Realizing that she had been here all night, Bellota was shocked and quickly decided to leave. As she turned towards the door, Seiden, who had been watching her, casually spoke up.

“Are you leaving without any explanation?”

Bellota’s steps abruptly halted at his words. After a moment of stiffness, she turned around to face Seiden and their eyes met. Her face showed a mix of embarrassment from Seiden’s earlier words and a stiff determination not to reveal her feelings.

“I have not done anything that requires me to give you an explanation.”

It was truly a response fitting of Bellota. Seiden looked at her with a calm and resolute face before speaking again.

“Was last night intentional, then?”

It was a casual and leisurely taunt. Bellota’s cheeks blushed slightly at his words. Nevertheless, she did not avoid Seiden’s gaze.

“What happened yesterday was an accident. If you hadn’t come, it wouldn’t have happened, an accident.”

This time, Seiden’s eyebrows furrowed. If he hadn’t come, Bellota would have once again faced the death row inmate. Did she mean that was better than being caught by him?

“I have no further explanations to offer you.”

As the suffocating air settled in the room, the sunlight streaming in became overly dazzling. The dust floating in the light revealed every detail of the room. In this tense atmosphere, the two stood facing each other without flinching.

“Even if you think of me as an impure saintess, there’s nothing I can do about it. Even if you return to the temple now and spread rumors…”

Bellota’s breath slowed down for a moment as she spoke bluntly and methodically. This sudden change made Seiden briefly observe her with keen eyes. Soon, Bellota continued decisively.

“I won’t hold any grudges.”

Her face showed determination, as if she would not hold any grudges no matter what. After finishing speaking, Bellota turned to signal the end of their conversation. At the same time, Seiden, who had stood up by the window, swiftly caught up with Bellota’s large strides as she tried to leave the room.

As Bellota reached for the door handle, Seiden caught up behind her and roughly pushed the half-open door closed before looking down at her. Angered by his rudeness, Bellota turned to see Seiden standing behind her.

His face had noticeably cooled from moments ago, when it had been so close. Seiden spoke quietly, speaking in a voice colder than his face.

“If this matter leaks out,”

“……”

“I will chase down that bastard who dared to mock you to the ends of hell.”

His voice was so chilling that it made Bellota’s spine tingle. She faced him with her mouth tightly shut.

“I will catch him and cut out his tongue.”

“……”

“I will tear apart his limbs so he can never utter such dog-like words again.”

Bellota’s pupils trembled slightly at his dreadful words. Seiden was making it clear that he would never let this matter slip out so harshly. Bellota knew that well. She knew how her reputation was already tainted. She also knew that he was not someone to spread such malicious rumors.

Seiden looked down at Bellota, who was tightly shutting her mouth. His gaze lingered around her neck for a moment, as if he was contemplating something. On her white neck, that made even just looking at it feel improper, where faint red marks left by his irrational actions yesterday were engraved.

Damn in. Cursing inwardly, Seiden calmly spoke up.

“I have heard all your explanations.”

Bellota’s heart sank at his quiet words. It was only natural. She had been asleep here until morning, and the priests who found it strange that she did not come out would have come looking for her up to the door. It was easy to guess that they had encountered Seiden along the way. Ultimately, the priests who revealed the secret of the cathedral would have explained everything to the man in front of them.

Bellota’s heart thudded slowly. Even though she knew she was not at fault, facing Seiden’s gaze like this made her feel as if she had been caught red-handed. Even though she knew it was not her fault. Eventually, her gaze slowly dropped under Seiden’s unwavering stare.

“Please step aside.”

“Will you come back here at the next full moon?”

But what came back was an indifferent voice completely unrelated to her request. Bellota looked up at Seiden again with an expression of disbelief mixed with confusion.

After pondering for a moment on what to answer, Bellota replied honestly.

“I no longer need your help.”

Even Seiden’s indifferent eyes gradually sharpened at her words.

“……I believe I made you aware of enough danger yesterday.”

