Chapter 14

He did not bother to summon Haron. He considered the fact that Haron had not revealed himself, even when the Pope himself was under threat, to be a clear expression of his stance.

 

‘Why haven’t my powers returned yet?’

 

Inside him, the vast divine power granted by three gods still surged and churned—but the abilities bestowed by the gods were gone.

 

That alone was enough to make the Pope feel utterly hollow.

 

“Is that truly such a grave sin? A Saintess ought to use her power widely, for the sake of the world….”

 

Another voice within him reproached him.

 

You possess such power as well—so why can you not live that way?

 

The Pope could list countless reasons.

 

His mind rejected each of them one by one, yet another part of him accepted them as valid.

 

A Saintess must work for the world.

 

Because for him, it was exhausting and painful.

 

Because he didn’t want to do it—because it was difficult, because it hurt.

 

And so, in the name of the Goddess, weaker Saintesses must be bound and sacrificed.

 

That was how it had always been.

 

For hundreds of years, it had continued this way.

 

So all they had to do was follow it. If just one person were sacrificed, how many lives could be saved? Knowing that—and still….

 

“I can’t give this up! I won’t! Do you know what I sacrificed for this?! For the sake of the Holy Knights gravely wounded by Duke Tesseia, I absolutely—!”

 

Knock. Knock.

 

The soft sound echoing through his vast office felt like thunder.

 

Startled out of his muttering, the Pope flinched and snapped sharply,

 

“Who is it?!”

 

“High Priest Julius has returned.”

 

Returned?

 

It was only natural that Duke Lyon, after everything that had happened, would send Julius away.

 

Still, irritation surged within the Pope.

 

That Julius—who had failed at even the simple task of shaking the Saintess’ resolve—felt as contemptible as Haron himself.

 

“Tell him to enter.”

 

When he replied in a subdued voice, the one beyond the door sounded relieved.

 

The door opened quietly, and a handsome priest stepped inside.

 

The Pope frowned. Even that pleasing face irritated him now.

 

Click.

 

Even the small sound of the door closing grated on his nerves.

 

“…What is it?”

 

Though he already knew why Julius had come, he deliberately asked in a rough tone.

 

Julius did not even appear flustered.

 

“Your Holiness. The Saint has issued a warning regarding Entinus.”

 

“What…? Entinus?”

 

The Pope was about to snap, but the concern in Julius’s eyes was genuine.

 

Seeing the Pope’s confusion, Julius began to explain calmly.

 

In truth, he had intended to warn him the day after the Pope met with Leticia—but having returned to the Grand Temple earlier than expected, he spoke at once.

 

“Is not the jewel embedded in Your Holiness’s heart the heart of Entinus?”

 

Julius’s words struck the Pope’s chest with chilling force.

 

All he had known was that the Goddess had taken a fragment from the necklace of a former Pope and replaced his heart with it.

 

By the time he became a priest, the jewel had already been enshrined in the temple, shining at the throats of successive Popes.

 

‘Am I… being abandoned by the Goddess?’

 

His heart began to pound violently.

 

As he turned pale and braced himself against the desk, Julius hurried toward him in alarm.

 

But the Pope could not even raise a hand to stop him.

 

Despair wrapped around him like an inescapable mire.

 

 

***

 

 

So the day had finally come.

 

She had not particularly been waiting for it, and the time since receiving the invitation had not been long.

 

And yet, Leticia felt herself growing unnecessarily tense as the maids helped her change.

 

Perhaps sensing her state of mind, Terdis had not touched her the night before.

 

With Carlisle injured and Leticia surely shaken, he had simply held her and slept—nothing more.

 

Lost in thought, she barely noticed when her preparations were complete.

 

She joined Terdis downstairs, where Carlisle was waiting.

 

At breakfast, she asked about his wound, but Carlisle insisted it no longer troubled him.

 

He had already been examined by the family healer.

 

She wanted to inspect it herself, but did not press him.

 

If she used her divine power again, it would likely heal without even a scar.

 

“Let’s go.”

 

For some reason, Carlisle looked to be in a good mood—but Leticia did not notice.

 

With a tense expression, she boarded the carriage with her family.

 

Seated beside her, Terdis watched her with quiet concern.

 

“…Are you very nervous?”

 

He wanted to say they should not go at all, but feared even that might burden her.

 

“A little. I’ll be fine once we arrive.”

 

Often, worrying beforehand was harder than enduring things once they actually happened.

 

Not always—but often.

 

She had accepted the invitation intending to see Isello in person anyway.

 

Her last visit to see the Pope had gone strangely thanks to Duke Tesseia’s intervention, but still—she thought it would be fine.

 

‘It’ll be awkward. Really, really awkward.’

 

She was glad to see Cesare again after so long, but the thought of facing Godfrey and Sebastian dampened her mood.

 

‘Let’s be satisfied with Isella becoming Isello. Just eliminating the possibility of Terdis being taken from me is already a huge gain.’

 

She glanced at Terdis, steadied herself—and when he tilted his head as if to ask Why?, she squeezed his hand tightly.

 

He looked bewildered.

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

Leticia resolved that once they returned to their room at the Lyon estate, she would thoroughly ruffle his hair.

 

With that thought, she calmed herself.

 

By then, the carriage had turned onto the road leading to Duke Tesseia’s estate.

 

 

***

 

 

“Welcome! Duke Lyon—and greetings to the young ducal couple as well!”

 

At the voice greeting them the moment they stepped down, Terdis’s expression nearly twisted.

 

Leticia hurriedly schooled her face, while Carlisle looked genuinely surprised.

 

Beside Aaron, Duke Tesseia himself, stood Cesare—and Crown Prince Edward.

 

Carlisle, Leticia, and Terdis alike hastily paid their respects.

 

“Your Highness. What brings you here?”

 

“Are the two Duchies and the Imperial Family not in-laws? So, I received an invitation as well.”

 

“His Highness merely sought refuge here to escape the matchmaking Her Majesty arranged—no need to concern yourself.”

 

Aaron’s casual revelation made Edward look indignant.

 

It was true he had fled the Empress’s tea party under the excuse of helping Cesare—but he had not fled a matchmaking.

 

The Empress had not been so blunt as to embarrass the foreign princess he was meant to meet today.

 

Had it been an outright arranged match, he could not have escaped.

 

“Come in, Leticia. Thank you for coming. …And you too, Terdis.”

 

Seeing Aaron greet the Lyon family with a kindness never before witnessed, Edward forgot his protest.

 

He nudged Cesare at his side.

 

“Is he capable of making that kind of face?”

 

“He’s with his family.”

 

“The imperial family is family too.”

 

…What is he saying?

 

Everyone present looked at Edward as if to ask what nonsense he was spouting.

 

Edward, perfectly serious, replied, “I mean… the blood of Luendal.”

 

“That Your Highness thinks so honors us greatly.”

 

It was Carlisle who smoothly mended the awkwardness.

 

Edward sent him a grateful look and went inside with him.

 

Aaron’s gaze lingered on Leticia.

 

“The journey here… was it difficult?”

 

“No. Thank you for inviting us.”

 

Leticia forced her gaze upward as she answered.

 

Aaron nodded in silence.

 

He did not dare hope for a warm father–daughter relationship.

 

Being able to meet her face-to-face like this was enough.

 

“Father has been waiting outside for you for over an hour.”

 

When Cesare whispered this, Leticia looked at him in surprise—then at Aaron.

 

Startled, Aaron turned away.

 

“Let us go inside. You as well.”

 

“Yes, Father-in-law.”

 

Terdis replied without hesitation.

 

A faint crack seemed to form in Aaron’s expression—but Leticia, feeling her heart grow just a little lighter, followed them inside.

 

 

***

 

 

The banquet hall was set up in the largest dining room of Duke Tesseia’s estate. The table, spacious enough for everyone to sit around, was lined with such incredibly lavish food that merely looking at it made one’s mouth water. Leticia exchanged light greetings with Godfrey, Sebastian, and the others in the dining hall.

 

Though the greetings were stiff and awkward even to onlookers, they seemed satisfied with just that much. Becoming close all of a sudden would have been impossible, after all.

 

Finally, Cesare introduced Isello. It seemed he thought Leticia might get jealous if Aaron introduced him personally.

 

“I’m Isello. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Leticia….”

 

‘What do you mean, Lady Leticia? You should call her Sister.’

 

If this were a scene from a game, Aaron would have said that to Isello. But Aaron said nothing to Isello, who addressed her as Lady Leticia. Leticia felt conflicted about what to say.

 

‘Is this child a good person? What is the intention behind becoming the adopted son of this family? What if there is an ulterior motive, or if this is to interfere between Terdis and me…?’

 

Various thoughts swirled in her mind, but there was only one thing she could say right now.

 

“You truly bear a strong resemblance to my mother. Nice to meet you, Isello.”

 

Since she didn’t know what kind of person he was yet, there was no need to get close. She thought a formal greeting was sufficient, but even that made Isello’s eyes sparkle with joy.

 

‘Gasp! Thank goodness! That’s the first mild reaction I’ve gotten!’

 

The male lead beside Leticia was looking at him with suspicious eyes, but at least Leticia, who played the villainess role, did not seem hostile toward him.

 

It might be a ploy to look good in front of the two Dukes or the male lead, but it was a relief. Sebastian, who was itching to bully him openly, had scared him thoroughly.

 

“You’d better do it right tomorrow! If Tisha feels even the slightest discomfort because of you, I don’t care what Father says, I’ll kick you out immediately!!”

 

Sebastian, who had wanted to lock Isello in his room until the very last moment, looked disgruntled that his argument had been ignored. However, the moment Leticia arrived, he was beaming like a cat as if nothing had happened.

 

‘It gives me goosebumps!’

 

Isello glanced at Sebastian and then offered a friendly smile to Leticia.

 

“Thank you for saying so.”

 

Aaron felt uncomfortable with Isello’s extremely formal language but did not point it out. It was too much to expect Leticia to think of him as a younger brother when he had appeared so suddenly. He couldn’t risk widening the distance that had narrowed slightly by forcing him to call her ‘Sister’.

