The knights who understood that survival signal with uncanny perception began to slip out of the training room.

Finally, after all knights except the two had left the training room, only Seiden and Kabillon remained. Kabillon, bearing a great responsibility on his shoulders, approached Seiden’s side.

“Um, Commander?”

At Kabillon’s careful call, Seiden’s motionless lips moved.

“Do women feel jealousy too?”

Hearing that chilly question that leaked out, bewilderment settled on Kabillon’s face, who had been prepared to answer any question. He asked back in confusion.

“Pardon?”

Seiden’s terrifying gaze fixed on Kabillon at the confused question. With that look, Kabillon felt a premonition stab into his back, warning him not to answer wrongly.

Kabillon stammered out a careful answer.

“Uh, well…… Could there be anyone who doesn’t feel jealousy?”

At that answer, Seiden’s chest felt even more constricted.

There was. It was his wife.

Because of the couple who made such a fuss over a mere piece of ham, Seiden’s mind, which had already been under low pressure since yesterday, now boiled with magma.

Of course, he would never have an occasion to separate ham for another woman, but even if such a thing were to happen, Bellota would certainly not bat an eye.

He could guarantee that even if he went from table to table helping separate ham for every lady in the capital, Bellota wouldn’t shed jealous tears like Melissa — instead, she would likely wear a worried expression and point out which lady’s ham still needed separating. It was because she was like that, that he couldn’t deny falling so deeply in love with her, but even so, Seiden felt uneasy.

Seiden’s heart still boiled in its depths whenever he saw Bellota, his mind grew hazy whenever he touched her, and he felt like his eyes would roll back in his head when he noticed other men looking at her with the same gaze as his.

This overwhelming emotion that no human power could control seemed to be the source of love, but was this desperate and tender feeling his alone? Such doubts always made Seiden anxious.

Was he really strange? Was he feeling these petty emotions because of some unconscious distrust within him, as Bellota said? Seiden sometimes harbored such self-deprecating thoughts, but seeing these people making such a scene over jealousy first thing in the morning, perhaps that wasn’t the case.

“Do you think Melissa’s reaction was appropriate?”

When Seiden subtly asked, unable to let it go, Kabillon nodded without hesitation this time.

“Of course. It’s a natural emotion. Though breaking off the engagement might have been a bit extreme, it’s not incomprehensible. In fact, Melissa might be considered mild. One lady I dated before would cry all day and become furiously angry just because I exchanged words with another woman. The elaborate events I had to plan every time to appease her…… ha…… But what can you do? It’s all because of love. Those who are loved must bear it. Such is the fate of a beloved man.”

“……”

With each word Kabillon spoke, Seiden’s expression grew more rigid. So these feelings he experienced were entirely normal emotions after all.

Then, was Bellota abnormal? Or did she not love him that much? Was he a man unloved by Bellota? As these thoughts occurred to him, this time Seiden’s once-stopped heart felt like it would split apart. That couldn’t be. There was no way Bellota didn’t love him.

“Then you.”

“Yes?”

“How would you feel if your woman separated ham for another man?”

As he asked the question, the image of Bellota separating ham for Prince Derent made Seiden’s blood rush backward.

Feeling the same emotion, Kabillon clenched his fist and answered.

“That’s absurd! I would just shove that ham right in his face……”

Seiden felt relieved at Kabillon’s extreme reaction. So he was normal after all.

“Everyone would feel the same, right?”

“Of course! How can passionate love exist without passionate jealousy? I don’t think it can. Jealousy must be the very foundation of love. If you don’t love someone, why would you care if they help separate someone else’s ham or pick their nose?”

Seiden’s heart stung at Kabillon’s resolute words. Why didn’t these obvious emotions apply to Bellota alone?

“Then, do you also want to lock them away?”

“Pardon?”

“When you find someone you love, do you want to lock them away where no one can find them, hide them where no one can see them?”

At this quiet musing, Kabillon’s mouth, which had been chattering excitedly until just now, froze. Not noticing his bewilderment, Seiden continued his frightening words as if he was seeking agreement.

“When another man so much as looks at her, don’t you want to pluck out his eyes so he can never roll them carelessly again?”

Cold sweat ran down Kabillon’s spine at the chilling words spoken in Seiden’s low voice. No, that’s a bit……

Kabillon imagined the horrific scene of some tactless man having his eyes gouged out for looking at Bellota. Then, realizing something, his eyebrows twitched.

