Chapter 40

I took another sip of my tea, carefully placing the cup back on the table. The brief, delicate scraping of glass against the surface was the only sound for a moment. Otherwise, only the sounds of everyday life drifting in through the open window filled the silence.

With a heavy sigh, Tamitarte closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again. He too carefully set down his teacup, fixing me with an intense, earnest gaze.

"I must ask you, truthfully and directly: the cleric who healed you, Lady, or if not a cleric, anything you know about him. I need you to tell me everything.”

“……”

“I only wish to meet him once. Would you please help me in doing so?”

He looked as though he'd drop to his knees and beg if I asked him to. The desperation etched on his face demanded I remain composed.

"He might be the person I've been searching for. That's why I’m asking you, Lady."

"That's a difficult request to grant. What if the person who healed me isn't a cleric?"

“……”

"Wouldn't that make the Duke's family appear to have broken Imperial law?"

The Duke's family wielded considerable influence, so it wouldn't become a major issue, but I wasn't keen on giving Rogian even the slightest reason to criticize me.

"You can just assume that it was the cleric who left the Grand Temple who healed me..."

"He didn't leave," Tamitarte cut me off, squeezing his eyes shut. "He didn't leave the temple"

"He ran."

Ran? Not some act of service or missionary calling, but fleeing? I didn't think I would find something that the temple was clearly trying to hide

"The reason I'm begging like this, the reason I'm even telling you all this, is to ensure the Temple can't find him."

Who was this person that he was willing to go to such lengths?

And what Tamitarte sought had to be unrelated to me.

Because the mother he knew was not a healer.

"Do you know his name?"

Tamitarte rose from the sofa, dropping to one knee and clasping my hand tightly.

“The name of the one who healed you, Lady…”

His rose-tinted lips trembled, struggling to form the name.

To an outsider, it wouldn't look like he was asking for a name but like he was trying to cast a curse.

The soft blue eyes that had been filled with hesitation became resolute.

"…Daniel?"

Following my mother's name, my father's name spilled once more from Tamitarte’s lips, and I lost all composure.

I thought my aristocratic upbringing would have granted me greater control of my facial expressions. However, in this moment, it was impossible.

Who exactly was this cleric, that he knew both my parents’ names?

Before his death, before I entered the Ducal Estate, the phrase “a fugitive’s existence,” my father had once spoken, echoed loudly within my mind. It was too late to regain my composure

The beautifully man before my eyes, with his innocent aura, seemed convinced that the one who had healed me was my father.

"Lady, please, just let me meet him once."

Hiding it was pointless now. All I could do was speak.

"And why should I trust you, cleric? You're Rogian's confidant."

He was the one who mostly took care of Rogian.

"The fact that I've already revealed a small secret of the Temple… doesn’t that tell you something? The moment I leave this room, I will forget everything we've discussed."

"Please," he squeezed my hand, his voice begging. "I implore you."

The thought that I could learn something about my father, about my mother…

I stopped breathing, trying to think calmly, but remaining calm, thinking rationally, was beyond my capabilities.

I had no way of knowing what kind of butterfly effect my words, this situation, might have in the future.

Even if today's events act as a variable… having a cleric with some authority in my debt would not be a bad idea.

It would be impossible for him to find his deceased parents, and it would be impossible for him to find me as my mother without my voluntary intervention.

"I don't know the name of the person who healed me."

I continued, watching his eyes fill with an immediate sense of despair.

"I've never heard his name either."

"…Then…"

"However, I can arrange a meeting. Whether it is the man you seek is something you’ll need to ascertain yourself, Tamitarte."

Taking his hand that was desperately holding onto mine, I gently covered it with my other hand.

Even if I went out as Bernice Devin, it would be good for Tamitarte. I was curious about what this man knew about my parents.

I didn't have much memory of my mother. I only know that she worked outside to make a living and that she suddenly died one day, nothing more and nothing less.

"Thank you, Lady."

Tamitarte's face lit up. I smiled back at him.

What was his relationship to my parents that would cause him to have such an expression?

"You're welcome. It's a trade. I trust that you won't go back on your word later, cleric."

"That will never happen."

I don't believe in words like "never." I glanced over his shoulder at the commotion outside the window and opened the reception room door.

The story was roughly over, so there was no need to stay in the reception room.

"When would be a good day for the meeting?"

"I will contact the person who healed me separately, let's meet at midnight in the Daryl Village plaza two days from now."

"Yes, Lady."

He seemed relieved as he stroked his chest once. As I left the reception room and went out alone, I saw Rian and Cliff entering the mansion, looking urgent.

It was quite amusing to see Rian's appearance, with bloodstains on his handsome face.

Did something happen outside? I tilted my head slightly, recalling that I hadn't seen him since dawn today when I met Rian's eyes.

"…Ep…April."

Rian's voice calling me was heavy, muddy like a swamp.

Rian looked like he was about to burst into tears as his eyes met mine. If I said just one word, or even if I poked him, tears would immediately fall from his eyes.

He wasn't showing such a face because he was suddenly feeling guilty toward me.

Glancing behind him, I saw Cliff also looking at me, suppressing his emotions, with a slight frown on his face.

Feeling that something had happened outside that was related to me, he forced a smile.

"I'm going to see Father."

"Go ahead."

As I moved slightly to the side to indicate that he should go quickly, Rian ran up as if he were running.

Cliff, who bowed, also hurriedly followed Rian, and I blankly looked at Tamitarte, who was standing next to me, to escort him out.

Looking at Tamitarte, who was standing in front of the door, I quietly opened my lips.

"Let's meet at midnight two days from now at Daryl Village Square."

Tamitarte nodded his head small with the eyes that a slight tears remainded, he seemed very grateful to me.

I don't know what his relationship was with that person, but I am sure he knows both my mother and father.

Unlike my mother, who was always busy to earn money, my father in my memory had never come down to the capital except once.

"Thank you for accepting my request, Lady."

Looking at his watery eyes made his already innocent-looking face look even more delicate.

He grabbed my hand, lightly kissed the back of my hand, and expressed his respect and gratitude. I carefully pulled my hand out and answered.

"I hope what you said, cleric, that today's events have nothing to do with Rogian, is not a lie."

"You can believe it."

Licking my dry lips with my tongue at his face, which contained no lies, I made a decision.

I said I would create a place because I wanted to know about my parents, but I wasn't sure if this was a good choice.