Louise’s tense eyes met his, as if she had heard Hedrick’s report.

“What is this about, without any prior notice?”

“It seems there is something to discuss regarding the demon. He said he wanted to talk about the details in person.”

Sched hesitated for a moment before stepping on the stirrup again and swiftly mounting Gardwell.

“Louise, I will go ahead, so take your time coming back.”

Even without long words, Louise understood his meaning.

It meant that while he met with Dietrich, Sched wanted Louise to avoid him, considering it would be awkward for her to meet the High Priest.

As Louise quietly nodded, Sched headed straight to the Recherdam mansion with Hedrick.

‘What is Dietrich thinking, coming all the way here?’

Sched thought as he rode his horse.

What reason would Dietrich have to leave the central temple of Paradel and come here in person?

He could have sent a lower priest or a knight stationed in Paradel to convey a message.

The fact that he came here himself must mean it was a very serious matter…

His instincts rang an ominous alarm bell.

“High Priest Dietrich.”

Sched, who had hurried back to the Recherdam mansion, greeted the High Priest who had arrived first and was waiting for him.

The High Priest, who had been sitting on the sofa in the parlor, stood up, adjusting his glasses at Sched’s appearance.

“Lo-Lord Lester! It’s been a long time. May the God be with you…!”

Dietrich greeted nervously, rubbing his hands.

It had been nearly four years since they had last met, as Sched had been away on an expedition to Blankas and then served as governor.

After the heretic hunt, the temple highly evaluated Dietrich’s merits, and his reputation had soared.

In case the sprouts of heresy sprouted again, Dietrich, who had volunteered to be the High Priest of Ideana territory, had been staying in Paradel, bestowing blessings on Ideana.

Perhaps because people around him had been eagerly supporting him, Dietrich’s face had brightened quite a bit in the meantime.

Somehow, he seemed to have a more sociable air about him than before.

Sched thought it was a good change for Dietrich, who had a passive and eccentric aspect.

“What brings the High Priest here?”

“Well, I came to see Lord Lester, of course.”

“I mean, why have you come?”

Sched spoke clearly, standing next to the sofa instead of sitting down.

Dietrich rolled his eyes in embarrassment, seeing Sched not even inviting him to sit.

Somehow, it felt like he was not being welcomed.

“Well, there seems to be a change in the Prunig Mountains, so I came to talk about that….”

Although his stammering had improved a little, his voice gradually lost confidence and shrank.

“A change in the Prunig Mountains?”

As the purpose became clear, Sched’s sharp demeanor softened a little.

He belatedly offered a seat to the High Priest and sat on the sofa across the parlor.

While the maid prepared tea and snacks, he talked more deeply with Dietrich.

“The e-eternal snow has spread further in the Prunig Mountains.”

“Then, does that mean the master of the mountain has awakened?”

Sched’s expression turned serious.

Dietrich nodded, fidgeting with his hands.

The Prunig mountain range, which forms the northern boundary of Ideana.

Thanks to the natural barrier of high mountains covered in eternal snow, Ideana could be safe from foreign invasions.

But now, the eternal snow there was spreading more and more.

As an Ideana native, Sched had grown up hearing about what happens when the eternal snow descends to the middle of Mount Prunig.

When Gellevan, the master of the mountain and the dragon that brings frost, awakens from his long slumber, it snows even in Ideana.

“Well, it’s not certain yet. Winter is coming, so it may just be that snow is starting to fall little by little in the Prunig highlands. But there are rumors in the north that the master of Prunig is on the move.”

When the harvest season passes, winter comes to Ideana as well.

Perhaps it was just an early winter wind blowing through the deep valleys.

However, it couldn’t be completely ignored either.

“I think it would be best for you to come to Paradel and discuss it closely with the cardinals….”

Sched pondered, resting his clasped hands on his knees.

If it was a matter related to the dragon Gellevan, it was right to go to Paradel, the central city of Ideana.

“Besides, with the Harvest Festival coming up soon, it would be better for you to be in Munchen or Paradel at times like this rather than Recherdam….”

Dietrich’s blue eyes glanced out the window.

Ah, the Harvest Festival.

Sched exhaled lightly.

He had been a little negligent for the past few years while in Blankas.

During the peak harvest season, when hardworking farmers finish harvesting, the Harvest Festival begins.

As one of the biggest events of the year, the role of the lord is important.

