Chapter 11

Ah, dear Gods.

Lisbeth realized it—she could not let go of Dion.

Just as Dion, even dressed in his priest’s robe, still sought and desired her again.

‘What do I do… Dion, what should I do…’

“…First, Miss. Please, try to stand up.”

Dion, who firmly helped the trembling Lisbeth to her feet, straightened her clothes for her. As he wiped the tear-stained cheeks once more, he spoke as if making a vow.

“Would it be all right if I come see you later?”

“What…?”

“To be honest, I want to take you with me right now, but that would only cause you trouble, so I will visit you separately.”

“But… Dion, I am a widow. If a priest visits a widow’s home…”

“Please, don’t worry.”

Dion brushed Lisbeth’s fallen hair behind her ear as he spoke.

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Dion…”

“Please rest here. I will find the knight who was attending you earlier and send her here.”

“But, if Anna sees me here…!”

“I’ll say I happened to see you and you seemed unwell, so I brought you here.”

He led Lisbeth by the hand and sat her down on the long bench. She had a faint blush on her cheeks, and her hair and skirt were slightly disheveled, but she did not look as if she had been engaged in any indecent act with a man.

Rather, it seemed Dion was the one who should be worried. The problem was the obvious evidence of his arousal and the stain left on his clothes. Seeing the traces of what had just happened, Lisbeth’s face flushed hotly.

That—her body, and Dion’s excitement—was proof of what had happened.

Perhaps noticing where her eyes had landed, Dion covered his mouth with his hand and lowered his head slightly.

“I must look like a beast to you.”

“No, it’s not that, it’s just… the stain…”

Lisbeth, mumbling so quietly her words nearly disappeared, finally bowed her head deeply and buried her face in her hands. She must have been out of her mind. In the palace, after reuniting with an old lover, she had kissed him and even moved her hips on his thigh, leaving traces of her desire.

Dion, glancing at Lisbeth whose ears were burning red, also blushed. Both of their faces were so red that they could not look at each other properly. Dion finally managed to speak.

“If I cover it with my priest’s robe, it won’t be seen. Please don’t worry.”

“I’m sorry…”

“More importantly, please answer me. Is it all right if I come to see you? If I see you again… will it be all right?”

Lisbeth looked up at Dion. The desperate light in his eyes was mirrored in her own.

She nodded slowly, but certainly. Dion’s face brightened instantly at her permission.

Dion was the first to leave the lounge, and not long after, Anna knocked and entered. Anna, looking worried, was startled the moment she saw Lisbeth.

“I didn’t realize you were feeling so unwell…! I should have waited for you outside. I’m sorry, Madam.”

“It’s all right, don’t worry.”

“Let me help you. Please take my arm.”

“Thank you, Anna.”

Lisbeth leaned on Anna as she left the lounge. On the way from the lounge to the carriage, she did not see Dion again. As soon as she got into the carriage, she fell into a deep sleep as if she had fainted.

In her dream, she shyly kissed Dion as a child. His smiling face shone so brightly and beautifully that she gathered her courage and hugged him tightly. She thought Dion’s embrace, as he held her, was so strong and warm.

* * *

Two days after the Grand Festival where Lisbeth had met Dion, the events of that day felt like a dream.

To be honest, Lisbeth thought she might never see him again. That day, both Dion and herself had been swept up in some unknown impulse and atmosphere, and had nearly gone too far. If Dion, who was all but named as the next High Priest, became embroiled in a scandal with a woman now, his honor would be irreparably damaged. It would be even more devastating than the loss of her own reputation as a widow.

Lisbeth secretly wondered if Dion might regret what had happened that day. So, she tried not to put too much weight on his promise to come see her.

On a quiet night, the small sound of someone tapping on her window startled Lisbeth from her chair. The small book she had been holding fell to the floor. Clutching her nightgown tightly to her pounding heart, she approached the window. When she opened it, she saw someone half-hidden in the darkness.

“Who…?”

“Miss. It’s me.”

The moment she heard the voice, Lisbeth was so surprised she flung the window wide open. Dion emerged from the darkness, his face revealed. Seeing him standing there with a faint smile, Lisbeth cried out in a hushed voice.

“Dion, what on earth… You’re so reckless!”

“May I come up?”

“Oh heavens… Hurry, come up before anyone sees you!”

Contrary to what one might expect from a man who had lived in the Grand Temple, Dion nimbly grabbed the grooves in the wall and climbed up to her room in an instant. Worried someone might see, Lisbeth closed and locked the window and drew the curtains.

With cheeks flushed red, she turned to Dion.

“What would you have done if someone saw you!”

“That’s why I came at night.”

“How did you get out of the Grand Temple?”

“As a rule, after bedtime, everyone is supposed to remain in their own rooms in silence until morning prayers. No one will know I left.”

“Haa, Dion… That’s reckless…”

“But I promised to come see you. And…”

Dion took a step closer. His hand slowly caressed Lisbeth’s cheek.

“I just couldn’t bear it. I missed you so much, I wanted to see you as soon as possible.”

“…Dion.”

At his words, Lisbeth’s cheeks and neck burned bright red. How long had it been since she’d heard such openly sweet words? Seeing her embarrassment, Dion smiled softly. Then, as he gently stroked her shoulder, he asked,

“Were you about to go to bed?”

“…It’s late, so I was going to soon.”

“The reason I asked to see you again—”

He naturally took Lisbeth’s hand and led her to sit in a single armchair. Then he knelt on one knee before her. Sitting on the floor and looking up at Lisbeth as if she were a Goddess, Dion continued with a willing expression.

“It’s to properly tell you why I disappeared, and to apologize.”

“You don’t have to say it… It doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Please listen, Miss. And please tell me what I should do, how I can atone.”

“Dion…”

Lisbeth bit her lip hard.

She was curious why he had disappeared without a word. But at the same time, part of her didn’t want to know. From what he had said during their last meeting, she felt she already understood what had happened. Isn’t that enough?