Chapter 39
.When she finally finished her internal rounds, both her divine power and physical strength were completely drained.
“…I’m exhausted. I should just go back now.”
Without realizing it, she had arrived at the corridor leading to the annex.
She came to a sudden stop.
—
“Come on, that’s easy for you to say! You’re a fairy, Lin! Of course you can talk so casually!”
“What do you even know about me to act so superior? You have no idea what it’s like to be someone who can be replaced and discarded the moment they become useless! To you, everything is just a game, just entertainment!”
“You’re so infuriating! So annoying! Just go back to that prince already! Don’t interfere in my life anymore!”
—
“….”
Maybe it was because of yesterday’s argument. Returning calmly to the annex felt uncomfortable.
Or rather, it wasn’t even an argument—it had been her one-sided outburst.
“…I should go back to the main dormitory.”
She turned around in silence.
Walking through unfamiliar corridors as she recalled the layout, she suddenly realized something.
Since arriving at this ducal estate, the only place she had truly felt at ease had been the annex—where that meddlesome little fairy and the cold, aloof young lord lived.
‘But… I probably can’t go there anymore.’
It was obvious. She had likely already been marked as troublesome or unnecessary.
Creeeeak.
She opened the door to her quarters. Cold silence greeted her.
Sitting awkwardly on the dust-covered bed, she muttered bitterly.
“…Still, Lin went too far.”
“Wasn’t I right? You’re being a pushover. And you’re not even naturally that obedient or self-sacrificing.”
“Just don’t get caught being taken advantage of.”
“…All these words that just turn my insides upside down.”
And yet, as time passed, she began to vaguely realize that those ridiculous words might have all been true—and perhaps even said with some concern for her.
That made her angry. And embarrassed.
“…It’s not like I want to be like this.”
She was born the sixth daughter of a poor tenant farmer.
At the age of four, she was abandoned to reduce the number of mouths to feed.
She was found on a hillside, half-starved, by an elderly priest who had a kind heart.
Because of that, she was taken in by the temple, doing menial work just to survive. There, she learned how cruel the world truly was.
Whether in the streets or the temple, whether farmer or priest—people were the same. Ruthless. Life was always a struggle.
Even after she miraculously awakened divine power and became a junior priest, a nameless orphan with no backing or connections was always replaceable.
—
“Priest Genevia. You’re being sent to the north. The other postings are already assigned.”
“Yes, understood.”
It didn’t matter.
North or south, cold or warm—life would be the same everywhere.
The only thing she could do was smile politely, survive, and hold onto her small place in the world.
The northern estate was no different.
Or so she thought.
“…Now that I think about it, things were a complete mess when I first met Lin.”
An alley in the city.
A tiny fairy and a blunt-looking knight.
Back then, she had acted on impulse, never imagining she would become entangled with them.
That was the first time since being abandoned on that hillside that she had shown her true self without restraint.
And then, unexpectedly living with them in the annex, she had felt both discomfort and a strange sense of release. That was why Lin’s sharp words—coming without warning—had hurt so much.
‘…Ah. So I was actually hurt.’
Only now did she realize the truth behind her emotions.
How pathetic.
At that moment—
Knock, knock.
“…?”
She stood up groggily, wiped her eyes, forced a smile back onto her face, and opened the door.
“Who is it?”
A man wearing a monocle stood outside.
“Priest Genevia Lilo. Her Grace the Duchess requests your presence. Follow me.”
“…!”
Her expression froze.
—
Inside the ducal manor.
“How are you adapting to life in the estate?”
The Duchess placed her teacup down gracefully as she spoke.
Genevia replied with a practiced smile, hiding her tension.
“Yes, Your Grace. Everyone has been kind. I am managing well.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
The Duchess smiled like a painting—beautiful, but cold.
Genevia immediately understood.
‘She wants something.’
And indeed, the Duchess got straight to the point.
“But I imagine you must feel somewhat disappointed. You were assigned as a successor to a senior priest, only to be suddenly placed in the annex, tending to a mere young lord.”
“….”
Genevia lowered her gaze, masking her unease under politeness.
Though she had only recently arrived, she already understood the relationship between the Duchess and the young lord of the annex.
‘This is bad.’
The Duchess continued smoothly.
“Priest Genevia, I have a proposal for you.”
