Announcement

Hi guys! It’s been a while. First, I’d like to thank my beloved editor Miss Sheep for helping me to edit this novel voluntarily despite her busy schedule so that my translation can be easier to read. And last but not least, I’d like to thank all of you guys who always send lots of compliments and encouragements. It’s been quite a long but short journey from October 2019 until June 2021. Time sure flies so fast, huh? Sadly I don’t have much free time anymore because of ‘reasons’ which I won’t disclose here. I’m not good with words but I hope everyone is doing well whereever you are. Once again, thank you for reading my first ever translation!

Be safe and stay healthy guys! Annyeong! ~~

Chapter 6 part 1

Translator: iveyra | Editor: Ms. Sheep

Because the High Priest kept holding us back, it was only after we ate lunch that we were able to leave. We were supposed to leave the gate at midday, but we were delayed. I slept well in the bed and I ate well, but I don’t know if Captain Jullius also fared well. There’s no way he was starving right? I, together with the High Priest and the Saintess went to the wagon, and there, Tess alongside the other three people could be seen outside. Anyway, I wondered if they were okay, but turns out they were hidden somewhat by the carriage, and they weren’t people who wouldn’t notice anyone approaching them.

Captain Jullius, whose eyes met with mine, straightened his body that was leaning on the carriage. It’s only been one night, but it felt like I hadn’t seen him in a long time. Seeing those pale gray eyes staring at me, it looked as if he also felt the same.

“Captain–“

I trudged forward and hugged him tightly. Both Captain Jullius’s arms also enveloped me.

“I’ll treat you well from now on.”

I don’t think I’ve treated you well all this time. I’ll defer taking back the kidnapping threat for now, and I’ll work hard to treat you well in other ways. Though, I still don’t know how to treat you well.

“I’ll also treat you better.”

He whispered in a voice that sounded almost as if he was on the verge of tears. What is it? Why does he look so drained? Did someone bully him in the night? I don’t think it was Ortzen, but maybe, those bastards, Tess and Cain said something? When I raised my head in the Captain’s arms and glared at Tess, he avoided my eyes furtively. Was it him? Then, Cain also turned his head away furtively. Or was it both these bastards? Why are you bullying someone else’s fiancé?!

‘Damn it, I want to knock them over so much but I can’t do that right now.’

If I were in my original body, I could beat them up under the pretext of sparring, but it’s too much for me to handle them right now. Above all, I’m just a Count’s daughter, while they’re a vice-captain who is a soon-to-be Captain of the holy knights, and an imperial knight. With the way things are going, he’s moving up in the world, fuck. Still, I can’t just let it slide like this. I got out of Captain Jullius’s arms, and approached the two guys and spoke as politely as I could.

“Excuse me, did you two gentlemen give any advice or do anything to my fiancé last night?”

Looking at my manner where I even bowed my head slightly, those two bastards were bewildered and lowered their heads facing each other. Cain’s ears turned particularly red.

“It’s burdersome to hear you using honorifics!”

“Don’t concern yourself with status or anything like that!”

What’s with these two bastards?

“This Miss just wants to hear what happened last night, though?”

Tess’s face turned pale as if he had just heard something he shouldn’t.

“… I’m getting goosebumps from you talking like that.”

“It’s just how a normal noble lady speaks.”

It’s normal, what’s the problem? Should I even ask you to escort me? When I courteously asked again about what happened last night, the trembling Cain was the first to confess.

“We just… told him to treat Sir Roel well.”

If you only said that, then why is my fiancé on the verge of tears? When I scowled at Tess, he scratched his cheek and opened his mouth.

“Since I’ve known Captain for a long time, I just gave him some advice.”

“What advice?”

“… Ah, I was all wrong. I won’t meddle from now on, so please leave it at that!”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“It’s a promise then. He is mine, so in the future, you need to get my permission if you want to mess around with him.”

“… Are you the one to decide it?”

“Yeah.”

He’s my fiancé so he’s mine. I wanted to warn him a bit more in my own way, but I held back because I have neither the time nor the ability to do so. I glared at those rascals one more time, then I went back to Captain Jullius and held his hand tightly.

“No matter what they prattle on about, just ignore them and talk to me instead.”

“But he wasn’t wrong–“

“What did he say?”

There is no answer. Did those bastards blackmail him with something? I was wondering if I should properly interrogate them once again, but then I heard Ortzen’s voice.

“We’re late. That’s enough. Let’s get going.”

… Maybe I can make him tell on them later. Except for Tess and the High Priest, everyone got into the carriage and covered the entrance with the luggage, then closed the door. Since it was a wagon, it was completely blocked on all sides except for a small window leading to the coach box. Even that was blocked when Tess got on, so the surrounding became completely dark. There is naturally no seat, and since we were huddled together on the floor, I felt like I was a slave about to be sold somewhere. The Empire has abolished slavery, but it wasn’t the same in some countries, so human trafficking did occur from time to time.

“We’re leaving now!”

The carriage began to move along with Tess’s shout. I can’t wait to join Clauen quickly and switch our transport. I really want to change my dress too.





Even after the carriage had left the city gate, it continued to move until night fell. Being carried like baggage in a dark and narrow space like this was more tiring than I thought. It could be because I lack stamina right now. Like that, after the sun went down, we arrived at the backyard of an inn in the town. The door was opened and the luggage was moved aside, but because I had been sitting in the same position for a long time, my legs, waist and butt were stiff and sore, I couldn’t get up right away, and so Captain Jullius lifted me into his arms. It could be treated with holy power, but should I save it for tomorrow?

“I’ve rented the entire inn, so that we don’t have to worry about being watched by the other people around us.”

Clauen stole a glance at me and Captain Jullius while saying this. It’s good to have a lot of money.

“However, there might be people who don’t know and walk in, so the meals will be sent to your personal room.”

I was the most exhausted, but it was not that the others weren’t also tired. Everyone followed Clauen’s lead quietly and went to the second floor. He had rented the entire inn, so naturally there were many unoccupied rooms left. Each of us chose a room we liked and went inside, meanwhile I and Captain Jullius also went into a room with a window facing the road. As the Captain put me down on the bed, Clauen, who followed us in, asked cautiously.

“You’re not going to use the same room, right?”

“I was told that we shouldn’t until after we’re married.”

“… That’s right.”

Why did you ask if you already knew? I know that much. Clauen lingered for a while with an expression as if he had something more to say, and then went outside to get my meal. Well, he can just say it. I took off my shoes and put on the slippers that had been prepared, then looked up at Captain Jullius who was standing next to the bed.

“You’ll have to ride the carriage for a long time tomorrow as well, so you should go ahead and rest.”

When going on a long journey, you should rest as much as possible when you can. Even after I said that, the Captain stood still.

“I’ll wash your feet.” He said.

Huh?

“… What?”

“It will relieve your fatigue.”

“No, wait a minute. I also have hands.”

What are you talking about all of a sudden? The Captain isn’t even my servant.

Chapter 5 part 4

Translator: iveyra | Editor: Ms. Sheep

I nodded unconsciously. Come to think of it, what she said makes sense. The other person will like you more if you show your good side. Wait, did I ever show Captain Jullius my good side? Uh…… I don’t think I ever did…… I forced him to lend me his sword; I asked for his food; I extorted some weapons from him; I troubled Ortzen because of our engagement; I made him cry; I bit his neck; and recently, I also forewarned him that I might kidnap and confine him. Now, because of my situation, he is staying up all night in an uncomfortable carriage out there. Whoa… No matter how hard I think about it, I don’t think Captain Jullius will ever love me. This is difficult.

“So… If you love someone, you can’t do something like kidnapping and confining him?”

“Of course not. Even if you don’t love that person, you shouldn’t do that.”

Damn it. I also thought I shouldn’t do it. If only the High Priest hadn’t incited me, I wouldn’t have forewarned Captain Jullius of the kidnapping and the like. What should I do? Should I take my words back?

“… Love is pretty complicated.”

That being said, I thought it would be all right if we stay like this, but I’m getting less and less confident. It looks like everyone else is falling in love except for me. Interesting.

I was trying to stop worrying too much about things I couldn’t answer easily, and was about to sleep, but then I asked one last question.

