Belladonna looked at Father Timothy approaching her, trying her best to hide her tired face and smile as much as possible.

He stopped at some distance from her, seeming to contemplate how much closer he should come.

Belladonna straightened her posture, raising her body that had been leaning against the wall.

“May I… dare to offer support to the Holy Maiden?”

Timothy awkwardly stretched out his hand as he came closer.

Belladonna quickly shook her head and asked for understanding.

Being married, she couldn’t lean on just anyone, no matter what.

“Then please hold onto the hem of my robe.”

Timothy abruptly held out the edge of the white priestly robe he was wearing.

Surprised by this unexpected kindness, Belladonna found herself grabbing the end of it.

First when he readily took the heavy luggage Cindy was carrying, and now this – it seemed he had a habit of showing sudden acts of kindness.

Belladonna tightly grasped the hem of his robe as she walked down the empty corridor of the papal office.

In the long hallway quietly bathed in sunlight, only the sound of their footsteps regularly echoing on the marble floor filled the space.

“I’m glad you’re back.”

At that moment, Timothy, walking ahead, spoke.

Belladonna, who had been looking at the sunlight coming through the square windows regularly placed along the corridor, turned her head.

From her view, she could only see Timothy’s broad back, unable to see what expression he was making as he spoke those words.

“The papal office felt very empty without the Holy Maiden. The number of believers visiting has also decreased significantly.”

Ah, the nobles must have decreased.

Belladonna snorted, recalling the nobles who had been visiting the confessional.

When rumors spread of her return, they would once again flock to the papal office.

Since she was only back temporarily for the birth celebration period, they would rush even more.

Remembering Nicholas, who was already planning to reopen the confessional from tomorrow, a heavy fatigue seemed to overtake her.

“Ah, we priests have been taking turns cleaning the space where the Holy Maiden used to stay. Though not as good as before, we’ve been consistently maintaining it, so it should be suitable for you to stay for now.”

“…”

“When the heart feels empty, there’s no better place than that…”

Timothy continued to mutter to himself.

Belladonna’s heart warmed as she followed him.

While she could firmly say no to the Pope or Cardinal Nicholas, there were many truly kind priests who loved God in the papal office.

“Still, I hope the Holy Maiden won’t overexert herself as much as before. You’re no longer just Astanya’s Holy Maiden, but also the lady of Gribblata.”

The lady of Gribblata…

Belladonna quietly pondered those words.

The plan was to delay time like this, finish the Emperor’s birth celebration, and immediately return to Gribblata by carriage, but it was uncertain if it would succeed.

‘I’m already missing Escalion…’

Huh? Wait a moment…

At that moment, Belladonna, who had been absently gazing out the window, suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Because she had spotted a very familiar figure outside the window.

“Holy Maiden…?”

As she came to a halt, the robe hem Belladonna was tightly grasping hung heavily, and Timothy, who had been walking ahead, turned around.

Belladonna, without answering him, stared outside and widened her eyes.

Soon, her heart began to race.

“…!”

An old navy blue robe, with a long white beard and small stature beneath it.

The wizard Fabion was at the papal office.

‘How… How?’

Belladonna, having clearly confirmed his appearance, swallowed hard.

Fabion was originally one of the wizards who frequented the papal office, so it wasn’t strange at all for him to be here now.

But the fact that it was a wizard who knew her secret, of all people, being right here naturally made her feel uncomfortable and uneasy.

As she was frowning at Fabion without realizing it, he turned his head, which had been facing elsewhere.

Their gazes met before she had a chance to avoid it.

‘Ah!’

She quickly turned her head in the opposite direction, but it was after their eyes had definitely met with his gray ones.

Belladonna moved away from the window with a troubled expression.

“Holy Maiden?”

Let’s hurry, Timothy!

Belladonna gestured to Timothy, pointing to the end of the corridor. We need to get out of here!

“It’s been a while, Holy Maiden.”

But regardless of Belladonna’s urgency, Fabion, who had now entered the papal building, approached them and greeted her.

No, did that wizard use some kind of teleportation magic? How did he get here so quickly…!

Fabion, who had come close to Belladonna, narrowed his eyes beneath his deep wrinkles.

“Ah, Wizard! It’s been a long time.”

Timothy, standing beside her, bowed his head in greeting, seemingly familiar with Fabion.

Belladonna awkwardly smiled at him.

“I thought the Holy Maiden would return to Astanya with the Emperor’s birth celebration approaching. Fortunately, my thoughts were not wrong.”

