“Ah, I’m sorry.”

Rael, who had been heading to the dining hall in good spirits, was apologizing to Bastian outside the entrance.

“Feeling sick?”

“No… it’s not that…”

The moment she had stepped into the dining hall, the food smells had made her stomach churn, forcing her to rush back outside.

Until now, she hadn’t thought her morning sickness was severe, but perhaps the change in environment had suddenly made her more sensitive. The combined aromas of various foods hit her all at once, overwhelming her senses.

“Morning sickness, I guess.”

Hearing her explanation, Bastian wondered if this was why Rael looked thinner than before.

“I’m not usually like this… Maybe it’s because all the food smells came rushing at me at once…”

This was Rael’s first experience in a dining hall that prepared large quantities of food. She had never been in a situation where so many different food aromas mingled together.

In the Demon King’s Castle, the kitchen had prepared small portions of only her favorite foods, and the dining area was spacious and well-ventilated. She hadn’t realized how sensitive her condition had made her to food smells.

“I suppose I’m just not used to it. Sigh, sorry. I didn’t expect to react this way.”

“No need to apologize. Would you like to eat in your room instead? I can bring you only the foods that don’t bother you.”

“Oh, that would be too much trouble.”

“There you go with the apologies again. Just do what you always did. Feel free to boss me around like when we were kids.”

When Bastian, who had been showing only his gentle High Priest side, slightly furrowed his brow while speaking, Rael burst into laughter. It really did feel like they had returned to their childhood.

“I can’t keep relying on you every day, so I should get used to this. Let me take a deep breath and bring some food to my room myself.”

Rael had clearly grown stronger since the days when she used to whine to Bastian as a child. If she was going to stay here, she needed to adapt.

“Let’s go. This time I’ll try to endure it! I’m mentally prepared!”

Seeing Rael smiling brightly while trying to put on a brave face, Bastian felt a twinge of sadness. Still, she was right that she needed to face this situation and get accustomed to it.

“Alright. Let’s go. Tell me if it gets too difficult.”

All he could do was offer his support.

* * *

“You don’t need to eat here with me.”

“It’s fine. I’m neither heartless enough nor busy enough to leave you alone for your first meal.”

Rael had put only the foods that appealed to her on her plate, but she still couldn’t bring herself to eat in the dining hall. Instead, they settled at a table in an open area of the garden.

Eating among the grass was actually quite pleasant. It felt somewhat like a picnic.

“Starting tomorrow, I’ll take my meals to my room.”

“Does the food taste alright?”

“It’s surprisingly delicious!”

Despite her earlier nausea from the food smells, the meal itself was quite palatable. Perhaps it helped that she had mostly chosen refreshing items like salad.

“That’s good.”

Rael’s first meal at the temple turned out to be not bad at all. Once her hunger was somewhat satisfied, she asked Bastian:

“How do you find life at the temple?”

“Same as always. Temple life is basically the same day repeated 365 times a year.”

“But at least you have those cute children around, so it can’t be boring.”

“True.”

In the distance, they could see children racing down the corridor toward the dining hall.

“They look like little mischief-makers. Do you spend much time with them directly?”

“In a small temple like this, responsibilities aren’t strictly divided. If someone is absent, I fill in, things like that.”

“Life here seems interesting. Not as rigid as in the capital, I imagine.”

“That’s right.”

Bastian had come here from the capital about a year ago, shortly after being appointed High Priest. Rael had meant to visit after hearing the news, but her busy life had prevented it. She never dreamed she would end up visiting under these circumstances.

Life in the countryside seemed to have a relaxed quality that differed from the capital. Bastian, who had always been gentle by nature, now appeared even more serene. She thought he might soon blend into the background like air.

“Don’t you ever want to go back to the capital?”

“I’m content with life here. The only thing that worried me was you, but now that you’re right in front of me, I have nothing to miss.”

“You must have worried about me a lot.”

Rael smiled happily.

“Of course I worried about a troublemaker like you.”

“I worried about you too, so let’s call it even.”

Bastian responded with a playful scolding, saying she never conceded anything.

“High Priest. There you are.”

As they were finishing their meal, a priest called out to Bastian.

“What is it?”

“Well, you need to approve this document today, but I couldn’t find you anywhere…”

His gaze briefly shifted to Rael, who offered a friendly nod.

“Ah. This is Morchen, one of our priests.”