“Have you ever confessed?”

“Yeah.”

So you have done it! Even though I wasn’t the one who confessed, I swallowed dry saliva unconsciously.

“What… was his answer?”

“Don’t you already know?”

“Yes?”

“The answer that Sir Roel had given many times.”

Her words reminded me of the trivial things in the past that I had forgotten. Obviously, I’d received confessions and turned them down plenty of times by giving a very simple excuse.

“… I can’t because I’m part of a clergy.”

“Yes. The same answer you gave to everyone.”

That’s… I guess so? Because a member of the clergy can’t get married. It was a very reasonable answer that I gave so many times whenever I turned down a confession, but for some reason, it left a bad taste in my mouth. I didn’t even know what else to say, so in the end I just lay down without saying anything. Soon after, the lights went out and it became dark. I closed my eyes in the dark, but unlike usual, I couldn’t fall sleep easily.



***



“Sir Roel~”

I felt somewhat bitter as I looked at the High Priest, who came as soon as dawn broke. This was because I couldn’t help but be bothered by last night’s conversation. Actually, people who have unrequited love for the High Priest can be found everywhere, but now, maybe I’m paying attention to them because I’m trying to fall in love. Does this mean I’ve added another problem to my list?

“It’s still early. What’s the matter?”

I glanced at the bathroom where Iner had gone to wash up and the way I spoke was a bit stiff, unlike my usual self. I feel sorry for the High Priest, but it might be better to keep a little distance from now on. After all, I’m not a holy knight anymore, right?

“I have a gift for Sir Roel.”

Despite my chilliness, the High Priest was still smiling as he rummaged through his sleeve. A gift he said. I feel a bit burdened now.

“Ta-da, look at this.”

It was none other than a pure white dagger that the High Priest proudly took out. The simple yet luxurious looking dagger, had a familiar energy in it. I definitely have felt this energy somewhere… Ah!

“It feels exactly like the holy sword Altaria.”

Though, it’s a much smaller dagger and in a completely different shape. At my words, the High Priest smiled as if he was bashful.

“That’s right.”

“… Pardon?”

“I stole a fragment of the broken holy sword.”

“But, are you allowed to do that?!”

Even if he’s the High Priest, isn’t he not allowed to do that? It’s not some random thing: he siphoned off a fragment of the holy sword!

“It’s okay~”

“I don’t think you can do this!”

“It’s all right. The trace of the holy sword’s fragment isn’t that noticeable.”

No, I mean, I don’t think that’s the problem… The High Priest gave me the dagger that was made of a fragment of the holy sword.

“It’s something that even the Goddess has permitted.”

“… Really?”

“Of course.”

He’s not just anyone, but he’s someone who is not going to lie about the Goddess….. Since he said he had gotten the permission, I accepted the dagger even though I felt uncomfortable inside for now. It’s inferior to the original long sword, but it’s still part of the holy sword. If I have it, it’ll be reassuring, but I wonder if it’s really okay.

“Keep it a secret from others.”

“……. Yes.”

I don’t really trust others anyway. I put the dagger inside my luggage and then I looked at the High Priest. I don’t know if I can ask something like this, but……

“High Priest, have you ever had someone you loved by any chance?”

“For me, the Goddess is my companion.”

“I’m talking about a person, is there no one?”

“There can’t be anyone.”

“How so? Of course I know a priest can’t get married, but still. Even though you can’t get married or date anyone, you can still love someone.”

A person’s heart doesn’t work the way you want it to be. The High Priest tilted his head slightly at my words.

“Umm, that’s right. It’s just like what Sir Roel says. Just because you’re a priest doesn’t mean you don’t have a heart. But I can’t.”

He continued to speak with a kind smile.

“The ostensible reason why a priest can’t marry is because he has devoted everything to the Goddess. But the real reason is different. Because, like Sir Roel said, people have a heart. When you get married and have children, you will inevitably love your own flesh and blood more. The possibility that they will use the power bestowed by the Goddess for personal use is higher.”

“You mean the holy power?”

“Yes. Holy power can be used for good things, but it can also be used for bad things. For that reason, we prevent leakage of the method to use the holy power. Since we can’t force someone to become a priest just because he possesses holy power, we supervise those who are not a priest so that they cannot use holy power properly.”

Certainly, if a priest, especially a high-ranking priest, used his holy power to pursue self-interest, the damage would be greater than that of ordinary people. Although the holy knights use the holy power to make their body stronger, there are some dangerous types of holy spells sometimes.

“Then… doesn’t that mean I can’t leave like this?”

Since Sieg’s holy power is weak, his leaving was no problem, but I’m different. At my words, the High Priest shook his head with a smile on his face.

“It’s okay. Of course, it would be better not to be discovered, but it’s okay. Because you have me.”

“The High Priest?”

“Yes. The same goes for other priests too besides Sir Roel. No matter how high-ranking that priest is, I can stop them. But, it’s just that I’m not eligible to have any relationships. Not me. Sir Roel.”

The High Priest, with both of his hands, wrapped and squeezed my hand.

“When Sir Roel’s corpse returned, I was really sad. If Sir Roel were my own daughter or granddaughter, I would have been sad beyond words and loosed my anger. However, even if I felt that way, I can’t do anything about it. Because there’s no one who can stop me.”

“……”

“That’s why I wasn’t even given a name. Ah, of course I used to have one in the past. Before I became the High Priest.”

… I had never really thought about the High Priest’s name. It was weird, but was it because everyone regarded it as a matter of course?

“… Still, are you fine with that?”

“It’s okay~ since the Goddess is with me. For that reason, the Goddess, who can barely exert her power on earth, speaks directly to the High Priest. It’s okay to devote my whole heart to the Goddess. Therefore, don’t worry, Sir Roel.”

The High Priest patted the back of my hand and then took a step back.

“Sir Roel, please just make sure you return safely.”

“… Don’t worry. This time, everything is going to be fine.”

The opponent is the Demon King who has lost his mana, meanwhile our force is strong beyond description. This time I will definitely be able to return safely.

Chapter 5 part 3

Translator: iveyra | Editor: Ms. Sheep

“I have to move the luggage!”

“You don’t have to load it yourself. Please go inside.”

Iner forcefully pushed the High Priest’s back and sent him inside. Actually, there is no need for the High Priest to move the luggage personally. We can just say that the grandpa did it. I looked at the High Priest’s back as he went inside, then lifted my head to look up at Captain Jullius who was hugging me tightly.

“Shall we sleep together in the carriage?”

He shook his head at my question.

“It’s uncomfortable.”

I think Captain Jullius will also be uncomfortable. But I can’t do anything that attract too much attention, so it can’t be helped. I got out from the Captain’s arms, grabbed him by the collar and pulled him towards me, and kissed him on the cheek.

“Then, see you tomorrow.”

“Mhm.”

The Captain also kissed me lightly on the cheek. Tess and Cain looked at us with strange expressions, but everyone does this much if they’re engaged, right? I didn’t just want to kiss him; I also wanted to bite his finger, but going that far was a bit too much. I hid my regret and went into the building together with Iner.





Iner’s bedroom was plain. Actually, there wasn’t much difference between the structures of the bedrooms of the high-ranking and the low-ranking priests. It was just that the high-ranking priests were in private rooms which were located in the center and the low-ranking priests were in shared rooms which were located in the outer part. Apart from the location, it was much more comfortable to use a private room than a shared room. It wasn’t that different from my old bedroom except for the large bookshelf. There was a bed, a wardrobe, a desk and a chair, a six-compartment chest of drawers, a small table and a chair, and a long sofa. It was also missing weapons and armor. I don’t know if my old room was still empty or if someone else occupied it. I kind of miss it.

I went into the en-suite bathroom to wash up, and changed my clothes into the pajamas that Sieg had packed for me. Clauen had all of the other luggage ready, so I didn’t bring anything except for the clothes I’m going to change into right now. I returned to the bedroom, and Iner, who had washed up first, was doing a short prayer before going to sleep. Hmm, she is even faithfull to this extent. I don’t even remember when I last prayed. When I was a probationary knight, many people shared the same room, so I fulfilled my duty since I cared about what others might think of me. But once I became a regular knight and started using a private room, I slowly got lazy… And now I’m not doing anything. I’m not a cleric anymore, but I think I’ll at least pray in the morning.

