### Meeting with Mateus
It was the day after the encounter with Mateus at the mass.
Aware that all the royal ladies were gathered, Mateus was not surprised to see Julia.
When the mass concluded, Mateus quietly approached her.
“Lady Julia, have you been well?”
Meeting Mateus for the first time since visiting the temple, his face remained consistently kind.
His question carried several implications.
Was her desire to escape still strong? Were there any issues with her future plans?
Julia hesitated before nodding, extending her answer.
“Well…”
Explaining everything in detail was impossible with so many eyes watching. Julia finally offered a simple reply.
“Yes, thanks to you. Have you been well, Sir Mateus?”
“Of course.”
However, Mateus seemed to have sensed the dark shadows on Julia’s face, understanding the situation to some extent.
Her presence in the palace itself was evidence that her plans were not going smoothly.
Mateus spoke quietly.
“Lady Julia, I will be staying in the palace for a month.”
“Yes, I heard from Priest Cedric.”
Mateus looked slightly surprised and nodded.
“You’ve already met Cedric. That’s fortunate.”
With a gentle smile, Mateus lowered his voice.
“In my absence, he will assist you.”
“Um, that boy?”
As Julia tilted her head in curiosity, a tall man approached them.
A young priest with chestnut-brown hair and light green eyes.
He bowed to Julia and then smiled, a face that felt oddly familiar.
“Sir Mateus, may I explain the rest?”
The man sought permission from Mateus, who nodded without hesitation.
While Julia looked confused, glancing between the man and Mateus, the man smiled broadly.
“Your Highness, it’s time for our scheduled meeting in the garden.”
“Our scheduled meeting…”
Indeed, she had agreed to meet Cedric in the garden after the mass. It seemed this was the appointment the man referred to.
Thinking that the boy must have told the man about their meeting, Julia nodded obediently.
“Yes, let’s go. Priest Cedric will be waiting.”
“……”
Listening to their conversation, Mateus wore a somewhat strange expression but said nothing more.
Since it was time for the blessing ceremony for Veronica after the mass, Mateus bid farewell to Julia first.
“Then, Lady Julia, I will see you at the next mass.”
Julia nodded and left the chapel with the man.
Walking towards the garden, Julia kept glancing at the man, feeling a strange sense of familiarity.
His appearance closely resembled that of the boy from yesterday.
“Are you perhaps related to Priest Cedric?”
The man smiled pleasantly at her question, looking at her with soft eyes.
“We are not brothers, but we share a similar relationship.”
“Oh, could you be father and son?”
The man looked too young to be a father, but she wondered if he, like Mateus, was somehow ageless.
The man began to laugh, covering his mouth. His eyes curved into a gentle smile.
As Julia watched him in confusion, they arrived at yesterday’s maze garden.
“Your Highness, you are very perceptive.”
At a corner midway through the maze, the man suddenly stopped.
Julia, who had also halted, looked at him as he began to fidget with a ring on his finger.
“You asked my age. I am twenty-two years old.”
“…What?”
Julia blinked at the sudden remark. Just then, a green light flickered from his ring.
As she watched with wide eyes, the bright light momentarily blinded her.
When she instinctively closed her eyes and then slowly opened them, the man had vanished, replaced by the boy she had met the previous day, Cedric.
“…Oh?”
Finally starting to grasp the situation, Julia’s mouth opened slightly.
The boy’s delicate features matched the man from a moment ago perfectly. Even the color of his eyes and hair were the same.
Even the smile was identical.
“So, you were the one just now…”
As Julia stammered, Cedric, still smiling, nodded.
“Yes, I can change my appearance. The form you saw earlier is my true form.”
Julia widened her eyes, covering her mouth with her hand.
So, the boy and the man were the same person.
That explained why the boy had seemed older than he looked, speaking and acting with such maturity.
While Julia struggled to hide her surprise, Cedric took a step closer to her.
“Are you very surprised? I wasn’t trying to deceive you, so please be understanding.”
The boy, resembling a young plant, smiled brightly as he had the day before.
Julia nodded in a trance. This was another moment when she realized the mysterious power of divine energy.
How was this possible? It was hard to calm her racing heart.
“I may not be as great a priest as Sir Mateus, but I can assist you.”
“…Oh, yes. I heard you would help me…”
Julia finally gathered her thoughts and spoke. Mateus had mentioned that this boy would help her.
“Sir Mateus, being the head priest of the temple, cannot leave his post except for official duties. So…”
Cedric abruptly extended his hand. With a flick of his fingers, a bright light spread over his small hand.
The green divine energy mixed with the air, creating a glowing effect.
As the light dissipated, a small glass orb appeared in his palm.
The boy handed it to the bewildered Julia.
“This is my sacred artifact. Place it with the pendant you possess in a private place.”
Julia carefully took the transparent orb, listening to Cedric’s instructions.
“I have left detailed instructions within the orb. There are too many ears here.”
Cedric whispered, lowering his voice. Then, he flicked his fingers again, producing a white daffodil from the light.
It was like magic. As Julia watched in amazement, Cedric handed her the flower.
“Did you know? Divine power is not given to everyone.”
“……”
“Those who possess divine power are loved by the gods.”
His youthful, gentle voice flowed into Julia’s ears.
“So, Lady Julia, you are loved by the gods too.”
Cedric must have noticed her exhaustion. Julia realized he was comforting her.
As she quietly accepted the daffodil, Cedric continued speaking slowly.
“Everything will work out well.”
Julia nodded with her lips tightly shut. His words melted her weary heart a little.
Cedric’s warm gaze made her feel as if everything truly would turn out well.
—
It was the last day in the palace.
In the carriage heading back to her estate, Julia took out the orb Cedric had given her.
She planned to check the message within the orb as soon as she returned.
Although Mateus had previously explained how to use divine power, Julia was uncertain if she could wield it properly.
But with the help of the experienced priest Cedric, things would improve.
‘Everything will work out well.’
Julia closed her eyes, recalling Cedric’s calming words.
Leaning against the rattling carriage, she emptied her mind and soon felt sleepy.
After a long journey, they arrived at the castle late at night.
The coachman hurriedly opened the door and waited for Julia to emerge. But even after a while, there was no movement from inside.
The coachman straightened up and peeked inside. There he saw the mistress, sound asleep by the window.
“Your Highness, Lady…”
As he cautiously tried to wake her, someone blocked his path.
It was Fernan, with a stoic expression. With a slight gesture, he dismissed the coachman.
Once the coachman left, Fernan stepped into the carriage. He looked at the deeply sleeping Julia for a moment.
She seemed exhausted, breathing softly in her sleep.
He gently lifted her from the carriage. Even as he carried her out, she did not wake.
Her warmth fully embraced him. With a subtle, softened expression, Fernan walked into the castle.
Seeing Julia return safely eased the anxiety that had been gnawing at him.
