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Chapter 34
As the priests and holy knights filed out of the workshop, the once-cramped space suddenly felt empty.
Isel pulled back her hood and hurried over to Ceres.
“Master! Are you alright?”
Her face had turned pale with worry. The moment she saw a blade pressed against Ceres’s neck, her heart had dropped.
Grabbing the hem of his clothes, she asked again,
“You’re not hurt anywhere, are you?”
“I’m fine. He only meant to threaten me, not actually cut me.”
Ceres gently patted her small shoulder, trying to calm her trembling state.
Color slowly returned to her pale face.
He looked down at her with a hint of concern, then suddenly stiffened and glanced toward Rahan.
But instead of glaring at him, Rahan seemed lost in thought. He spoke to Ceres.
“Were those people from the temple?”
“Yeah.”
At Ceres’s casual reply, Isel’s face darkened again.
“Master… did you get caught up in some misunderstanding?”
“Well, it’s not exactly a misunderstanding…”
Ceres hesitated, unsure how to explain.
Should he say that her sculptures were so extraordinary they sparked rumors of divine involvement?
But if he said that, then…
Ceres forced a faint smile.
“It’s just a small misunderstanding. It’ll be resolved, so don’t worry.”
Relieved, Isel’s expression softened.
Feeling a bit guilty for worrying her, Ceres quickly changed the subject.
“By the way, you didn’t bring a sculpture today?”
“Ah… I actually came to ask you a favor.”
“A favor?”
After a brief pause, Isel met his eyes and said,
“If my sculpture has been sold… could I receive the money?”
“Of course. I was planning to give it to you anyway.”
Relief spread across her face.
She had been worried he might be disappointed in her, but there was no sign of that at all.
Ceres led her into the workshop.
In one corner stood a safe about waist-high. He took out a key, inserted it, and turned it.
Click.
As soon as he opened it—
Clatter!
A cascade of something poured out onto the floor.
Gold coins spilled everywhere, filling Isel’s vision with a dazzling glow.
Even the coins that had fallen reached all the way to her feet, and the inside of the large safe was still packed full.
It was the first time she had seen so much money. She couldn’t even begin to estimate the amount.
“Ugh, it spilled again.”
Ignoring Isel, who stood frozen in shock, Ceres casually began gathering the coins.
Still staring, she asked,
“Master… what is all this?”
“What do you mean what?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“It’s the money from selling your sculptures.”
She went speechless.
“…What?”
“Why are you so surprised?”
“This… this is all from the sculptures I’ve sold so far?”
“No.”
At his firm answer, she let out a sigh of relief.
Of course. There must’ve been some mistake.
“This is just the money from the falcon sculpture sold recently. The rest is in the bank.”
“…What?!”
This time, she couldn’t stop her voice from rising.
Dizziness hit her, and she staggered.
Rahan quickly supported her and sat her down.
“Isel, are you okay?”
Both men bent toward her in concern.
She nodded weakly, trying to process everything.
Ceres wasn’t the type to joke about something like this.
That meant all those gold coins… were really hers.
Her heart pounded.
“Really… all of this…”
“If you take this certificate and key to the bank, they’ll guide you to your personal vault.”
He handed her an envelope containing detailed receipts of the money he had kept.
She accepted it with both hands and bowed.
“Thank you, Master.”
“The problem is, it’s heavy. You’ll need at least three or four men to move it.”
He was right.
Isel would have to make at least ten trips to carry it all herself.
She was about to say she could manage using her ring’s power, but Rahan spoke first.
“I think I can find two people right now.”
“What?”
With a meaningful expression, he asked them to wait.
Within minutes, he returned—with two men.
Ceres didn’t recognize them, but Isel did.
Even in plain robes instead of armor, she knew immediately.
Alec and Harris.
As she was about to ask what they were doing here, something clicked in her mind.
She quickly turned.
Ceres was leaning casually at the doorway, watching everything.
Isel frantically blinked at Alec and Harris.
“Ah—”
Harris quickly covered Alec’s mouth.
“Mmph?!”
Alec struggled, but Harris didn’t let go.
Rahan closed the door and calmly said,
“They happened to be nearby, so I asked them to help move the cargo.”
“…I see.”
Their eyes shot toward him.
“Nearby,” my foot…
They had been secretly watching the workshop.
Then the Grand Duke of Canox walked straight toward them.
Like a predator locking onto prey.
Harris felt his heart drop. Alec even let out a small scream.
Clearly, he had known all along.
Not human.
With a cold stare, he ordered them to follow him—and so they ended up here.
Unaware, Isel simply marveled at the coincidence.
Rahan smiled calmly, while the two knights burned with frustration.
That sly bastard!
In the end, Alec and Harris began moving the gold.
Isel followed them around.
When she tried to help, they firmly stopped her, leaving her empty-handed.
Once she moved away, Rahan asked Ceres,
“What happened earlier?”
Ceres understood immediately.
“You know about the rumors, right? That her sculptures carry divine blessings.”
“And?”
“The temple wouldn’t like that. So they came to investigate.”
Rahan nodded.
“What did they ask?”
“Basic things—address, appearance. I said I didn’t know. Oh, and I said she’s a bad-tempered old lady.”
That nearly got his throat slit, but he had no regrets.
Isel was precious to him.
He would never let her get hurt.
The temple had too much power.
They could easily prevent her from ever sculpting again.
And knowing her personality, she might even turn herself in out of guilt.
Ceres watched her struggling to carry a pouch of gold.
The ring on her pinky glowed faintly.
A divine relic, she had said.
After a moment, he spoke.
“Just in case… don’t tell her.”
Rahan replied,
“I won’t.”
But there was one thing Ceres didn’t know.
The rumors were true.
Even if the temple found her, she wouldn’t be punished—she’d be worshipped.
But regardless, Rahan had no intention of revealing her.
Whether imperial or religious, power always corrupted.
If exposed, she would be dragged into filthy political struggles.
But more than that—
He didn’t want others to know her.
His patience was wearing thin, like the ticking of a clock.
***
“Why hasn’t she returned yet…?”
“Do you think something happened?”
Leo asked anxiously.
After Isel left with the Grand Duke, neither he nor his father could focus on anything.
They had sent Alec and Harris just in case, but still felt uneasy.
Then—
A carriage appeared along the poplar-lined road.
They rushed outside.
The carriage stopped, and the door opened.
The Grand Duke stepped out first, then helped Isel down.
Seeing her unharmed, they sighed in relief—
But then another carriage arrived.
A cargo wagon.
Two men stepped out.
Alec and Harris.
They had been sent to tail her…?
The two knights saluted nervously and began unloading large wooden crates.
One after another, the boxes piled up.
Confused, Leo and the Count asked,
“Isel… what is all this?”
She hesitated, then answered,
“It’s the money from selling my sculptures.”
“What…?”
They froze.
Then Isel, eyes shining with hope, asked,
“Father… can we pay off our debts with this?”
