At his nonchalant voice as if nothing had happened, Bellota’s already flushed cheeks grew even redder. She couldn’t understand whose husband he was to become more shameless with each passing day. To kiss her so boldly on the street where anyone could pass by. Such things absolutely couldn’t happen when they returned to the capital.

“You’ll see later, really.”

When Bellota turned away sharply, feeling annoyed again, Seiden followed behind her with a leisurely smile.

* * *

The place where the two had been staying for the past three days was an orphanage in a small rural village. They had chosen this place as a stopover because they heard news of insect monsters appearing here that caused pneumonia and frostbite, just as the herb merchant had mentioned.

Yesterday, Seiden and Bellota caught the monsters using incense that lured the insects, and treated the children who had been cursed after being bitten. However, insect monsters were among the hardest monsters to exterminate completely, so no one knew when they might invade the old orphanage again.

Bellota had visited the herb merchant wanting to teach them how to make medicine by grinding herbs so they could handle it themselves if they were attacked by monsters again. Fortunately, they had obtained more than enough herbs, so Bellota taught the children how to make medicine as planned. Meanwhile, Seiden prepared meals with the teachers using meat and bread bought from the market.

After finishing their late dinner, they went to bed. However, the children, excited by the visit of these strangers, wouldn’t let them go easily.

“Teacher Bell, read this one too!”

Bellota’s popularity with children was always the highest. No, in fact, it was the same wherever they went, whoever they met. It was natural. Bellota was a human who embodied the very love that God desired.

“……And so little Rinne asked the mage. How can I save my friends?”

In the room where the crackling of burning wood echoed, a quiet voice rang out. Seiden continued putting firewood into the stove to keep the temperature from dropping in the old room, while listening to Bellota’s sweet voice that could make one drowsy.

“Then the mage answered……”

When he glanced back, he saw all the children who had been huddled around Bellota had fallen asleep. Seiden smiled slightly and looked at Bellota. Even Bellota was looking at the book with eyes full of sleepiness, her lips moving slightly. His heart ached at the sight.

“To save your friends……”

Finally, her voice grew faint and Bellota’s eyes closed heavily. Seiden, who had been watching this scene, got up from his seat and adjusted the sleeping children’s positions and covered them with thick blankets up to their necks. His movements were as skillful as a father of three children.

About a year ago, his handling of children at the first small temple they visited had been completely different. Seiden’s spine chilled as he remembered the children who had woken up crying at his clumsy touch back then.

Naturally, unlike with Bellota, children didn’t like Seiden. There were quite a few children who would burst into tears as if they’d seen a ghost just from meeting Seiden’s eyes. If it hadn’t been for Bellota, he might never have been able to comfort those children.

With even more careful movements, Seiden tended to the children’s beds and finally approached Bellota. Then he carefully took away the book that was still held in her delicate grasp.

After successfully removing the book without waking her, Seiden placed a pillow under her neck so she could sleep comfortably and covered her with a large blanket. Then, instead of leaving, he sat beside her and gazed for a long time at Bellota who had fallen asleep with the children. It was because he enjoyed listening to Bellota’s soft breathing as she slept.

Seiden often enjoyed simply gazing at Bellota without any thoughts. He loved stroking Bellota’s soft hair as she slept without any wariness, trusting him completely. He overwhelmingly loved watching Bellota sleep peacefully with an untroubled face. Even with modest meals and uncomfortable beds, Bellota shone with a happier face than ever before.

It seemed ridiculous now that he once thought the most important thing was to buy the best mansion for Bellota and save money to hire servants who would faithfully attend to her every move. Bellota’s happiness wasn’t just her own, and it was natural that she had been chosen by God. Seiden felt happy to be part of that brilliant mission.

“I want to travel the continent for our honeymoon. For about a year.”

When he first heard her proposal, Seiden readily agreed. Though he had once vowed never to accompany Bellota on monster subjugation again, their situation had changed greatly since then. Moreover, a honeymoon just for the two of them—there was even less reason to refuse such a proposal.

Of course, not every moment of this journey was solely about service and dedication. Seiden and Bellota traveled to many places. They camped in a forest said to have the largest and most mysterious tree on the continent, and in a region where aurora occurred due to magical rifts, they leaned against each other all night long admiring the beautiful aurora.

They participated in small village festivals while hiding their identities, enjoying themselves like that festival day long ago, and under fields where stars poured down overhead, they gazed at each other and imagined their future. In spring to hills where pink flowers scattered, in summer to lakes where clear water rippled, in autumn to forests dyed entirely in colorful autumn leaves. This winter had come after such happy travels.

The couple planned to return to the capital when this winter melted into spring sunshine. Seiden felt very regretful about ending this honeymoon that felt both long and short. In the past, he would have prayed to remain in this moment forever.

However, Seiden no longer made such prayers. He knew that even after this time passed, another happiness awaited him. Nevertheless, watching Bellota sleep like this never grew tiresome—it was a very important daily ritual for him.

Seiden gazed at Bellota sleeping with lovely breathing sounds and carefully kissed her clear face.

“Mmm…… Teacher Rick…… kissed Teacher Bell……”

When a child who had stirred awake mumbled with a drowsy face full of sleep, Seiden playfully raised his eyebrows while putting a finger to his lips in a shushing gesture.

“I’ll spread…… the rumor……”

The child mumbled before succumbing to overwhelming sleepiness and collapsing again. Seiden smiled slightly and pulled the fallen blanket back over the child’s body. The crackling sound of burning wood filled the room with warm tranquility.

* * *

The next day, Seiden and Bellota prepared to depart on their final journey. Their departure was later than planned because the children, who had quickly grown attached to them, clung to Bellota crying. Fortunately, their destination was close by, so they could arrive before sunset.

“Was it this way?”

When Seiden guided her in a different direction from what the map indicated, Bellota, who followed behind him, asked curiously.

“Yes.”

When Seiden answered nonchalantly, Bellota’s face grew more puzzled. However, Seiden had never led her down the wrong path. Bellota nodded and tucked the map into her chest.

After riding horses for quite a while, a somehow familiar terrain appeared. Just as Bellota tried to recall when she had seen this place before, a high wall built densely appeared before them. Their horses stopped in front of it.

“I didn’t know something like this had been built.”

When Seiden muttered, Bellota slightly furrowed her brows. Though the scenery looked different covered in snow from when she had seen it before, she had definitely been here before. If her memory was correct, with Seiden. So this place was…….

“Who are you?”

A sharp, sensitive voice called from atop the high wall. It was a husky voice that seemed to be going through puberty. Seiden and Bellota looked up. They saw a familiar face looking down at them with wary eyes while standing on the wall.

Bellota was the first to remember that face. And at the same time, the boy standing on the wall recognized her too.

“Oh my. Abel?”

“Saintess?”

Abel’s surprised eyes, now showing signs of manhood after growing so much, moved to the indifferent face standing beside Bellota.

“Sir Knight……”

Seiden was looking up at Abel with that same impassive face from back then, showing neither surprise nor pleasure. “Huh,” an exasperated exclamation escaped Abel’s lips.