It was a small vial filled with a transparent liquid. The smile slowly vanished from Daniel’s face as he saw it.

“What do you think this is?”

“...I’m not sure.”

The answer came a beat late.

“It’s the same liquid Viscount of Orléans used this time.”

The liquid that turned a human body into a stone statue.

There was only one reason Jainer had brought it out in front of Daniel.

“If someone who follows God—not some ordinary civilian—gave that liquid to another person and made them commit a crime, then it wouldn’t be unfair if they got branded a heretic, would it?”

After saying that, Jainer studied the expression on Daniel’s face for a moment, then continued slowly.

“I heard you were the one who gave this liquid to Viscount of Orléans, Priest Daniel.”

“It seems you have ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) a serious misunderstanding.”

“A misunderstanding.”

The smile returned to Jainer’s lips, but there was no trace left of kindness or courtesy on his face.

“And I’ve heard you were the first one to bring up selling indulgences, Priest Daniel. Is that a misunderstanding too?”

“...Indulgences? What are those?”

He hesitated for a split second, but Daniel tilted his head with an innocent look, as if he truly had no idea what Jainer was talking about.

“You’re saying the temple is selling something like that to people?”

“You really are an interesting person.”

Jainer let out a short laugh. And as if he’d expected that reaction all along, he simply went on in an even tone.

“I like interesting people. Normally, I would’ve let it slide.”

This all started with the liquid Viscount of Orléans used.

It was just personal curiosity. How did he learn about a liquid that wasn’t widely known to ordinary people—and how did he get his hands on it?

In his repeated lives, he had never once gotten entangled with Viscount of Orléans. He hadn’t taken the request from the parents who lost their child.

It looked boring at a glance. People who kidnapped, killed, and dumped victims were everywhere. Why bother?

Well, he didn’t remember clearly, but he thought there were a few times he’d shoved it off on a subordinate.

So why did you take it in this life?

Because Camilla was unexpectedly soft when it came to kids.

He wondered if, by taking care of the bastard who killed children and rescuing the ones still alive, he might get praised for once.

Anyway, as he followed Viscount of Orléans’s trail—

Jainer... no, the Master of Khan—ended up coming face-to-face with someone unexpected.

Priest Daniel.

For once, the investigation had been genuinely fun. The more he dug, the more new things burst out like water from a spring, and his interest kept growing.

“You also knew Consort Jabiela.”

The fact that the reach extended all the way into the Imperial Family truly shocked him.

When he learned Daniel had been deeply involved in what Consort Jabiela had been orchestrating all along, he questioned Daniel’s identity all over again.

What the hell is he, exactly?

“Consort Jabiela occasionally asks for prayers when her mind and body feel exhausted, so I visit her. As for this liquid and these indulgences... I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Is that so?”

This time too, Daniel spoke calmly, as if he truly knew nothing.

If anything, he looked at Jainer with pity, like it was terribly unfortunate that Jainer would misunderstand such a thing.

Watching him, Jainer’s lips curved into a smile that made him look warm and friendly again.

“But it wasn’t the end of it.”

Holy relics. Those crimson holy relics.

Camilla had asked him to look into them, and when he did, strangely enough, the trail ended with Priest Daniel again.

He didn’t know exactly what those relics were, but judging by Camilla’s reaction, he knew they weren’t anything beneficial.

And when he found out the person who’d sent something like that to the temple and set it up to be sold was also Daniel, he couldn’t stop laughing for a while.

Of course, with the petrifying liquid and the holy relics, he’d cleverly tangled everything up with countless other people, keeping himself thoroughly out of sight.

But once Khan decided to investigate, it was impossible to avoid their eyes completely.

He’s absolutely not just a priest.

Unfortunately, that was as far as Jainer could get.

That was why he had taken off his mask and come to see Daniel like this, provoking him directly.

If he revealed himself first and acted like he knew, then Daniel would have to react somehow.

It might put him in danger, but he didn’t care. Since when had he ever cared about that?

And...

There was one more reason he had come here.

“Who you are, what you do—I don’t really care.”

If anything, if this could create a special incident in his disgusting life—his life of repeating the same things countless times—he might even be grateful.

Well. Things are a little different now.

These days, thanks to Camilla, he hardly had time to feel bored.

“I care even less if someone dies because of you.”

He didn’t know what Priest Daniel’s objective was, but if the people Daniel was targeting included those who had been irritating his eyes lately, he was even willing to help.

