“T-That, that’s, G-Giselle Grand Priestess isn’t the only one troubled. I was quite perplexed as well. Uh, I had prepared a welcome greeting for the family head, but it all fell through, didn’t it?”

Dietrich Lester spoke, recalling his gruff and fierce nephew.

Dietrich was the half-brother of the previous duke, Joseph Lester, who had adopted Sched.

As there was quite an age gap with Joseph to begin with, and because Joseph had adopted Sched when he was already grown, there was only about a five-year age difference between Dietrich and Sched.

Strictly speaking, Dietrich’s peers were closer to Sched’s age.

Therefore, he had been preparing a welcome ceremony for family head Sched Lester with great care for the past few days.

‘I was planning to give him a surprise…’

When it came to disappointment, Dietrich was no less than Giselle.

“It seems that Duke Lester still needs to learn more about proper etiquette.”

Giselle’s beautiful and haughty voice flowed through her clenched teeth.

Dietrich glanced at Giselle’s expression and heaved a deep sigh.

‘She seems to be quite hurt in her pride…’

And rightfully so.

To be honest, Giselle Marlhein was a woman too good for Sched Lester.

Giselle Marlhein was at the pinnacle of priestesses.

Among the current priestesses, none were born with as strong a holy power as hers.

Even the Pope was lacking in the ability to handle holy power compared to Giselle.

She had saved countless lives, changed destinies, and was thus revered as sacred.

There was even a large statue of Giselle standing in the largest Grace Square in Marlhein territory.

This also signified Giselle’s influence and power.

As priestesses gained their qualifications solely based on ability, there were no separate restrictions on marriage and family life.

Therefore, priestesses were one of the pillars of power constituting the empire and also a key currency in political transactions.

Consequently, Giselle Marlhein was the most excellent bride candidate and the most valuable currency in the empire.

Before her engagement to Sched, the number of marriage proposals that flew her way was too numerous to count.

Giselle had the right to choose the most suitable man among the unmarried men in the empire.

And, her choice was Sched Lester.

In other words, this engagement was not Sched selecting, but rather being selected.

‘I never imagined she would choose Lupus as her husband.’

Although the Marlhein family was relatively progressive and open-minded, they were still traditional nobility.

Moreover, she was a priestess. Belonging to that temple known to be more conservative than even the imperial family.

The shock at that time was indescribable.

Those who opposed? There were many.

‘There were even assassination attempts against Sched Lester…’

There were more than a few men who died of anger at the fact that Lupus had stolen her from them.

Both her family and the temple constantly nagged her to reconsider the engagement.

But who was she? She was Giselle Marlhein.

A woman who does what she sets her mind to. A strong, stubborn woman with a bit of a temper, unswayed by others’ words.

She eventually got the engagement she wanted.

Even the great Sched Lester couldn’t refuse the engagement she had decided on.

Well, he’d be a fool to refuse.

How could Lupus possibly refuse when the goddess herself was offering her blessing?

After the engagement to Giselle, his position became secure, and Duke Joseph Lester willingly passed on the duke title to Sched Lester on his deathbed.

Giselle Marlhein’s influence played a big role in Sched Lester inheriting the duke title.

And yet, he dared to stand up his fiancée.

“Grand Priestess Giselle is right. How could Duke Lester do such a thing!”

The other priestesses following Giselle also poured out criticism against Sched.

Dietrich watched this scene and laughed awkwardly.

Giselle then glared at him sharply.

“Do you find this situation amusing, Grand Priest Dietrich?”

“Ah, no…! It’s not that, um, I just wondered why you’re getting so angry. Didn’t you know Duke L-Lester was like this even before the engagement?”

Dietrich was the kind of person who, despite stuttering, said what needed to be said.

He thought their reactions were rather surprising.

“H-Has Duke Lester ever taken the easy path until now?”

Even after entering the duke’s family, Sched Lester had always taken on the toughest tasks.

There probably wasn’t anyone in the empire with more battle experience than him.

‘Is it because his life is too boring?’

A maverick creating historical anomalies.

Although he carried all sorts of rumors and titles, somehow he seemed indifferent to everything.

When Giselle proposed engagement, he was nonchalant; when inheriting the duke title, nonchalant; even when dramatically winning on the battlefield, nonchalant.

In such a position, he could have entered high society, managed connections, and enjoyed parties…

Sometimes it seemed like he was trying to create extreme events to make his life more interesting because it was too monotonous.

He had no hesitation in going into life-threatening battles and was indifferent to gossip that everyone criticized behind his back.

