Chapter 13 Who Makes That Kind of Look When Rejecting Someone

The people on the border didn’t believe in the Goddess. As people who lived close to death, they used to believe fervently in the past.

When the Central Temple somehow heard about these people who gathered to pray even without a proper temple, they sent priests to the borderlands.

People contributed what little they had to build a hut temple and welcomed the priests warmly.

However, after experiencing several demonic beast invasions, the priests fled without even saying goodbye. After that, believers disappeared from the borderlands.

“Hmm, they’re not hostile to us, but it doesn’t seem like anyone will come to the temple.”

While Byron distributed potatoes and Lydia distributed bread, they actively promoted the temple, but the response was lukewarm.

At least no one acted rudely, thanks to the widespread rumors that Lydia was the daughter  of Marquis Evansi and had brought grain and seeds.

Rather, everyone treated them kindly and sweetly, with some even approaching them warmly first.

However, as soon as they mentioned coming to the temple, everyone put on awkward smiles and hurriedly made excuses about coming when they had time.

“All that temple cleaning seems wasted now.”

When Lydia became dejected, Byron comforted her with a benevolent smile.

“Don’t think too hastily, Priestess Lydia. Maria and Nella said they would come. Ah, and old Robert said he would come too.”

What’s that. That’s just a gathering of outsiders, not believers.

“Priestess, faith isn’t something that can be forced. Young mas— I mean, Sir Arsen also said he would come with the knights. If we show such scenes often, others will gradually open their hearts too.”

Sir Arsen is coming to the temple with the knights? This was a good timing for the operation.

Though it would be better if Lydia went to find Arsen, it wasn’t bad to take advantage of the opportunity when Arsen came to see Byron.

If she clung to Arsen’s side and acted clingy, everyone would find it strange, and it would be easier for the Emperor’s men to watch near the temple than the Edis mansion, so she couldn’t miss this chance.

“Um, Priest Byron, I have something to tell you.”

Though she didn’t mind her reputation being tarnished by pursuing a man as a priestess, the devout Byron might be shocked by such behavior.

So Lydia decided to confide about this operation only to Byron.

“You’re saying those mercenaries were people sent by His Majesty?”

“Yes. If we chase them away thoughtlessly, the Emperor will surely suspect there’s a secret in the borderlands and keep sending people. If he sends someone to be Arsen’s adjutant, it will really trouble Sir Arsen.”

That would create a truly awkward situation where they couldn’t chase them away.

“So I plan to let them hear information that will appropriately catch the Emperor’s attention.”

“And that would be your romance with Sir Arsen, is that what you mean?”

“Not romance, my one-sided love. I’ll chase after Sir Arsen saying I like him unilaterally. Sir Arsen will push me away.”

A chase and rejection relationship. Byron nodded in understanding for now.

He also told her that when he winked at Arsen, that would be the signal to carry out the operation.

Byron prepared his heart not to be surprised when he saw scenes of Lydia showing affection to Arsen and Arsen coldly pushing her away.

Thus approached the first official prayer day at the temple. Maria, Nella, and some servants they had befriended at the mansion, along with Arsen and the knights, visited the temple.

Though exactly only the expected people came, since the temple was small it didn’t look empty.

Byron and Lydia successfully finished the first prayer, and stood at the temple entrance to see off those who were leaving.

While giving thanks to each person leaving, Arsen walked out of the temple unhurriedly.

Lydia didn’t miss that chance and winked at Arsen.

Arsen flinched briefly but soon understood the signal and nodded slightly.

“Sir Arsen.”

Lydia trotted over to Arsen.

“What is it?”

Arsen spoke stiffly.

“I have something to tell you, could you spare some time? Over tea!”

“Sure, when would be……”

Arsen, who almost reflexively agreed, hastily caught himself.

This was an operation, and if he accepted instead of pushing her away like in Count Wonde’s territory, Lydia’s brow might furrow and never unfurrow.

“I will contact you when I have time.”

When he gave this roundabout rejection, satisfaction flashed in Lydia’s eyes.

It seems his acting was natural this time.

