The Weight of Obsession
Kallen was consumed by rage and restlessness as he sought out Orsini.
“Brother!”
Orsini lay sprawled out in the center of the training grounds. It seemed he had thrown himself into fierce training the moment he arrived; his body was covered in beads of sweat.
“Brother, what is this? What do you mean Sister has disappeared!”
Orsini frowned, visibly annoyed.
“It’s exactly as I said. She left, claiming she didn’t want to come to Addis.”
“How can that possibly make sense? There’s no way Sister would leave!”
Kallen glared at Orsini with eyes full of suspicion.
“It must be that you did something inappropriate to her.”
At that, Orsini opened his closed eyes. He stared steadily at Kallen and replied.
“Inappropriate?”
“Yes.”
“What exactly?”
“You would know that better than anyone.”
“I have no idea what kind of rotten fantasies you’re entertaining, but I didn’t lay a single finger on her body.”
“Then why did Sister leave? Did you resort to violence against her again?”
“Are you out of your mind? Where would she even have a place that could be hit…”
Having spoken, Orsini seemed to find his own words awkward and fell silent. He spread his right hand and stared at it blankly. In a dazed murmur, he said, “Should I cut it off?”
“What? What are you talking about?”
Instead of answering, Orsini lowered his right hand. Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued.
“Kallen, whether you believe me or not, I did nothing to her.”
“Then why…”
“I don’t know. She must have her reasons for not wanting to come.”
Orsini smiled bitterly as he spoke.
In that instant, Kallen became certain.
Something had definitely happened between Sister and Brother. Something he knew nothing about.
That realization poured fuel onto the fire of Kallen’s anger.
He should have followed her after all.
Even if it meant canceling the engagement, I should have gone with Sister.
Bitter regret made his fingertips tremble.
Because of Princess Yoanna’s visit, he had been unable to follow Sister. He had pushed the role of witness for the marriage dissolution onto Orsini.
For Sister, there was only him.
There was only him.
The only person Sister could rely on was him. The only person Sister liked was him…
So why wouldn’t she return to him?
“…I should have brought her back.”
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
In a burst of anger.
Or perhaps, in all sincerity.
“I should have brought her back. By force if necessary. No matter what Sister said, I should have captured her first…”
His head spun. Kallen pressed a hand to his temple. Worry for Canna and a strange, seething anger tangled together in chaos.
Damn it.
His head hurt. Kallen clenched his trembling hand into a fist.
Yes, he was angry.
At himself for failing to follow Canna. At Orsini for letting her slip away. And.
At Canna.
At Sister, who had not returned to him.
“You crazy bastard.”
Orsini clicked his tongue as if he had read straight into Kallen’s heart. He rose to his feet and stood before him.
“You want me to forcibly drag back a child who left of her own free will? Are you telling me to tie her up like some kind of prey?”
Yes. Even if that was what it took.
The moment he finally recognized his true feelings, the turbulent emotions inside him suddenly grew still.
It wasn’t particularly surprising. In a way, it felt inevitable.
“Kallen, to me, you are the only one.”
It had been destined from the moment Canna said those words. For Sister, he had to exist.
“Yes. That is what I should have done.”
The next instant, Orsini seized Kallen roughly by the collar.
“Watch your tongue, Kallen Addis. She is not a beast. She has the right to leave whenever she wishes.”
“Do not compare my noble sister to a mere animal.”
He answered coldly.
“However, when she behaves foolishly, I must stop her by any means. That is what is best for Sister.”
“What utter bullshit.”
Orsini shoved Kallen away in disgust.
“It’s what’s best for you, Kallen.”
Yet Kallen’s expression remained unchanged as he calmly brushed out his wrinkled collar.
“Of course you wouldn’t understand, Brother. The bond between Sister and me is far deeper than anything you could possibly imagine.”
“Ha.”
The words must have been truly amusing, for Orsini laughed.
“Your delusion is almost pitiful, Kallen Addis. Canna, toward you…”
But he could not finish.
Orsini clenched his teeth. He barely managed to swallow back the words surging up his throat.
“Damn it.”
Then he strode past Kallen without another glance.
Kallen watched his retreating back with puzzled eyes, but soon pushed the matter from his mind.
For the next several days, Kallen devoted himself entirely to searching for Canna.
Princess Yoanna visited several times, but he had no time to see her. He had forgotten the engagement as if it had never existed.
Yoanna watched the silent Kallen without a word.
Strange.
Something was strange.
It’s strange. This isn’t like Sir Kallen at all.
And a few days later.
“Sister!”
The moment Canna returned to Addis, Kallen came running. He pulled her into a fierce embrace.
A wave of relief crashed over him.
“Sister, I was so worried.”
Now he felt like he could finally breathe.
Kallen was freed from the torment that had felt like burning alive. He released her from his arms and inspected her from head to toe.
“Sister, are you alright? You’re unharmed?”
“I’m fine.”
Thank goodness.
Kallen let out a deep breath of relief. Then he immediately cast a sharp glance behind her.
“By the way, who is that person?”