 

‘Fortunately, Leticia doesn’t seem to view Isello negatively, so let’s watch for now.’

 

Since Leticia was a kind child, he thought she would soon become friendly with Isello. Aaron organized his thoughts and looked at Edward.

 

“We should begin the banquet before the food gets cold. Your Highness, please take a seat.”

 

Because the Crown Prince, an uninvited guest, had arrived, the banquet was set to revolve around him. Knowing this, Cesare looked at Leticia apologetically, but she didn’t care either way. Her goal was simply to confirm if Isella had truly become Isello.

 

‘He looks so pretty…. Is he really a man?’

 

The seat of honor was taken by the Crown Prince, not Aaron, the head of the house. To his left and right sat Carlyle and Aaron. Beside Aaron sat Leticia, Terdis, and Isello, while beside Carlyle sat Cesare, Godfrey, and Sebastian.

 

If the Crown Prince hadn’t barged in, the seating arrangement would have been more flexible, but since he was here, it couldn’t be helped.

 

‘Is being the Crown Prince all that matters?!’

 

Sebastian, who had essentially been kicked to the very end of the table, looked at Edward with sullen eyes before being kicked under the table by Godfrey. Fine-colored wine was poured into each glass, and Edward raised his glass first.

 

“It is a joy for family to gather together. For being able to share this joyous day, I should first thank the head of the house, Duke Tesseia….”

 

From his slanted position, Cesare was staring at Edward with eyes that promised retaliation if the toast dragged on. At this, Edward hurriedly wrapped up his speech.

 

“Hoping that the glory and blessings of the Luendal Empire pour equally upon these two amicable families, cheers!”

 

Leticia was lost for words at a lightness not usually seen in Imperial events. Seeing that neither Aaron, Carlyle, nor her three brothers reacted much, it seemed this was his true nature. Even Terdis seemed slightly surprised, but he ended it by lightly raising his glass like the others.

 

He leaned toward Leticia and said, “It seems His Highness is extremely intimate with the Tesseia Duchy.”

 

“Right?”

 

She knew he was close with Cesare, but she didn’t know it was to this extent. While they whispered, food was being moved to their plates. At the urging to eat before it got cold, Leticia also picked up her fork.

 

 

***

 

 

Pope Nicholas sensed it intuitively. The fact that the divine power currently filling his body to the brim would be depleted once used and would not be replenished.

 

That was why, even though reattaching the arms and wrists of the Holy Knights would have been simple using his ability, he did not treat them himself and summoned other priests instead.

 

The clergy of the Grand Temple simply assumed the Pope was refusing to use his power out of anger at Duke Tesseia’s tyranny.

 

‘Entinus is on the verge of resurrection?’

 

The news Julius brought wasn’t exactly that, but it was similar. The Pope looked around anxiously.

 

Until yesterday, he had never felt a threat to his personal safety. The general opinion was that the Holy Knights protecting the Pope were comparable to the Imperial Knights.

 

But when he recalled them collapsing without even swinging a weapon against Aaron, he became uncontrollably anxious.

 

‘The Goddess will not save me this time! Is that all? She might coldly hold me accountable for the sins I have committed until now.’

 

Trembling, he looked at the large statue of the Goddess enshrined in one corner of his office. Just as High Priest Orlando had received divine power from Goddess Asteria, the statue in this office belonged to Goddess Asteria as well.

 

The statue, which he had always found reassuring, now instilled fear in him just by looking at it.

 

‘Why, why now of all times! If she had scolded me when I first committed a small wrong, I wouldn’t have ended up like this….’

 

Looking back, he hadn’t committed such grave sins. He hadn’t sold off the Saintesses; they were living their own lives, adapting in their own ways. Of course, he hadn’t actually checked how they were living.

 

‘If they hated it, they would have run away or something…. Are they the only women in arranged marriages? There must be countless noble ladies living like that….’

 

He felt angry and resentful, but now was not the time to argue about such things. The power of the celestial goddess was mighty, and he could not give it up. It felt as though death was right under his nose.

 

The Pope fidgeted restlessly before standing in front of the Goddess’ statue. It didn’t take long for him to slowly kneel and bow his head.

 

“Please…. I was wrong, Goddess. I will never again use a Saintess for personal gain…. I will not pretend not to know when High Priests abuse Saintesses……. I will also abolish the foolish traditions that have persisted within the Order under the guise of custom.”

 

He lay prostrate at the foot of the statue and begged continuously, but there was no sign of the gifts from the Goddess or the other two gods returning. No, it was doubtful if the Goddess was even listening to him.

 

The Goddess had given him chances for a long time, and he only realized after losing all his abilities that he had kicked those chances away time and again out of arrogance.

 

The Celestial Goddess was a ruthless being when it came to sin. But the Pope, who had received her power for so long, could not possibly give it up.

 

How could he give up those sweet abilities? He was thinking that once he got his hands on Leticia, if he reflected and fasted in the prayer room for a few days, he might regain his powers.

 

But right now, his life was hanging by a thread. He feared that the gods had taken all his abilities with the intention of killing him.

 

“Please, Goddess…. Your servant begs you like this!”

 

Touching his forehead to the carpet, the Pope bowed deeply and begged over and over. Suddenly, the door burst open, and the Pope lifted his head in shock.

 

“W-What is the meaning of this?!”

 

“Your Holiness, you must flee! Now…. Argh!”

 

A monster that had followed him inside flew up with a flutter and tore into the priest’s neck. It had wings like a grasshopper and a body like a lizard. Its teeth were jagged and protruding, turning the priest’s neck bloody in an instant.

 

The Pope was startled, but he reflexively suppressed his divine power. He had almost helped him inadvertently, but if he consumed divine power to help him, it was obvious it wouldn’t recover. He couldn’t use his divine power for the life of a mere priest.

 

“Aaaargh! Your Holiness!”

 

A second and third monster latched onto the priest’s body as he flailed, begging to be saved. The Pope, with a panicked face, ran to a nearby candlestick and picked it up.

 

‘Why are these things…. Is this not the holy Grand Temple?!’

 

He was the Pope, but usually, there were no guards stationed in front of his room. There was a lower priest attached to attend to him, but he had ordered him not to come until called because he was distraught.

 

Using the candlestick as a weapon, he stepped out of the office, only to see lower priests in the hallway, who appeared to be already dead, being devoured by monsters.

 

Kirrrk, kirrrrr….

 

“Huk!”

 

He had seen quite terrible sights in his youth, but it had been a long time since he had seen something like this. As he let out a groan of shock, the monsters focused on eating the corpses raised their heads, looked at the Pope, and vibrated their insect wings.

 

“Why is no one…. Is anyone there! Argh!”

 

The monsters flew up from the corpses and darted toward the Pope. Before the Pope could even swing the candlestick he was clutching like a treasure, a blue light traced a long arc, slicing through the monsters.

 

“Your Holiness! Are you unharmed!”

 

“Ha… Haron.”

 

Haron appeared, covered in fluids that seemed to belong to the monsters. Usually, the Pope looked down on him with the satisfaction of seeing a well-tamed dog, but never had his presence felt as significant as it did now.

 

Haron had not appeared alone. Three Holy Knights were following behind him. It seemed they had cleared the path on their way here, as the cries of monsters and the sound of wings could no longer be heard.

 

Seeing that the Pope was safe, two Holy Knights entered the office and cut down the monsters inside. The Pope flinched and rolled his eyes upon seeing this. It wasn’t because he felt even a sliver of guilt for abandoning the priest inside and fleeing outside alone. He was afraid they might have noticed something.

 

‘Surely they do not think I abandoned that man and fled?’

 

The Pope originally possessed immense divine power and could wield holy magic. So, looking like this, holding a candlestick as a weapon, must look ridiculous. The Pope quickly set the candlestick down to the side.

 

Haron approached with an unreadable expression and knelt on one knee before him.

 

“Some of the poor from the relief shelter have turned into monsters and invaded the Grand Temple. The monsters might be targeting Your Holiness, so Priest Julius sent a message that you must flee. I also believe it would be best for Your Holiness to evacuate for now.”

 

He said it was some of the poor, but in reality, those few people were spewing out a massive number of monsters, so the numbers were significant.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

“I will explain on the way. I have ordered a carriage to be prepared, so hurry.”

 

At Haron’s urging as he stood up, the Pope hurriedly followed him. The two Holy Knights who had cleared the office were also following them. Given there was no mention of the priest, it seemed he had not survived.

 

‘Ah, that is good.’

 

The Pope felt a sense of self-loathing at the thought that inadvertently seeped in, but he immediately denied his own feelings.

 

Haron merely glanced at the Pope, who seemed to flinch, but said nothing. Soon, the front courtyard of the Grand Temple opened, and the carriage carrying the Pope sped out of the temple.

 

 

***

 

 

The Imperial messenger arrived at Duke Tesseia’s estate just as the meal was winding down and dessert was being served. Leticia, having received her favorite ice cream, was happily eating it. Aaron and his three sons were gazing at her while pretending not to.

 

‘It is exactly as Duke Lyon said.’

 

The food served at today’s banquet was prepared based on information Carlyle had provided. When Aaron swallowed his pride and asked for details about Leticia, Carlyle had briefly sent over the Lyon family’s head chef.

 

Consequently, the banquet was filled exclusively with Leticia’s favorite dishes. While the men were secretly pleased to see her eating well, they cast annoyed glances at the servant approaching urgently.

 

“What is the matter?”

 

“A messenger has arrived from the Imperial Palace. He says he must see His Highness the Crown Prince….”

 

Everyone’s eyes naturally turned to Edward. Edward wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up.

 

“Apologies for interrupting the banquet.”

 

“Not at all.”

 

Aaron had actually been hoping Edward would get lost. However, when Edward stood up, Cesare rose as well.

 

The Imperial Family had not sought the Crown Prince even when he fled the Empress’s tea party. The fact that they were looking for him now meant something major had occurred.

 

“Please excuse me.”

