CH 3

The High Priest had an ecstatic expression on his face without even realizing it.

Soon he nodded his head as if he couldn’t help it.

“I understand. I will send Liriette for His Grace the Duke of Windsorais, who always strives to protect the Empire.”

“Thank you for the favor of the High Priest.”

The two didn’t know.

That Liriette, who had been standing quietly in the corner, clenched her fists with a slightly flushed face.

‘Everything is going according to my plan.’

Villaim said.

“As the High Priest knows, His Grace Duke Windsorais is very curious. He doesn’t like to wait.”

The High Priest smiled and nodded his head.

“Alright. I will make arrangements, please come pick up Liriette in three days.”

After Villaim left, the High Priest spoke to Liriette.

“Liriette, you shouldn’t be excited about going out then talk nonsense. Stories like how you sometimes get whipped because you don’t listen to me.”

“…”

“If you say anything like that, it will reach me immediately. So you know what will happen, don’t you?”

The High Priest looked down at Liriette with a grim face and waved his cane.

It was a fierce threat that if she didn’t listen to him, she would be severely punished.

Liriette held her hands together and nodded her head.

“Yes, I will be careful.”

He gave a satisfied smile.

It was the expression of a loyal dog who would obey anything he said.

“Enough. Go and get ready before it’s too late.”

“Yes.”

Liriette answered obediently and left the room. She then entered hers and covered her mouth. 

“Eugh.”

She felt like she was going to vomit at any moment.

It was a phenomenon that only appeared when looking at the High Priest after regressing.

‘Still, I’m glad I can pretend nothing’s wrong.’

Thanks to that, the High Priest thought that Liriette was an innocent child who followed him unconditionally as before.

That’s why things went so smoothly.

‘He must think that I will return to the temple after meeting Duke Windsorais.’

It’s a stupid misunderstanding.

Liriette will not return to this hellish place.

Never.

Then, knock, knock. A slow knock was heard. Soon the door opened and Noelle entered the room.

She moved her hands and said.

[Lily. I heard the story. You’re going to visit the Duke of Windsorais?]

“Yeah. That’s what happened.”

Even the dullest Noelle could tell.

That all of this happened because of the letter sent by Liriette some time ago.

However,she didn’t ask what Liriette was doing.

‘Unlike me, Lily is a clever child. She must be thinking about great things that I don’t know about. I’m sure I won’t understand even if I hear it.’

Instead, Noelle did what she could.

She draped a white scarf over Liriette’s slender neck.

Liriette’s eyes widened.

Liriette always wore nothing decorative, only a stiff gray robe like the priests. It was the first time she wore such a soft scarf around her neck.

Noelle smiled and moved her hands.

[I bought it as soon as I heard you were going to the north. I heard it’s very cold there.]

The High Priest strictly prohibited priests from owning personal property or objects. That’s why the priests couldn’t buy anything without his permission.

Noelle, who read Liriette’s thoughts, moved her hands.

[Don’t worry. Because I got permission from the high priest. I said that Lily is going to a cold place and it would be a big deal if you caught a cold, and he agreed.]

Noelle said it insignificantly, yet Liriette could tell.

The High Priest must have been irritated, asking why she cared about such things. Although Noelle was terrified and trembling, she must have persuaded the High Priest several times.

“…Where did you get the money from? Noelle has no money.”

The High Priest never spent money for others. It was the same even with Liriette.

[That…]

Noelle laughed as if she was embarrassed.

After a while, Liriet, sensing something strange, removed the hood from Noelle’s head.

Her long, ebony-like black hair had been snipped off.

Looking at Liriette’s stiff face, Noelle hurriedly moved her hand and said.

[It’s fine. The High Priest allowed me to cut my hair. Don’t get mad. Really.]

Noelle didn’t know what to do, afraid that Liriette would be anxious because of her.

‘Noelle is as kind as a fool.’

Liriette looked at her with a complicated look and asked.

“Noelle, if there is an opportunity and you can go out to the temple with me, would you like to come with me?”

Noelle’s eyes widened at the sudden words.

After a while, she moved her hand with a face about to cry.

[I’m sorry, Lily. I can’t.]

Noelle has been wandering the streets alone since her childhood, which she doesn’t even remember. The High Priest brought young Noelle, who was about to starve to death, to the temple.

It wasn’t pure goodwill. It was just hypocrisy to show people.

Nonetheless, it was a salvation for she.

After that, she came to hold the High Priest like a god.

‘Noelle will never leave this place. Just like in my previous life.’

Liriette looked at Noelle with frustrated feelings, then she dug into her arms.

Noelle hugged Liriette tightly, and she said several times, difficultly.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, Lily.”

***

The High Priest called Liriette every day and said.

“Never say anything useless.”

“No matter what you say, say at the end that it’s thanks to the High Priest.”

“No matter what His Grace the Duke says, smile and be courteous.”

He smiled and continued.

“So, if he likes it, he will make a donation again, won’t he?”

Liriette barely held back the vomit that was about to explode.

After three days, the Knights of Windsorais arrived.

Unlike before, there was a huge white carriage in the center.

Villaim, who was at the front of the knights, moved his long legs and approached the High Priest.

The High Priest smiled brightly and greeted Villaim.

“Welcome.”

Villaim nodded, handed over a huge box to the man. The corner of the High Priest’s lips, who opened the lid of the box, went up to the tip of his ears.

It was the 2 billion gold Villaim has promised.

The High Priestess brushed Liriette’s hair with a happy face.

“Then go, Liriette.”

The part the High Priest’s hand touched was likely to rot and become filthy.

“Yes,” she replied, barely holding back the intense discomfort.

Then she walked in front of Villaim, who was waiting on the other side.

It’s already their second meeting, yet she still hasn’t adjusted with Villaim’s big body.

‘He’s really big. Just like a bear.’

Liriette thought so, put her hands together and bowed her head.

“Please take care of me, Sir Villaim.”

As she greeted him, he stared at the round top of Liriette’s head, which was clearly visible.

Divine power or something, in Villaim’s eyes, Liriette was just a small, fragile child that could be lifted with his little finger.

‘I can’t imagine that a child like this would be of any help to His Grace the Duke.’

Soon, however, he erased the thought from his mind.

‘It’s not for me to judge.’

He just did what his master told him to do.

Villaim said to Liriet with a blunt face.

“Get on the carriage.”

It was so scary that an ordinary child would burst into tears saying, “Huwaaaa, don’t take me!”

Yet Liriette nodded her head politely and climbed into the carriage. No, she was trying to get on.

Even though there were auxiliary stairs, the carriage was too high for her to climb easily. Villaim approached and heard Liriette whining.

Before she had time to say anything, Villaim gently lowered Liriette into the carriage.

Contrary to his formidable appearance, his movements were infinitely cautious.

Liriette’s face turned red all the way to her ears.

“Thank you.”

“It was nothing.”

Villaim closed the door after giving a short answer.

Liriette, seated in the chair, looked out of the window. Her eyes soon widened.

Through the pillars in the distance, Noelle was sticking her face out. She couldn’t quite see her because of the distance, but she could tell.

Her eyes were filled with concern for Liriette.

Liriette muttered in a trembling voice.

“I’m sorry, Noelle. I’m leaving this place.”