Viana returned to her room, visibly upset, and quickly changed her clothes with the help of Sina.
She asked the princess softly, "What's wrong, Your Highness? Did something bother you at the party?"
The Princess briefly glanced at Sina through the mirror, who was unbuttoning the back of her dress, then said, "It's nothing. I was just a bit annoyed about the arranged marriage topic."
Sina then looked at the Princess's reflection in the mirror and said, "You mean the arranged marriage with one of the Princes from Glyndale?"
"Yes, the topic ended when my father interrupted and asked the Duke to stop," Viana briefly explained to Sina.
"I see," she said, finishing up helping the Princess into her nightgown. She then bid Viana goodnight and left the room.
After Sina and the other maids departed, Viana lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and replaying the after dinner conversation in her mind.
She was still upset with Count Lazarus, who had dared to suggest that she was the one pursuing him.
'I will be more careful in the future,' she steeled her heart, knowing that what would happened in the future, might not happen to her in this life time.
***
Early in the morning, she already woke up, and startled the maids who were coming with Sina to wake her up.
Viana was planning to go to the temple today, with an excuse that she wanted to go to pray to the God, to calm her nerved brain.
But actually, she was wanted to meet with Kaley, her next target for her harem.
And the maids, including Sina, helped her without knowing what was in her mind.
So, now she was standing in front of her dressing table, looking elegant with her simple white gown, with her hair tied with little white flowers which were accentuated of her beauty even more.
Then she left her room, receiving admiring glances from her maids, who praised her as the most beautiful lady in the entire continent.
***
Viana stepped down from the carriage, escorted by Reyes, who served as her personal Royal Guard.
When she was about to step down, he reached out his hand to assist her.
She smiled warmly at him before taking his hand, gracefully stepping down to the ground.
'He really shows good manners for a commoner,' she thought, stealing a brief glance at his captivating eyes.
Reyes then extended his hand again, offering it for the princess to hold as they walked toward the temple.
Together, they entered the temple grounds, accompanied by admiring looks from the people, captivated by their striking presence.
As she walked along the temple's corridor, her footsteps echoed rhythmically in harmony with Reyes' steady pace.
Suddenly, she noticed the screen bar displaying the Love Percentage, showing a mere 9%.
She glanced at the screen briefly before lowering her head, silently cursing the system, 'You really have a twisted sense of humor with your percentages, d*amn system.'
The screen then flashed a mocking message:
[Thank you for the compliment.]
She read the words, and just as she was about to explode in frustration, a young man in his twenties, with striking white hair and deep purple eyes, emerged from behind the temple pillars.
It was Kaley, the priest who was both beautiful and handsome.
He wore a plain white priest robe, without the ornate decorations of the High Priest she remembered from her previous life.
She maintained her composure and walked in the same direction as him. As they neared each other, Kaley noticed them and immediately bowed to the Princess.
"Greetings, Your Highness Princess Viana," he said in a deep and soothing voice.
Still pretending she didn't recognize him, she released Reyes' hand and returned the bow as gracefully as possible.
"Greetings. I apologize, but how should I address you?" she asked with a slightly hesitant tone.
Kaley responded politely, keeping his head lowered, "Please, call me Kaley, Your Highness."
With the sweetest smile she had ever given, she said, "It's a pleasure to meet you. Please, don't hesitate to be at ease with me."
Kaley stood straight, momentarily stunned by the Princess' radiant smile. However, he quickly tried to calm himself down and maintain his composure.
"Is there anything I can assist you with, Your Highness?" he asked again, attempting to return her smile with a slightly awkward one of his own.
"Oh, if it's not too much trouble, may I ask for some assistance in preparing to pray?" Viana asked, her expression pleading, causing Kaley to grow even more flustered at the sight.
"O-of course, Princess. Please, this way," he replied while gesturing with his hand towards the temple hall designated for prayers.
She then walked beside Kaley, engaging him in conversation about various topics related to religion, while Reyes quietly followed behind them.
Kaley answered all of the Princess's questions enthusiastically, and she noticed that his ears had turned slightly red.
Then she began her prayer, while Reyes and Kaley waited silently at the edge of the hall.
Neither of them disturbed the Princess, but they stood apart, keeping their distance, and occasionally exchanged glances, observing each other carefully.
'A priest can be this handsome? He must already be a secret lover to some noblewomen,' Reyes thought, stealing a discreet look at Kaley.
Likewise, Kaley glanced at Reyes and silently mused, 'How fortunate this man is to be able to stay close to the Princess...'
But then, both of them were startled to hear the Princess's heartfelt prayer.
"I humbly ask that Reyes, my personal Royal Guard, be granted good health, strength, and resilience in his duties to protect me."
"And I also pray that Kaley, who has helped me today in preparing to worship You, be blessed with health and peace in his path of serving You."
Both of them remained silent until the Princess finished her prayer and walked toward them with a gentle smile on her face.
Her smile grew even sweeter when she noticed the Love Percentage above Reyes's head had risen to 10%.