“As if that bastard would lend it.”

Kabillon silently fell into thought while watching the holy knights’ heated discussion. Ren’s words had a point. Strictly speaking, the divine oracle was just God’s permission. Looking at it precisely, it wasn’t the Saintess’s consent. Of course, as Luke said, it would be difficult to reject a man who had already received God’s permission. That’s why everyone was acting as if Geril and Bellota’s marriage was already certain.

Though not a follower like Philip, Kabillon also respected Bellota as the Saintess and felt sorry that she had ended up in such a situation. Even to him, Geril wasn’t worthy of marrying Bellota. He had even run away from her in Selento, hadn’t he? Rather than such a guy……

Lost in thought, Kabillon suddenly remembered Seiden and Bellota. Recalling the beautiful scene of the two standing side by side in Selento made Kabillon feel somehow content. Yes, though he had a nasty personality, rather their young and handsome commander who was quite decent when you got to know him……

Realizing what he was thinking, Kabillon let out an incredulous laugh at himself. It was truly an absurd thought. Besides, there was another woman who had her eyes on their commander.

“By the way, where is the Commander?”

When Kabillon suddenly asked, Tenor, who was still earnestly discussing the divine oracle, looked at him and answered.

“Ah, I saw the Commander in front of the West Tower earlier.”

“West Tower?”

Kabillon frowned. The West Tower…… was where the Saintess’s room was located.

“Yes, he was standing there. He seemed to be waiting for someone, so I didn’t approach him.”

“Who would the Commander be waiting for there?”

“I don’t know. Anyway, that’s where I saw him.”

At Tenor’s casual answer, Kabillon’s face grew puzzled. Who could Seiden be waiting for at the West Tower? Come to think of it, since returning from subjugation, Seiden too had seemed somehow off, as if a screw had come loose. Well, Seiden also didn’t get along with Geril, so he probably didn’t like the idea of such a person marrying the most holy saintess of the Grand Temple.

Moreover, the Saintess marrying into the imperial family meant the Grand Temple’s power would lean toward the imperial court, so it was natural for the devout Seiden to be troubled. If the marriage happened, wouldn’t the Saintess leave the Grand Temple for the Duke’s castle? Just thinking about it made even Kabillon’s heart feel empty.

Scratching his chin pensively, Kabillon stood up, intending to go find Seiden. He hadn’t had a chance to properly talk with Seiden for days, not even to report the results of the subjugation.

Kabillon headed toward the West Tower as Tenor had indicated. The temple interior was eerily quiet with all the believers gone in the deep night. After walking diligently to the West Tower located opposite from the Holy Knight Order headquarters, he indeed saw a figure standing still below the tower, just as Tenor had said.

Though it was too far and dark to see clearly, with that height and build, it had to be Seiden. While quickening his pace with anticipation, Kabillon couldn’t shake off one question that kept nagging at him. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t understand why Seiden would be here at this hour. Perhaps he had come to persuade Bellota?

It was a fact known throughout the empire that since Geril’s proposal, the Saintess had not left her room and was deep in contemplation. Perhaps Seiden was waiting for Bellota below the tower to tell her she shouldn’t marry Geril for the sake of the Grand Temple’s power.

But even thinking that way, something felt odd. Something felt strangely unsettling somewhere around his chest. It felt like he was missing something. Just what was it that he was missing……

As Kabillon finally reached a spot where he could see Seiden’s face, his steps gradually slowed. Seiden was staring into empty space, not even noticing his presence. With a deeply sunken face frozen in heaviness.

Seeing Seiden’s expression, Kabillon’s steps finally came to a complete halt. Huh……?

His complexion looked familiar. Kabillon knew that expression. He knew it very well. He had even seen that expression just earlier. That expression, those eyes simultaneously empty yet sunken to the bottom…… It was the exact same expression he had seen on Philip.

