WHPR 35

Chapter : 35

Year 531 of the Imperial Calendar, Central Temple of the Papal State, Vedes.

Five years had passed since that incident.

Kaiden was still in Vedes.

There was nowhere else that would take him in after being expelled from the royal family, and he himself didn’t want to go to the Aden Empire where his father and Felix were.

As always, Kaiden spent his days reading books and, in the dead of night, swinging his sword to train his body.

He didn’t want to live, yet his mother’s last words remained like a curse, keeping him alive.

But sometimes, when emotions surged over him like a tidal wave, he calmed himself by hurting himself.

It was the only path available to someone caught between living and dying.

He paused his training for a moment and stared at the wounds he had inflicted the previous night, then lifted his head at the sound of movement.

“Who’s there?”

He was certain someone was present.

He looked around cautiously. If someone had business with him, there would be no need to hide. Could it be a spy?

The Pope was known for being suspicious, so it was likely he had assigned a few guards.

“Should I just ignore them?”

If someone from the Pope’s side had been sent, ignoring them would avoid unnecessary hassle.

Kaiden clicked his tongue lightly and started to turn away.

But at that moment—

Thud.

A sound too heavy to ignore reached his ears.

He looked over, helplessly.

At the end of his gaze, a girl with silver hair and blue eyes was staring at him with fascination.

Kaiden looked at her with a displeased expression.

At fifteen, he was already taller than most adult men, while she was small and fragile.

If handled carelessly, she might break.

When their eyes met, the girl panicked and tried to run.

But she was quickly caught by his hand.

“Who are you?”

He doubted such a naive-looking girl would be a spy, and judging by her hair color, she was clearly affiliated with the temple.

Those whose sacred energy had manifested always had silver hair.

For this reason, among commoners, silver was considered a lucky color, and families regarded it as an honor when sacred energy manifested later in life.

Entering the temple as even the lowest-ranking priest guaranteed a steady meal, and if she became a temple priest in a major city or the capital, she could feed her family for life.

“An apprentice priest, maybe?”

Among the priests of Vedes’ Central Temple—the most prestigious—no one would be unaware of Kaiden’s presence.

Even if they didn’t know, they couldn’t fail to recognize him once they met his eyes.

After all, everyone knew the story of how the empress had committed suicide due to a divine prophecy.

Yet judging by her reaction, she truly didn’t know him.

“She should have gone pale the moment she saw me.”

The girl caught in his grip seemed either accustomed to it or curious, staring at him with wide eyes.

“Hey, aren’t you going to answer?”
“What’s your name?”

She didn’t answer but instead countered with a question.

Kaiden couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

“I asked first…”
“If you tell me, I’ll tell you too.”

Not wanting to argue with someone so stubborn, Kaiden hesitated.

If she knew my name, how would her expression change?

The beast who brought misfortune to the Aden royal family?
The shameless child who killed his own mother?

After some thought, he decided not to reveal his surname and only gave his first name.

“I’m… Kaiden. You?”
“I’m Jenaida Hamon.”

Hearing the surname Hamon, Kaiden stared at her blankly.

It was the surname of Cardinal Lucian, who became Pope after Gregory VII.

“…Are you the Pope’s foster daughter?”

Clerics were originally forbidden from marrying or adopting children.

This was to prevent hereditary succession in a religion that valued purity.

But when Cardinal Lucian became Pope, many things changed.

Sexual education was implemented, and clergy were allowed to date, marry, and even adopt parentless children if they wished.

This sparked heated debate; supporters praised it as purifying a corrupt religion, while opponents mocked it, saying the new Pope came from a lowly background.

In the midst of this, Gregory VIII deliberately adopted a foster daughter to provoke the opposition.

That daughter was none other than Jenaida Hamon, the girl Kaiden was holding.

“What are you doing here?”

This type was sure to be troublesome if involved.

Kaiden clicked his tongue and let Jenaida go, but she clung to him eagerly.

“You were training here last time too, weren’t you?”
“…Uh, when did you start spying on me?”
“Spying? I just saw it.”
“I only train at night.”

Nighttime was when everyone slept, except for the night guards.

Being the Pope’s foster daughter, she wouldn’t handle mundane tasks like the night watch. So she must have sneaked into the temple to watch.

“You should stay in the palace. What are you doing here?”
“I also live in the temple.”
“Not the palace?”

Though the Pope spent most of the day in the temple, he always returned to the palace to rest unless praying overnight.

Kaiden ate, slept, read, and trained at the temple. He did not pray.

The Pope never objected.

“…I only go to the palace occasionally.”

Her expression seemed somewhat dark, but Kaiden didn’t care.

In Vedes, she was someone precious.

It made no sense for a cursed beast like him to worry about her.

“Enough. Go back before anyone sees you.”
“No! I can’t sleep.”

The girl’s stubbornness made Kaiden press his forehead in exasperation.

“Go.”

His grim voice did nothing.

“Will you teach me swordsmanship?”

Jenaida pointed at the sword he held. Kaiden glanced reluctantly between the sword and her face.

“Sword?”
“Yeah, I watched for a few days. You’re good with it. Teach me. I want to learn.”
“Then get a sword teacher. Aren’t you the Pope’s foster daughter?”

She muttered to herself, pouting.

“But… I want you to teach me.”

Seeing Jenaida sulking like a wet puppy tugged at a corner of his heart.

He scratched the back of his head and sighed briefly.

‘I should send her away…’

If he sent her now, he would keep thinking about her expression.

‘Well, I can just let her tire herself out while teaching.’

She was still young. If it became too hard, she would soon lose interest in swordsmanship or turn to something else.

‘Her physical ability isn’t great either…’

Women generally find it harder to build muscle, making them physically weaker.

Some women overcome this to become knights, but they must endure several times more hardship than men.

“Can you come out at this time every day?”
“Every day?”
“Not every day… six days a week.”
“I can! You’ll teach me, right?”
“Yes.”

Her determination to come six days a week… how long would she last?

Kaiden didn’t have high expectations. Learning something new is fun at first, but most give up once progress slows.

‘Maybe two weeks.’

He snorted inwardly and handed her a practice wooden sword, taking another for himself.

“Duel practice?”

She asked innocently. Kaiden smiled slyly.

“How can I fight someone who doesn’t know the basics?”
“……”
“First, I’ll teach you the basics.”

Kaiden’s expression carried a certain slyness as he spoke.