Chapter 29

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Chapter 29

Verdo and I have known each other for years.

I didn’t mean to say anything like this. Grandfather believed in Verdo, so he must have sent him away.

“Hmm, it’s okay…”

“If the saint says no, I won’t do it.”

If it’s about my escort knight, then Lisandro had already filled that spot. I didn’t want to keep Sir Verdo next to me when he was training well in the temple.

Then he’ll be beaten up by Lisandro.

“I already have an escort knight, it’ll be Lisandro. If I think it’s dangerous later, I’ll ask you then.”

I politely rejected his and Grandfather’s suggestions.

Grandfather must be crazy.

If a saint, who is reputed to have neglected her duties, suddenly used a paladin as an escort in the yard where he also appeared in the temple, they will probably say that I am just using a subject while eating and doing nothing.

“…If that’s what the saint thinks.”

“Since you’re here, why don’t you have dinner—”

“No!”

Oh no. I forgot to shove some peaches.

As always, my words were cut off. Lisandro turned me around, his expression hardened with seriousness.

“Noonim, I don’t like it.”

“What?”

“That person eating dinner and just leaving.”

I thought I shouldn’t have made a suggestion when he hated it so much, and I felt sorry for Verdo for no reason.

Probably because I was being so unfamiliarly vigilant. As if he knew my feelings, Verdo spoke calmly.

“You don’t have to be sorry, Saint.”

“Pardon?”

“If I were in your position, I would have done the same.”

Frey, who was watching silently with his mouth closed, admired Verdo’s words as if he was interested.

Frey placed his elbow on his crossed leg and tapped my cheek with his hand. Then, with his chin clenched, he looked at me.

“You look like a child thrown out on the water.”

Frey tapped my nose and smiled softly. Then he looked at me as if nothing had happened and suggested.

“Why don’t we have dinner together? Lisandro, you’d better stop.”

When Frey, who had been still, suddenly agreed and then Lisandro was about to rant again, Frey first whispered kindly.

“It’s good to get along, right? What are you going to do if you keep being vigilant like this, and Noona leaves you alone while welcoming the guest?”

At Frey’s gentle tone, Lisandro’s broad shoulders flinched. I am amazed by Frey. Unlike before my return, it was not enough to grill Lisandro at will, so I just understood his behavior.

If this continues, I couldn’t take Lisandro with me. I am so tired. As if he noticed it, Lisandro bent and murmured softly.

“…Just eat dinner and go.”

Eventually, he accepted it.

That evening, Lisandro stayed really quiet. Even when I gave Sir Verdo some dessert, he held it in.

It’s so cute how he can’t say anything when his face shows disapproval.

I had a hard time holding back my laughter.

“Oh, you’re wearing this dress. And these shoes?”

“Yes.”

“What about your hair? Do you let it loose or tie it up?” His hand, which had been touching my neck, naturally moved to my hair.

Crossing my curly hair with his fingers, he asked. I beckoned to Uta.

“Bring all the accessories I’ll wear then.”

“Yes, Princess.”

Uta went out and Frey brushed his fingers through my hair.

“What about accessories?”

“I thought you’d ask.”

“Was it obvious?”

“You didn’t have to hide it.”

As soon as I turned eighteen, Frey asked me if I was disappointed with my debutante, including the dress, hairstyle, accessories, and atmosphere I wore that day.

I accidentally sent the letter a little late, so my debutante was already over by the time Frey received the letter.

Frey looked depressed, saying it was his fault.

“Who was your first dance? It must have been a meaningful debut for you, too.”

“It wasn’t very meaningful.”

Honestly, weren’t all coming-of-age ceremonies the same? Personally, I didn’t give it any special meaning.

Seeing that Lisandro was more happy to dance with me rather than being happy that he became an adult, it was something I expected in our family.

Still, it is very meaningful to dance with Lisandro, who was now significantly different from before my return.

Meaning, I did a great job.

That was that. When I was young, Frey could have been disappointed because the three of us were close friends. At that time, I wanted to quickly do my debutante. Since that day, I haven’t responded to the increasing invitations.

My excuse of being busy because I had too much work as a saint worked quite well. Even if they knew I wasn’t really busy, it was good because no one would openly say anything to me.

Was this how power tasted like?

I was slightly anxious that I might have learned of its sweetness too early, but I decided to use my rights given to me very well.

“It wasn’t meaningful?”

“It’s just making a social debut. And now I’m old enough to drink as an adult.”

“What about dancing?”

“I didn’t dance with anyone else other than my family.”

Before I could even step out, my father and Lisandro took care of me and defeated everyone who came my way, so I was able to comfortably act like a wallflower even during my debutante.

“Lisandro is so reliable”.

“…So you know how to compliment Lisandro?”

“Of course.”

Lisandro would hate to see me responding skillfully.

“Still it’s a shame. I wanted to do the first dance with Noona. I wanted to see you during your debut.”

With his eyes drooping, he sighed regretfully.

