"'See you soon,' Violette whispered suddenly into Jetri's ear."

Jetri's eyes flew wide open—he nearly did a backflip and leaped backward ten meters.

After shooting Vya one last icy glare, Violette turned and left.

Jetri watched as Violette passed by Vya.

She gave a slight nod to a girl who had appeared behind them at a distance, then slowly vanished at the end of the corridor.

Jetri stared at Violette’s retreating back.

She didn’t look back, but the unfamiliar girl seemed to glare at him.

Jetri felt utterly baffled.

But it wasn’t important.

What mattered was the silence hanging over the four of them now.

Silence reigned like the quiet of Cambridge Bridge tonight.

"Umm… is the banquet over?" Jetri asked with a smile, acting as if nothing had happened.

He deliberately addressed Vya instead of the other two.

"Not yet," Vya replied with a strained smile, her face pale.

"Then let’s head back." He planned to drop Vya off and call it a night—she’d resume her role as the banquet’s star while he retreated to a corner to devour snacks.

"Okay." Vya took a deep breath, her smile now more natural.

"Don’t take the Holy Maiden’s words too seriously. I only met her today—she was probably just trying to rile you up," Jetri chuckled.

He meant it.

But to Victoria and Lilith, his words sounded odd.

Vya’s expression tightened. She understood his meaning but could only force a smile. "Mhm."

Jetri scratched his head. Seeing his words had no effect, he fell silent.

It wasn’t his problem anyway.

He’d merely been a pawn in the tug-of-war between Vya and Violette.

Jetri’s comment and Vya’s reaction puzzled Victoria. She’d expected jealousy, but this felt… different.

She kept her doubts to herself.

It was Vya’s affair, after all.

Luckily, Jetri had been too captivated by Violette’s beauty to walk quickly. They returned to the banquet hall in no time.

Just as Jetri predicted, Vya was immediately swarmed again.

He slipped away unnoticed.

Victoria didn’t even realize he’d vanished—only Lilith did.

Sometimes Lilith thought it a waste that Jetri hadn’t chosen the Rogue class. He disappeared so naturally, despite lacking the skills.

Just as Jetri sighed in relief at the lively scene around Vya and reached for a snack—

"What’s going on between you and Violette?"

A cold voice made Jetri jump.

Lilith had appeared beside him.

"You scared me—" Jetri gasped, grabbing a random drink from a passing waiter’s tray to calm his nerves.

"You haven’t answered my question." Lilith pressed on, relentless.

Jetri frowned at her but slowly relaxed, sighing. "How should I know? I just went out for air. The Holy Maiden happened to be there. Ask Vya—not me."

"Then why did you say that?"

"Say what?"

"That the Holy Maiden used you to provoke Vya. Where did you get that idea?" Lilith clearly didn’t believe his ignorance.

"What are the Sage and Princess Lilith discussing? Travel anecdotes?" A nobleman approached, wineglass in hand, smile perfectly polite.

Jetri’s reflexive smile faltered as Lilith cut in sharply, "Apologies. Personal matters."

"Ah, my mistake." The nobleman bowed slightly and retreated.

Jetri exhaled.

Lilith’s glare turned icy. "If you hate socializing, why pretend?"

"…My bad." Jetri gave a dismissive chuckle.

Lilith’s jaw tightened. Her expression shifted before she spoke flatly, "Back to the topic."

"Tch…" Jetri sighed. "It’s obvious. Vya must’ve wronged her somehow. And since I was the only other man there besides him—"

Lilith frowned. "‘Besides Vya’?"

"Exactly what it sounds like." Jetri’s patience wore thin.

"You—"

"Excuse me. I need some air. Alone. If you have questions, ask Vya." Annoyance flashed across Jetri’s face.

He owed Lilith nothing. They were merely teammates. He wouldn’t tolerate her tone forever.

"Wait—"

Jetri didn’t look back.

They parted on bitter terms.

For the rest of the banquet, Jetri stayed silent, eating and drinking, exchanging only brief words with nobles who approached.

His goal? To appear boring and clueless—warding off further interruptions to his feast.

His mood had plummeted.

