“Lady Latieana!”

Meanwhile, armed holy knights surrounded the garden, encircling us, and calm footsteps approached us.

“I didn’t expect there to be a little rat hiding in the temple.”

Maxiam hurriedly turned his head.

I, who was floating in the air, held by a giant hand created by ability, also looked at the opponent.

It was Killian.

And next to him was Ivy, glaring at me as if she wanted to kill me.

Killian languidly lowered his slightly upturned eyes. Then, with a sharp gaze, he glanced over Maxiam and looked at me.

An expressionless face that seemed like not a drop of blood would come out even if stabbed.

His hair, swept back over his forehead, was without any dishevelment, just like I had seen earlier in the day.

Eyebrows slightly darker than Edan’s and eye color slightly darker red than Edan’s.

And a nose bridge identical to Edan’s and a jawline slightly sharper than Edan’s.

Standing neatly, in a very upright posture, just staring at me, but Killian’s gaze felt as heavy as if it was crushing me down.

Not knowing what he was thinking, Killian, who was staring at me with a gaze so cold it gave me goosebumps, slowly closed and opened his eyes. Then, the light of ability that spread from his toes tightly squeezed my body.

The strong force mercilessly pressed down on the wound I had received from Ivy.

“Cough!”

I spat out my breath like exhaling with a cough due to the pain constricting my chest.

I tried to open my mouth to breathe in, but it didn’t work well, and tears welled up in my eyes instantly.

Although I was overwhelmed with fear that I might die at any moment, Killian, with a cold face, squeezed my ribs even tighter.

Cold sweat trickled down from Maxiam’s forehead as he looked at my face growing colder.

Maxiam quickly turned his body, ran towards Killian, and knelt down.

“Your Highness, please! Please let go of Lady Latieana! I beg you!”

“I don’t understand, why would a priest kneel and plead for that woman?”

“It’s not for me! If something happens to Lady Latieana, surely Your Highness will regret it! So…!”

Killian furrowed his brows.

“Regret?”

Pft- Killian let out a short sneer.

“How ridiculous.”

Killian withdrew the light of ability and dropped me from mid-air to the ground.

Thud!

Falling from a height as tall as an adult, I collided with the grass floor as if collapsing.

As the force of ability that had tightly constricted my whole body disappeared, I was able to breathe, though laboriously.

“Ugh! Cough, cough!”

Harsh coughs erupted as I hastily breathed in, and seeing this, Maxiam abruptly stood up and was about to run towards me.

“Kyaa! Latieana!”

A beat late, Ivy called out my name with a frail voice filled with worry. Despite having been standing next to Killian watching me without changing her expression, she pushed past Maxiam’s shoulder and ran to me.

“Oh my, Latieana! Are you okay?”

Ivy, who had hugged me tightly, half-raised my collapsed body and then grabbed my shoulders, examining me here and there.

Like someone truly worried about their friend, unable to stay still.

“Let me take a closer look. What should I do…”

A voice full of concern. But Ivy’s eyes, looking down at me with her back to the others, were crescent-shaped from smiling, and her mouth was grinning as if about to split.

As if finding it funny that I was barely breathing, shaking my shoulders in pain, as if she was enjoying this situation immensely.

Ivy’s face, visible only to me, had a bizarre expression that would be difficult to imitate even if one tried to create it intentionally.

“Let go!”

I, who had finally calmed down, swatted away Ivy’s hands that were holding my shoulders.

“Ouch…!”

Ivy was pushed back as if I had shoved her with great force.

And at that moment, the holy knights surrounding us simultaneously drew their swords.

“Great Saint!”

“Are you alright, Great Saint!”

Ivy trembled her shoulders slightly and responded with a faint smile.

“I’m fine. Please put away your swords, my friend is scared.”

“But…”

“Please.”

The knights, who had been looking at each other, reluctantly sheathed their swords.

Ivy slowly turned her head towards me.

“What’s wrong with you, Latieana? If His Highness Killian gets angry, it’ll be hard for me to take your side…”

“Cut out that disgusting act.”

“Latieana.”

“Isn’t this what you asked for? Didn’t you want to make me like this?”

“How could you say such a thing…”

At my words, Ivy covered her mouth with her hand and whimpered as if deeply hurt.

Then she stood up and turned to look at Killian.

“That’s too much, Your Highness Killian! You didn’t say you would handle her so roughly. Look at that. My friend is blaming me…”

Killian, who had been watching Ivy without moving from his spot, turned his gaze towards me.

The gaze that met mine was as cold as before.

“Really, you’re going too far. Even if Latieana slapped me, she’s still my friend. I’m hurt…”

I feel like I’m really going to vomit. How can she act so shamelessly?

Although there was pain that felt like my body was breaking, I staggered to my feet. Then Maxiam quickly came to support me.

Ivy’s gaze turned cold as she looked at Maxiam helping me.

