Since the Sephiroth Holy Knights were coming to pick me up early in the morning, I got up early, washed up, and put on light makeup.

“Ah, refreshing.”

I opened the window and stretched lightly. Whether we were on good terms or not, the fact that a handsome man was coming early in the morning made my heart flutter.

As I hummed a tune and left the bedroom, I found that Iscallion and the coal had also finished getting ready.

“Did you sleep well… hmm?”

For some reason, Iscallion looked extremely haggard. The freshness of a freshly picked apple was nowhere to be seen, and his face, worn out with fatigue, looked like that of a student cramming for exams. His eyes were also sharp with anger.

“What’s wrong, Leon? You didn’t fight with my mate stone, did you?”

Without a word, he shook his head and placed the coal on my palm.

“Are you okay? If you’re not feeling well, why don’t you rest? I can go to the Holy Kingdom alone.”

“No. I just couldn’t sleep well because of the change in my sleeping place. Don’t worry, I got along very well with the stone last night.”

Iscallion smiled faintly as he gazed at the coal. Seeing him smile, it seemed they had bonded a little overnight.

‘Thank goodness.’

“Let’s go quickly. Sir Roengreen will be here soon.”

Just as I finished speaking, Gined arrived.

When I was about to greet him, my parents whispered behind me.

“Come back with just the two of you! Got it, Lou?”

“Three is fine too. Our family isn’t incompetent, and having a few son-in-laws won’t be a problem.”

Although my purpose of visiting the Holy Kingdom was to investigate the dangers of the coal, my parents were oddly expecting a son-in-law.

They still didn’t know that the coal was a husband candidate.

‘I can’t tell them…’

“Well, I’m off.”

I briefly greeted my parents and headed for the carriage.

Gined greeted me with a restrained gesture.

“May the blessings of light be upon you.”

“Good morning, Sir Roengreen.”

Gined naturally escorted me.

No matter how you looked at it, he was an extraordinary person. To deal with someone he despised without showing it at all.

Then Gined noticed Iscallion behind me.

“Who is this?”

“Let me introduce you. This is Count Philippe. He’s a younger brother I’ve known for a long time, but he’s never been to the Holy Kingdom. Would it be alright if he comes along? Despite his appearance, he’s a devout believer.”

Gined looked at Iscallion with a doubtful gaze.

His eyes were so rebellious that I felt embarrassed to call him a devout believer.

Moreover, he was a descendant of the wolf who killed the mother of the gods. It was natural for Gined, a devotee of hers, to feel hostility.

“What are you looking at?”

‘Oh no.’

I froze at the sudden provocation.

Although Gined didn’t openly show displeasure, he was clearly annoyed.

“I apologize on his behalf, Sir Roengreen…! Phillip is still young and very sensitive. Some people have prolonged adolescence. You know my past, right?”

‘Damn it…’

Recalling my dark past in front of the male lead I liked the most made my stomach churn.

Fortunately, Iscallion didn’t cause any more trouble and quietly got into the carriage.

“How could you be so rude to Sir Roengreen?”

I scolded Iscallion not long after we departed and he replied curtly.

“I don’t want to be your younger brother. We aren’t just simple acquaintances.”

“What are you talking about? This is already a generous compromise. We haven’t known each other for long.”

“From now on, say we’re going to get married.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the coal spoke up.

“That cannot be. She is my mate.”

The refreshing feeling I had earlier vanished, and a sudden headache overwhelmed me.

“Sigh… Can everyone please be quiet?”

Thinking about enduring this for the next few days made my vision go dark.

Fortunately, there were no arguments between the men during the journey to the Holy Kingdom. However, I was on edge the entire time, almost to the point of a nervous breakdown.

“We finally arrived.”

I sighed in relief and looked at Gined.

The Holy Kingdom was still grand and solemn.

Gined immediately guided me to the Pope.

I followed him after repeatedly warning Iscallion not to cause any trouble.

“I apologize for not giving you time to rest after your journey. The situation is urgent.”

