That’s Not What Kissing Means! - Chapter 76

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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That’s not what kissing means!

Episode 76

Theo smiled faintly as he added more words.

“It truly seems like nature itself has been captured here.”

His gentle smile made it impossible to openly criticize him.

The priests were exchanging glances and gauging the atmosphere.

The Envoy burst into pleasant laughter.

“Hahaha! Theo is really honest.”

As he laughed cheerfully, the believers also brightened their expressions one after another.

Meanwhile, Evelyn was on the verge of losing her mind at Theo’s precarious remarks.

‘At this rate, my lifespan is going to shorten…’

Evelyn truly felt like her heart was going to shrivel up.

He had surprised everyone, yet his face remained refreshingly calm. Annoyingly so.

Fortunately, thanks to the Envoy, the atmosphere seemed to have lightened… but there was no guarantee such days wouldn’t come again.

‘Is this really okay?’

Evelyn looked around at the people surrounding her.

Diagonally to the left of the Envoy seated at the head sat Theo and Evelyn, while on the right sat priests with solemn atmospheres.

The difference from ordinary priests was that their vestments had red cloth draped around their necks, extending from back to chest.

When they made eye contact with Evelyn, they smiled slightly and bowed silently.

Soon the Envoy’s introduction followed.

“These two are Senior Priests. They assist me and make important decisions during temple ceremonies.”

So they were next after the Envoy?

Evelyn returned the greeting with a natural smile.

‘But why do they look like that…?’

Their complexions were extremely gaunt.

Their haggard faces resembled the Emperor’s as well.

She kept being bothered by a strange sense of déjà vu.

The Envoy’s gaze turned to Theo.

“Lionel is also doing his best as a Senior Priest. You’ll be able to meet him soon.”

Upon hearing his father’s friend’s name, Theo looked at him.

“A Senior Priest, you say. He must have been quite devoted in his religious life.”

“Of course, he’s a very faithful person. And he always lit candles at the altar for three people.”

Evelyn thought she knew who those three people were.

Theo and the previous Duke and his wife, surely.

Even in the Holy Kingdom, Lionel had been praying daily for his friend’s family.

“Where is he now?”

Theo asked. It was the first subject he had shown interest in since coming to the Holy Kingdom.

“He’s doing volunteer work outside the Holy Kingdom. He’ll return to the temple soon.”

“I see.”

“I heard you two are very close. You must miss him terribly.”

The Envoy seemed to know their relationship very well.

“When Lionel arrives, let’s arrange a separate meeting.”

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Consideration? Lionel is a precious friend to me as well. He’s a very intelligent and wise person.”

“You two are close then.”

“I’m friends with everyone in the temple.”

Isn’t that right?

When the Envoy looked around, the nearby priests agreed with his words.

Their eyes toward the Envoy were filled with indescribable faith and admiration.

* * *

After finishing her meal, Evelyn left the dining hall with a hardened expression.

Her sour complexion resembled the soup she had just eaten.

Wasn’t the purpose of eating supposed to be taste and satiety?

But the food here satisfied neither.

‘I’m hungry, my tongue is numb, and I feel like throwing up…’

Unfortunately, Evelyn’s palate had become more refined during her stay at the Duke’s Mansion.

Having developed excellent taste, meals at the temple became even more difficult.

Theo, who was following her, chuckled softly.

“Is it very hard? The taste of nature.”

He repeated Evelyn’s exact words back to her.

“Don’t tease me. I’m too dizzy to even get angry.”

“Then you should hurry to your room and rest.”

“What would change by resting…”

“Many things would change, wouldn’t they?”

Theo said something incomprehensible, but nothing reached her exhausted ears.

At that moment, something wedged itself between the two.

With a sense of déjà vu, she turned around to see Sophia waving her fountain pen as expected.

“Ho ho, step apart.”

She watched intently until Theo and Evelyn created distance between them.

Evelyn approached Sophia and asked what she was curious about.

“I’d like to examine records about the goddess…”

“Oh my, oh my!”

Sophia clapped her hands in joy before the words were even finished.

Then she told them the location of the library within the temple, along with words encouraging her to study as much as she wanted.

Fortunately, Evelyn’s schedule was freer than other priests’.

Except for breakfast and the formal service once a week, she could do anything.

An hour later, having promised to meet Theo at the library, Evelyn headed to her room clutching her empty stomach.

Since everyone had scattered for their respective duties, the lodging was also quiet.

In the silence, only a rumbling sound echoed. Of course, it was hunger from her own stomach.

She turned the doorknob weakly. Soon the colorless room revealed itself.

Evelyn trudged to the table and slumped into the chair.

At that moment, a calm knock sounded.

‘Is it Priest Sophia again?’

When she got up and opened the door, an unfamiliar priest was standing there.

It was a young-faced girl with freckles below her green eyes.

The priest spoke to Evelyn with a warm smile.

“I’ve brought the dessert you requested.”

“The what… what did you say?”

Evelyn asked blankly.

The priest who entered the room set down a tray on the table.

“Since there are other people’s eyes watching, the Envoy ordered me to deliver this privately.”

“Wait, who requested what?”

“Really, Priest Evelyn, you don’t need to be embarrassed since I won’t say anything.”

The priest spoke brightly.

“I’m Priest Daisy. I’ll bring you dessert every day from now on. If you need anything, just let me know.”

Then she lifted the teapot from the tray and poured tea into the teacup.

Warm steam rose from the red tea. The unique and sweet fragrance was quite intense.

“This is a special calming tea made by the Temple. It will put your mind at ease.”

“Thank you, Priest Daisy. But you don’t need to do this from now on.”

“No, this is what the Envoy has ordered.”

“Still, it’s really okay…”

At that moment, Daisy closed her mouth and stared at her intently. Unlike her greatly raised corners of her mouth, there was no trace of laughter in her large eyes.

Somehow it felt like looking at a grotesque doll.

“Serving the Envoy is my happiness. So please don’t worry about it.”

“…”

It seemed like something terrible would happen if she refused…

The Priest softened her expression again as if nothing had happened. Then she immediately left the room.

The pure first impression had long since been erased.

Evelyn, who had been standing there blankly, slowly approached the table.

To avoid being seen by others, a dome-shaped lid covered the plate.

When she lifted the lid, a slice of pure white cream cake was placed before her eyes.

Finely chopped strawberries decorated the top.

The cake seemed to speak to her, saying ‘Come here, you’ve had such a hard time, haven’t you?’

Now even auditory hallucinations…

She must be hearing things because she was too starved.

She blinked in disbelief and examined the cake seriously.

In the meantime, she swallowed her saliva several times.

“Is this perhaps a test?”

Maybe they were testing her as a Priest.

When she lifted the bowl with a suspicious face, a small note was revealed.

[This is the dessert you requested. After you finish it all, please leave it in the mailbox in front of the door and I’ll clean it up.]

Requested…?

Then, the conversation with Theo from earlier came to mind.

His words that many things would be different once she entered the room.

Evelyn’s face instantly heated up.

‘He asked them to prepare dessert for me?’

The Envoy must know about it too. He probably thinks of Evelyn as an immature child.

Embarrassed, she covered her cheeks with both hands. But at the same time, her heart fluttered.

Until they left for the Holy Kingdom, Theo had been incredibly busy.

Yet in the midst of all that, he had thought of Evelyn. To gift her the only pleasure she could taste in the boring Temple life.

Realizing Theo’s thoughtful affection, her chest tickled.

‘Why am I being like this?’

Fluttering was an unfamiliar emotion to Evelyn.

Even with the cake in front of her, she thought of Theo for a long while.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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