At her signal, her aide Jerome stepped forward and placed a pouch on the table.
Gold coins spilled from its opening.
“….”
“I hear you once healed the young Lord Swoon after an assassination attempt. Since then, you have been serving as his personal healer in the annex.”
It wasn’t entirely accurate, but Genevia nodded.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The Duchess’s smile deepened.
“It is unlikely you came to this frozen northern land with any particular loyalty.”
“….”
“So I will offer you something mutually beneficial.”
Genevia swallowed nervously.
“When the young Lord Swoon is again in danger and requires your healing abilities… do not go to him.”
“…!!!”
Her face turned pale.
She understood instantly what she was being asked.
“Come to me instead.”
The Duchess leaned back calmly.
“If you accept, you will live in luxury beyond most nobles of this north. I will be your patron.”
“….”
“And if you refuse… well, I will leave that to your imagination.”
The aide slid the pouch of gold toward her.
“Do not misunderstand. This is merely gratitude for your past service to the young lord.”
“….”
“You may go. I look forward to your wise decision.”
She was dismissed.
—
The next day.
Genevia stood again in front of the annex corridor.
“…Ha. What am I supposed to do?”
She had spent the entire night agonizing.
‘I just want to live quietly.’
‘I should refuse. Return the money.’
‘But if I offend the Duchess… my life here is over.’
‘And yet I can’t obey her either.’
She had never ignored the weak or the sick.
That was her final line of dignity.
“…If what she says is true, something serious will happen to that cold young lord soon.”
She paced anxiously.
“…Maybe I should tell Lin.”
But her feet wouldn’t move.
What would she even say?
After shouting at them just yesterday, would they even trust her now?
As she stood there frozen—
“Oh? Priest?”
“…!”
She turned.
A familiar face.
“Lady Diéne.”
“Why are you here? The young lord isn’t in the annex.”
“…Then where is he?”
“He went to the training grounds this morning, according to Sir Garen. Now that he’s officially a knight, he seems to be training. I was about to go watch. Would you like to come with me?”
“…Training?”
A bad feeling shot through her.
Without hesitation, Genevia ran toward the training grounds.
When she finally finished her internal rounds, both her divine power and physical strength were completely drained.
“…I’m exhausted. I should just go back now.”
Without realizing it, she had arrived at the corridor leading to the annex.
She came to a sudden stop.
—
“Come on, that’s easy for you to say! You’re a fairy, Lin! Of course you can talk so casually!”
“What do you even know about me to act so superior? You have no idea what it’s like to be someone who can be replaced and discarded the moment they become useless! To you, everything is just a game, just entertainment!”
“You’re so infuriating! So annoying! Just go back to that prince already! Don’t interfere in my life anymore!”
—
“….”
Maybe it was because of yesterday’s argument. Returning calmly to the annex felt uncomfortable.
Or rather, it wasn’t even an argument—it had been her one-sided outburst.
“…I should go back to the main dormitory.”
She turned around in silence.
Walking through unfamiliar corridors as she recalled the layout, she suddenly realized something.
Since arriving at this ducal estate, the only place she had truly felt at ease had been the annex—where that meddlesome little fairy and the cold, aloof young lord lived.
‘But… I probably can’t go there anymore.’
It was obvious. She had likely already been marked as troublesome or unnecessary.
Creeeeak.
She opened the door to her quarters. Cold silence greeted her.
Sitting awkwardly on the dust-covered bed, she muttered bitterly.
“…Still, Lin went too far.”
“Wasn’t I right? You’re being a pushover. And you’re not even naturally that obedient or self-sacrificing.”
“Just don’t get caught being taken advantage of.”
“…All these words that just turn my insides upside down.”
And yet, as time passed, she began to vaguely realize that those ridiculous words might have all been true—and perhaps even said with some concern for her.
That made her angry. And embarrassed.
“…It’s not like I want to be like this.”
She was born the sixth daughter of a poor tenant farmer.
At the age of four, she was abandoned to reduce the number of mouths to feed.
She was found on a hillside, half-starved, by an elderly priest who had a kind heart.
Because of that, she was taken in by the temple, doing menial work just to survive. There, she learned how cruel the world truly was.
Whether in the streets or the temple, whether farmer or priest—people were the same. Ruthless. Life was always a struggle.