“It’s fine. You came with us, so you must be just as tired. I can endure this much.”

Besides, I was in a carriage, while he rode a horse the entire way.

Gined made a subtle expression.

Just as he was about to respond, the audience room doors opened.

“Welcome, Lady Dronay. You’ve endured a long journey.”

At the end of the spacious and elegant audience room stood the Pope.

He seemed to be in his mid-thirties. Younger than I expected. While not handsome, his slightly drooping eyes and gentle brown pupils gave a very kind impression.

But I couldn’t be deceived by his appearance.

‘They say he has more illegitimate children than one can count on both hands.’

It wasn’t surprising, since corrupt priests were not uncommon, but it was disgusting to see someone acting so noble in such a high position.

Moreover, he had tried to take Lina as his concubine several times in the original story.

He eventually met his end at the hands of Gined, who witnessed those attempts.

In any case, his death served as a crucial turning point that brought Lina and Gined together.

“May the blessings of light be eternal. I am Lou Dronay.”

‘Consider yourself lucky.’

I thought as I greeted the Pope.

With Lina gone, the Pope’s lifespan had likely increased a bit. I hoped he would connect me with Gined in a more wholesome way this time.

“May I examine the item you brought?”

“Yes.”

“Come closer and show me.”

I approached the Pope with the coal as instructed.

When I handed him the coal and was about to step back, the Pope didn’t miss the chance to scan me up and down with a sticky gaze.

Already feeling sensitive, I was extremely uncomfortable.

Still, considering his status, I endured and subtly stepped back. But he showed no sign of averting his gaze.

‘Oh, really?’

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.

Not to be outdone, I opened my eyes wide and stared intently at the Pope’s crotch. I craned my neck, really making it obvious.

Thanks to the beauty of the male leads (excluding the coal), my aesthetic standards had risen considerably, and looking at such a thing felt like my eyes were rotting, but I endured out of sheer stubbornness.

“Ahem… So this is the stone that claims to be from the underworld.”

Finally, the Pope averted his eyes and subtly covered his lower body.

As I turned around, feeling victorious and triumphant, I made direct eye contact with Gined, who had a bewildered expression.

Unfortunately, he was standing in a position where the Pope was almost obscured, and only my actions were clearly visible.

It was just a moment, but I clearly saw the shock in his clear eyes.

“Uh…”

Gined coldly turned away from me. I was undoubtedly branded as a pervert with deviant s*xual desires who stared at the Pope’s crotch.

The real filthy pervert was someone else, but I was going crazy with frustration, wondering why I had to bear this disgrace.

Even though it wasn’t intentional, I had lived a chaste life, never even having a proper kiss with a man, not much different from Gined.

‘How do I explain this?’

Even if I said the Pope started it, who would believe me?

Although Gined was aware of various issues with the Pope, he was sexually naive and knew little about his womanizing ways.

‘It wouldn’t be so frustrating if there was something worth seeing.’

It was all the Pope’s fault.

I gritted my teeth and glared at the Pope.

He must have felt my piercing gaze, but he shamelessly closed his eyes, pretending to explore the aura of the coal.

Holy power trickled out of the Pope’s body. It was an unsightly moldy blue color.

Even though it was the same blue, it was worlds apart from Gined’s clear, lake-like eyes. I worried that my coal might get contaminated by such a moldy aura.

“Hmmm…”

After a while, the Pope tilted his head.

I watched his reaction with slight anxiety. I was a bit concerned that he might find some fault for no reason.

Contrary to my worries, he remained surprisingly quiet.

For a while, the Pope kept his eyes closed without any reaction.

How long had it been? I was beginning to feel a bit bored.

“Gah!”

Suddenly, the Pope took a sharp breath, clutching his chest and gasping for air.

Until then, I thought he had just swallowed wrong.

‘Did he choke on his saliva?’

I realized something was wrong when he bent over sharply and began to tremble. The coal rolled out of his hand, and his holy power started to surge wildly.

“Your Holiness?”

Instinctively, I reached out to support him.

Before I could touch him, he screamed in terror.