Lure in the Box - Chapter 3

“What a dreadful situation. How pitiful.”

That was all the High Priest had to say. He didn’t seem to be genuinely sympathetic. Honestly, he seemed to be enjoying it. Occasionally, his lips would twitch during the conversation.

Sianne sensed that things weren’t going well. The High Priest needed to feel at least some sympathy toward her for the chances of receiving the temple’s help to increase. Him only showing interest wasn’t a good sign.

“So, you came alone? Because the royal castle is full of spies, and there’s no one you can trust?”

“That’s right. Since I couldn’t distinguish them, it was better for me to move alone.”

“How did you escape?”

“By keeping my mouth shut and behaving obediently for a few months, the Duke allowed me to meet my parents. Of course, during the meeting, I was closely monitored, so it was hard to talk about the spies or the Duke’s schemes. But I used that opportunity to meet Shaina. She was the easiest person in the Duke’s castle to manipulate, so I thought she could help.”

“The fool, you mean.”

It was an unusually harsh choice of words for the High Priest.

In fact, Shaina wasn’t quite a fool. She was just terribly clueless, a hopelessly optimistic dreamer who only chased after her ideals.

“Like the Duke said, she was innocent and hated unnecessary violence. She was also very trusting and obedient. Since the Duke favored her, she wasn’t restricted much in her actions, so it was easy for me to see her. Above all, she wanted to become the Duke’s wife.”

“So, she gladly helped you?”

“She was the perfect accomplice. She distracted the Duke just enough, cleared the escape route, and didn’t even lock the doors. Since the Duke subtly disregarded her, there weren’t many people wary of her. Thanks to her, I escaped more easily than expected, and to be honest, I’m grateful.”

Sianne didn’t harbor much ill will toward Shaina. After all, she was the one taking on that detestable human Dion. Why would she hate her? She just hoped the two of them would focus on their love and leave her and her family alone.

“How long has it been since you escaped?”

“Hmm… I’m not exactly sure, but about two weeks?”

“You must have had a hard time coming this far.”

His tone was lukewarm. The High Priest’s long fingers pulled a piece of paper that had been resting at the edge of the desk. Then, he grabbed a pen lying around and began writing something on the paper. The faint smile spreading across his face felt ominous.

Sianne felt uneasy about the hints of interest the High Priest was showing. She wondered what conclusion he would make.

“What are you writing?”

Without answering, the man glanced at the desk calendar. Holding the pen, his hand elegantly wrote today’s date at the bottom of the document. He even created a signature line before spinning the document around toward her.

“Read it.”

나, ___________은
그저 길 잃은 양의 처지로 신의 도움을 구하나니
어떤 역경이 닥치더라도 겸허히 이겨 낼 것을 맹세하는 바입니다.
[Oath of Vow
forsake my original status and rank
For the salvation you will grant, I vow to humbly endure and overcome any adversity that may come.
___________]

‘Any adversity.’

“What does this mean?”

Sianne, who had scanned the document labeled ‘Oath,’ asked in a tense voice.

The High Priest silently pushed the pen toward her, urging her to sign. It felt like a silent threat.

Sianne felt it was dangerous, but she reluctantly grabbed the pen. She was in a position where she needed the temple’s mercy and help. She couldn’t reject it recklessly. She glanced around cautiously, pretending to comply.

“Does this mean if I don’t sign, I shouldn’t expect any help from the temple?”

“Of course not. We’re not that heartless.”

He denied it, maintaining his smile.

“Then why…?”

“It’s just a formality. You don’t need to worry too much.”

“Do I absolutely have to sign?”

“You don’t have to, but if you don’t, it’ll be difficult for us to help you. We need it for minimum identity assurance.”

“So, every follower who comes here fills one of these out?”

“Yes. Everyone who seeks help from the temple writes one.”

That was somewhat reassuring. There were still parts that felt off, but if she wanted help, there was no other choice. The temple’s power was crucial for her annulment.

Sianne rolled up her wet sleeve.

The man’s eyes quietly scanned the pale wrist of the woman. Her fragile arm and fingers filled in the blank space on the document with her name.

Sianne Heartperion

As soon as she finished signing, the man’s fingers slid the document away.

Sianne raised her head while still holding the pen. She locked eyes with the man who had been looking down at her. His deep, unreadable gaze stared quietly at her, making her throat dry and scratchy with discomfort.

“With this, I can receive help, right?”

“If you endure, persevere, and overcome.”

“…Overcome?”

“Your annulment. The road to get there will be a hard one.”

“Yeah… that’s true.”

Sianne nodded in agreement, but she couldn’t shake off a strange sense of discomfort.

She had already anticipated that even with the temple’s help, the annulment with Dion wouldn’t be easy. Dion was the empire’s only duke and the emperor’s close aide.

Moreover, he had planted several spies in the royal castle, watching the principality’s every move. It would be difficult, no matter how much help she received from the temple.

But was the ‘hardship’ he spoke of really just referring to the annulment?

As her doubts surfaced, the High Priest waved a familiar object in front of her.

A mint-colored passport and a white identification card.

Sianne hastily searched the inner pocket of her robe. It was empty. Her eyes darted around in confusion.

He rose from his chair, leaned forward, and closed the distance between them. His dark eyes locked onto hers as he moved closer.

A thick scent of musk emanated from his body.

While she stiffened from the unexpected fragrance, he used the corner of the passport and ID card, held between his fingers, to gently push aside her robe.

The smooth silk of her robe slid away, revealing the dress she wore underneath. The fabric, soaked and clinging to her skin, outlined the curves of her body from chest to waist and hips.

