Chapter 65

He suddenly became a medicinal herb, but Ian seemed satisfied with it. A beam of light seemed to come from the eyes looking at me. He was just staring though I could tell that it was a pretty good expression.

Although it took a while for the high priest to look at me with strange eyes… If he was good with it, then everyone was good.

“He means something as precious as a medicinal herb. Priest Ian wants to remain in the Duchy, and I hope that Priest Ian will also remain in the Duchy.”

As soon as I finished speaking, there was silence. The High Priest gave serious eyes and looked at Ian in turn. No matter how low the positions of the priests were, I could feel the power in his eyes, perhaps because he was the head of a certain group.

As the expression disappeared from his kindly smiling face, I also felt that his impression was quite strong.

His strong eyes and my eyes met each other. I didn’t avert my eyes, and neither did my opponent. Being like this… It seemed to be a love triangle with Ian. Right?

“Yes. I see.”

It was the High Priest’s simple and clear answer that caught my thought that almost seemed to be drifting in a strange direction. The High Priest, who answered with a strong voice, opened his eyes again and showed a kind smile towards me.

“Ian, if there is such a person in the Duchy, I can let you go with peace of mind.”

“What?”

“Actually, I was very worried. Wasn’t it difficult for you to get along with others, even in the temple? But will you be able to survive in the presence of such high people? …My concerns made me send you a letter earlier.”

Ian’s eyes fluttered.

The High Priest, who continued to speak with a kind expression toward Ian, reached out and took his hand.

“But, to think of you so well and besides, to come out and tell me that they want you to stay… I can let you go with my good heart.”

“High Priest…”

“Ian, if you ever miss the temple, you can come back. I will forever be your father, and you will forever be my son.”

The High Priest, who had said good things to Ian, did not sit for long. I asked if he wanted to stay longer, but he only shook his head. He said he just wanted to talk to me separately, so instead, he and I decided to walk around the garden for a bit.

“Ian is a soft-hearted child. He didn’t get along easily with others… For some reason, the priests didn’t like Ian that much either. He was so pitiful that I loved the child.”

I nodded my head mechanically, listening to Ian’s story as if he was sending me his ex-lover.

“But now that I think about it, the advice or actions I gave to the child… might have killed his spirit..”

After giving a self-reflection, the High Priest stopped for a moment and offered a short prayer. At this sudden prayer time, I paused and rolled my eyes.

“To me, he really is a precious child. Please take good care of Ian. ”

The High Priest bowed politely. He was much more respectful than when I first met him during the day. His bent waist was almost 90 degrees. I thought that if he was such a person, Ian would call him father.

The High Priest went back in a carriage provided by our mansion. Later, if he had a chance, he promised to come again.

Permission for Ian to live in the Duchy was easier than I thought. I was worried that I might have to throw away my dignity as the princess and hold on to his pants… So the High Priest left, and I headed back to the parlor.

“Priest Ian.”

“Miss Selina.”

Ian, who was sitting in his seat and staring blankly at the side table, got up and greeted me. Glancing behind my back, he seemed curious about the High Priest.

I sat opposite Ian, who got up from his seat.

“The High Priest got back safely. He seems like a good person.”

“Ah, yes. Right. He is a good person.”

Ian nodded his head and sat down.

“Honestly, I didn’t know he would allow it so easily. He usually doesn’t like me using my abilities.”

“Oh, right? Then, did he know about Priest Ian’s power?”

“Yes. He did…”

A dark shadow fell on his expression as he said that. Even though his face seemed to have a story, I was not interested in other people’s personal affairs, so I didn’t dig further.

“It is all thanks to Miss Selina that I have come to the Duchy.”

Ian opened his mouth while stirring the teacup left behind by the high priest with a teaspoon.

“Me?”

“Yes. The day I first saw Miss Selina, I actually came out to the square without the high priest’s knowledge. Originally, the high priest didn’t like me going out alone. ”

It was not like Ian was a child, and he was restraining a young man over twenty walking around alone?

An incomprehensible question arose in me, but as soon as I thought of my situation, it subsided. I was not in the position to have anything to say about it, as it was almost something happening in my life, too.

“However, until recently, the High Priest had been vacating the temple for a long time to pray. So I closed my eyes and came to the square with an errand as an excuse. And there, I saw Miss Selina.”

I nodded. I remembered my first meeting with him.

