—

“Lady Miar?”

Hailla, who had been lying in bed, saw a woman peek her head in from behind the door. Miar smiled playfully at Hailla, glanced around the room once more, and then stepped fully inside. She moved like an assassin, sneaking in under cover.

“Yes, it’s me.”

Approaching without hesitation, she dropped into the chair beside the bed.

“Is there anything you’re uncomfortable with?”

It was the kind of polite greeting a host might give a guest. Given that this was a temple and Miar was a priestess, perhaps it was only natural. Hailla sat up with a rustle and gave a small nod.

“So you’ve heard who I am now?”

“I’m sorry about last time.”

Hailla’s voice was slightly stiff. It wasn’t that she didn’t know how to show a high-ranking priestess respect; quite the contrary, she was well aware of the appropriate customs. However, since Miar had deceived her, it felt strange to show her respect now. Miar had told her to call her ‘sister’ and had listened to her concerns as if offering advice.

Moreover, Hailla had always felt inferior to the temple and its clergy, so she wondered if Miar had been mocking her all along, treating her like an amusing commoner. Though deep down she knew it was baseless, she couldn’t easily shake off the suspicion.

Miar, however, smiled warmly, as if the rudeness of a commoner truly didn’t matter to her.

“Come on, don’t worry about it. I was the one who lied first, after all.”

“Please speak to me casually.”

“I couldn’t possibly do that!” You’re the beloved of a nobleman. If you need anything, please let me know. You can speak to me or the attendants.’

Miar spoke politely but firmly, as she had done before. She apologised for deceiving Hailla and asked gently how she had found her time at the temple. Although Hailla still had doubts about her motives, she responded more mildly than before. She remained wary, but it was the first time someone of a higher social class had treated her with such respect, which softened her stance slightly.

“So, what brings you here today?”

Today was her last day at the temple. She had originally planned to leave as soon as her agreement with Lian was finalised, but her body was too exhausted for that. In the end, they agreed to return in three days’ time.

“I came to give you a tour of the temple, since it’s your last day.”

“The temple?”

“Yes, and please don’t say no.”

As Hailla hesitated, the woman placed a hand over her heart and asked again, almost pleadingly.

“Come with me, yes?”

Her voice sounded so eager and sincere that Hailla wavered in her refusal.

Even nobles could not easily tour the inner parts of the temple. It was said to be a rare privilege that some might never experience in their lifetime. Although Hailla’s feelings towards the temple were far from positive — especially after what had happened with Rethe’s medicine — she couldn’t deny her curiosity.

She wanted to see for herself what the ‘beloved of the gods’ temple was really like. If it turned out to be nothing more than an ordinary building filled with ordinary things, she could at least mock it in her heart.

“Then… maybe when Lian gets back, we could go together—”

“No!”

The moment she mentioned Lian, Miar’s expression stiffened suddenly.

“Let’s just go — just us girls. It’ll be much more relaxed that way.”

“But Lian might be curious about the temple, too…”

“He comes and goes as he pleases. He’s seen it all already. If he goes again, he’ll just get annoyed.”

“Oh, I see. Hailla easily accepted the reasoning. Come to think of it, there really wasn’t any reason to insist on going with Lian.”

Hailla was sharp in many ways, but she was surprisingly easy to mislead when it came to Lian.

Miar sighed with relief. She had approached her without telling her — getting caught would have been problematic.

“Besides, he’s a bit annoyed with me at the moment. I think he didn’t like me approaching you last time. Maybe because of some of the things I said.”

Had Lian and Hailla not reconciled, he might have taken it out on her. Fortunately, however, they had made up and he had shown her mercy. Now, Miar was trying to seize another opportunity.

“Was Lian very angry?”

Having witnessed his violent tendencies first-hand, Hailla was genuinely concerned for Miar’s safety. Looking her in the eye, Hailla sincerely told her that if there was anything she could do to help, she would. Miar was surprised once again by how easily Hailla worried about others — she was so innocent and sincere.

“Don’t worry too much. Killing is forbidden within the temple, after all.”

“Lian isn’t the kind of person to kill over something like that.”

‘He actually is.’

Miar thought this, but kept it to herself, instead smiling kindly. If it hadn’t been on temple grounds, she wouldn’t have dared to act so boldly in the first place.

