At first, she seemed embarrassed, then her face stiffened. She raised her chin in an expression of defiance and arrogance.
âIsnât it strange for the High Priest to focus on an unmarried noble woman?â
ââŠ..What Iâm focused on isnât your status.â
âNot my status?â
Hubris became silent. The color of her soul was still purple, but how can he prove it? People see her as a lady of high stature and social standing in current aristocratic circles.
Whether she knew he was hesitating or not, she was trying to push Hubris away.
When he came to his senses, she had already disappeared. He couldnât sleep all night because he was bothered by the purple spirit that seemed to be torn. In his dream, his mother appeared, crying, saying it was his fault.
When they first met, he didnât even know her identity It wasnât until later when he gave her description to an apprentice priest that he discovered who she was,
He thought they might meet one day while going back and forth from the palace, but he didnât expect it to come so soon. Her soulâs color was still purple even when her feet collapsed beneath and tears were falling down her face.
She asked Hubris, with a hopeful voice, if there was some way for her to go back. As soon as he heard it, several books he had read thus far went through his head, but unfortunately he recalled that no stranger had left alive.
âIf there was no way out of this life, how would I ever have come into this world alive, right? There must be a way, but you donât know.â
âMy ladyâŠ..â
Shaking pupils, rapid breathing, a broken soul. Hubris saw a vision of his mother overlaid with hers. His motherâs soul was always red, bruised and torn.
âPlease find it. Since you are the High Priest, if you go back to the temple, you can find the material, right? So -.â
âMy lady! Listen to me.â
Scared of her collapsing at any moment, Hubris grabbed her arms. He started to explain the law of life, so that she could understand it bit by bit. He tried to convince her.
âAccept fate and live her life instead.â
Hubris wasnât sure what kind of expression he was making. He didnât know how desperate she was. Hubris slowly lifted her up from her collapsed position. Then he held onto her as if she was going to collapse again, and she somehow glanced up at Hubris with a determined look.
âNo, I donât want to.â
âHuh?â
âIf that is how the law of life works, then Iâll leave even if I must die.â
Hubris could not understand this. Why are they so willing to give up their God-given life? Is it because they couldnât stand the brief uncertainty and pain of the moment, so they went on a path that they would regret.
As if all the painful scenes were just an act, she said in a firm and confident manner.
âMy life was given to me by my parents, not by God. If you werenât conceived by the Holy Spirit, so would
you.â
Her words somehow stabbed Hubris in the chest.
The next place they met was at the temple. Her body that could not escape exhaustion was thin when she came with her escort.
Hubris rubbed her wrinkled brow and gave her divinity. As if she had woken up a bit, she looked at him with a slightly sullen expression. His hand gesture was covered with a veil.
According to the procedure, the holy water in the brass bowl should be slowly poured. When he turned over the wet veil, a pale, thin face appeared.
Now it was time to apply the perfume.
But Hubrisâs hand stopped. It was only then that he saw her face for the first time, as he had only seen a purple soul until now. Beautiful.
Oh, she opened her eyes. These are the eyes that shortened the time of early summer. The morning sun glimmered in her bluish green eyes. At those fluttering eyes, Hubris stopped breathing.
Even after everything was over and she left, Hubris still stood there stunned. Trying to find the reasons for his hesitation.
If you had to pick the person who is most precious to Hubris, he would definitely say that it was his mother, However, if he had to decide between his mother and Priest Metheusâs lives, well, he might pick Priest Metheus.
Because Metheus is a person who practices the universal good of mankind.
Due to the mercy of Priest Metheus, he was able to be born, and furthermore, Hubris realized that he had a future other than begging.
It was also Metheus who supported Hubris, after he was shocked by his motherâs death. He manually showed him how to do things one by one, all for Hubris, who doesnât know anything.
It was common thought to return his motherâs body to her original hometown, but with Priest Metheusâs consideration, they held his motherâs funeral there.
In other words, Metheus was the person who filled all the voids in Hubris. He was a father, a teacher, and a close friend. So, when he heard that Metheus was seriously ill, his eyes widened in shock.
Was it not Metheus who has been guiding Hubris and correcting him not too long ago? Yet why was Metheus in a critical condition now. As soon as Hubris heard the story, he immediately prepared to leave for the Boniteo region.
He couldnât make up his mind. Hubris suddenly lost his mother, so Metheus was his last remaining family member. He was not yet ready to let another person he loved go away.
He packed a suitcase and with his coat in one hand, he went out. The new official, who heard the news, gave him some advice.
âIf you have to go quickly, take the magic train. It will arrive faster than the carriage.â
ââŠâŠ.I see. Thank you for your advice. Please take care of the temple.â
âDonât worry about the temple. Bless you, as you go on your way.â
When Hubris entered the noisy station and stood anxiously at the ticket office, the staff made a troubled face.
âUm, High Priest. Originally, we would provide you with first class seats, but this train is strictly by reservation systemâŠ. Unfortunately, itâs already fully booked, so thereâs only one second class seat left, will you be okay with this?â
âThe seat doesnât matter.â
âI see. Then you can present the second class train ticket to Boniteo to the flight attendant.â
After the staff stamped and issued the tickets, he hurriedly picked up his luggage and boarded the train. After all, since he was the Hubris who usually leads a frugal life, the second class was quite luxurious.
After some time had passed and by the time he was ready to leave, he heard a knock on the door. Before he could even answer the knock, the door unlocked and she shot into his life once again.
Even when dressed like a peasant from the streets her attire was nothing short of a masterpiece of loveliness.
âTheâŠ.. looks likeâŠâŠ what theâŠ?â
âIs this outfit more important than the reason I visited you?â
He closed his mouth in shame. The guilt over having imagined such a thing even for a moment, was an added bonus. He looked silently to find out her intentions as she sat across his seat and lightly crossed her legs.
âI have to get off soon anyway, but my feet hurt, so Iâll sit down. All right?â
ââŠâŠWhat do you mean youâre getting off?â
âI want to meet Priest Metheus. Take me with you.â
She always speaks arrogantly. As if she had no choice but to say that Hubris wonât listen to her request.
When he asked her why she was looking at him because he felt the gaze, her half-hearted insinuation became rather poisonous. You want me to tear it apart again?
He couldnât understand how she could easily discuss tearing her soul so casually.