Will it be available today?
Amelia stepped into the garden leading to the north gate. She looked around, pretending not to notice, just like a child wandering around a market stall.
“There isn’t any...”
Amelia, who had been looking around the garden for a while, muttered weakly. Her expression was clearly disappointed, as if the item she had wanted to buy was out of stock.
“Are you looking for something?”
The guards guarding the north gate were asking questions. Amelia hurriedly shook her head.
“No, I was just about to go to the prayer room.”
And so as not to look suspicious, she added an excuse. The guards naturally accepted Amelia's excuse. Thanks to that, Amelia had to take an unwilling step into the prayer room.
"Liar..."
She promised to meet him again next time. As soon as the door to the prayer room closed, Amelia sighed and criticized Ivan.
"Who?"
It was then that Amelia was startled by a voice that suddenly came from beside her and fell to the floor.
“...!”
That's when she realized that if she's too surprised, she won't even scream. Amelia looked up, feeling her heart drop.
"Who..."
Along the stained glass on the ceiling of the dark prayer room, colorful lights were cast next to the man's face. With his mouth closed, he looked holy at first glance. He looked like a masterpiece that would be hard to find even for a billion gold.
“Ivan.”
Ivan tilted his head to the side without answering Amelia's call. The moment several slivers of light fell on his entire face, a smile slowly spread across Ivan's expressionless face. Like watercolor paints falling on paper.
Amelia stared at Ivan as if she were possessed. He was so dreamily beautiful that it was hard to look away.
“Get up.”
Then Ivan reached out his hand to Amelia, who was sitting down. Amelia carefully raised her hand. The small hand that was resting on Ivan’s palm was trembling slightly with uncontrollable emotions.
“I didn’t know you would be this surprised.”
“What were you doing here alone?”
Ivan chuckled softly at Amelia's question. It was a sound that was as charming as his own voice.
“What would an apprentice priest be doing in the prayer room?”
Amelia let out an “ah” at Ivan’s question because she realized she had asked the wrong question.
“Oh, me.”
“...”
“I never thought you would be here. You just kept staying outside...”
Amelia stammered as she stood up, holding Ivan's hand.
“Because I promised.”
At that moment, Ivan spoke in a whisper. Amelia didn't notice that he was speaking naturally. And she blinked, forgetting that she was still holding his hand.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Thanks to that, the reply was half a beat late.
“I kept waiting because I wanted to hear the outside story.”
Amelia's hand tightened. She grabbed Ivan's large hand and dragged him to the platform where the statue was.
“Sit down and talk.”
And then she pulled Ivan to her while sitting down. It seemed as if she had no consideration at all for the fact that it might be dirty, since it was a place where many people had touched feet. It was an unexpected sight for Ivan.
“You went out again?”
Just as Ivan was sitting next to Amelia, Amelia turned her head with sparkling eyes. Their eyes met.
Eye.
“...”
Those eyes.
Aside from the fact that they were a different color, they were ordinary human eyes. But there was something different about them. Ivan turned his head to the side, meeting Amelia's eyes as he thought.
"Yes?"
When Ivan didn't answer, Amelia pressed him again. Ivan nodded belatedly.
“Where did you go? To a bar again? Did you drink?”
“I drank.”
Amelia clapped her hands in a childlike manner.
“What does alcohol taste like?”
It's not that Amelia wasn't curious; she was as curious as a little girl. It's like she'd never been outside the temple walls in her entire life.
“It depends.”
“...”
“Some are bitter in both smell and taste, while others are made from fruit and have a sweet aroma.”
Alcohol was strictly forbidden in the temple. Even if it was a sham temple that had no interest in the existence of a real god. It was natural. The moment they showed their debauchery, the Escliffites would become suspicious.
“Does drinking it make you feel better?”
Ivan hesitated for a moment to answer Amelia's question.
“If you drink in moderation.”
“If you drink a lot?”
“You won’t be able to control your body or your emotions. You might feel good.”
Ivan's answer was full of contempt for such behavior. Amelia naturally realized that Ivan did not like drunken behavior.
