He was an exceptionally handsome man. His smooth silver hair looked as though it had been spun from eternal snow.
His features, composed of clean and orderly lines, gave off a cold impression, but precisely because of that, an aura of untouchable nobility surrounded him. His blue eyes were so clear, they seemed almost transparent, contributing greatly to his sacred appearance.
If Kierne had been born of eerie, sinister darkness, then this man was its exact opposite—an existence formed from the brightest and purest light.
The man, who had been sitting upright on a sofa in the audience chamber, slowly rose to his feet.
Once he stood up fully, it was clear he was tall and slender.
But Cheshire knew well that the body hidden beneath the pure-white uniform was built entirely of muscle.
The large, solid hand hidden under his glove was also rough and calloused.
Whenever that hand touched her, it felt like it scraped against her skin…
Cheshire bit her lip after confirming the white bracelet faintly visible under his sleeve.
She had hoped it was just someone else with the same face, but seeing that bracelet made it clear.
“Hailon.”
Cheshire quietly whispered his name to herself.
The blue eyes turned indifferently toward Kierne.
And the moment Cheshire entered those serene eyes—
“…!”
—A ripple of emotion flickered across his face, which had shown almost no change until now.
Cheshire quickly averted her gaze, rolling her eyes away.
But it was already too late.
Hailon’s expression twisted as he stepped forward.
He strode toward her and reached out his hand.
Just as his fingertips were about to touch Cheshire—
—a force blocked him.
“How noble of the Holy Knight,”
Kierne’s hand bulged with veins as blue as lightning, his bones pronounced.
He gripped Hailon’s wrist as if he would crush it, smiling faintly.
“What business do you have with my daughter?”
“…”
Even though his wrist was twisted and held tight, Hailon could not tear his eyes away from Cheshire.
His persistent gaze picked her apart.
The soft, wavy golden hair.
Small lips and fingers, sharply tapered eyes.
Even her delicate, petal-pink eyes.
He observed her eyes for a particularly long time, then slowly shifted his gaze to Kierne’s red ones.
Those with great power were often spared the signs of aging.
Staring intently at Kierne—who looked at most in his early thirties—Hailon slowly opened his mouth.
“…Forgive me. She resembled someone I knew.”
Unfortunately, Hailon’s apology only agitated Kierne further.
“Is that so?”
At the word resembled, the smile on Kierne’s lips twisted.
“I’m curious—who exactly does she resemble?”
Kierne’s eyes scanned Hailon from head to toe with blatant scrutiny and added—
“Very curious.”
As the situation began spiraling in a very bad direction, Cheshire felt like she could faint at any moment.
She wasn’t the only one.
Count Rudin, eyes rolling back in his head, shouted out—
“He belongs to the First Order of the Holy Knights!”
It was a desperate cry for Kierne not to act rudely.
Count Rudin looked ready to strike Kierne down himself.
Hailon held Rudin back with a simple glance, then briefly introduced himself.
“A pleasure to meet you. I am Hailon.”
Kierne also returned the greeting simply.
“Kierne Basilian.”
Count Rudin began rambling introductions on Kierne’s behalf.
“This is the Count of Basilian, ruler of the Basilian territory in the East. You may have heard of the Black Forest—it’s somewhat famous…”
“I am aware.”
Cutting off Count Rudin’s words coldly, Hailon silently stared at Kierne.
Kierne, still wearing a picture-perfect smile as if he were listening politely, opened his mouth.
“It’s quite the experience to meet a knight of the First Order of the Holy Knights. Very fascinating.”
“Aaaagh! That bastard’s not a holy knight! He’s an inquisitor!”
Cheshire was the only one here who knew Hailon’s true identity, but she couldn’t say a word and just panicked silently.
A Holy Knight was an impressive figure.
Especially those claiming to be part of the First Order of the Holy Knights—the leading force of Hilderd.
The Holy Knight Order had thirty-six ranks, and being in the First Order meant holding an elite, core position—proof of incredible power and status.
But an inquisitor was even more formidable.
They stood just below the Holy King himself, alongside the Cardinals—as the highest-ranking clergy in existence.
That man was an Inquisitor.
There were only thirteen Inquisitors in existence.
Endowed with the authority to carry out executions on the spot, they also possessed indulgences—
meaning that no matter what they did, they were absolved in the name of the Holy Empire.
Hailon was the leader of those very Inquisitors.
He had even mastered the holy relic, Chains of Condemnation, which no one had ever been able to wield before—
and for that, he was revered even within Hilderd as a true embodiment of sanctity.
To put it simply, he held a status so exalted that even the Emperor himself would have to come running and bow respectfully if Hailon called for him.
‘Then what the hell is he doing here?!’
Suddenly, he was here, in the Emperor’s audience chamber.