“I’ll sleep on the sofa.”

From the perspective of someone who is intruding in another’s room, I can’t take the bed from the room’s owner. At my words, Iner, who had finished praying, stared blankly at me and shook her head briefly.

“No. Please sleep on the bed, Sir Roel.”

“But–“

“You have a difficult journey ahead.”

“Doesn’t the same go for the Saintess who will be accompanying us?”

I think Iner probably has less travel experience than I do. Actually, if we’re talking about our physical condition, it’s the other way around, though.

“I’m going to ride the carriage, but Sir Roel has to ride a horse.”

“… What?”

What do you mean by riding a horse?

“I’m thinking to ride the carriage too, though?”

It’s not like we’re all going to ride a horse because we’re in a hurry. If we have to go at the speed where there is a carriage, naturally it’s more comfortable to ride the carriage. At my words, Iner casted a cold gaze at me.

“Even so, I’m telling you to build up your body strength.”

The moment I heard that, the training with Iner over the past few days quickly flashed through my mind. She had started the first day by breaking my leg, torturing me under the pretext of training my flexibility as quickly as possible while saying ‘Don’t you recover quickly enough with holy power?’ Just because she can heal me quickly, doesn’t mean I don’t feel any pain! Besides, since it didn’t have any significant impact on my training even when she healed me right away, she only eased the pain and increased my recovery power at most.

But, is she trying to make me ride a horse all day long now? Obviously my body is already suffering from muscle pain. Even if she reduces the feeling of pain, my whole body will ache from tired muscles. The body, of course, will be stronger without a doubt. It will be stronger, but that’s too much! I’ve retired from being a holy knight!

“I can do it more gradually and take it easy. I’m not going to be a holy knight again and I’m just a noble lady now. Aren’t you giving me too much of a hard time? It’s as if you hate me so you’re deliberately bullying me.”

“I don’t really hate you now.”

……. Huh? What did you just say?

“Did you used to hate me?”

I asked in confusion. If you don’t hate me now, doesn’t that mean you hated me in the past after all? I knew Iner hated Sieg, but I didn’t know I was also being hated! At my words, the Saintess opened her mouth calmly.

“Yes. I couldn’t stand the sight of you.”

… Really. It’s a bit shocking. I’ve never heard a woman tell me that she hated seeing me. I mean not now, but when I was in my old body. Why the hell. Did I do anything wrong to Iner?

“… What’s the reason?”

Actually, despite what wrong I did, I didn’t even run into her that much. Saintess Inertia mostly stayed around the High Priest inside the Church, meanwhile I, as a holy knight, often went outside to work.

“No particular reason.”

Iner continued to speak in an indifferent tone as usual.

“The High Priest dotes on Sir Roel. The people around you two admire both of you and they also think that you make a good couple. I was annoyed by that, because I love the High Priest.”

This time it was less shocking compared to when she said she hated me. People who are besotted with the High Priest can be found everywhere. Still, her confession is surprising, though.

“Um, so you’re saying that you were jealous of me.”

“It’s similar to that.”

“I have a fiancé now.”

“That’s why I told you that I don’t really hate you now.”

“Then, please don’t bully me.”

At my words, Iner frowned slighly and shut her mouth tightly. After contemplating for a moment, she let out a short sigh.

“I’m less annoyed with you, so I’ll try to bully you less.”

… What did I do wrong? Moreover, what do mean by saying you will bully me less? You shouldn’t bully me at all.

“I don’t love the High Priest. I like him, though. I think the High Priest also feels the same.”

“I know that, but I just hate seeing it.”

Well, that’s fair. Even just imagining another woman clinging onto Captain Jullius makes my mood go downhill. Therefore, it’ll be much worse for Iner, who loves the High Priest, than me, whose feeling for the Captain isn’t to the extent of loving him. I understand. I understand, but…

“But please stop bullying me on purpose. Otherwise, I’ll tell the High Priest.”

It’s a cheap move, but I’ll tell on you.

“It’s not bullying. It’s all for Sir Roel’s sake.”

“… You just said you would bully me less.”

“I never said that.”

Iner feigned ignorance with a poker face. Whoa, how shameless. I didn’t know she was like that, but she’s being too much.

“You did. No, honestly, it’s not like I have to obey you. I thought the Saintess offered to help out of goodwill, that’s why I put up with it.”

She deliberately came to me and I obeyed her because it was necessary to do so. If it was mixed with other intentions, there’s no need for me to be obediently dragged around by her anymore. As I stayed strong, Iner spoke with a helpless face.

“Alright. Riding the horse for half a day.”

“I think that’s enough……”

It’s worth trying. Even when doing this and that, I have to build my stamina. I sighed weakly and sat on the bed. It’s not that pleasant to be the recipient of unfounded jealousy. I should also be careful. Even so, I hate seeing Captain Jullius getting close to other women… I’m in a bind.

“Inertia. Aside from me, there are many people who are close to the High Priest and approach him while having a good feeling toward him. How do you put up with all that?”

She didn’t show any particular hint of jealousy even though she loves the High Priest.

“I mean, if I were you, I think I would have caused a disturbance, kidnapped the High Priest, or done something.”

Of course, it would be impossible to kidnap the High Priest, but at least I wouldn’t have been watching quietly like Iner. I wonder how long I could tolerate it for.. one month? Hmm, I don’t think I would even last that long. I’d run amok in the end.

“Even if you’re not allowed, don’t you still want to do something?”

At my question, Iner furrowed her white eyebrows slightly.

“There’s no way I can do anything.”

“Why?”

“It would be a nuisance to the High Priest.”

“There’s isn’t anyone who doesn’t cause any inconveniences for other people in their life.”

Sieg was also like that. Anyway, whether someone made you do it or you did it on your own, you would inadvertently inconvenience other people in your life, so there was no need to be overly careful for no reason. What I meant to say is, if you caused any inconvenience to others, you could just solve and compensate it. …Now that I think about it, it’s a somewhat extreme idea.

“Of course, as Sir Roel said, it is impossible not to cause any inconvenience to other people in life. But I only want to show my good side to the person I love.”

“Ah… is that so?”

“Yes.”

Good side… hmm.

“Do you really have to show only your good side to the person you love?”

“It doesn’t have to be that way. But there’s nothing good about showing your bad side to someone by whom you want to be liked.”

Chapter 5 part 2

Translator: iveyra | Editor: Ms. Sheep

A way to get the other person’s favor. I thought about it for a moment, but nothing came to mind. To be honest, even if I was just standing still, there were a lot of people who approached me first in a friendly manner, so….. I didn’t really have any recollection of feeling something like ‘I hope they like me’. Was it similar to how I’ve tried to treat Captain Jullius well, maybe?

“Jullius.”

His eyes met mine when I called him, and somehow it felt embarrassing.

“I don’t know about others, but there’s no need to worry about how you act towards me. Just do whatever you want.”

“… Do whatever I want?”

“Yes. I’m also doing whatever I want to do after all. However, don’t you hate me?”

“I don’t hate you at all.”

“Same here. But didn’t you bring me outside because you were bothered by Sir Sillac earlier? In cases like that, you can do whatever you want. Because I’ll also drag you away if I see you chatting happily with other women.”

I was only using this as an example, but now I feel bad. At my words, Captain Jullius had a rather blank look on his face and tilted his head.

“But I heard that I have to be as careful as possible when dealing with women.”

“I’m not just any woman, I’m your fiancée. If it really bothers you, just do as much as I would do.”

I said that, but when I thought about it, I also said that I would kidnap and confine him. But I don’t think Captain Jullius is going to hurt me, so if he wants to kidnap me, well, I’ll follow him. As for confinement, I can endure it for about a week. Any longer than that, I’ll try to run away because I would feel suffocated.

Captain Jullius, who had been silent for a while, lowered his gaze once again and watched me fumble with his hand. Then, he flipped my hand over and held it. While I wondered if he was acting on my request that he just do what he wanted to do, the hand he was holding was slowly lifted up. And then, he kissed the back of my hand courteously. This is a bit embarrassing–.

