“Ha. Hahaha. Well, well. It seems the command to capture the Crown Prince has been withdrawn.”

“This bastard. How dare you come here.”

The prayer room was narrow.

But Elescia was alone in this state, refusing Iris, Loven, and Esho’s offer to follow her.

She thought Ileion had come.

Because Elescia’s return was not official yet, she believed there would be no one else seeking her audience.

She didn’t want Iris to overhear such a conversation, especially if he tried to coax her into doing something inappropriate like last time. Still, it turned out to be a fateful encounter at the enemy’s territory.

Elescia realized this and calmly took out a concealed dagger.

Seeing it, Sabiel, with a chilly expression, casually tied his left neck with his hand. The man, twisting his neck, cast a wicked look with snake-like eyes and twisted his lips.
“The taste of the priestess is truly refined.”

As Sabiel approached me, Elescia felt trapped. Since the door was on the opposite side after passing Sabiel, any movement on her part would alert him.

Elescia, holding the dagger tightly, took a deep breath and spoke coldly.

“One stab is enough for you. You won’t get a second chance.”

Moments of betrayal by Sabiel during the time she lost her memory flashed through Elescia’s mind.

The day he teased Ileion in the clothing store and tried to pull aside the curtain in the fitting room where I was.

The day he came to Duke Yutyr’s mansion, drinking tea and mocking her in front of her, even trying to kidnap her to harm her again.

As the disgusting and humiliating scenes passed like a lantern, the trembling of the hand holding the dagger ceased.

“Really? Don’t you think that one time was just luck? It’s probably because I let my guard down.”

“Don’t come.”

As Sabiel narrowed the distance, Elescia slightly lowered her body. There was a clear difference in height and strength between them.

Did I get stabbed because I let my guard down?

Don’t be ridiculous. Do you think I’ve never thought about staying alive?

Elescia had mastered self-defense quite well. Although she had never actually stabbed anyone, she had practiced enough to do so.

With a recoil from her bent body, just once. There would be only one chance to strike Sabiel.

And even if she landed a blow, there was no way to avoid being caught by Sabiel.

I have to stab deeply.

Otherwise, there would be no way to escape.

Even if she stabbed him, Sabiel might not let go of Elescia like last time.

Imagining the worst-case scenario, Elescia found it horrifying and difficult to bear. The one who moves first is more likely to expose a weakness. Elescia and Sabiel stared at each other without moving for a long time.

Eventually, Elescia was the first to throw her body. Since the confrontation was prolonged, it was an unavoidable choice as her strength was draining.

“Ugh!”

However, disappointingly, the wrist that swung the dagger forcefully was caught by Sabiel.

“You rejected the position of Crown Prince?”

Elescia widened her eyes.

“Who like you would want to sit in the prince’s position. Ugh.”

When her wrist twisted, Elescia groaned and dropped the dagger.

“It would be better to be careful with your words. It would be nice to live being loved by your husband if possible.”

“W-Who do you think you are…”

Just as Elescia was about to kick Sabiel, enduring the pain as if her wrist was about to break, something fell from above like a cover, flying down.

As Elescia’s gaze followed over my shoulder, Sabiel unknowingly turned his head backward.

Someone appeared suddenly from behind Sabiel. Startled, Elescia was about to scream, but before she could, a sturdy arm wrapped around her from behind.

“Let go.”

A familiar voice echoed from the top of her head.

Thud!
With a loud noise, Sabiel contorted his face in a bizarre expression as if his eyes were about to pop out.

“Kyaah!”

As he tried to collapse as if his body was crumbling, Elescia screamed. Soon, Sabiel’s body, which had cast a shadow over her, retreated backward and fell. Suddenly, the view became brighter as if clouds were dispersing, and Elescia blinked her eyes in confusion.

“Are you okay?”

The one who spoke to me was dressed as a training priest.

Surprisingly, he descended from the ceiling. I clearly saw the skylight slightly obscured by falling spirits when Sabiel was confronting me, holding my wrist.

He was a man who looked as tall as Ileion. He had covered his face with thin bandages and pressed down the hood. Under the hood, messy dark hair spread in various directions.

“May the blessings of the Five Deities and Oder be with you.”

The man greeted in a low voice.

No way. No way.

Elescia called out to him with a trembling voice.

“…Ileion?”

“I can’t even say hello. How have you been?”

Only now did Elescia feel her strength drain from her body at Ileion’s voice.

“Ileion. Ileion.”

“I’ve always opposed going to Haudenxha from the beginning. I had to endure watching that crazy bastard bothering you.”

As Ileion spoke forcefully, he embraced the trembling Elescia tightly and sighed.

“I missed you. Elescia.”

Even though it was only for one night, the child seemed attached.

“So, I came, but I didn’t expect to see you in this state.”

Ileion looked at the fallen Sabiel with a displeased expression. Only then did Elescia regain her senses.

“We need to get out of here for now.”

Elescia, with a nervous heart, led him to her room.

Fortunately, it was the time when the prayer meeting was held, so there weren’t many people walking through the corridors or the hall, and no one paid attention to the two of them walking together.

After closing the door, Elescia breathed heavily with tension.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I’m okay. Just a little surprised.”

Elescia patted Ileion.

“And you? Are you okay too?”

“I moved after a long time, so I’m a bit tired.”

Elescia nodded.

“Then rest a bit.”

“I will.”

Ileion pushed Elescia onto the bed.

“Here.”