The identity of an Inquisitor was classified.
It was common knowledge that they usually posed as Holy Knights, never revealing their true status lightly.
But seeing Hailon blatantly claiming to be a Holy Knight with that unashamed face here in the Emperor’s own audience hall—it was utterly absurd.
“Then may I ask, why is the Holy Knight present in this place?”
‘Yes! Say you’re leaving already!’
Clinging tightly to Kierne’s robe, Cheshire glared at Hailon.
Kierne shrugged his shoulders and spoke again.
“I thought I would be spending a private and intimate time with His Majesty, alone. But clearly, it seems I’ve fallen out of favor—it’s so obvious, it’s embarrassing.”
He narrowed his eyes with mockery.
“Has His Majesty’s affection shifted toward you now, Sir Hailon?”
At the mention of “affection,” Count Rudin’s face turned beet red.
But Hailon himself showed no reaction.
He was a man who barely exhibited emotion to begin with.
No ordinary sarcasm or provocation could shake him.
The only times he ever showed a flicker of emotion were always in front of that sorceress, Lichesia.
With a face as expressionless as a statue, Hailon said:
“I came to see you, Count Basilian.”
“To see me.”
“Is this child the one participating in the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly?”
“Yes.”
“A child of unclear origin, newly adopted, must undergo verification before participating in the assembly.”
“I didn’t expect you to carry out that verification so suddenly, like an ambush.”
“It was necessary to ensure that no external factors were involved.
Especially since the ceremonial gift for this particular assembly was once a sacred relic—surely the Count understands the need for thoroughness.”
Hailon finished his sentence coldly.
“Please cooperate.”
It was a notification that allowed no room for refusal.
If they objected here, Cheshire would not be permitted to attend the Little Saints’ Prayer Assembly.
Kierne seemed to realize this as well; his gaze cooled instantly.
“If you put it like that—so much like a threat—I suppose I have no choice. However…”
Kierne smiled, slowly and deliberately.
Unlike the shape of his mouth, his eyes held no warmth—they were brimming with open hostility.
“There must not be a repeat of what happened earlier.”
It was a warning not to behave rudely toward Cheshire again.
Hailon accepted his fault without resistance.
“I will be careful.”
Kierne’s expression softened—just slightly.
Count Rudin, who had been silently watching the tense atmosphere, hurriedly intervened.
“Well then, why don’t Sir Hailon remain here, and Count Basilian come with me to another audience chamber?”
But Kierne ignored the suggestion.
“Cheshire.”
He gently kneaded Cheshire’s hand and spoke as if making a request.
“If anything happens, call for Daddy, okay? Actually, it’s okay to call me just because you miss me too.”
“Yes!”
“And… you remember what Daddy said before, right?”
Of course she remembered—the promise that if she asked for just one thing, he would give up everything else.
Cheshire nodded.
Worried that might not be enough, she patted Kierne’s chest with her small hand.
“Don’t worry.”
“Mm.”
The reassuring gesture had its effect.
Smiling faintly, Kierne kissed the back of Cheshire’s hand with a soft smooch and carefully placed her down on the sofa.
“Daddy will be back soon.”
Even as he left the audience chamber, Kierne kept looking back several times.
Cheshire waved to him each time.
Once the audience hall door closed, the little girl vanished completely from view.
Kierne stood staring blankly at the closed door for a moment.
“……”
He licked his dry lips with his tongue and then slowly followed Count Rudin.
Upon entering the real audience chamber—where the true Emperor awaited—an elderly man with a graying beard was lazily sipping tea.
Setting his teacup down, the man smiled benevolently.
“So the Count of Basilian has finally arrived! You must’ve had a tiring journey.”
The magnanimous Emperor didn’t forget to praise Count Rudin either.
“You too have done well, Count Rudin. I shall personally see to your reward later. You may go now.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.”
Count Rudin bowed in respect, but before leaving, he shot Kierne one final, dissatisfied glare and exited the audience chamber.
Clack. The door closed.
The moment the space was sealed off, the atmosphere shifted completely.
Kierne’s previously courteous expression turned ice-cold.
The Supreme Sun Emperor of the Palen Empire instinctively stammered—
“C-C-Count…”
Kierne walked forward with heavy steps.
Then he grabbed the seated Emperor by the collar and yanked him to his feet.
“Urgh…!”
The Emperor let out a choking groan, unable to even think of resisting.
He merely trembled, arms and legs hanging limp, completely overcome with fear.
The red eyes glaring at the Emperor flashed with a strange gleam.
“Answer me,”
Kierne sneered and asked:
“That bastard’s an Inquisitor, isn’t he?”
─── ･ ｡ﾟ✧: *. ꕥ .* :✧ﾟ. ───
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