Especially after Victoria’s pleading glance and Lilith’s relentless interrogation.

Before, he’d merely wanted to quit the team. Now, he felt sickened by it.

He *would* leave.

Unbeknownst to him, Lilith had been in a daze since their argument.

Jetri’s words replayed in her mind.

One thought surfaced—

*Did Jetri not know Vya was female?*

No. Impossible.

After the banquet, Lilith tried to corner Jetri again, but he brushed her off with stiff, formal "Your Highness" replies.

Victoria noticed the sudden rift between them.

Seeing Jetri’s clear irritation, she asked nothing. She simply pulled Lilith away, bidding farewell to Jetri.

Victoria still avoided his gaze.

Jetri’s frustration deepened.

Once in the carriage, he told Vya, "Go home first. I’m heading to the cathedral."

"Huh?" Vya started to speak but fell silent. "Be careful tonight."

"A future Sage tripping in the capital’s gutters? Please." Jetri waved dismissively and jumped down.

He walked.

This path was familiar.

Of all places in the capital, besides school and home, the cathedral was where he felt most at ease.

More precisely—the confessional.

He pushed open the cathedral doors with practiced ease.

Winding through corridors, he slipped into a small attic room.

"You haven’t come in a while." A gentle voice drifted through the wooden partition.

"Things came up—how did you know it was me?" Jetri was surprised. He’d assumed the nun who usually heard his confessions had long since left.

He’d visited this confessional often during his school days.

As a transmigrator, some things were too strange to share with others. Better to spill them here like a madman’s dreams.

And he truly needed to confess.

Confess the daily urges he felt toward Vya—once, twice, thrice… up to eight times.

Especially when they first lived together.

Traveling together had desensitized him. It was better now.

He never knew which nun or priest served here. Since that one time he’d met this particular nun, she’d always been the one listening.

"…Your footsteps. The way you open the door. And you always sigh when you sit down." Her voice sounded muffled through the wood.

"I see…" Jetri sighed again. "Can clergy marry?"

"Yes."

"Are you married?"

"Oh my…" A hint of surprise colored her voice. "No."

"Do you have a sweetheart?" Jetri’s questions grew increasingly blunt.

"Mm… what are you getting at?"

"Can I court you?" Jetri finally asked.

Silence.

Then a long, weary sigh.

Jetri wasn’t surprised by the unspoken rejection. Disappointed, but composed.

"My apologies. I overstepped."

He’d always liked this nun. Separated only by wood, it felt like a pen pal romance.

The door behind him creaked open.

Jetri froze.

It felt like a pen pal meeting in person for the first time.

"If you want to court me, why hide?" Her voice found him instantly. "Sage?"

Jetri, curled in a corner under a concealment spell, jolted as she pulled him out. His eyes were wide with terror.

"H-Holy Maiden?!"

"Shh." Violette’s finger brushed his lips.

"I told you to call me Vivi—I thought you understood my hint and came tonight." She smiled wryly. "So slow."

—*No wonder he never noticed that one’s true gender.*

"I-I—this—"

"Hmm? Since when does the Radiant Star Squad’s Sage need permission to chase girls?" Violette teased, pulling him up from the corner.

Her question stunned him again.

*Why?*

What other way was there?

"After so long together, feelings either exist or they don’t. Asking is the most direct way," Jetri answered honestly.

"No, no—I meant…" She tapped the wooden partition. "Never thought of breaking through it? Until tonight, the other side was just an ordinary nun."

"Huh?" Jetri scratched his head. "Oh—you mean forcing it? Feelings can’t be forced."

Violette stared at him. He stared back.

She realized he still missed her point—but she had his answer.

"Fine, fine. So tonight—what brought you here?" Violette dropped the subject. She settled gracefully beside him, propping her chin on her hand as she studied his face.

"Tonight…" Jetri fidgeted. "Just minor troubles—and you? What’s your history with Vya?"

"I despise him," Violette’s expression darkened instantly. "Using your words—he’s been in the restroom but never using it."

*Ah. Occupying the stall but refusing to relieve himself.*

"You came over troubles? Then tell me."

"…Alright."