I’m a Former Saint Exiled to the Forest, but for some reason, the Cold-hearted Magician keeps visiting me. - Chapter 7.2

Evelyne caught the fleeting irritation that flashed across the bishop’s face before it was replaced with a practiced, gentle smile.

“Saint Leticia is truly the epitome of sainthood.

Now then, about this… measuring device, was it?”
At that point, the magical display ended.

Evelyne, rattled by what she had just witnessed, turned to Serge. He looked at her calmly and asked,“What will you do?”

“What will I do? What am I even supposed to do? I don’t understand what you’re trying to achieve,” she replied, her voice trembling.

Serge fell silent for a moment, as if contemplating her words.

“I want to prove something,” he said finally.

“Prove what? How to distinguish purification powers?”

“No. I want to prove your accomplishments.”
Evelyne felt his arms tighten around her as he continued.

“When I heard that you had been branded a criminal and sent to the Forest of Corruption, my first reaction was anger.”

“Well, considering you know the work I’ve done, it’s only natural you’d find the rumors baseless. Someone like you, who despises injustice, couldn’t accept that,” Evelyne said lightly, trying to defuse the tension.

“What I couldn’t accept was how unfairly you were treated.”

He shifted his gaze, meeting hers directly. The calm, detached violet eyes she thought she knew were now burning with intensity.

“I dislike irrationality. At first, your unpredictable ways irritated me. You disrupted my order, constantly throwing me off balance. You were nothing but a source of frustration.”

“Ahaha, well, I apologize for that… though I’d say it was mutual,” Evelyne replied nervously.

“But then, I found myself craving that irrationality. I couldn’t stop watching you. I began to dream about encountering you at work, imagining the first thing you’d say to me. It was your fault.”

His words, meant as an accusation, made Evelyne’s chest tighten in a way she didn’t expect.

Serge had brought them down to the ground, but he still refused to let go of her.

“I thought I’d always see you. As long as I was a magician and you were a saint, I believed our paths would inevitably cross. But nothing in this world is guaranteed.”

“So you researched, developed a device to measure purification powers, and came to see me just to restore my status as a saint?” Evelyne asked.

“That’s not entirely correct.”

His quiet denial caught Evelyne off guard. Serge, who had been unusually verbose, now hesitated for the first time.

“I intended to restore your honor. But I couldn’t predict what you would want.”

“Whether I’d leave the country or return to being a saint?”

Serge nodded solemnly.

“You once told me you wanted a peaceful life, tending to fields like you did at the church. If that’s the case, there’s no need for you to return as a saint. Fleeing to a foreign land, where no one knows you, would also be a logical choice.”

Hearing his response, Evelyne felt a sharp pang of disappointment within herself.

“So, your plan was to help me escape? That’s cruel. After everything, you’d just throw me away like that?”

Her words carried a hint of bitterness, but Serge tilted his head slightly, his expression faintly puzzled.

“If you wish to escape, I’ll return to gather your belongings. Wait here for half a day.”

Immersed in her own dark thoughts, Evelyne almost didn’t catch what he said.

“…Did I hear you wrong? It sounded like you were suggesting you’d come with me.”

“You heard correctly.”

“Wha—what are you saying!? Why would a royal court magician accompany a disgraced criminal like me? You’ve done nothing wrong! Leaving the country with me is the epitome of irrationality! Did you eat something bad!?”

“I haven’t eaten anything bad, but I’ve been living a nightmare without you,” Serge replied smoothly.

Evelyne gawked at him, speechless. Serge, unperturbed, reached out to gently stroke her golden hair, as if confirming that she was really there.

“I can’t approach you through rational means. So, I decided to figure out what you want, one step at a time. I thought I might come to my senses eventually, but I never did.”

His expression remained as serious as ever, his composure unbroken. Yet every word he said made Evelyne’s heart race uncontrollably.

“The first time, I wasn’t in time. But this time, I won’t lose you. To me, letting you go is the greater irrationality.”

“…Do you know what that’s called?” Evelyne asked, her voice trembling as she tried to maintain her composure.

For the faintest moment, Serge’s eyes softened. It was barely a smile, but it was enough.

“I desire your love.”

Unable to hold back any longer, Evelyne threw her arms around his neck, clinging to him tightly. She breathed heavily, struggling to contain the overwhelming joy coursing through her.

But when Serge returned her embrace, she realized there was no need to hold it back.

“Take all of it, then. It’s yours, you idiot…!”

“…Isn’t this the kind of situation where women care about atmosphere?” Serge asked dryly.

“Not me. I gave up on things like that the moment you confessed your love. Do you know how hard I worked not to misinterpret your constant visits as you trying to court me?!”

“So, my intentions were clear?”

“Wait, so you were courting me!?” Evelyne exclaimed, pulling back to look at him. Serge’s expression grew slightly annoyed.

“I only dedicate this much time to you,” he said firmly.

“That’s true. No one knows that better than I do,” Evelyne replied, her voice soft with affection.

Her own feelings, clouded for so long, were now clear. Smiling shyly, she noticed that Serge’s features had returned to their usual calmness.

“What will you do?” he asked. “Saint Leticia has resolved to prove her strength here. Whatever you decide, I will follow.”

Evelyne glanced at him and then inward, questioning her own desires.

Did she want revenge, or peace?
Her answer came easily.