Like a Dry Branch in the Wind

The criminal who murdered the Chief Priest was not caught. Aside from the incident investigation, her case was kept secret because it was an ominous event in the sacred temple.

The grand blessing ceremony that night was a highly publicized event for all the locals. It was not possible to suddenly cancel it on the same day. After an emergency meeting, it was decided that the ceremony would proceed for now, but who should fill the vacancy of the Chief Priest became the main topic for discussion. Unexpectedly, under the recommendation of the Emperor’s deputy, Lectus Justin, Rietta was named as the substitute for the Chief Priest.

“In essence, there is no difference in the divine powers of the priests or the blessing casters.”

Lectus Justin calmly said the truth that the priests did not want to admit. 

“There will be no problem with the procedure. Even the one who will receive the blessing, His Grace, the Archduke of Axias, also expressed such desire earlier.”

There were many faces that seemed to want to refute by citing the dignity of the Grand Temple Havitus and the authority of the grand blessing ceremony. However, Lectus Justin said that as long as there was still a high possibility that the criminal who murdered Chief Priest Ostia still remained in the temple, Rietta would be the best fit for the position, as she had nothing to do with the temple and that she would need to assist the Archduke of Axias the closest during the ceremony. No one spoke out to oppose his opinion.

The Archduke’s concubine and also the blessing caster Rietta was already a hot topic by the rumors going around. Suddenly she received more attention as she rose to the surface of the official story. 

All sorts of gossip followed one after another and swelled up like a snowball. Nonsense rumors spread about her that she was the beauty of the century, that she was an extraordinary blessing caster more than that of the high-ranking priest, and that the Archduke of Axias had trampled on Sevitas with his knights to take her away, all the while Rietta was sleeping well.

After sleeping and groaning, Rietta woke up late in the afternoon.  

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

Killian approached Rieta with an expressionless face and held out a glass of water. She looked up at him blankly.

“…Don’t be alarmed. Get up slowly, don’t forget that you’re hurt.”

Fortunately, Rietta was not startled nor did she jump up. When she slowly got up, Killian pushed a cushion behind her back to support her. She humbly took the glass with both hands, a cool sensation was transmitted to her palms.

“Thank you.”

Her voice got hoarse and cracked. She drank the glass of water in one breath as she was parched with thirst, Killian silently refilled her glass and handed it back to her. Her voice expressing her gratitude again, sounding a little better.  

Killian informed Rietta of Lectus Justin’s proposal and the results of the grand temple’s meeting.

“If it’s too hard for you, you can say no.”

Killian added calmly, but rather than letting someone else take over, Rietta could easily see for herself that it was safer and reasonable for Killian if she was in charge.

And above all, the grand blessing ceremony was already imminent in a few hours. This was not the time for her to think that she was crossing the line or such. Her answer came out in a voice so calm that she could not even believe herself.

“I can do it. I have learned about the grand blessing ceremony in the monastery. I can learn it quickly. It may not be perfect, but I remember the role of the Chief Priest and the procedures that come along with it..”

When Rietta learned the role of Chief Priest, she never imagined that she would be standing in as the Chief Priest for the grand blessing ceremony. Killian looked at Rietta for a moment and asked.

“Can you even walk?”

“Of course.”

Killian tilted his head. Rietta got up from the bed and seemed to walk calmly without limping. There seemed to be no problem with her walking, but the nervousness on her face was clear.

“Is there any pain?”

Rietta opened her mouth to answer, but before her voice could even come out, Killian intercepted her.

“Don’t just say ‘It’s fine.’ Be honest.”

Having her words taken away from her, Rietta shut her mouth. Killian looked straight into her eyes.

“It’s not a matter of getting it over with your willpower. You will have to repeat standing and sitting for more than an hour. I don’t want people to notice that you’re not feeling well.”

Rietta looked at her own body condition for a moment without saying a word, and then she answered carefully.

“The pain is not unbearable, it’s not that bad. Moving for a while is no problem. But if I have to kneel or move for a long time, I think my movement may not look natural.”

Killian quietly nodded his head in response to her specific answer. He hurriedly opened the door and left. His voice giving out orders could be heard.

“Tell Giselle to come up to the third floor.”

