WDYEHM 27

Seph’s day started a little later than the other maids’.

After getting dressed, Seph checked the temperature of the water and filled a washbasin. Then she headed toward the room of the young lady she served.

As she climbed the stairs in the hall, Seph unconsciously stopped walking.

Every time she looked at the hall, that day came back to her mind. Even after several years, the memory remained vivid.

That day had been Young Master Ellen’s coming-of-age ceremony, during the banquet.

It was here that Orte had been slapped by Duke Weekend and collapsed.

“Even if you kill me right now, I won’t be disappointed anymore.”

Those words, spoken together with a bright smile that looked strangely relieved, resurfaced in her mind.

A chill ran down Seph’s spine, making her shudder as she hurried her steps.

That incident had already happened years ago.

Seph stopped in front of the room of the master she served. She knocked twice on the door at a pace that was neither too slow nor too fast before opening it.

A gentle breeze blew in.

“Miss. Did you sleep well? I brought water for washing.”

“Mm.”

At the faint reply, Seph raised her head.

She saw a figure sitting on the windowsill, letting the wind brush against her.

The lush hair fluttering in the breeze slowly settled, revealing part of her face.

Her delicate features were perfectly arranged within her slender face. Straight brows, sleepy eyes blinking lazily beneath them, a sharp nose, and pale pink lips.

Perhaps because of her unusually pale skin and thin frame, she looked even more mature for a seventeen-year-old with one year left before adulthood.

There was no trace left of the small, ignored thirteen-year-old lady Seph had first met.

Orte climbed down from the windowsill and washed her face briefly.

Watching Orte slip on her indoor shoes, Seph quickly brought over a shawl and draped it around her shoulders. Unless she was receiving guests or going outside, Orte always wore only her nightclothes with a shawl thrown over them.

Dragging her slippers lightly, Orte left the room.

Quietly following behind, Seph took her usual place outside the door when Orte entered the library.

Meanwhile, after stepping into the library, Orte noticed the caretaker’s seat was empty.

Having arrived before the caretaker, she picked up a nearby book and sat on the windowsill.

The moment she opened the book, she became absorbed in it.

But soon, the sound of horses neighing made her turn toward the window.

The luxurious carriage of the Weekend Ducal House was leaving the estate grounds.

Seeing Duke Weekend’s face faintly through the carriage window, Orte touched her cheek.

Then she lightly scratched it with her fingernail.

It was not enough to hurt, yet she quickly withdrew her hand, as if she had never dug her nail into her skin at all.

‘Come to think of it, it’s already been four years.’

A few months ago, Orte had turned seventeen.

Her fourth life had begun at the age of thirteen, and four years had already passed since then.

Every time she looked in the mirror, she could feel herself gradually becoming closer to the eighteen-year-old Orte she remembered most clearly.

During the year after Ellen’s coming-of-age ceremony, she had encountered them only a handful of times.

Partly because Orte avoided them, but even taking that into account, it was strangely rare.

‘There’s no reason for them to avoid me.’

They were not the type of people to feel guilt over a few words she had spoken.

Ellen was probably busy preparing to become a knight now that he had come of age, while Duke Weekend and Clef were often away from the estate due to preparations for new business ventures.

‘Less than a year left.’

Until Yvonne appeared.

Orte slowly calculated the time.

For reasons she did not know, whatever effect her words at Ellen’s coming-of-age ceremony had on them, even Ellen picked fights with her far less often now.

Even when Clef and Duke Weekend happened to cross paths with Orte, they simply ignored each other.

‘We should’ve been like this from the start.’

She had never realized how comfortable this was.

‘So today is the day.’

Tracing back the date in her mind, Orte sank into thought.

She remembered this day clearly.

It was neither someone’s birthday nor an anniversary, but it was unforgettable.

“The day I got engaged.”

Orte murmured quietly.

