<b>? Advent (2) ?</b>


    “It’s because of Vera.”


    In the garden of the Grand Temple.


    Vera made a sheepish face and chuckled.


    He knew that Renee’s current anger was caused by him.


    It was for no other reason.


    The issue was the kiss marks that Vera had left on her body.


    Renee, unaware until now that she had such marks, had unknowingly shown it to the apprentice priests.


    Renee’s body shivered.


    She then covered her face with her hands and started crying.


    “It’s over…”


    <b><i>  How am I supposed to live from now on? How can I face the apprentice priests? </i></b>


    Renee’s resentment for Vera, who had secretly left such a mark on her, grew within her.


    Her shame grew bigger and bigger.


    Vera paused for a moment to choose his words, then spoke while gently patting Renee’s shoulder.


    “It was bound to be discovered someday. Don’t be too upset…”


    “Is that supposed to beforting?!”


    Renee’s head snapped up.


    Her flushed face twisted into a scowl, revealing her frustration.


    “I would have prepared myself mentally if you’d told me beforehand! I would have tried to hide it somehow!”


    Vera couldn’t argue and offered an apology.


    “I apo…”


    “What will I do now?!”


    Renee’s hand abruptly reached out and grabbed the cor of Vera’s shirt.


    She then started shaking him back and forth vigorously.


    <b><i>  She’s really strong.</i></b>


    Vera quickly dismissed the thought that had crossed his mind and began to calm Renee down.


    He wrapped his arms around her.


    One hand patted her back, while the other gently stroked her head.


    “Calm down. No one is going to speak ill of you.”


    Vera’sfort was effective.


    Renee’s sobbing gradually subsided, and the grip of the hand that was holding his cor loosened.


    Vera smiled as he thought that she looked like a well-trained puppy, and then continued speaking.


    “Isn’t it fortunate that your robe covers your entire body? If the apprentice priests keep their mouths shut, then there should be no issue.”


    “Those people? Fat chance.”


    “Rumors have always existed. A rumor without evidence has no power.”


    Renee pressed her lips tightly.


    ‘Those rumor are exactly the problem…!’


    Vera seemed to be unaware of the seriousness of the situation.


    Renee recalled the events of the morning that she didn’t want to remember.


    <i>  — Kyaaa!!!</i>


    <i>  — Saint! How was it? Is it big? Is he good?</i>


    <i>  — Does hest long? Is he strong?</i>


    The way they screamed and bombarded her with questions the moment they saw the marks left no doubt that they wouldn’t keep their mouths shut.


    Furthermore, their guesswork when she remained silent out of embarrassment only made it worse.


    <i>  — This much? This much? Ahhhh!! This much? It’s that big?</i>


    <i>  — Oh my gosh! Oh my gosh! How long? One day? Two days? …Eh? Eeek! Three days?!</i>


    Suddenly, Renee felt sorry for Vera.


    ‘I’m sorry, Vera…’


    Her body shivered with dread, but there was nothing to be done.


    She was sure of it.


    By the end of today, information about Vera’s private life would be the talk of the town in Elia.


    And her own story would surely be included in it, too.


    “…I won’t be leaving my room for a while. If you want to see me,e find me secretly.”


    Already, she felt her back tense up.


    She lost the courage to face the world.


    Seeing Renee’s sullen appearance, Vera replied with a small smile.


    “Secretly, you say?”


    “Absolutely secretly. No one should know, not even the Holy Emperor.”


    “I’ll try.”


    <b><i>  Why are you worrying so much? You’re the same person who always criticized me for worrying too much.</i></b>


    “Uhh…”


    Vera chuckled at Renee’s appearance, who was unable to recover herposure.


    Then, he changed the topic. There was nothing better to ovee dejection than to divert one’s attention.


    “By the way, have you seen Aisha recently?”


    “…What?”


    Renee’s head perked up a little.


    Although her brows were still furrowed, her mood seemed a bit better as her thoughts shifted elsewhere.


    After thinking for a moment, Renee shook her head.


    “Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen her. Isn’t she with Jenny?”


    “No, she’s not with Jenny either. She’s deeply engrossed in her training.”


    “Really?”


    Renee’s mood brightened a bit more.


    ‘It’s so easy to sway her mood.’


    Vera couldn’t help but think that she would be an easy target for con artists if he weren’t with her. He continued speaking.


    “Yes, she’s quite a fast learner. She’s even managed to use divinity to move her body. If she develops a little more, she might be able to imbue her weapons with divinity.”


    “Hmm… that’s intermediate level, right?”


    “Yes, imbuing weapons with divinity is intermediate. Changing its shape by refining it is the advanced level.”


    It was truly a remarkable talent.


    It took considerable effort to reach the intermediate level and imbue weapons with one’s divinity or aura.


    Even those from renowned families who had trained with a sword for their entire lives didn’t reach that level until they were in their mid-twenties.


    However, Renee was not particrly impressed by this exnation.


    She tilted her head slightly.


    “Weren’t you already at the advanced level when we first met, Vera? The same went for Krek, Marek, the Second Prince, and the Archduke…”


    She listed the names of some notable swordsmen she had met.


    “…When you think about it, it doesn’t seem like Aisha is progressing especially fast.”


    Vera chuckled at Renee’s question as she pondered on it.


    “We are unique cases. Also, Aisha is actually faster than the twins, the Second Prince, or the Archduke. She is only fourteen, after all.”


    “And you?”


    “I was faster.”


