LXXXVlll

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☆ ★ ✮ ★𖡼𖤣𖥧𖡼𓋼𖤣𖥧𓋼𓍊☆ ★ ✮ ★
ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 88




The next day, Judith woke up early for the first time in a long while. Recently, she had been having sleepless nights and often couldn’t get up even when the sun was high in the sky.

But today was different.

A maid, who came in to wake her up, was surprised to find Judith already awake, her eyes wide with astonishment.

After washing up, Judith sat in front of her dressing table and stared blankly at the mirror. Perhaps it was because the hope of finding clues about the devil had arisen; she finally noticed how gaunt her face had become.

I’ve been living with this face all this time, haven’t I?

She began to understand why people always looked at her with such worried eyes.

“Your hair has grown a lot, Miss.”

The maid’s address was still unfamiliar to her. Having been called ‘Madam’ for years and now being called ‘Miss’ again, it was understandable. Although divorce might not be well-received in the Tyrher Empire, Judith thought it was for the better.

If she were still living in the Duke’s residence, she might have truly fallen apart. The place held too many memories with her devil, Derrick. She would have either gone mad reminiscing about the days spent with him or spent every day in tears missing him.

“It’s done.”

The dress had become loose, so it took some time to tighten the strings.

When she stepped out the front door, she saw the carriage Vincen had prepared and the knights surrounding it. Her steps were unsteady as she walked down and a knight quickly came to support her.

When she gave a weak smile of thanks, the knight’s ears turned a bit red. Despite her gaunt and haggard appearance, her beauty, which once captivated the social circles, hadn’t disappeared. If anything, her delicate appearance now evoked a protective instinct in men.

“Miss, shall we depart now?”

Judith, who had boarded the carriage, nodded.

The carriage carrying her began to move slowly. As she thought about heading to the temple, she clenched her fists. Her heart wouldn’t calm down.

* * *

The temple she visited after a long time hadn’t changed. It still exuded a sacred and noble atmosphere that made one hesitate to step inside.

Judith slowly climbed the stairs along with the knight. Perhaps because her health had deteriorated due to her chaotic lifestyle, she felt exhausted after only a short walk. The knight offered to help, but Judith refused. She wanted to move forward on her own even if it was difficult.

When she reached the front of the main building, she turned her head. From where she stood, she could see the outdoor baptismal font where she had once been with Derrick. As she recalled the memories of that day, which now felt like a dream, she reluctantly took a step forward at the knight’s urging.

It wasn’t a day for a service presided over by the High Priest, so the temple was sparsely populated. The temple had dozens of chapels with the largest one commonly used for prayers. However, Judith visited the small chapel with the intention of summoning the devil.

“Is it alright if I go in alone?”

The knight looked troubled. Judith checked the small chapel and, as expected, it was empty. She showed him the empty space, insisting there was no danger, but his expression remained uneasy. Soon, Judith realized what he was concerned about.

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