"Cardinal Bishop! What a pleasant surprise to see you again. But didn't you say that you won't be attacking me again? What a surprise to see that you went back on your word so soon?"

Mary had a cheerful tone, but its threat could not be missed. She was showing open hostility toward the pair in front of her, but the smile on her face remained just as it had always been.

"A demon, a god's vessel, and an abnormality. It's a dangerous combination. I need to eliminate them."

Priestess Cana spoke softly, but she had no emotion in her voice.

Her spearheaded toward Layla again with a sharp edge, but Mary's axe stopped the holy spear, causing the air to share as two opposite forces collided.

Raizel pushed Layla behind her as he got ready to defend her. He was not asking questions, but his determined gaze made the Cardinal smile.

The older man stepped forward, and Layla tensed up.

Something inside her told her that facing this man would result in a disaster she couldn't handle.

"What do you want? Do you want to make Duke Lockhart's household and me your enemy? If so, then you are more than willing to try."

Layla spoke confidently, but she knew better than anyone that she couldn't fulfill this threat.

Moreover, even if she could fulfill this threat, she would have to be alive for it to have any meaning.

Facing the Cardinal here would mean death for her, at the very least.

The Cardinal continued walking toward her, and Layla stepped back. But halfway through, the Cardinal stopped and grabbed Priestess Cana instead of anyone else.

"Ah, my apologies. I was told that the person who brought this slave ring to the public notice was a young lady from the Lockhart house. It made me curious to know more about her. But now I see that you are just an ordinary young lady.

There is no need for you to be this tense. As a vessel of God, Almeric, I will protect you and all those who live on this land. As long as you follow its rules, my protection shall extend to you."

The Cardinal grabbed the back of the priestess's robe before he dragged her away.

The priestess continued to protest this whole time, but the Cardinal did not listen to her and continued to do what he wanted to anyway.

As soon as the pair was gone, Layla sighed in relief.

"That was a close one. I was so sure that we were going to die…"

Layla spoke softly, and these words were not for anyone else to hear but her. Just thinking about these words made Layla blush, and she quickly looked away.

She had not meant to speak this loudly, but hearing her words made Layla shy.

Layla did not get much time to think about the Cardinal because the person she was here to meet quickly spotted her and came to her.

Small hands grabbed Layla's shoulder before they turned her around to face a concerned and flushed kid's face.

"Y-You are alive? And you made it out without being hurt? Thank god! I thought for sure…Anyway, why did you risk yourself? Did you know that it was dangerous? It would be best if you had backed out…ugh, I am babbling now."

Young Duke Daidus Lukewater looked as he spoke.

His face could not meet Layla's as he spoke, but he tried his best to convey his feelings.

Layla knew that the young duke was trying to be polite to her, but she could not help but find it hilarious and adorable to see the Duke try. It had been a long time since she had seen him this flustered.

"I…this is…"

The Duke let go as soon as he realized what he was doing, and Layla decided to cut him some slack.

"I am sorry, but you are not my type, young duke. I like older and more mature guys. Maybe someone in their late 30s or early 40s would be more of my choice."

An awkward silence followed Layla's words. She had only meant to make a joke, but it caused people to turn red before the young Duke quickly looked away with a flushed face.

"I…never asked you for your type. And I never said that I liked you either. Why does it matter to me if you like older guys or not? What does that have to do with me?"

The future Duke asked in a flustered voice.

But despite his speech, his face was quite red, showing that he felt embarrassed.

It made Layla crack out laughing, which added insult to injury. The young Duke flushed, but he did not say anything.

Once Layla started laughing, she had a hard time calming down. Daidus Lukewater stood there the whole time before Layla calmed down and looked him in the eye.

"Now that I am done laughing, I will tell you what I came here for. Future Duke Lukewater, I want to extend my formal friendship to you. I am Layla, a ward of Duke Lockhart. It's nice to make a formal acquaintance with you."

Layla gave a small but formal bow to the male heir in front of her.

Her social standing was far below his, but she showed far more grace at this moment than the man before her.

Her aura and her personality made the young Duke feel flustered. He did not look like he had anything left to say, and his face looked too flushed.

"I…this is…too…I will take your offer of friendship…. I think. But what does this even mean?"

Dukes did not have friends; they only had acquaintances. That was what Daidus had always been told by his teachers.

The people around him did not try to be his friends, either. Those who did want to be his friends only did so because of the benefits he provided.

He knew this already, but he could not see what kind of benefit he could provide Layla. She already seemed to have everything she could want.

So, this felt like a friendship worth investigating for him.