So, so… Are you saying you came all the way here to see me now?

Why on earth!

She didn’t appreciate him trying to talk to her constantly since last time. Please just leave me alone!

“Hmm…”

Fabion, examining Belladonna, made an indecipherable sound.

After scrutinizing her for a moment, he opened his mouth.

“It seems there has been some change in the Holy Maiden.”

“A change?”

Timothy asked on behalf of the silent Belladonna.

“Yes, a change that the Holy Maiden herself might find quite frustrating and curious.”

Change? Could he mean that I…

Is he talking about me losing my voice and gaining holy power? This wizard, just how much can he know?

She could see Timothy beside her turning to look at her with a puzzled expression.

Surely he wouldn’t say anything strange here?

“Holy Maiden, I hope you can spare some time in the near future. There’s something I must tell you.”

Seeming to notice her uncomfortable expression, Fabion quietly stepped back and spoke.

“For now, since you’ve just returned, it would be best to rest, wouldn’t it?”

“That’s right. If that’s the case, I’ll speak to the priest assisting the Holy Maiden separately. To arrange a time for both of you.”

“Thank you very much, Father.”

Belladonna nodded, thinking she should ask that priest to cancel the appointment as soon as she returned.

For now, she strongly wanted to reassure him and leave this place.

“Then, I’ll be taking my leave.”

Belladonna looked at Fabion, forcing the corners of her mouth to lift.

The old wizard’s face held only an indecipherable smile.

“Commander, you’ve arrived?”

Hazel called out in a loud voice, bowing his head as Escalion entered the training grounds of Gribblata Castle.

Following his booming voice, knights standing here and there inside the training grounds bowed their heads one by one and greeted him.

“Good morning!”

“Have you had breakfast, Commander?”

“Ah, yes.”

Escalion entered the training grounds, barely acknowledging the knights’ greetings, running his hand through his hair.

Entering the circular training ground, he walked to one corner to take out his armor and began light stretching, turning his head right and left.

“Hey, Vice Commander! Don’t you think the Commander has been acting a bit strange lately?”

At that moment, Hazel, who had been quietly observing Escalion, lowered his voice and asked Graham, who was sitting nearby.

Graham, who had risen to the position of Vice Commander solely based on his skills after officially joining the Gribblata Knights, raised his face from polishing his sword with his head bowed.

“What do you mean?”

“Well, how should I put it… It’s like he’s completely lost his spirit ever since the Lady left for Astanya, or like he’s wandering around in a daze, you know?”

“That guy? I don’t really see it.”

Graham said, looking at Escalion who was now rotating his thick arms to loosen his stiff muscles.

“…It’s because you have that level of perception that you always get scolded by your wife.”

“What? Why is the conversation suddenly going there?”

“Look closely! Isn’t the Commander’s expression darker and gloomier than usual?”

“Well, that guy has never had a bright and cheerful face even once in his life.”

“That’s not what I mean…”

In response to Hazel’s words, Graham narrowed his brows and carefully observed Escalion’s back before asking in a loud voice.

“Hey, Commander! Are you starting right away?”

“…”

“Ignoring me, huh.”

Seeing the attitude that didn’t seem much different from usual, Graham threw the dagger he was holding towards Escalion’s broad back.

Thud!

The dagger Graham threw flew without any interference and hit Escalion squarely on the back of his head.

The dagger collided with a rather dull sound before falling to the floor with a clatter.

“Gasp!”

Soft exclamations and sharp intakes of breath from the knights echoed through the quiet training grounds.

“Vi-Vice Commander, what on earth did you just do…?”

Hazel asked, slowly turning his head. Graham, more surprised than the person who was hit, widened his eyes and blurted out an excuse.

“N-No, I thought he would turn around immediately and grab the sword…”

“No matter what, how could you hit the Commander on the back of his head!”

“Usually, he would just notice something like that and raise a hand to deflect or catch it! That, that guy really seems strange!”

“What are you doing now?”

As the two were bickering, Escalion muttered in a low voice and slowly turned his head.

Startled, Graham jumped to his feet and instead raised his voice.

“Commander, it, it seemed like you weren’t concentrating properly, so I, I was just testing you! Now that you seem to be back to your senses, let’s start training!”

Saying this, Graham quickly moved his hand to find his sword.

Normally in such situations, Escalion would smirk as if finding it ridiculous and rush at him.

Where’s my, where’s my sword? I need to get ready to defend…!

But Escalion just stood still in his place, still looking at him with a face devoid of any emotion.