“Hello. I’m Rael.”

When Rael greeted him, the priest bowed politely in response.

“This is my childhood friend and family. She’ll be staying here for a while, so get acquainted.”

“Oh! Your friend! I’ve never met any of the High Priest’s friends before!”

“Bastian does have a rather limited social circle, doesn’t he?”

“Nothing but priests around him!”

Rael laughed at Morchen’s comment. Bastian was the type who attracted many people due to his warm nature, but rarely formed deep friendships. It seemed his childhood tendencies remained unchanged.

“Here, I’ve signed it. Now hurry along and get your lunch.”

“Thank you! I’ll head to the dining hall then. Enjoy your meal.”

“Yes. See you again, Morchen.”

After he left, Rael stared at Bastian before speaking again.

“Don’t you have any friends besides me? I mean, not just colleagues.”

“I’m too busy to make friends.”

“Goodness. The thought that I might be your only friend gives me chills. Make some friends soon, or you’ll die of loneliness.”

“Isn’t one enough?”

“I won’t be by your side forever, you know.”

At those words, Bastian’s lips protruded in a slight pout, but Rael merely smiled.

“Still, I’m glad you don’t seem lonely here.”

“You should stay here longer too.”

“An uninvited guest like me would only drain the temple’s treasury if I stayed too long.”

Though Rael spoke with a mischievous expression, Bastian wasn’t joking. This wasn’t a hasty judgment made after just one night—he genuinely felt that Rael was like family to him, and it was only natural that he should take care of her. His sentiment resembled that of a child caring for their parents.

“Let’s see just how much you drain, whether enough to make the temple totter.”

Bastian’s personality seemed to have become more playful than before. He had grown older too, after all, and couldn’t remain the same green youth forever.

With her stomach full, Rael leaned back lazily in her chair, taking in the garden view while digesting her meal.

“Now that I’m full, I’m craving some fruit.”

Of course, she thought it wasn’t her but the baby who wanted something to eat.

“What would you like? An apple? A peach?”

Bastian started to rise, intending to fetch fruit from the dining hall.

“No, I should get used to doing this myself. Just keep me company.”

Rael declined his help once again. Though accepting help once wouldn’t be a big deal, something about it made her uncomfortable. She already felt bad about asking him for such a difficult favor and didn’t want him cleaning up after her. Moreover, she felt such tasks weren’t Bastian’s responsibility.

‘Then whose responsibility would it be?’

Puzzled by her own feelings, Rael suddenly recalled a dark-haired figure who had once brought her armfuls of peaches.

“Peaches…”

Why had they tasted so sweet and delicious? She hadn’t expected Rubellan to come to mind so suddenly.

“You want peaches?”

When Bastian asked about her murmured word, Rael shook her head.

“No.”

She felt that no peach she ate now would taste the same.

* * *

The day passed peacefully, without incident or emotional drain. Rael went to bed early in the evening, the lack of an afternoon nap catching up with her as drowsiness set in early.

As she slept soundly, beads of sweat began to form on her forehead. Despite the weather not being hot and her blanket not being thick, she was drenched in sweat.

“Ugh…”

Groans escaped through her clenched teeth. Her deeply furrowed brow indicated that her dreams were troubled. Her eyelids twitched violently, looking ready to snap open at any moment.

“Hnn…”

A sob-mixed breath escaped her lips as Rael thrashed about, seemingly being chased by something in her dream. Though she wanted to wake up, she couldn’t, and struggled for quite some time.

“Haah!”

When her eyes finally flew open, her vision was surprisingly clear, not like someone who had just awakened.

She could see the ceiling above her bed. Rael flexed her fingers, which felt numb, and wiped the sweat from her forehead. Her entire body was drenched, clothes clinging uncomfortably to her skin. 

Though getting up in the middle of the night was bothersome, sleeping in this state was too unpleasant.

“Phew.”

Rael rose from the bed to change her clothes. Even as she changed, her racing heart and trembling hands suggested the dream had affected her deeply. 

Yet the moment she had opened her eyes, she had forgotten what she had dreamed about. It seemed to have been something frustrating and sad. She felt uneasy.

‘Maybe I should take a walk around…’

Having missed her chance to fall back asleep, she thought it might be better to tire herself out a bit. Praying in the empty prayer room also seemed like a good idea. Whatever she did, she needed to shake off this unpleasant trembling.