 

Aaron guessed Cesare’s intent and did not stop him. The atmosphere cooled as the two suddenly left, but Sebastian’s eyes sparkled as he looked at Isello. He intended to use him as a sacrifice to lift the mood.

 

“Come to think of it, there is one thing that comes to mind….”

 

“I apologize, Duke.”

 

As a servant approached again, Aaron stopped Sebastian from speaking. This time, the news was that an imperial messenger had come for Godfrey. Godfrey also rose from his seat, and the table grew emptier once more.

 

‘First the Crown Prince, and now Brother Godfrey?’

 

Judging by the situation, someone looking for Cesare had likely already arrived as well. They were probably waiting outside while the Crown Prince spoke with the messenger.

 

At this point, Aaron had to stand up as well. Even though he wasn’t officially appointed yet, if a major problem had occurred in the capital, he needed to know.

 

He glanced at Carlyle, who looked at him with a face that asked, Me too? When Aaron openly nodded, Carlyle also rose from his seat.

 

“Uh, well…. Finish eating and enjoy yourselves. I will go see what the situation is.”

 

“Yes, Father.”

 

Before leaving, Carlyle looked at his son as if wondering whether he should take Terdis along, but decided against it.

 

‘In a situation where it is unclear if the Order has given up yet, it is safer for Terdis to stay by Leticia’s side.’

 

Although he was the Young Duke of Lyon, given his nature, it was unlikely he would work for the Imperial Family. He would probably help with the family business alongside Leticia. Though, that was just a vague guess for now.

 

Thinking this, he left the banquet hall with Aaron. Now, the only ones remaining in the dining and banquet hall were the young Lyon couple, Sebastian, and Isello.

 

‘I’d better make a run for it, too.’

 

Isello rolled his eyes and prepared to sneak away to his room. He had no Duke to act as his shield, and Godfrey, who would usually stop Sebastian by telling him to moderate himself, was also gone.

 

Meanwhile, both Sebastian and Terdis were calling for their own attendants. It was clear that a significant problem had arisen in the capital.

 

Leticia watched Isello quietly getting up.

 

‘Is he really a man? …Well, he has an Adam’s apple, so he’s probably not a fake.’

 

Even if he were Isella rather than Isello, there would be no reason to cross-dress and enter the Duchy as an adopted son. So, he must be a man.

 

Even if he used magic to deceive them, considering Leticia’s own case, there was no way Duke Tesseia wouldn’t have noticed. The vassals also seemed to suspect his identity in various ways.

 

“Isello, was it? Do you have any other siblings? An older or younger sister….”

 

Isello, who had been trying to slip out of the banquet hall, looked at Leticia with a troubled expression.

 

“I was an only child. I was separated from my parents at a young age, so I do not know if they had other children after that.”

 

“Ah, I see. I’m sorry. I asked a pointless question.”

 

“Not at all. I will take my leave….”

 

Isello bowed and left the banquet hall. It seemed Sebastian, Terdis, and their respective attendants had also gone out to check the situation outside.

 

Sebastian studied Leticia’s expression and broke the silence. He had kept his ears open while instructing the servant, so he had heard the conversation between Leticia and Isello.

 

“Curious about that Isello guy? What do you want to know?”

 

“I just heard.”

 

“If you’re curious about anything else, I can ask for you! There are things I know, too…. Do you know he’s quite popular with women?”

 

It was news, but not something Leticia was curious about. Leticia looked at Sebastian and asked: “…There is a magic tool the Tower Master gave me. Do you know of the ‘Fire Whip’?”

 

Sebastian’s pupils trembled for a moment. Although it was a gift supposedly from the Tower Master, Leticia had suspected all along that it was actually from Sebastian.

 

“Uh…. I-I’ve heard of it. Wow, you received that? That’s great! Have you used it?”

 

“Yes. It was a big help. If you meet the Tower Master, please tell him I was grateful.”

 

“S-Sure! That’s great! Yes! I’ll definitely tell him!”

 

Seeing Sebastian speak with an expression of uncontrollable joy, Leticia was convinced that the magic tool was a gift from him.

 

‘Should I return it? Is it okay to keep it?’

 

She felt as though a single brick in the wall her wounded heart had firmly built had been shaken loose. It was even more so seeing him happy even though she hadn’t thanked him directly.

 

‘I don’t think Sebastian has changed.’

 

Godfrey had changed a lot. Through ceaseless effort, he suppressed his temper and was becoming a figure worthy of being the Commander of the 8th Imperial Knights.

 

But Sebastian was still Sebastian, and he seemed to be bullying Isello simply because he was a commoner and he didn’t like him. Because that was the kind of person he was.

 

So, it should be fine to keep hating him, but why did her heart feel like this?

 

“Ter, are you finished?”

 

“Yeah. Let’s get up.”

 

Since neither Aaron nor Cesare was present, Terdis put down the tea he had only pretended to drink and stood up. As Leticia rose to follow, Sebastian made a regretful face. Isello seemed to have already fled far away.

 

“Where are you going? The house has changed a lot since your engagement, want a tour?”

 

“No. Thank you for your kindness. We will….”

 

“Young Madam! Young Duke!”

 

The servant Terdis had sent earlier ran in with a pale face. The servant Sebastian sent also entered the banquet hall a step later. Both looked out of breath.

 

“We have a big problem! The Grand Temple is…!”

 

 

***

 

It was in the cafeteria inside the poorhouse where some of the people began to mutate. Originally, the Grand Temple did not have a poorhouse at its back door. It was a facility located outside the capital, but with the Pope’s visit, a poorhouse was newly installed near the back gate of the Grand Temple.

 

The cafeteria was also a makeshift facility created by setting up tents. People lining up for bread praised the quality, saying it was better than usual.

 

The first man to mutate was one of the beggars from the street. Normally, if one person turns into a monster, there should be one monster, but his skin collapsed as he vomited out dozens of monsters, just like the maids who had attacked the Empress.

 

The man eating stew in the innermost seat was the same. Instead of running away, they turned into different types of monsters and attacked the clergy, not the poor people fleeing.

 

Originally, only three or four priest-guards watched over this place to prevent occasional fights. Moreover, since priests and priestesses supported from the rear rather than fighting on the front lines, they were helpless against the attack.

 

Screams erupted from inside the tent, and people fled. The monsters did not chase the fleeing people but pushed straight into the Grand Temple.

 

Because the poorhouse facilities had been newly erected, regular worshippers used the main gate of the Grand Temple, and security personnel were mainly deployed there.

 

The few priest-guards guarding the back gate were killed by the monsters, and the swarm flooded inside. As loud screams and shouts were already audible, the clergy who came out to check the situation clashed with the swarm of monsters.

 

Julius, who had been calming his mind by reading scripture after morning service, was startled by the screams from outside. Armed Holy Knights were running down the hallway. High Priests were being summoned, and pale priestesses ran from room to room notifying everyone of the situation.

 

“What is happening?”

 

At Julius’s question, a priestess answered, gasping for breath.

 

“Monsters have appeared at the poorhouse! It seems people mutated into monsters, but the mutated ones keep vomiting out more monsters…. Anyway, there are many casualties! Those who can fight, please go to the back gate, and those who cannot….”

 

He didn’t listen further and ran toward the Pope’s quarters. Hearing that monsters had appeared, it was natural to worry about the safety of the Pope, who possessed Entinus’ heart.

 

It was practically a miracle that Julius found Haron amidst that chaos. Haron was covered in body fluids, evidence of how many monsters he had already fought.

 

“Sir Haron! His Holiness…! The monsters must be targeting His Holiness!”

 

Haron seemed to understand immediately upon hearing the shout from afar. Relieved to see him moving with three Holy Knights in tow, Julius turned around.

 

Although he was a priest, he could use divine magic, so he ran in the direction of the screams.

 

 

***

 

 

There were two reasons why Haron took the Pope and fled after hearing Julius’s words. First, to protect the Pope as Julius feared, and second, thinking that if the monsters were indeed targeting the Pope, their forces would disperse, reducing civilian casualties.

 

Fortunately, by the time their carriage departed, the knights guarding the capital were swarming in. The guards who had rushed over upon receiving the report were already fighting, and with the knights joining in, the number of monsters seemed to decrease noticeably.

 

Haron wanted to join the fight, but protecting the Pope was more important right now.

 

“For now, I will escort you to the Count Giles’s residence. As news spreads to other noble families, they will likely contact us as well.”

 

He didn’t know much about the politics of the capital, but he knew that if the Pope said he was staying at their estate, they would welcome him with open arms.

 

Rumors that the Pope had fled to the Count’s house would likely spread to all noble families within half a day, and various high-ranking nobles would step forward to protect him. He was sure the Imperial Family would send knights as well.

 

‘It is a pity about the Holy Knights who fell to Duke Tesseia.’

 

They were knights brought from the Holy Kingdom who could be considered the Pope’s royal guard. Since they were all heavily injured, there was a shortage of personnel to escort the Pope right now.

 

Haron wondered if he should have intervened back then. But it was the Pope who had ordered him to stay back.

 

Although he realized the situation late and watched from behind a wall, the Pope wasn’t under threat, so he hadn’t interfered.

 

“Why, still….”

 

Haron strained his ears at the faint mumbling. It wasn’t addressed to anyone.

 

Only Haron sat with the Pope inside the carriage; one Holy Knight drove from the coachman’s seat, and the other two rode horses guarding the sides of the carriage.

 

Haron was merely a Holy Knight who steadfastly followed orders, not one to ask questions first. This time, too, he listened to the Pope’s voice but did not ask.

 

‘What is His Holiness thinking?’

 

The Pope seemed consumed by fear unlike ever before. Haron had heard that before becoming Pope, he had worked to help heroes under orders from above.

 

He must have stayed in the safe Holy Kingdom for hundreds of years after stepping back from the front lines. It was understandable to be afraid of encountering monsters after such a long time. But Haron felt his fear stemmed from something more fundamental.

 

‘Is it because the monsters are targeting His Holiness?’

 

Come to think of it, the Pope looked significantly older than before. Despite his immense divine power which should prevent aging, wrinkles seemed visible.

