Even though I provided the materials, there must have been some crafting costs involved. Even Enril, the richest man in the world, once took a pouch of gold coins from me, citing crafting fees.

Fearing he might change his mind and ask for it back, I gripped the dagger even tighter. This was mine now. I had no intention of returning it, not even for money.

However, I knew Gined wasn’t the type to take back something he had given. I looked at him closely again.

Then I realized he wasn’t angry. His tightly pressed lips and slightly flushed face indicated he was embarrassed. His stiff tone was due to his nervousness.

I signaled Seren to leave. She shook her head vigorously in defiance, but after a second stern look, she reluctantly left the room.

Once we were alone, I asked quietly.

“Sir, is the dagger defective? Or did the blacksmith cheat on the silver content?”

“The blacksmith followed my instructions faithfully. To be honest, I think it’s not suitable for you.”

“What? I don’t know why you think that, but I really like it. It’s practical, fits perfectly in my hand, which shows how much thought you put into it. No matter how expensive the gift, it wouldn’t make me as happy as this dagger.”

I wasn’t just trying to comfort Gined; I meant every word.

Among Gined’s extreme followers at the temple, there were those who would eagerly pick up even his discarded trash. Sometimes, that trash was auctioned off.

I never participated in such disgraceful acts, but I understood the sentiment. If even his discarded items had value, how much more so would a gift?

A gift from a handsome man was worth infinitely more than one from an unattractive man, especially someone as handsome as Gined. The fact that he had it custom-made elevated the dagger to a priceless treasure.

“Your words put me at ease, lady.”

“……”

“Then, I’ll take my leave.”

He finally stood up and slowly turned around. I sensed that he didn’t believe me at all. I knew my credibility was low, but it hurt to have my sincerity dismissed.

I didn’t understand why he cared about the value of the gift. Priests weren’t supposed to have money.

“I swear to the Goddess, I’ve never lied to you, Sir. If I ever tried to conceal something, I would have just kept my mouth shut. If I’m lying now, I’m not Lou Dronay but Lou Kebrenia. No, no. Don’t misunderstand. I have no lingering feelings for the Crown Prince. It’s just an example.”

Gined turned back to look at me.

As our eyes met, my usual tone slipped out.

“Sir, have you been deceived all your life? At least believe what I say. Please trust me! In fact, I’ll tell you something special: I’m actually faking my illness. I didn’t have time to change clothes after waking up.”

“What?”

Gined’s expression finally softened. His gaze fell on my wrinkled pajamas and barely tamed hair. Realizing his rudeness, he quickly turned his head. His ears, peeking through his silver hair, were red.

“To explain, I’ve been feeling down lately. But if my parents knew, they’d worry, so please keep it a secret. Consider this my way of repaying you for taking on your pain. Okay?”

“…Yes, I understand.”

Startled by my sudden change in demeanor, he nodded. It might have seemed too honest, but considering everything I’d done in front of him, this was nothing. I had no reputation left to lose, so I felt at ease.

“Thanks for coming. You’re busy, so I won’t keep you.”

I waved at him with the dagger in hand. Gined still looked bewildered.

Just then, a maid arrived with refreshments. Gined quickly regained his composed demeanor, and I resumed my act as a frail lady.

“I’ll greet you more healthily next time. Please take care, Sir.”

“I hope you recover quickly, lady.”

Hearing his parting words, I realized Gined wasn’t good at acting. But after dealing with the scheming Crown Prince, even that seemed charming to me.

Worried he might see through my thoughts, I lowered my eyes demurely.

***

Before meeting Lou, Gined was in a terrible mood.

Lately, he had been overwhelmed with self-reproach. Though unintentional, he had transferred his injuries to a young, frail woman, and that woman was Lou Dronay. He couldn’t understand why he kept getting entangled with her in such ways.

At first, he thought she was a straightforward and cheerful believer, contrary to rumors. But the more he got to know her, the stranger and more uncomfortable she seemed.

Lou Dronay would reassure him with an innocent face and then cross boundaries without warning. When he warned her, she would look dejected but soon repeat the same actions. He had seen many people whose words and actions didn’t match, but Lou was the first of her kind.

This made Gined even more curious about her feelings. Was her smile, which she gave so freely after receiving a worthless gift, genuine?

Even to Gined, who grew up as a prince, the wealth of the Dronay Duchy was impressive. Even the maids wore outfits as lavish as those of noble ladies.

Lou’s bedroom was no exception. In that luxurious space, Lou Dronay looked the most precious and extravagantly dressed.

Gined couldn’t muster the courage to present his crude gift in front of her. It was the first time he felt such shame since joining the temple. Moreover, the men entangled with her all had matching wealth, making him feel even more inadequate.

Looking into her expectant, clear eyes, he felt like a boy again, discovering he wasn’t the king’s real son.

She was inherently kind-hearted, always careful not to hurt others. He had noticed this early on. Perhaps her smile was an extension of that, to avoid hurting the feelings of a priest who gave her a shabby gift.

‘Have you been deceived all your life? Please trust me!’

Noticing his distrust, she spoke more passionately than usual. But Gined had never truly trusted anyone, not even the Goddess.

From the start, his life had been built on a woman’s deception. His mother, the queen, had lain with another man, not the king, to conceive him.

Just as his mother had deceived the king, the king had deceived him. Until his nurse accidentally revealed the truth, Gined had believed he was the king’s son.

He felt more betrayed by the king than by his mother. As a man, he could vaguely understand the king’s devastation upon discovering his wife’s infidelity.

But why had the king taken him in, despite knowing he wasn’t his son?

‘You are my son.’

When Gined first confronted him in anger, the king only repeated those words. Deeply despondent, Gined left his homeland and joined the temple.

But the temple was also filled with deception. The absent Goddess provided no answers.

Could he really trust her?

Regardless of the truth, he wanted to believe. He was tired of doubting.

Lou Dronay was like a hangnail around his fingernail. Too trivial to be a serious ailment, yet too bothersome to ignore.

Gined didn’t yet know the name of this unfamiliar emotion that had just begun to sprout.

***

Before dawn, Janet dragged her exhausted body to Lou’s room. She had fled in shock when Gined suddenly visited the mansion and only returned much later. A red jewel dangled from one of her earlobes in her human form.

“Damn it, why did he show up all of a sudden?”

Fearing she might be discovered, she had stayed hidden without moving. Skipping meals was no longer surprising. Had she not been bound to Lou by a contract, she might have lost control and attacked a passerby.

Grabbing her stomach, which was aching from hunger, Janet cursed. Fortunately, a drop of her master’s blood would quickly satiate her. She hoped Lou hadn’t eaten aglio e olio today as she urgently knocked on the window.

“Master, it’s Janet.”

But there was no answer for a long time.