Chapter 98. Provocative Letter

"You didn’t have to humiliate him like that. Lord Edward was already at rock bottom," Miller chuckled as they walked, gently supporting Francesca by the arm.

The other local vassals were already dispersing around the misty cavern. Francesca cast a brief glance toward the fuming Lord Edward as he aggressively climbed into his carriage. She chuckled softly. "I know, but the look on his face was just too funny to pass up."

"I can’t deny that," Miller smiled as they finally reached their own carriage. Just as they were about to board, he noticed a familiar figure hurrying up to them. "Lord Jeckson Libert? Can I help you?"

"Ah... I am so sorry to interrupt Your Lordship and Your Ladyship," Lord Libert bowed deeply, greeting them with a polite but embarrassed expression. "It just so happens that my carriage has broken down, and I am supposed to visit little Selena at the church right after her classes finish. I was hoping to ask for a favor..."

Francesca smiled warmly. "Of course, you can ride with us. I actually wanted to talk to the little girl myself for a while."

Miller nodded in agreement, and the three of them climbed into the comfortable cabin.

Rattle... rattle...

As the carriage rattled along the snowy mountain path, Francesca looked across the aisle. "I am truly sorry for the immense trouble my brother caused you. We didn’t get to speak properly after your release from the dungeons, did we?"

Lord Libert shook his head gracefully. "I knew the inherent risks of working undercover for His Lordship, My Lady. I had already accepted them before I took the job. I was just unfortunate enough to get caught in a vicious scheme."

"However, a little girl was able to protect you, just as you once did for her. Your good deeds always come back to you," Miller commented from his seat next to Francesca. "In fact, I was thinking of officially putting you in charge of the orphan children. After all, you are far more familiar with their needs than Kenny is."

Lord Libert blinked in surprise. "My Lord, that’s... I couldn't possibly take over such a massive responsibility from Mister-"

Before he could protest and put himself down, Miller interjected smoothly. "Ah, come on now. Kenny was only temporarily assigned to that role since you were busy spying for me. I always intended for you to take over the permanent position."

"Then... I am deeply honored," Lord Libert nodded, a humbled, defeated smile crossing his face.

Main Hall, The Chapel, Ironwood Viscounty

"You should at least come on full moon nights to pray, My Lady. How can you be so negligent in the Goddess's service?" Priest Roland sighed heavily, looking down at Francesca as she sat comfortably on the wooden pews.

Miller and Lord Libert seated nearby, quietly waiting for Selena and the other children to finish their afternoon classes.

"What? Me? As far as I am concerned, Miller isn’t exactly diligent with his prayers either!" Francesca protested, shooting a glare at her husband, who was desperately trying to contain his laughter on the bench near her.

"Lord Miller usually recites a small prayer at least once a week when he comes to patrol the chapel grounds," Priest Roland countered, adjusting his robes. "I understand that Your Ladyship possesses vast theological knowledge, you could even correct me on my own scriptural mistakes… but still... please try to be a bit more devoted, My Lady."

Francesca sighed softly. I just want to laze around in my free time...

"Fine," she relented. "I will try to pray at least once a month during the full moon."

"That is barely the minimum, My Lady... most nobles usually-" Priest Roland just gave up midway through his lecture with a long, suffering sigh. He turned around to face the grand statue of the Goddess, whispering, "Please protect this maiden with your endless love."

"Brother Jeckson!"

The piercing, joyful squeal of a little girl rang out across the large, echoing hall. Selena burst through the heavy wooden doors and rushed straight toward the pews, launching herself through the air. Lord Libert quickly stepped forward, catching her securely in his arms with a bright laugh.

"I told you it’s dangerous to just jump forward like that," Lord Libert gently reprimanded her, though his smile never faded.

Following closely behind her, the rest of the orphanage children started crowding out of the adjacent classroom and flooding into the main hall.

"Look, it’s Brother Jeckson!" "Her Ladyship and His Lordship are here too!"

The children excitedly swarmed around the three adults, circling them with bright, glowing faces as they fired off all sorts of questions and happily recounted everything they had learned in class that day.

Amidst the joyful chaos, Priest Roland hurried over and quietly slipped a sealed envelope into Miller's hand. "Ah... this arrived from the Northern Central Church for you today, My Lord," he murmured respectfully, before quickly retreating to attend to his other clerical duties as the children continued to crowd the adults.

Francesca smiled warmly among the lively orphans around her. Miller engaged with them just as enthusiastically, a bright, genuine grin stretching across his face. Yet, beneath their cheerful facades, a deep and silent sorrow resonated between the couple. Being surrounded by so many children was a beautiful moment, but it was also a painful, lingering reminder of the family they had recently learned they could never create, a heavy grief that could not be easily faded.

Rattle... rattle...

After lingering to chat for a while longer, they finally left the chapel and boarded their carriage to head back to the castle. The winter sun had long since set, abandoning the sky to the harsh, freezing snowfall that defined the long northern winter nights.

“It... it was nice spending time around the kids... right?” Miller commented softly, his eyes fixed on the frosted glass of the window.

“Yeah... it really was,” Francesca replied, forcing a fragile smile.

A thick, suffocating heaviness settled over the small cabin. An awkward silence stretched between them, filled only by the rhythmic, hollow rattling of the carriage wheels grinding against the icy road.

Desperate to break the unbearable, grieving tension, Miller reached into his heavy coat pocket and pulled out the envelope Priest Roland had given him. “Ah... that’s right. A letter arrived from the Northern Central Church today, for some reason.”

Understanding his unspoken intention to distract them both, Francesca nodded and leaned in close, pressing against his side to peer over his arm as he broke the heavy wax seal. They scanned the elegant, official handwriting together.

As they finished reading the very first few lines, their shared sorrow instantly evaporated, replaced by a surge of burning, protective rage.

“How dare they?!” they hissed in perfect, furious unison.