“Alright, I’ll wait.”

Arsen only slightly bowed his head toward the brightly smiling Lydia and left without another word.

“……Hmm.”

Byron, who had watched the whole scene, let out a soft sigh.

If he hadn’t heard beforehand that this was an operation where Lydia clings and Arsen rejects, he would have thought they were setting up a date.

The words “I will contact you when I have time” were quite ambiguous.

In one way it sounded like a rejection, but in another way it sounded like saying let’s meet when I make time.

And to everyone except Arsen and Lydia, at least to Byron, it sounded like the latter.

Who makes that kind of look when rejecting someone? Is this operation really agreed upon with Arsen?

“How was it, Priest Byron? The other knights seemed fooled too, right?”

“Ah…… it seems so.”

Meeting Lydia’s expectant eyes, Byron couldn’t bring himself to say that probably no one would be fooled by such awkward acting.

“The Emperor’s men must have been completely fooled too.”

Well, would they really think as Lydia intended?

No, from the start, Arsen acted differently from Lydia’s intentions. Even to a priest who had never experienced romance, that wavering look in Arsen’s eyes as he gazed at Lydia was meaningful.

If Arsen had feelings for her, what should he do?

Byron wanted to raise Lydia into a proper priestess. But if Lydia remained a priestess, she could never be with Arsen.

Was it right for someone who has tightly closed the door to his heart due to wounds to offer the person he barely managed to open up to—his disciple—to the goddess? Was it right to send someone who promised to be a faithful servant of the Goddess back to the secular world?

Byron, troubled by these thoughts, went back to the prayer room to seek answers from the Goddess.

The Emperor’s men gradually revealed themselves in front of the now quiet temple.

They nodded to each other and dispersed again, and a few days later boarded a ship heading to Count Wonde’s territory.

“They’re finally all gone!”

The news reached Lydia’s ears too, who had been coming and going to the Edis mansion with various excuses to carry out the operation.

“I hope all that hard acting was worth it.”

Lydia curled up her lips, hoping they would spread the rumors that Richard would hate to hear most.

“We have people watching them too, so we’ll know if it was worth it when we wait.”

Unlike the delighted Lydia, Arsen’s response was quite indifferent. It wasn’t because he disliked the results.

They would probably move according to Lydia’s intentions. It was thanks to Lydia carrying out the operation while coming and going to the Edis mansion every day.

‘I have something to tell you, let’s have tea together, Sir!’

‘Priest Byron misses you, couldn’t you visit the temple more often?’

‘Since you brought me this far, shouldn’t you show me around the borderlands, Sir Arsen?’

Lydia would make excuses like running out of grain or wanting to see Maria to come to the mansion, and whenever she met Arsen, she would approach him like this.

Perhaps because of this, it appeared as if Lydia was showing affection toward Arsen.

However, they never actually had tea together. Lydia only proposed having tea, but in reality, she had tea with Mallan who visited the Edis mansion.

She toured the borderlands with Kedrick, while Randel frequently visited the temple. With Arsen, she only carried out the operation, nothing else.

That part deeply displeased Arsen. But he consoled himself that it was natural since they agreed to keep their distance.

Yet why did his cursed mouth run without thinking whenever he faced Lydia?

“Even though the Emperor’s men have left, our operation continues.”

“Of course.”

“Remember what you said, Lydia? That the operation succeeds only when even our allies are completely fooled?”

Arsen’s mind screamed to stop talking, but his mouth seemed to move with its own will.

“At this rate, it seems a bit weak.”

“Weak?”

“During the coup, my knights and I witnessed how you acted toward the Emperor.”

Despite his uncontrolled rambling, this was true.

Arsen and others had witnessed firsthand what lengths Lydia went to win Richard’s heart.

And at least, she had been far more aggressive than what she was doing with Arsen now.

“To fool us, shouldn’t you act the same way as back then?”

“The same way means……”

“Demanding skinship, barging into the office. Ah, you should also sneak into the bedroom at night.”

Arsen paused briefly before adding.

“Coming to the bedroom is fine, but please refrain from doing so in nightwear.”