‘Ahh?’

He licked me! He really licked me! No, he’s allowed to lick me, but… Captain Jullius kissed the part of my hand that he had licked a bit, before letting go of my hand. Ugh, the back of my neck feels hot. I was rubbed my neck with my released hand, but then I realized he was looking at me anxiously

“Did you perhaps hate it?”

“No, it’s not like that.”

It just made me feel weird, but if I say that honestly, it’s obvious that he’ll be discouraged again, so, for now…..

“Uh, well done.”

“… Did I do well?”

“Yeah.”

Let’s compliment him. I extended my hand and patted the Captain’s head.

“I’ll continue doing this from now on.”

“Hmm.”

“If you hesitate when you want to do something, don’t worry about it all by yourself. Just talk to me.”

“I got it.”

Captain Jullius nodded obediently. Good, this way, he is going to open up little by little.



***



After returning home with Ortzen, we took an employee carriage and headed to the Church late at night as scheduled. Despite the hour, as always, the outskirts of the Church didn’t block visitors. This was because the large prayer room for visitors was always open to believers, whether it was day, night, or dawn. Even though it was possible to pass through the barrier in the central area since I was here, we didn’t enter rashly and waited for Iner to come to meet us. This was because we would get into trouble if we accidentally got caught by another priest.

“You only can come in and out if you’re invited, so the security here is good.”

Ortzen looked around inside the central area and spoke in a low voice.

“It’s mainly because the holy knights and high ranking priests remain inside. In other words, 1 person can fight against at least 10 people who swarm inside at once.”

Even a priest who has no combat experience, but has strong holy powers around the level of a high-ranking priest, can deal with around fifteen ordinary people. That’s why instead of trying to sneak into the Church and got engaged to Captain Jullius. I doubted that the barrier would let me pass through, but even if I entered, it was highly likely that I would be arrested as a suspicious person. It is already hard to escape if you are pursued just by a holy knight, but it is even harder to escape a high-ranking priest. There is a kind of holy spell that can catch the opponent.

“Although a barrier is still a barrier, the remaining people are only capable enough to protect themselves, so there’s no need to be completely on guard. A place guarded by the holy knights is where important documents and things are being kept.”

In other words, it means the protected place is similar to a warehouse. It’s like the Imperial Palace where you have to protect the emperor, the imperial family, nobles, high-ranking officials, etc., but here, the higher your position is, the stronger you are. Who on earth can better protect the High Priest, who is even immortal inside the Church than himself? The Goddess, maybe?

Ortzen nodded shortly at my explanation.

“Actually, if a high-ranking priest doesn’t need a guard in particular, this way is better for security. If you increase the number of people in order to keep the security tight, it’ll be hard to manage.”

Come to think of it, there were only a few people in the Special Task Squad and also our house. At this time, a girl with long loose white hair approached us silently. Saintess Inertia looked at Ortzen, me, and Captain Jullius one after another as if she was checking on us, and then she turned around.

“Please follow me.”

She also passed the barrier in the center and headed into the corner. There was a huge wagon with a pile of luggage and Cain and Tess, who would go together with us, standing next to it. The High Priest was also there. It’s only natural that the first two people are waiting here, but why is the High Priest waving his hand over there?

“Sir Roel~”

“There’s no way that the High Priest is also going with us, right?”

He should not come out of the Church. What is worse, we’re even going to a place which is very close to where the demons, who want to kill the High Priest by any means, congregate.

“Of course I can’t go.”

“Then, did you come just to see me?”

“I’m here to see Sir Roel and carry the luggage.”

Luggage? Is this grandfather working as a porter because there isn’t much work to do in his field? Iner explained on behalf of the smiling High Priest.

“Originally, the workers were supposed to load up the carriage with luggage. That being said, it’s hard to hide secretly in the wagon with them watching, and since the High Priest was bored, he decided to meddle and load the luggage. This way, we can avoid the workers’ eyes, and also after leaving behind half of the luggage, he can just make an excuse to quit by saying he got tired of doing it.”

I see. I think it’s a good idea. The High Priest often starts doing something bizarre every once in a while when he’s bored, so there will be less room for suspicion.

“I’ll drive the carriage since I’m on leave,” said Tess, who was standing next to the High Priest. I feel a bit sorry to make this person, who will soon become the leader of a knight squad, act as a coachman. I extended my hand to Tess.

“I congratulate you in advance for being appointed as the captain.”

“Congratulations? What’s there to congratulate?”

Tess held my hand even though he was about to cry.

“At this timely opportunity, I wanted to quit the priesthood and enjoy the freedom of the world to the fulllest, but… well, I was tightly seized by my ankle.”

(T/N: seize by one’s ankle means to be hindered by sth/have a ball and chain.)

“If you speak frankly like that, High Priest might sulk.”

“Ah, I don’t care whether he sulks or not. I have conceded so much this time.”

When I stole a glance to the side, the High Priest was glaring at Tess with a sullen look on his face. But, seeing that he wasn’t saying anything, he must be sorry for forcing the vice-captain to take the captain position.

“But a promotion is still a promotion. Ah, it’s going to be awkward to use honorifics with you now. Honestly, I also can’t talk to you in this way–.”

“No. Our bet is another matter.”

Even if it’s different, it’s something that happened when we were children where he picked on me for my body build. I felt uncomfortable hearing a soon-to-be captain, who is older than me, using honorifics to me. It’s going to look really weird to someone who doesn’t know the story. In that moment, Captain Jullius approached me and stood closely to me.

“Hand–“

“Yes?”

“I think you’ve been holding it for too long.”

Ah. I quickly threw Tess’s hand away and turned to the Captain.

“Here you go, my hand.”

As soon as I said this, a very big hand engulfed my hand. It seems that he’s gradually becoming less hesitant to act, which is commendable. While he was holding my hand, I wrapped up Captain Jullius’s hand with both of my hands and fiddled with it. I want to bite it while I’m at it, but I shouldn’t do that here. … Am I really not allowed to do it? I was told that biting the neck is not allowed. No, Sofia blamed me for the marks left on my neck, and she didn’t say anything about the reverse situation, though? So, isn’t it okay if it’s me biting him? Should I just bite him? So what? I’m just going to bite him after all–

“Sir Roel.”

I raised the Captain’s hand and was about to open my mouth, but the High Priest interfered. Ah, why?

“It’s late at night, so go inside and sleep now. The men must not be discovered, so cover the entrance with the luggage in the carriage and sleep on your own. Sir Irhas will stand guard so that no one approaches here.”

Vice-captain Tess’s face crumpled all at once in an instant. In the end, that means he’s going to stay up all night. Anyway, since it’s a carriage, it may be a bit uncomfortable, but it doesn’t mean they won’t be able to sleep.

“Then, I’ll also go in the carriage–“

“Sir Roel naturally can’t do that! It’s okay, since it’s just Sir Roel, you can come to my bedroom.”

As soon as the High Priest gave this instruction, the frightened Captain Jullius suddenly pulled me into his arms. At the same time, Iner blocked the High Priest with a stiff look on her face.

“Sir Roel can stay in my bedroom.”

“But I wanted to sleep with Sir Roel at least once!”

“Don’t be ridiculous, go inside and sleep.”

Chapter 5 part 1: Inertia’s Confession

Translator: iveyra | Editor: Ms. Sheep

We were set to leave in two days, as the preparations were already almost complete. I was accompanied by Saintess Iner and Tess from the Church’s side; Captain Jullius, Ortzen, and Clauen from the Special Task Squad; and lastly, there was Cain, who didn’t belong to either side. Based on numbers, seven of us didn’t seem like enough people to capture the Demon King, but based on our abilities, it wasn’t the case. Captain Jullius and the Saintess alone can easily catch one or two Demon Kings. What’s more, the Demon King we’re going to capture is in a state where he can’t use his mana properly.

“Adjutant Ortzen will go out for the first time in a long time.”

“It’s been about 6 years.”

Captain Jullius said as he was walking next to me. Ortzen was arrested way before that, so the 6 years was probably only counting from when he had been placed in the Special Task Squad. He had received permission from His Majesty the Emperor to go out, but the fact that he would go outside was kept secret. Not only Ortzen, the same goes for all of us as well.