Lucas had a lot of sharp edges on his face that was close to scary. I thought Ian was the new villain as well. Still, the scary-looking guy healed my broken knee and left.

Ian didn’t say whether he was thinking of the same day as me.

“It was very impressive to see you rescue a child from a plight in the plaza.”

…Huh?

It seemed that the first meeting with him that I knew had to go back more than I thought. Did Ian see that crazy thing I did…?

“It was different from me, who had no courage and always lacked confidence. So when I got to help later, I was very happy.”

“…If you helped…knee? Or the head?”

Ian shut his eyes.

I thought he was surprised that I casually mentioned a head injury. Sometimes when I casually talk about that day, people around me always react like this.

“The knee.”

“Aha, the fireworks.”

“Yes, well. So, I was really happy that I came into this mansion, and the Princess told me that you needed me.”

It was a strange thank you. Honestly, what have I done?

He healed my hurt head, healed wounds and scars on my arms, and replenished my stamina whenever I got tired… Yes, thinking about it, I almost felt guilty about whether it was too much labor exploitation to hold Ian here.

“I am very grateful. You are always working hard for the Duchy and me. ”

“No. I’m just doing my job. I should be more grateful.”

I ended the story by nodding my head, thinking that if I continued here, a ridiculous thank-you battle would begin. I gazed at the man with a hard expression looking at me. Now that the High Priest’s matter has been resolved, my business remains.

This was the ‘find a hobby’ that had been delayed.

“Priest Ian.”

“Yes.”

“Do you have any hobbies?”

Ian’s hobby was painting.

I was a little surprised that everyone has their own hobbies. Anyway, I came up to my room with Ian and asked Jane for drawing tools. Fortunately, there were drawing tools in the house, and Jane quickly prepared them.

“I am not good at drawing because it is just a hobby.”

If so, that was a relief. In the past, when the other person was so good at my hobby… Well… It looked weird.

I rolled up my sleeves.

I thought it was quite enjoyable to draw with a pencil on the small white canvas that Jane brought. After thinking about what to draw, I decided to draw a cake. At this point, I was starting to think that it was not Aiden and Jane who actually liked cake, but me.

I moved my hand.

After graduating from high school, I hadn’t drawn a picture, but it felt different after a long time. Drawn lines are gathered to complete one figure, and figures are gathered to complete a piece of cake.

I put down my pencil and picked up my brush. I didn’t know how to use a brush correctly or how to use paint, so I just filled them in appropriately. While it was not my favorite cake, I wanted to draw a chocolate cake today.

I applied a mixture of dark colors and painted the strawberry pink on top.

Before I knew it, I was completely absorbed in the painting. To show so much concentration on only drawing one cake, if other people saw it, they might think it a bit funny.

After I moved his hand, a piece of cake was completed on the small canvas. It was pretty good for a first painting, wasn’t it?

I nodded. After a satisfactory work, I glanced at Ian’s results.

I didn’t believe in religion, but there were some things that I knew were forbidden by religion—don’t eat beef, don’t drink alcohol, and don’t lie. Regardless, didn’t the priests have the image of being honest?

“Priest Ian. Are there any words that Lady Ariana gave you not to tell lies?”

“Yes, there is.”

If so, Priest Ian had just committed a sin.

Ian’s canvas was gorgeous… No, it was modest. It was simple, yet colorful, and the color harmony was excellent. It was a masterpiece with pure white puffy clouds flowing over the blue sky and wavy blue sea and green grass below.

“Liar.”

Hearing my little murmur, Ian opened his eyes wide and looked at me. I turned my head to Jane, pretending not to see him.

What did you think of, Jane? Wasn’t Priest Ian a liar?

As if she had read my thoughts, Jane nodded reverently with a serious face.

“You are drawing for the first time. Though you drew it very well, Princess.”

Ian, who gazed at me, looked at my picture and then gave a light compliment. He didn’t seem to be lying.

It felt a little strange because it seemed like a compliment I had not heard in a very long time. Of course, it felt like a great singer applauding the kid being cute in front of them…

“After drawing, it’s good to write the date. A picture makes a good diary. Writing is not the only thing that leaves memories. When I look at a painting, the day I painted it naturally comes to mind.”

I nodded.

Date…

I picked up a pencil and wrote a small date at the bottom of the canvas. Since the paint was not applied in that area, the pencil easily left its mark. I grabbed the canvas with both hands and put it at a distance, examining it one more time.

Yes, well… As Ian said, it doesn’t seem that bad.