especially in relation to heretics.”

“Well… I don’t know exactly.”

I answered honestly.

But I do know a bit.

If used well, magic stones can substitute for holy power, so temples always keep them in stock.

“It might seem a bit complacent, but I only vaguely know they’re helpful, so I donated them… Will you not accept them because of that?”

At my cautious question, he gave me a mysterious look before smiling kindly.

“Of course not. We appreciate any donation. I’ll personally accept your magic stones.”

“Is that alright? Shouldn’t you get permission from the head priest… Oh.”

Come to think of it, he was the head priest too. I momentarily forgot because he seemed too young.

Usually, one had to be in their thirties or forties to become a head priest, so he was an exceptional case as a young man in his twenties.

He smiled brightly.

“I’ll make sure to clearly state that Miss Sharofe made the donation, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you. By the way, I heard that if you donate to the Central Temple, the head priest issues a donation certificate…”

To perfectly clear the mission, I needed to meet the success conditions.

When I brought it up, the head priest nodded readily.

“Ah, of course. I’ll write it for you. Please come this way.”

Just as we were about to leave the room together.

“Ah! You mustn’t do this!”

There was a commotion outside.

It sounded like two men were fighting…

“Please, calm down—!”

“Let go. Move.”

Huh? That second voice sounds like Carl.

I quickly opened the door and went out. In the hallway, I saw Carl with a stern expression and a flustered priest.

“Carl?”

“Ah, Miss Sharofe!”

Hearing my voice, the priest raised his hand in relief.

Carl turned his head sharply, narrowed his eyes at me, and approached.

“Master. I told you, clearly, to stay put.”

His words were clipped and chilling.

Like a dog owner catching a puppy that ran off during a walk.

I scratched my head awkwardly and pointed to the room I had come out of.

“So I stayed quietly here.”

“…Ha, I told you to stay in the reception room. This is the prayer room, and the reception room is this way.”

He pointed to the white door. It was so ornate that I didn’t think it was the reception room. It was the opposite.

“The knight seemed to think something happened to you, Miss. He turned the reception room upside down.”

What, to that extent?

When the priest poured out his complaints, I looked at Carl, who said confidently.

“Remember when you were trapped under a pile of boxes.”

“…Ahem, today I was safe. I was with the head priest.”

Then Carl’s gaze shifted to the head priest standing behind me.

The head priest smiled amicably and spoke.

“Quite a tough knight, isn’t he?”

“…….”

“But have we met somewhere before?”

“No, we haven’t.”

“Really? That’s strange, you seem familiar.”

His violet eyes scrutinized Carl persistently. Carl frowned, seemingly displeased.

A subtly tense atmosphere lingered between them.

Should I mediate?

Fortunately, the priest intervened at the right moment and changed the subject.

“At least it’s good. I was about to return after checking the magic stones since the head priest wasn’t present.”

The head priest stopped looking at Carl and turned to the priest.

“Miss Sharofe said she would donate a hundred magic stones, head priest. All of them are genuine.”

“I heard. I’ll approve it as a special donation. Could you bring the documents for the donation certificate?”

“Oh, I prepared them in advance.”

The well-prepared priest took out a rolled-up paper and pen from his pocket.

The head priest unrolled it against the wall and signed it.

“Here you go.”

“Thank you, head priest.”

“We should be thanking you. You’ve donated a hundred precious magic stones.”

He smiled brightly. It made me want to donate magic stones again.

I carefully kept the donation certificate and bowed my head.

“I’ll be going now.”

“Yes. See you again, Miss Sharofe.”

The head priest waved his hand playfully and suddenly whispered in my ear.

“Without that tough knight next time, just us.”

“……?”

What… Is he suggesting we exclude my bondservant?

Startled, I looked up at him, but he was smiling innocently as if nothing had happened.

“Master, please come quickly.”

“…Ah, alright.”

I couldn’t resist Carl’s urging and started walking, feeling slightly uneasy.

Ah, I don’t really like excluding people.

On the way back to the Duke’s mansion.

Once we were alone in the carriage, Carl questioned me in a casual tone.

“What did the head priest say earlier?”

“He said to meet without you.”

When I told him honestly, his expression crumpled.

“Don’t get close to that head priest. I have a bad feeling.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t exclude you because of the head priest.”

“No, that’s not the issue. Just stay away from him as a person.”

The head priest seemed too much like a potential male lead for me to easily decide.

The platinum blond hair, attending the ducal lady’s party, all of it.

In fact, his image changed so drastically each time we met that I couldn’t make a definitive judgment.

‘I need to observe a bit more.’

At that moment.

— Ding!

【Third Mission Clear!】

The now-familiar opaque system window appeared before my eyes.

【Donating 100 magic stones to the temple!

You’re like an angel. 〜(^∇^〜）

Congratulations! Touched by your kindness, we offer a special reward.

Reward: Alarm 3 times when the male lead is nearby (at 1 meter, 10 meters, 100 meters)】

Oh, an alarm for the male lead.

100 meters might be useless, but the others could be handy if used well.

‘Ah, I want to find the male lead quickly.’

I longed to return to my original world and rest comfortably.

Though I’m gradually adapting, this world is still foreign to me.

* * *

“Head priest, Lady Celsior is here.”

“Let her in.”

Raviel, who was watering the plants, turned leisurely.

Johanna, who had dressed modestly for the temple visit, entered confidently and sat on the sofa.

“Someone donated magic stones?”

Despite her rude manner of skipping greetings and getting straight to the point, Raviel responded like he’s used to it.

“Yes, it’s really fortunate for you, Johanna.”

“Ha! If I hadn’t lost the Barron Silver Mine to that damned Miss Sharofe, I could have handled it alone.”

Just thinking about it still made Johanna grind her teeth in frustration.

Raviel glanced at her and smirked.

“Is that so? But what can you do?”

His relaxed voice was slightly sarcastic, contrary to his gentle face.

“The one who donated the magic stones is that Miss Sharofe.”

“…What did you say?”