“Vice Captain Testa said he took care of the permission by saying he’s taking a vacation before being inaugurated as the Captain of Holy Knight Squad.”

Naturally, it has been decided that he would become the Captain of the Holy Knight Squad in the end. Orginally, Vatein was supposed to join us too, but he decided to stay because it would be better to have at least one person who knew about this matter within the Church. The High Priest also knew, but the main reason was because the High Priest didn’t have anyone left at his beck and call.

When I arrived at Ortzen’s office and opened the door, the person, who was sitting on the sofa, sprang to their feet. It was none other than Cain Silac, whose face looked like he was perplexed and anxious. It’s been a while since I saw him.

“Welcome.”

Ortzen greeted us with a smile.

“The departure is tomorrow, around noon, when the rush hour is at its peak. If we use the Church’s carriage, we will be able to avoid the inspections at the gate.”

“It feels like we’re criminals.”

Even though we need to sneak out, it feels weird. Passing the city walls attracts more attention, but sneaking out has a greater risk of being caught. At that time, Cain, who was restless, approached me and bowed his head deeply.

“I’m really sorry for that time!”

Huh? That time? This foolish fellow has already apologized for the matter related to that bastard whose name I don’t even remember. It’s nothing new.

“I told you it’s okay.”

“But that’s… rather than that, please drop the honorifics.”

Drop the honorifics? I don’t think it would be proper. It’s possible to drop the honorifics within the Special Task Squad because I’m Captain’s fiancée; Tess and Vatein were also my subordinates. But since Cain is an imperial knight who isn’t related to me at all, it doesn’t feel right to speak informally to him. Moreover, actually, if we were being strict, I should only drop honorifics when speaking to employees, and for that, only Sofia would qualify. Sieg is a temporary butler, so he’s also included. As for the rest, I allow myself to speak informally to them in private, but I have to watch my mouth in front of others.

“Right now I’m just a noble lady, though.”

“This won’t do since I already know that I’m facing Sir Roel. It’s a great honour to meet you like this…..”

His, his face is turning red. What’s wrong with this guy? He was like this before, but today he seems especially odd.

“If there is anything you desire, I won’t let you down.”

“Then I’ll be in your care.”

He’s very humble. Seeing him flustered like that, I think he’s kind of cute–

Huh?

Then suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrapped around my upper body and hugged me. Naturally, they were not Ortzen’s, but Captain Jullius’s arms. As he wrapped my upper body, he pulled me into his chest. The back of my head bumped against his wide chest lightly. What happened? He’s doing something he has never done before. As he put a little bit strength into the arms that embraced me, I raised my hand and touched the Captain’s cheek lightly.

“What’s wrong?”

“…Nothing.”

His voice that could be heard coming from above my head, sounded a bit like a murmur. Something seems to be different from usual, but I don’t know why. In that moment, Ortzen intervened.

“Alright, that’s all for now. We have to get ready for tomorrow. We have to gather at the Church later tonight so as not to be seen by others. Captain and Lord Roel have decided to leave from your own home, right?”

“Yeah. Sieg told me to ride the employees’ carriage.”

I was practically leaning against Captain Jullius’s chest when I replied. This is kind of comfortable.

“I’m also going to accompany the two of you when you return to your homes. If I leave the Special Task Squad alone, it’ll attract attention.”

“What about Clauen?”

“He has gotten out of the city wall first. He prepared for the trip by himself.”

Come to think of it, he’s someone who is affliated with the merchant guild, so I think he’ll be good at preparing necessary items for the trip. Ortzen turned around and walked to his desk, then said.

“There is a few things left to finish, so please wait a moment.”

“Take your time.”

There’s still a long time until the sun sets, so there’s no rush. I was going to sit on the sofa, but I didn’t think Captain Jullius would let me go, so I just stood still. Should I have asked him to hug me from the start?

“Umm, Sir Roel.”

At that moment, Cain secretly studied my facial expression and talked to me again. He’s being very timid. He’s not this kind of guy.

“Hm?”

“So…..”

That guy hesitatingly looked at me and Captain Jullius behind me in turn and took a step backward.

“… It’s nothing.”

What the–, spill it. How can I know what you want to say if you don’t say it out loud?

“Just say it. It’s oka–“

Fwoosh. Captain Jullius suddenly lifted me in his arms in a flash.

“It’s going to take a while so we should go out and wait.”

“Then let’s go to a restaurant.”

If we leave the capital, we won’t be able to eat good snacks until we return. Sweet snacks can only be found in large cities outside the capital. Cain was a bit of a bother, but there was no sign of him trying to talk to me again, so just like that, I went outside while being held in Captain’s arms.



I said let’s go to the restaurant, but the place where Captain Jullius headed was the underground cave. While I was wondering why we came here, he put me down on top of a boulder. I sat on the boulder and looked up at Captain Jullius. He looked somewhat troubled as if he didn’t know how to broach the matter. If I just leave it alone, he’ll be hesitating all day long, so I’ll have to open my mouth first.

“What happened?”

There must be a reason for coming here. The Captain answered my question in a small voice as if he was murmuring.

“…… I hate it.”

“What do you hate?”

“… Roel, you… seem to be interested in Sir Silac.”

After he said that, he turned his head sideways slightly as if he was avoiding my gaze. Oh, what is this? Despite the difference in gender, I’ve seen this scene a lot. I have heard some ladies say ‘I hate it when you’re being friendly with Lady X’ quite a lot. I never thought Captain Jullius would say that. Somehow I burst into laughter.

“I don’t really like Sir Silac, but why did you hate it when I only chatted with him a bit?”

“…… Because it was different.”

“Different?”

“It’s just, I had that kind of feeling.”

That kind of feeling? What is it? I thought Cain was a bit cute when he was flustered, but could it be that he noticed that?

“No matter what you feel, I like you a lot more, Jullius.”

“I also know that.”

… Hello? I thought you were feeling insecure, but I see that you’re talking confidently now. I beckoned the Captain to sit next to me. Then I held his hand tightly and asked.

“You know already? No, well, I guess it goes without saying that I like you more.”

“Roel…..” He continued in a slightly dejected voice, “So now, the person you like the most isn’t me.”

“… What?”

“….. Or am I still?”

“Uh, that’s right, but wait.”

It’s not wrong. It’s true that the person I like the most right now is Captain Jullius, but why is the Captain saying something like that? No, I’m not saying he can’t say it, but I think something is strange… Is it right to think that it’s strange? Am I very obvious when when I like something? I think I’ve said I like him several times, but maybe I’m not good enough to be the person he likes the most? Rather than that, even though he is confident that the person I like the most is him, why is he often diffident?

“So, Jullius, uh… first of all, am I the person you like the most?”

Sorting through my thoughts, this seems to be the first thing that needs to be confirmed. It will be my loss if I’m the only one who likes him the most. The Captain nodded right away at my question.

“That’s right.”

Good, that’s enough.

“Why do you often hesitate and dither even though you know I like you the most? It’s okay to be more confident.”

Even if you’re not as confident as me.

“However…..”

His pale grey eyes looked down at his hand in mine.

“I don’t know how to keep being someone who Roel likes the most like this. I mean, I don’t know how to win someone’s favor.”

“What? Uhm…..”

T/N: sorry guys for uploading this late, we were quite busy these days. (Mainly it was my fault tho *hides in the corner). I’ll try to finish another chapter on weekend, but we’ll see how it will go haha

Chapter 4 part 9

Howdy! We’re back! 🙂

Translator: iveyra | Editor: Ms. Sheep

Sieg returned after the sun had set and night had arrived. On my way back to the main building after going to the seperate building to play, I ran into him and was about to shout ‘I want to marry Captain Jullius right away’, but Sieg was one step ahead of me.

“We got a reply.”

“I– huh? What reply?”

“Let’s go inside first.”

Since there are only few employees and they are prohibited from entering some places, there isn’t really anyone to listen to our conversation. Sieg took me to his study then he opened his mouth.

“It’s from Avrous.”

“Who is that?”

“… The Demon King who made Miss like this.”

