Plus they needed to find lodgings for the blacksmiths who migrated to the borderlands.

Of course, all these things would help improve the borderlands’ situation.

If there was one problem, it was that he was in charge of all these tasks.

Just thinking about having to oversee the warehouse construction, arrange lodgings, scout locations for the blacksmith shop and report, and other things to report made Bruce’s head spin.

Lydia approached Bruce with her pink hair fluttering.

Instead of her shabby priest robes, Lydia wore newly made luxurious priest robes that made her look more like a noble lady than a priestess, but Bruce greeted her with the proper etiquette in the temple.

Bruce had complicated feelings seeing Lydia, the source of all this overwhelming work but also practically a saintess who came to save the borderlands.

If another white hair appeared on his head, it would be because of this lively young lady.

“Bruce, it’s been a while.”

Lydia held something out to Bruce.

“This is a gift for you.”

“What? A gift for me?”

“Yes, I heard you’ve been really good to Maria and Nella? I bought this to thank you.”

Unlike Byron who stayed at the temple, Maria and Nella had gone to work as maids at the Edis mansion. They often visited Lydia and told her how well Bruce treated them.

“Open it quickly.”

Bruce opened the package with a moved expression.

Inside were not one but two gleaming handkerchiefs that looked quite expensive at first glance.

“How did you know my handkerchiefs were like rags. Thank you, Priestess.”

Bruce murmured while feeling the texture of the handkerchiefs with his fingers.

“Some people don’t even bring a cookie after being served well for life, but you give gifts just for helping a little bit.”

“Are you saying that for me to hear?”

“It wasn’t meant to be, but did you hear it?”

Lydia watched Arsen and Bruce’s bickering with interest for a while before spotting Randel passing by and waved at him.

Then she ran over calling Randel’s name and held out a small box to him too.

Though they couldn’t hear clearly what was being said, she was probably conveying her thanks to Randel.

He had heard her say she needed to buy a gift for Randel, saying he must have had a hard time coming to help at the temple every day even if Arsen ordered it.

Happy to have conveyed her feelings, Lydia smiled brightly, and Randel’s nape turned red as he accepted the gift.

Randel fiddled with his nape unnecessarily, gave Lydia a quick bow, and left almost like running away, but Lydia didn’t seem to find it rude as she burst out laughing.

This made Randel’s footsteps even faster as he fled.

What’s so funny?

Arsen felt a surge of desire to go pick a fight and clenched his fists.

Whether Lydia found it funny or not was not something Arsen should care about.

Hadn’t he decided not to care, to keep his distance?

Arsen forcefully turned away his gaze that kept going to Lydia.

* * *

A day after Lydia returned to the borderlands, the grain, seedlings, and seeds purchased from Count Wonde’s territory arrived at the Edis mansion.

“Since the seedlings need to be planted right away, I plan to distribute them starting tomorrow.”

Bruce reported to Arsen right after receiving and checking the inventory list for quantity and items.

“The seeds will be stored in the mansion warehouse and distributed next year since it’s too late to plant them now anyway.”

“Do that. What about the food?”

“I plan to distribute it together with the seedlings tomorrow. I’ve notified each village so those who need it will come on their own.”

“Make sure to distribute to the blacksmiths who just migrated too. The village chiefs will handle things well but pay special attention to households with sick people. Ah, tell them that since we brought a new doctor too, they should see him while they’re here if they’re sick. He’s affiliated with the temple so he won’t charge separate consultation fees.”

“Was that also Priestess Lydia’s idea?”

Arsen nodded lightly while scanning the report.

He was so busy inspecting the borderlands for damage caused by demonic beasts right after returning and reading accumulated reports that he hadn’t even checked if Lydia had settled well in the temple.

Though he desperately wanted to check, Arsen deliberately didn’t ask.

Kedrick, no, Randel must have escorted her well.

Feeling inexplicably uncomfortable again, Arsen quickly turned his attention back to the reports. However, that didn’t mean he could easily get away from thoughts of Lydia.

“How about having the priests help distribute the grain tomorrow? After all, we can distribute like this thanks to Priestess Lydia.”

That was an undeniable fact. Thanks to Lydia, no one in the borderlands would go hungry this winter.

“While distributing grain they can get familiar with the people, and maybe that will bring in believers too? I’m a bit worried that there are no believers at all even though it’s a temple.”

Arsen had also been concerned about the temple having no believers.