Now he understood. Why Seiden, who had been under low pressure since morning, became even more murderous after watching Luke and Melissa’s scene.

“Let me revise my statement.”

Having pieced together all the puzzles, Kabillon spoke in a much calmer voice.

“Well, um, I think things might be different when it comes to the Saintess.”

Seiden’s eyebrows twitched slightly, suggesting this was indeed the right answer.

“I mean, the Saintess is, how should I put it… different from ordinary women. No, regardless of gender, it would be hard to find anyone as benevolent as the Saintess under heaven. Ah, except for His Holiness the Pope, of course. Since His Holiness cannot marry. Anyway!”

After rambling briefly, Kabillon quickly regained his focus and continued.

“It’s difficult to imagine the Saintess being jealous of anything. Even if it’s related to you, Commander.”

Seiden agreed with this opinion. The image of Bellota being jealous or hating something — it was impossible even to imagine.

“So what I mean is, it’s not because the Saintess loves you less or doesn’t care, but rather, this is who the Saintess is. Someone who believes in and loves everyone, and therefore cannot hate anyone. That’s natural for her.”

Seiden’s complicated feelings slowly settled at Kabillon’s neat explanation. Though Kabillon’s words made sense, the regret lodged in one corner of his heart wouldn’t easily disappear.

Did this mean he would never see Bellota showing passionate jealousy? As Seiden’s heart sank with that thought, it constricted shamelessly just from imagining Bellota’s face.

From last evening until this morning — Seiden hadn’t exchanged a single word with Bellota. Hadn’t received a farewell kiss. Thinking about that suddenly made Seiden feel urgent, and everything else seemed meaningless. What did jealousy matter if he couldn’t even get a kiss from Bellota because of emotions he couldn’t confirm? It was another losing battle. Pride meant nothing before Bellota.

Finally accepting the entire situation, Seiden stood up, and Kabillon watched him tensely.

“I need to stop by home for a moment.”

Seiden’s face had softened considerably as he said this. Kabillon smiled brightly with joy.

“Yes, take all the time you need!”

“Have Luke caught and brought here by the time I return.”

After giving this brief order, Seiden headed straight out of the temple toward home, but he couldn’t make it. The moment he tried to leave the temple, he encountered an entirely unexpected face.

“Seiden.”

The woman walking toward the training room, clearly having spent a sleepless night just like him, was Bellota.

Gasp, seeing her, Kabillon realized this small yet momentous incident would resolve more simply than expected. As the perceptive Kabillon tactfully withdrew, only Seiden and Bellota remained in the corridor where cozy sunlight poured down.

“Bellota.”

When Seiden, who had stopped in surprise, called Bellota’s name, she gave an awkward smile. Her face in the sunlight was dreamlike and enchanting. After briefly wondering if he was dreaming, or if not, why Bellota was here, Seiden soon realized.

Just as Melissa had rushed here for Luke, Bellota too had rushed here for him. The moment he realized this, the complicated emotions that had filled Seiden’s heart until just moments ago evaporated without a trace, replaced by overwhelming emotion.

“This morning…… I feel like I sent you off without greeting you properly.”

Bellota explained, blushing in embarrassment for letting her clumsy emotions get the best of her and rushing here.

“Yesterday……”

The rest of the words weren’t necessary, so before she could finish speaking, Seiden ran to her and embraced Bellota tightly.

Bellota squirmed in surprise within Seiden’s arms but didn’t push him away. She just hesitated, looking troubled, then squeezed her eyes shut and buried her face in Seiden’s chest.

“When I said you didn’t trust me, I went too far. I know that’s not possible.”

Seiden’s arms tightened around Bellota at her quiet apology.

“I was wrong. Everything was my fault.”

Bellota let out a deflated laugh at his bottomless apology. That laugh and the warmth filling his arms made Seiden’s heart, once empty, grow abundantly full.

Yes, passionate jealousy wasn’t the only form of love. Even without such things, Bellota loved him, and he was a blessed man who received Bellota’s immense love. Seiden believed this without doubt.

That enormous satisfaction swept away all remaining distracting thoughts like afterimages, so Seiden decided not to cling to such petty emotions anymore.

It seemed Seiden’s persistent obsession with jealousy had concluded with that. At least until, a few days later, when they received an invitation to Princess Hestina’s birthday banquet.