“Ah, that son of a bitch.”

To be honest, isn’t it hard to memorize a name if it’s over three letters? Up to three letters is perfect.

“He replied faster than we expected.”

“So, will he meet with us?”

“Yes. We’d better get ready to leave as soon as possible before he changes his mind.”

Ah, then it means I’ll have to hold my marriage until after coming back. It would take quite a while to come and go. I frowned slightly then said.

“Can’t I go after I get married?”

“… What?”

“I’m going to marry Captain Jullius. I’ll sprinkle some pepper on my eyes to make myself cry, so please help me convince Prime Minister Mord.”

Or you can teach me how to act. At my words, Sieg let out a short sigh.

“Is it Ortzen?”

“No, I came to this conclusion after talking with the Captain. There is no reason to delay the marriage.”

The reason why we delayed our marriage until just before the time limit to keep the right to the Count title expires, was because we might fall in love with someone else. Since we both decided that we won’t go out with anyone else, there’s no need to delay the marriage.

“On the contrary, Ortzen seemed to be a bit reluctant to have the Captain marry me.”

“There’s no way he’s like that.”

“I’m really telling the truth. I said I’d even get married right away today, but far from looking happy, he had a troubled look and he told me that I should get permission from the Prime Minister and Sieg first.”

Even after I said this, Sieg didn’t seem to believe me. Why can’t you believe what I say?

“To be honest, I want Miss to take it easy and take your time to choose your marriage partner. You should meet more with other men.”

“There’s no need for me to do that.”

Even if I meet them, what’s there to see? What a bother.

“But have you ever thought that maybe you’re just not aware of your options? There may be someone else you like more.”

“If there is a man who is more handsome or stronger than my past self, you can bring him in for me to see. I’ll give you a bit more leeway: if his authority is more powerful than mine, you can also bring him in. Let’s see, even among my subordinates, there is a prince and a duke’s son, right?”

Try looking for someone like that if you can.

“I don’t know if there’s someone like that among the bachelors.”

The Crown Prince seems to fit the criteria though. The High Priest also fits the criteria, but a priest can’t marry. Sieg knitted his brows at what I said.

“… Just say that you hate it.”

“Yeah, I hate it.”

“….. In the end there’s only Sir Rizar for you, isn’t there?”

“The Captain is stronger than me. It’s best to marry someone who is better than me or at least has one thing in common with me.”

“Other than that, it’s difficult to find such a distinguished person.”

“It’s useless to do well at a something I’m not interested in. Rather, it’ll only be tiresome. Why would I live together with someone who has a totally different interest from me for the rest of my life?”

If it’s Captain Jullius, we can spar together, shop for weapons, go hunting, and so on. Even if we do other physical activities, we’re getting along well. Moreover…

“And you know well that a man who is weaker than the current me, is troublesome in many ways. Well, I am pretty much weaker than in the past, but I am still at the level of a regular knight. Even if there’s a man who is stronger than me, there are many guys who don’t like a woman wielding a sword. Now that my outward appearance is that of a noble lady, there’ll be more people who are against it than there was in the past.”

In the past, there were many bastards who picked a fight with me everywhere while saying ‘what can a chick do by wielding a sword?’. My current situation is as bad as, if not worse than, in the past.

“Even so, I don’t want to behave docilely like any other noble lady. I want a man who doesn’t pressure me to meet his standards. It may sound selfish, but I just want a man who is willing to put up with whatever I do.”

Rather than quibbling like this, if he feels that I’ll change just because I fell deeply in love, he’ll realize that no one is suitable other than Captain Jullius since no one is to my liking. Sieg, who was listening to my words in silence, let out a deep sigh.

“… If you say so, there’s nothing I can do about it. I think Sir Rizar is a bit pitiful.”

“… I’m trying my best to treat him kindly.”

I haven’t really done anything that I wasn’t supposed to do. I planned to kidnap him, but it hasn’t been put into action yet, and now I already got Sieg’s consent.

“Anyway, if you think like that, then you should help me. I want you to persuade Prime Minister Mord.”

“I’ll persuade him, but I have no intention to rush the ceremony.”

“Why again?”

“If we proceed in a rush, it’ll not look good in other people’s eyes. Even the Prime Minister won’t accept a wedding that isn’t properly prepared. His reputation as your godfather is at stake.”

“Hmm, that’s right. Then, how long will it take to prepare?”

“I’ll handle the matter of the Demon King first, then I’ll see about the preparations.”

There he goes beating around the bush again. If it’s like in the past, I would let it pass and just say ‘oh, okay’, but now I’m starting to feel suspicious. I looked at Sieg with dubious eyes.

“I want a definite answer.”

“But the schedule isn’t clear. We don’t know how long it will take to capture the Demon King, whether we’ll be able to capture him easily, how much information we can obtain, and how much that information will affect the current situation. Therefore, it is impossible to give a definite answer right now.”

Hmmm… once again, Sieg’s words sound plausible. I don’t know how to refute him because his words just sound right in my ears. Damn it, should I just insist on it no matter what?

“Do you have the heart to proceed with my marriage?”

“Of course not.”

“What?!”

I didn’t expect him to answer back the words I just said in a grunt. Hey!

“Why the hell?!”

“Well, because in my eyes, Sir Rizar isn’t an eligible bachelor.”

“I told you I like him!”

“I only talked from my perspective. Personally, I don’t like it.”

What is this man talking about?

“Is it me or you who is going to get married?”

“If this were my marriage, then I wouldn’t bother with it.”

Sieg, this jerk, replied bluntly. What is this, really…

“Then, exactly what kind of guy is suitable in your eyes?”

“Well, of course–“

Of course?

“There isn’t anyone.”

The jerk said this so brazenly. What kind of ridiculous nonsense is this?

“What, are you telling me not to get married?”

“It’s slightly different.”

“What’s the difference? If I don’t have a partner, then I can’t even get married!”

Sieg let out a frustrated sigh at my assertion.

“Your arms are bent inwards. What’s worse, even if Miss doesn’t bend, it’s okay, but you seem to be dissatisfied with anyone else no matter what.”

(T/N: Sieg uses a proverb and this is what he meant to say: People tend to favor someone close to them. What was worse, even if Miss doesn’t compromise, it’s okay, but you seem to be dissatisfied with anyone else no matter what.)

… What are you talking about?

“Explain it a little more.”

“I don’t want to.”

How come you’re so curt today of all days?

(T/N: in the raws, Sieg mostly replied curtly but of course it wasn’t apparent after being translated to English.)

“… So, are you going to help me get married with Captain Jullius or put a spoke in my wheel?”

“I’ll help you. There’s nothing I can do since this is Miss’s wish.”

If you help me, I wonder how it will turn out… There is still a remaining unpleasant feeling. This is because I don’t understand at all what the hell is wrong with Sieg. If I knew the reason, I would try to find a solution. Why didn’t you tell me properly, instead of getting moody all by yourself like this? It’s really hard to get married.

***

T/N: So guys… long story short I was hospitalized not because of food poisoning, but typhoid fever haha… I spent 5 days in the hospital and another week to recuperate at home (and my doc had no mercy in how many meds I was told to take… an average of 14-15 pills a day lmao). Thankfully this part isn’t that hard to translate so I can finish this despite having a mild cold. Idk why my health has been pretty bad lately… *sigh*… Well, anyway, stay healthy everyone! 🙂

Announcement

I’m so so sorry guys… there’ll be no update this week. I’m hospitalized because of food poisoning. I know it sucks, but I never want this either 😂😂

*internal screaming* Arghhh fml!!!! 😭

Chapter 4 part 8

Translator: iveyra | Editor: Ms. Sheep

“Can Sir Roel pull that off well?”

“Uhm… should I even sprinkle some pepper in my eyes?”

Skipping meals isn’t difficult, but crying is the problem. But it’s not that I can’t cry. I just can’t squeeze out tears by force.

“Is your acting good enough to convince the Prime Minister that you’re crying out of sadness?”

“Th, that’s…..”

I’m not confident. Sieg, you son of a bitch, you made it sound like it would be an easy task, but it’s actually difficult! Was I fooled again?!

