Three seasons have already passed since she broke up with him in the middle of winter.
The two of them briefly leaned against each other’s warmth and caught their breath. Even the laundry fluttering and dancing around them seemed to be blessing their meeting.
“This isn’t a dream, is it?”
She said, gasping for breath, and Carson laughed even lower.
“Surely the dream you’re talking about isn’t a nightmare?”
Ines shook her head. Every time she did, her soft cheek would gently touch his neck and then move away. She felt Carson take a deep breath and hug her back.
After a while, the two of them walked side by side along the stone wall path inside the temple. Ines still couldn’t believe it, so she glanced up at him.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I still can’t believe it.”
“This isn’t a dream. Can I pinch your cheek?”
She rubbed her cheek as if he had really pinched it.
“When did you come here?”
He just smiled and didn’t answer. So Ines asked again.
“Why did you come?”
Carson furrowed his brow at that question.
“What?”
“Are you going to the palace?”
He shook his head and smiled faintly.
“Let’s just say that.”
“Then when are you going back?”
“Tomorrow...”
“Tomorrow?”
Ines blushed as she followed his words. She knew that he could see that she was very excited, but she couldn’t stop her face from blushing.
“What’s so exciting?”
“I thought you’d stop by for a moment. If you leave tomorrow... I’ll feel like I’m with you all day.”
He was close to her. Just the thought of it made Ines feel a pleasant breeze fill her chest. Then she saw the maids lining up in front of the door of the building on the other side.
“Ah...”
“Why?”
“I have to go to the prayer room now. After prayer, I have to prepare lunch right away. Um... After that, I have class in the afternoon.”
“Class?”
He already knew her schedule, but he pretended not to know.
“Yes, it’s a kind of edification class. It’s a class that everyone except the priests has to attend. And then we have to go draw water from the well.”
Carson’s forehead wrinkled as he remembered last night’s events. Ines seemed determined not to talk about the incident yesterday.
That meant he might never know about the dangerous things that might happen to her in the future.
“But I’m not going to draw water today. Then I can rest then. If you’re not busy at that time, can I... meet you?”
“If you go to draw water from the well?”
“Yes?”
“If you have to go to the well during that schedule, when do you rest?”
“Where does a maid get a break? We rest when we feel like it.”
Ines laughed as if she had heard something she shouldn’t have.
“Usually, we have a little time after morning prayer, but many of the other maids are sick today. They’ll be busy preparing lunch.”
“And you?”
“Yes?”
“Aren’t you sick?”
“Yes, I’m not sick.”
“Nothing...?”
“Nothing. Life here is very monotonous. That’s why time passes very quickly.”
“That’s a good thing.”
Ines’ smiling face was not the slightest wrinkle. But Carson couldn’t help but ask again.
“Are you really okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Ines lightly kicked the floor with her foot.
“If you’re asking if life here is okay, it might sound strange, but I’m very okay. I’m sure you can’t imagine how I feel here.”
She was truly grateful for every day.
It wasn’t that the work wasn’t hard, but the temple was peaceful. There was no reason for anyone to be inhuman.
At that moment, the bells sounded from afar, signaling prayer time.
“I really have to go. When, when... when will you be?”
Carson pretended to think for a moment and rolled his eyes.
“I think I can take a break at that time.”
“Then I’ll see you then. I’ll be waiting right here. It’s exactly when the bell rings eight times.”
Ines, her face brightening, ran in the direction the maids had gone and waved to Carson.
The woman who left him behind and flew away kept looking back at him. From now on, he had nothing to do but wait for Ines to have time.
Watching her disappear from his sight, Carson felt more suffocated than yesterday. The woman was bright. It was so much so that it was pointless to think that she would be more broken than before, exhausted from living here. She became more talkative and her expression brightened. She blushed easily and expressed her feelings to him. Her appearance was so beautiful that he wanted to touch every blushing spot.
But what was the weight of this suffocating feeling that came every time? It was a different color from the suffocating sense of responsibility he had felt for her.
Noah had always been by his side, but now he was away to carry out Carson’s order. Carson had instructed him to closely check not only the well but also the surrounding area for any danger. Perhaps because of what had happened yesterday, the high priest also actively followed Carson’s order.
Carson, who had nothing else to do but wait, slowly headed in the direction Ines had gone.
Finding the prayer room she had mentioned wasn’t that difficult.
Among the buildings made of gray bricks, there was one place with a particularly high spire. At the appointed prayer time, all the maids went there as if they were all supposed to gather and pray.
