A Trivial Extra in a Dating Sim

Daniel’s voice trembled slightly towards the end.

Despite my fascination with him, I was slightly at a loss.

To think that a face I had seen only through my phone was standing before my eyes!

‘Should I tell him to get up?’

Yewon remembered most of the routes, but she was not familiar with situations outside the main story. Her nose wrinkled as she started to feel flustered.

“Oh my. If it isn’t Count Kerillian.”

From the entrance of the temple that they were facing, the pope suddenly appeared accompanied by his priests. Behind Daniel, who had taken the lead, there was a carriage decorated in Freesia flowers and surrounded by knights.

“Arise. Sir Kerillian.”

Evanessa moved quickly. She could not allow Daniel to be talked to in such a humiliating way by the Pope. Instinctively, she called him by the title that Evanessa had used for Daniel in the game.

Daniel had been about to stand when he became intimidated by the Pope appearing right in front of him.

“I had heard that you had been appointed as the current commander of the Imperial Knights after the former count stepped down. It’s late, but congratulations.”

“Thank you, Sir Pope.”

“So then, take good care in escorting our Saintess to the Imperial Palace.”

The pope placed his hand on Evanessa’s shoulder, as she stood right beside him, and squeezed. It was meant to imply that she should follow the plan closely.

Evanessa deliberately twisted her body out of the Pope’s grasp.

“Then, I will take my leave.”

Evanessa’s lips raised slightly at their corners as she was escorted by Daniel and climbed into the flower carriage.

The smile on the Pope’s face disappeared as he watched the carriage fade into the distance. He muttered as he took back the hand that had been left hanging in the air.

“It seems that the saintess is still lacking in etiquette education.”

The shoulders of the assistant priest, who was standing near the pope, trembled. A month later, when Evanessa returns from her mission, it appears a storm will be waiting for her.

The high priest turned away from the carriage that had shrunk into a black dot on the horizon. It was time for the morning service to begin.

***

There was an awkward silence.

Evanessa rested her chin on her hand and gazed through the window at the street around her. The temple was located on the outskirts of the capital, so it took a little less than an hour by carriage to reach the Imperial Palace.

“Everyone is very diligent.”

Despite the early hours, the street was bustling. Merchants had already set up stands displaying their goods, and newsies ran between the people who were coming and going.

In the distance, Evanessa saw a huge palace seemingly built out of jade.

‘Ah, I want to learn about this world’s history.’

Daniel, however, seemed to have misunderstood something. The face that reminded Evanessa of a boy rather than a young man was strained with anxiety.

Daniel, appearing hesitant, opened his mouth.

“…I heard that the saintess is only allowed to go outside on special occasions.”

‘It must have been lonely’, that was the nuance underlying the words.

“Yes. If it was up to me, I would have left earlier.”

Yewon realized that she had been so distracted that she spoke without thinking through what she was saying.

Upon seeing Daniel’s eyes widen in surprise, she quickly corrected her statement.

“I meant that I used to be more impulsive when I was younger..”

“Ah.”

Fortunately for Evanessa, the conversation could not continue as the carriage slowed to a complete stop, even though there was still quite a bit of distance to cover in order to get to the Imperial Palace.

There was a knock on the window.

Only

“Captain.”

“What’s going on?”

“I think you should see for yourself.”

Daniel’s face hardened as he exchanged gazes with Evanessa.

With a serious look on his face, he opened the door. As soon as the door was only half-opened, a roar of shouts poured into the carriage.

“Saintess!”

“Saintess Evanessa! Please look at me one time!”