“And Lord Siegfred won’t let you have an early wedding either.”

“I don’t think he’s really against it though… On the surface, I mean.”

“Because you two are getting along well now. But he must be wanting you to proceed as slowly as possible. Sir Roel has only just had her début as a lady, so he wants you to experience everything a bit more, before you make a decision.”

“I think I can tell without having to personally experience it.”

Even more so if it’s an experience with men. No matter what kind of men he brings, my old self is far superior.

“Anyway, just what can we do about our marriage?”

Should I pester the High Priest? But I think he’ll support Sieg, rather than oppose him.

“Please persuade Prime Minister Mord or Lord Siegfred. Then, the one who is persuaded will take care of the other one.”

“… I think I had better persuade Sieg.”

He’s much easier to deal with than the Prime Minister. I got up and kissed Captain Jullius on the cheek.

“I’ll get permission to marry you, so please just wait a little bit.”

If it doesn’t work, well, I’ll have to pretend to cry.



When I came back home, I didn’t see Sieg anywhere. Instead, I saw Sofia waiting in my bedroom. I felt somewhat awkward as I saw her getting up from the sofa. She must have come to a decision about what she’s going to do in the future, that’s why she came looking for me like this. I took a good look at her, trying to figure out what was on her mind, as I approached her slowly, then she opened her mouth.

“Miss Roel.”

Hmm, unlike before, she also said my name.

(T/N: Idk if anyone noticed this, but Sofia usually only called her by ‘Miss’ without saying Silla’s name. In Korean, the first name is followed by the honorific, so this would be translated literally as “my name was said first” but we’ve adjusted it to accommodate the English.)

“Yes, Sofia.”

“I’m– wait, what is that?!”

“… Huh?”

What? What’s wrong? With a calm expression that made it hard to guess what she was thinking, she raised her eyes in shock. What is it? Did I do anything wrong? Sofia pointed her finger on my neck and shouted.

“I’m talking about the mark on Miss’s neck! The mark!”

“Oh, huh?”

I reflexively wrapped my hands on my neck. A mark? Ah! Did it leave a mark even though he didn’t bite me that hard?

“Captain Jullius asked–“

“Miss!!”

Gosh! She startled me. Sofia walked angrily in heavy steps as she came up to me.

“It’s a bite mark! Don’t tell me he used his mouth?!”

“Uh… he bit me, so naturally he used……”

If he wasn’t using his mouth, then how could he bite me? At my words, Sofia’s face looked like she might die from frustation, though it wasn’t to the point that she couldn’t say anything.

“You aren’t married yet! Yet, he put his mouth on the body of an innocent noble lady?! How could he do that!”

“But it’s just an expression of affection…..”

“It’s not though?! It’s indeed an expression of affection, but this is just not right! Something like that can be done only after you’re married! Until then, his mouth should only be touching your face and hands.”

I, is that so?

“… I didn’t know.”

“You didn’t lose your memory, so why don’t you know?”

“I, I was a cleric, you know!”

As a cleric who can’t get married, it’s only natural that I don’t really know much about the relationships between men and women! What was worse, I was an orphan, so I had even less opportunity to learn about such things! I was only fooling around a bit with those elder sisters, no, I mean those older sisters in high society, though they were usually at least pretending to be ladylike in front of me. At my cry that was full of grievance, Sofia flinched and lost her momentum.

(T/N: at first, mc addressed those older sisters as 누님 (this is how guys call their older sisters/female friends who are older, but this is very formal.) Then she corrected herself by calling them 언니(this is how girls call their older sisters/female friends who are older, but this is informal) that’s why I translated it as elder at first to differentiate.)

“That’s… right, you were.”

“Yes, I really didn’t know.”

“Then, what about Sir Rizar?”

“The Captain knows less than I do.”

His first kiss was even shared with me. Actually, for both the kissing and the bite on the nape, I was the one who attacked him first. Captain Jullius has done nothing wrong. He is just a victim. However, Sofia didn’t easily agree.

“But he’s still a man! Men and women are different! No matter what his origin is, he’s still a knight anyway, so how could he do such a shameless thing?!”

Looking at it, it seems like I’m about three times more shameless.

“I did it first! The Captain didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Miss!”

Sofia yelled again then sighed deeply.

“You don’t know whether this engagement will fall through someday. That’s why, you must be careful of your behavior until you get married at all costs! Women are different from men! Something that isn’t considered as a flaw for a man, could be a big flaw for a woman. But with your neck like this… you rode a carriage when you returned, right? No one noticed it, right?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“What a relief!”

Sofia grumblingly went into the dressing room and took out a choker that could be used to cover up the bite mark on the neck. The strap itself was thin, but it had a ribbon with a flower ornament on it, which seemed wide enough to cover the bite mark.

“You must cover the mark until it’s completely gone.”

“… Okay.”

“Of course I’ll cover it with makeup too, but please be careful. Don’t ever do this again in the future! You mustn’t leave any marks like this behind. Not until you get married!”

… I have to get married quickly. After wrapping my neck with the accessory, Sofia sighed once again.

“Seriously, if you’re like this, I can’t just leave and pretend that I don’t know anything.”

“Were you going to leave?”

“… I was still thinking. Miss Roel’s appearance is that of Miss Silla, so I can’t help but feel uneasy.”

It was indeed so. Since this body was the dead Silla Epheria’s, she would be much more inclined to leave than to accept a completely new host of the body. Every time she looks at my face, she’ll think of her dead mistress, so she’s going to have a hard time. That’s why, even if she left, I could fully understand her.

“But I’m in debt to you for saving Miss Silla, and even now, I’ve been hesitating… As expected, I can’t. What the butler said was right.”

“What did Sieg say?”

“He said Miss needs me.”

Naturally, it’s more comfortable to have Sofia here than to get another new maid.

“There’s no need to worry about what Sieg said. I’m not a child. I’m fine, so you don’t have to stay and suppress your feelings if you feel ill at ease.”

“You’re not a child.”

Sofia repeated the same words with emphasis as she stared at my nape with bleary eyes.

“You’re not a child.”

“I’m not that good at things like this, but…”

“Don’t worry. If I think that I really can’t stand it anymore, I’ll leave. I said so to Butler Sieg too.”

“Hmm.”

I looked at her as she adjusted the choker that wrapped my neck.

“Thanks.”

At my words, Sofia embarrassingly shook her hands.

“There’s nothing to be thankful for. Actually, for a mere servant’s position, the terms here are really good. So, considering that I’ll get a new job after leaving the Count’s household, I’m the one who should be grateful instead. Really.”

“Still–“

“Oh! How could I have forgotten that. Since you have gone outside, you have to bathe and change your clothes. I will prepare it right away.”

Walking with hurried steps, Sofia passed by me and went into the bathroom. I was worried, but it’s a relief that she looks fine. By the way, where the hell did Sieg go? If I don’t get married quickly, it looks like I won’t be able to do anything other than kissing.

Chapter 4 part 7

Translator: iveyra | Editor: Ms. Sheep

“… You might regret it.”

“I won’t.”

He answered confidently. What on earth do you believe in for you to say something like that? No matter how much I thought about it, I still didn’t get it. I haven’t done anything much for him, but still, there’s nothing the Captain really wants from me. No matter what, the title is something Ortzen and Clauen want for Captain’s sake, but actually the person directly involved doesn’t seem to be interested in it. Captain has more money and he is stronger… hmm, based on these facts, from Captain Jullius’s perspective, I think I’m not that attractive as his fiancée. What makes me different from other women is just that I’m not scared of him and I treat him normally.

When I thought about this, my anxiety rose to the peak in a flash once again. Even if he said something like that, once a beautiful and amiable lady actually clung to him, wouldn’t he be charmed by her? Damn, honestly, I don’t have any confidence as a woman… I’m quite different from most women that men like. More than anything else, I lack kindness, friendliness, and gentleness. I kept thinking that I should treat Captain well, but in reality, I almost never put it into action. I don’t know what to do. Feeding him good food is all I can think of!

“Jullius.”

I was contemplating whether I should return to sit on the square table, but I decided to just stand on it. The Captain bent his head backwards some more and looked up at me.

