“Hm? Bella.”

When there was no response from Belladonna, Escalion asked again.

Belladonna slowly moved and placed her hand on top of his.

Escalion firmly grasped Belladonna’s hand and headed outside.

Arriving at the portal set up in the garden, he said:

“Hazel, tell the mage to activate the portal.”

“Yes, understood!”

Escorted by Escalion, Belladonna got into the carriage.

Following her in, he leaned back against the seat.

“You might get dizzy, so take a nap.”

Belladonna looked out the window without replying.

The papal state looked very peaceful.

Some priests who learned of Belladonna’s departure could be seen seeing her off near the carriage.

“……”

Sweat formed on her clenched fists resting on her knees.

What would happen to Tina?

The reason the Pope summoned Tina to the papal state was obvious without much thought.

Having learned that Tina manifested holy power, he would try to use her as a second Saint Belladonna.

‘He’s found someone to replace me, whom Escalion took away.’

Thinking that, her vision began to darken.

Then from now on, would Tina…

Live like Saint Belladonna? Mentally dominated by the Pope from a young age, exploited for her holy power, continuing an unwanted life in the confessional…?

At the same time, the gentle face of Priest Timothy, who was always by her side helping her, came to mind.

The thought of his younger sister Tina being caught in the Pope’s grasp made her feel like she couldn’t breathe.

‘I can’t let someone like me be created again… Knowing how painful it is…!’

Belladonna bit her lower lip hard.

She couldn’t properly hear Escalion speaking to her from beside her.

“Why don’t you lean on me for a bit while we travel… Bella, where are you going!”

Her body moved before her thoughts. Belladonna stood up and jumped out of the carriage.

She heard Escalion calling her from behind, but she was in too much of a hurry to explain.

Belladonna clutched her cumbersome skirt and ran towards where the Pope’s office was located.

“Saint?”

Crossing the garden and entering the building, she climbed the stairs without hesitation and saw a knight guarding outside the office.

There hadn’t been a guard before, but it seems one was added after Escalion came and went.

“Saint, just a moment…!”

The knight tried to block her sudden rush, but Belladonna recklessly put her hand on the doorknob.

The knight hesitated, unable to lay hands on her.

Belladonna turned the knob and flung the door open.

“……”

Inside the office, Pope Provence and Timothy could be seen sitting facing each other. Tina was sitting on Timothy’s lap.

They all turned their heads towards Belladonna who had suddenly appeared.

“Belladonna…?”

“Saint?”

Huff, huff… She had run here impulsively, but now facing the situation, she felt at a loss.

Why did I run here like this?

She saw Tina blinking her round eyes at her.

Belladonna quickly lowered her gaze to look at Tina’s palm.

Fortunately, before using holy power, a cloth stained with blood was haphazardly tied around it.

“Saint? What urgent matter brings you here suddenly? Is there something you need to say before leaving Astania?”

“Belladonna, what is this rudeness…”

The Pope’s brow furrowed immediately. But after checking behind Belladonna, he trailed off at the end of his sentence.

Without turning around, she could tell Escalion was standing behind her.

A comforting warm energy enveloped her.

“It seemed impolite to leave without greeting the Pope, so I came to pay my respects in person.”

Escalion said, placing his hand on Belladonna’s shoulder.

The Pope made no effort to hide his discomfort as he stood up.

“As you can see, I have an appointment now…”

With a sour face, he moved away from Timothy and Tina and approached them, lowering his voice so only they could hear.

“Wasn’t this matter already settled? What more is there to say now…”

“Apologize to my wife.”

“Wh-what did you say?”

The Pope’s face contorted in an instant.

“Our conversation about me taking Belladonna away may be over, but separately from that, shouldn’t you apologize to Belladonna?”

“What apology? Bluntly speaking, is there any proof that I actually laid hands on Belladonna? Didn’t I say I would investigate it myself?”

“It’s not just that, there should be many things to apologize for.”

Escalion tilted his head and raised the corner of his mouth.

He didn’t know exactly, but he knew the Pope was a suspicious character.

But seeing him turn pale and trembling at these probing words, it seemed he really had done many things to apologize to Belladonna for, which made him feel disgusted.

Meanwhile, Belladonna, standing between Escalion and the Pope, turned her gaze to meet Tina’s eyes.

“……”

Timothy was intentionally averting his gaze from them out of politeness, but young Tina was just staring intently at Belladonna out of curiosity.

Belladonna shook her head at her.

‘Don’t use it. Never use holy power in front of the Pope.’

Tina blinked her large eyes and stared blankly at Belladonna.