 

Haron felt a deep sense of doubt but kept his mouth shut. He believed that was the proper conduct for a Holy Knight following God. Meanwhile, the carriage was nearing the Count Giles estate.

 

 

***

 

 

“I have already sent men. There is no need for you to go.”

 

Aaron spoke in a firm tone. Crown Prince Edward, Cesare, and Godfrey had left for the Imperial Palace and the Grand Temple respectively for their own reasons. Godfrey said he planned to meet his subordinates there.

 

“The monsters have not been cleared yet. If the time comes when you are needed, they may request you first, so it is better to stay here.”

 

It seemed Aaron and Carlyle had agreed to stay here for the night instead of returning to the Lyon estate. Although Duke Tesseia’s estate was some distance from the Grand Temple, the capital was in chaos, so the meaning seemed to be to stay out of the confusion.

 

The reason why monsters invaded the Grand Temple was still unknown, and they likely judged that Leticia could also be a target.

 

‘But….’

 

She couldn’t just sit still hearing that people at the poorhouse had mutated and monsters were pouring out. Although most of the monsters reportedly went into the Grand Temple, heavy casualties were expected.

 

“The capital guards and knights are moving, and the Imperial Family will support them. If you get involved in the chaos, you might actually get in the way, so it is better to stay put for now.”

 

When Carlyle spoke soothingly, Leticia nodded. He wasn’t wrong. If Leticia went, some people might be saved, but others might be put in danger trying to protect her.

 

‘Why did monsters appear at the Grand Temple?’

 

She had asked Julius to find out if Entinus’ heart was at the Order. Since monsters appeared at such a coincidental time, she suspected the culprit’s goal might also be related to Entinus’ heart.

 

‘We haven’t even found the whereabouts of the relic entrusted to the Imperial Family yet….’

 

Terdis was planning to hire people to investigate the cup said to be made from Entinus’ skull. He had already told Carlyle, but they said the investigation would take several weeks.

 

This monster incident showed behavior similar to Baroness Perdoba’s mutation, so perhaps the culprit who did that to the Baroness was plotting Entinus’ resurrection.

 

‘I didn’t expect things to be connected this way.’

 

The harm done to her mother and herself, Terdis’s uncle mutating…. and now this attack on the Grand Temple.

 

“I understand. I will go up to my room.”

 

At this, Sebastian spoke excitedly, completely misreading the room.

 

“Leticia! There’s a room Father decorated just in case you might need to sleep over! I’ll show you!”

 

Aaron couldn’t bring himself to say anything and just stared intently at Sebastian, but Sebastian didn’t seem to notice Aaron’s mood at all.

 

Leticia bowed to Aaron and Carlyle, then left the office with Terdis and Sebastian. Once the children left, the servant quietly closed the door.

 

Aaron confirmed via his senses that Terdis had moved far enough away, then spoke to Carlyle.

 

“…You may speak now. Terdis will not hear.”

 

“I didn’t realize it when Terdis asked me to find the Cup of Entinus, but thinking about it now, I believe the relic lost by the Imperial Family was in the form of a cup.”

 

At Carlyle’s following words, Aaron’s expression hardened.

 

 

***

 

 

As Leticia followed him without a word, Sebastian seemed excited. In contrast, Leticia was consumed by the thought that Entinus’ resurrection was closer than she had anticipated.

 

‘Since the Pope is staying at the Grand Temple, attacking the Grand Temple now is a foolish move. The security there would have been strengthened compared to before.’

 

This meant that Entinus’ heart was not originally at the Grand Temple. If it had been enshrined there, the enemy would have attacked the Grand Temple before the Pope came up to the capital.

 

‘Entinus’s heart was probably…. with the Pope or someone close to him.’

 

“The room you used is still there, but Father had another room cleared because he didn’t think it should be a marital bedroom.”

 

On the third floor, where she followed Sebastian, there were rooms prepared in anticipation of the Lyon family’s visit. Considering they were newlyweds, Carlyle’s room was somewhat far away, and their two rooms were situated side-by-side with a connecting door.

 

This room, too, had been decorated to Leticia’s taste with Carlyle’s help. Surprisingly, the room was exactly to Leticia’s liking, but that wasn’t important right now.

 

‘It might be dangerous, but I have to peek at Entinus!’

 

Because her power had been sealed by the Goddess, she hadn’t even thought of using it, but her ability wasn’t something she could only use on things she had seen before. First, she would search for the three objects used to seal Entinus, and if that didn’t provide a clue, she intended to spy on Entinus directly.

 

Leticia looked at Sebastian.

 

“What is it, Leticia? Is there something you don’t like about the room?”

 

“Can you help me?”

 

Terdis was physically very reliable, but he wouldn’t be helpful in a situation where her mind was under attack. So, it was better to bring Sebastian in.

 

If her prediction was correct, Entinus’s cup also seemed to be in the enemy’s hands.

 

“Tisha, what are you trying to do?”

 

“I’m going to use my ability to check where Entinus’s seals are. I think I can do it.”

 

“What? What are you guys talking about?”

 

Thinking the atmosphere was turning serious, Sebastian frowned and asked. Since they had dismissed the servants before coming upstairs, they were the only ones there now.

 

Leticia saw a chair with a backrest nearby and sat on it.

 

“I have an ability given by the Goddess. I plan to use it to observe the enemy’s surroundings. It might be dangerous, so if I seem strange, please stop me.”

 

“What? What are you talking about? What enemy? You aren’t trying to do something dangerous, are you?”

 

“Tisha, do you absolutely have to do this now? You said it was dangerous last time.”

 

As Terdis asked with a worried voice, Sebastian’s eyes widened. He didn’t know what it was, but if Leticia had been in danger before, he couldn’t let her use it.

 

“Leticia! Don’t do it! Just tell me what you need, and I’ll find out for you…!”

 

“I have a bad feeling. I need to look now.”

 

Leticia pushed away Terdis’s hand trying to stop her and closed her eyes. Unlike when she used the ability uncontrollably in her dream, her vision was clear. The sensation of seeing everything despite having her eyes closed was strange.

 

‘Humans can only see forward…. It’s really weird to see front, back, left, and right all at once.’

 

Sebastian’s voice telling her not to do it rang beside her, but she ignored it and used her ability. The surrounding scenery began to pass by as if her mind was moving rapidly.

 

 

***

 

 

Up to the point where a monster popped out of the poorhouse, it might have been considered a bizarre accident. But at the news that the monster had begun spewing out numerous other monsters, one could not sit still.

 

Vincent Larkin hurriedly left the gathering and rushed to the Marquis Larkin estate.

 

‘Damn bitch!!!’

 

He had told her to lay low for a while since she had caused such chaos in the Imperial Palace. Nina had spoken as if she understood in front of Vincent, but since he couldn’t know what she was doing behind his back, he had put surveillance on her.

 

‘They definitely reported that Nina was staying quiet…!’

 

Nina was an outstanding mage, but a mage nonetheless; there was no way she could have noticed they were watching her.

 

Arriving home, Larkin roughly threw off his gloves and called for the butler.

 

“Call Hathi!”

 

He didn’t even have the peace of mind to change clothes. The liquor prepared on one side of the cabinet caught his eye, but Vincent didn’t touch it. He had to summon Nina, so he couldn’t be drunk. He couldn’t confront Nina while intoxicated. She was a dangerous woman.

 

“Master….”

 

The subordinate he met after waiting over ten minutes was covered in blood. Vincent felt a strange premonition and glared at Hathi.

 

“What is it? Why do you look like that?”

 

“Those guys, they betrayed us…….”

 

Betrayed?

 

Seeing Hathi stumbling, Vincent did not approach immediately. He was a subordinate, and while Vincent was their master, he was not their comrade.

 

He cherished Hathi greatly, but only considered him a consumable asset. Meaning, he wasn’t worth soiling his clothes with blood for.

 

“Are you saying the ones watching that woman betrayed us?”

 

“Yes. I was also attacked while calling them in to question them after hearing about the incident at the Grand Temple.”

 

Hathi was a confidant he had employed since boyhood. Vincent thought that even if others might, Hathi would never lie to him.

 

After all, he had saved Hathi from slavery and given him his current status. Hathi, in turn, revered him like a god and acted as if he would lay down his life for him.

 

The six men placed to watch Nina were individuals carefully selected by Hathi. Even if their talent for assassination was somewhat lacking, they had exceptional talent for stealth.

 

All were talents created by training slaves or vagrants sent from the Sachsen Empire.

 

‘There’s no way those guys would betray me?’

 

Most of them felt deep gratitude toward the Larkin family for lifting them out of their plight. Just because the Sachsen Empire sent them didn’t mean everyone could become an assassin; they underwent thorough brainwashing education from a young age.

 

“I apologize for the late report, Master….”

 

Hathi stumbled and fell to his knees, bleeding. Vincent watched him with cold eyes before turning away. Since capturing Nina immediately seemed impossible, he felt he should at least have a drink.

 

Approaching the cabinet to choose a strong liquor, Vincent saw a reflection in the bottle and hurriedly drew his dagger. A sharp sound rang out as the blades clashed.

 

“Hathi, you bastard…!”

 

“As expected, you are fast, Master.”

 

Hathi, whose whites of his eyes were dyed completely black, was thrusting a strange dagger at him. Seeing him approach silently from behind, Vincent quickly widened the distance.

 

There had never been a time when he was more grateful for learning assassination techniques under his father’s orders than now. Otherwise, he would have been helplessly stabbed by that strange blade.

 

The dagger Hathi held was not one Vincent had provided. It was a bizarre dagger with a magic stone embedded in the tip of the blade.

 

“Was it you who betrayed me!”

 

“No, Master. Just ‘me’?”

 

Vincent’s eyes widened at the presence approaching the living room where he stood. From the servants and maids he employed, to the butler and the lowest laborers…. There wasn’t a single one whose eyes weren’t dyed black.

 

“Dammit…. Nina, that bitch!”

 

It was clear she had fed the magic stones they were researching—the ones Nina always sent for them to use—to all his employees.

 

He couldn’t even gauge when they had turned.

 

“Haha…. Hahahaha!!!”

