[Imperial Year 331, January 15th]

When Sera woke up, she noticed the cave had become noticeably darker. Only the area around the god’s egg was glowing white.

‘Hmm… Is it morning?’

Judging by the light seeping in from the cave entrance, it seemed like daybreak.

Sera packed her things, stood up, and gently placed her hand on the god’s egg, saying,

“Well then, I’m off. Meeting the god in this cave feels like a real stroke of luck!”

When she stepped outside the cave, the surroundings were familiar.

‘Was it because it got dark yesterday? I thought I was lost, but this is… the place where I used to come every day with Mom to gather herbs. No wonder it felt familiar.’

‘I should reach Seren before noon.’

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t eaten anything since yesterday. Ah… I need to get some food as soon as I arrive…’

‘Even though I’m broke and shameless… Yes. I should gather more herbs around here.’

Sera deftly plucked the long grasses scattered nearby with familiar hands.

‘These herbs are quite effective for headaches, but I rarely saw them in the capital. I only see them here. It brings back memories… Nice to see you, herbs!!’

“Hey, everyone!”

Upon arriving in Seren, Sera exchanged light greetings with the children who welcomed her and headed to the director’s office.

“Director!!”

“Sera?!”

The director and Sera embraced each other warmly.

“Oh my goodness. What happened? You said you’d come at the start of the new year, but then you went off the grid. Do you know how worried I was?”

“Ahaha… Well, actually…”

Sera explained the circumstances that caused her delay.

“You must have had a hard time. You went through so much in the capital. I can’t handle the complexity of the capital.”

“Haha. But I made some good connections along the way. And I found a clue to discovering my name.”

“Yeah. Okay. So, you’re saying that guild will send a letter here?”

“Yes. I think so. But… I have a new task, so I have to leave again. By the way, Teacher, I greeted the children on my way here, but I don’t see Kyle around?”

The director, looking startled, grabbed Sera’s arms and said.

“Oh dear! Kyle, that boy. He left for the capital a couple of days ago because he couldn’t reach you. He said he’d go directly to the Marquis’s mansion to find you.”

“What?! Kyle?!”

Sera sighed deeply and continued.

“Sigh… I wanted to see him. How did we miss each other like this…? By the way, has Kyle had his coming-of-age ceremony?”

The director hesitated for a moment before speaking.

“Kyle said he’d tell you himself… but like you, his pheromone manifestation hasn’t occurred yet.”

“What?! Kyle too?!”

‘What on earth is going on…? Kyle definitely had sexual desires. Could it be that Kyle, like me, is also from a noble family?’

“Wow. So many strange things are happening. But how did Kyle end up in the orphanage? Are there any clues to find his name?”

“Hmm… Kyle lived with his mom. One day, she went hunting and lost her life. I don’t know about his dad. A neighbor brought him here.”

“Didn’t they say anything when they brought him?”

“Well… they just said to take good care of the poor child. But that’s the case for all the children who come to Seren. However, Kyle was a bit unusual at the time.”

The director recalled when Kyle first arrived at the orphanage.

“Unusual?”

“A bit… aggressive, you could say. He was extremely wary and sharp. He didn’t speak a word, so it was hard to even hear his voice. I almost thought he couldn’t talk. He was like that for a while… Then, yes. He changed shortly after you, Sera, arrived. He especially followed you well and started mingling with the other kids.”

‘Come to think of it, Yuni mentioned something like that too… Is it because my hair color is similar to Kyle’s? Maybe Kyle’s mother had brown hair too…’

“But after you left for the capital, Kyle wandered again for a while. He became gentle again after receiving your letters, though. Haha… And when you said you were coming back, he was so happy he seemed to be jumping for joy, but when you didn’t return and there was no contact, he just up and left for the capital.”

“…I see. I should have left a note explaining my situation… but I wasn’t in the right state of mind.”

“Yes, you must have been so flustered. Anyway, to get a message to Kyle… you can send a letter to Marquis Lafjehill’s residence.”

“No. I have to return to the residence anyway.”

The director asked with a surprised face.

“What do you mean? Are you talking about the Lafjehill residence?”

“There’s something I need to do… in the capital. Especially at the Marquis’s residence, it’s more feasible. While I’m at it, I should meet Kyle too. Hmm… finding a way back to the capital… it might take a while, but like how I came to Letren…”

Sera was contemplating how to return to the capital.

“Oh dear! Are you planning to go through such a troublesome ordeal again? I don’t know what it is, but… can’t you just stay in Seren?”

