The carriage came to a stop before the castle gates.
"Please wait a moment. I will go in first and inform them."
Ian stepped out of the carriage with Hilda and disappeared somewhere.
Ariel looked up at the castle walls through the carriage window. Seeing them up close was even more overwhelming.
Is it really alright to just sit here and wait?
Last night, Ian had permitted entry into the grand ducal castle, but he had opposed a meeting with Grand Duke Hart.
"Meeting His Grace directly is far too dangerous."
But to gather one thousand gold, she ultimately had to negotiate her future with the grand duke.
After Ariel persistently urged him, Ian reluctantly nodded.
A condition was attached instead: do not carelessly reveal that you are from the temple, and stay quiet like a ghost in front of the grand duke.
Yet his reluctant expression kept coming back to her mind.
Just in case, it might be better to handle this quickly. Rather than waiting and letting things get complicated, it might be better to head inside first.
Ariel turned to look at Gion.
"Let's hurry inside, get the seal stamped, and leave."
"I-if I go in there, I'll die… I can't go…"
Gion was trembling, huddled in the corner of the carriage, even though he was the one who needed to get the dispatch letter stamped.
Ariel put on her overcoat and carefully buttoned it up so her saintess robes were completely hidden. Then she looked at Gion, who was wearing pure white priest's robes.
He really is going to get himself killed.
Walking around in priest's robes in a place that openly rejected the Order was no different from wearing a sign that said "Kill me."
Ariel briefly pondered whether to tell Gion to put on a coat and cover his robes. But the past few days of carriage travel crossed her mind, and she kept her mouth shut.
"Commander Ian told us to wait, so why don't we…"
"Stop whining and follow me. Let's finish this quickly so we can rest."
Ariel dragged Gion out of the carriage.
As the two approached the castle gate, guards exuding a bloodthirsty aura crossed their spears, blocking the path.
"Halt."
The guard's gaze locked onto Gion's white priest's robes, and his face contorted into a fierce scowl.
"Where do you Order bastards think you are, carelessly setting foot here? Turn back immediately."
I knew this wouldn't be easy.
Right as Ariel was about to step forward—
"Y-you ignorant fools!"
Gion's lips trembled violently.
"Do you have any idea who I am? I am a priest dispatched from the central temple! How dare you block my path? Open the gate right now!"
In the end, Gion caused trouble first. Although his legs were shaking uncontrollably, his pride proved stronger.
The thought of mere lowborn soldiers daring to disrespect him—the representative of the temple—made his temper explode.
The guard silently aimed the tip of his spear at Gion's neck. It wasn't just a threat; he looked ready to thrust.
Gion gasped, yet he kept screaming frantically with veins bulging on his neck.
A short-tempered coward… The absolute worst.
Ariel stepped in front of Gion and raised her hand.
"Wait, we are…"
"Stand down."
Before Ariel could finish her sentence, a heavy voice echoed from behind.
It was Ian.
"Commander!"
The threatening spears were lowered in an instant.
"They are with me. I have already informed Head Butler Alfredo, so you may let them in. Would you like to check?"
"Yes, Commander!"
A guard headed inside to confirm.
Ian looked back and forth between Gion and Ariel.
"I believe I asked you to wait."
Ian's scolding gaze shifted toward Gion.
Gion reflexively pointed at Ariel.
"S-Saintess Ariel insisted on it!"
That snitch.
Ian looked at Ariel with a conflicted expression.
"Actually, that's…"
"Confirmed! You may enter!"
Before she could offer any excuse, the guards called out loudly.
The guards smiled brightly and cleared the way. But their kindness extended only as far as Ian. The moment they saw Ariel and Gion following behind, their expressions turned icy cold once again.
Ariel quickly followed Ian under their stinging glares.
"Um, what about Miss Hilda?"
"She is attending to personal matters. We agreed to meet again in front of the castle gate later."
"Ah, I see."
Ariel hesitated for a moment before speaking up again.
"I am sorry for not waiting earlier…"
"His Grace's condition has not been good lately."
Ian cut her off coldly.
"As I told you yesterday, stay as quiet and invisible as possible. That is the only way you will survive."
The moment Ian finished speaking, he strode ahead without looking back.
"Tsk, for the record, I suggested we wait."
Gion clicked his tongue, brushed past Ariel, and stuck close behind Ian.
* * *
"Please wait here for a moment."
