After parting ways with Elaine and returning home, Lark immediately sent someone to Count Lindell’s house to request a visit.
‘You must have known that Elaine was an illegitimate child, so how could you have thought of hiring her as a chaplain?’
When Lark heard that Elaine had taken the test to become a chaplain, or even that she had won first place, he just snorted.
A chaplain could not be selected simply based on test scores.
Most of the families that sought out chaplains were wealthy and powerful families, and no matter how you packaged it, it was ultimately an exchange between nobles, so lineage and origin could not help but be important.
Even if they were from a poor family or a distant region, they would be reluctant, so it was clear that no noble family would take Elaine in, who was rumored to be an illegitimate child.
So Lark wasn’t paying attention, but then suddenly Count Lindell appeared and took Elaine away.
‘I must not let my father know. He would be delighted if he heard that Elaine had become Count Lindell’s chaplain.’
It was clear that his father would try to use this opportunity to establish a connection with Count Lindell.
But Lark couldn’t allow Elaine to escape his grasp.
As long as she was at the temple, she could not roam free, and he could keep a watchful eye on her every move.
But when she becomes a chaplain, everything changes.
Elaine can live freely, completely free from Lark.
Another thing that was bothersome was that the family that picked Elaine was none other than Count Lindell.
‘That bastard…Clearly, he has feelings for Elaine.’
Lark had been trying to figure out what was wrong with him since the last banquet, when Sergey made his hostility clear and guessed that Sergey had some kind of vulgar interest in Elaine.
‘He must have approached Elaine with the intention of just playing around with her for a bit and then throwing her away.’
‘If I explain it well to the head of the family, he will understand. It is not necessary to have a chaplain in the house, and the opportunity comes every year.’
Having quickly received permission to visit, Lark visited Count Lindell’s house without much worry.
However, it was not Count Lindell, but Sergey who sat opposite Lark, who was waiting in the living room.
“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting so long. I went out for a moment and then hurried back because you said there was an urgent matter, but I’m a little late.”
“That’s okay, but…The person I requested to speak with is Count Lindell. Is the Count absent?”
“It seems you haven’t heard the story yet. My parents are abroad. I don’t think they will ever return to the empire.”
Sergey, whose eyes were still cold and unfriendly, answered calmly.
It was Lark’s mistake to not properly investigate Count Lindel’s return.
Not long ago, when news broke that Count Lindell and Count Argenta were joining hands to develop a crystal mine, Lark assumed that the head of the family had returned.
‘So Count Lindell entrusted that big business to this brat like that?’
That was surprising, but it was even more surprising that it was going so well. That made Lark even more annoyed.
Lark didn’t want to talk to Sergey, but he couldn’t just go back.
“What brings you here in such a hurry?”
“Oh, it’s just that… I heard you’re bringing a dedicated chaplain from the Temple of Pavelo this time.”
“Rumors spread quickly. It must have been just the day before yesterday.”
“It just so happens that the chaplain you chose is my cousin Elaine.”
“Oh, that’s right. So, did you come here to ask me to take good care of your cousin?”
Sergey still seemed indifferent, as if he didn’t care. Lark was furious at his deliberate indifference.
“No, I just wanted you to pretend that this selection never happened.”
“You want me to pretend it never happened? What’s your reason?”
“I thought you already knew this, so I didn’t tell you, but the truth is that the child is the illegitimate child of my grandfather’s illegitimate child.”
Lark felt like he could die from resentment towards Sergey for revealing the family’s secret with his own mouth.
But even then, Sergey’s expression did not change at all.
“So?”
Lark was rather perplexed by Sergey’s counter-question.
‘Did he need any more reason than Elaine being an illegitimate child?’
“Is it really right for a noble family to employ an illegitimate child who can hardly be called noble as a chaplain?”
“Hmm…That’s a difficult thing for me to understand.”
For the first time, something like a smile crossed Sergey’s lips. It was closer to a mockery, though.
“As far as I know, the Saints of the Calais Empire are all nobles. If they are unable to send their own people, they can send their vassals, but even then, they can only send people on their family register.”