In Blankas, due to geographical and physical issues, he only received reports on paper, but now that he had returned to his main territory, it would be good to show his face in person.

In many ways, it was a situation where he had to go to Paradel.

‘…I really can’t stay in Recherdam forever.’

Although he had come here first for Louise and Eve, considering his position, he couldn’t live in Recherdam for the rest of his life.

“I understand. Let’s prepare after the meeting.”

Sched nodded as if he understood.

But then.

“Will Lady Riana also go to Paradel together?”

Sched’s brow furrowed at the name that came out of Dietrich’s mouth.

“Riana, you say?”

“I heard that you returned together with Lady Riana.”

Dietrich’s face lit up with a pleased look.

“…Where did you hear that from?”

“Everyone knows that Your Excellency has been searching for Lady Riana, don’t they? I also tried to help find Lady Riana after hearing Your Excellency’s story….”

Dietrich said awkwardly, touching his lips.

Even the Bitel family, known for their unrivaled intelligence, had not produced any meaningful results, so there was no way the High Priest in Paradel would have had any success.

But he had also tried to find Riana in his own way.

“…Why are you looking for her, High Priest?”

“Pardon? Oh… well, what was the reason Your Excellency was looking for her?”

Dietrich blinked his eyes dumbly and asked.

It was an innocent and clumsy question, but somehow it sounded like he was interrogating Sched.

“…Are you saying it was for my sake?”

As Sched’s eyebrows furrowed irritably, Dietrich quickly turned his gaze to the ceiling and avoided it.

“Anyway, that’s amazing. I thought it was really mysterious how she disappeared without a trace. Is Lady Riana in good health?”

Sched frowned.

He didn’t know what efforts Dietrich had made to find Louise.

But it was a separate matter that he knew Louise was here.

Sched had not informed anyone outside about Louise.

He hadn’t sent anyone to Paradel either, so there shouldn’t have been anyone to pass on the news…

‘However he found out, it’s become a headache.’

Sched looked at the High Priest’s exceedingly naive face.

However the news had spread, it would look even more strange to hide Riana from Dietrich now.

“She will remain in Recherdam.”

“Pardon? Why?”

“…Is there a reason she shouldn’t?”

Sched asked back calmly, picking up his teacup.

“Oh, no. That’s not it, but isn’t she the woman you searched so hard for?”

He seemed to not understand why Sched would separate from her now after spending years searching for Riana.

“There’s no need to take her to Paradel.”

“I see… Then will she meet with High Priestess Giselle Marlhein?”

Dietrich rubbed his chin and nodded his head.

Sched paused the teacup he was raising in mid-air at the uncomfortable name he was hearing for the first time in years.

“High Priestess Giselle Marlhein, you say?”

“Oh, because of the dragon issue, the High Temple said they would send someone as well. It seems High Priestess Giselle Marlhein will be coming.”

At that, Sched put down the teacup with a clattering sound.

“Does the High Temple not know that I broke off my engagement with her?”

An irritated voice escaped from Sched’s lips.

Frightened by his fierce gaze, Dietrich waved his hands in denial.

“Oh, of course they know! Who in the empire doesn’t know that…! But there is no one as skilled as High Priestess Giselle.”

Dietrich hastily added a reason.

If the dragon of Prunig were to awaken, several protective barriers would need to be constructed to defend against it.

The only people who could excellently carry out that task were the Pope and Giselle Marlhein.

Giselle was perfect, neat, and thorough in creating barriers and prayers like no other.

Even the barrier of Dietrich, who had successfully blocked the heretics, was not comparable to Giselle’s protective barrier.

Therefore, Giselle was coming to Ideana again after several years.

And on her way to Paradel, she would surely stop by Recherdam.

“Did High Priestess Giselle Marlhein say she would do that?”

That stubborn and proud woman, coming to the territory of her former fiancé whom she broke off the engagement with?

On the Pope’s single order?

“Yes, that’s what I heard?”

Dietrich blinked his blue eyes and nodded.

Dietrich showed the approval letter sent from the church, saying it was already a decided matter.

“Sigh…”

Seeing Giselle’s name written on the approval letter, Sched let out a rough sigh.

He didn’t understand why the woman, who could refuse even the Pope’s orders if she disliked them, had taken on this mission.

Was she pretending not to care about such things now that it had been several years since the broken engagement?

‘How impressive.’

She was still the same, doing as she pleased without considering the other person’s opinions or thoughts.

If it was like Giselle, it was very Giselle-like.