Of course she can never know.

Even though Camilla had requested the investigation, he still hadn’t told her that the one distributing the holy relics was Daniel.

To be honest, he didn’t want to tell her.

Because it reeks of something dangerous.

This was the instinct of someone who had lived the same life for far too long.

A truly vile stench. A chilling stench he’d never smelled even once before.

That was why he didn’t want her getting involved if at all possible.

“Just... Camilla.”

“......”

“But I’m not going to tolerate you hovering around her.”

Let’s keep the stench between us.

Part of why he came here like this—beyond digging up information—was to drag Daniel’s attention away from her and onto himself.

“I repeat, Young Master Escra. You are under a severe misunderstanding.”

“Seriously. I told you, misunderstanding or not, I don’t care.”

Jainer gave a short snort of laughter and stood up from his seat.

“Are you not understanding what I’m saying?”

His voice dropped lower.

“I don’t care what you do. As long as you don’t touch her.”

“...I truly don’t understand what you mean.”

“Yeah. What do I mean, I wonder?”

This time too, Daniel’s reaction came a beat and a half late, but he never let go of his composure or his smile until the very end.

Watching him, Jainer had already returned to his original, polite demeanor.

“Next time, I’ll come with a repentance donation.”

He even bowed respectfully as he spoke.

“I have quite a lot to repent for.” 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

His eyes curved beautifully.

“If divine pardon actually exists, I’m more than willing to buy it. Are you really not selling?”

“......”

“The amount doesn’t matter. I can give you however much you ask for... It’s a real shame.”

“...Until next time.”

Accepting Daniel’s parting words, Jainer strolled out of the room—sending one last bright smile over his shoulder as he went.

“......”

The door closed slowly. And once Jainer was completely gone, Daniel’s face turned cold in an instant.

“Jin.”

A moment later, at his low call, someone appeared.

A man who looked to be in his early twenties.

“Find out who that man is.”

The man called Jin gave a light nod, then vanished in an instant.

Left alone again, Daniel stared fixedly at the place where Jainer had disappeared, staying motionless for a long time.

*****

“Here?”

Camilla, who had been working in the café, waved cheerfully toward Reaper Habel, who was now standing in front of her.

“Sit here. Want something to drink?”

Is the café clean today? You’re not stomping around with a rag in your hand.

Camilla smiled faintly as she offered him a seat.

“......”

But Habel kept his lips pressed tight and gave no reaction. He just looked at Camilla with open displeasure.

What a look.

His gaze was colder than usual, and Camilla clicked her tongue silently. So it really happened? He said he fought with Dorman.

But why does it feel like he’s mad at me?

What did I do? They’re the ones who fought.

“Why’d you fight?”

“I really hate you.”

“Yeah. So why’d you fight?”

“I hate you so, so much!”

“Okay. I got it.”

Why are you emphasizing it like that? I don’t like you much either. You think this is my first time hearing someone say they hate me?

Ridiculous.

I’m the one who lived my whole life hearing nothing but curses.

Back when I was in the entertainment industry, people who hated me were everywhere too. What’s with you?

And it’s not like you’re Arsian.

As if hearing that would do any damage to me—

Why is Arsian coming up here?

The moment Camilla realized what she’d just thought, she let out a hollow laugh.

“Tell me why you called me.”

Habel’s voice cut in again, and she quickly gathered up the stupid look that had slipped onto her face.

“You hate me, but you still came when I called you?”

“...I’m leaving.”

“Fine! Sit, sit!”

So even if you fight, you still come because Dorman tells you to, huh?

Even while talking to Camilla, Habel kept flicking his eyes off to the side, and Camilla shook her head lightly.

You’re not some baby duck imprinted on a mother duck.

In the place Habel kept looking, Dorman was helping with serving. If you’re going to do that, why don’t you just go say hello?

“So why’d you fight?”

Camilla threw the same question at him again.

Even if I ask Dorman, he just laughs.

No matter how she thought about it, there was nothing between them that could turn into a fight.

If Dorman told him to die, he wasn’t the type to pretend—he’d actually do it. Without a single second of hesitation.

Even now—look at him.

Hovering, watching Dorman’s mood, not knowing what to do with himself. How does someone like that get into a fight?

“That never happened.”

“Dorman said you fought.”

“Fine. We fought.”

“You just said it never happened!”

“Dorman said we fought. Then we fought.”

“...Ah. Yeah.”

Let’s not talk anymore.