Kabillon froze in shock and held his breath. No way……

At that moment, Seiden slowly raised his head to look up at the top of the tower where Bellota would be. His eyes rippled painfully as he looked at the tower. As Seiden swallowed dryly as if in agony, his Adam’s apple moved lowly.

At that moment, Kabillon realized. What it was that he had been missing. The reason why Seiden had seemed somehow off since Geril’s proposal, as if a screw had come loose, and why he was lingering in front of the Saintess’s tower.

Huhhh, Kabillon unconsciously covered his mouth to suppress a scream.

* * *

Seven days had passed since Geril brought the rockdragon’s heart. And on the seventh day, another event that would stir up the entire empire occurred. The imperial family, growing impatient, had publicly sent a marriage proposal to House Blackwood. It was a marriage proposal between Seiden and Hestina.

“I knew it would happen. I knew it! Didn’t I tell you? I said the atmosphere between Princess Hestina and Sir Seiden Blackwood was unusual during the hunting festival!”

“Seeing how quickly this was decided, weren’t they already lovers?”

“Haha, you’re naive. Of course it’s because of Duke Lylester.”

“Because of Duke Lylester?”

“Think about it. Since the Saintess will marry Duke Lylester, all that’s left is for Duke Lylester to receive the reverence of the entire empire’s people. Moreover, the Duke defeated a rockdragon. It’s natural for His Majesty the Emperor to be troubled.”

“Ah, I see. You mean His Majesty the Emperor wants to use Sir Seiden to prevent Duke Lylester’s power from growing too strong. Well, if you had to choose someone who could match the Saintess, he would be the right person.”

Everyone understood the true meaning of this marriage proposal. Even though Geril was his nephew, the Emperor couldn’t help but worry about Geril’s growing influence. So the plan was to balance the power that would tilt dramatically due to Geril and the Saintess’s marriage with the marriage of Hestina and Seiden. It was clear that having the great Seiden Blackwood as a son-in-law would be as helpful to the Emperor as the Saintess.

The empire was in a heated stir as two marriages between the imperial family and the Grand Temple were about to take place. Some worried about the aftermath these sudden marriages would bring, while others actively supported it, seeing it as an opportunity for reconciliation between the imperial family and the Grand Temple, which had been subtly opposing each other for a long time.

Even during these passionate days, the moon faithfully waxed, and on the third day after the Emperor sent the marriage proposal to House Blackwood, the inevitable full moon finally approached.

Seiden had been waiting only for the full moon. The full moon when he could meet Bellota. And on the night of the full moon, the two finally reunited in the tower. It was their first meeting in exactly one month since the last full moon night.

Seiden, who had entered the tower before sunset, waited for Bellota without moving an inch until darkness crept into the room. After a long time had passed, the tightly closed door slowly opened and Bellota entered. Seiden, who had been standing by the window, immediately turned and walked steadily toward her.

“……”

“……”

For a long time, the two stood facing each other in silence.

Seiden barely held back all the words that would spill out incoherently if he lost his reason. He just looked at Bellota with eyes filled with resentment, worry, anger, and a certain pleading. The muscles in his jaw repeatedly tightened and relaxed.

Bellota’s face, which he finally met after a month, was much thinner than when he had seen her two weeks ago. Ridiculously, seeing her face that must have endured the same torment as him became a comfort before creating a weary pain in his heart. The words of reproach for not meeting him all this time and the plea not to marry Geril that had risen to his throat were completely blocked by that pain, unable to leak out even slightly.

Seiden realized that what was gripping his throat now was fear. Fear that the moment he spoke, unwanted words would come from Bellota’s lips. Fear so great that if possible, he wished to start no conversations, end no conversations, and just remain submerged in this distant moment.

In the profound silence, it was Bellota who spoke first.

“…… Today is the last time.”

At that quiet voice, Seiden’s breath caught. He looked at her in disbelief, but even as she met his eyes, she continued speaking.

“I will accept the Duke’s proposal, so you……”