Camille (2)

Newlywed life was definitely happy.

Camille, now an adult, was incredibly beautiful and exuded elegance.

I was satisfied, feeling like I had her all to myself through the institution of marriage.

“Saint-nim, and Helix-nim. Good morning.”

“Good morning to you too.”

I also managed to get along reasonably well with the Dragon’s Priestesses, who used to be on edge around me.

The childishness I displayed in my ignorant youth.

Looking back now, it was embarrassing.

Didn’t everyone suffer trying to clean up my messes?

I did feel a bit sorry for being so prickly towards the Dragon’s Priestesses.

So, I’m trying my best to treat them kindly.

“Helix, let’s go on an outing to the lake today.”

“The lake? Yes, let’s go.”

“Can my sisters come along too?”

I subtly glanced sideways at one of the Dragon’s Priestesses waiting behind me.

Cheeks flushed with a hint of anticipation.

It seemed like she wanted to come along.

“Sure, let’s all go. But we can’t fly there.”

“Yes, let’s go together. Everyone will love it!”

Camille was busy with her duties as the Saint.

Still, once a week, they would have time for an outing like this.

It was a pity that I couldn’t monopolize her time, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Helix-nim, we’ll cut it for you.”

“Uh…? Oh, thank you.”

Although I had adapted to a human body by now, I was still a bit clumsy with cutlery.

As I was silently eating, Camille suddenly asked me.

“Helix, do you know that child’s name?”

“It’s Sera.”

“Oh my.”

Sera seemed a little touched, letting out an exclamation of admiration.

I’ve seen her for years; there’s no way I wouldn’t remember her name.

Was I really that mean to the Dragon’s Priestesses?

Well, it was hard to completely deny it.

Come to think of it, this Dragon’s Priestess named Sera, I bit her hand before.

She was a child like me at first, but she’s grown up so much and become an adult.

“You knew?”

“I’ve seen her for years; I’d remember at least that much.”

“Hmm, well, that’s good.”

It was a situation that might provoke jealousy.

Camille, on the contrary, smiled brightly as if she was in a good mood.

Camille is certainly unique.

She has no jealousy.

If her sisters and I get along well, she just watches with a pleased expression.

‘I heard women are very jealous.’

At first, I wondered if everyone in the Holy Dominion was like that because of their religion.

So, I went around asking here and there.

I sought out Derek, a Holy Knight I was usually close with, who happened to be married.

“Huh? You’re asking if my wife ever gets jealous?”

“Yeah, I’m just curious.”

“Oh, don’t even get me started. She nags me relentlessly over the smallest things.”

I asked other Holy Knights as well, but the answers were all the same.

Especially these Holy Knights, who held high social status in this Holy Dominion.

Their appearance was also outstanding due to their divine power.

It’s natural for a wife to feel insecure if she has too accomplished a husband.

Perhaps because of that, the wives of Holy Knights are said to be famous for their jealousy.

‘But Camille isn’t like that.’

Is it because I’m unattractive or lack charm?

I honestly wanted to ask, but I was afraid of the answer I might get.

Left with no choice, I looked for another woman, not Camille.

Of course, the only women I knew were the Dragon’s Priestesses.

“What? You mean Saint-nim doesn’t seem to find Helix-nim attractive??”

“It might just be my conjecture, but that’s why I want to ask you.”

Among the Dragon’s Priestesses, I specifically sought out Sera.

Since I had bitten her before, she must have some lingering resentment.

So, my calculation was that she wouldn’t at least give me empty flattery.

“No way. Helix-nim is incredibly pretty. Her skin is fair, her eyes are huge, and most of all…”

“…”

“Her eyes, her eyes are incredibly mysterious. I mean Helix-nim’s golden vertical pupils.”

“In short, you’re not saying I lack charm, right?”

“Of course not!”

Apparently, there wasn’t any serious flaw.

Relief washed over me, but nothing was resolved yet.

Then what on earth was the problem?

“Camille doesn’t get jealous.”

“Huh?”

“Imagine your husband getting close to another woman later on. Wouldn’t you get angry?”

“I’d be incredibly angry…”

“But Camille isn’t like that. She probably wouldn’t even think much of me talking to you alone like this.”

“Ah…”

Sera fidgeted with her fingers, unable to say anything.

I waved my hand, giving her the order to leave.

“Thanks for listening. You can go now.”

“Um, Helix-nim.”

“Yes?”

“The Saint-nim doesn’t get jealous because she considers us her sisters.”

It was then that I realized.

How much peace of mind the Dragon’s Priestesses brought to Camille.

They weren’t just attendants; they were practically family.

There’s no such thing as being jealous of family.

That was simply the story.

‘Am I just narrow-minded?’

I tried to accept it that way.

But was it around that time?

Camille began to cross an invisible line more and more.