Bellota’s back stiffened at his low voice as she recalled yesterday’s precarious moment. Right, yesterday was an unexpected event for anyone. Of course, they had prepared for unexpected situations to some extent as well. There were several priests waiting below the tower, even if a prisoner caused a disturbance, the level of the culprit was manageable within Bellota’s jurisdiction.

However, the fact that a man beyond Bellota’s ability to subdue had entered this tower was an event that neither the priests nor Bellota had ever anticipated. That the man, who turned out to be the Commander of the Holy Knights before her eyes, was even more unexpected.

“So missing this opportunity every time the full moon passes,”

Seiden’s low voice now sounded openly cold, seemingly angry.

While he was looking at the sleeping Bellota, Seiden recalled the possibility of another man, not himself, accidentally witnessing the priests’ actions yesterday. The thought of another curious fellow enduring such danger and appearing in front of Bellota against all odds made his blood run cold. And the idea of Bellota dealing with those despicable death row inmates again…

“Are you going to get involved with those filthy death row inmates whom you have no idea where they crawled out from?”

It was a remark bordering on abuse. Despite his rude words, Seiden’s unwavering eyes silently stared at Bellota. Soon, Bellota moved her dry lips again.

“Sir Seiden.”

When his name came out of Bellota’s lips, Seiden’s heart slowly pounded. Even in this situation, how pathetic.

Seiden looked at Bellota with eyes as cold as ice, without even blinking. Soon, from Bellota’s red lips, an even colder voice emerged.

“Be careful with your words.”

Bellota stared at Seiden with eyes firmer than ever.

“There is no reason for a knight like you to tell me such stories.”

The two of them stared at each other without flinching. The intoxicating heat that filled the room last night had disappeared without a trace. Now, the only thing fiercely swirling between them was a chilling and cold air that seemed to break if touched.

Seiden was the first to break the delicate atmosphere, taking a step back. He swallowed a small sigh and then opened his mouth.

“Alright. How about doing it this way?”

His voice, which grew soft and hesitant, rang softly. His eyes, reflecting the image of the innocent saintess, softened slightly.

“I beg you to use me to help in your suffering, Saintess.”

At the proposal uttered by his slow voice, a sigh like a gasp escaped from Bellota’s lips. Despite the absurdity tinged in her breath, Seiden did not yield.

“Now that I know about this, I cannot hand over the saintess to those scum.”

Bellota’s eyebrows narrowed again.

“The knight doesn’t have that authority…”

“I know very well that I don’t. That’s why I’m pleading, aren’t I?”

“…”

“So desperately.”

Eyes that were shameless yet profoundly desperate at the same time seemed to pierce through Bellota.

“Please use me.”

Bellota let out a small sigh as she stared into those eyes with her mouth shut.

“…”

Bellota also did not want to deal with unidentified, or rather, dreadful criminals and face their executions. And even though they were death row inmates, it was agonizing to accept that their lives would be cut short the very next day just because they had s*xual relations. That’s why, instead of continuing to bring such men, it was more rational and a better path to accept Seiden’s proposal.

However…, however, facing the man in front of her once again… Seiden’s face yesterday, who looked at her passionately as if he would devour her, vividly appeared in Bellota’s mind. Bellota clenched her fist slowly and calmly whispered.

“Give me time to think.”

Then she turned around slowly and stood in front of the door. It was an unspoken signal to step aside now.

“…”

Only then did Seiden slowly release his grip on the door that he had firmly held onto all this time. As his hand fell from the door, Bellota grabbed the door handle again and opened the door, making an unpleasant sound as it opened. Without even turning back, she left the room.

Tap, tap… Seiden heard the quiet yet urgent footsteps that seemed to be escaping further away from him. He soon exhaled the breath he had been holding as he endlessly watched Bellota’s back until her footsteps faded away. The room became incredibly quiet once the sound of her footsteps vanished. Until dawn broke, his mind, which had remained unorganized all night, tangled up again in confusion.

Damn it, Seiden muttered under his breath. It was clear that today he wouldn’t be able to do anything. His mind was so tangled up that it was throbbing in a complicated mess.