I’m a Former Saint Exiled to the Forest, but for some reason, the Cold-hearted Magician keeps visiting me. - Chapter 4.1

After that, Serge began visiting Evelyne every two or three days.

And every time, he brought something with him as a gift.

When he noticed Evelyne only had chipped cups, he brought her two charming new ones adorned with floral patterns—exactly her taste.

Whether it was food supplies or small daily necessities, whatever Evelyne mentioned she lacked would appear during his next visit.

One day, after Evelyne lamented missing out on the capital’s famous cuisine, Serge arrived with a freshly baked, steaming-hot dish that left her stunned.

“Lord Serge, what’s gotten into you? You always said magic should only be used when absolutely necessary and never wasted,” Evelyne remarked.

The meat-filled pastry he had brought looked delicious, but her curiosity outweighed her appetite. After all, Serge was the very person who had once insisted she stop using her purification powers so freely, even if it was to help others.

Evelyne and Serge had often crossed paths during their missions.

Magic was commonly used in monster subjugation, while purification powers were crucial on battlefields. It was natural for saints and magicians to encounter each other.

Both young and talented, they were frequently assigned to the same locations.

Magicians also needed purification after battles, so repeated encounters naturally led to conversation. On several occasions, they had worked together to resolve crisis.

Evelyne, often deployed alone, would join the soldiers or magicians’ circles to stave off loneliness. She enjoyed talking, and as a young woman, she was often doted on by those she worked with.

But there was one person whose demeanor never softened toward her—Serge.

Serge participated in monster subjugations as part of his duty or to gather materials for his research. Monster remains were often valuable, containing components like durable fangs, bones, or magical crystals.

When they first met, Serge had explained that he preferred to collect materials himself because the quality was better that way.

The battles against rampaging monsters were brutal, often leaving their bodies in gruesome conditions. While most saints would purify from a distance, Evelyne preferred to work up close, believing it conserved her energy.

It was during one such mission that she noticed Serge crouched beside a monster’s corpse, dismantling it with a knife.
His long black hair was tied up to keep it off the ground, swaying slightly with his movements. It was obvious he was a magician.
Evelyne, curious, approached him.

“Wouldn’t it be faster to use magic? That’s what most magicians do,” she asked, her tone tinged with exasperation.

Serge’s cold violet eyes flicked to her, and Evelyne immediately thought, He doesn’t like me.

“Magic is a technique that interferes with the natural laws of the world. Using it recklessly can have adverse effects on the surrounding environment. Moreover, it degrades the quality of the crystals,” he replied curtly.

It was the longest sentence Evelyne would ever hear from him. At the time, she didn’t fully understand his words and tilted her head in confusion.

“Oh, so magic can lower the quality of magical crystals if used nearby? That’s why it’s left to professionals. I didn’t know that. Honestly, I used to think magicians were just showing off when they cut monsters apart like that,” Evelyne said casually.

As she spoke, she realized the corpses near Serge were neatly dismantled with no wasted parts.

“That’s actually pretty impressive,” she admitted.

But Serge’s icy glare made her regret speaking.
“I wasn’t talking about you!” Evelyne quickly added. “I just meant it must be hard to work near so much corruption. If you keep working at this pace, the corruption will spread, and I’ll have a harder time purifying it. So, I was hoping we could cooperate. You know, since it’s my job too!”

Despite the venom in his gaze, Serge furrowed his brows slightly before turning back to his work.
“Purification doesn’t interfere with magic,” he muttered.

His terse response left Evelyne irritated. What a rude man, she thought. But instead of snapping back, she smiled sweetly.

“Thank you! I’ll just do my part, then!”
Her first impression of Serge had been, to put it bluntly, terrible.

Now, however, that same man was using magic to deliver freshly baked pastries.

What had changed? Evelyne couldn’t wrap her head around it, but Serge’s serious gaze was fixed on the pie in her hands.

“You once said it was a crime to serve hot food cold when it’s meant to be eaten fresh,” Serge explained.

“…So you used magic to bring it here hot?”

Serge nodded solemnly, and Evelyne couldn’t help but find it amusing. She suppressed a grin, knowing that laughing would only make his expression even grimmer.

“Saint Evelyne,” Serge began, his voice low.
Evelyne, worried she might have offended him, hurried to explain herself.

“No, no, I didn’t mean anything by it! I just found it… well, endearing. I’m grateful that you remembered what I said and even went out of your way to do this. Thank you so much.”

Her smile widened despite herself. Evelyne had never been good at hiding her emotions. The church elders had often scolded her, saying it was unseemly for someone of her position to be so expressive. But she couldn’t change her nature.

To Evelyne, being able to laugh was a blessing.