“Hey, since when have you been with the pilgrimage group?”

The eldest priest in the pilgrimage group pointed accusingly at Carlyle.

“If it weren’t for me, you all would have died. You know that? You don’t even realize I’ve been protecting you from the shadows, tsk.”

Carlyle grabbed the priest’s finger and bent it backwards.

“Aaaargh! It hurts!”

“You can just heal it with holy power. Stop making a fuss.”

Carlyle casually picked his ear and gave a curt nod to the elves.

“Anyway, my apologies.”

“Apologies are not needed. This level of assistance is only natural.”

The elves smiled kindly with no hint of ill will.

“You say that, but you’re going to set up magic traps and such on my path this time too, right? I’m warning you in advance, don’t do it. I’ll cut off and eat a branch from the World Tree on my way.”

As he spoke, Carlyle took out a small bird from his pocket. Should he send this to the young master first, or to the duke’s residence?

‘A wise knight should know how to prioritize.’

Carlyle sent the news of completing the mission to Matian first.

The duke’s residence would also astutely figure out the target. Surely they wouldn’t refuse the meal laid out before their eyes.

The duke was reviewing documents in his office.

A meeting to manage the demon-infested territories and frontiers had just ended.

Even so, he did not neglect the task of searching for Rukna Golden. The reports sent by informants were piled up like a mountain on his desk.

“Master.”

The head butler, who had been waiting for the meeting to end, entered the office and reported the mansion’s itinerary one by one. Rukna’s visit was included in this.

“Ah, and the elves have sent an injured priest, asking for treatment.”

“A priest?”

“It seems he is addicted to dark magic. For now, he is being treated in the annex.”

The duke nodded vaguely upon hearing the report.

Since ancient times, the ducal family had known various treatment methods to purify dark magic due to descendants born with fragments of the devil.

“What should we do with the priest who came with him?”

“I’m too busy right now, so take care of it yourself.”

Normally, he would have dined with the guest, but now he had no such leisure.

Even after mobilizing the Dawn Knights, finding the girl Matian had targeted was not easy, and the duke was anxious.

There were even rumors that the ducal family was looking for a silver-haired, green-eyed girl, and fakes had come to the territory claiming to be that girl.

Some even had genuine holy power, so he had sent their portraits to Matian, but the answer came back as no every time.

The duchess, who had been repeating expectations and disappointments, had been bedridden for the past few days, and the remaining work fell to the duke.

“I wish she would just fall from the sky.”

As the duke rubbed his tired eyes, the head butler conveyed surprising news.

“Come to think of it, there is someone who appeared suddenly, Master.”

“Who is that?”

“It’s the priest I mentioned earlier. This old man did not check in detail, but she was a girl with platinum blonde hair and green eyes.”

“Do you happen to have any digestive medicine?”

Rukna rubbed the area near her solar plexus as she asked the butler after leaving the dining room.

“Oh dear, did you overeat? Was there perhaps a problem with the food…?”

“The food was delicious. But I think I got nervous eating with such a high-ranking person.”

Rukna had just had dinner alone with Matian’s father.

She was grateful for the duke’s generosity in personally entertaining a mere guest, but the atmosphere had been so difficult that it had stuck with her.

The butler prepared the digestive medicine and guided Rukna to the main building.

“Excuse me, butler. My colleague is in the annex, but I’m staying in the main building?”

“Yes, the master specifically instructed it.”

The butler opened the door himself and continued.

“By the way, the room next door was used by the eldest young master in the past.”

“Pardon?”

“I just mentioned it in passing.”

The butler bowed deeply in greeting and withdrew.

Rukna looked around the room. Sky blue wallpaper and curtains, fluffy linen bedding, and dainty furniture. It was a place that exuded elegance, even if not extravagant.

Rukna changed into the prepared sleepwear and opened the window wide.

The fresh autumn breeze seemed to settle her upset stomach.

Turning her head, she saw Matian’s room, just as the butler had said. On that window sill was a plant that repelled intruders, Alethi.

It was said that the head butler of the ducal family had discovered this plant in the mountains, so it was named after him.

‘The ducal family treats their guests extremely well.’

Rukna recalled Matian’s father, who had explained each and every one of these stories.

To dine with a mere priest and provide such a nice room. It seemed Matian had also become inherently kind, having grown up under such parents.

‘By the way, how are you doing?’

He must be eating and living well. The news that he had regained the holy sword and was active was known to the entire empire.

Rukna shook off her thoughts and went to bed.

In return for the good meal and lodging, the next day she followed the duke’s request and treated the bedridden duchess.

The duchess held her hand and wept endlessly, as if she had met her lost daughter.

Every time Rukna let holy power flow through their clasped hands, she thanked her excessively.

“What is your name?”

“I am Priest Lulu.”

Rukna used a familiar alias during her stay at the ducal residence.

The duchess asked her to stay longer, but she refused, saying she had to keep to her pilgrimage schedule.

The look in her eyes was so regretful that Rukna almost promised to visit again next time.

