🔊 TTS Settings
CHAPTER 13
“Let go and let’s talk! Let go of me!”
No, seriously. I can walk out on my own!
Adelle shook off the priests who were holding her by the arms.
Seeing her being dragged out of the building, Jacqueline—who had been sightseeing around the temple—rushed over in shock.
“What on earth happened, my lady?!”
“…Can’t you tell?”
I got dragged out.
Dragged. Literally.
Adelle shook off the lingering hands and caught her breath.
One blink and she was already outside the temple. It had all happened so fast she hadn’t even processed it yet.
‘What the hell was that?’
It was so embarrassing and absurd that she let out a hollow laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it all.
The last voice that rang in her ears was the man’s, the one who had tilted his head slightly and looked her in the eyes as he spoke:
“This way out, please.”
“…Commander?”
“I regret that I can’t offer you a path of flowers, but I can show you the exact way.”
Immediately afterward, the priests had grabbed her arms.
Everything had gone so smoothly that it was shocking he hadn’t just thrown her out from the start.
“My lady! Did the conversation not go well in there?”
“Wait. Let me think for a second.”
“But seriously, who told you what to make it turn out like this—Ah, my lady, look!”
Jacqueline’s flustered voice suddenly quieted down.
Footsteps echoed behind her.
From the way she glanced between the approaching figure and the marble statue she had been admiring moments earlier, it was obvious who had appeared.
“M-my lady. Um… a divine revelation… The statue has awakened…”
“That’s a person.”
And a cold-blooded one, at that.
Adelle stepped in front of Jacqueline, blocking her, as the man approached.
The look of speechless shock on Jacqueline’s face was not unfamiliar to Adelle—and it made her heart ache even more.
So I must’ve looked just as dumb.
“…You didn’t need to come out here to confirm. You gave very clear directions.”
“Lady Adelaide.”
Under the bright sunlight, he looked even more divine than he had inside the temple. It wasn’t something one could deny, no matter how hard they tried.
Adelle stared at him in frustration as she straightened her sleeves.
“If you were going to be like this, why pretend to be some righteous golden ax–silver ax woodsman in the first place?”
“I’m not sure what you mean. And if this is about gold again—”
“No! I’m not giving you anything! I won’t!”
Worried he might drag her away again, Adelle hugged her arms tightly.
Killian’s lips twitched slightly, but she was too alarmed to notice.
“I’m not giving you anything, so don’t worry!”
“That’s a relief.”
He’s got a quick tongue, this guy.
Adelle glared at him in disbelief, but he didn’t even flinch.
The priests who had escorted her out were still nervously hovering nearby, so she lowered her voice.
For the first time, she was sick of always having to mind appearances and public opinion—even in moments like this.
“I’m seriously curious. Why ask me whether I wanted power or money? What if I had said yes?”
“Then you’d have been out here a little sooner.”
So blunt. Did he swallow a diamond or something?
Adelle covered her mouth to suppress a scoff.
If there was one good thing about dealing with a man as cold as a statue, it was that nothing embarrassed her anymore.
If she had been facing a normal man, she might have felt humiliated—but in front of this ice block, anything she said just disappeared into the void.
“My answer would have been the same regardless. If it was about that, I would’ve told you to wait for the Archbishop, who actually holds authority.”
“I didn’t realize that.”
Killian’s blue eyes darkened. He clearly hadn’t expected such a composed and elegant voice in response to his stern attitude.
“…The road down is dangerous. I’ll assign knights to escort you. That’s the most I can do for the Lady of House Sergio, in the spirit of courtesy.”
“…”
“Then, I’ll see you safely on your way.”
His black uniform, his disciplined posture, and his formal voice—
It all reminded her of a funeral service.
Even in this situation, he still upheld the code of knighthood, and while she admired it, she couldn’t help but feel that getting in a carriage provided by him might send her straight to the afterlife.
“No thanks. I’ll decline.”
“…Are you sure? During times like tonight—when the crescent moon rises—monsters are known to appear.”
“I appreciate the warning, but if you keep talking like that, I’m going to get the wrong idea.”
“…”
“Well then.”
Adelle gave a polite nod, and Killian didn’t try to stop her any further.
Leaving behind the slightly puzzled expression on his face, she turned away first.
She didn’t forget to grab Jacqueline—who was still gasping like a fish—by the collar as they left.
“M-my lady. Wait a moment. I haven’t even finished making my wish yet…”
“I told you, he’s a person!”
You could wish for a hundred days—he won’t budge.
Adelle didn’t look back as she walked away. Only after turning a corner did she finally stop.
She took a deep breath, and Jacqueline rushed to support her.
“Are you okay? Try to breathe slowly…”
“Phew… What an utter humiliation.”
She wanted to scream, but if she had, it would’ve looked like one of those chaebol meltdowns that go viral on TV.
No… this was a meltdown.