“That’s true, but—”
“But you’ve been saying since earlier that Miss Elaine Newt is not a noble. So you’re saying that Count Newt’s family sent an unqualified person as a saint.…”
Lark’s hand twitched.
Lark underestimated Sergey because he was his age, but Sergey Lindell was not inferior to Lark in the least.
Lark felt like he was even more immature than Sergey.
“No, that’s not it. Elaine is clearly a collateral member of the Newt family—”
“Then there is no problem, right? She is a noblewoman, a saint of the temple of Pavelo, and she’s a top-ranked saint in the Chaplain Test, so I think she’s a perfect fit for my family.”
Lark resented his father for sending Elaine to the temple instead of Damon.
‘Why are you touching what’s mine’
It was quite disconcerting and unpleasant for Lark to have things not go his way, and even more disconcerting and unpleasant was this sense that something was being taken from him.
Especially with this man who seemed to see right through him with his piercing blue eyes.
Lark gritted his teeth and barely managed to keep his composure.
“I’ll be honest with you. This is Elaine’s own doing. Our family did not allow Elaine to be a chaplain.”
“That’s none of your business. Count Newt is only Elaine’s uncle, not her guardian.”
“Elaine is still a child who hasn’t even had her coming-of-age ceremony yet. So, of course, she should follow the advice of the adults who are protecting her.”
“There is no such provision in Imperial law. The only ones who can manage the lives of minor nobles are their parents, older siblings, and guardians.”
Sergey disagreed with Lark, one corner of his mouth twitching upward.
In the end, even Lark, who was good at controlling his facial expressions, had no choice but to break his smooth mask.
“She belongs to the Newt family. This is our family’s problem!”
“She belongs to the Newt family? No, I suppose you meant to say that Miss Elaine is the property of the Newt family.”
Sergey’s ridicule deepened.
“Until now, you wanted to deny her existence, so you didn’t even apply for guardianship or act as her guardian, right?”
Lark was surprised that Sergey knew everything about Elaine’s guardianship.
But Sergey’s criticism did not stop there.
“A child? Yes, Miss Elaine is only eighteen years old. Who has kept her in a cold attic since she was seven, kept her alive on meager food, and treated her like a servant? And now you claim to be her ‘guardian’?”
Lark was taken aback by Sergey’s sharp criticism.
“No, how do you…. know that?!”
“Ah, unfortunately, I have ears.”
Serge laughed, pulling lightly at his own ear.
“Whether it be your parents, your siblings, or even Your fiance, they shamelessly go around bragging about how they abused Miss Elaine.”
Lark’s mouth was shut tightly. He couldn’t think of a single word to refute that.
Lark thought of his own parents, who had denied any relationship with Elaine and said she was nothing more than a maid, and then of Martin, Damon, and Ellie, who said even worse things about Elaine.
Lorina was just as bad as his siblings, if not worse.
Sergey spoke with a final wedge-like tone.
“As you know, I have only recently returned to my homeland, so I am somewhat ignorant of the religions of the empire. However, in the Calais Empire, it is difficult to enter social circles if you are not a believer of the Laom religion. Therefore, a chaplain who is knowledgeable about the Laom religion and skilled in prayer is absolutely necessary. Saint Elaine is the perfect person for that.”
Lark felt an intense hatred towards Sergey, who seemed to be looking down on him. He had never felt so humiliated.
Lark did not hide his dislike towards Sergey and his own dark inner feelings.
“Elaine is mine.”
“A human who holds a dazzling jewel in his hands but does not recognize its value and treats it roughly is not worthy of having it. You have already completely lost Elaine’s affection and trust.”
Sergey and Lark’s gazes met and sparks seemed to fly.
Lark rose from his seat, suppressing the urge to kill Sergey at any moment.
“It is a shame that the heir of the Lindell family has made such a foolish choice. I hope you will learn more about the Newts in the social circles. And if you change your mind, please contact me at any time.”
“Ah, I will, although I doubt I will contact you.”
The two men shook hands reluctantly and parted ways.
And a few days later, Elaine entered Count Lindell’s house eagerly escorted by Hubert, the Lindell family’s butler.
* * *