Even after she miraculously awakened divine power and became a junior priest, a nameless orphan with no backing or connections was always replaceable.
—
“Priest Genevia. You’re being sent to the north. The other postings are already assigned.”
“Yes, understood.”
It didn’t matter.
North or south, cold or warm—life would be the same everywhere.
The only thing she could do was smile politely, survive, and hold onto her small place in the world.
The northern estate was no different.
Or so she thought.
“…Now that I think about it, things were a complete mess when I first met Lin.”
An alley in the city.
A tiny fairy and a blunt-looking knight.
Back then, she had acted on impulse, never imagining she would become entangled with them.
That was the first time since being abandoned on that hillside that she had shown her true self without restraint.
And then, unexpectedly living with them in the annex, she had felt both discomfort and a strange sense of release. That was why Lin’s sharp words—coming without warning—had hurt so much.
‘…Ah. So I was actually hurt.’
Only now did she realize the truth behind her emotions.
How pathetic.
At that moment—
Knock, knock.
“…?”
She stood up groggily, wiped her eyes, forced a smile back onto her face, and opened the door.
“Who is it?”
A man wearing a monocle stood outside.
“Priest Genevia Lilo. Her Grace the Duchess requests your presence. Follow me.”
“…!”
Her expression froze.
—
Inside the ducal manor.
“How are you adapting to life in the estate?”
The Duchess placed her teacup down gracefully as she spoke.
Genevia replied with a practiced smile, hiding her tension.
“Yes, Your Grace. Everyone has been kind. I am managing well.”
“I’m glad to hear that.”
The Duchess smiled like a painting—beautiful, but cold.
Genevia immediately understood.
‘She wants something.’
And indeed, the Duchess got straight to the point.
“But I imagine you must feel somewhat disappointed. You were assigned as a successor to a senior priest, only to be suddenly placed in the annex, tending to a mere young lord.”
“….”
Genevia lowered her gaze, masking her unease under politeness.
Though she had only recently arrived, she already understood the relationship between the Duchess and the young lord of the annex.
‘This is bad.’
The Duchess continued smoothly.
“Priest Genevia, I have a proposal for you.”
At her signal, her aide Jerome stepped forward and placed a pouch on the table.
Gold coins spilled from its opening.
“….”
“I hear you once healed the young Lord Swoon after an assassination attempt. Since then, you have been serving as his personal healer in the annex.”
It wasn’t entirely accurate, but Genevia nodded.
“Yes, Your Grace.”
The Duchess’s smile deepened.
“It is unlikely you came to this frozen northern land with any particular loyalty.”
“….”
“So I will offer you something mutually beneficial.”
Genevia swallowed nervously.
“When the young Lord Swoon is again in danger and requires your healing abilities… do not go to him.”
“…!!!”
Her face turned pale.
She understood instantly what she was being asked.
“Come to me instead.”
The Duchess leaned back calmly.
“If you accept, you will live in luxury beyond most nobles of this north. I will be your patron.”
“….”
“And if you refuse… well, I will leave that to your imagination.”
The aide slid the pouch of gold toward her.
“Do not misunderstand. This is merely gratitude for your past service to the young lord.”
“….”
“You may go. I look forward to your wise decision.”
She was dismissed.
—
The next day.
Genevia stood again in front of the annex corridor.
“…Ha. What am I supposed to do?”
She had spent the entire night agonizing.
‘I just want to live quietly.’
‘I should refuse. Return the money.’
‘But if I offend the Duchess… my life here is over.’
‘And yet I can’t obey her either.’
She had never ignored the weak or the sick.
That was her final line of dignity.
“…If what she says is true, something serious will happen to that cold young lord soon.”
She paced anxiously.
“…Maybe I should tell Lin.”
But her feet wouldn’t move.
What would she even say?
After shouting at them just yesterday, would they even trust her now?
As she stood there frozen—
“Oh? Priest?”
“…!”
She turned.
A familiar face.
“Lady Diéne.”
“Why are you here? The young lord isn’t in the annex.”
“…Then where is he?”
“He went to the training grounds this morning, according to Sir Garen. Now that he’s officially a knight, he seems to be training. I was about to go watch. Would you like to come with me?”
“…Training?”
A bad feeling shot through her.
Without hesitation, Genevia ran toward the training grounds.