“I’ve never tasted it before, so I was curious. If it really makes you feel good.”
Amelia changed the subject, as if licking her lips.
“What do people talk about when they get together?”
Amelia's body tilted towards Ivan.
“We just talk about life. This year is good or a bad year. Someone next door gave birth to a baby. Sometimes, we hear about a dog giving birth to puppies.”
Ivan responded naturally.
“We often get into fights because we lose money playing cards.”
“Wow... isn’t that a bad thing?”
“There’s nothing wrong with looking for fun.”
Ivan's answer was lukewarm. Amelia, who was already convinced that Ivan was a delinquent priest, did not bother to try to educate him.
“Sometimes I make a bet over a woman.”
"Bet?"
“Who seduces the woman first?”
Amelia blinked with her mouth slightly open at Ivan's words.
“Because you want to be lovers?”
“Usually, it would be difficult to see that as someone wanting to become lovers.”
Ivan laughed briefly at the bright question, as if he were talking to a young lady who didn't know anything about the world.
“Just a one-night stand?”
“That’s, that’s really bad.”
Amelia frowned.
“You don’t care about what the other person feels. No matter how much they get hurt...”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s none of your business anyway.”
Ivan cut Amelia off, saying that there was no need to worry about irrelevant matters. In fact, more than half of the stories told in the bar were trivial matters that did not require careful listening, so it was natural. But his words sounded cold and indifferent. It seemed like his true nature was hidden deep inside.
“They often talk about you.”
Amelia paused at Ivan's addition, as if changing the subject. Her eyes, which had been slowly rolling through the air, turned back to Ivan.
“What do they say about me?”
“Are you really immortal? Are you really immortal? Are you really an agent of God?”
Ivan casually answered Amelia's question.
“Is that really true?”
Ivan looked Amelia in the eye and asked. It was a simple question, but Amelia felt her heart sink strangely.
"Hmm..."
Amelia smiled awkwardly. It was easy to reveal to Aaron that she was not a Priestess, but it was difficult to do so to Ivan. Amelia also knew that her usefulness lay in that role. That was why she did not insist that she was not a Priestess, even if she asked people to call her by her name.
Because she doesn't want to die, because she's served her purpose.
Perhaps it was because of her conscience that Ivan's bright question felt like a sharp attack. Amelia half-lowered her eyes to hide her shaking pupils.
“That’s a strange question.”
“...”
“That’s a given.”
Ivan added an excuse, as if he had not suspected Amelia's existence. Her heart was pounding. Amelia felt a weak sense of guilt toward him.
“You said earlier that you were curious about the taste of alcohol. Should I bring it and try it?”
Ivan, who had been watching the scene, naturally changed the subject. Amelia forgot the regret she had felt until just before and opened her eyes wide in surprise.
“Can you bring it into the temple?”
“What if you hide it secretly?”
Ivan answered shamelessly. He had entered the temple secretly, and alcohol was no big deal.
“No. What if you get hit for no reason?”
However, Amelia shook her head, thinking that it was a big risk. Bringing in prohibited items, especially alcohol, was a different matter from having a conversation in secret. Amelia knew what kind of punishment those who broke the rules would receive.
“Just, instead of that...”
Amelia opened her mouth hesitantly. To be honest, she didn't trust Ivan enough to tell him the whole truth and ask for help. This was only their second meeting.
“Next time too.”
But in the prison disguised as a temple, she liked Ivan, the only one who made her feel comfortable. Because he could tell her stories about the world that everyone else kept hidden from her, stories that she didn't know about.
“Come see me again next time.”
Amelia whispered, holding Ivan's sleeve. It was more like a request than a suggestion. Ivan stared down at the sleeve of his priest's robe, which was precariously caught in Amelia's hand. Her slender fingers were shaking slightly, fearing that he might be rejected.
“...as much as you want.”
Clouds hung over the stained glass on the ceiling. The light had dimmed. The slanted smile on Ivan's lips was hidden in the darkness.
