Translator and Editor: Maru and Tea

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Chapter 83

“But I really want to see you off.”

“No, it’s really okay.”

But Raphael was a very stubborn man. No matter how many times I told him I didn’t need his escort, he didn’t heed my words and took a big lead in front of me.

There was not a single thing I wanted from this guy. Nevertheless, I followed him to stay true to my persona as a benevolent Duchess.

“Well, if you insist.”

“If you feel burdened, I’ll only see you off until the entrance.”

“Thank you.”

“But when will the Duchess visit again? We’ll make sure to prepare accordingly.”

“I don’t know. I’m coming here to see God. How can I make an appointment for that? There are times when I want to come because I feel my faith begin to waver.”

I meant to say that I’d visit anytime because I haven’t made an appointment with the High Priest yet.

“Ah, I see. I was unable to discern the Duchess’ meaningful thoughts.”

Without hesitation, he replied with twinkling eyes.

“It’s alright. More than that, I think we can go our separate ways now. My knight will escort me from here on.”

“Oh! I-I’m being too burdensome! Then I’ll have to bid you goodbye right here.”

He looked surprised as if he had just discovered Luca’s presence even though he kept walking next to me.

I wonder how people can be this deceitful?

“I will see you next time.”

“Please come and ask for me next time! I’m Raphael! Please remember me!”

“Alright.”

At last, we were finally able to get out of the temple. Fortunately, no one ran toward us, perhaps because we just exited from the inside.

On the contrary, a group of people were busy crowding around a guest who just arrived at the temple. They specially targeted people who seemed clueless.

“Haa..the way back is much more comfortable.”

“Because they need to gain new believers. I heard that some of the donations went to line the priests’ pockets.”

“I knew it…”

It was nothing surprising. The moment they serve for money, the temple itself will lose its original purpose.

“But at least it works well for us.”

“Just as what happened earlier, right?”

“Yes. They’ll do everything for you as long as you throw money at them. It wasn’t this bad a few years ago…recently, it seems the High Priest no longer cares about the temple.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“There’s a rumor that he’s looking for something. He’s always been someone who’s hard to meet, even His Majesty the Emperor hardly meets him. But he’s gotten worse these days.”

“Ah…”

I quietly stroked my chin.

So it was hard to meet him, huh?

“Is it possible that the High Priest….can’t make contact with ordinary people freely?”

It was an important question.

I thought High Priest Caleb’s behavior was especially strange. It didn’t make sense to bring other people to act as the High Priest.

“Yes. He’s been like that for a long time. He always wears a hood that covers his face. Even His Majesty the Emperor rarely saw his face.”

“….But how is it you recognize him?”

“I’m not sure. Maybe I stumbled across him one day?”

Did he even realize that he just contradicted himself?

“Luca, but…”

At that time,

Just when I was about to say something more to Luca, I caught a glimpse of a woman. That woman was about to enter the temple.

We spotted each other from a distance and didn’t take our eyes off until we got close. But neither of us dared to strike a conversation. We just stared at each other in bewilderment.

‘Who are you?’

She was strangely familiar.

Was she someone from Leona’s lost memory? Just like when she forgot that she was sick prior to her arrival at the Duchy?

But the woman passed by me just like that.

“Leona?”

“Huh? Oh, yes?”

“What’s wrong?”

“Did you see who just passed by….?”

“Passed by….?”

I felt like he had been staring at me the whole time. Even when I pointed my finger in another direction, his eyes were still glued to me.

“Didn’t you see her?”

“Did someone pass by?”

“Yeah…”

“Leona was so lovely that I couldn’t see anyone else besides you.”

He was being too straightforward as usual. Somehow I was embarrassed by his words and walked ahead of him.

“Well, it can’t be helped if you didn’t see it. L-Let’s get going.”

Fortunately enough, we were close to our carriage. The coach, who was on standby, opened the carriage door as soon as we arrived.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

At the coachman’s words, we immediately climbed into the carriage. The carriage began to move slowly.