“Let’s do as you say. Contact the temple and tell them to come tomorrow. But won’t it be too hard for Priestess Lydia?”

After saying that, Arsen realized his mistake. Showing concern for Lydia. The one he should worry about was his teacher, not Lydia.

To think he set aside his teacher who had endured hard labor with little food or sleep at the labor camp to worry about Lydia instead.

If Bruce hadn’t been there, Arsen might have sighed while pressing his forehead.

“True, Priestess Lydia did seem quite physically weak. I’ll arrange it so she can distribute the lightest items.”

“Yes, do that.”

Fortunately, it seemed Lydia appeared that way to Bruce’s eyes too.

Then there would be many people to help if Lydia had difficult tasks. Bruce was there, Kedrick was there, and his teacher would be with her all day.

So tomorrow, tomorrow he would absolutely not interfere with Lydia’s work, Arsen promised himself.

But—

“Ah, then I’ll distribute the farming tools.”

“What? Priestess, the farming tools are heavy.”

“It’ll be fine since I’ll hand them out one by one, not carry the whole box.”

He absolutely couldn’t not interfere. Lydia stubbornly refused Bruce’s suggestion to distribute bread and stood in front of the farming tools.

“Priestess Lydia.”

Finally, Arsen approached Lydia.

“Please go over there and distribute bread.”

“Why?”

“It’s an order.”

Why? Because it’s too heavy and dangerous for you.

However, knowing such explanations wouldn’t work on Lydia, Arsen substituted it with the word ‘order’.

While she might not listen as a Marquis’s daughter, as a priestess Lydia was under Arsen’s command and had to follow his orders.

Finally Lydia moved to the bread distribution station following Arsen’s command. Her shoulders seemed somewhat slumped for some reason.

While mentally shouting that he shouldn’t care, Arsen couldn’t pass by Lydia.

“Was there a reason you really wanted to distribute the farming tools?”

“Priest Byron said a priest is someone who does the hardest work from the lowest place.”

“So you stood in front of the farming tools because they were the heaviest?”

Lydia nodded.

She’s surprisingly serious about being a priestess. He thought she decided to become a priestess just as an excuse to leave the Marquis’s mansion.

“What, are you mocking me, Sir?”

“No, not at all.”

Mocking? Arsen didn’t even know he was smiling until Lydia pointed it out.

These uncontrollable lips of his.

While Arsen internally cursed his lips that kept moving against his intentions, Lydia’s gaze focused somewhere behind him.

His gaze naturally followed hers.

“Are you smiling at Randel now?”

“Yes.”

Arsen felt his heart stop for a moment at Lydia’s firm answer.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand, I’m not someone who mocks people like you do, Sir. I smiled because he’s wearing the gift I gave him.”

Lydia pointed at Randel’s belt, proudly saying she had bought it for him.

Giving him a belt, acting like they’re already lovers.

Arsen barely swallowed the sarcasm that almost burst out.

Different words, he needed different words. Should he praise her for doing well?

“Do you…… have nothing for me?”

“What?”

“My gift…… never mind.”

He should have stuck with the sarcasm. To beg for a gift like this.

Arsen gritted his teeth in self-reproach. He hoped Lydia hadn’t heard his last words, but seeing those eyes that caught onto something, she definitely had.

“Sir Arsen, you already received my gift.”

At Lydia’s words, Arsen momentarily forgot his embarrassment in confusion. Because he had no memory of receiving any gift.

When Arsen looked at her quizzically, Lydia tucked her hair behind her ear and whispered.

“I am your gift. Am I not?”

Lydia looked up at Arsen, blinking her eyelids. Discovering his reflection wavering in those eyes clear as a blue lake, Arsen stepped back hesitantly.

For a moment he felt breathless, or was it his imagination?

“Hey, aren’t you taking the joke too seriously?”

Lydia pouted while fiddling with the bread.

“I was planning to buy you a gift too. Something nice when I go to the capital.”

She muttered that now she understood why Sir Kedrick called him socially awkward, since he couldn’t even take a joke. She seemed quite embarrassed that he hadn’t played along with her joke.

He should explain that wasn’t it, that wasn’t the reason, but what came out of his mouth was—

“Stop touching the bread you’re supposed to distribute.”

Arsen took away the bread Lydia had been fiddling with and let out a long sigh.

So this is why Kedrick teases him about being socially awkward.