Amelia stepped into the garden leading to the north gate. She looked around, pretending not to notice, just like a child wandering around a market stall.
“There isn’t any...”
Amelia, who had been looking around the garden for a while, muttered weakly. Her expression was clearly disappointed, as if the item she had wanted to buy was out of stock.
“Are you looking for something?”
The guards guarding the north gate were asking questions. Amelia hurriedly shook her head.
“No, I was just about to go to the prayer room.”
And so as not to look suspicious, she added an excuse. The guards naturally accepted Amelia's excuse. Thanks to that, Amelia had to take an unwilling step into the prayer room.
"Liar..."
She promised to meet him again next time. As soon as the door to the prayer room closed, Amelia sighed and criticized Ivan.
"Who?"
It was then that Amelia was startled by a voice that suddenly came from beside her and fell to the floor.
“...!”
That's when she realized that if she's too surprised, she won't even scream. Amelia looked up, feeling her heart drop.
"Who..."
Along the stained glass on the ceiling of the dark prayer room, colorful lights were cast next to the man's face. With his mouth closed, he looked holy at first glance. He looked like a masterpiece that would be hard to find even for a billion gold.
“Ivan.”
Ivan tilted his head to the side without answering Amelia's call. The moment several slivers of light fell on his entire face, a smile slowly spread across Ivan's expressionless face. Like watercolor paints falling on paper.
Amelia stared at Ivan as if she were possessed. He was so dreamily beautiful that it was hard to look away.
“Get up.”
Then Ivan reached out his hand to Amelia, who was sitting down. Amelia carefully raised her hand. The small hand that was resting on Ivan’s palm was trembling slightly with uncontrollable emotions.
“I didn’t know you would be this surprised.”
“What were you doing here alone?”
Ivan chuckled softly at Amelia's question. It was a sound that was as charming as his own voice.
“What would an apprentice priest be doing in the prayer room?”
Amelia let out an “ah” at Ivan’s question because she realized she had asked the wrong question.
“Oh, me.”
“...”
“I never thought you would be here. You just kept staying outside...”
Amelia stammered as she stood up, holding Ivan's hand.
“Because I promised.”
At that moment, Ivan spoke in a whisper. Amelia didn't notice that he was speaking naturally. And she blinked, forgetting that she was still holding his hand.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Thanks to that, the reply was half a beat late.
“I kept waiting because I wanted to hear the outside story.”
Amelia's hand tightened. She grabbed Ivan's large hand and dragged him to the platform where the statue was.
“Sit down and talk.”
And then she pulled Ivan to her while sitting down. It seemed as if she had no consideration at all for the fact that it might be dirty, since it was a place where many people had touched feet. It was an unexpected sight for Ivan.
“You went out again?”
Just as Ivan was sitting next to Amelia, Amelia turned her head with sparkling eyes. Their eyes met.
Eye.
“...”
Those eyes.
Aside from the fact that they were a different color, they were ordinary human eyes. But there was something different about them. Ivan turned his head to the side, meeting Amelia's eyes as he thought.
"Yes?"
When Ivan didn't answer, Amelia pressed him again. Ivan nodded belatedly.
“Where did you go? To a bar again? Did you drink?”
“I drank.”
Amelia clapped her hands in a childlike manner.
“What does alcohol taste like?”
It's not that Amelia wasn't curious; she was as curious as a little girl. It's like she'd never been outside the temple walls in her entire life.
“It depends.”
“...”
“Some are bitter in both smell and taste, while others are made from fruit and have a sweet aroma.”
Alcohol was strictly forbidden in the temple. Even if it was a sham temple that had no interest in the existence of a real god. It was natural. The moment they showed their debauchery, the Escliffites would become suspicious.
“Does drinking it make you feel better?”
Ivan hesitated for a moment to answer Amelia's question.
“If you drink in moderation.”
“If you drink a lot?”
“You won’t be able to control your body or your emotions. You might feel good.”
Ivan's answer was full of contempt for such behavior. Amelia naturally realized that Ivan did not like drunken behavior.
