“…You’ve come a long way, so why don’t you go and rest for now.”
Sched stood up from his seat, concluding the conversation.
Dietrich hesitated, glancing around before standing up.
“May the gods be with you.”
“May the gods be with you.”
Sched ordered the servants to ensure that the High Priest could rest comfortably and headed to the study.
As he walked through the corridor, his mind was filled with nothing but thoughts on what to do with Louise.
It felt uncomfortable to take her to Paradelle where the High Priest’s residence was located, but he was also uneasy about leaving her here alone.
Dietrich knew she was here, so Giselle would probably find out as well.
‘Moreover… I’m also worried about Eclas.’
He was the one who brought Louise from Siszlone as if plundering her.
‘It seems he can’t move rashly because of his sins…’
It was Eclas who deceived Sched, knowing he was looking for her, and made him go to war.
He couldn’t solely blame Sched because of his own sins, and he couldn’t wage an all-out war either.
He also couldn’t declare war on the currently most prestigious Lester family.
But Sched knew that clever merchant well.
He was not someone who would give up what he held onto like this.
He would surely be waiting for the moment when Sched lost Louise.
Sched clenched his fists tightly.
Either way, the unease was the same.
‘…Right. If it’s dangerous anywhere, it’s better to keep her close to me.’
Whether the High Priest finds out about Louise’s sins or Eclas comes looking for her.
At least if she’s by his side, he could respond to the situation.
[This is the timeline separator]Louise, who had returned to the Lecheredam mansion, went out to the back garden with Ive.
The back garden of Lecheredam was very small, so Ive’s playing figure could be seen at a glance.
At the edge of the garden, one or two leaves that had started to turn red and yellow in the autumn weather had fallen to the ground.
Ive picked up the fallen leaves and played around, placing them in a circle like flower petals around the pond.
In the quite chilly weather, Louise wrapped a shawl around her shoulders, crossed her arms, and watched the child’s lively appearance.
The Lecheredam mansion was shaped like a ㄷ, and fortunately, the space where Dietrich stayed and the space where Louise stayed were on opposite ends.
Therefore, their living areas did not overlap, so there would be no chance of running into each other… or so she thought.
“La-Lady Riana! I-I finally get to see your face!”
Until Dietrich came looking for her.
Louise, who had been watching Ive playing with water in the pond, raised her head at the unexpected visitor’s appearance.
“High Priest… how are you here?”
“May the gods be with you…! I-I really missed you, Lady Riana.”
Dietrich greeted her with an innocently welcoming smile.
Louise lowered her head, alternating her expression.
“It’s been a while, High Priest.”
“By the way, who is that cute little lady?”
Dietrich pointed to Ive, who was splashing water and playing in the pond, stretching his head.
Ive, busy playing with water, flapped her completely wet sleeves and stared at Dietrich with curiosity.
Silver hair that sparkled beautifully like white thread spun by silkworms.
Blue-silver glasses resting on the bridge of the nose, revealing blue eyes inside.
He was as pretty as clean ice.
But Ive recognized the white clothes he was wearing and stopped playing with water.
Ive had seen people wearing such white clothes before. In Siszlone.
While Ive froze, Louise answered.
“She’s my daughter.”
“D-D-Daughter?”
Dietrich stuttered, alternating his gaze between Louise and Ive with a bewildered look.
“Y-Yes. Time has already passed like that…”
Dietrich scratched his head, looking embarrassed.
It was a face that showed he had not anticipated this situation.
But considering Louise’s age, it wasn’t strange at all for her to have a child.
“Ive, greet him. He’s the High Priest.”
Although she was reluctant, Louise had Ive greet Dietrich out of courtesy.
Then Ive, wearing a completely wet dress up to the front, ran to Louise like a squirrel and clung tightly to her legs.
“Ive.”
Louise was a little surprised by Ive’s behavior that seemed to be shy, and picked up the child in her arms.
The child had never been shy with anyone until now.
Usually, Ive was so friendly to strangers that it was worrisome.
But to react like this as soon as she saw Dietrich.
“Ive, you should greet him.”
“…Hello.”
As Ive briefly nodded her head, Dietrich nodded with a somewhat dumbfounded face.
“M-May the gods be with you too, little lady.”
When Dietrich smiled awkwardly, Ive jumped into Louise’s arms and hugged her deeply.
“S-She seems to be very shy…”
“I think she’s not feeling well today.”
Louise was rather relieved that Ive was shy with Dietrich.
There was nothing good about being friendly with the High Priest.
“Um…”
Dietrich stared at Ive like that and carefully opened his mouth.
“Who is the child’s father? Did he come with you?”
“Ah, no. It’s just me and the child. He’s busy with work.”
“May I ask what kind of person he is?”
“Just an ordinary person. We get along well.”
“I-I see…”
Dietrich scratched his cheek again.
“Still, Lady Riana… no, what should I call you now? A-Anyway, your daughter re-really takes after her mother.”
Dietrich showed a good-natured smile towards Ive.
But Ive glanced at him and then buried her face in Louise’s shoulder again.
At the cold rejection, Dietrich smiled awkwardly.
“By the way, High Priest, how did you come to Lecheredam?”
Louise asked, curious about Dietrich’s business.