On this day in the past, about two months after her seventeenth birthday, Duke Weekend had gone to the Imperial Palace and returned with Casey.

And Casey, who had never met her before, proposed to her.

That was how they became engaged.

Of course, there had been no ring or bouquet—only a single document.

Even so, Orte had liked that engagement.

Because she could be of help to Duke Weekend, and because her unexpected fiancé had been incredibly handsome and polite.

To Orte, who had known nothing but neglect and hurt, Casey had seemed like a savior.

That was a story from when she knew nothing.

The unpleasant memories that surfaced ruined her mood, making Orte click her tongue softly.

At that moment, a familiar carriage stopped in front of the ducal estate.

“Huh?”

Caught off guard by the unexpected visitor, Orte climbed down from the windowsill and left the library.

“Miss? Is something wrong?”

Seph looked puzzled at Orte, who had come out much earlier than usual.

But Orte had no time to answer. Clutching the hem of her nightdress, she quickly hurried away.

“Miss!”

Seph urgently tried to follow her, but the shawl blown off by the wind made her turn back to pick it up.

“What’s going on?”

Clef, who happened to be passing through the corridor, picked up the shawl Orte had dropped.

Seph quickly bowed her head.

“Young Master. The miss suddenly started running, so…”

At her words, Clef looked out the window.

A carriage from the temple stood in front of the Weekend estate.

And Orte was slightly raising her hand toward someone.

It was someone familiar to Clef as well.

A priest who visited whenever he traveled between the temple and the estate.

“Johan.”

“Lady Orte!”

The priest hurried toward Orte.

“What’s wrong? You came so suddenly.”

“It’s nothing serious. I had some business at the Imperial Palace, and while returning, I thought I should speak with you for a moment. I’m sorry for arriving without even sending word first.”

“It’s fine. Come inside.”

Clef handed the shawl to Seph as he watched Orte enter the mansion while being escorted by Johan.

“Make sure she doesn’t cause unnecessary trouble.”

“Yes, yes, Young Master.”

Seph carefully stepped back.

After bringing Johan into the estate, Orte headed straight for the drawing room.

“This mansion is truly luxurious. It has a different kind of beauty from the grandeur of the Imperial Palace or the temple.”

“Come to think of it, Johan, you’ve only ever seen the hall.”

Seph entered the drawing room carrying tea and simple refreshments.

“Thank you.”

Johan thanked Seph as he lifted the teacup.

Rubbing the handle of her cup, Orte looked at Johan.

Over the past four years, Johan had become an official priest.

At some point, he had become exactly the same as the Johan in Orte’s memories.

“The tea tastes wonderful.”

“It’s made from tea leaves found only in the eastern region. I’ll prepare some for you next time you return to the temple.”

Johan widened his eyes.

“That’s not what I meant, but since Lady Orte is offering it, I’ll gladly accept.”

Orte gave a faint smile.

“By the way, what brought you to the Imperial Palace?”

“Ah, it’s related to what I wanted to tell you.”

“What is it?”

“A new Cardinal has appeared in the temple.”

“What?”

Orte set down her teacup and asked again.

A Cardinal held the second greatest authority in the temple after the Pope. It was not a position one could attain simply by being born with powerful holy power.

Because Cardinals possessed enough authority to act as the Pope’s representative whenever the Pope was absent or unable to move, they had to fulfill dozens of strict requirements.

And above all else, they needed the approval of the Main God.

The reason Orte was so shocked was because, until now, there had never once been a new Cardinal.

Seeing Orte so visibly surprised for once, Johan smiled faintly.

“You were shocked too, Lady Orte. I was also informed only recently by His Holiness the Pope and His Eminence, so I’m still bewildered myself.”

Although only one year had passed since Johan became an official priest, his influence within the temple could not be ignored, considering the Pope himself had personally brought him in and educated him.

The fact that the Pope and the Cardinal—who treated Johan almost like a son—had informed him only afterward showed just how sudden this matter truly was.