Ludwig said nothing in response to this question. He glanced at her once, then continued to refill the emptying teapot with water and measure out tea leaves.

He had always been like this from long ago. While maintaining the dignity of a gentle clergyman and acting infinitely kind and warm, he would suddenly turn cold when she occasionally did something he didn’t like. At such times, his emerald eyes, usually calm like a spring lake, would frost over like a winter sky.

When someone who was always cold treated you coldly, it might hurt your feelings but the psychological impact wasn’t great. However, when the only person you relied on suddenly showed a cold attitude, she always became restless and watched his reactions anxiously.

This time too, Florencia nervously asked, wondering if she had misspoken:

“Um, if I said something disrespectful, I’m sorry. I just thought it would be good to greet the person who will be my teacher first.”

“Florencia.”

Ludwig sighed briefly.

“I apologize.”

Somehow, he had returned to his usual self.

“……”

“From the beginning, I had no intention of entrusting your saintess education to someone else. So, when you seemed to want another priest…… I felt a little hurt.”

Ludwig’s face looked truly forlorn as he said this, which surprised Florencia and made her rise from her seat, circling around the table to stand before him.

“Father, that wasn’t my intention at all. I just thought you would be very busy…… Besides, since I don’t have a body with holy power, I didn’t think I would have a holy priest as my teacher.”

Because he kept it strictly secret, Florencia had no idea how powerful Ludwig truly was.

She completely believed his claim that he was a priest with modest powers who was managing the capital’s temple in place of his master who had gone on a pilgrimage to a distant place for a long period. Even the title of High Priest, which not just anyone could receive, he said was merely due to good luck……

The fact that Florencia never encountered anyone but him when she visited the temple had been deliberately arranged, but she never suspected it. She simply thought that the temple had reduced its staff, only worrying that he must be struggling with handling various duties.

Realizing she had hurt the kind priest she had relied on since childhood made her heart ache more, and Florencia became very sorrowful. Seeing her blaming herself and sinking into gloom, Ludwig felt genuinely pleased.

“Then Florencia, you don’t dislike me taking charge of your education?”

“Of course not! I’m very happy about it!”

Actually, I was worried I might get scolded if I learned too slowly because I’m quite lacking…… But since you’re so kind, Florencia chattered in a small voice.

Ludwig burst out laughing at her adorable words.

“I’m not sure if Laura truly finds me kind……”

After laughing comfortably for a moment, he erased his smile and stared at Florencia with emerald eyes, seriously demanding an answer.

“My teaching method might make things a bit difficult for you. Will that be alright, Florencia?”

* * *

“Oh……? Hello?”

“Have you been well, Lady Hazel?”

On the first day she had promised to start theological education with Ludwig, Florencia encountered a familiar face while heading to the temple after finishing her Academy classes.

“My lady, it’s been a while. Are you on your way to the temple?”

“Yes, I’m supposed to start basic education as a saintess candidate from today. Oh, thank you so much for calling a carriage for me last time.”

He was Andrew, the apprentice priest whom Florencia had met when she came to the temple on the day of the debutante ball.

Children at this age typically grow rapidly even in short periods. Though it had been just over two months, in that time the fourteen-year-old boy had transformed into a somewhat more mature figure, smiling brightly with his wheat-colored hair fluttering.

“Father Andrew, you seem to have become more grown-up since I last saw you……”

“I’m still just an apprentice priest, my lady. Since you’re a noble, please speak less formally and just call me Andrew.”

“Still……”

I’ll soon become a saintess too, so you’re my senior anyway, Florencia added in a small voice, naturally bringing a smile to his face.

‘What a pure and adorable person.’

Since he was taller than average for his age, Andrew stood higher than Florencia. Seeing her struggling to carry a package larger than herself, Andrew instinctively reached out.

“Lady Hazel, let me escort you to the temple.”

“It’s fine! You seemed to be on your way somewhere, and it would be troublesome if you were delayed because of me.”

“Not at all. I wouldn’t feel comfortable letting you carry this alone. The temple isn’t far.”

“In that case…… I’ll ask for your help just to the entrance, Andrew.”

After escorting Florencia to the temple’s main gate, Andrew said he had been on his way to run an errand and left after saying goodbye.

Carrying the rather heavy package in both arms, Florencia walked for quite a while along the temple’s spacious garden.

‘Is this the building Father mentioned?’

Florencia tilted her head in front of a single-story Byzantine-style building painted completely white.

Was this building always here……?

Though she had frequently visited the capital’s temple since childhood, this was a building she had never entered. The large sanctuary for mass, the prayer room, and the temple’s reception room were all gathered in the central main hall.

‘Why did Father Ludwig tell me to come to the building on the right side of the garden instead of the central sanctuary?’

Creeeeak—

When she pushed the thick wooden door with a brass handle, it opened with a heavy sound and then slowly closed.

“Father……?”

The inside was quiet. The round arched ceiling, which looked like a miniature version of the central sanctuary, appeared ordinary, and no one was there. Florencia was momentarily bewildered.

“Um…… Is nobody here?”

She carefully moved her steps to the front row. When she reached the sanctuary at the front, she discovered a small door between the right wall adorned with dark wooden decorations. The door was exactly the same color as the wall, making it easy to miss unless examined closely. When she pushed it with her hand, it wasn’t locked and opened easily.

Stepping outside, a beautiful cloister extended beside the sanctuary. The mystical sunlight broke through the gaps between the antique columns carved from white marble. She walked slowly along the long cloister. Finding the patterns on the ceiling and bricks beautiful, Florencia paused briefly to admire them. A moment later, after turning a corner, an unfamiliar scene appeared before her eyes.

“Wow……”

It was a breathtaking view that naturally evoked admiration.

Could this really be part of this world?

A transparent emerald lake revealed itself among the lush green trees. Though small in size, its surface sparkled as if sprinkled with diamond dust, and the sky and clouds were reflected on the water like a decalcomania.

Florencia approached it as if entranced. From a spot hidden by trees came the sound of light water spray. Someone was there.

“……Father Ludwig?”

Florencia, who had been about to approach him with a feeling of delight, stopped in her tracks.

Ludwig, standing with his back to her, had removed his upper garment. Had he been praying in the sacred lake? His beautiful platinum hair, which reached down to his waist, was neatly braided. With the sun directly overhead casting bright light upon him, he looked like a noble god of light.

She knew he was tall with a good physique, but his body, always hidden beneath the ascetic priest’s robes, was unexpected. He didn’t flaunt bulky muscles like knights, but his straight, firm shoulders and arms, and the taut muscles on his broad back clearly revealed that he was a person of a different gender from her.

Even though it was just his back view, Florencia’s heart pounded as if it would burst at witnessing a man’s n*ked body for the first time in her life. Somehow, she felt she shouldn’t be seeing such a sight. She stood frozen in place, pressing her tightly clenched fist to her chest to calm her startled heart.

“……Florencia?”

Sensing her presence, Ludwig called to her from a distance and seemed to approach.

Florencia squeezed her eyes shut and didn’t look in his direction. Her face felt hot. A moment later, she heard him calling her from right beside her, and when she slightly opened her eyes, she saw Ludwig fastening the upper part of his priest’s robe. His deep emerald eyes, the same color as the lake, looked at her with a gentle gaze.

“Laura, I’m sorry. Did you wait long?”

“No…… I didn’t know you were here.”

As the tension eased, the strength drained from her arms. Her face still burned, and strangely, she couldn’t look at him directly. Ludwig smiled and naturally took the heavy package from her hands.

“Hmm? This is quite heavy, Laura? What did you prepare?”