“I, hic. Just because I like the Border Count doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want with my entire life. I’m a priestess whom you hate enough to want to smash heads, so I have duties to fulfill. I won’t stay in your bedroom anymore. If you need purification, please come to the infirmary from now on.”

Evelyn shook off her wrist from Norton’s grip and turned toward the door.

“Who was it?”

His deeply submerged voice was intimidating enough to raise goosebumps. Evelyn stopped in her tracks. Her feet wouldn’t move. 

From the large man who walked over to block her path again, a cold anger was rising that made it difficult to breathe. Even knowing the anger wasn’t directed at her, Evelyn instinctively shrank back.

“Who was it? Who wagged their tongue and called you a mistress?”

“Hic.”

The hiccup that came from forcibly holding back tears sounded like an answer at that moment.

He grabbed the slender woman’s shoulders and bent down. He brought his face close and pierced her with his gaze, not allowing her to look away.

“Who did you meet today?”

“Hic.”

“Fine. You don’t even need to answer with your own mouth.”

“Hic.”

“Renner!”

While facing her, Norton called his aide in a loud voice. As Evelyn’s shoulders jumped in surprise, the door opened and Renner rushed in.

“You called, Your Excellency?”

Norton issued orders to his aide while looking into Evelyn’s round, frightened eyes.

“Bring me a list of everyone who entered the castle today.”

“Everyone… sir?”

“Everyone! Don’t miss a single ant, bring me everything. Find out if there are servants running their mouths carelessly, who barked like dogs without recognizing their master! Everyone, without exception.”

At the Border Count’s ominous shouting, Renner immediately left the infirmary to carry out the order.

“…Don’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“Please don’t do this.”

Evelyn felt miserable at the thought of becoming a burden to everyone again. She was also sad that nothing was flowing in the direction she wanted. She had no desire to torment those who had spoken ill of her. Yet the result had turned out this way again.

“You need to know how important you are to me and to this castle! If you don’t realize that yourself, you can lock yourself in the infirmary for a hundred days and no one will appreciate you.”

“I never asked to be appreciated. This is just the life given to me.”

“No, life should be lived the way you want it. Not the way it’s given to you.”

“…Still, please don’t do this to the castle people. I don’t want to cause trouble for everyone.”

“Then tell me who it was.”

Faced with Norton’s resolute demeanor, Evelyn hesitated briefly, then shook her head.

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“…I didn’t hear her name.”

“What did she look like?”

“…She was beautiful.”

“Ha!”

Evelyn studied his face. Aside from their significant age difference, he was an extremely handsome man. Both outwardly and inwardly.

Someone like the nameless woman she met earlier today, who said she would become the lady of the house, would suit such a handsome man.

“Please stop the investigation. I don’t like it.”

“Why?”

“Because it has nothing to do with that person. I’m angry at myself. I was pathetic and stupid. Forgetting myself was something I brought upon myself. So I just want to go back to my place now.”

Her small voice, muffled from suppressing tears, clearly expressed her thoughts. Yet to Norton’s ears, it sounded like she was asking him to hold her tight. Like she was wailing loudly and throwing a tantrum saying it hurt.

“Evelyn. I don’t want to leave someone who treated my lady disrespectfully alone, like you do. That would be humiliating to me.”

“Your Excellency, but…”

Norton cupped Evelyn’s cheek. His chest ached seeing her pale face, showing how deeply her heart had been wounded.

“I won’t let you get hurt. So look only at me. Listen only to my voice. If you make yourself sad, I will scold you too.”

“I don’t want to create any more discord here. Your Excellency, please…”

“No. I will show everyone clearly to whom this Norton’s heart is dedicated.”

Norton slowly sank down. Then he knelt before her on both knees and bowed his head.

“Your Excellency!”

The surprised Evelyn tried to stop him, but he resolutely lifted the hem of her skirt and lowered his lips to the top of her worn priestess shoes.

“Don’t do this, Your Excellency! Please get up. Someone might see.”

Like bowing his head before a deity, like offering a devout heart.

He kissed the top of Evelyn’s foot for a long time.

“Why are you doing this, really? Why to me? Sniff. What am I that you keep…”

When she finally slumped to the floor, unable to stand still with her foot held in that awkward position, Norton finally raised his upper body. 

When he tightly embraced the sobbing Evelyn and patted her back, she finally began to cry freely, burying herself in his chest as he held her so tightly she could barely breathe.

Norton returned to the castle carrying Evelyn, who had fallen asleep exhausted from crying. The servants gathered in the lobby waiting for their lord, who had left earlier searching for the priestess, all bowed their heads at once upon seeing his stern look signaling them to be quiet. The sight of the castle’s master cherishing the priestess was enough to imprint itself on everyone’s minds with just that one scene.

Late at night, entering the lobby filled with silence, Norton looked straight ahead. 

Behind him, as he strode forward, the quiet footsteps of the servants lined up in a long row followed, and they attended to the two with quiet yet coordinated movements until the lord entered the bedroom and laid down the woman in his arms.

Thus, Evelyn returned to his embrace once more.

* * *

Evelyn waited for the Border Count’s return while reading an old book she had taken from his study. It had been three days since the subjugation force had been organized and left for the border.

After falling asleep every night tightly enclosed in his large embrace, she felt emptiness for the first time in her life due to his absence. Strangely, like someone who had never slept alone before.

When news came that monsters had appeared near the border, Norton prepared with practiced speed and set out for the subjugation battle. Evelyn tried to focus on her book, not wanting to examine her anxious feelings. Though the pages weren’t turning.

She hadn’t yet received word that the knights had returned when the study door suddenly burst open, and without warning, the Border Count strode in like he was charging, with fatigue etched on his face. 

Evelyn put down her book and stood up abruptly. While she was scanning him with her eyes to see if he was injured anywhere, Norton grabbed and embraced her.

“Ah, Your Excellency.”

“Hah… Now I feel like I can live.”

“When did you arrive? I didn’t receive any notice.”

“Hmm. Just now. I came straight here because I couldn’t breathe.”

“What? What about the monsters?”

At Evelyn’s concern, Norton laughed incredulously before squeezing the slender waist he was holding even tighter.

He buried his nose in her delicate nape and took a deep breath. Instead of the disgusting smell of monster blood, the clear and refreshing scent of her skin purified him.

“Do you think I’m such a reckless fool obsessed with women that I would abandon monsters and come back?”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“The subjugation force will arrive tomorrow. Hmm.”

“Please wash up and rest quickly. You must be tired.”

“Yes. I should. Purification first.”

He lifted the hem of her skirt and firmly grasped her luscious b*ttocks. He deeply kissed the shrinking priestess, seeking her face, and moaned as he felt the clear and warm energy transmitted through his entire body.