Chapter 30

It was clear that Adam had no intention of leaving the temple anytime soon, as if my concerns were proving to be true. He normally hated this place, so the fact that he was choosing to stay here, against everyone’s preferences, sent a chill down my spine.

Was it because of what happened that day?

But there was no way I could openly confess to Adam that I had been his god, guiding him all along.

If he laughed it off like it was some crazy joke, that would be the best-case scenario.

The worst-case? He could completely change his attitude once he realized the god who had ruthlessly pushed him through ten years of hardship as a hero was standing right in front of him.

For now, I held off telling Adam the truth, but he was relentless.

Relentless enough to stay cooped up in the temple with me, a place he disliked more than anything.

At this rate, chatting with Abraxas or Potato back at the Demon King’s castle seemed far more enjoyable.

No matter where I went in the temple, a pair of priests followed me, keeping just enough distance to avoid being suspicious. At first, I thought it was a coincidence, but as the time spent outside the temple grew longer, the number of priests quietly trailing behind me also increased.

‘Should I try to escape…?’

The thought made me stand up abruptly.

Seeing no temple knights guarding the gate, I felt a sudden impulse and started running toward the exit. But before I could even get close, two priests popped up beside me out of nowhere, flanking me.

“Hello, Miss Eveline. Is there something you need?”

“If you need anything, feel free to let us know,” one of them said with a bright smile.

Their smiles clearly meant: Don’t even think about leaving. Just tell us what you need.

I thought about trying to slip past their watchful eyes and run outside, but even if I made it, how would I get back to the Demon King’s castle alone?

In the end, I surrendered, taking a step back.

“…I was just out for a walk.”

“Of course!” the priest replied with an overly enthusiastic nod, still smiling.

Well, it seemed like escaping wasn’t going to work.

Admitting defeat, I turned to head back inside the temple.

But the sound of multiple footsteps closely trailing me was impossible to ignore.

Did they still think I was going to try and escape?

Absentmindedly, I fiddled with the necklace holding the relic. Maybe they were keeping an extra close eye on me because of it?

Still, their expressions didn’t change whether I touched the relic or not, so I asked casually, “Why are you following me?”

“Oh, the warrior specifically asked us to follow you and make sure to protect you in case you tried to do anything risky,” one of them explained, smiling warmly.

‘Adaaam…!’

It’s not protection; it’s surveillance.

Yet, the two priests wiped their noses as if touched by Adam’s concern.

“It’s wonderful to see how much the hero cares about you. You must have such a close relationship.”

Close? Where?

These priests were clearly blinded by their affection for their hero. It made sense, given that Adam was their shining example of virtue—handsome, kind, powerful, and persistent.

Who wouldn’t admire someone like that?

But as I thought about Adam’s praises, I mentally crossed out the part about him being “kind.” The way he was exacting his quiet revenge now proved otherwise. These priests had no idea what the real Adam was like.

“What exactly did the hero ask you to do?” I inquired.

“He asked us to keep a close eye on you in case something dangerous happened again!” the priest said with a bright smile, recounting Adam’s words. I could easily imagine the calm expression Adam would have worn as he said that. Still, I saw an opportunity.

“Well, priests, if the warrior wants you to protect me, where do you think the safest place in the temple is?” I asked suddenly.

The priests seemed puzzled by the question but thought about it seriously.

“Uh, the chapel…?”

“In truth, the temple doesn’t really have dangerous places. But I understand why the warrior would be worried, especially after that incident the other day.”

Their curious eyes focused on me, clearly wondering why I had asked.

“The safest place is by the warrior’s side.”

That much was undeniable.

No matter what danger arose, everyone here believed that Adam would handle it without fail.

“In that case, I’ll go back to the warrior, so you two can take a break,” I said casually.

The priests exchanged whispers, probably thinking my reasoning made sense, and nodded.

They seemed rather pleased with themselves.

‘Am I overthinking this?’

With that, I set off to find Adam.

It wasn’t hard to locate him. I switched the synchronization back on and concentrated, quickly pinpointing his location.

 

[Your Hero is staring blankly at the statue in the chapel.]

 

He’s in the chapel!

“Warrior!”

I checked to make sure no one else was around before running to Adam. Sure enough, he was standing there, staring blankly at the statue. It would’ve been more comfortable if he were sitting, but he just stood there, unmoving.

When I called out to him, he finally turned his head to look at me.

“Were you looking at the statue?” I asked.

“…Yes,” he replied quietly.

His gaze returned to the faceless statue. I wondered if he was trying to see the god in that statue. Feeling a little restless, I started fiddling with my nails.

Then, without turning his eyes from the statue, Adam asked, “Eve, do you feel anything?”

It was just an ordinary statue. Nothing about it had changed since the last time I’d seen it.

“Not really,” I replied, my tone calm.

Adam nodded slightly, still assuming the prophecy had been transferred to me.

‘It’s still you.’

But I couldn’t tell him the truth, so I kept my mouth shut.

“More importantly, when are we heading back to the Demon King’s castle? You’ve finished what you came for, so let’s go!” I urged.

“I intended to, but I’m worried about you. The temple is full of divine energy, so staying here will help you recover,” Adam said, still smiling.

“I’m not hurt enough to need recovery,” I argued.

Adam smiled again, but it didn’t seem like the smile of someone who was genuinely concerned.

“You collapsed once. How can you be so sure you’re fine?”

“I really am fine…”

“That fainting was fake!” I wanted to scream, but Adam, well aware of this fact, continued to speak as if everything was perfectly normal, his face remaining completely calm.

“But from what I’ve heard, you haven’t been eating well, and you’ve been pacing around outside constantly,” he remarked.

“The temple’s food just doesn’t suit me…” I grumbled.

The meals had been filled with nothing but green foods. Even the salad didn’t have any dressing! Just the raw, pure taste of vegetables without a hint of sauce.

I glared at Adam, thinking.

‘Who taught you such nonsense?’

“I’m merely repaying the kindness I received from you, Eve.”

So this ‘is’ revenge, right? It’s definitely revenge!

His last statement solidified my suspicions. He was definitely holding a grudge from all the times I’d taken care of him at the Demon King’s castle—feeding him, clothing him, and giving him a place to sleep.

I thought back to Adam watching me during meals, his gaze fixed on me as if he were silently judging every bite I took. Or those times he just stared at me when he had nothing else to do.

“Your body and soul are being thoroughly cleansed,” he said.

“It’s really great,” I replied sarcastically.

“Isn’t it?” Adam smiled again.

“Yeah… so great, I could cry,” I muttered, forcing out nonexistent tears in a feeble protest, but it had no effect.

With a heavy sigh, I stepped outside and walked through the temple’s dull gardens, which were far less interesting than the Demon King’s castle.

At least I didn’t see any of the priests following me this time.

Whenever I went to other parts of the temple, the priests would look at me with weirdly excited faces, their gazes suffocating. It seemed Adam felt the same way, as he wasn’t leaving his room either.

Clearly, he disliked the temple just as much as I did, but the fact that he stayed just to torment me made me uneasy.

Trying to avoid any more encounters, my steps naturally led me to a secluded part of the garden. The atmosphere grew darker as I walked, and I wasn’t expecting anything interesting until I stumbled upon a fountain in the center.

As I approached the fountain, a figure that had been obscured by the water came into view.

It was as if light was pouring down on her alone.

Her white hair was loosely tied back, and she wore a gentle smile. It was a face I recognized.

“Oh, Priestess Meriel!”

“Oh… hello. You’re the guest who came with the hero, right?” Meriel greeted me with that same kind smile.