Translated by Wook
Edited by Wook

The arms that were holding me tightened up. Since Seniel was right in front of me, I could see the sequence of his embarrassment very closely. The dilated pupils in Seniel’s bright red eyes, the hardened mouth, the breath that stopped, and even the soft fluffy hair that seemed to stand up subtly.

It was quite pleasant to see the handsome man bewildered in the morning sunlight. I thought it looked a bit cute too.

‘Am I crazy?’

Surprised by the thoughts I had written in my mind, I quickly erased them.

I’d been aware that I’d been out of my mind since yesterday, and sleeping didn’t seem to bring my sanity back.

‘Have I completely lost my mind after being threatened by an unknown person?’

Or had my sympathy for Seniel deepened? After seriously thinking about my mental state, I decided to stop.

I looked for a purpose to distract myself, and realized that Seniel hadn’t let go of me yet. I immediately poked his forearm weakly.

“I feel a little suffocated.”

“A-Ah!”

Seniel jumped up like a spring. The hot body temperature above me disappeared. I also got up after him.

I felt light as if I had a good night’s sleep. I stretched and glanced at Seniel, who looked dazed. Normally at this point, he would’ve cried and apologized, but today he was quiet.

Through the silence, Seniel asked me in a low voice, “You’re not hurt or sick…?”

“Yes, as you can see, I’m not.”

I exaggeratedly stretched out my arms in front of him to confirm. Seniel examined my body carefully.

He looked like he wanted to cry from making promises that he couldn’t handle because of his weak personality. I felt awkward at the silence that came again. To change the mood, I tapped his arm.

“Rather than that, you didn’t forget that you decided to get another ticket for the recital today, did you?” Seniel’s eyes, which had been sinking, briefly came to life. I continued to make eye contact with him and smiled lightly. “You have to go with me even if you take a vacation.”

I felt like I had taken someone else’s vacation at will, but I wanted to make this kind of fuss in this harsh life.

Seniel nodded with a serious look at the prospect of forced vacation leave. The lethargy from before was nowhere to be seen. Even a general who was given an order to protect the country would not have had such a sense of duty.

“I will definitely keep my promise.”

You don’t have to be so serious about it. It was burdensome, but it didn’t hurt me, so I didn’t stop it.

“If you need anything else, just let me know.”

Usually it only sounded polite when other people say this. But from Seniel, I could feel the sincerity, not a façade.

‘It’s necessary. What I need right now is something to hold off the blackmailer.’

And to hold off Kid as an extra.

“I’ll tell you if I need anything else. But there’s nothing except the recital for now.”

Seniel was slightly sullen. I got out of the bed holding the weak, beautiful man’s hand, and he was instantly raised up by my hands. Then when I pointed my finger at the clock, Seniel spat out a silly exclamation.

So I took his hand and personally sent him off.

‘I can’t blame Kid.’

I didn’t have to drag him, but it seemed fun to snatch his hand out of the blue and drag him at will.

It was only after I opened the door that I let go of his hand. When I waved at him, Seniel unconsciously followed me and raised his hand vaguely.

It was funny how he was awkward, so I grabbed his hand without realizing it, then I shook it from side to side and waved goodbye.

“Bye. See you in the evening.”

Seniel’s cheeks lightly blushed, probably embarrassed. He couldn’t say no, and greeted me the same way instead.

“… See you in the evening.”

Had I teased him too much? After receiving that timid greeting, a belated regret came over me.

***

Not long after I lay back in bed, someone knocked. The knock was unwelcome because there was never a single good news from the visitor.

‘Joel… Did I get a letter from the blackmailer?’

“Come in.”

The door opened and the butler entered.

“Madam, your letter has arrived.”

Before I heard the news of the letter, I had confirmed that it had been in the hands of the butler, so I picked it up with fierce force.

“Thank you for bringing it.”

After greeting the butler, I hinted at him to leave. I thought the butler had said something before closing the door, but I couldn’t hear it because it was drowned out by the sound of the door closing.

I tore the letter roughly, thinking lightly that if it was important, he would call me again.

‘Ugh, the smell of perfume.’

As soon as I took out the sealed letter from the envelope, the strong smell of rose perfume stung my nose.

How could anyone not catch the sender when they showed off their presence like this? One should be able to catch the culprit by just following the scent.

I opened the window because of the perfume that had turned into a stench rather than a scent, then leaned against it and read the letter again.

Vivi Jezleine.

I’m speechless. I had expected this, but I didn’t expect you to ignore me in less than a day However, I will kindly overlook it this time.

Be quiet. Be very quiet.

The vast blank space left on the paper showed that there was no more content. I was taken aback and sighed.

Did they send me a letter just to say something like this?

My grip strengthened as my body shook with my clenched fists.

“I will definitely hit this guy.”

***

Inside the glass greenhouse, the hotter heat than outdoors made the roses bloom early.

Someone hummed and smoothed the roses. The rose they touched reached its peak in full bloom.

“I am the only one who truly cares for God. Lord Seniel, Lord Kid.”

The letter should have arrived safely by now. A proud smile appeared on the blackmailer’s lips. The temperature in the greenhouse should’ve made him sweat, but his skin was just smooth.

“If it wasn’t for the damn oracle, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Compared to their beautiful smile, the contents were not pretty.

“This is why I hate oracles. They don’t notice even though God has been away for over a hundred years and interpret prophecies that don’t even exist arbitrarily. How disgusting.”

They recalled the oracles who had vehemently claimed that they had heard a prophecy. They cursed those fake ones and clicked their tongue.

They had their own reasons for cursing them. Until a hundred years ago, oracles received prophecies only through the ‘holy object’, the mirror. There were no exceptions.

Occasionally, there were times when God truly descended to earth and spoke directly. However, since there was no reaction from the mirror, God had never descended.

The oracles shouted that it was a new trial and that it was God’s great will for the independence of humans. In order to receive the prophecies somehow, the oracles made every effort.

Thus, various prophecies were created. Someone said that they heard the word of God in a dream, someone said that letters came up from clouds while looking at the sky, and someone said that they received a vision through the reflection on the lake.

‘Bullshit!’

They dismissed the whole thing as bullshit and let out a sad sigh.

“When will You return to where you were?”

Water flowed out of the watering can, and they continued to talk to the rose as if it were God.

“Initially… I thought You just wanted to have the body You needed to play. I didn’t know You were born again as a human being.”

They remembered the last prophecy.

[<Will you forsake and leave, or will you understand?>]

It was the most problematic prophecy to interpret. It was also unclear by whom and to whom it was said, so the oracles could not easily interpret it until the end of an era.

Later, after hearing an anecdote about an illegitimate son of a kingdom who did not abandon the dying kingdom and made it rich, it was concluded as the meaning of the prophecy, but Joel didn’t think so.

That prophecy was not about human affairs. It was God’s message for them humans. Because no prophecy had been issued since then.

If so, had He really abandoned humans because they did not understand Him?

He didn’t think so. There was no way that God had turned His back on humans. So he focused on the latter part of the prophecy.

Understand? Understand who? Us.

He understands without abandoning us, who are uncivilized.

“But all of this must be an ordeal. I will offer You all the sacrifices you desire, so please return to your original noble position at my expense.”

God shouldn’t have abandoned us.

He smiled lightly and touched the petals again. He had to get rid of the annoying woman first. Not right away, but when she had become of no use.

Because God exists for everyone, He was not to be possessed.

A woman who could not even use holy power should not dare approach God.

Joel’s crooked faith filled him, and he came out of the greenhouse and walked under the clear sky.

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