    There was a hint of pride in his words.


    However, he was speaking the truth.


    “It took me less than a week to hold a sword and imbue it with divinity.”


    “Should I praise you for that?”


    “I would certainly appreciate it if you do.”


    A giggle escaped from Renee’s lips.


    Her outstretched hand touched Vera’s cheek, pulling it gently.


    “Oh my, good job.”


    He ended up bragging about himself, after all.


    That thought came to Renee’s mind.


    A chucklingughter lingered between the two of them, and then Renee suddenly spoke up.


    “Ah, so is Aisha just going to keep training? What if she copses or something…?”


    “She seems to know how to pace herself. It’s a sign that she’s growing up.”


    “You’re unusually concerned, very unlike you.”


    “It wasn’t intentional, but she is my first disciple after all. I’m realizing just how difficult it is to teach someone.”


    Vera, who was speaking, ced his hand over Renee’s hand, which was pinching his cheek.


    Immediately after, he removed Renee’s hand and asked yfully.


    “Are you jealous?”


    “What? Just because you look happy about it? Do I look like the type to be jealous of a kid?”


    “So you haven’t been jealous at all?”


    Renee’s shoulders slumped.


    Her face was turning bright red.


    What’s the point in saying it now?


    Looking back on her track record, Renee couldn’t deny it.


    There was that incident on her first night of drinking where she got jealous against an elf she’d never met before, to the first day that she met Aisha and her lies.


    Eventer, just hearing Albrecht’s voice made her think of him as a rival, and ultimately, she even felt jealous of herself.


    Renee had nothing to say.


    Based on her past behavior, she was a woman who could rightfully be called the embodiment of jealousy.


    “…Go die.”


    <i>  Poke!</i> Renee poked Vera’s stomach with her finger.


    It didn’t end there.


    Her pokes turned into deeper jabs, and her fingers turned into a fist that thudded against him.


    What began as a cute action now carried anger as she assaulted Vera.


    Veraughed and deflected her movements, then finally caught her fist.


    “Are you rebelling?”


    “Someone ising.”


    Renee pulled away from Vera at the speed of light.


    She was worried that the rumors would worsen if anyone saw them being yful with each other.


    However, it was a pointless worry.


    The approaching figure had nothing to do with the ongoing rumors.


    [Hey! Are you listening to me? I strictly told you not to skip ss today, so where are you going…? What, why are you going to them?]


    It was Annalise and Jenny.


    Jenny walked up to them with a dying expression on her face, and in her hand was the doll that contained Annalise’s soul.


    Vera looked at Jenny, who was walking from afar.


    “What’s going on?”


    He asked, wondering if anything had happened.


    Jenny did not answer.


    She simply continued walking and finally stopped in front of Renee,  her face looking so exhausted that the dark circles reached down to her jawline.


    “Jenny?”


    “…Please.”


    Jenny ced Annalise onto Renee’sp.


    Then, she quickly walked away.


    The atmosphere went silent.


    Annalise was stunned by the sudden situation, then realized shortly after that Jenny had abandoned her and started yelling.


    [Hey, wait… you! Where are you going! Come here! I saide here! Hey! Heeeey!!!]


    Jenny blocked her ears against the loud shoutsing from behind her.


    ‘It’s a day off… Today is my day off.’


    She didn’t want to hear nagging even on her day off.


    She wanted to sleep at least for one day without having anyone wake her up.


    Annalise was always helpful, but she continued her sses without taking a break!


    Jenny didn’t want to think about such things.


    She just wanted to sleep until noon for now.


    [Ahhhhhh-!]


    The screams continued.


    Renee listened to it nkly, then ced Annalise on a chair.


    Then, she spoke to Vera.


    “Vera, let’s go inside. It’s almost time to eat.”


    “Alright. Come to think of it, it’s almost lunchtime.”


    Renee linked her arms with Vera’s.


    <i>  Thud. Thud</i>. The sound of her cane grew distant.


    [Hey, where are you guys going! Hey! Take me with you! Take me!!! I’ll kill you!!! I’ll kill you alllllll!!!]


    Her bitter curses echoed throughout the garden, but the two weren’t concerned.


    “Who will take her to Jenny?”


    “I don’t think that’s any of our concern.”


    “That’s true.”


    The Grand Temple was crowded.


    Besides, there wasn’t a single person who didn’t know that the doll belonged to Jenny.


    So, even if it wasn’t them, someone would surely take her to Jenny.


    [Come here!!!]


    There was another piercing scream.


    Annalise returned to Jenny’s sidete at night when a chilly aura had enveloped the world.


    ***


    In the underground library of the Grand Temple.


    Trevor lit up with joy in the dim room where only a small candle flickered.


    “I found it!”


    Trevor raised his head.


    In his hand was an old parchment that showed signs of wear and tear.


    “The Tenth…!”


    It was a record of the Tenth.


    It had taken him nearly two weeks of searching through all of Elia’s historical records to find it, and Trevor’s first reaction was one of joy.


    ‘Let’s see…!’


    Trevor trembled for a moment and quickly scanned the parchment.


    <strong>‘The Tenth, a False Idol, A Symbol That Should Not Exist, the Bringer of the End…’</strong>


    As he read further, his expression hardened.


    A look of deep confusion spread across his face.


    <i>  Crumple—</i>


    The parchment crumpled.


    Trevor abruptly turned and left the library.


    ‘I must tell them!’


    He had to show this parchment to the Apostles as soon as possible.