He was an ordinary escort. Such a widely known escort, isn't he?

"But it should be impossible between those two."

Latvan had experienced the humiliation of begging like a dog in front of the saint, pleading for mercy for his subordinates. And yet, he was working as an escort like that?

"He clearly refused to be her bodyguard."

But now, all of a sudden, he was back to protecting the saint. There was only one answer to that. Something must have happened between them that could change their relationship.

"Surely the saint didn't seduce the commander into her bed."

According to the information he heard, Latvan was not someone who could be easily persuaded by such things. If they had been physically involved, rumors would have spread long ago. Latvan and the saint had known each other for a very long time.

"What kind of miracle did the saint show?"

There seemed to be no other way to change the heart of the knight commander, who was so devoted to his faith in the gods. Latvan couldn't think of anything else.

In the midst of these thoughts, the saint was approaching. People started pushing forward, causing a commotion as the line collapsed. Leon didn't miss the opportunity. Pretending to stumble, he rolled into a position where he would be clearly visible to the saint. He didn't forget to remove his hood. As he did so, he shouted loudly.

"Oh, Saint! Please bestow upon me the prayer of blessing!"

All eyes were on him. Whether to push him away or to bring him closer. Either way, he wanted to get closer to the saint. Soon, the saint whispered something to Latvan and let go of his hand, then approached Leon. At that moment, a loud voice came from behind.

"You filthy harlot!"

Chaos erupted starting with those words. Eggs were thrown, people shouted angrily. Leon looked at the commotion with annoyance in his eyes. Just when he thought he would finally get a closer look at the saint, something like this ruined his chance. But soon, his eyes widened. It was because the saint, whom he thought would go back into the temple, was coming towards him.

Finally, the saint stood in front of him and asked.

"Do you still seek my blessing?"

As she spoke, the saint looked very composed. Ignoring the commotion around them, she approached him. Leon was delighted that she had come closer just for him.

"How interesting."

Nodding his head, Leon felt the short prayer of blessing from the saint. And then, she kissed his forehead, which was covered with repulsive skin and a disgusting smell. Leon knew that she wasn't doing it to show off to someone else. Even the priests took a step back, but the saint, who had been inside the main temple all along, showed no hesitation.

The saint, who had kissed his forehead, tried to move away.

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"What a pity."

It was a shame to end it like this. He wanted to meet her a little longer. His instincts were telling him that this woman wouldn't be just an interesting woman. Leon reached out his hand and gently grabbed the long, golden hair that was swaying in front of him. The sensation of it wrapping around his hand delighted him.

When he raised his head, their eyes met. In that moment, he saw the tremor in the saint's eyes. He recognized his disguise at a glance. Leon kissed the hair he held in his hand.

"I shall eagerly await the day I see you again, Your Holiness."

Next time, he wanted to kiss her in a different place.

A few days after that incident, Leon was so thrilled that he could barely contain himself. Especially today, ever since he received the letter from the saint saying she would meet with the imperial envoy, he couldn't help but sing with joy.

"Finally, we shall meet again."

The image of the saint he saw at the prayer meeting passed through his mind. Standing amidst the flowing rotten eggs, enduring the finger-pointing from the people.

***

I gazed ahead, feeling the cold, heavy air settle around me as if I were dining on ice. This encounter, which was supposed to be a gathering of four, including myself, felt more like a meal shared between the prince and me. It was only natural, considering the other two members of the diplomatic delegation hardly spoke, leaving all the conversation to Prince Leon.

"I would take pride in returning to the palace with the knowledge that I dined with the princess. Many would envy such an opportunity," he remarked.

Amidst this heavy atmosphere, I seemed to shine alone. Someone who, upon first glance, might be thought lacking in subtlety and speed—a person easily dismissed. Yet, adorned with exaggerated gestures, laughter, and a blend of light-hearted jokes.

"Why has this person appeared so early?" I wondered.

Prince Leon, one of the male protagonists in the novel, possessed an impressively strong presence, even among the numerous individuals surrounding us. Strangely enough, the first time I laid eyes on him, I had a similar impression, reminiscent of when I first met Latban. He stood out so distinctly that one could recognize him amidst a crowd.

The problem was that he would encounter Evelina much later. According to the book, he disliked formal occasions and disguised his identity when visiting the palace, returning to the empire promptly after gathering the necessary information. It was only after meeting Iris that he began visiting the palace as his true self.

Yet here he was, enjoying his meal merrily in front of me. Such a sight sent chills down my spine.

The book described him in detail, too. A person who appeared careless but possessed a mind more cunning than anyone else's, thoroughly enjoying warfare. The person who exchanged greetings with a smile, but if deemed a threat to the empire, would swiftly eliminate them.

As I scrutinized him quietly, he seemed to notice my gaze and changed his expression slightly before speaking.

"Oh, it seems I have been doing all the talking. I'm concerned whether you have forced yourself to receive me, despite not feeling well," he said, his gaze shifting towards my nearly untouched plate.

"Thank you for your concern. Rather than that, I worry if I have been neglectful in entertaining an unexpected guest like yourself," I replied.

This was not merely a courteous remark. It was rather abrupt to have the empire's prince right beside me. The expressions on the faces of the courtiers standing next to me became rigid, as if they had turned into statues. If they had known that the prince was present in the diplomatic delegation, this encounter would likely not have taken place at all.

"Our relationship is not a good one," I thought.

The prince, who strove to place the Divine Temple under the empire's feet, was standing before me. That was why there was an invisible power struggle between the Divine Temple and the empire across the continent. Whenever news of demons appearing spread, the Divine Temple knights set out, only for the empire's knights to arrive first and deal with the demons. Or when reports of an epidemic surfaced, the temple's clergy rushed to assist, only to find that the empire's doctors had already arrived to attend to the people. It was an ongoing hidden conflict between the two powers.