 

To meet such an end after all that suffering, betraying the empire, and doing all those disgusting things.

 

‘Is this not an end truly befitting a traitor!’

 

He regretted the past, but it was already too late. He was surprised to realize that in this moment, he terribly missed Olga. The woman who, because of his clumsy ploy, failed to become the wife of Cesare, whom she desired so much.

 

‘I must have gone soft, too.’

 

Thinking that if he survived this, he would go see Olga’s face, he charged at the monster wearing Hathi’s skin.

 

 

***

 

 

The carriage was rattling. The Pope’s exclusive carriage used by the Order had almost no vibration, but the carriages for general clergy were not like that. The carriage hastily brought was not the Pope’s carriage, so naturally, it shook severely.

 

‘It isn’t as if we can advertise that the Pope is fleeing.’

 

However, despite the situation, the Pope seemed to be suffering from motion sickness. This was a constitutional issue, so it couldn’t be helped.

 

“Please endure a little longer, Your Holiness. The Count’s estate is not far.”

 

The roads in the Imperial Capital were well-paved, so the carriage shook less, but it still seemed unpleasant for the extremely tense Pope.

 

As the carriage finally arrived at the Count Giles estate, the Count’s servant opened the door. The Pope hid his nausea and stepped out of the carriage. Count Giles, who had been waiting at the entrance of the mansion with several knights, welcomed the Pope with open arms.

 

“Your Holiness! Thank heavens you are safe! You do not know how worried I was upon hearing the news!”

 

As a fervent believer of the Order, Count Giles seemed moved just by the fact that the Pope had visited his residence.

 

The Pope looked left and right while pressing a handkerchief to his mouth. Heavily armed knights of the Count’s family were guarding the entrance. Seeing the reassuring sight, the Pope nodded slightly.

 

‘Though they may not match the Holy Knights of the Holy Kingdom, they will be effective in buying some time.’

 

“Thank you for welcoming me despite the sudden request, Count.”

 

“Not at all! Please, come inside.”

 

The Count approached as if to support the Pope if permitted. Haron stared at him intensely from behind the Pope, so he couldn’t come closer, but he looked eager to touch the Pope even a little. The Pope noticed this but pretended not to know.

 

‘I want to rest.’

 

He was worried about the Grand Temple. But High Priest Orlando was there, and the priests from the Holy Kingdom he had brought would be lending their strength as well.

 

‘Once things are settled, Orlando will send someone here. Since someone must have relayed that I was coming here….’

 

He had heard that the monsters were targeting him, but the events of just a moment ago felt like a dream. Perhaps because the days when he fought demons like a hero were so far in the past. It had already been hundreds of years….

 

“His Holiness is very fatigued right now. Please show us to a room.”

 

When one of the Holy Knights who examined the Pope’s complexion stated this, Count Giles nodded as if it were obvious.

 

“Of course! We have prepared the best room for His Holiness, so please go up immediately!”

 

At his gesture, the path to the mansion opened. The front door of the mansion was already open, and people stepped back to clear the way.

 

Touching his dizzy head, the Pope went inside and stepped onto the carpet. The texture of the plush carpet had never felt so sweet as it did in this moment.

 

The priests and priest-guards of the Grand Temple, various priestesses, and Holy Knights would still be fighting, but he had arrived at this safe place. This comfort and the sweet sensation that he alone would be safe allowed him to relax.

 

And…. A change occurred in his body as well.

 

‘Huh?’

 

The realization came in an instant. The Pope thought he was mistaken.

 

‘No…. That cannot be! I must be mistaken…. There is no way absolutely….’

 

He could feel that the divine power, which should have been filling his body to the bursting point, had significantly decreased compared to when he fled the Grand Temple.

 

How could this be? He had even stood by while that priest in his office lost his life because he didn’t want to lose this power, so how could this happen?

 

“Your Holiness?”

 

A Holy Knight called out to the Pope, who had stopped abruptly. Pope Nicholas looked at the Holy Knight with terrified eyes, then shook his head.

 

This was something he must not tell anyone. No one must notice this!

 

The Pope’s gaze turned to Haron. Possessing stronger divine power than any of the Holy Knights here, he was also the one who could sense the Pope’s power most closely.

 

Perhaps, he might have noticed.

 

When the Pope looked at Haron with trembling eyes, he met Haron’s eyes looking back at him with confusion.

 

‘I’m caught.’

 

He realized it. Haron, his dog. He noticed that I have been abandoned by the Goddess.

 

“Your Holiness, what is the matter?”

 

When Count Giles took a step closer and asked, the Pope snapped back to reality. He couldn’t do anything right now with eyes watching around him. The Pope suppressed his maddening fear and put on a calm face. It was possible only because he had lived for hundreds of years.

 

“It is nothing. Let us go up.”

 

He climbed the stairs as if nothing was wrong, but his mind was walking through the center of hell. Glancing sideways at Haron, he pondered how he could silence him.

 

 

***

 

There were three seals, or fragments, of Entinus. The whereabouts of the heart, which she thought was currently being targeted, were most curious, but Leticia decided to check that last.

 

Because she thought Entinus himself might intervene. Another reason was the judgment that the two items presumed already found would be at the enemies’ base.

 

‘Where could they be?’

 

The first thing she wanted to find was the sword that had also been Pashanoi’s vessel, Entinus’s hand. Although she had never seen the sword, she felt she knew where it was.

 

She felt her vision leave Duke Tesseia’s estate and approach somewhere. Leticia was astonished by the scenery that began to appear as the surroundings receded rapidly. Leaving the area where the nobles’ mansions were, she saw somewhere on the outskirts of the capital.

 

‘It was this close?’

 

It wasn’t even a building outside the capital. It looked like a fairly old, abandoned mansion, but it was definitely located within the capital walls.

 

Her gaze passed through the walls and floor of the mansion and descended underground. Passing a wine cellar and a storage room piled with rotting boxes, she went further down, revealing an area with prison cells installed with iron bars.

 

Each cell was filled with people bound in chains. They looked exhausted and terrified, but they didn’t seem starved.

 

‘Why are people in a place like this…. Are they kidnapped? Anyway, this isn’t what I want to see! I want to see Pashanoi’s…. the sword containing Entinus’s hand!’

 

Her gaze headed toward the stairs leading down. Further down…. to the underground where red light rose and heat could be felt.

 

At the end of the stairs was a small space, with two corridors branching to the front and side. Her gaze quickly traversed one corridor. Both corridors were equally sturdy and finished neatly like the mansion’s, despite being underground.

 

‘The corridor in front….’

 

A thick door blocked her view, but it posed no problem. Her gaze passed through it and saw a space presumed to be created from a natural cave.

 

Half of the space had artificially paved floors, while the other half connected to the natural cave. Leticia fixed her gaze on the massive magic circle drawn on the floor.

 

A large circle and three smaller circles were drawn on the floor. In two of the small circles, objects connected to chains on the floor were placed.

 

One was the sword, Pashanoi’s main body, and the other was a cup that looked like it would crumble from red rust.

 

‘The cup made from a skull! So they did get their hands on it!’

 

She felt anxious, but since she found out where those two objects were, it would be fine. They could take them back. Now she had to find the whereabouts of the third object, but Leticia found herself curious about the room located at the end of the side corridor.

 

It felt full of ominous energy, but inside…. she had a feeling Entinus was crouching there.

 

‘Did he move his residence here? Since he’s strong enough to attack me, moving should be possible….’

 

She didn’t know how he intended to resurrect, but she wanted to check how much power he had recovered. Surely, the ones fighting him would be her husband, father, and brother.

 

Instead of heading for the third object, Entinus’s heart, Leticia entered the side corridor. Her vision moved slowly down the hallway as if wary, and stopped in front of a door.

 

The door here was different from the one in the front corridor. With its black-rimmed entrance, one could believe it was the entrance to a prison. However, unlike the other door, it didn’t have a lock, let alone a latch.

 

‘A latch? Why did I think there should be one? This isn’t a door leading outside.’

 

But she felt like there should be at least a latch to prevent whatever was inside from coming out.

 

‘Just a peek…. I just need to peek a little bit.’

 

She wasn’t sure if she could check Entinus’s condition just by looking, but it was better than knowing nothing completely. Leticia steeled herself and entered the door.

 

It was a space where dark red and golden flames burned quietly. Curtains made of red silk draped from the ceiling and floor everywhere…. The air was thick with a strange scent, perhaps from incense.

 

‘It smells strange.’

 

It wasn’t the smell of blood, but closer to the strange smell of reptiles. The spacious interior looked like a decadent emperor’s bedroom. A thick carpet was laid out without a bed, and cushions were scattered here and there. Passing through red fabrics hanging from the ceiling as if dividing the space with curtains, the stench grew stronger.

 

‘What is it? What is there….’

 

She had an ominous foreboding, but she had entered the room to check Entinus’s condition. She couldn’t just turn back. The moment she passed a curtain swaying faintly from a draft coming from somewhere underground….

 

“Ah!”

 

 

***

 

 

Leticia snapped her eyes open, breaking into a cold sweat as she looked at Terdis. Terdis examined Leticia’s condition with a face full of worry.

 

“Tisha, are you alright? do you know where we are?”

 

“Uh…. Uh-huh.”

 

Before her eyes were Terdis’s affectionate, beautiful face and Sebastian’s neat face, distorted with anger and worry. He was a detestable blood relative, yet she couldn’t deny the single fact that, relative or not, Sebastian was handsome.

 

“What did you do?! I told you to stop! Are you sure you’re okay?”

 

She hadn’t seen Entinus. Entinus wasn’t in that room. What she had seen were a head and fingers that looked as though they had been chewed on and torn off. She had seen the arms and wrists of Holy Knights severed before, so she thought she would be fine, but she was not fine at all.

 

As the scene replayed in her mind, Leticia urgently pushed Terdis away and ran to the bathroom.

 

“Tisha!”

 

“Ugh, blegh…!”

 

As Leticia retched up her lunch into the toilet, Terdis ran over and patted her back. Sebastian was furious.