Finally leaving the temple, I watched as the priests waited for new believers to come.

“People in the temple are truly shameless….they’re crazy about money.”

“They’re tainting the temple’s sacredness. By the way, do you know about temples and gods?”

“No.”

Perhaps if I dug into Leona’s memories, I would find the answer somewhere, but I couldn’t think of anything in the moment.

“I will try to find more information about it. There must be a reason why they turned out like that. More than that, Leona, do you have anything to say to me?”

Looking at his serious expression, I scratched my head.

“Uhm…do I?”

“Didn’t you say that you’re not feeling well?”

“Ah! I thought Luca already knew about it. I told the Duke about it.”

“…I don’t know everything. On top of that, recently the duke has stopped talking about Leona in front of me.” Luca narrowed his forehead.

“Oh, I see.”

He looked quite sullen. Is this what Rere meant by the forehead of truth?

He knitted his eyebrows, looking at me seriously without a word.

“Luca also has the forehead of truth.”

“Leona…”

“You don’t have to worry. Because I’m healthier than ever now. And I purposely said that because I couldn’t possibly tell him about Rere’s illness.”

“….But I’m still worried. You’re not feeling well, right? I heard something like that from the doctor.”

“….Maybe a little?”

Luca stared at me.

“I’m….I’m so scared. Perhaps because of what I said, Leona has been pushing herself too hard lately. If anything goes wrong with you….”

Looking at him, I shook my head from side to side.

“There’s nothing to worry about. Nothing will go wrong.”

He heaved a sigh when I looked straight at him.

“Seriously. You’re driving me crazy each time you look at me like that.”

“What?”

“Do you know how lovely you look right now? I want you to look at me with those brilliant eyes that seem to contain the vast ocean. You keep pulling me in deeper.”

“…Luca.”

“…That’s how I feel. Leona doesn’t like to hear things like this, right?” Luca scratched his head.

I smiled at his cautious voice.

“It was a little corny, but it’s not that bad because Luca said it.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah! Luca, I’ve never been loved by anyone ever since I was born. Not even by my own family…”

That was the case for me and Leona. Our lives were similar in many ways.

“Leona.”

“So if you love me, I’d like it if you could tell me directly that you love me. I would never know unless you tell me, since I have never been loved before.”

Luca’s gaze toward me was sweeter than ever.

“I’ll say I love you every single time.”

Luca embraced me in his arms as he said that. His unexpected action made my heart jump out of my chest. I had never been held by a man.

At the sound of his palpitating heart, my heart also began beating to match the same rate as his.

“How nice.”

“Leona…?”

“It’s nice to be like this with you.”

I could smell Luca’s scent. And perhaps because of my words, Luca patted my back affectionately.

How I wish this moment would last longer. Would there be a day when the Duke disappears and Luca becomes Duke?

Meanwhile, the carriage gradually stopped.

“Unfortunately, this is the end of our time alone.”

“Then I’ll have to go with Luca if I visit the temple next time.”

We smiled at each other.

“That sounds good. Then, shall we leave now?”

“Yes!”

Knowing that the door would open as soon as the carriage stopped, I scooted away from Luca.

“Madam, we have arrived. I will open the door now.”

The coachman opened the door without delay.

“Did something happen?”

“About that….My little Miss is…”

As soon as I heard about Rere, I quickly looked over the carriage door. Rere was already standing there with reddened eyes.

So I jumped out of the carriage without any hesitation.

“Rere!”

“Huaaaaa! Big Bunny!”

Rere ran to me as if she had been waiting for a long time and rubbed her head on my hem.

“Big Bunny! Big Bunny!”

“What happened to my Rere, hmm?”

“I! I! Again!”

“Again?”

“I won’t play with Daddy ever again! We played hide-and-seek…but he hasn’t come out yet!”

Rere raised her head and made eye contact with me.

“Huh? He hasn’t come out? Since Mom left earlier?”

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