Taking a life inside the temple was strictly forbidden. Anyone who committed such an act would be cursed by the gods, so nobody dared to do it.

Human life was considered a divine creation. To destroy something created by the Creator in the Creator’s domain was considered blasphemous. Ancient scriptures had long warned that such actions would invoke divine wrath. This is why the temple was historically often used as neutral ground for diplomacy or as a safe haven for emperors during wartime.

“Yes, yes, I’m just saying. Now then, shall we head out?”

At Miar’s double clap, attendants carrying garments and accessories poured into the room. Hailla blinked, reminded of a scene she had once witnessed when Miar had become increasingly enthusiastic about presenting different outfits. Although they were all white, the designs were luxurious and elegantly suggestive, making the choice difficult.

In the end, Hailla selected a pure white tunic dress with a single, simple leather belt and a clean, decorative clasp. The golden fibula brooch on her shoulder matched the colour of her eyes perfectly, although her eyes were mostly hidden behind her hair. Seeing this, Miar sighed, saying it was a shame that Hailla kept half her face hidden. Hailla just gave a sheepish smile in response.

After hearing an attendant whisper that time was running out, Miar quickly took Hailla’s hand and led her away. She needed to win Hailla’s favour a little more before Lian returned.

—

“And here we are. This is the Celterium. It’s where the priests gather every evening to pray. See that pentagon-shaped gem in the centre?”

As Miar was explaining, Hailla couldn’t keep quiet. The overwhelming grandeur and splendour extended across the walls, floors, and ceiling. Although the room she had stayed in had also been luxurious, this was on an entirely different level.

“It’s so… so beautiful…”

“Fufu, I’m glad you like it.”

Suddenly worried that she looked too awestruck and unsophisticated, Hailla closed her mouth and tried to compose herself. But it was no use. Despite her earlier resolve, she was simply too stunned by a space that felt more divine than earthly to remain composed.

Miar smiled, recognising that reaction all too well. Hailla was wary, but her naturally warm personality kept peeking through — she clearly had no talent for hiding her true feelings. Miar found this oddly charming and became more confident that she would win Hailla over completely that day.

“Shall we go and see the holy relic next?”

“The holy relic? The divine sword?”

At the mention of the relic, Hailla’s eyes widened. Miar laughed softly and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Just as she had expected, this ordinary girl, who knew nothing about jewellery or luxury, became excited by the slightest gesture. Of course, seeing the relic was an entirely different experience to simply touring the temple.

“… You’re really going to show it to me?”

“Of course. I’m quite a capable priestess, you know.”

They walked together, chatting along the way. The temple was vast — it would take about half an hour just to cross the garden. Eventually, they arrived at the innermost building of the temple.

“This is Riduca, the heart of the Temple of Senir, often called the Heart of the Divine.”

Unlike the other buildings with pointed spires, this one had a domed roof and stood out with its unique colour. Built entirely from tightly stacked red bricks, it exuded a faintly eerie atmosphere. For a place that supposedly housed a sacred relic, it felt strangely unsettling. Unlike the other buildings, there were no attendants or guards stationed nearby.

“Wait, but who guards this place? What if someone steals the relic, the divine sword?”

“Ah.”

Miar smiled faintly, as though she were explaining an immutable truth to a child who had asked why the sun rises and sets. She spoke in a gentle, almost reverent tone, as though imparting an immutable law of the universe, even if the heavens were to fall.

“The relic can never pass beyond this door. The gods will not allow their beloved creations to leave domain.”

“…”

“So placing a mere human here to guard it would be an insult to the divine.”

For the first time, Hailla thought that Miar truly looked like a priestess. Not because she seemed noble or radiant like a deity, but because she understood the nature of divinity so deeply and intimately.

“Now, let’s go in.”

She had barely started to guide Hailla towards the door when it suddenly opened from the inside. Several figures emerged, their heads covered by layered, ruffled veils. Their tunics were made of the same fine, naturally pleated material as Hailla’s, flowing down to their ankles. Their cloaks were adorned with delicate embroidery along the edges.

Hailla glanced at Miar for guidance, but the priestess’s face remained calm and expressionless. She stepped forward with quiet authority and spoke in a voice far colder than before.

“It was today, wasn’t it?”

“Yes.”

“What is the result?”

“…”