The Priest’s Fall Into Lustful Heat - Chapter 233

‘Stay calm. Calm…’

Payne squeezed the cross hanging from his neck and followed Ashtel out of the house.

Under the fresh afternoon sunlight, the two of them walked the winding path through the woods and finally arrived at a lake, where silver ripples shimmered in the sun.

“Wow! Payne, look at that!”

Because Ashtel had slept in, it was already past one o’clock by the time they arrived. They should have been thinking about lunch, but the view was so beautiful, it made them forget all about their rumbling stomachs.

“…I’m glad we came.”

“Right?”

“Yes. It’s beautiful.”

He never imagined he’d see a place like this in his lifetime.

After all, he was a priest of Katzel Medialle, sworn to a life of service. Every day, he woke at the same hour, offered the same prayers, did the same work, and met the same people—life was a repetition of routines.

But then, Ashtel had appeared, and everything had changed.

The future he’d once seen reflected so reliably in the mirror had been shattered to pieces, and though the sharp fragments sometimes cut him, in the end, he’d glimpsed a breathtaking world beyond the broken glass.

Payne stood in silence, taking in the golden afternoon sun and the tranquil surface of the lake. As they stood enjoying the moment, Ashtel suddenly tugged him over with a bright smile.

“Hey, Payne.”

He turned to her, and she rose on her tiptoes to whisper in his ear.

Her warm breath brushed his skin, and in an instant, the peace of the scenery was swept away.

“How about a bath together?”

“…What?”

“Well, the old doctor told me something interesting about this place.”

Payne stared blankly, half-expecting her to be joking, but the story that followed was surprisingly wholesome.

“She said this is the place from the old legend, you know? One of the twelve angels descended to bathe at this very lake, and she fell in love with a mortal man. They became lovers and had a child together—right here.”

“I’ve heard the story. It’s from the Empire’s ancient folklore.”

The child born of that union went on to be the Emperor’s right hand, uniting the tribes and founding the present-day Roxa Empire.

“Exactly! And since these legendary sites are full of divine energy, maybe soaking here will help with your curse, too!”

Ashtel clapped, with a radiant face as she urged him toward the water.

She looked so cheerful and innocent, it was hard to suspect any ulterior motive—until Payne remembered what she’d said just moments ago: Want to take a bath together?

‘Yeah, that’s definitely not all she has in mind.’

He instinctively edged away from her.

“I am interested in visiting legendary sites like this. But I’ll bathe alone, if you don’t mind.”

“What?!”

“I can’t trust you not to try something questionable.”

“Ugh.”

Payne wasn’t wrong.

But Ashtel had her own goal to accomplish here.

‘The grandmother said lovers who pledge themselves to each other here are blessed with a lifetime of happiness together…’

She’d dragged Payne out here for a reason.

What he didn’t know was that, according to a local legend, this was also the very place where the angel and her human lover made their vows to each other.

‘Lying together on the grass and whispering sweet promises of a shared future!’

Honestly, she never knew she liked romantic settings this much.

Seeing how mesmerized Payne was by the lake only strengthened her determination. She was going to propose to him here—no matter what.

So, just like the couple in the legend, she was going to make it happen.

“But Payne… We’ve bathed together before!”

“That was only because you forced me.”

“Forced?!”

“I was locked up. What choice did I have…”

The memory made Payne think of Ashtel’s slender waist, her soft skin, and those round, tempting hips.

He shook his head, pressing a warm hand to his forehead and turning away from her gaze.

‘Guess I’ll have to use that tool the wizard gave me.’

The strange slime thing—he’d kept it hidden from Ashtel, and hadn’t tried it yet, but if ever there was a place to use it, it’d be here, where he could wash it away in the water.

He just hoped it wouldn’t feel too weird.

“Geez, Payne, you’re so mean.”

“No, I’m not.”

“…Then why don’t you go first? I’ll wait here.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. You want to pray, right?”

It felt odd that she was giving up so easily, but Payne nodded, remembering how he used to purify himself at dawn and offer prayers to Katzel. He’d fallen out of the habit since leaving the temple, but the thought of praying here, by the lake, filled him with a kind of joy.

“Alright. I’ll be back soon. If you’re hungry, you can eat first.”

“Okay, go ahead.”

With that, Payne left Ashtel behind and walked into the lake.

Of course, there was no way Ashtel would just sit and wait quietly…