Chapter 04
Cassius locked eyes with me. His gaze burned like fire, his pupils glowing red.
‘Did he… come here because of me?’
There was no other reason for the Holy King to come to the bell tower alone, without his guards.
This was bad.
Lancelot’s Omega scent in The Predators’ Territory had started weak and gradually intensified.
But mine… was strong enough for him to find me immediately?
The only relief was that I had left the window wide open.
If we had been in a closed room filled with Omega pheromones, Cassius might have already lost control.
I cautiously lifted my head.
The only exit was now blocked by Cassius.
Not that I was planning to run, but still.
‘Stay calm.’
Ever since I learned Cassius was an Alpha, I had been recalling the events from the original story.
The more Lancelot resisted and ran, the more obsessive the Alphas became.
Provoking an Alpha was never a good idea.
It would be best to keep the conversation normal and calm him down.
“You’re injured, aren’t you?”
Before I could say anything, Cassius spoke first.
He was still in a rational state, which meant my blood wasn’t exciting him—yet.
Maybe because he was a disciplined priest, he had more self-control.
I stayed cautious, making sure not to provoke him, and answered quietly.
“…How did you know?”
His throat bobbed as he swallowed.
“Your scent is incredibly sweet. Even stronger than last time.”
Oh, great. Does he think I’m some kind of dessert?
“I take three baths a day now,” I muttered.
I was hoping to lessen the pheromone scent, even just a little.
Cassius smirked.
“Don’t be so wary. I came to help you.”
He stepped closer.
Alphas were the top predators. Cassius, being tall and broad-shouldered, naturally gave off a threatening aura.
“I need to check your wound.”
I instinctively gripped my injured arm tighter.
If he saw my blood, he might lose control.
I couldn’t risk showing it so easily.
Seeing my hesitation, Cassius slowly knelt on one knee.
The ruler of the Holy Nation was kneeling before a mere trainee priest?
I was taken aback by the unexpected show of humility.
He raised his hand politely, as if asking for permission.
“You were attacked by a divine beast in the form of a cat, weren’t you?”
So that ungrateful cat was actually a divine beast.
“How do you know that, Your Holiness?”
“That cat is my divine beast. It returned with your blood on it. It must have been startled by an unfamiliar touch and lashed out.”
“I didn’t touch it carelessly. It was hurt, so I was trying to heal it.”
“I know. That’s why I want to help you as thanks.”
If it was the Holy King’s divine beast, even a high priest’s healing power wouldn’t be enough.
Seeing his respectful posture and gentle request, I hesitantly extended my arm.
“Thank you for allowing me.”
Cassius lightly held my hand and pressed his forehead against it.
This was a sacred gesture of respect among clergy members, usually reserved for high-ranking individuals.
He didn’t need to do this for someone like me.
Seeing him lower himself like that eased my fear.
He then used his water-attribute divine power.
Tiny droplets of water rose around him, catching the sunlight from the open window and sparkling beautifully.
‘That’s… beautiful.’
The light reflected in his golden hair, highlighting his strong eyebrows and long lashes. His sharp nose and elegant features made it impossible not to stare.
The blood on my arm was washed away.
Even my bloodstained clothes turned pristine white under Cassius’ purification.
Then, he slowly opened his eyes.
Our gazes met.
For some reason, I felt like I had been caught staring. My ears burned.
Cassius’ eyes crinkled slightly in amusement.
“You possess healing divine power, don’t you?”
I had been keeping it a secret, but he already knew.
“Yes.”
I wasn’t planning to hide it forever, but before I could explain, he spoke first.
“I won’t tell anyone until you decide to reveal it yourself.”
He was still holding my hand.
“The poison from Mikael’s claws has been completely cleansed. You should be able to heal yourself now.”
So, the cat’s name was Mikael.
I quickly used my divine power.
The wound closed instantly, and the pain that had been growing stronger disappeared completely.
As I smiled at my fully healed arm, I suddenly realized—
Cassius was still holding my hand.
“Thank you for helping me.”
I gently tried to pull my hand away.
But he didn’t let go. Instead, he lightly played with my fingers, smiling.
“I have to clean the bell tower now.”
So… can you let go?
Cassius didn’t seem to care.