‘Sometimes it seems like he’s deliberately causing trouble.’

Sched often looked disappointed that after causing a tremendous incident, it wasn’t as interesting as he had thought.

As if some part of his soul that felt joy in life was broken.

Dietrich, as a member of the Lester family, had relatively more opportunities to interact with Sched, but he had never seen him smile.

Whether at victory banquets or when someone congratulated him on his engagement, he was always the same.

So it wasn’t particularly surprising that he ignored Giselle Marlhein and headed to the cursed land, Ideana.

“Hey, it’s been a while since the engagement, b-by now you should have figured out your fiancé’s tendencies. Grand Priestess Giselle…”

“So are you saying this situation is my fault, Grand Priest Dietrich?”

“Well… to some extent?”

Dietrich raised an eyebrow once.

At that, Giselle’s fist trembled beneath her white priestess robe.

Dietrich thought it fortunate that Giselle was a noble priestess and a well-bred lady of the Marlhein family.

Otherwise, that quivering fist would have immediately struck the middle of his face.

Dietrich recalled the days when he was at the monastery with Giselle.

When Dietrich was preparing for his formal priesthood ordination before graduating from the monastery, Giselle was a stormy new student who had just entered.

Her status as the daughter of the Marlhein marquis family alone aroused great interest in the monastery.

However, Dietrich remembered the sharp voice that resonated through the monastery while he was studying for the exam to become a formal priest.

“You bullied them!?”

Followed by the sound of children wailing.

When he put down his pen and looked out the window, he saw a pretty girl standing triumphantly with clenched fists in the middle of the monastery.

In front of her, a boy with a nosebleed sat slumped on the ground.

Soon after, he saw the monks and priests of the monastery rushing out in surprise.

“This child kept teasing Helen!”

‘To talk back to a priest like that, she must have been spoiled rotten and doesn’t know her place…’

Dietrich had clicked his tongue as he watched Giselle refuting the priest with wide eyes.

Fortunately, backed by the power of being the Marlhein family’s daughter, Giselle didn’t receive severe punishment.

Even after that, the boisterous girl remained at the top among her peer novices.

If there hadn’t been people with holy power scattered throughout the monastery, there might have been scars somewhere on Giselle’s pretty face.

Certainly, Giselle had been an excellent general candidate since childhood. If she hadn’t been born with holy power, the Marlhein family would have raised her to be a knight or a general.

However, fortunately, she underwent a dramatic and perfect socialization, becoming a beautiful and sacred grand priestess adored by the public.

“I need to hear a sufficient explanation from Duke Lester about this matter…”

“Grand Priestess Giselle!”

At that moment, a maid following Giselle came running from afar.

Giselle then lowered her sharply raised eyebrows and turned to look at the maid.

“What is it, Justin?”

Giselle asked in a much gentler voice, erasing the sharp tone from just moments ago.

Dietrich shuddered.

She was an impressive woman in many ways.

“Well, a messenger has arrived from Marlhein,”

Justin’s face was full of bewilderment.

Somehow, he had an ominous feeling.

And that premonition turned out to be exactly right.

“They say Duke Lester has set fire to Port Brillon…!”

The maid Justin said, holding out a letter with trembling hands.

“…What?”

“W-What did you say?”

Giselle and Dietrich’s eyes widened simultaneously.

Brillon was a port in Marlhein territory, not even in Lester territory.

Why would he suddenly set fire to Port Brillon when he said he was going to Ideana?

Giselle hurriedly unfolded the letter Justin had handed her.

Dietrich fidgeted with his long silver hair, anxiously waiting for Giselle’s reaction.

And soon, he saw her quietly moving her lips again, offering a prayer to the deity.

‘Such a devout person…’

It seemed the news the maid had conveyed was true.

“M-May I take a look at that news…?”

Dietrich cautiously asked Giselle.

“Ha, do as you please. I suppose the Lester family will be contacted soon anyway.”

Giselle handed the letter to Dietrich, suppressing her irritated voice.

The sender of the letter was not from the Marlhein side, but from Sched’s.

He began by apologizing for burning down Port Brillon in Marlhein.

But he didn’t seem particularly sorry, and it seemed more like a courtesy greeting.

The content stated that he had already paid sufficient compensation for the port’s restoration and the burned ships, and that the Lester family would provide support funds for the fishermen who had lost their livelihoods for the time being.

He also added that if anything else was lacking, they should bill the Lester family.

The writing style was so businesslike it could have passed for a report.