Carson did not go inside but walked around. When the bell tolled for prayer ended, a song could be heard from inside the prayer room. The soft melody had a slightly sad tone.
I rely on my ability and trust in your mercy.
As he walked along the small path next to the building, there were windows lined up that looked into the prayer room. Every time he passed a window, the maids’ singing grew louder and quieter.
With you, what could I not accomplish?
Soon, he was able to find Ines, who was sitting in the corner of the group. She took out the Bible that she had neatly placed in her small bag. It was a familiar object that had come into his hands some time ago.
Everything in this world blooms beautifully in your hands.
She completely tied up her loosely tied hair as if her daily prayer was a pious ritual. Ines's red lips, following the song with a sparkling face, caught Carson's attention.
Even if what everyone says is impossible, you can get it all with love.
She was close enough that he could see even a single dot on her white nape. If he just stretched out his hand, he could get it all.
Even the most beautiful thing you've ever made.
At that moment, she took out two small pieces of paper from inside the Bible. At that moment, Carson raised an eyebrow.
He didn't expect it, but one of them was something he knew well. Ines placed the portrait of the goddess Heclesia and his face side by side on the prayer table.
Ines clenched her hands tightly in front of the portrait and bowed her head reverently. Looking at that, Carson couldn't help but snicker.
"Still the same."
As soon as he said that, he realized the cause of the frustration that had started since yesterday. And immediately, he frowned.
He didn't like it. Ines was changing into some other form in this place where he wasn't.
'This is crazy.'
He covered his mouth. The more he realized, the more contempt he felt for himself rose.
The fact that the woman he had worried so much was enjoying something he could not give was unbearable...
It was a strange feeling that he had never experienced before and had never even imagined. What on earth was this called?
He suddenly raised his head and looked at Ines. Ines opened one eye slightly and put the painting back upright as if the wind had blown over. Her fingertips were trembling as she walked away, unable to touch his face.
Carson closed his eyes at that sight.
He had experienced countless things in his life. All the beautiful things in the world were given to him as gifts. There were many rare works of art and beautiful women in Carson’s eyes.
However, he had never once considered them his own. He had nothing he wanted.
What he was feeling now was clearly possessiveness.
An ugly feeling that did not suit him at all and that he had never thought of as being tied together.
But why was he feeling such possessiveness toward the woman who was holding his portrait in her hand and not knowing what to do?
Nevertheless, he could not take his eyes off Ines. Because of that dirty feeling, the woman who had confessed that she would live the rest of her life for him might fly away at any moment.
Carson had an early lunch with Noah and toured the temple. As he had said, there didn't seem to be any place more dangerous. He promised the high priest a huge donation for the temple. It was an amount equivalent to two years of temple operation budget.
And he paid extra for the water supply facility. Even though it was a water supply facility, it was only a well inside the temple, but that alone made him feel much more at ease.
After checking everything, he went to the place where Ines was receiving training. At the entrance to the training center, there were tall trees whose names were unknown, lined up. The leaves that clearly announced autumn added to the temple’s charm.
Looking at the still empty space, he thought that Ines would really suit this road.
And after a while, she appeared.
As he had expected, Ines matched the trees very well as if she had been glued on. They said that everyone except priests had to attend classes, but unlike the prayer room, men wearing novice priest’s robes also started to appear there.
Ines was walking briskly and stopped to say hello to someone. Carson, who had been looking only at her, had a sudden suspicion in his eyes, but the main character appeared in front of her.
The two stood facing each other as if they had made an appointment to meet. At that moment, one of Carson’s eyes squinted involuntarily.
“Noah, is it just me who sees that guy over there?”
Carson sat down on a bench in a quiet place, crossing his long legs and tilting his head to one side.
“Are you really okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Ines lightly kicked the floor with her foot.
“If you’re asking if life here is okay, it might sound strange, but I’m very okay. I’m sure you can’t imagine how I feel here.”
She was truly grateful for every day.
It wasn’t that the work wasn’t hard, but the temple was peaceful. There was no reason for anyone to be inhuman.
At that moment, the bells sounded from afar, signaling prayer time.
“I really have to go. When, when... when will you be?”
Carson pretended to think for a moment and rolled his eyes.
“I think I can take a break at that time.”
“Then I’ll see you then. I’ll be waiting right here. It’s exactly when the bell rings eight times.”
Ines, her face brightening, ran in the direction the maids had gone and waved to Carson.
The woman who left him behind and flew away kept looking back at him. From now on, he had nothing to do but wait for Ines to have time.