“Priest, step away from my friend.”

As Ivy gestured, two holy knights who were standing closest quickly approached and dragged Maxiam away. Their actions, binding Maxiam’s arms like a serious criminal, were very rough.

Ivy again gestured in the air, and seeing this, a maid brought a pen and paper.

“Latieana, if you sign here, I’ll take good care of you at the temple.”

Dismissing the maid, Ivy smiled brightly and held out the contract to me.

“…”

The distance of two or three steps between Ivy and me.

“Come on, let’s sign. Okay?”

Ivy took a step closer to me and lowered her voice. Very softly, so that only I could hear.

“So I can lock you up and absorb your power to kill you as soon as possible, you damn girl.”

Ivy continued, pulling up the corners of her mouth.

“After you die, I’ll pretend to cry sincerely. How lovely and pitiful I’ll look to others, grieving for my beloved friend who died. So don’t resist unnecessarily and just sign.”

Ivy forcibly grabbed my arm, which was clenched into a fist.

Not the wrist, but above it, pressing on the bruised area under my clothes, I endured Ivy’s touch and looked at Maxiam.

“Lady Latieana…”

Maxiam, whose eyes met mine, shook his head worriedly.

I closed my eyes tightly and opened them again.

“Okay. I’ll do it, Ivy.”

The words Ivy most wanted to hear. Ivy burst into a bright smile at my answer without hesitation.

And she hugged me tightly.

“You finally give up? You just now realize it’s useless to resist unnecessarily. How stupid.”

Whispering that in my ear and pulling away, Ivy handed me the pen and paper.

“Come on, do it quickly.”

Ivy looked down at me arrogantly with her chin raised. I looked down at the pen and paper with a drained expression and said to Ivy.

“But, not in front of you.”

“What?”

“His Highness the Crown Prince asked me to sign the contract, right? I’ll do it in front of His Highness.”

When I raised my head, Ivy’s face was contorted.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“The priest was captured because of me. I may have no choice, but I can’t let the priest go to the underground prison.”

“If that’s the case, I can prevent that too!”

“You?”

I let out a scornful laugh and continued.

“You, who are about to kill me soon, say you won’t punish the priest who helped me? How can I trust you? Would you trust yourself if you were me?”

Ivy tried to read my expression, but I continued emotionlessly.

“Since His Highness seems to want me to come to the temple more than anyone else because of your request, I’ll speak directly. I’ll sign, but please don’t punish the priest. Although he threw me, I can trust His Highness more than you who has tormented me all my life.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. If you’re having any foolish thoughts, it won’t work.”

“Look around, Ivy. What can I do here? As you said, I’ve given up now.”

I gradually lowered my voice. As if I was really exhausted and couldn’t go on anymore, even my lips trembled.

“This is how it was going to end up anyway, I don’t want to try anymore. How could I ever beat you? So please help me save just the priest. It’s my first and last request. If you don’t grant it, I will never sign. Even if I have to bite my tongue and die. Is that okay with you?”

“Damn it, Latieana. Such unnecessary stubbornness…”

Ivy, who had been chewing on her lower lip, turned abruptly to look at Maxiam and finally took a step back.

“Thank you.”

I replied in an even more subdued voice.

And I looked at Maxiam with an expression as if I was about to cry.

“Thank you for everything, priest. I won’t forget your kindness even after I die.”

“La, Lady Latieana…? Why are you doing this? I, I’m fine! Don’t do this!”

Leaving behind Maxiam who was shouting, I moved towards Killian with a darkly sunken face.

Ivy, who I thought would follow, fortunately stood still watching me.

One step, another step. As the distance with Killian gradually closed, I took out a glass bottle from my pocket.

It wasn’t easy because I was holding the contract and pen together in my left hand, but I calmly opened the lid without rushing.

I grasped the butterfly grass leaf in my right hand and dropped the bottle onto the grass lawn.

And to prevent Killian’s gaze from going to my hand, I looked straight at him and crushed the leaf with all my might.

The bone-dry butterfly grass leaf instantly turned to powder in my hand.

The butterfly grass, which feels like nothing no matter how hard you squeeze it, like a common leaf.

But it’s different when it touches Ivy.

This wasn’t the timing I wanted. If possible, I wanted to find a way not to come to the temple first and then deal with Ivy.

Because if they find out I’m the real Great Saint, surely the temple and the royal family will want me.

They will force me to sacrifice for ability users no matter what.

Then I won’t be able to say anything even if Hillstain or Dante forcibly take me.

Because no matter how much I dislike it, the Great Saint’s position is to sacrifice herself and her power for healing.

I had no intention of doing such things with people other than Edan. I didn’t want to feel pleasure from such things like Ivy.

So I wanted to find another way to resolve this if possible.

But…

You brought this upon yourself. You’re dead today, Ivy.