Nigel stood in front of the snow-white door with a face as if she had stepped in the wrong dung.

Knock knock, as soon as she knocked on the door, a gentle voice from inside the room told her to come in.

Nigel hesitated for a moment holding the doorknob, then opened the door as if taking bitter medicine that’s good for the body.

“Come in!”

Noah, who had recognized Nigel’s identity from the moment he heard the hesitant knock, smiled brightly.

“……!”

And when he saw Nigel in pure white priest attire, he stiffened completely.

“Is it you?”

Regardless, Nigel strode towards Noah.

Noah, startled by the distance that had suddenly become close enough to touch his nose, stepped backward.

Unfortunately, Noah’s escape was quickly concluded as his back met the wall before he could even take ten steps.

Nigel’s black hair, surrounded by the white robe that sparkled with every slight movement, tickled Noah’s face.

Unaware that Noah’s ears hidden behind his blue-silver hair were turning bright red, Nigel furrowed her brow and opened her mouth.

“Noah, you designated me, didn’t you?”

“When they asked which apprentice priest I wanted to be assigned, ……you know.”

Noah said in a shrinking voice.

Having recited all of Nigel’s characteristics and personality without mentioning her name, he felt ashamed of himself and quickly turned his head away the moment his eyes briefly met Nigel’s.

The heat from his ears spread to Noah’s face.

It was pathetic and foolish, but he couldn’t help it.

When Nigel was out of sight, he worried and couldn’t focus on anything. Especially since this place was like the stronghold of enemy territory for Nigel, he wanted to protect her.

……No, these were all excuses. When Nigel disappeared from his view, the first and strongest feeling was that he missed her.

The brief childhood connection was so precious that he wished and wished to meet again. When they did meet again, he was overwhelmingly happy just being by Nigel’s side day after day.

So Noah didn’t know. He was certain that he wouldn’t burden Nigel, who was already carrying many burdens, that he could control himself in front of Nigel, but he didn’t know his feelings would grow so greedily.

When he came to his senses, he had confessed his feelings to Nigel in the worst possible way, even worse than he had imagined.

After acknowledging such a voracious heart of his own, he became even more anxious about Nigel’s slightest glances and gestures.

As soon as Nigel’s name came out of Sid’s mouth, he was so desperate and pathetic that he accepted without a moment’s hesitation.

Under his gaze, Nigel in her priest’s robe maximized her unique pure and elegant image. Even the displeased face beneath the robe was only cute in Noah’s eyes.

Swallowing the smile that was about to bloom spontaneously, Noah cautiously uttered the words he had been pondering.

“……What does it mean that there’s someone else destined for you?”

There was a huge gap between Nigel’s feelings and his own.

Himself, satisfied just being by her side, and Nigel, who seemed uncomfortable just by his presence.

Nigel, who made contact to heal him due to her inherently kind nature, and himself, happy with the excuse of being able to legally contact Nigel due to her magic deficiency.

He didn’t want to burden Nigel at all, but he kept getting greedy.

The wrinkles between Nigel’s brows deepened.

“You know that meaning best.”

Nigel answered without meeting his gaze. When Nigel, who habitually met others’ eyes, avoided eye contact like this, it was usually when she felt sorry for the other person.

“Isn’t that enough for my answer?”

Discomfort, guilt, burden – Nigel’s face was completely filled with emotions that Noah didn’t want to give her.

But Noah didn’t let go of the thread of hope until the end.

“……That’s a lie.”

Nigel’s presence noticeably wavered at that single word.

“You still have the ring, don’t you?”

He thought there would be an immediate fierce rebuttal, but Nigel silently stared at the floor.

Noah felt pathetic for not respecting Nigel’s wishes and attaching meaning to such small actions as he pleased.

But he couldn’t help it.

No matter what kind of person I am, becoming infinitely low in front of someone, and longing all day without receiving even a single glance from that person. The name of this emotion is none other than love.

“Whatever answer you give, it’s fine, I’ll wait.”

There was no reply.

Instead, Nigel’s full and beautiful hair swayed up and down.

Yes, this was enough.

Noah smiled brightly between his large heartbeats.

Bang!

Nigel slammed Noah’s door shut.

‘……Crazy bastard.’

Momentarily losing her mind at his beaming smile, she almost blurted out that she liked Noah.

Despite always obediently listening to her parents, she couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t quietly get engaged to Meriel.