Startled, Sianne instinctively raised her arms to cover herself. Unbothered, he calmly moved closer, and she pushed against his shoulder in a defensive gesture.

“Your hands are ice-cold.”

He casually muttered this as he slid the passport and ID back into the inner pocket of her robe. Throughout his entire movement, his hand never touched her body.

Sianne, who had been on edge, found his actions so detached that she felt embarrassed.

Feeling a bit awkward, Sianne cautiously lowered her arms.

At that moment, he moved even closer. His face tilted slightly to the side, as if their cheeks might brush. Warm breath grazed her skin, and Sianne’s eyes widened.

“Don’t collapse just anywhere like you did today. Your passport and ID are very valuable.”

His low voice sent a chill down her spine.

Sianne recoiled in alarm, moving sharply to the side, causing her chair to wobble.

If he hadn’t caught the armrest of the tilting chair, she would have fallen in a rather embarrassing manner.

Sianne finally stopped moving. As the chair steadied, his hand moved away, and his body, which had been close to hers, slowly retreated.

Only after they had created some distance between them was Sianne able to speak.

“When did you even take my passport and ID?”

“When you fainted in the hallway.”

“…Why?”

“I just told you, passports and ID cards from the principality are expensive.”

“Oh.”

“I made sure you didn’t lose them, so aren’t you going to thank me this time?”

“Th-thank you.”

“You don’t seem very grateful.”

At his sarcastic remark, Sianne forced a smile.

“I mean it, thank you.”

When she thanked him again, he raised an eyebrow, as if in disbelief. Then he returned to his usual expressionless face.

“When you leave, Priestess Miela will show you to your room. We’ll continue the discussion about the annulment next time.”

It was a rather polite dismissal.

Weary, Sianne rose from the chair as he instructed. Her wet clothes felt heavy. They were damp, uncomfortable, and her throat ached. She just wanted to rest. The journey here had been too arduous. She staggered as she stood and left the room.

As he had said, a priestess was waiting outside the door.

방을 나서자마자 빗소리가 복도를 가득 메운다. 갑작스레 만난 요란한 소음에 시안의 어깨가 흠칫 움츠러들었다. 등 뒤에서는 달칵, 소리를 내며 문이 닫혔다.

Her head turned instinctively. She saw the white door with its stern aura, and the fact that she had been inside moments ago felt unsettling.

How well soundproofed was the room that not even the sound of the rain had reached her inside?

‘If someone were to die in there, no one would even know.’

Sianne had a chilling thought.

“Your room is this way,” the priestess said, leading the way.

As the priestess started leading her, Sianne’s thoughts quickly scattered. She dragged her exhausted body and followed.

Once Sianne left and the door closed, the sound of the rain, which had briefly seeped in, disappeared completely.

In the silent room, he looked at the wet chair. Slowly, he approached it and wiped the moisture off the backrest with his index finger. A droplet of water formed at the tip of his finger.

“Her hands are colder than the water,” he muttered expressionlessly, flicking the droplet away carelessly.

Sianne was utterly exhausted.

It had been a journey she made entirely alone, without an escort. To escape her fiancé’s pursuit, she had spent a week traveling by boat to the temple. She had walked more than 10 kilometers a day.

She had stayed in musty inns and eaten bad food that made her ill. It was only thanks to her ID, which proved she was a princess of the principality and contained divine protection, that she had made it to the temple without major incidents.

Sianne changed into dry clothes and collapsed onto the bed. The clothes the temple had provided were rough to the touch. The bed wasn’t very comfortable either. The room was small, and the hot water was unreliable.

Even so, it was far cleaner than any place she had stayed before. She was so grateful she felt like crying. Sianne closed her eyes in the comfort of a mold-free room.

The sound of rain pounding on the window was loud.

Her entire body ached, and the fatigue weighed on her eyelids like stones, yet she couldn’t fall asleep easily.

Arriving at the temple didn’t mean it was over. It was only the beginning.

She let out a long sigh.

The face of the eerily beautiful man she had spoken to earlier came to mind. The High Priest. Even his rough demeanor, smoking a cigarette, had the perfection of a finely carved statue.

From head to toe, even his voice and scent didn’t match the position of a High Priest.

She had been swayed by the words of such a man and ended up signing the oath. Was it okay? She wasn’t sure. The unsettling words and phrases that had stirred her anxiety jumbled in her mind.

[Endure and overcome any adversity,] ‘if you can endure,’ ‘it will be hard.’

Did those words really only refer to the annulment…?

It felt ominous. The instincts that had warned her of Dion’s deceit were now alerting her again.

But there was nowhere else she could turn.

Sianne forced herself to close her eyes.

‘I have no choice but to trust.’

She felt a bitter loneliness as she slowly drifted into sleep.

The sound of rain grew stronger.

The rain intensified, and thick streams of water battered the window as if they might shatter it.

Despite this, the exhausted princess remained fast asleep, her white hair spread over the sheets as she lay on her back, breathing softly.

A shadow fell over her innocent, sleeping face. Then, a long, smooth hand approached, touching the palm of her hand, which was carelessly resting beside the pillow.

The fingers slid slowly from the tips of her fingers until the palm of the hand was covered and pressed against hers.

“Still cold,” a voice whispered.

In the darkness, the man channeled divine power into her, healing her. But it wasn’t done out of kindness or mercy.

He simply didn’t want his newfound interest to break too soon in his game.

“I hope you stay healthy, Sianne Heartperion.”

The man looked down at the princess and smiled quietly.