 

“Shit! The chef! What the hell did he put in lunch?! They’re all dead meat!!”

 

“Cough! N-no! It is because I saw something terrible….”

 

Afraid he might take it out on the innocent kitchen staff, Leticia reached back with one hand and spoke. Sebastian furrowed his brow and looked at her.

 

Saw something terrible? It hadn’t even been five minutes since Leticia sat down and closed her eyes.

 

Sebastian recalled the fact that Leticia possessed the power of a Saintess and that receiving such divine power granted various abilities from the gods.

 

“You…. What kind of ability do you have?”

 

Leticia lifted her head without explaining. After vomiting into the toilet, the nausea seemed to subside somewhat. Terdis took a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the corner of Leticia’s mouth.

 

“I haven’t seen everything yet. I have to find the last one.”

 

“Tisha, finding two is enough. It’s dangerous, so let’s stop. I will go find those two things.”

 

Terdis spoke with a face pale from worry, but Leticia shook her head with a determined look. Now that she knew they had settled in the capital, she couldn’t stop.

 

“I’m not going in person, just looking. This time, I’m not trying to examine Entinus, just checking if Entinus’s heart is safe….”

 

“Entinus? What is that? Let me in on it, too!!”

 

At Sebastian’s shout, Leticia and Terdis looked at him, and Leticia began to explain briefly. Sebastian’s expression changed subtly upon hearing her words.

 

“So you mean…. you’ve gained something similar to prophetic ability?”

 

“What I see isn’t a prophecy, but a danger currently in progress.”

 

“Ah, anyway! If that is the case, I must summon my master! This Entinus you speak of…. I think it is related to the mage my master is chasing.”

 

There had been a monster spewing out other monsters in the case of Baroness Perdoba as well. Back then, hadn’t his master been excited, saying he might be able to find ‘that woman’?

 

‘Perhaps that woman was involved in my mother’s death, too.’

 

The mage who made Baroness Perdoba’s curse possible was still being tracked. The thought that the attack on the Grand Temple and the Entinus Leticia saw were all connected wouldn’t leave his mind.

 

Sebastian immediately took out a crystal ball. Leticia was slightly surprised, as his outfit didn’t seem to have a pocket large enough to hold a ball the size of an adult’s fist.

 

‘Where did that come from?’

 

“I’ll contact my master right now! He might know something, and surely he’ll be of help!”

 

 

***

 

 

Once the situation at the Grand Temple was brought under control, the first thing on Julius’s mind was checking on the Pope’s safety. However, since there were still many injured, Julius obtained permission from High Priest Orlando to borrow knights from the order.

 

As he took the Pope’s carriage and exited the Grand Temple, the injured people came into view. It was as if the monsters had targeted the clergy from the start; they had attacked them persistently.

 

Thus, while the damage to the general citizens wasn’t severe, there were many dead and injured among the people of the Grand Temple.

 

Just as Julius, who dared not ride inside the Pope’s carriage without permission, was about to leave the temple on horseback, the Commander of the Imperial Knights recognized him.

 

“Are you going to fetch His Holiness now?”

 

Although the Pope’s carriage was decorated to look modest, it was different from the unadorned carriages used by regular clergy. The crest of the Order was clearly emblazoned on it.

 

Julius, who didn’t want to reveal the fact that the Pope had fled alone, hid his displeasure and looked at the Knight Commander.

 

“…I am merely going to report the current situation to His Holiness.”

 

“Hmm. It would be a great help if His Holiness were to come here. Did he not originally come to offer comfort for the major incidents in the capital?”

 

At the sarcastic remark, which wasn’t blatant but subtle, Julius bowed his head instead of answering. He also judged that the Pope might not return to the Grand Temple.

 

‘Ever since I delivered the news about Entinus…. His Holiness’s attitude has become strange.’

 

It felt as though his usual composure and dignity had completely vanished. He seemed like a child abandoned by his parents, wary of his surroundings and walking on eggshells.

 

‘That cannot be.’

 

The Pope was someone chosen by three gods. Therefore, he possessed a divine power more dignified and brilliant than anyone else.

 

He felt uneasy, but he thought these feelings would end once the Pope returned to the Grand Temple. Any suspicions would fade if the Pope came back and was seen healing people.

 

‘Since there are no injured people in critical condition right now, I must go to His Holiness quickly.’

 

Because of this, he had also prevented High Priest Orlando from sending anyone to Duke Lyon’s estate. In a situation where the Pope had vacated the scene of the accident, the Saintess of the Lyon family must not be seen arriving first to help the people.

 

Julius urged the knights on, feeling anxious. Since it was highly likely the monsters’ objective was the Pope, he wanted to get to him as soon as possible.

 

 

***

 

 

“I will not go.”

 

At the words that popped out of the Pope’s mouth, Julius almost forgot that the person in front of him was the Pope and nearly uttered something blasphemous. That was how shocking the Pope’s words were.

 

“What… do you mean? There are a significant number of injured. Although no lives are in immediate danger right now, Your Holiness’s help is desperately needed.”

 

“Is there not the Saintess! Did you send someone to Duke Lyon’s estate?”

 

As if they would have. The Pope had vacated the Grand Temple. Summoning the Saintess could be done after the Pope returned to the temple; it wouldn’t be too late.

 

But for Pope Nicolaus, it was an inevitable choice. Even now, his divine power was diminishing moment by moment. It was a minute amount, like sand grains falling one by one, but accumulated, it was an amount he couldn’t ignore.

 

‘He said there are many injured at the Grand Temple…. They will want me to show my ability by healing them all at once with massive divine magic!’

 

The Pope could actually do it and had done it before. But what would happen after that? Unlike before, his divine power would not replenish!

 

“Your Holiness, all monsters invading the Grand Temple have been dealt with. It may be somewhat chaotic, but….”

 

Julius mistakenly thought the Pope was acting this way out of fear of the monsters. While there were times the Pope made selfish choices for the sake of the Order, he rarely acted for his own self-preservation. At least, that was how it appeared to Julius’s eyes.

 

The Pope easily shattered Julius’s illusion.

 

“I already said I will not go! It is obvious the monsters attacked the Grand Temple targeting me, so how can I possibly go there? The monsters targeting me will attack the injured this time! What will happen to those who have no strength to fight?”

 

At his shout, Julius paused. It was Julius who had conveyed to Haron that the monsters were targeting the Pope. Conscious that Count Giles was listening to their conversation with a loyal face nearby, Julius turned to the Count.

 

“Please give us a moment, Count.”

 

“Ah…. Y-yes, of course.”

 

Perhaps the Pope’s appearance was somewhat shocking, but the stiff Count Giles hurriedly took his servants and left the room. Julius signaled the Holy Knight to close the door and watched it shut.

 

“Your Holiness. If it is to protect Entinus’ heart, this Count’s estate is not suitable. It is close to the Grand Temple, but how can their private soldiers replace the Holy Knights and priest-guards of the Grand Temple?”

 

Entinus’ heart.

 

It was something the Pope had momentarily forgotten in the shock of his divine power disappearing. The Pope unconsciously placed his hand over his left chest where his heart beat.

 

The heart remade by the Celestial Goddess had sustained him without failing even once. If all divine power disappeared, what would happen to the heart in this chest?

 

‘Still, the Grand Temple is out of the question! Orlando…. will see through my situation at a glance!’

 

In fact, the Julius in front of him was also one of the people he didn’t want to meet. He regretted not bringing any of the annoying priests from the Holy Kingdom. They had low divine power, but having been born with good pedigrees in a peaceful era, they were guys who were all talk.

 

If it were them, they would have kept Orlando and Julius in check and rejected their opinions on their own, so he missed those useless things.

 

“Then we must request help from a Ducal family or…. the Imperial Family. We cannot let the Grand Temple be attacked again.”

 

As the Pope repeatedly said this, Julius found it somewhat strange but accepted it. If what the monsters were targeting was the Pope’s heart, then indeed, it could be a dangerous choice for him, the clear target, to return to the Grand Temple.

 

“I understand, Your Holiness…. I will send people to the Duchies and the Imperial Family.”

 

Julius bowed deeply to the Pope as he spoke.

 

 

***

 

 

Following the attempt on the Empress, this time it was the Pope. Edward, who had ordered an investigation into the ‘monster that spits out monsters’ which had mutated from a human, was thoroughly aggravated. He was convinced that the culprit was also involved in the incidents regarding Baroness Perdoba and Marquis Rupert Debrus.

 

‘Before, I thought the Emperor of Sachsen was controlling that mage.’

 

But the Sachsen Emperor, who had meddled with Duke Tesseia’s estate, met his death at the hands of Duke Tesseia…. And now, the Imperial Family and the Order were under attack.

 

The Imperial Family and the Order.

 

Entities that no sane person would try to turn into enemies. Edward recalled Tower Master Dominic, who had cooperated with the Imperial Family. He was chasing a ‘former’ mage of the Magic Tower who had used the Tower Master’s own disciple as a test subject and killed them.

 

‘Was the culprit’s name Nina Willus?’

 

“Your Highness! Look at that!”

 

Some of the officials who were in a meeting regarding support for the Grand Temple raised their voices, pointing out the window. At this, Edward, as well as Cesare, the Emperor, and the Empress, looked out the window.

 

It was around 4 o’clock, a time when the sun should still be high in the sky. The bright autumn sun should have been pouring down all over the capital….

 

“Uh, uh…!”

 

“What kind of calamity is this!”

 

Darkness was surging from the ground, closing in as if to swallow the sun high in the sky. Edward looked back at the places already submerged in darkness.

 

It was different from night. In the places submerged in darkness, only the faint outlines of buildings could be glimpsed. The Emperor was already shouting at his adjutant.

 

“Summon the Imperial Mages immediately! Have them explain what this situation is!”

 

The darkness was already occupying the front courtyard of the Imperial Palace and flooding inside. The city outside seemed to have been eroded by the darkness even faster.

 

Even in this chaos, Cesare worried about his family, especially his young sister. Leticia wasn’t really at an age to be called a young sister anymore, but inside him, she was still the same child she was when they parted at age 12.