She might have been curious about the cause of the misfortune of reuniting with him, the High Priest.
“Ah, actually, I came to escort Lord Lester. E-Everyone said it would be best for me to go. That he would at least listen to my words…”
Dietrich said he had been pushed to come.
Sched was so stubborn and disobedient that at least a High Priest-level person had to directly intervene to make him move.
Even Dietrich couldn’t deny those words.
The Duke was not someone who would easily listen if a mere knight or servant went to persuade him.
“F-For various reasons… I ended up coming. B-But still, Riana…”
“Benessi. Please call me Mrs. Benessi.”
She informed Dietrich, who kept struggling with how to address her.
It was the surname she had taken on when making the marriage vow with ‘Egon Benessi’.
“Yes, I got to meet Mrs. Benessi again. A-And I saw your daughter’s face too.”
Louise nodded her head.
His interest was kind, cautious, and clumsy.
But Louise always felt a chilling sensation whenever she faced Dietrich.
Was it because he was the High Priest?
Or was the purity seen beyond those blue eyes burdensome?
Either way, the problem lay in the corruption of Louise Ideana.
[This is the timeline separator]“Mom, was that white man from earlier a friend?”
As she changed Ive’s wet clothes after returning to the room, Ive asked in a subdued voice.
“Huh? Not a friend… He’s a high-ranking person.”
“High-ranking?”
Ive tilted her head as if it was difficult to understand a person’s rank.
Ive’s attitude toward Dietrich was clearly different from usual.
“Why? Are you scared of the High Priest?”
“He’s wearing bad people clothes.”
“Bad people clothes?”
“The person in white clothes hit me. Aunt Grita scolded him.”
Ive remembered the priest in Siszlone hitting her.
“He hit you?”
Louise asked in surprise.
Ive explained what had happened in Siszlone in a little more detail.
‘Then that bad man she talked about on the boat…’
At that time, she thought Ive was exaggerating.
The child had no injuries… and didn’t seem that frightened.
“But the villain man saved me!”
That’s why she followed Sched and stayed with him, Ive explained.
‘Did he protect her knowing she had black magic?’
Why…?
“…That’s enough.”
Louise was lost in thought as she tidied Ive’s disheveled hair.
“Mom. Is that man a bad person?”
Round eyes cleanly gazed at Louise.
Louise hesitated and parted her heavy lips.
“Yes.”
It was a choice for Ive.
It would be better to warn her in advance so that Ive could avoid contact with the priests.
“So you have to be careful of people wearing such white clothes. Especially, you have to make sure they don’t touch you, Ive. Understand?”
“Yes. Careful, careful!”
Ive readily agreed with her words, perhaps because the memory of the priest from before had left a bad impression.
[This is the timeline separator]“You’re returning to Paradelle?”
The question was quite calm.
Louise sat upright as if she had expected it to some extent.
She must have realized it when she saw Dietrich had come.
“I want you to come with me, you and Ive.”
Sched said, taking in the sunlight settling on her face with his eyes.
Louise ruminated on his words that felt more serious and a little gentler than usual.
What he offered was not a command, but an invitation.
“Giselle will come here. Even if I leave alone, I can’t avoid the eyes of the priests. Besides, Dietrich also found out that you’re here…”
“Why are you going to Paradelle?”
Louise interrupted his words as Sched gave a lengthy reason.
It wouldn’t be because of the upcoming Harvest Festival.
If it were for the Harvest Festival, it would be right to go to Munher rather than Paradelle, and there would be no reason for Dietrich to come all the way here.
Sched pressed his brow and made a dry wash at the eyes that gazed at him without agitation.
“The eternal snow of Purnig is spreading.”
A short remark.
However, Louise, who was born and raised in this land, could immediately understand what it meant.
An Indifferent Woman is the One Men Desire the Most
One-line summary: The female lead is actually cold-hearted and extremely rational. She has stage-by-stage relationships and won’t two-time, but there will always be someone who secretly likes her.
This novel has the following triggers, so if you’re sensitive to these, please don’t read:
1. The female lead has had many relationships, but she treated each one seriously and broke up properly.
It’s just that the men unilaterally pestered her incessantly. For the female lead, when she doesn’t like someone anymore, she simply doesn’t like them.
(This applies to her relationships with Male Lead 1, 2, 3, and 4 as well, but she’s loyal in each 1-on-1 relationship!)
2. In this novel, Male Lead 2 and the female lead kiss in a car, and Male Lead 1 sees it and beats up Male Lead 2.
The female lead calls the police and sends both Male Lead 1 and 2 to the police station! Male Lead 1 begs the female lead not to break up with him.
3. Male Lead 1 has a gentle appearance but an obsessive personality.
Male Lead 2 has a delicate and soft appearance, slightly green tea-like (two-faced).
Male Lead 3 is a youthful college student and a smart person who has secretly liked the female lead for a long time.
Male Lead 4 is the female lead’s father’s special assistant, a business elite with deep, hidden thoughts.
4. At the beginning of this novel, the female lead has already broken up with Male Lead 1 (Chapter 4) and gotten back together with Male Lead 2 (ex-boyfriend).
5. Enter with caution if you have triggers!!!
