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Translator: FusionX

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The god worshipped by the empire was the god of the moon, so this tower closest to the moon was named the Moon Tower.

There was a time when I wondered if one could really see the moon up close from the top, but now I was actually going to ascend to that highest floor.

At the invitation of the saint, no less.

Below the Moon Tower was the cathedral, and as I headed towards the entrance of the Moon Tower through the cathedral, a holy knight guarding the entrance was blocking the way.

As I briefly made eye contact and smiled faintly, the holy knight who approached me quietly moved his lips.

“…Could you be Lord Robert Taylor?”

“I’ve been wandering around the vicinity. I was wondering if the moon had risen.”

Upon hearing this inexplicable question, the holy knight eventually smiled slightly and answered while opening the way.

“Today is the full moon. Please go in.”

It could be considered a kind of code phrase.

Only those with permission could enter the Moon Tower, so only those who had received the saint’s permission could question whether the moon had risen.

The mention of a full moon meant the saint was present.

I bowed my head and entered, and soon the interior of the Moon Tower came into view.

In fact, despite the grandiose name of the Moon Tower, this interior was merely a part of the cathedral.

There was nothing special about it, even though many people were curious.

I had entered here a few times before, but the answer I received each time was consistently a waning moon.

However, this time I could definitely meet her.

As I ascended the spiral staircase to the top floor, there was a single door that looked quite special even at a glance.

It was a door I was well acquainted with.

I had often waited for the saint in front of this door for a long time before.

After a moment of contemplation, I gently knocked on the door and opened my mouth.

“It’s Robert. May I come in?”

Crash!

“Wait a moment, Yurika will open it for you…!”

Instead of an answer, what I heard was the sound of something spilling inside.

Hearing Adriana’s voice, which sounded quite flustered as if startled by something, I could roughly understand the situation inside.

One cannot be perfect in everything.

No matter how much she was the symbol of nobility as a saint, I had learned from our last encounter that she did not always act in a precise manner.

This time too, she must have dropped something.

So I waited calmly, and soon the door slowly opened and the saint peeked her head out.

“I didn’t expect you to open it yourself.”

“Yurika is tidying up inside. It can’t be helped since she’s cleaning up glass shards.”

“…I see.”

As if my expression could be read just by hearing my voice, Adriana, who smiled awkwardly, walked towards the sofa inside.

Even if it was the saint’s room, there was nothing special about it.

It was similar to a room where a woman lived, and if there was anything unusual, it was that the moon could be seen quite close. And the fact that there were few windows.

“Do you live here?”

“Yes, this Moon Tower is my home.”

“I heard that Her Highness the Princess also comes here, but it seems she hasn’t arrived yet.”

“I put a time gap. There’s something I want to tell you privately.”

The private matter she wanted to discuss was probably about the south, as she had mentioned earlier.

However, there shouldn’t have been any incident in the south during this period.

Since the meeting had decided on subjugation, the south had no choice but to remain quiet for the time being.

After hesitating for a moment, the saint eventually told me to sit on the sofa and took a seat.

However, it didn’t immediately lead to the main point.

Since it was probably a heavy topic, Adriana began by bringing up the fact that I had come to see her.

“This is the first time I’ve let a man in here. Usually, even the holy knights don’t come in.”

“Is it an imposition?”

“No, it’s fine since I permitted it. And if it’s Lord Taylor, can I say that I know you well now? You helped me out last time too.”

There was goodwill mixed in Adriana’s gently smiling attitude.

Perhaps our time together before had given her a positive impression of me.

It was not a bad thing, but it was a bit burdensome to be unconditionally thought of as a good person.

If asked if I was truly a kind person, I would have no choice but to answer negatively.

By the way, she said she had never let a man in before.

I wondered if it was alright for me to come to a place like this.

Didn’t it mean this was a male-restricted area until I came?

I was worried that some strange rumor might spread, so I looked at the saint, but there was not a hint of worry on her face, only joy that I had come to see her.

“By the way, Lord Taylor, do you have any plans for the winter?”

Startled for a moment by that sudden question, Adriana soon showed a slightly serious expression and continued.

With that smile, slightly different from the warm one a moment ago, I thought she was about to discuss the main topic.

“Is it about the south after all?”

“…Yes, that’s right. It’s related to the children we saw last time. And it’s also something I can’t avoid as a saint.”

Adriana’s complexion seemed a bit dark.

As if the story she was about to tell was not a pleasant one, Adriana sighed softly and hesitantly moved her lips.

“You said you already know about the shamans in the south.”

“Yes, I don’t know the details, but… I know they are different from wizards.”

“The sorcery used by shamans basically requires sacrifices. Animals, plants, anything imbued with life can be used in their rituals.”

“I know the children we saw last time were like that too. When you asked if I had something to do in the winter, is there perhaps something you want me to do?”

Helping the saint was a good thing, but the problem was that I already had a schedule set for the winter.

Even if it wasn’t for the entire winter, I had already decided to visit Adele, so that wouldn’t change.

Adriana nodded her head, but I couldn’t readily ask what it was.

Honestly, I thought the winter would be quite busy.

Not only approaching the Crown Prince, but I also planned to stay in the north for at least a month.

Getting acquainted with the northern figures was something I had to do.

That way, when I later said I would strike the imperial family, wouldn’t they respond?

“I decided to head to the south this winter. I’m thinking of saving people in similar situations to the children we saw last time.”

“I see. I want to go too, but it seems difficult.”

“…What?”

Come to think of it, the church had some movement during this period, and that was heading to the south.

When I said I couldn’t go, Adriana was startled and asked back.

I did have a purpose for going to the south, but I couldn’t postpone going to the north.

If the schedules were different, I would make an effort, but this time, the trip to the north took priority.

