He settled on one of the big agendas, but Cassius was still in a bad mood.

‘It’s annoying.’

Not only the priests who were full of thoughts of imposing everything on Sonia, but also Archduke Lundmere were displeased.

I just wanted to get him out of the castle right away so that he would never visit again.

Cassius opened his mouth.

“I go directly to the Archduke. I'm going to pause the meeting for a while."

The intermediate priest who met the Archduke with Sonia jumped in surprise.

“There is no need for the Holy Spirit to do that. Because the Archduke also returned the weapon to the intervention of Priestess Sonia.”

The priests who doubted the abilities of the apprentice Priestess Sonia asked in surprise.

“Is that true?”

“Yes, the Archduke has returned the weapon.”

“Didn’t he get angry last time that he wouldn’t return the weapon until the end? Unbelievable!”

The Intermediate Priest said proudly as if it was his job.

“Besides, Priestess Sonia has healing powers! She wiped away the fatigue of the Archduke with her healing divine power.”

The conference hall was disturbed by his talk.

It's a healing property.

It was a force that did not appear during the enthronement of several Holy Emperors.

The intermediate priest continued to speak.

“The Archduke, who fell for Priestess Sonia’s rhetoric, even smiled. I'm sure he'll be in good spirits until the end of the meeting."

So, don't worry about the Archduke and let the meeting go on.

The meaning of this is clear, but Cassius ignored the words of the intermediate priest.

No, on the contrary, it was so annoying that he felt like his patience would be cut off.

He clenched his fists and said,

“Please call the paladin right now. He is a man who does not hesitate to act in ignoring Seongguk. To come to the day of the competition, this is clearly hostility.”

For the first time since the founding of Seongguk, the conference was suspended.

***

The flower garden of Daeshinjeon was full of white flowers in full bloom, and the scent was strong, so it was sure to block the pheromone smell that I had.

‘I like it.’

It was pretty enough to stand for a long time and enjoy the scenery, unless the person I was visiting was scary.

In the center of the flower garden, there was a pavilion with a bench to rest and a table for drinking tea.

Schwarz sat down on a bench, half reclining, and I served tea and sweets prepared by the priests.

“I prepared lavender tea.”

Tea was poured into a teacup full. The bitter scent of tea leaves and the scent of lavender were intense.

The priests who prepared the food served me a richly fragrant lavender tea as I requested.

This would have been enough to hide Omega's pheromone.

The Archduke's hand holding the teacup stopped in mid-air.

Do you need something like sugar?

“Do you need something more?”

"drink."

first of all?

It was against the etiquette of aristocrats to drink customers' tea.

He said again as he suddenly stood still, holding the teacup he had taken.

“Didn’t you say you were protecting me?”

"Right."

"Shouldn't we check if it's poisoned or not?"

“I didn’t add anything like poison.”

“How do you believe that?”

It was crazy. I thought there was a suspicious disease, but that's about it.

Schwarz's eyes met. With his long black hair hanging gracefully, he sat crookedly and stared at me.

Golden eyes flashed like a wild beast.

If I don't do what you're told, you'll be cruel again. She didn't like scary things.

She closed her eyes and took a sip of tea.

‘I don’t really like lavender tea.’

She frowned slightly at the bitter taste that came behind the thick scent of lavender.

She swallowed the tea in her mouth. My neck was moving.

"Look. Am I not okay?”

“Drink one more time.”

My lips trembled in frustration.

‘Uh huh, I’ll have to pick it up.’

What can a powerless apprentice priest do?

Even her status as Count Young-ae is nothing more than a piece of tissue paper in front of the Archduke.

She put her lips to the teacup. His eyes seemed particularly tenacious.

His piercing gaze was concerned, and her actions slowed down.

After removing the lips from the teacup, I waited for the steam to cool, then poured the tea again.

Schwarz's gaze, fixed on my lips, turned to my neck.

‘Why are you looking at me like that?’

Her neck, with his tenacious gaze fixed, was a vital point. He may not have given up the thought of breaking my neck yet.

As she swallowed the tea and he stared at my small moving neck, he opened his mouth.

“Sit down when you are done.”

There was only one long chair in the pavilion of the flower garden.

If it wasn't a call to sit on the table, it was a call to sit next to him.

“How can I sit side by side with His Majesty the Grand Duke? I'm fine, so rest in peace."