After a while, Giselle came up to their room on the third floor.

“Are you looking for me?”

Killian asked bluntly.

“Do you have any painkillers? It would be good if we have some on hand.”

Giselle asked with her eyes wide open.

“Are you not feeling well?”

Killian informed her that Rietta suffered an injury that she had to hide. Giselle was startled to see Rietta’s legs wrapped in bandages and her faintly burned-up face. Giselle hurriedly turned her back and went downstairs. After a while, she returned and handed Rietta medicine to relieve inflammation, a fever reducer, and a painkiller.

“Why didn’t you call me earlier?”

“I forgot.”

“Oh my gosh!”

Giselle started nagging with a terrifying force. Killian apologized expressionlessly.

“Sorry.”

Rietta watched the conversation between Killian and Giselle with a strange feeling. Giselle was bashing Killian without hesitation, and even though Killian did not make eye contact with Giselle nor did he really listen to her, he still obediently apologized. But without a moment to watch them for long, Giselle started looking directly at Rietta.

“Rietta, you should have at least told me about it!”

Rietta flinched and froze.

“I, I’m sorry.”

“And it’s not that you didn’t know that I’m a pharmacist. You two are just the same! When did you get hurt?”

“It wasn’t that long ago. Hmm, last night…”

Rieta murmured in a weak voice as if making excuses. Giselle sharply raised her eyes. She remembered the commotion that happened last night. Even though the situation had already been resolved, and despite her not being able to get into Killian and Rietta’s room, Giselle was tipped off that there was something in Killian’s room that should not be in there. With how strange the situation was at that time, coupled with Killian’s riddling order to bring a change of clothes for Rietta, the wound on Rietta’s leg fit into the situation like a piece of a puzzle. A picture was drawn in her head.  Moments later, Giselle opened her mouth again.

“…Can I see the wound? It would be better to disinfect it.”

Rietta read Killian’s face and carefully nodded her head. Giselle skillfully sat Rietta on the bed bench and unwrapped the clothes from her legs, examining her wound. Fortunately, the bleeding had stopped and there did not appear to be any serious infections.

Giselle’s expression hardened and took out the disinfectant. It was not a light wound. Even though it would be quite painful to put the medicine on her wound, Rietta showed no sign of anguish while receiving the treatment. Killian sat quietly on the sofa a little further away.

“…Looking at the condition, it doesn’t seem like a good option to apply medicinal herbs now. Rather, it can get worse. It would be better if the wound gets properly treated after it dries a little.”

“Thank you, Giselle.”

After the medicine had dried up to some extent, Giselle silently put the bandage back on Rietta’s thigh. As she was a pharmacist, her hands were fast and her ability to wrap the bandage was unusual. Rietta felt more at ease than when Killian did it because Giselle was a woman and had a delicate touch.

However, Giselle’s unusual grim expression made her pretty face look cold. Rietta could not say anything in the heavy atmosphere.

The treatment was over. Giselle got up, still wearing a grim expression. She turned her body towards Killian and opened her mouth.

“It will leave a scar on Rietta’s leg. Are you going to take responsibility for that?”

Killian lifted his eyes and glanced at them. Realizing Giselle’s misunderstanding, Rietta was flustered and grabbed her hand.

“No, Giselle. He didn’t do it… I, I did it to myself.”

Giselle looked at Rietta suspiciously. Rietta uttered a feeble voice.

“I took the liberty…”

“It’s no different than if I did it.”

Killian’s low voice interrupted. His sunken red eyes lowered his gaze a little. A cold voice mumbled insensitively.

“If I had done it myself, it would not have left such a severe wound.”

Rietta shut her mouth and bowed her head with a slightly perplexed look. Giselle looked at Rieta with startled eyes. Killian’s eyes, which had been staring silently, inadvertently headed out of the window and turned away from them.     

“So don’t do that without my permission next time.”

Giselle looked at Rietta with an incredulous look on her face. It was not until a moment later that she opened her mouth like a sigh and muttered.

“Rietta…”

It was hard to get a deep wound if one wanted to hurt oneself because the hand would become defensive. Seeing the wound herself, Giselle did not dare to imagine that it was a wound made by Rietta herself. Giselle approached Rietta with a sad look and pinched Rietta’s flushing cheeks.