“Isn’t cleaning the bell tower difficult? I can reassign you.”
“To where?”
“Directly under the Holy Palace.”
The Holy Palace was where only the most gifted priests worked—those who completed a ten-year apprenticeship in just five years.
I was already ahead of others, graduating in seven years, but I wasn’t skilled enough for that place.
Besides, I didn’t want to go there.
I didn’t want to be near Cassius, an Alpha.
I yanked my hand away.
“It’s not difficult at all. I love cleaning!”
Cassius clicked his tongue in disappointment and glanced toward the window.
There, he saw a cushion and an open book.
Then, he picked up the book.
Oh no. That book! I should have hidden it!
Of all things, it was that book—the one with an extremely spicy opening scene.
Cassius flipped through a few pages, then chuckled.
“If you’re curious about Alphas, I can teach you myself.”
What… did this priest just say?
In Magnus, the Holy King had a duty to produce heirs due to his unique bloodline.
Unlike other priests, he was allowed to marry and have children.
His spouse was usually a noble from the Holy Nation or the Empire, though occasionally, a Holy King had married a commoner.
But still! A Holy King seducing a priest?
This man is crazy.
“No, thank you. I have no interest.”
I firmly rejected him and hurried out of the bell tower.
Thankfully, he didn’t chase after me, and I made it back to my room safely.
My heart pounded. My face felt hot.
It had probably started when Cassius had taken my hand and rested his forehead against it.
That evening, after finishing all our duties, I lay in bed, relaxing.
Ellie suddenly spoke up.
“Sonia, you went to the bell tower today, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Did you see the book I left there? It’s so steamy!”
Oh, I definitely saw it.
And it definitely caused me trouble.
Cassius’ voice echoed in my head—
“If you’re curious about Alphas, I can teach you myself.”
I groaned and buried my face in my pillow.
“From now on, don’t leave any inappropriate books in the bell tower.”
“What? Why not?”
“One of the priests saw it. If it happens again, I might get scolded.”
And that priest was none other than His Holiness.
If I told Ellie the truth, she would probably start shaking like someone who just received a death sentence.
“I hate lectures… Ugh, fine.”
After finishing my conversation with Ellie, I opened a letter from Lancelot.
“To my beloved sister, Sonia,
The prototype of the new perfume you suggested has been completed.
I tested it at a ball, and the response was very positive.
I’m curious to hear your thoughts.
I hope to see you soon.”
In this world, people rarely use perfume.
Alphas and Omegas took great pride in their natural pheromones, so they avoided using artificial scents.
For Betas, perfume was seen as something used to mimic Alphas or Omegas.
Many Betas envied the power of pheromones, but wearing perfume was considered desperate and lacking dignity.
To them, perfume was nothing more than a way to cover up unpleasant smells, like a deodorizer.
But things had changed.
All Omegas had died out, and Alphas and Betas no longer released alluring scents to attract each other.
This meant Betas could finally wear fragrances without shame.
In the future, perfumes would become a trend among Betas.
“If we get ahead of the market, we can make a fortune!”
As soon as I realized I was inside Predators’ Domain, I started training Lancelot.
I needed him to hide his Omega scent under layers of other fragrances.
I also wanted to develop Omega pheromone perfumes before they were officially created.
Since I had to become a priest to protect my home and family from obsessive Alphas, I left the perfume business to Lancelot.
When he was young, I gave him perfume bottles as gifts, and he played with them often.
Thanks to this early education, he became deeply interested in scents and even started learning perfumery.
Even now, I keep making suggestions to keep his passion for fragrance alive.
“I thought my plan was perfect.”
I believed that as long as I masked Lancelot’s Omega scent, everything would be fine.
But now, I was the real problem.
A few days later…
Today was the annual Great Assembly of the Holy Kingdom.
The Great Assembly was a gathering where they reviewed the past year’s achievements and discussed future plans.
They also began preparations for the upcoming priesthood ceremony, which was just over a month away.
The closer the date got, the more real it felt.
“It’s finally time for my promotion…”
Apprentice priests earned points by participating in various activities.
These points determined whether they would be promoted to full priesthood and where they would be assigned.
Though rankings changed occasionally, I had consistently stayed in the top tier.
As long as I didn’t break any major rules, my promotion was guaranteed.