“Your clothes are different?”

“Yeah, I had a bit of trouble persuading those old geezers.”

It wasn’t their usual ascetic priestess attire.

The Dragon’s Priestesses were dressed in bright dresses, like something noble young ladies would wear.

It seemed it was their first time wearing such clothes, as they all rejoiced like children.

“Helix, what do you think? Aren’t our girls incredibly pretty?”

“Yeah, they are.”

It’s just because they don’t usually dress up, but the Dragon’s Priestesses are exceptionally beautiful.

They are also selectively chosen based on their inherent beauty.

Above all, they possess immense divine power.

So much so that if they went to the provinces, they could become the head of an entire diocese.

“Girls. Helix says you’re all incredibly pretty too!”

“Really…?”

“That’s a relief, for you to see us favorably…”

The Dragon’s Priestesses blushed and looked shy.

Somehow, the atmosphere seemed to be flowing strangely.

Something, something was suspicious.

“Helix, which of the girls do you like best?”

“That’s a difficult question to answer.”

“Aw, I won’t say anything. Just tell me honestly. Who’s the prettiest?”

The Dragon’s Priestesses waited for my answer with sparkling eyes.

In the end, I hesitated before answering in a small voice.

“Sera…”

“Oh my.”

Then the Dragon’s Priestesses murmured amongst themselves, and their attention focused on Sera.

Actually, Sera wasn’t exceptionally more beautiful than the others.

Except for Camille, they were all pretty much on the same level.

However, I had complex feelings about Sera in many ways.

A feeling of apology for having been so prickly towards her in the past.

And a feeling of gratitude for her continued kindness towards me.

That’s why I simply said she was the prettiest.

“Heh, you were so prickly towards Sera before, so there was a reason, huh?”

“Don’t tease me.”

“Tease you? What did I do?”

Camille stuck out her tongue and smiled cutely.

My heart thumped at her appearance.

But this was clearly not a normal situation.

It was like calling a deformed flower beautiful.

“Sera.”

“Yes, Saint-nim.”

“Helix likes you, so from now on, make sure you attend to him a little more closely.”

“Yes, it would be an honor!”

And after that, the time Sera spent by my side also increased.

When I woke up, when I ate, when I needed to clean.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was intentionally giving Sera more time with me.

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, I went to Camille and confronted her.

“Stop doing things like this.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

“Why do you keep trying to keep Sera close to me?”

“Because you liked her.”

Feeling frustrated, I sighed.

“Camille, it’s not that there’s a problem with Sera. I just don’t like your attitude.”

“My attitude?”

“Don’t you get jealous?”

“…”

Camille just gave an awkward smile.

“Do you want me to nag you or something?”

“That’s not it. Why do you keep making the Dragon’s Priestesses get close to me?”

“Because that’s their mission. Helix, you know about the organization of the Dragon’s Priestesses, don’t you?”

“I know. But this isn’t right.”

Camille gave a sorrowful smile.

It was as if she was trying to soothe a whining child.

That made me even more upset.

“Helix, I always feel sorry for my sisters when I see them.”

“What do you feel sorry for?”

“Those children are war orphans, just like me. In this foreign land with no connections, we’ve endured difficult times, relying only on each other.”

“I know, but…”

Camille silently held my hand tightly.

“Helix, I’m happy to have met you.”

“Me too.”

“You saved me countless times. And you always loved only me. No one knows how much comfort it brought me, having someone consistently love me without change.”

At Camille’s words, the pent-up resentment I had felt seemed to melt away.

“You’re a very gentle child. You might seem prickly, but you’re impossible to hate.”

“…”

“But, Helix.”

The hands we held together trembled slightly.

Somehow, an uneasy premonition swept over me.

“I find it agonizing to monopolize that gentleness all to myself. Very much so.”

Only then did I realize what was in Camille’s eyes.

A sense of debt.

Camille owed her sisters a kind of debt.

“Helix, do you know what I think every time I see my sisters attending to you with bright smiles?”

“Camille.”

“Ah, those children will be tied here for life, only able to watch over us. Even if they find someone they love, they’ll still be bound to this place.”

I couldn’t refute it.

Because the Dragon’s Priestesses were those whose lives were mortgaged in exchange for being saved.

“Can’t you give the Dragon’s Priestesses freedom? You could at least let them marry. Other priests all do it…”

“That’s a naive idea. The identity of the Dragon’s Priestesses organization is purity and service to the Dragon.”

“…”

“To abandon that now means we’d have to give up everything we’ve enjoyed so far. It’s no different from telling us to die.”

Her words were true.

Losing the faith that had been upheld in this Holy Dominion meant death.

“That’s why I want to ask you a favor, Helix.”

“What…?”

“Please. Embrace my sisters. Love them as women.”

And just like that, Camille dropped a bombshell on me.