On that day, three maids, including Uta, transformed me like a doll. The mermaid-style dress was sprinkled with pink pearls as it went down, giving it a subtle glow. The overall pale pink dress became darker as it went down.

The shoulder part emphasized elegance by revealing the neck and shoulder lines with a top neckline.

The necklace was made of small pink diamonds, and the earrings were decorated with a long golden string in the shape of a flower, small sapphires glittering underneath.

The bracelet was made by melting gold in the image of the saint’s stigmata.

Honestly, it wasn’t a dress that a saint would wear. The party dress code of all time saints was unconditionally white.

I just wrapped myself in white from head to toe, as if to let them know that I was a pure white angel.

The color of the temple is white, but I thought it was too much.

However, as a person who is on a different track from the saints of the past, I wore it my way.

The temple also did what I wanted, but when I saw the dress, I was a little cautious.

Rather than worrying about whether I could wear it like this, I was worried about the countless words that would come to me.

So I said it straight away in one go.

“Now, let’s break that prejudice. Is there a law that a saint can only wear white?”

When I was in the temple, I followed the rules there. I wore a robe and behaved reverently. But I didn’t want to do that even outside. I couldn’t speak openly because my mother was watching in the back and the temple was watching from the front. I didn’t even pay attention to those who were talking behind my back.

Since I had decided not to live as a saint anyway, I expected that bad things would come out about me from behind, and I had prepared my mind.

After all, if I stay still and consistent, they will soon get used to me.

Frey took turns looking at the dress with me. Then he buried his face in the palm of his hand and let out a hot breath.

“I shouldn’t have traveled until you made your debut. I shouldn’t have even trained.”

“You would have delayed what you have to do just because of my debutante? Does that make sense?”

“What do you mean, ‘just’? Noona is my first priority.”

Raising his buried face, he rubbed his forehead against my shoulder. He was like a cat, so I stroked his hair habitually.

“First of all, you.”

“Yes.”

“Go out to the garden. Do you know the place where I bought a tree recently?”

“The garden that grows strange trees?”

“Before you put it on there and raise it, stay calm.”

It’s not a strange tree. It is a tall tree that smells like mint that has been imported not long ago because I was bored. There are not many people who usually raise Toltic trees. Because I usually grow flowers rather than trees that pierce my nose. It’s good for landscaping.

I bought it out of curiosity because I thought its scent would really pierce my nose, and it definitely pierced my stuffy nose.

I didn’t have anything to say because I already bought it when it’s already grown.

“My nose is not stuffy.”

“If you go straight to the left from there, there is a flower swing. Stay there.”

“Can’t I stay here?”

“No, you can’t. Hurry up and go. I’ll be right there.”

Sadly, he fiddled with his fingers for a long time and then he went out. When the door shut and heard his footsteps moving away, I ordered Uta.

“Dress me up the same way when I debuted. As quickly as possible. You can do it, right?”

“Of course, Princess.”

Uta turned on the lights in his eyes and started preparing.

“Oh, it’s so annoying.”

Yurenia sighed under her breath in her puffy dress. Fortunately, the dress she wore a year ago still fit her perfectly. In the meantime, she was a little anxious because she only just ate, but still, it seemed like she was doing something wrong.

Just like her debutante, she had her hair braided, tied back, and rolled up in a round shape.

After inserting a red rose just like that day, she headed to the place where Frey was.

Honestly, if it were someone else, she wouldn’t have worn it again to recreate my debutante. But since it’s Frey, since he’s a younger brother that she cherishes like Lisandro, so there’s no reason she couldn’t show it to him when he wants to see her like this.

It’s been a while since they saw each other, and she had received a lot of gifts during the time he was away, so in return, she could at least show this.

With his beauty, how could she not be moved when he looked so sad?

As she headed to the garden with my back straightened, she saw Frey sitting on a flower swing, his legs crossed.

He looked up at Yurenia right then as she approached.

The appearance of Yurenia walking through the blooming flowers was so beautiful that she could very well be mistaken as one.

Frey’s body flinched at the sight of her looking so noble. The smile that always hung on his lips had disappeared, and his mouth was firmly closed. As if he didn’t want to miss anything, his pupils looked at Yurenia without shaking.

Just in time, the wind and the scent of flowers mixed with her scent. He couldn’t take his eyes off her as she had the appearance as fresh as spring.

With her skin, like white jade—like snow, it felt as if he would freeze if he touched her.

It felt like he was in front of an unknown god that should never be touched.

At the same time, he was filled with a desire to fill her entire white skin with his traces.

Leave only his traces.

His clenched fist trembled. An unbearable thirst arose. He gritted his teeth and endured it.

There was a burning pain as the red tattoo on his neck glowed.

[ W-Wait. ]

His body was moving with the sudden swirling heat. Ignis was startled by the sudden change in emotions. Frey knew how to hide his emotions to the point where anyone would think he wasn’t human.

But right now, as if the floodgates had been opened, those emotions couldn’t be contained as they wanted to overflow.

His eyes full of heat desperately wanted the saint who was right in front of him.

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