“I’m sorry to worry you. But… I must go. There’s someone I need to find. It’s a promise I made… and I also want to meet Kyle in person!”

‘Strictly speaking, it’s not a person but a dragon…’

The director chuckled softly and sighed deeply before speaking.

“Sigh… I guess there’s no choice. I’ll lend you the fare to return to the capital.”

“Really?! Thank you so much, director!”

Sera hugged the director tightly, excited like a child. The director gently pushed Sera away and said,

“But Sera, first you should wash up and rest. You look terrible. You’re not planning to leave right away, are you?”

Sera sniffed herself, embarrassed, and replied.

“Haha. Of course not. I’m… also hungry! I’ll check the carriage schedule to return to Pianta and maybe leave tomorrow.”

“What?! So soon? Oh dear… What on earth happened? First, wash up and eat.”

After washing up thoroughly and finishing her meal, Sera returned to the room she used to stay in.

“Phew. I feel alive again.”

Sera flopped onto the bed.

‘Ugh. Right… I need to sort out the herbs I collected…’

With her tension eased and her stomach full, Sera soon fell asleep.

[[Ugh…!]]

Sera tensed her thighs and grimaced slightly, closing her eyes and groaning.

[[Relax and let go.]]

A man with a sweet voice kissed Sera.

As the man moved with force, Sera felt a gradual pressure between her legs.

Squeeze. Slide.

[[Ah…!]]

[[Phew… Let’s stay like this for a moment…]]

Sera opened her eyes to see the man in front of her.

Even in the dark space, his blue eyes shone…

‘Yes, Nellaf? It’s been a while since I dreamed of the Viscount… Still as handsome as ever, even in dreams. Now that my pheromone manifestation has occurred, if I meet the Viscount… maybe…’

Knock knock.

Lost in pleasant thoughts with a satisfied expression, Sera snapped back to reality at the sound of a knock.

“Sera, big sis! Dinner’s ready!”

The girl from the next room seemed to have come to wake Sera up.

“Ah! Uh-huh! I’m coming out!”

‘I can’t believe it’s this late already. I wonder if it’s too late to go to the temple today.’

After finishing the meal, she spent a delightful time with the children after a long while.

“Ha… Playing with the kids after so long is tiring.”

The director chuckled and served tea to Sera.

“After you left, the kids have been acting quite mature. Without the older sisters to look after them, they stuck together and managed things on their own. It was admirable. But now that you’re back, they’re back to being carefree kids again. Hoho.”

“The kids relied a lot on Yuni and me. We were the oldest, after all…”

“Yes. But you have to live your own life too. Yuni is already married… Time flies. Sera, haven’t you found a good man yet? Oh, I’m sorry. You said you haven’t found your name yet.”

The director, unaware of Sera’s pheromone manifestation, apologized for her slip.

“Oh, that… Even if I haven’t found my name yet…”

‘Oops, the god told me not to mention it. Hmm… I’m not even sure if the pheromone manifestation has happened yet.’

“Regarding that… I should visit the Periel Temple once more.”

“Oh my, the Periel Temple? That’s right. There was something like that. Sera, do you know a priest named Sherburn at the Periel Temple?”

“What? Yes. I know. Priest Sherburn was the one who counseled me.”

‘I even… kissed him…’

Sera touched her lips, finding it curious that the director mentioned Sherburn’s name.

“Oh my goodness. Did that happen? That could have been serious.”

“Priest Sherburn… Why? Did something happen?”

The director clicked her tongue and said.

“Tsk. He was a person with a very dark heart. The reason he became a priest, well, it was to… seduce naive maidens. Oh dear, did I say that too crudely? Hoho… Anyway, the shocking thing is, he’s the most skilled priest in the nearby villages. So he’s still doing such things at the temple.”

“What?!! I see… My goodness. So that’s what it was…”

Sera thought about the time she felt an inexplicable unease around Sherburn.

‘It was almost dangerous when Yuni was in heat. That’s why I didn’t look favorably upon Priest Emil. No matter how much they think of relations with priests as treatment… becoming a priest with such intentions…’

“It’s true that being of a neutral color, he can help those with pheromone overflows in many ways. But isn’t his ulterior motive just too despicable?”

“Exactly. That’s what I think too.”

“If you must go to the temple, be sure to be cautious of that priest.”

“Yes. I understand. I’ll rest for today and plan to go tomorrow.”