“I have to go to the north in the winter. The schedule is already set.”

“When you say the north… are you going to meet Lady Adele?”

“Yes, I have a personal debt of gratitude to repay.”

In fact, the purpose was to return the handkerchief she had personally given me, but in my own way, I was grateful to her.

Just for the fact that she didn’t ask much about me, it could be considered the greatest favor to me.

Upon hearing my words, Adriana’s expression darkened even further, and she pouted her lips and bowed her head.

“Then it can’t be helped. I didn’t know you had a friendship with Lady Adele.”

“We were together during the last full moon festival too. It was just a brief encounter.”

“Lady Adele came to the full moon festival?”

She seemed genuinely surprised by those words.

Well, it would be surprising for anyone who heard it.

The fact that she, who was always cooped up in the north and rarely came to the imperial capital even for events, suddenly attended the full moon festival was quite astonishing.

“Yes, she had some business with me, so we were together for a while. Going to the north is also related to that.”

“You were… together.”

Her voice was a bit cold, and unlike before, her eyes narrowed with an expression devoid of any trace of a smile.

Adriana, who stroked her shadowed face, continued with a slight smile.

The shadow that had briefly passed was gone afterwards.

“Actually, I had met Lady Adele before. If you enjoyed the festival together to that extent, could it be considered a friendly relationship?”

“We’re not close friends. We’ve just seen each other a few times, so this time I’m going because something came up by chance.”

“Aha.”

She smiled again.

As if she had obtained some positive reaction from my answer, Adriana, who smiled softly once more, sipped her tea.

That action was so natural that even I couldn’t read any discomfort for a moment.

What part of my answer saying we weren’t friends was there to be happy about?

Although her face was not much different from the beginning, it was clear that she was strangely delighted.

Come to think of it, when Adele said she knew Adriana, she also had an unsettled expression.

Perhaps the relationship between the two was not very good.

“By the way, exactly when are you going?”

“Probably after the new year arrives. Since the subjugation will take place in the summer, I’m planning to go before then.”

…For some reason, it would be better to refrain from talking about Adele.

I didn’t want to create any unnecessary conflict.

So when I brought up the topic of the south again, Adriana responded with a serious expression once more.

“I don’t think it will be that dangerous. Last time, we didn’t encounter any shamans or different races. And I will only be doing treatment from the rear, and Lord Taylor will probably accompany me.”

“Then you don’t need me?”

Treatment would be done by the saint, and to the outside world, I was known as just an unremarkable son of a ducal family.

When I asked in puzzlement why she readily asked me to join such a position, Adriana’s cheeks flushed red.

Her white cheeks turned crimson, and after hesitating several times to speak, it was a bit later when she opened her mouth.

I waited, thinking she might say something embarrassing, but the words she uttered were quite unexpected even from my perspective.

“I wanted to repay you for last time. You didn’t need to look after the children, but you stayed with me until late because I was injured.”

“I didn’t do it to receive repayment. Besides, it was also my way of repaying you for healing me.”

“Healing is something that doesn’t bother me at all. I can’t consider that a favor. Actually, I heard some rumors about Lord Taylor.”

My gaze fell on Adriana.

Even if they were rumors, there wouldn’t be any good stories.

If she heard such stories, would she harbor negative emotions towards me?

However, there was not a single crack in her expression.

Her flushed cheeks remained the same, and she was only embarrassed about the current topic.

“I heard the rumors about Lord Taylor. That you’re weak, have a bad personality… I know it’s rude to say this in front of you, but what I want to say is that I’ve come to realize that Lord Taylor is a different person from these rumors.”

Her voice gained strength.

As if wanting to make sure I was still listening, Adriana, whose voice had risen slightly, made my lips move faintly.

It was not a lie that I was a different person.

Even if they were rumors, didn’t I live a completely different life before and after those rumors spread?

I wanted to dismiss it as a misunderstanding, but I couldn’t readily open my mouth at the words that followed.

“There’s something I’ve been wanting to keep asking Lord Taylor. It was something I wanted to say if we met again, but I didn’t know we would meet like this today, so I haven’t been able to say it until now.”

“There’s not much I can hear from you.”

“This is a simple request. Or maybe… it might be a bit of a difficult request.”

Even though she couldn’t see, her gaze was accurately directed at me.

Perhaps it was due to her holy power.

The ability to feel even without seeing, what did she see in me?

So after waiting for a while, Adriana slowly continued.

Her gentle and quiet voice, gradually becoming softer as if embarrassed, reached my ears.

“Would it be alright if I… met Lord Taylor again later? Not by chance like now, but I want to meet again and talk for longer. I, well…”

As if struggling to find the words to continue, Adriana, who kept moving her lips, hesitated and opened her mouth.

“I’ve been thinking, what if Lord Taylor and I could become friends? So I want to see you a bit sooner. Today, Miragen will come, so I can’t do that, but if there’s an opportunity later.”

“…Friends, you say?”

A laugh inadvertently escaped.

Was this the reason she asked me to go to the south together?

It was quite a saint-like appearance.

Who would have thought she would hesitate so much just to say she wanted to become close friends?

The south.

There was no reason not to go.

There was something I wanted to find there too, and there was no reason to refuse the saint’s help.

Moreover, if it was after the new year, I would have already visited the north, so I had some leeway.

Adriana’s attitude as she waited for my answer seemed a bit anxious.

As if worried that I might refuse, I gently grasped Adriana’s slightly trembling hand and answered.

“If that’s what you want, I will do so.”

I thought it was fate, so I decided to continue that connection.

However, I didn’t know it would become a friendly relationship.

As I smiled slightly, I noticed Adriana smiling as well.

It was the brightest smile I had ever seen from her, to the point where I thought it was unexpected.

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