“Your face was filled with color as your stiff expression softened.”

Matian’s mind, which had been complicated, was now solely focused on the news that Rukna had been found. Without looking back, he diligently left the temple.

“What on earth happened that he left like that without even saying goodbye?”

Jerome muttered at Matian’s back.

“Don’t children usually cry and laugh dozens of times a day?”

The deputy priest handed the hair tie from his pocket to Jerome and tilted his head back.

Jerome moved behind the deputy priest and began neatly braiding his long hair.

“Only you would treat the great Matian Wiegratz like a child. Where else would you find such a big kid?”

“Since he called me an old man, it’s only natural that he becomes a little brat in comparison.”

“An old man… So that’s why you were upset.”

Seriously, who’s the child here? Jerome sighed deeply and tied the end of the long braided hair with the hair tie.

“I guess I’ve become as childish as Confucius. I can tell by how I don’t want my things taken away.”

The deputy priest felt the braided hair to check it and then kindly said, “Thank you for your hard work, Jerome.”

Seeing his mature eye smile, Jerome retracted his impression of the deputy priest being childlike.

Rukna was in the old room that the hero Wiegratz supposedly used.

She had been preparing to run away and secretly leave the mansion, but it was troublesome because the duke’s escorts kept following her around.

In the meantime, she met Matian’s younger brother and was dragged here by him.

“I am Orien Wiegratz. The second son of the ducal family and the future head of this family.”

The boy, whose first impression was pure, was quite bold. It was clear he was Matian’s brother.

When Rukna patted his head because he was cute, he sharply said that she shouldn’t touch a grown man’s head. That was also truly adorable, making her laugh.

Saying he had something to show her, Orien brought Rukna to this room. It was clearly a place that not just anyone should enter, but perhaps because the atmosphere in the house was chaotic, the security was lax.

On the walls of the room filled with old furniture were portraits of figures called the descendants of heroes, just like Matian.

What was surprising was that all the people in the portraits looked exactly the same.

Rukna examined the three portraits hanging on the wall with a pale face.

“Interesting, right? The descendants born with shards in their hearts all have the exact same facial features. My brother looks the same too.”

And they all died before turning thirty. Even if they had to take their own lives.

Perhaps because of such gloomy stories piling up, this place was called the cursed room among the servants, and now no one enters except Orien.

“My brother hates this place too. Once, he tried to smash all these portraits but got scolded by our father.”

On the other hand, Orien took pride in this room.

Especially when talking about his admired brother, his blue eyes sparkled beautifully.

Orien rummaged through an old bookshelf and pulled out a diary from the corner.

Flipping through the pages filled with messy scribbles and drawings, his hand stopped on a certain page.

“Here it is!”

Orien showed the book to Rukna. The woman in the portrait, carefully drawn by someone with clumsy artistic skills, closely resembled her.

“This is you, right?”

Orien tilted his head, trying to confirm Rukna’s face hidden under her hat once more.

“Well, I suppose it does look similar.”

Rukna turned her head to the side, avoiding his gaze.

“It’s not just similar, it’s completely identical! Could it be that you’re the woman my brother is looking for?”

“How could that be? What kind of fool would willingly walk into the house of someone chasing them?”

That fool was me. Of course, it wasn’t intentional.

“That makes sense.”

“By the way, who drew this picture?”

It seemed strange for Matian to have drawn such an old picture.

“The hero Wiegratz. Our ancestor drew Saint Closet.”

A saint? Can one’s ancestor and oneself really look this identical? It sent a slight chill down her spine.

“This might be the only remaining portrait of the saint in the empire? Only I know about it. Not even my father or brother knows.”

At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard from outside.

Thud, thud, thud. These footsteps… Rukna and Orien exchanged glances without a word, and the door swung open without a knock.

“Huh, brother? How did you come all the way here…!”

Orien hid the diary he was holding behind his back and shrunk his body.

Brother? Rukna, who was standing with her back to the entrance, also tensed up.

‘No way.’

It had only been two days since she arrived here.

For someone who should be in the capital to reach the eastern edge of the empire, it would be impossible without flying.

‘Run, I have to run.’

The thought of escaping immediately filled her mind.

Rukna left the room quickly with her head bowed low, staring only at the ground.

The man guarding the doorway did not stop her.

Orien might have called out “Priest Lulu!” to her, but she was too frantic in her escape to look back.

When she came to her senses, she was at the entrance of the ducal residence, and next was the garden. She was now running along a dirt path lined with conifers.

Huff, puff. Her breath rose to the tip of her chin.

She wasn’t running away from Matian, but from her past self who had deceived and fooled him.

‘I wonder if this is enough.’

Rukna wiped her sweat while squatting with her hands on her knees. Glancing back, fortunately, no one was following her.

‘I’ve atoned for ten years.’

And when she turned her head forward again, a dark shadow loomed over her head.

Rukna couldn’t bring herself to lift her head. Crazy bastard, when did he follow me? While she was so out of breath, not even the sound of his breathing could be heard from him.

