Arthur knocked on Alicia's door, waiting patiently. The door opened to reveal Alicia in her pajamas, her hair slightly disheveled, yet she still looked effortlessly charming.
"Still not ready?" Arthur teased, his smirk playful as his gaze swept over her.
Alicia rolled her eyes, stepping aside to let him in. "I'm more surprised you're ready this early," she replied, shutting the door behind him.
"Well," Arthur said casually, leaning against the doorframe with a smirk, "I didn't get much sleep last night, so I figured, why not visit my beautiful lover?"
Before she could respond, he pulled her into an embrace, his hands finding her waist as he leaned in closer.
"Arthur!" she exclaimed softly, her cheeks flushing as she felt the warmth of his body.
He smirked, lowering his voice as he whispered, "Did I mention how cute you look in pajamas?"
Alicia's face turned crimson as she wriggled out of his hold. "Stop teasing me!" she protested, taking a few hurried steps back. "I still need to get ready."
She spun around, heading toward the bathroom. Just as she reached the door, she glanced back over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes. "And don't even think about trying anything while I'm in there," she warned, locking the door behind her with a definitive click.
Arthur chuckled softly, walking over to the bathroom door. He jiggled the handle for a moment, but it didn't budge. "Tch, so cautious," he muttered under his breath.
That's when Sol appeared on his shoulder, her mischievous grin lighting up her tiny face. "You know," she began, resting her chin on her palm, "I've got a lockpicking skill for sale. Want to take a look?"
Arthur sighed, stepping back from the door. "No thanks. If she locked it, it means she's serious."
Sol floated off his shoulder, crossing her arms as she gave him an incredulous look. "Hah~ Since when did you become so considerate?"
Arthur smirked, shooting her a glance. "What do you mean? I've always been considerate. Alicia isn't one of my maids, you know."
Mmhm," Sol teased, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Sure you have. Whatever you say, Arthur."
He ignored her, stretching his arms. "Maybe I'll take a walk while she gets ready," he said, turning toward the door. The crisp morning air greeted him as he stepped outside, a content smile on his face.
The hallway was unusually quiet at this hour, the soft hum of the morning adding to the tranquility. Arthur descended the stairs and spotted the warden, Camilla, leisurely sipping her coffee by the entrance.
With his trademark warm smile, he walked up to her. "Good morning, Miss Camilla."
Camilla looked up from her cup, returning the smile. "Good morning, Arthur. You're up quite early today."
"Well, I had trouble sleeping last night," he replied casually, shrugging.
"Oh? Is everything alright?"
"Yeah, yeah, nothing serious," Arthur assured her, his tone light.
Camilla nodded, relaxing. "Good. Let me know if you need anything."
"Will do, Miss Camilla," he said, waving slightly before heading toward the garden.
The fresh scent of dew lingered in the air as Arthur strolled through the garden's winding paths. The vibrant colors of the flowers glistened under the rising sun. Near a stone bench, he spotted Eveline, the Saintess, sitting with Althea. They appeared to be deep in conversation.
"Good morning, Saintess and Miss Althea," Arthur greeted warmly, approaching them.
Eveline turned to him with a gentle smile. "Good morning, Arthur," she replied, while Althea gave a polite nod of acknowledgment.
Enjoy new adventures from empire
"I think I've told you before," Eveline said, her tone playful yet firm. "You don't need to be so formal with me. We're classmates now, remember?"
Arthur chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "Ah, right. I always seem to forget that. My apologies... Eveline."
Eveline's smile deepened. "That's better. So, what brings you here so early?"
"Just taking a stroll," Arthur replied, glancing around. "It's peaceful here in the mornings. Thought I'd enjoy it for a bit. What about you?"
"Same reason," Eveline said, her voice soft. "It's rare to find this kind of calm."
Arthur nodded and sat beside her on the bench. "Yeah, I could definitely get used to this," he said, stretching his legs out.
Althea shifted slightly, as if about to say something, but Eveline placed a gentle hand on her arm, subtly stopping her. Althea frowned but stayed silent, watching Arthur closely.
"So," Arthur began, glancing at Eveline with a teasing smile, "how does it feel living outside the church for once? No priests hovering around, no nuns fussing over every detail, and no strict rituals to follow. Just... living like a normal girl for a change?"
Eveline blinked at the unexpected question before a soft chuckle escaped her lips. "It's... different," she admitted, her tone thoughtful. "But refreshing, to say the least."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "Refreshing, huh? I didn't think the Saintess herself would find normalcy so appealing."
Eveline sighed, her smile fading slightly. "You know, the title of Saintess might look dazzling from the outside—people adore you wherever you go, showering you with respect regardless of their age or status. But behind all that light..." Her voice grew quieter, almost wistful. "There's so much darkness."
"Saintess," Althea interjected sharply, her eyes narrowing. "I think that's enough."
Eveline placed a reassuring hand on Althea's arm, her voice calm but firm. "It's alright, Althea. We can trust him." She turned to Arthur, her gaze steady and sincere. "We can trust you, right, Arthur?"
Arthur, momentarily caught off guard by the shift in tone, quickly recovered. "Ah—yeah, of course! You can trust me completely," he said, his voice a little uncertain as he tried to match her seriousness.
Eveline laughed softly, her usual serene demeanor giving way to something lighter. "You're adorable, Arthur," she said, amusement dancing in her eyes as she noted his reaction.
Arthur blinked, confused. "What? Adorable? That's—wait, what's going on here?"
Althea's gaze remained skeptical, her arms crossed. "Saintess, you don't actually expect me to believe his words, do you?"
Eveline looked at Althea, her expression calm yet firm. "Of course not. But you believe in me, don't you?"