"sit down. We need to check if the poison is spreading.”

Schwarz's voice lowered slightly.

She didn't want to offend for nothing, so she sat far away from Schwarz.

He moved and grabbed the cookie.

'He said he didn't like that the tea was poisoned. Are you okay with sweets?’

I think so, but he took the teacup from my hand and gave me a cookie stuffed with nuts instead.

“You should also check the sweets.”

I don't want it to be funny.

She hesitated for a moment at his absurd attitude, but she was hungry after using her divine power.

I took a bite, as if drawn to the seductive smell of savory cookies. It was so delicious that it opened my eyes.

I ate the cookies Schwarz gave me neatly.

“You eat well. What do you think?"

I was still hungry because of the consumed divine power. One cookie was not enough.

I glanced at the basket full of cookies.

“… … I don't know if one was poisoned. I think I have to eat several to know properly.”

“Eat.”

Schwarz's permission must have been obtained, she asked, grabbing a cookie and biting it.

As soon as she put it in her mouth, the luxurious buttery scent spreads deeply.

Because of this, I decided to eat high-quality cookies that I would not normally touch.

How long does it take to eat a proper snack?

Priest's snacks do not contain sugar or chocolate because they are a luxury item.

Confectionery made with agglomerated grains is good for the body, but it is bitter and tasteless.

‘The best sweets for guests!’

The flavor of roasted walnuts or almonds, sometimes chewed, was also excellent.

She forgot that she was by Schwarz's side and the boundaries were loosening.

“Your lips are small. It’s cute to wiggle.”

“… … yes?"

Suddenly, he was so close to me that I dropped the cookie in surprise.

He clasped the edible cookie, which had settled on the plate, back into my hand. I just stiffened up.

He looked down at me with a languid expression, raised his hand and gently rubbed my cheek. A piece of cookie stuck to his fingertips, which he had removed.

He licked it with his tongue.

“Does the temple starve priests?”

It was only then that I realized that I had lost my mind and craved cookies, and calmly put it down in shame.

My ears were burning hot.

maybe it's red

"no… … .”

He looked at me and smiled. Then he lifted the cup I was drinking and put it to his mouth. It was the part where his lips touched.

After taking a sip of lavender tea, he looked at the teacup with a puzzled look.

“Moon.”

With those words, Schwarz drank all the cold tea.

After drinking all the tea, he got up from his seat and touched his coat.

“I’ll just go back.”

“Are you going already? Didn't you come to the temple because you had something to do?"

“The emperor had been urging me to visit him once. There is nothing to see.”

The imperial family did not want the relationship with Seongguk to deteriorate.

Schwarz had an accident once, so it must have been sent to improve relations with the temple.

Rather, it seems to have the opposite effect.

“Besides, if I fight with the Paladins, the Emperor will be really angry.”

He murmured as he looked towards the main building of the Great Hall.

“Make sure to bring a bunch of cookies on my next visit.”

coming again?

To be honest, I didn't want you to come.

It's true that I ate cookies hard in front of him, so I can't argue with anything.

With those words, Schwarz disappeared toward the main building of the Great Hall.

When I saw that he had disappeared, I felt like my body was melting.

'but… … lived.’

Like Lancelot, she avoided being dragged into Schwarz's assassin base.

I'm worried about coming back next time, but it seemed to go well for the first time.

It was time to breathe.

The conference hall became noisy and the Paladins rushed in.

‘You are not joking!’

I, who was lying on the chair, jumped up.

What the hell did a lot of paladins come to?

Upon closer inspection, they were led by Cassius.

He approached quickly with a modest gait.

I quickly bent down.

“I see His Holiness Cassius, the Lord of the Holy Kingdom.”

He came closer and said in a voice full of concern.

“Are you okay? Where are you hurt?”

Although it was just a story in a book, I met the man who killed me.

I was terrified of his vicious energy.

Her surprised chest was pounding, but unlike Cassius's worries, there was nothing special about it.

"it's okay. It was nothing special.”

“He… … . Didn't Grand Duke Lundmeer do anything rude?"

"yes. He drank only tea and gone.”

“You were together a while ago.”

In an instant, my skin stinged, and I could feel a familiar scent among the thick floral scents.

It was the cool water smell she had smelled when she first met Cassius.

Are you using your divine power?

Squeezed by Cassius' power, my breathing became a little difficult.