Canna hesitated for a moment. How should she introduce Raphael?
“My… priest.”
She didn’t want to call him a servant.
“Pardon?”
“He’s my personal priest. He listens to my prayers, hears my confessions, bestows blessings…”
“But isn’t he a defrocked priest?”
“Exactly, which is why he’s my exclusive priest. He simply isn’t affiliated with the Great Temple. A priest is still a priest.”
Canna spoke firmly.
“Raphael will stay in this mansion as my priest. Father has given his permission, so don’t worry.”
“Of course. If that is what you desire, Sister, then it must be done.”
Kallen answered with perfect obedience.
That wasn’t what mattered right now. He wanted to know why she had left the house. He wanted to hear the reason.
“Sister. If it’s not too much trouble, could you spare me a moment? I wish to speak with you.”
“Later, later.”
Canna smiled, carefully concealing her irritation.
“Later, Kallen.”
“…Understood. Please let me know anytime if you need anything.”
“I will.”
Canna gave a vague reply and headed to her room with Raphael.
Kallen quietly watched their departing figures.
From the look of things, Kallen seemed to know nothing.
Did Orsini say nothing at all?
Canna led Raphael to her room. After seating him on the sofa, she spoke with care.
“Raphael, do not call me Master in front of others. And do not act like my servant.”
“Yes.”
He did not even ask why. He seemed prepared to obey anything she said.
Good heavens. He’s far too gentle.
He was like an innocent lamb, and Canna felt a pang of guilt toward him.
She had reacted harshly out of irritation simply because he had been kind to her as the Holy Spirit’s daughter. Looking back now, she realized she had been truly furious at the time.
Why did I get so angry? I was such a fool.
From now on, she would treat him with genuine warmth. Having made that decision, Canna retrieved a jewelry box from her dressing room and held it out to him.
“Raphael, could you exchange everything in here for gold coins?”
“Yes.”
“Thank you.”
She had no idea when she might need to flee. She had to prepare in advance.
Through this incident, Canna had come to a realization.
Father would never permit her to live separately. Yet Canna had no intention of giving up. She would explore every possible method to escape the Addis family.
But what if she failed? Then she would run away in earnest.
I have no desire to go to the Great Temple.
The Holy Spirit had told her to come anytime, but she did not want to set foot there.
Going might be her choice, but leaving would never be easy. She had no interest in belonging to such a closed, oppressive organization.
And above all else.
I don’t want to see the Holy Spirit again.
The Holy Spirit. Arzenian.
That man who looked exactly like her. Her biological father.
Why? She could not say, but she felt an instinctive wariness. It was almost a primal premonition.
The Holy Spirit said Mother and Father hated each other.
Canna could not trust everything he had told her.
She wished Father—no, Alexandro—would speak, but that stubborn, tight-lipped man was unlikely to tell her willingly.
The request I made to Prince Argon must succeed.
She had asked him to investigate Alexandro. At this moment, that was her only hope.
“If it is acceptable to you.”
While she was lost in thought, Raphael spoke first.
“I will stay elsewhere.”
Huh? Canna did not immediately comprehend his words.
“If you need me, please hang a blue handkerchief by the window. I will come at once.”
“Ah, um. Alright.”
“May I take my leave?”
“Yes.”
“Then I shall go.”
As Raphael stepped out the door, he encountered the maid Leah who was just entering. Leah stared blankly at his retreating back before quickly shaking her head.
“I brought two cups of tea… but it seems the priest has already left.”
“Yes.”
“That priest, he’s… Ah, no. It’s nothing. Forgive me.”
With a flushed face, Leah hurried out of the room in a fluster.
It was astonishing. The ever-composed and meticulous maid Leah had never behaved like that before!
Well, I lost my composure for a moment when I first saw him too.
How to describe it—Raphael’s beauty went beyond mere handsomeness into something strangely sensual. It was difficult to look away.
With a face like that, he could gather quite a few believers if he engaged in missionary work.
Entertaining such pointless thoughts, Canna sipped her tea.
But where was Raphael going? Hadn’t he wanted to stay by her side?
His unexpected statement had left her flustered, so she hadn’t managed to ask where he was headed or where he usually stayed.
Well, even Raphael must have his own private life.
Canna pouted slightly as she examined the bundle of letters Leah had delivered. Most were party invitations. And then…
This one is from Prince Argon.
Her mind sharpened instantly. Canna sat up straighter and tore open the letter.
I’ve uncovered some incredible secrets.
It’s far too shocking to commit to paper. Mother would faint from surprise. Let’s meet and talk. The grand purification festival party in a few days would be ideal.
As a teaser, I’ll share the lightest and most trivial secret first.
That man currently has a mistress.
The first line came straight out without any greeting.
There was no subject, but she knew it referred to Alexandro Addis. After all, she had asked him to look into the man only recently.
Her heart began to race.
Mother would faint from surprise.
That sentence was a clear signal that he had discovered information connected to her mother!
Canna stared blankly at the sentence before letting out a sharp cry.
“Father has a mistress?”