 

‘Leticia…!’

 

 

***

 

 

The god of the underworld, preparing for war against the celestial gods out of jealousy, first swallowed Igdat, the God of Darkness.

 

It was because he thought that he and his plans hidden in the darkness would flow into the celestial gods through Igdat’s mouth. This was because Igdat, the God of Darkness, could know anything hidden in the darkness.

 

Later, Pashanoi defeated Entinus and retrieved the God of Darkness from his belly, but Igdat had lost most of his power. So, unable to return as a god, he remained as ‘Night’.

 

Then, where did the power Igdat lost…. the ‘Darkness’, go?

 

 

***

 

 

Upon seeing the darkness spreading outside the window, what Julius recalled was a folktale about Entinus. Since it wasn’t recognized by the Order, it circulated as a folktale rather than a myth.

 

Since he was wary of Entinus, it wasn’t a stretch for him to recall it as soon as he saw the encroaching darkness. He was just about to leave the Count Giles estate for Duke Tesseia’s estate. The reason he put Duke Tesseia’s estate first on the list was simple.

 

Excluding the Imperial Family, it was the family with the most outstanding military power. It would be fortunate if the Imperial Family stepped up to protect the Pope, but since there was a high possibility they would refuse, he intended to look into Duke Tesseia’s estate first.

 

If he were considering loyalty to the Order, he should have chosen another family, but right now, receiving help from a strong family was desperate.

 

“Your Holiness!!”

 

The darkness, surging like a wave, swallowed the garden of Count Giles’s estate and seeped into the mansion in an instant. Everyone screamed and ran about in confusion, so no one paid attention to Julius, who had suddenly returned to the mansion.

 

Some priests who were about to leave with Julius followed him back into the mansion’s hall, but they were too slow and were swallowed by the darkness. Feeling an instinctive fear at the thing chasing and swallowing them like a living entity, Julius recoiled.

 

‘What on earth…!’

 

However, he avoided the darkness only for a moment. It closed the distance in an instant and swallowed Julius whole.

 

Sucked into the thick darkness, Julius struggled, feeling a lack of breath as if he had been thrown into deep ocean water. When he used a divine spell to survive, he felt the darkness that tried to invade his body recede.

 

“Hah, haa…. Haa…….”

 

He opened his eyes in the completely darkened hall. A dense ‘darkness’, different in texture from ordinary night or shadows, filled the surroundings.

 

‘This is…. indescribable.’

 

There were outlines of buildings or objects, like in a dream. But everything was pitch black, making it difficult to distinguish colors. Julius was wary of the dream-like association.

 

‘Why is there no one?’

 

He looked around, but he couldn’t see the priests who were swallowed with him or the servants who had been running around the hall not knowing where to flee. Even though there had been a considerable number of them.

 

‘Anyway, finding His Holiness comes first! Since Entinus will be targeting His Holiness’s heart.’

 

“Your Holiness!!”

 

The last place he had seen him was the reception room, but afterwards, he had seen him returning to the bedroom provided by Count Giles. He must have been resting in the bedroom, as he was surely exhausted mentally as well.

 

The problem was that this was Julius’s first visit to the Count Giles estate, and he didn’t know where the room provided to the Pope was.

 

“Your Holiness!!”

 

Julius shouted loudly and ran through the darkness. As his body passed through the corridor, it glowed faintly in response to the divine power he emitted.

 

 

***

 

 

‘Leticia!!!’

 

As the darkness surged in, both the startled Terdis and Sebastian reached out for Leticia. They definitely grabbed Leticia’s arm and shoulder respectively, but when they came to, they were alone.

 

‘What is this?’

 

Looking quietly into the darkness, outlines became distinct. This part was similar to waiting for eyes to adjust to the dark in the middle of the night.

 

But Leticia noticed that this ‘darkness’ was different from the usual kind. It was strange that despite being this dark, the outlines of objects were clearly revealed.

 

‘Furthermore….’

 

Her body was glowing. Sensing the waves of power constantly colliding and crashing against her, Leticia was able to realize what this was.

 

‘The external power and the divine power within me are constantly clashing. This darkness stems from the power of another god.’

 

The immediate suspect was Entinus. He was merely the god of the underworld, and she hadn’t found any legends about darkness, but she hadn’t looked up all the materials either.

 

The materials at Duke Lyon’s estate were mostly about Pashanoi, and information on Entinus wasn’t very detailed.

 

‘The Order’s mythology contains nothing about a God of Darkness. Even though a God of Light and a God of the Underworld exist.’

 

Leticia reached out to gauge the extent of the light emitting from her body. The darkness and the divine power within her seemed to have equal pushing force, appearing balanced as neither power could push away or overwhelm the other.

 

‘Oh, right…. I have that, don’t I? Let’s use the magic tool.’

 

She remembered the ring she hadn’t worn on her finger because she thought Sebastian might recognize it. Leticia took it out of her pocket and put it on her pinky finger.

 

The ring, which worked even when infused with divine power instead of mana, elongated in her grip as Leticia released her power.

 

It was definitely a whip made of fire, but…. the flames from the whip failed to illuminate the surroundings. Instead, it merely caused the creeping darkness to reveal outlines and then light up repeatedly.

 

‘As expected, it’s not ordinary darkness. I wonder if Ter or…. Sebastian are okay? I’m worried about Mister, too….’

 

Although she called Carlyle ‘Father-in-law’, she was used to calling him Mister, so she thought of him that way in her mind.

 

She wasn’t too worried about Aaron or Cesare. They were Sword Masters. If a mere magic tool could go toe-to-toe with this darkness, the aura of a Sword Master would surely prevent their bodies from being encroached upon by the darkness.

 

‘Priests or those who can use mana can resist somehow, but what happens to the people who have no power?’

 

“Mo, Molly? Are you there? Ter! Lord Sebastian!”

 

Leticia’s voice echoed into the darkness. Although the space was filled with furniture and all sorts of items, her voice spread dryly as if echoing in an empty void.

 

‘Huh?’

 

The moment she thought the darkness…. seemed to vibrate thinly, she thought she heard clamoring voices from somewhere. Leticia held her breath and carefully looked down the hallway.

 

The corridor of Duke Tesseia’s estate was a very long and wide space, but now it had widened enough for a carriage to pass and stretched endlessly long.

 

And from the end of it, darkness was rising like a wave and rushing toward her. Seeing the darkness filling the passage, Leticia momentarily thought of going into a room and closing the door, but her intuition warned her.

 

It whispered that if she fled into a room now, it would be the end; she would be swallowed by that thing.

 

At this, Leticia kicked off the ground. She moved out into the hallway to escape this mansion.

 

『Grrr…. Kieeeek!』

 

『Kikikikik!』

 

Shrill, twisted, grotesque cries chased Leticia. Leticia looked back even as she ran desperately.

 

At first, it looked like a black wave filling the corridor and rushing in, but as the distance closed, she could see what it was made of.

 

Countless arms and legs, entangled torsos, extended tentacles, and arms—more monstrous than human. It looked like thousands, tens of thousands of monsters entangled together, chasing her to devour her.

 

“Aaaah!”

 

A scream burst out of her at the horrific sight. What would happen if she got caught by that? It was a natural thought, but she tried not to think about it.

 

‘How far does this hallway go? There should be stairs by now…!’

 

Just as she thought that, stairs leading down appeared. It was a bit strange, but she had no time to question things. As she leaped down several steps at a time, a hall slightly different from Duke Tesseia’s estate appeared. Leticia realized this space was not reality.

 

Her mind kept getting foggy, and her memories began to jumble, but clearly, the Duchy she knew didn’t look like this.

 

‘This isn’t Duke Tesseia’s estate! Where on earth am I?’

 

Where should she go? Where…. must she go to meet Terdis?

 

Just as Leticia thought of Terdis and looked around, her body began to glow with a subtle light.

 

She realized she was once again covered in threads of all colors. These were originally connected to her body, but she usually didn’t perceive them.

 

Probably, such threads were connected to everyone’s bodies, and they wouldn’t notice them either. The only reason Leticia could see this was because she was a Saintess who had received divine power from Goddess Renata.

 

Because of the ability gifted by the Goddess.

 

Her gaze was drawn to a pink-tinted thread among the various colored threads. It was childish beyond belief that it had to be pink, but she was certain Terdis was at the end of that thread.

 

As Leticia ran following the thread, she saw five-colored lights gathering not far away, expanding like a door.

 

‘That’s the place!’

 

Before the clamoring thick darkness could grab her, Leticia jumped into it.

 

 

***

 

 

Terdis was running around everywhere, cutting down and defeating countless monsters. Even when he shouted at the top of his lungs, no answer could be heard.

 

“Tisha!!! Where are you!”

 

Even while doing this, he felt like he was going crazy with anxiety that something might have happened to Leticia. Turning his head around, he discovered a pink thread extending from himself.

 

‘What is this?’

 

At the end of the thread, five-colored lights were tangling together. The moment he thought the five distinct colors tangled and became a blinding white light, Leticia ran out from within it.

 

“Tisha!!!!”

 

Terdis rushed over in an instant and gathered Leticia into his arms. As he felt his heart beating madly and held her tight while cutting down the surrounding things, Leticia caught her breath and spoke.

 

“We have to go! Lord Sebastian is this way!”

 

Clutching his arm, Leticia said this and led him in one direction. Light was tangling at the end of a thread he couldn’t see, opening an entrance.

 

Seeing Leticia’s fingertip pointing at that light, Terdis jumped into the entrance in a single bound, still holding her in his arms.

 

 

***

 

 

“What?! Leticia? Uh, where did you come from?”

 

Sebastian, having erected a magical barrier and shooting flames from behind it, seemed to be fighting off monsters. He was greatly surprised but relieved to see Leticia and Terdis pop out from inside a magic circle.

 

Leticia immediately grabbed Sebastian’s wrist.

 

“This way!”

 

“This way where? Whoa! What is that?!”

 

As another entrance made of light formed before their eyes, Terdis moved first. Leticia was in his arms, and since she hadn’t let go of Sebastian, he was dragged in with them.