“Haah……”

As if expelling her remaining emotions, Nigel let out a deep sigh.

The life returned clearly to her hazy eyes.

She couldn’t forget her purpose for coming here. Now it was time to meet Kyle.

The dormitory where the priest candidates stayed was in the deepest part of the mountain.

Unlike when she was lost in the temple, Nigel walked briskly between the trees without hesitation.

At last, she arrived at the modest dormitory that the orange-haired priest had hinted at.

Just as Nigel’s fist was about to knock on the door.

Creak.

The door opened from the other side first.

Kyle, a man with the same dark blonde hair as Sid, stared at Nigel.

Kyle had similar features to Sid, but unlike Sid whose expressions changed moment by moment, Kyle’s face showed no emotion at all, making it hard to believe they were born from the same womb.

“……I’ve come to serve the esteemed guest.”

“You’re the one who’s esteemed.”

His tone was dry, even cold.

Kyle Cromwell, who graduated from the political science department at Sienia as the top student for three consecutive years, immediately began working as a civil official in the imperial palace.

Perhaps because of that, he showed none of the characteristics of other priests, such as overly clear eyes or being subtly out of touch with common sense.

Rather, Kyle scrutinized Nigel with sharp eyes that seemed to penetrate.

“No matter how I look at it, you don’t seem like someone who should be at the temple.”

“On what grounds are you so sure?”

Kyle’s eyes narrowed.

From what Nigel had observed of Kyle so far, it was hard to believe that Kyle, who valued rational judgment and accuracy, would abandon his position as head of the family to hide in the temple.

“This seems like it will be a long conversation, so let’s sit down first. I don’t have a habit of keeping ladies standing.”

Nigel’s smile burst out slightly as she watched Kyle carelessly pull out a chair and sit across from it, his image overlapping with Sid who couldn’t sit still while pretending to cry while being wary of her.

Brothers will be brothers no matter how different they are, she thought.

“Why are you laughing?”

Kyle’s right eyebrow twitched upward.

“You resemble your younger brother.”

At those words, a momentary gentle emotion flashed across Kyle’s face before quickly returning to coldness.

“There’s no need to hide when we both know each other’s identities. Nigel Ars, I didn’t expect to see you here.”

As expected, Kyle knew Nigel’s identity.

“I knew about your study skills as the top student at Sienia, but I didn’t know you were an apprentice priest.”

“That’s what I want to say. How did you, a busy imperial civil official who wouldn’t have enough time even with two bodies, prepare for the priest exam?”

As if there was no need to answer, Kyle slowly rested his chin on his hand.

“Did Sid send you?”

“Yes.”

Kyle, who had been lost in thought for a while, parted his lips.

“There’s no need to explain the circumstances in detail.”

“That’s right.”

“I thought you and Sid would have a consistently bad relationship.”

“You’re too sure for someone who isn’t Sid himself.”

“Well, Sid suffered a lot because of you.”

For the first time since Nigel entered this room, the corners of Kyle’s mouth turned up.

“The child who was always crushed by me was crushed by you and bottled up his emotions in his room.”

Seeing Kyle’s eyes light up while talking about his brother, Nigel finally believed he was human.

“For someone who knows his brother so well, why don’t you know that Sid doesn’t want this situation?”

Nigel stared straight at him.

“Or… are you pretending not to know?”

Kyle, who seemed like he would deny it to the end, laughed it off lightly as if his secret had been exposed.

“You may not know this, being ignorant, but the eldest has obligations.”

“What are they?”

“To protect the younger siblings.”

For a moment, Nigel’s eyes widened.

“As you know, Sid is, how should I put it……”

“Emotionally expressive?”

Kyle nodded slightly with a faint smile.

“Do you know the feeling of being evaluated for the entire period from birth until all siblings come of age?”

Nigel couldn’t easily add to that.

“I heard Sid fought with you in the first semester. I apologize again.”

Kyle, whose posture had never faltered for even a moment, bowed his head without hesitation.

“He wasn’t like that from the beginning. Sid used to cry even when plucking flowers.”

Kyle’s face, which had been speaking softly, darkened.

“He’s a child with such a delicate and kind nature that it’s regrettable he was born into a family that pushes even young children into competition.”

Nigel, who had been listening silently, opened her mouth in frustration.

“Do you know that this kind child tried to take the train without permission just to see your face who’s hiding in the temple?”