4. Philodis Cathedral

Rihanel’s blue eyes wavered.

Janet had called him Nel, and like in the water before, it seemed this woman still thought of him as the boy with that name.

But he had abandoned that name long ago.

Nel Siphren died the day Janet Wilton set fire to the cathedral and abandoned him. What stood before her now was not Nel Siphren but Rihanel Reynes.

Rihanel got out of the carriage with a stiff expression. Then he silently extended one hand to Janet, who was still inside.

A gesture of escort.

And silent pressure to hurry and make an appearance at this scene.

Janet glared at that hand with resentful eyes. The expression of the woman who rarely showed emotion rippled violently. The lower lip she bit hard would surely be injured.

Seeing her so agitated almost weakened his resolve, but that couldn’t happen.

This was the site of Philodis.

If he hadn’t brought Janet at all, it might have been different, but now that they were here, she had to do her part.

“Get out.”

“No, Rihanel.”

“Get out now, Janet.”

“……”

The woman slowly shook her head. Now her expression was pleading. She seemed to be trembling.

Meanwhile, the murmuring of the people gathered at a distance behind Rihanel had quieted down.

Not because they had lost interest.

Rather, because they were too focused.

The witch who burned down the cathedral and her husband hosting a charity event on the cathedral grounds. They were curious about what conversation these two might be having, so they hushed their voices.

Though they couldn’t approach too closely to openly eavesdrop, everyone perked up their ears hoping to catch something of this intriguing scene.

And Rihanel was well aware of these gazes.

“If you come here but refuse to get out, what kind of reaction do you think will pour out from over there?”

Rihanel glanced behind him and asked Janet in a subtle voice. When Janet didn’t answer, he laughed lightly as if she were pathetic.

Janet clutched her skirt tightly. Her head was spinning and she felt nauseous. She forced out each word with difficulty,

“…People’s, reactions, are not, important……”

“They are important.”

Rihanel, all traces of laughter gone, leaned into the carriage. Then he spoke in an eerily low voice,

“They’ll say that even after spending five years in prison, you haven’t properly repented.”

“……”

“That if you truly repented, shouldn’t you be begging for forgiveness here from God and Father Lapel’s soul?”

Janet’s body stiffened. More than people thinking that way, it seemed Rihanel himself thought that way.

Rihanel lowered his gaze to Janet’s hands tightly gripping her skirt. He placed his hand on top of hers with a fluid, gentle motion.

A hand with the warmth of spring rested on the back of her ice-cold hand.

The touch that seemed like it might comfort her had no such tenderness; instead, it mercilessly pried her hand away from her skirt.

“Janet. If you don’t repent……”

Rihanel gripped Janet’s hand that he had picked up. Though he was controlling his strength, Janet still felt pain.

“They might say they’ll put you back in Adif.”

Despite his rough actions, his voice remained remarkably gentle.

Janet looked into Rihanel’s cold eyes.

Put her back in Adif, they said.

Who?

Rihanel?

Did this cruel man know what kind of place that was? Would he treat her this way even knowing how horrific those five years of memories were?

“I…!”

Janet opened her mouth, wanting to say something.

And then.

‘You say it was difficult, but that’s obvious. Did you expect to be comfortable in prison?’

A voice as if in disbelief.

For a moment, it seemed like Rihanel had said that.

Janet took shallow, trembling breaths.

It was her hallucination.

The strength left Janet’s hand.

In the end, she couldn’t say anything.

What could she say?

To this man who despised and hated her, there was nothing she could say.

***

“So what are they saying?”

Panianna frowned deeply and asked the person next to her. The person shook their head, saying they didn’t know. Because the couple was whispering to each other, no one could hear what they were saying.

“Well, I guess he’s probably telling her not to be too nervous? They are newlyweds after all.”

Next to her, people were just making wild guesses. Though it wasn’t a particularly pleasing guess, it seemed the most plausible to her as well.

It was bad enough that Rihanel was holding an event at such an ominous place, but why were they acting like the couple of the century?

People were already whispering about how he could bring that woman here at all.

Whether that unusual woman had volunteered to come herself or Rihanel had persuaded her, the picture was certainly quite strange.

But what could she do?

“Hmph, sure.”

Panianna put on an exaggerated smile as if pleased. And inwardly sighing “oh my, oh my,” she fanned herself.