Ian opened the door to the first-floor reception room. The interior was simpler than expected. There were no flashy decorations or gold leaf, but the heavy ebony wood furniture and thick fur carpets exuded the rough elegance unique to the north.
"Head Butler Alfredo will be down shortly."
The three took their seats on a large leather sofa.
"His Grace returned not long ago from subjugating monsters, so if we are lucky, the head butler might be able to fetch the seal without you having to meet His Grace directly."
The head butler?
Ariel grew anxious inside.
The head butler might be able to get the seal from the grand duke, but he was merely someone who managed the estate. There was no way a sensitive issue like a saintess's future would be decided at the head butler's discretion.
I have to meet the grand duke.
Knock, knock.
The reception room door opened, and maids entered carrying trays.
"Apologies for the wait."
Two chipped, worn teacups were set down abruptly in front of Ariel and Gion.
Gion's eyebrows twitched.
"Is this how you treat guests…"
But Gion's protest trailed off as the other maids began piling refreshments exclusively in front of Ian.
Steaming teacups, freshly baked cookies, and thick sandwiches piled high in front of Ian in an instant.
"Commander, please make sure to eat today."
A maid smiled warmly.
"We prepared the herbal tea you like, commander."
Ian cleared his throat in embarrassment and tried to stop them, but the maids paid him no mind.
"Ha, seriously. This is absurd."
Gion finally began grumbling.
"What kind of discrimination is this?"
"Commander Ian is a guest."
The head maid replied coldly.
"In the north, it is our custom to feed guests until they are full… but for uninvited pests, even a single drop of water is a waste."
"I-I am a priest dispatched from the central temple! I am the far more important guest here!"
"Guest, my foot. More like a spy."
At Gion's protest, the maids snorted loudly enough for him to hear, then smiled softly at Ian.
Ian's face flushed red with embarrassment.
"If he's going to act like this, he might as well join the grand ducal house instead of the Order. I don't know why he's wearing that hunk of scrap metal and dragging down the Order's prestige."
Gion glanced toward Ian and muttered under his breath. But because the reception room was so quiet, his voice echoed clearly.
Instantly, the maids froze.
The maid arranging cookies, the servant pouring tea, even the guard standing at the door. Every northerner's eyes locked onto Gion simultaneously.
"Do not speak so carelessly when you know nothing."
"W-what? Did I say something wrong?"
"That armor is not scrap metal."
The head maid's voice trembled with rage.
"That armor… is a symbol of those who stayed behind and fought to the end thirteen years ago when everyone else abandoned the north."
"!!!"
Gion's mouth snapped shut, struck completely speechless.
Ian pulled his worn cloak tight with a bitter smile.
"If I wear new armor, I feel as though my fallen comrades would feel hurt. Besides, what's familiar is comfortable."
The reception room fell dead silent at his calm words.
Sigh.
Ariel felt her face burn with shame. A saintess without faith and a priest who was effortlessly rude—what a fantastic duo.
It was during that awkward silence.
A suffocating pressure surged from beyond the reception room. A heavy, sharp aura weighed down the air.
Ariel instinctively looked toward the door.
At that moment, the massive door opened silently, and Caelus Hart, the ruler of the north, stepped inside.
Caelus wore a black shirt buttoned up to his collar. Contrary to his neat appearance, his presence was overwhelmingly, almost violently, intimidating.
Standing behind him like a shadow was Alfredo, the head butler, his white hair neatly slicked back.
Dark red eyes gleaming coldly beneath black hair slowly scanned the room.
The maids bowed their heads all at once. Gion stood frozen, crushed by a mana pressure he had never felt in his life.
Ian jumped up from his seat, surprise evident on his face as if he hadn't expected him to come in person.
"Your Grace, why are you here in person…"
"Ian."
Though he called Ian's name, Caelus's eyes were fixed on Gion. His gaze lingered on the pure white priest's robes.
"I have no need for rats in my house."
Gion's face turned as pale as a sheet of paper.
"This is Priest Gion, dispatched from the central temple. If you would just stamp the dispatch letter…"
"Ian."
Caelus cut Ian off and took a step closer to him.
"Even though you are the holy knight commander, I know you despise the corrupt Order and the central temple at its core. That is why I have trusted you until now."
"Yes, that is correct, Your Grace."
"Yet here you are, personally bringing people from the central temple."
Caelus smirked. In that instant, Ian's usually composed face twisted with dismay.
"You can never truly know a person."
Caelus's dark red eyes slowly shifted toward Ariel.
"Isn't that right, saintess?"
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