When she returned to her room, a young servant was bringing in a cart full of snacks and preparing the tea table.

“Then please enjoy your meal, and let me know if you need anything. If you need comfortable clothes, I will bring them to you.”

“No, it’s alright. This is comfortable.”

Rukna looked down at the priest’s robe she had been wearing for two days.

Well, it must have looked stuffy to them, since she was even wearing a hat.

“By the way, is something happening at the mansion? Many guests seem to be coming and going.”

“Ah, that’s probably because informants from all over the empire are coming and going here on the young master’s orders.”

The young master, meaning Matian? He must have found the holy sword, so what would he need informants for? It was truly strange.

“Is there an urgent item they’re looking for?”

“Not an item, but a person. A woman with short platinum blonde hair like a man’s and emerald-like eyes. Come to think of it, Priest, you also have green eyes?”

Cough! Rukna choked on the bread she was swallowing. It’s me. He’s blatantly looking for me.

“Judging by the way they’re searching famous imperial bakeries like catching a thief, it seems they’re looking for a baker. Oh dear, shall I bring you some water?”

The servant offered a glass of water to Rukna, whose coughing wouldn’t stop.

Rukna took it and gulped it down.

She had already made up her mind, not realizing that the ducal couple had already seen through her. Regardless of Jodro, she had to leave this mansion quickly.

Around the same time.

Matian was knocking on the temple door.

“You came again today?”

Jerome greeted Matian with a tired expression.

“I would like to see His Holiness.”

“His Holiness is in prayer.”

“Please tell him I am unwell.”

“…Follow me.”

Why do you keep singing about being unwell when you have the holy sword? Geez.

Jerome glanced at Matian’s waist.

Indeed, it was difficult to discern whether to call that sword, drenched in demon blood every day, a holy sword or not.

Matian followed behind Jerome through the corridor, thoroughly examining every priest residing there.

The priestesses who made eye contact with him sent shy glances. Some male priests showed similar reactions.

‘Where on earth are you?’

Matian brushed off those glances as if they were nothing, thinking only of Rukna.

The Dawn Knights, who were said to be able to find even a hidden rat in the empire within two days, had brought no news, making him anxious.

If that was the case, there was a high probability that the High Priest was sheltering her and preventing the news from spreading. After all, Rukna was a descendant of the saint.

Arriving at the end of the corridor and entering the rear garden, Matian sat on the bench placed there.

The High Priest, who had just come out of the glass greenhouse, sat down next to Matian. The silver cup he was holding contained holy water.

“Greetings, Your Holiness.”

“Not doing well. I’m quite tired of you visiting every day.”

The High Priest looked Matian over. There were clear signs of overexertion, but he was not in a desperate enough state to seek him out every day.

“If you dislike my visits, why don’t you give me what I want?”

“What do you want so badly?”

“Rukna Golden.”

“I told you she’s not here? Have you ever seen the High Priest lie?”

“But this holy sword said you would know her whereabouts.”

Matian tapped the sword at his waist.

“Tsk.”

The High Priest clicked his tongue, dipped his finger in the holy water, and pressed his thumb firmly against Matian’s forehead. It was a kind of purification ritual.

The finger wet with holy water brushed over his eyelids.

It was an act with the meaning of only looking at what is right, but the fingertips carrying personal emotions were tightly strained.

“So will my eyes go blind? You need to apply more force.”

Matian provoked the High Priest with a smile. In response, the High Priest smiled even more gently.

The sight of the High Priest flaunting his sacred beauty and the sculpture-like perfection of Matian in a friendly manner was like a masterpiece painting.

The fanning of the women watching the scene from afar quickened.

Of course, they could not hear the intimate conversation the two were having. The High Priest’s holy water-soaked hand pressed down firmly on Matian’s straight nose bridge.

“How much force do I need to apply to make your arrogant nose come down a bit?”

“Due to either fasting prayers or old age, your energy seems quite lacking, so it may be impossible.”

“Does the woman you’re looking for also know this personality of yours well? Seeing as she has hidden herself with me.”

“…!”

“If I’m an old man, then right now you’re like a brat.”

The High Priest’s tone was unusually sharp, unlike his usual self.

Matian, who had flared up, grabbed the wrist of the High Priest who was about to apply the holy water on his lips.

A brief silence lingered, and an even heavier gaze passed between the two.

He felt terrible. Just as he was about to ask if he harbored any ill intentions towards Rukna, Jerome came running, out of breath, with a small bird in his hands.

“Your Holiness, a carrier pigeon just arrived at the temple. Judging by how it fainted after failing to pass through the temple’s barrier, it’s not one of ours… Could it be the young lord’s?”

Jerome held out the carrier pigeon to Matian. Seeing it, the High Priest reacted crookedly.

“Why did you bring such a thing here? You could have just released it.”

“Ah, should I do that then?”

“Wait.”

Matian abruptly stood up from his seat and took the carrier pigeon.

The blue ribbon tied to the bird’s leg. It was a sign that the Dawn Knights had completed their mission.