Even though we were far apart, I could discern that the eyes of the person I encountered were black. After a few seconds had passed, I could finally behold his face. He had short, black hair, and beneath it, his slightly tanned skin gleamed beautifully in the sunlight. Straight, thick eyebrows framed sharp eyes, and below them, his lips were firmly sealed beneath a straight, proud nose.

He resembled a statue made of iron. Just as I stared intently at him, he too gazed back at me. Time passed with our gazes intertwined. It was he who turned his head first.

"Ah..."

His actions filled me with an indescribable disappointment. At the same time, I noticed the bewildered expressions of the attendants by my side.

"P-Pardon, Your Grace. It could not have been intentional."

"That's right. It seems he did not realize Lady Evelina was present, given the distance."

"Evelina?"

As the attendants uttered the name, I realized that the man I had vaguely glimpsed in Evelina's memories was none other than Sir Latvan, the commander of the knights.

"Goodness gracious."

No wonder he left a stronger impression than anyone I had seen so far. He was one of the protagonists of this world. My heart raced uncontrollably, caught off guard by the sight. I remained silent, causing the attendants to grow increasingly restless, unsure of what to do.

I understood why they were reacting this way.

Commander Latvan was undoubtedly a person who strictly adhered to the rules of the temple. In the novel, there were scenes where he mercilessly teased Evelina, the female protagonist, for her unwavering adherence to the rules, to the point of questioning if she was a human or a machine. He was the type of person who would rather take his own life than break the rules of the temple. That was who Commander Latvan was.

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"He violated the rules so blatantly in front of everyone."

In the grand temple, the only person with absolute authority was the Saint. Therefore, according to protocol, Latvan should have approached Evelina, bowed, and greeted her upon seeing her. However, he ignored her, even with everyone watching.

"Such audacity!"

One of the attendants raised their voice in disbelief upon witnessing Latvan's departure. The voices of the other attendants also grew louder. Among them, the attendant who had been guiding me spoke with a contemplative expression.

"How could Commander Latvan dare to disrespect the Lady? Please do not be angry, as this was surely an unintended mistake."

Judging by the attendant's expression, it seemed they were worried that the enraged Evelina, whom they had just managed to coax out of the room, might turn back due to Latvan's actions.

"Or perhaps they fear that I will demand Latvan's presence and scold him."

Evelina would have done so immediately. Of course, I had no intention of doing that at the moment. It was fortunate that I didn't rush over and behead him for the sake of my subordinate, who had thrown himself to the ground and prostrated.

"It's better this way, just letting him go."

If Latvan had come and greeted me, it would have made me uncomfortable. As I thought this, someone approached and spoke.

"How can we simply overlook such rudeness? Would it not be fitting to hold him accountable and appoint a new commander?"

Then, another attendant chimed in as if they had been waiting.

"That's right. As everyone knows, the knights of the temple have become no different from Latvan's private army. Before they become even more confused about whom they should serve, it would be appropriate to appoint a new commander as soon as possible."

At first listen, it might sound like they were reproaching the commander's rudeness and respectfully requesting appropriate measures. However, I had to make an effort not to burst into laughter upon hearing their subsequent words.

"Besides Commander Latvan, there are many capable individuals in the temple knights. If you so desire, Lady, I will promptly compile a list."

"I also have a recommendation. If you wish to see for yourself, I will send a messenger immediately."

They all wanted to make knights whom they had connections with the new commander. I memorized their faces and names. It seemed that the ones who needed to be dealt with in the temple were not Commander Latvan, but these people.

***