“Oh, they’re coming this way.”

Rihanel and Janet walked together toward them. The low murmuring suddenly rose about five tones higher.

“Oh, Duke, you’ve arrived!”

“Hello, Madam. Congratulations on your marriage!”

“To prepare such a meaningful event, I’m truly moved!”

“How did you come up with the idea of operating the Philodis orphanage?”

All kinds of praise and questions poured out to the Duke and Duchess of Reynes.

Operating the Philodis orphanage? Janet wondered if she had misheard something.

But she hadn’t. This charity event hosted by House Reynes was, to be precise, a charity event for the children of Philodis orphanage.

Rihanel, who had somehow become the center of attention, firmly held Janet’s hand as she clung to his arm and said,

“It’s thanks to my wife.”

“Ohhh!”

Thanks to his wife? It was a statement with quite a lot of room for interpretation, but people first let out an “oh” of admiration.

React first, interpret later! Interpretation came after the reaction.

Fortunately, they had Flan, the duke’s assistant and a competent commentator, so they didn’t have to think too hard.

“The Duchess of Reynes was very saddened by the loss of the orphanage, so the duke built a new orphanage during her absence.”

“Ah, I see!”

So in simple terms, while his fiancée was in prison, the considerate duke cleaned up the mess.

Flan had beautifully packaged the duke’s completely incomprehensible statement once. Then people dissected that beautiful meaning and reassembled it again.

That’s how the purpose of this Philodis orphanage charity event was explained.

That’s when it happened.

“Patron!”

Children from the orphanage came running out. Rihanel’s expression brightened. He unwound Janet’s arm from his and spread his arms, lowering his waist.

“Yay!”

Children with bright expressions ran to Rihanel and hugged him. Janet stared at the scene blankly.

There was a sense of nostalgia in that scene. The children at the orphanage where Janet had visited as a patron didn’t run and hug her like this. They would line up and shout “thank you” instead.

Had Nel… looked at me with such a happy and bright face like this too?

“Janet, this is the Philodis orphanage that House Reynes built.”

Rihanel stood up and pointed to the orphanage building. The windows and frames had been replaced with neater ones, and the surroundings were filled with elegant plants. The wide sandy playground that used to spread out in front had been replaced with green grass.

However, the basic structure and framework remained the same as before.

The very building where Nel Siphren had been.

“What do you think? You said you really wanted to come back and see it.”

Rihanel lied without even wetting his lips. They hadn’t discussed this orphanage even once since eight years ago.

“It’s quite a connection that Duke Reynes would build an orphanage here when he probably had never been to this place before.”

People expressed their admiration toward Rihanel.

And for good reason—no one knew that Rihanel Reynes had lived in Philodis.

Even his aunt Panianna, though aware that he had lived somewhat difficultly as a commoner, didn’t know he was from this orphanage.

“The duke insists so earnestly that the children should be able to grow up freely. He provides more than sufficient support for both the children’s lives and education.”

The orphanage director smiled contentedly as she spoke.

Janet looked at the director and the childcare teachers behind her. Neither she nor the other childcare teachers were nuns or priests.

This was not the Philodis Cathedral orphanage founded by Father Lapel, but the Philodis orphanage established by Rihanel Reynes.

None of the people who had previously constituted Philodis remained.

“Well then, shall we enjoy the party?”

Rihanel smiled brightly.

Under the clear sky, the melody of soft string instruments played.

People scattered across the green grass. The white tables placed here and there were filled with elaborate food, refreshments, and drinks.

Already, pleasant noise echoed through the wide space.

And while people hesitated whether to approach the ducal couple or not.

“At the end of the event, there’s the host’s commemorative speech. You’ll join me on the platform then.”

Rihanel explained the event to Janet as if giving a simple briefing.

People were already whispering just because she was here, and it was obvious how much more they would talk if she went up to a place where all attention would be focused.

Yet how could he speak so nonchalantly?

Even though he had deliberately brought Janet here and couldn’t possibly be unaware of this fact.

“…Yes.”

Reluctantly, Janet nodded. Having attended this party with him, she couldn’t avoid her obligations.

But Rihanel wanted more.

“When you go up, you’ll need to say a few words too.”

“…Me?”

This time, a voice mixed with a breath escaped like the wind. Rihanel nodded.