A cold sweat ran down her spine. What should I do? What should I do? She tried to step to the left to pass by him, but he moved to the left and blocked her way.

She tried to pass on the right, but that also failed. Instead, the distance between them only got closer.

At first, she was startled, and then an indescribable emotion welled up.

Just move out of the way. I’m not brave enough to face my past. I just want to forget. I’m not composed enough to face you again, apologize, and explain the circumstances.

“You said your name was Priest Lulu.”

A low and chilling voice fell on Rukna’s head.

“Is that your new name?”

The voice suppressing emotions demanded an answer.

Yes, you must be angry with me. But just pretend not to know, just this once. When I mature enough to organize my thoughts and offer a sincere apology, I’ll stand before you then.

“…Please move aside.”

Rukna said, pulling down the hood covering her face.

Even with her face covered like this, how did he recognize her at a glance? Did the holy sword tell him? Visbee, that damn bastard.

Rukna glanced at his waist. Unlike when she possessed it, the bloodstained sword looked eerie.

Then, the man who seemed like he would never move twisted his body to the side, opening the way.

Did he move aside because she asked him to? Rukna wasn’t one to miss such an opportunity.

She walked away as quickly as possible with wide strides. She wanted to run, but her legs were already trembling, so this was the best she could do.

She must have walked for over an hour. Her body was tired, but her mind that had been complicated felt refreshed, ironically feeling relieved.

The forest path lined with araucaria trees stretched endlessly.

Her hurried steps gradually slowed down. At this rate, she would get lost without knowing where she had come from.

‘Let’s rest for a bit first.’

Rukna found the base of a tree and staggered over, plopping down there.

‘Why is this tree so soft?’

Rukna looked under her bottom. At some point, a black cloak was spread out there.

Rukna bit her lip and turned her head.

Standing about three steps away from her, Matian had his arms crossed, gazing in a random direction.

“You, why do you keep following me?”

Rukna kept pretending not to know Matian. She had a woman’s body now.

No matter how much the holy sword gave him hints, Matian himself wouldn’t be able to confirm at a glance that she was ‘Rukna Golden’.

“Don’t say that.”

“What?”

“You thought I… wouldn’t recognize you?”

Of course you wouldn’t recognize me. Who would recognize someone who went from being a man to a woman?

“I don’t know who you’re confusing me with, but…”

“I’m not confused. I would never confuse you with anyone else. I wouldn’t forget you either.”

There’s no way that would happen. Matian muttered the rest of his words and washed his face with his hands.

Rukna opened her mouth. She clearly intended to say something, but her mind went blank.

Seeking to be erased from others’ memories, she had deleted all records of herself left in the world and escaped to a pilgrimage.

Everyone would forget, but Matian alone said he clearly remembered her.

His bright blue eyes, as if he recalled her every day, held not a shred of falsehood.

“So what do you want me to do about it?”

Perhaps because she was flustered, Rukna’s stiffened mouth spat out blunt words. Her insides churned. She didn’t know why she was acting like this.

Her head also throbbed with emotions surging like waves.

“We held hands, didn’t we?”

“What?”

“We held hands and kissed, so why are you running away?”

He began spouting things Rukna never even thought of.

Perhaps because it was so baffling, the tears that had welled up went down the back of her throat.

Come to think of it, this man was quite conservative when it came to relationships with women.

“T-that was to heal you. And I was a man back then too.”

“What does that matter? You were Rukna from the beginning.”

Matian approached Rukna.

Huh? Why is he doing this? Rukna pulled her upper body back as much as he approached.

Matian knelt on one knee at Rukna’s feet and offered her his back.

“Get on.”

Did his body grow even more while she hadn’t seen him? His back looked exceptionally broad.

“It’s fine. I’ll walk on my own.”

“Your left heel is scraped, so you won’t be able to walk for long. I think you got blisters on your right foot too starting 30 minutes ago.”

Matian analyzed Rukna’s limping gait and predicted her condition.

What is he suddenly talking about? Rukna took off her shoes to check her feet.

Perhaps because she had been running frantically, just as he said, her heel was scraped and blisters had formed. Wow, what a clairvoyant guy.

“Do you even know where this is?”

When Rukna just stared blankly, Matian spoke again.

“It’s the sacred forest. If you just shout loudly, the elves will come running because they hate the noise, you know?”

It was obvious that they, who disliked noise, would come to check who was misbehaving. Then she could get directions from that elf.

“Well, I think they’ll shoot an arrow at you first, mistaking you for a wild boar.”

“I can dodge it, you know?”

“Then get on for the sake of the elves too.”

“What kind of nonsense are you suddenly spouting?”

“You think I’ll just stand by and watch an elf aim an arrow at you?”

His expression was serious as he turned his head slightly to gaze at Rukna.

Goodness, seriously. This is unbelievable. I have no idea what kind of development this suddenly is.

Rukna hesitated for a moment before wrapping her arms around his shoulders and getting on his back. With no way to escape, she decided to follow his words for now.

Her soft body touched his firm back. Matian’s body visibly stiffened. Sigh. A long sigh escaped his mouth.

“Matian?”