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My desperate hand could not resist and gradually moved away from the plate. It was a natural result considering the difference in physique.

As soon as the plate left my grip, it flew into the sky. The top-grade steak, my life-long wish, flew through the air.

Flying steak!

Crash!

The plate shattered into pieces. Even the meat, which had looked so delicious just a moment ago, now lay forlornly on the ground.

The steak seemed to speak to me. My dream was to become an excellent steak, to be the flesh and blood of my master. I didn’t want to end up as food waste like this.

The steak seemed to be crying. 

I reached out my hand.

It hasn’t even been three seconds yet. If I quickly pick it up and brush it off, maybe it’ll be okay…!

I reached out my hand while kneeling on the ground, but Etienne was faster. His black shoes stepped on the pitiful piece of meat.

Sorry, master… I think I was wrong somewhere. Please go ahead… without me…

Snap.

The lifeline of the steak was cut right in front of me. I wanted to perform artificial respiration on the dead meat, but it had already crossed the River Styx [1] and could not be saved. 

Ah… my meat. We only met when I skipped my previous life and reincarnated.

Why do we have to separate like this again? Will we be able to meet again in the next life?

After barely accepting the unbelievable separation, I looked back at Etienne. He had a nonchalant expression that made it hard to believe he was the one who cruelly destroyed the steak.

“What are you doing? If you want to be angry, direct it at me, not at my precious friend, no, my food!”

“I’ll ask you one last time. Where is my stuff?”

“I don’t know!”

As I screamed in frustration, Etienne also clenched his teeth. His muscles moved sharply along his sleek jawline.

It felt like his anger was seeping into my skin.

Anger? Why is he angry? Who was the one who played around with the food first?

“Hey, are you angry? I’m angry too! Can’t we just talk about it? why do you keep acting like this towards food, huh? If you behave like this, you’ll go to hell! You’ll go to hell and spend your whole life getting beaten with a meat bat by steaks, you know!”

I blurted out curses as they came out of my mouth unconsciously.

Etienne scoffed as if it were pathetic, then took out a piece of paper from his pocket. The paper fluttered down onto my face.

“Ptu- what’s this?”

I nervously grabbed the paper. It was written in unfamiliar characters, but I could easily read it.

Divorce agreement.

“Sign it. Unless you want all your fingers to be cut off.”

Once again, steam rose from the top of my head at his threatening tone.

“Di-vo-r-ce? Who said I didn’t want to divorce? Did you think I would beg you not to divorce because of your handsome face? Hmph, you bastard! I hate men who don’t appreciate the value of meat! Get divorced right now!”

I screamed with a clatter.

I wasn’t sad at all.

In other novels, the male leads would cling on and refuse to divorce, but for me, it was easy. It’s a relief, it’s a relief.

Etienne, who had been staring at me with his eyes fluttering for a moment, turned around in a flash. Maybe it was because his legs were long, but he disappeared from my sight within a few steps.

“What a pain in the ass personality. Is it all about looks? You traitor bastard, I see through you! Should I be the only one to die? You’ll die soon too? No, I’m going to live now, so only you will die. Hmph, Thu thu thu!”

I shouted towards the empty space where he had left with fierce momentum.

Even though I ranted and cursed while signing the divorce agreement, my anger didn’t subside. I signed each page without realizing that I would regret it in just half a day, let alone in my dreams.

* * *

As soon as I finished signing, the priests who had snatched the paper away from me grabbed both of my arms and dragged me away.

I was crumpled up in a carriage and felt nausea creeping up as the unfamiliar jolting continued. Finally, the carriage stopped.

Squeak.

As I got off the carriage, the dry wind tousled my thick hair. I brushed my hair behind my ears and looked around, squinting my dry eyes.

In front of me stood a steep staircase and a partially collapsed temple above it. Judging from its size, I could imagine how huge and magnificent it must have been before it collapsed. It was a sight that I had only seen in Greek and Roman myths.

My mouth fell open in awe towards the Priest.

“Wow, it’s amazing, Sister Priest. It must have been even more impressive before it collapsed.”

“That’s right. Everyone praised the Temple of Zoadeus when it was in its full glory.”

The priest, who had been silent all this time, smiled contentedly as if reminiscing about the past.

Oh? This sister can also answer?

“But how did it collapse like that? It’s such a shame.”

The priest smiled and took my hand tightly.

“Don’t worry, Devotee. With the help of people like you, we will soon be able to restore the temple to its former glory.”

“Oh, what can I do? I can only offer words of comfort.”

I humbly removed my hands from hers. Sister Priest smiled.

She is smiling? Have we become closer today? Was she always the type to be reserved at first sight?

As I activated my signature positive booster. The priest spoke again.

“I’m just kidding. From now on, you have to work directly.”

“What?”

Clank.

Something filled my ankle frighteningly as she finished speaking. Huh? What is it?

It was too thick to be an ankle bracelet. It looked heavy…

I followed the end of it and found a single iron ball, almost the size of my face attached to it.

Oh! I’ve seen this in a movie. Why do they have something like this? Next to me, slaves were being whipped as they drag this iron bead…

Swish. Clang!

Yeah, that kind of sound.

I turned my head to find the source of the sound.

A muscular and sturdy priest was whipping the ground with a thick leather whip.

And there were people lined up, carrying stones.

Do they have the same iron ball as the one on my ankle…?

Am I seeing things right now?

I blinked my eyes.

The iron ball remained in its place.

[1] The River Styx is a concept from Greek mythology. It is often described as a river that forms the boundary between the world of the living and the realm of the dead. In Greek mythology, souls of the deceased had to cross the River Styx to enter the Underworld. The river is typically depicted as dark and mysterious.

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