Proposing marriage to a man she just met—if this were Korea, it’d be a black mark on her family for generations.
The fact that she’d offer to live with a stranger for a year and give him anything he wanted was… not something to be proud of.
“My lady, please tell me you didn’t just propose to that… statue—no, I mean knight?”
“…Why would you say ‘please tell me’?”
“So you really did…”
Jacqueline pressed her lips together, unable to speak further.
That look. Been a while since I’ve seen that look.
The pity in her eyes was too much, and Adelle waved it away.
She felt like one of those girls who got rejected by a student teacher and was now crying behind the school building.
“It’s not what you think. I didn’t fall in love at first sight.”
“Ah… yes, of course.”
“It just happened that he met the conditions perfectly!”
“Which included… his face, didn’t it?”
“…”
“O-of course, not that someone like you would be swayed by just a face!”
At Adelle’s burning glare, Jacqueline scrambled to explain.
Surely, someone like Adelle wouldn’t propose just because of looks. Surely.
Well, “just looks” seemed like a criminal understatement in his case…
“Anyway, my lady, don’t be too upset. Just think of it as being rejected by a statue.”
“Thank you so much, Jacqueline. I had almost forgotten.”
“Still… isn’t it better than being led on? At least now you can give up quickly and—”
“Give up? Who?”
Adelle gave her a puzzled side glance.
“Nothing’s gone right yet—what am I supposed to give up on? If I hadn’t started this, maybe. But I’ve already drawn my sword. A woman doesn’t back down before she’s brought down at least one man.”
“B-but… what if he has a lover?”
“He doesn’t.”
“How do you know? With a face like that, how could he not?”
“Then why would someone with a lover let me into that place so easily? What if something had happened?”
“…Yeah, you’re probably right.”
Apparently, “like a baby left by the water” didn’t only apply to children.
For the first time since coming to the monastery, the two women saw eye to eye.
“So, are you really going to go back and rethink things? Aren’t you worried about monsters on the way?”
“Nope, I’m fine.”
“How can you say that so confidently—”
“I won’t run into any. No, I can’t run into any.”
Adelle shook her head firmly and looked around. The buildings surrounding the High Temple were massive, like an entire village of their own.
My lady is about to cause a stir.
Jacqueline, growing uneasy, tried to dissuade her.
“Don’t do anything rash. Just take a deep breath—see how clean the air is—”
“No, you look around. Where do the priestesses stay?”
“…Huh? Why?”
“Why do you think I brought you here?”
With a raised brow, Adelle turned Jacqueline around by the shoulders.
She hadn’t brought her here just to breathe clean air and enjoy the scenery.
Adelle whispered into Jacqueline’s ear.
“Come on, point it out. Where is it?”
Killian’s Office
“Commander, I’m sorry. I should’ve stopped her.”
“…She didn’t seem like someone you could stop.”
Killian’s voice was calm as he signed documents.
Vice-Bishop Samuel apologized repeatedly, but Killian waved it off.
“I don’t mind.”
“…Even so.”
“I believe there are still reports left to give.”
At Killian’s pointed reminder, Samuel flinched. As he said, the daily reports and temple updates were still pending.
He’s incredible…
To coldly throw out such a stunning lady…
Even if he had chosen the path of a holy knight, he remained utterly unshaken.
The paladins were still buzzing from Adelle’s visit.
Not all news needs rumors to spread.
In his twenty years in the temple, Samuel had seen only a few people who could change the air in a room just by walking in.
Commander Killian was one of them—but a young, beautiful woman in this male-dominated place caused far more of a stir.
Especially someone like Lady Adelaide—she had the perfect looks to cause chaos. Easily the most stunning person in or around the temple.
“When is the Archbishop expected to return?”
Even so, Killian had expelled her without hesitation. And now he was asking the most indifferent question, as if nothing had happened.
“Ah, it’ll be about two weeks. His Majesty the Emperor summoned him personally, so he can’t leave early. Seems the emperor’s condition is worse than we thought.”
The only sound in the quiet room was the scratching of his pen.
Rank wasn’t always about age—but no one caused tension like Killian did, not even the archbishop.
As Samuel wiped his sweat with a handkerchief, the paladins all straightened up.
“…Mikael, what’s the current situation outside?”
“This morning, the high priestess personally inspected the barrier. No abnormalities were found, sir.”
“Well, of course! That goes without saying, Commander!”
Unable to hold back, Sub-Captain Renald raised his voice. He had a rough personality but took great pride in guarding the monastery.
“Who would dare attack Mount Fidelio? Unless they’ve completely lost their minds!”
Killian’s brow twitched for the first time—but only briefly. He resumed signing without a word.
And then, under the guise of calm, Renald carefully brought up something everyone was curious about.
“By the way, Vice-Bishop Samuel… I heard that Lady Sergio visited this morning. Is that true?”
“Sub-Captain Renald.”