“You’re seriously…”

“It, it hurts.”

“This hurts? This much hurt you? Your leg? What about your leg?”

Giselle began to yell again. Rietta shrank her shoulders, fidgeting. Killian sat like a folding screen and half-heartedly listened to the criticisms that were also directed towards him.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

The priests came and told Killian that the Archbishop was asking for him. Killian left his seat and asked Giselle to take care of Rietta. Giselle turned around with the door closed after Killian left, she found Rietta staring at her. 

Giselle winked at Rietta.

“Why do you look at me with such a hot gaze, Rietta?”

Her refreshing wink and mole under the eye were charming. Giselle was someone that everyone would like.

“Giselle.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you really like Sir Leonard?”

“…Not you too. What’s wrong? I don’t like him.”

Giselle’s answer with her face frowning seemed sincere. Rietta answered carefully and seriously.

“What do you think of His Lordship?”

“…Huh?”

If Giselle did not like Leonard, she might have entered the Eastern Annex because she liked His Lordship.

Maybe they are not on the same page.

“Don’t you think His Lordship thinks about you in a special way? He even apologized earlier.”

Rietta thought the way Killian treated Giselle looked quite special. From her point of view, Giselle and Killian looked good together.

Giselle was stunned. Soon she gave a hollow smile and looked at Rietta.

“I mean, Rietta, what kind of person do you think His Lordship is? How can you say he likes me just because he apologized?”

“But, he didn’t even show that he doesn’t like your nagging…”

It was the first time Rietta saw Killian apologize, she never imagined that would happen. Giselle put her hands on her waist and put her face close to Rietta.

“Oh my. What do you mean nagging? I just told you the truth with sincerity. So, Rietta, it was like nagging for you? It’s really not worth it. You didn’t listen to me at all, right?”

“Oh, no. I listened to you.”

“Yeah, right!”

After a while, Giselle’s sincere advice that seemed like nagging followed again. Although Rietta was at a loss, she smiled because somehow she missed the situation and it felt sweet. After finishing her nagging, Giselle squeezed her temples as if she could not help it and sighed. 

“His Lordship is not the type of person who finds fault with something correct. He also knows how to apologize. He’s a bit blunt and strict but he’s someone ordinary with common sense.”

Rietta tilted her head with a bewildered look on her face as if she was not convinced.

“But, this is the first time I have ever seen him talk so softly like that. You two look really close. And both of you lo…”

“Stop it, Rietta. We’re family. That’s gross.”

Giselle frowned. Rietta thought that even the knight Leonard and the people of Axias Castle seemed to treat him in a way that was truly unimaginable for outsiders.

Giselle answered with a nonchalant expression.

“His Lordship is not scary to just anyone. He’s usually nice to women, children, and the people he cares for. The same goes for the knights.”

He is only merciless to those who are hostile or attack him… But everyone hates people like that.

Giselle did not say out loud her last sentences. It seemed that Rietta was still afraid of Killian. Giselle hesitated for a moment, then frankly said her judgment out loud.

“Rather than that, I think His Lordship thinks you’re special.”

Rietta opened her eyes wide and shook her head.

“No. I’m only staying next to him for a while since this is a temple and I’m a blessing caster.”

And, obviously, Rietta thought Killian was not interested in her. He was always indifferent to her even though he could easily have her if he wanted. She was just a mere boring widow who did not even act amiably… There were many more lively and attractive young ladies around him.

Besides, the conversation between Killian and Rietta was always that of a clear superior-subordinate relationship. He commanded and she followed. He asked and she answered. She could not imagine having a conversation with him with an atmosphere like when she was having a conversation with Giselle.

Rietta thought Giselle misunderstood because Killian has kept her close, carried her around, and only has herself in the bedroom since coming to the grand temple.

However, Giselle felt that Killian’s gaze was chasing Rietta strangely from time to time. After this journey began, she gradually became more certain about that.

It was the same as his words before. The way he spoke and the content were unusual to Killian who was always insensitive and indifferent.

Killian was clearly aware of Rietta. Neither Rietta nor Killian seemed to know about it. Giselle simply rolled her eyes, shrugged her shoulders, and said.

“Is that so?”