Watching her disappear from his sight, Carson felt more suffocated than yesterday. The woman was bright. It was so much so that it was pointless to think that she would be more broken than before, exhausted from living here. She became more talkative and her expression brightened. She blushed easily and expressed her feelings to him. Her appearance was so beautiful that he wanted to touch every blushing spot.
But what was the weight of this suffocating feeling that came every time? It was a different color from the suffocating sense of responsibility he had felt for her.
Noah had always been by his side, but now he was away to carry out Carson’s order. Carson had instructed him to closely check not only the well but also the surrounding area for any danger. Perhaps because of what had happened yesterday, the high priest also actively followed Carson’s order.
Carson, who had nothing else to do but wait, slowly headed in the direction Ines had gone.
Finding the prayer room she had mentioned wasn’t that difficult.
Among the buildings made of gray bricks, there was one place with a particularly high spire. At the appointed prayer time, all the maids went there as if they were all supposed to gather and pray.
Carson did not go inside but walked around. When the bell tolled for prayer ended, a song could be heard from inside the prayer room. The soft melody had a slightly sad tone.
I rely on my ability and trust in your mercy.
As he walked along the small path next to the building, there were windows lined up that looked into the prayer room. Every time he passed a window, the maids’ singing grew louder and quieter.
With you, what could I not accomplish?
Soon, he was able to find Ines, who was sitting in the corner of the group. She took out the Bible that she had neatly placed in her small bag. It was a familiar object that had come into his hands some time ago.
Everything in this world blooms beautifully in your hands.
She completely tied up her loosely tied hair as if her daily prayer was a pious ritual. Ines's red lips, following the song with a sparkling face, caught Carson's attention.
Even if what everyone says is impossible, you can get it all with love.
She was close enough that he could see even a single dot on her white nape. If he just stretched out his hand, he could get it all.
Even the most beautiful thing you've ever made.
At that moment, she took out two small pieces of paper from inside the Bible. At that moment, Carson raised an eyebrow.
He didn't expect it, but one of them was something he knew well. Ines placed the portrait of the goddess Heclesia and his face side by side on the prayer table.
Ines clenched her hands tightly in front of the portrait and bowed her head reverently. Looking at that, Carson couldn't help but snicker.
"Still the same."
As soon as he said that, he realized the cause of the frustration that had started since yesterday. And immediately, he frowned.
He didn't like it. Ines was changing into some other form in this place where he wasn't.
'This is crazy.'
He covered his mouth. The more he realized, the more contempt he felt for himself rose.
The fact that the woman he had worried so much was enjoying something he could not give was unbearable...
It was a strange feeling that he had never experienced before and had never even imagined. What on earth was this called?
He suddenly raised his head and looked at Ines. Ines opened one eye slightly and put the painting back upright as if the wind had blown over. Her fingertips were trembling as she walked away, unable to touch his face.
Carson closed his eyes at that sight.
He had experienced countless things in his life. All the beautiful things in the world were given to him as gifts. There were many rare works of art and beautiful women in Carson’s eyes.
However, he had never once considered them his own. He had nothing he wanted.
What he was feeling now was clearly possessiveness.
An ugly feeling that did not suit him at all and that he had never thought of as being tied together.
But why was he feeling such possessiveness toward the woman who was holding his portrait in her hand and not knowing what to do?
Nevertheless, he could not take his eyes off Ines. Because of that dirty feeling, the woman who had confessed that she would live the rest of her life for him might fly away at any moment.
***
Carson had an early lunch with Noah and toured the temple. As he had said, there didn't seem to be any place more dangerous. He promised the high priest a huge donation for the temple. It was an amount equivalent to two years of temple operation budget.
And he paid extra for the water supply facility. Even though it was a water supply facility, it was only a well inside the temple, but that alone made him feel much more at ease.
After checking everything, he went to the place where Ines was receiving training. At the entrance to the training center, there were tall trees whose names were unknown, lined up. The leaves that clearly announced autumn added to the temple’s charm.
Looking at the still empty space, he thought that Ines would really suit this road.
And after a while, she appeared.
As he had expected, Ines matched the trees very well as if she had been glued on. They said that everyone except priests had to attend classes, but unlike the prayer room, men wearing novice priest’s robes also started to appear there.
Ines was walking briskly and stopped to say hello to someone. Carson, who had been looking only at her, had a sudden suspicion in his eyes, but the main character appeared in front of her.
The two stood facing each other as if they had made an appointment to meet. At that moment, one of Carson’s eyes squinted involuntarily.
“Noah, is it just me who sees that guy over there?”
Carson sat down on a bench in a quiet place, crossing his long legs and tilting his head to one side.
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