‘Please. Please don’t use holy power in front of the Pope!’

Unable to say it out loud, Belladonna kept repeating it in her mind, frustrated.

She kept shaking her head, hoping her feelings would be conveyed to Tina.

“…!”

Finally, Tina nodded.

She couldn’t tell if the child had understood properly, but Tina fidgeted with her injured hand and nodded again.

“Lord Diete… Do you really have to go this far?”

Meanwhile, Pope Provence asked, his face turning red.

Escalion shrugged and opened his mouth.

“It’s better to go this far. As you know, I’m quite an uncouth fellow with a loose tongue. Someone like me might carelessly run my mouth somewhere, so I’m saying all this for your sake, Pope.”

The Pope, breathing heavily, turned his gaze to Belladonna.

Belladonna flinched as she met his eyes.

Finally, his twisted lips slowly opened.

“Belladonna, I’m sorry.”

“……”

“For anything, if there’s anything that hurt you, I apologize here and now. Will you forgive your father?”

What, what is this…

His voice was calmly settled, but his face didn’t look that way.

His distorted face could be seen trembling, flushed with humiliation, mortification, and shame.

Belladonna unconsciously took a step back as she looked at him. Behind her, she felt Escalion’s solid body.

As his body touched her, she finally felt a sense of relief.

Belladonna quietly looked at the still panting Pope, then slowly nodded.

‘It’s probably just words…’

She couldn’t understand what Escalion had said to make him apologize even like this.

“Then we’ll be going now. Is that alright, Bella?”

Escalion asked, placing his hand on her waist.

Belladonna looked at Tina one last time, then nodded.

Though she was leaving Astania, she felt she would need to keep an eye on Timothy and Tina in the future.

If not her, there would be no one to protect them.

‘I need to contact Fabion too…’

Belladonna secretly furrowed her brow.

Eventually, Escalion turned first. Naturally turning with him, Belladonna reluctantly took a step.

Behind them, the door to the Pope’s office closed with a thud.

“Travel safely, Saint!”

The knight guarding the door bowed his head.

Belladonna gave him a small smile and walked down the hallway with Escalion.

After confirming no one was around, Escalion asked in a low voice.

“What did you do? You suddenly ran out of the carriage like that, I thought my wife had run away again.”

Ah…

Belladonna looked up at him. Come to think of it, she did run out without saying anything…

“I won’t forget Hazel and Graham’s expressions. Those guys probably think I got rejected or something.”

“I’m sorry.”

Belladonna also looked around and murmured in a small voice.

Escalion found her hand and interlaced their fingers one by one as he said:

“It’s fine since I found you again.”

“……”

“If you run away again, I’ll just find you again.”

“It wasn’t running away…”

Belladonna swallowed dryly and looked up at him as she opened her mouth.

“The little girl I just saw in the office, I think she can use holy power.”

At Belladonna’s words, Escalion raised an eyebrow.

“So that’s why you kept worrying and ran out?”

“Yes… I think the Pope called her knowing that, and I’m worried she’ll end up like me if left alone.”

“End up like you?”

Escalion stopped walking and asked.

Belladonna hesitated and moved her lips.

She knew the Pope had forcibly kept his adopted daughter and used her as he pleased, for his own purposes, but Escalion didn’t know exactly how that had been done.

‘He doesn’t even think the Pope himself directly laid hands on my body…’

But if she brought up such talk here, with Escalion’s fiery temper, the Pope’s safety could be in danger before they even returned to Griblata.

‘I can’t completely cut ties with Astania anyway, if only for Timothy and Tina’s sake.’

Belladonna finally decided to keep her mouth shut and pulled on his hand that she was holding tightly.

“Just… Being trapped in the papal state and living a life without freedom.”

“So that’s what you’re worried about?”

“Of course I’m worried! She’s still just a child…”

At Belladonna’s words, Escalion frowned in thought.

“We’ll recruit someone. Someone who can regularly report on what’s happening in Astania.”

“Can you really do that?”

“It’s not a difficult task.”

As they went outside, they saw Hazel and Graham looking at them with worried faces.

“My lady…?”

“I barely caught her. Let’s depart.”

“Gasp! You caught her?”

How can you say it like that!

Belladonna looked up at Escalion who spoke as if he had forcibly caught her, then quickly gave Hazel a smile indicating that wasn’t the case.

Despite that, she got into the carriage, leaving behind Hazel and Graham who still looked uneasy.

Getting in the carriage and settling back into her seat, Escalion who followed her in pressed his body against her more than necessary.

‘Huh?’

Gradually being pushed down under him, Belladonna looked up at him.

What are you doing…?