“Isn’t it unfair that I’m the only one who can do as I please? So, if you have something you want from me, just say it.”

I’ll grant anything as long as it’s something I can do. The problem was that there wasn’t anything he wanted. Like Ortzen said before, he was someone who was already satisfied with just living a life where his basic necessities were fulfilled. The Captain tilted his head slightly to the left at my words.

“As I said a little while ago, just having Roel by my side is enough for me.”

“That’s a given. Is there anything else?”

“If it’s something else…..”

He looked at my face then continued.

“Roel with other people… No, as expected, this can’t–“

“Just say it.”

“So, even if you fall in love with someone else… I wish you would still kiss me sometimes, but as expected, this wouldn’t be possible, right……?”

Umm… Surely this is a pretty difficult request. If I happened to have another lover, this would become a moral issue. However, if I didn’t have any relationship with another man besides Captain, then there would be no problem. Well, it’s not a big deal anyway. Since I’ve told him that I would kidnap and confine him if he had another woman, I also have to take responsibility for that. If I were to beat the one in ten thousand odds and fall in love with another man, I’ll just calm myself down and give up on him. This can be done. Anyway, since I’ve been part of the clergy all my life, there’s nothing I can’t do now.

I replied to the Captain, who seemed to be regretting his request while having an anxious look, in a friendly tone.

“All right. I’ll keep kissing you.”

“… But, will it be okay?”

“It’s okay. I’ll keep this promise no matter what.”

I jumped down from the table and sat on Captain’s lap. After giving him a light kiss on the lips, I asked him.

“Other than that, is there anything else you want?”

You only asked me to kiss you sometimes since you haven’t fall in love with someone else yet after all. It’s not that different from now.

“Or something you want to do.”

“… Can I do it?”

“Of course you can~”

Oh? So it’s not that there’s nothing he wants. Despite readily giving him consent, Captain Jullius, who was hesitating, finally stretched out his hands. He wrapped his arms around my body very carefully. And then we were silent for a little while. Really, is that all? You don’t need to ask to hug me. I remembered the kiss we shared the other day and it made me rather disappointed that he only wanted a hug, though…

… Huh?

A soft touch brushed against my neck. Captain Jullius pressed his lips upon my nape. When someone’s hands–, no, even if it were their lips that touched my vital point, where even a mild attack could result in fatal injury, it instantly sent chills down my spine. But he’s not my enemy.

I instinctively wanted to avoid it and while I tried hard to suppress the urge and decided to calmly entrust my body to him, he slowly parted the lips that touched my skin. And then he bit me very lightly. It didn’t hurt at all; it only felt a bit ticklish. Nevertheless, every time he touched my skin, it aroused me and my whole body were tingled and grew tense. At the same time, somewhere around my heart felt a bit ticklish. Ugh, something feels weird. I wanted to quickly push away this man, who was gnawing on my neck, but I also wanted to embrace him.

Like that, the short time that seemed to pass by endlessly finally drew to a close, and the Captain used his tongue to lick the part where he had bitten down once before letting go of me. He withdrew the arms that had been embracing me, but I remained on Captain Jullius’s lap and looked up at him. As my eyes were fixated on him, he furtively averted his pale grey eyes, which were filled with embarrassement, by looking sideways.

“I also… wanted to try doing it once. Clauen said, unlike the beasts, when it comes to humans, biting each other’s neck isn’t an attack for hunting, but it’s like showing your affection for someone.”

“Clauen did?”

“Mhm. I asked him about the bruise on my neck, and he answered me by explaining like that.”

So you’re saying that biting someone else’s neck is an expression of affection? That’s unusual.

“Is it really true that it’s something humans do? Not demons?”

“He said it was human.”

I’ve never seen someone biting another’s neck, but I doubt it. I’ll have to ask Sieg or Ortzen. But first things first, since he said it’s an expression of affection, I also bit Captain’s neck right away. I refreshed the fading traces on his nape, then raised myself upright on his lap.

“Things like showing affection are naturally something you do when you’re engaged, so if you have anything else you want other than this, feel free to tell me.”

“Okay.”

“Then, let’s go back to Ortzen now.”

I’m going to ask whether biting another’s neck is really an expression of affection, and… I should also question him closely about that painting book which I had forgotten for a while. I think I need to know what happened in the latter part so that I can continue having a more proper relationship.



“Is it true that biting someone else’s neck is an expression of affection?”

I burst into Ortzen’s office and asked him. Ortzen, who was standing next to the desk and organizing the documents, looked at me and Captain, to be precise, he looked at our napes in turn, then replied.

“It is, but please don’t do it in front of other people.”

“So you can’t do it when there are other people?”

“Yes. Normally you don’t.”

That’s why I’ve never seen it until now. Anyway, I guess it’s true that it’s an expression of affection. Why do people show their affection by biting the neck? Does it mean that you like the other person enough to allow them to injure your crucial vital point with their teeth? Someone to whom you can entrust your life: if you think of it that way, it’s certainly like an expression of affection.

After Captain Jullius sat on the sofa first and I sat on his lap, Ortzen narrowed his eyes into a slit and looked at us.

“Don’t sit like that in front of other people too.”

“Okay.”

“I’m also ‘other people’.”

“You fall into the category of people who pay attention to whether you wouldn’t be in danger for exaggerating useless talk or taking advantage of another’s weakness.”

That kind of reason was what made him hardly noticeable in other people’s eyes. What I’m trying to say is you don’t have to be overly cautious with someone who is tight-lipped and trustworthy. At my words, adjutant Ortzen had a bitter look.

“I’ve been thinking about this for some time, but Lord Siegfred’s education of you seems to be a bit off.”

Is that so? Actually, there is indeed a problem with the way he told me it’s okay if I get myself into a trouble as long as I don’t get caught, and that he’ll just cover it up.

“Even if that’s the case, adjutant Ortzen told me where the painting books were being sold but then you completely tattled on me like that to Sieg. I think you have no right to judge other people’s teaching method or whether their education is wrong.”

Seriously, this tattletale… I raised my eyes and glared at him, but Ortzen replied indifferently.

“I’ve got a good chance to earn brownie points so it’s such a waste if I don’t use it. It’s rare to see Lord Siegfred owe someone a small favor after all.”

“But you made me go there in the first place. I don’t care about favor or whatever!”

“That was because you didn’t tell me. If you had told me, I would have kept it a secret until the end. Our side is too disadvantageous compared to Sir Roel, so even small favors like this need to be gained to make things easier for Captain.”

Ugh, if he comes at me like that, I can’t argue anymore. Then, Captain Jullius, who had been listening in silence, opened his mouth.

“Don’t threaten Roel by using me as an excuse.”

“Threatening her? I’m just asking for her cooperation.”

“You said that we need to cooperate to know what action we should take, but didn’t you just inform her about this?”

… What’s wrong with the Captain? Like this, he has voiced out all my complaints. Come to think of it, I also covered for him in front of the Imperial Princess Aranea before. At his superior’s stubborn words, Ortzen took a step back.

“I’ll be careful in the future.”

Oh, he won.

“Ah, and I thought about this on my way here.”

I turned my head and looked up at Captain Jullius then continued.

“I think it would be better if we just get married quickly. What do you say Captain? Do you want to marry me quickly?”

“Of course, I would like that very much.”

Captain Jullius nodded. Anyway, even if we both fall in love with someone else, we’re not going to date them, so there’s no more reason to delay it, right? Therefore, before we get tangled up in any cumbersome matters, we had better get this done. If we have become a married couple, no matter how much they want to approach us, they won’t do it.

I shifted my gaze to Ortzen again.

“You hear that? Please prepare it as quickly as possible.”

“… That’s a bit difficult.”

Ortzen let out a short sigh then said.

“Because His Excellency the Prime Minister won’t give his consent easily. As you already know, it’s impossible for a noble lady to get married without the consent of her guardian. Of course, it’s not like there’s no shortcut, but it’ll be just as difficult as dealing with him.”

… I completely forgot. When I made Prime Minister Mord my godfather, I told him that my engagement with Captain Jullius was a camouflage.

“… But Sieg told me that if I stop eating and drinking and cry my eyes out, he (Prime Minister) will permit it.”