“I’ve never tasted it before, so I was curious. If it really makes you feel good.”
Amelia changed the subject, as if licking her lips.
“What do people talk about when they get together?”
Amelia's body tilted towards Ivan.
“We just talk about life. This year is good or a bad year. Someone next door gave birth to a baby. Sometimes, we hear about a dog giving birth to puppies.”
Ivan responded naturally.
“We often get into fights because we lose money playing cards.”
“Wow... isn’t that a bad thing?”
“There’s nothing wrong with looking for fun.”
Ivan's answer was lukewarm. Amelia, who was already convinced that Ivan was a delinquent priest, did not bother to try to educate him.
“Sometimes I make a bet over a woman.”
"Bet?"
“Who seduces the woman first?”
Amelia blinked with her mouth slightly open at Ivan's words.
“Because you want to be lovers?”
“Usually, it would be difficult to see that as someone wanting to become lovers.”
Ivan laughed briefly at the bright question, as if he were talking to a young lady who didn't know anything about the world.
“Just a one-night stand?”
“That’s, that’s really bad.”
Amelia frowned.
“You don’t care about what the other person feels. No matter how much they get hurt...”
“Don’t worry about it. It’s none of your business anyway.”
Ivan cut Amelia off, saying that there was no need to worry about irrelevant matters. In fact, more than half of the stories told in the bar were trivial matters that did not require careful listening, so it was natural. But his words sounded cold and indifferent. It seemed like his true nature was hidden deep inside.
“They often talk about you.”
Amelia paused at Ivan's addition, as if changing the subject. Her eyes, which had been slowly rolling through the air, turned back to Ivan.
“What do they say about me?”
“Are you really immortal? Are you really immortal? Are you really an agent of God?”
Ivan casually answered Amelia's question.
“Is that really true?”
Ivan looked Amelia in the eye and asked. It was a simple question, but Amelia felt her heart sink strangely.
"Hmm..."
Amelia smiled awkwardly. It was easy to reveal to Aaron that she was not a Priestess, but it was difficult to do so to Ivan. Amelia also knew that her usefulness lay in that role. That was why she did not insist that she was not a Priestess, even if she asked people to call her by her name.
Because she doesn't want to die, because she's served her purpose.
Perhaps it was because of her conscience that Ivan's bright question felt like a sharp attack. Amelia half-lowered her eyes to hide her shaking pupils.
“That’s a strange question.”
“...”
“That’s a given.”
Ivan added an excuse, as if he had not suspected Amelia's existence. Her heart was pounding. Amelia felt a weak sense of guilt toward him.
“You said earlier that you were curious about the taste of alcohol. Should I bring it and try it?”
Ivan, who had been watching the scene, naturally changed the subject. Amelia forgot the regret she had felt until just before and opened her eyes wide in surprise.
“Can you bring it into the temple?”
“What if you hide it secretly?”
Ivan answered shamelessly. He had entered the temple secretly, and alcohol was no big deal.
“No. What if you get hit for no reason?”
However, Amelia shook her head, thinking that it was a big risk. Bringing in prohibited items, especially alcohol, was a different matter from having a conversation in secret. Amelia knew what kind of punishment those who broke the rules would receive.
“Just, instead of that...”
Amelia opened her mouth hesitantly. To be honest, she didn't trust Ivan enough to tell him the whole truth and ask for help. This was only their second meeting.
“Next time too.”
But in the prison disguised as a temple, she liked Ivan, the only one who made her feel comfortable. Because he could tell her stories about the world that everyone else kept hidden from her, stories that she didn't know about.
“Come see me again next time.”
Amelia whispered, holding Ivan's sleeve. It was more like a request than a suggestion. Ivan stared down at the sleeve of his priest's robe, which was precariously caught in Amelia's hand. Her slender fingers were shaking slightly, fearing that he might be rejected.
“...as much as you want.”
Clouds hung over the stained glass on the ceiling. The light had dimmed. The slanted smile on Ivan's lips was hidden in the darkness.
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