 

 

***

 

 

When Aaron noticed the encroaching darkness, he was outside Duke Tesseia’s estate. After hearing about Entinus from Carlyle, he had concluded that the enemy’s target was the Pope and was just about to head to the Count Giles estate where the Pope had fled.

 

The Count’s estate was a shabby place for the Pope, the head of the Order, to stay, so Aaron intended to tell him to move to the Duke’s estate, regardless of how detestable his past actions were.

 

Not wanting to waste time, and intending to personally check for any suspicious groups targeting the Pope, he had moved out himself, which turned out to be the source of trouble.

 

By the time he and his carriage hit the streets, darkness was already surging in. Although not well-versed in mythology, he was certain this was the work of Entinus, a being of demigod status.

 

‘Leticia! Is she safe?!’

 

He could be sure that Cesare, Godfrey, and Sebastian were safe. He had raised them to be able to survive no matter where they were dropped.

 

But Leticia was a child who, despite having him as a father, had received neither proper protection nor just care. Even though Carlyle had taken her in and protected her, this thought was clear in Aaron’s mind.

 

He immediately got off the carriage and ran toward his estate. He knew the darkness had already swallowed the direction where the estate lay, but he didn’t hesitate.

 

The darkness swallowed him as if his whole body were being drenched in black water. Only after being completely covered by that power did Aaron realize it was the power of a god.

 

He was a man who had survived years on the battlefield and had received treatment from high-ranking clergy. So he knew distinctly what divine power felt like.

 

‘Similar to divine power, yet different…!’

 

Circulating power throughout his body to resist the dark power invading him, he entered his estate.

 

The scenery of the estate’s front yard, which should have been familiar, was painted black like a cross-section of a dream and was silent as if submerged at the bottom of the ocean.

 

He saw the gatekeepers standing inside the high iron gates, their eyes rolled back, floating and flailing in the air. The same went for the servants who seemed to have been swept away while fleeing toward one side of the garden.

 

He wanted to save them immediately, but he was worried about the children, especially Leticia. Just as he was gauging where Leticia might be and moving toward the mansion, white light flashed repeatedly, leaking from inside the mansion.

 

‘What is that?’

 

Surprise quickly turned into alertness and worry. About to rush over, he discovered a vivid thread connected to him. A thread of entangled green and blue was leading into the mansion. He was startled when the thread began to shine brilliantly white, but he judged that he must not cut it.

 

‘Magic? No, divine power!’

 

Before he could take any action, a cluster of light floated up before his eyes, and people popped out of that space.

 

“Leticia!”

 

She was held in Terdis’s arms, but Aaron had no energy to spare for that. As he threw his usual composure somewhere and embraced Leticia, Terdis had to let go of her with an awkward expression.

 

Leticia looked flustered.

 

‘Uh….’

 

Behind her were the people they had saved on their way here: Sebastian, Carlyle, Isello, Molly, the escort knights, and most of the people he could think of.

 

“You are… safe. I was worried.”

 

Aaron said, releasing Leticia with a relieved face. Leticia looked at Aaron with an awkward expression.

 

“I’m fine. Lord… Lord Sebastian is safe, too.”

 

From behind, Sebastian waved his hand with a light expression as if to say he was there too.

 

The darkness here was different from actual darkness. Its hue, color, and presence were different. That was why the outlines of buildings and objects were distinct, and people’s expressions were somewhat visible.

 

However…. Leticia recognized at a glance that this place was different from the ‘darkness’ they had been trapped in. Because the objects here had substance.

 

‘Everyone else was swallowed by the darkness….’

 

Perhaps because he was Duke Tesseia, it felt as though he alone was not captured by this darkness and was facing reality.

 

“What happened? Do you know where this is, Leticia?”

 

At Carlyle’s question, Leticia looked back.

 

“This side seems like reality. But if we let our guard down, we’ll be swallowed by that darkness again.”

 

“Do you know what this is?”

 

At Aaron’s words, Leticia shook her head. A name came to mind, but for now, it was just pieced-together evidence. She couldn’t answer with certainty.

 

“I don’t know exactly what’s happening right now either. But I know where we have to go.”

 

When she pointed somewhere, a thread extending from Leticia became visible. The brilliantly shining white thread also extended from him, Terdis, and Sebastian.

 

He could see that thread stretching out into the darkness outside the estate. Since it was visible to Aaron’s eyes as well, he asked Leticia.

 

“That thread is…?”

 

“It’s my ability. The white thread seems to lead to a mission or task that person must undertake.”

 

Pink seemed to lead to lovers, and green or blue threads to blood relatives or friends. Leticia saw a red thread continuing beneath the white thread.

 

To others’ eyes, it just looked like a long line of white light, but Leticia could see it.

 

The red thread meant danger. A black thread meant a fate leading to death. There were no black threads entangled on the bodies of the people connected to this white thread, including herself.

 

‘So…. It will be okay.’

 

“What do I need to do?”

 

Aaron looked at Leticia as if telling her to say anything. Leticia called Terdis, Sebastian…. and a few more knights from the gathered people.

 

For some reason, when the Duke spoke like that, they too became connected by the white thread. Perhaps because they had made contact with Leticia, or because they were in this darkness, they seemed to be able to see this white thread as well.

 

“Please follow this thread. You will encounter dangerous things, so…. please be prepared.”

 

Leticia met the gazes gathering on her with a serious face.

 

“I’m not certain, but it seems the people who did this to the capital are trying to resurrect an ancient god. That god has already awakened…. and has probably gone to find the last seal.”

 

She felt like she knew what had to be done. And what future the Goddess was guiding her towards.

 

“Duke, please stop them from finding the last seal. It will probably be at the end of that thread. Even if you cannot stop them, stalling for time will be enough. Do not risk your life.”

 

Aaron’s eyebrow twitched as if Leticia’s words ‘even if you cannot stop them’ touched his pride, but at the following words ‘do not risk your life’, his heart seemed to soften. He thought his daughter was worried about his life.

 

“Do not worry. I will not disappoint you again.”

 

The hand that seemed to want to stroke her head patted her shoulder instead, unable to touch her hair. Leticia nodded slightly.

 

She was now looking at Terdis and Sebastian.

 

“Ter and Lord Sebastian, help me. I saw where they hid the seals they already secured. We should be able to take them back.”

 

 

***

 

 

Thinking back, his mind was always in turmoil there.

 

He never knew he would have to seduce someone in his life. He considered himself a sinner and lived his whole life to atone. Obeying the Pope’s orders for that sake was only proper, but…. in his heart, he defined even that as a ‘sin’.

 

‘Saintess, you dropped this.’

 

It happened when the Young Duke, who always sent wary glances, was not by her side. Since he didn’t have lessons with the Saintess like Julius did, he had to rack his brains to get close.

 

Loosening the clasp of an earring and returning it when it fell was one of the many clumsy tricks Haron barely came up with. He didn’t have any smooth talking skills.

 

‘Ah. Thank you, Sir Haron.’

 

Looking at those clear eyes looking up at him, he always felt apologetic in a corner of his heart. Because her feelings for the Young Duke were sincere.

 

She was different from those who rested one hand on their lover’s arm while scanning other potential partners with their eyes. Young Duke Lyon was also always sincere toward the Saintess.

 

‘The Order needs a Saintess. There can be no sin in what the Pope does.’

 

Even though he repeated this thought over and over, a crack seemed to have formed in his heart. The thought that the Pope was also human, and perhaps this one time, he might be committing a wrong.

 

As if noticing that crack in his heart, a dream visited him. It was a dream where he met his death protecting the Pope. Since it was an unrealistic situation where the world was entirely covered in darkness, he simply dismissed it as a dream born of excessive worry.

 

He was a Holy Knight with immense divine power, but since he had never once had a prophetic dream…. it was a natural thought.

 

But he had the same dream every night.

 

It was as if the dream was warning him that throwing away his life for the Pope like this was foolish. In the dream, the Pope, his benefactor and object of respect, abandoned him as he lay dying and fled in a panic.

 

It was a pathetic sight, unbecoming of one of the twelve heroes said to have participated in the Demon God War.

 

‘Am I really going to die? Is the day of my death near?’

 

While he agonized, the days passed. The Young Duke was on edge with him and Julius, and the only gain he got was confirming that he had absolutely no skill in seducing women.

 

But he didn’t blame himself. Because Julius, who seemed to easily get close to noble ladies, also failed to get close to the Saintess and looked troubled.

 

He thought perhaps the Saintess had seen through their base intentions. If that were the case, it would be embarrassing…. but he also felt it was rather fortunate.

 

Returning to the capital and escorting the Saintess, who had received the Pope’s invitation, to the Grand Temple, he worried and thought over and over again. What action was truly for the Order and the Pope? Was keeping the Saintess tied to the Order truly the right thing?

 

When Duke Tesseia infiltrated the Grand Temple, he was heavily conflicted, but he eventually chose not to step forward. He judged that the Duke wouldn’t harm the Pope…. and since he was the Saintess’s escort knight until then, he felt he should do so.

 

Standing at the gate of the Grand Temple watching the Saintess leave, Haron thought that perhaps he might have liked the Saintess.

 

Because he didn’t know how to seduce women. He thought that if he liked the Saintess and naturally treated her well, she might develop a little interest in him.

 

“Har, Haron…!”

 

Haron didn’t look back at the Pope screaming urgently. Since his presence wasn’t getting farther away yet, he must not have fled. He wished he would rather run away.

 

“Your Holiness. I am, sorry….”

 

Fresh blood flowed from the corner of his mouth as if some internal organ had been pierced. Swallowing the black blood that surged up, he thought. The battlefield was good because there was no need for conflict. No thoughts were needed to swing a sword.

 

Haron thought it was fortunate that the Saintess hadn’t wavered towards him even for a moment. Because if he died, she wouldn’t be very sad.

 

‘Since she is a kind person, perhaps she might shed a tear….’

 

He felt only sorry to cast even a single shadow over that heart. Because he was a man not worth that much.

 

“Run… away, Your Holiness……!”

 

He cut the thorn piercing his chest and unleashed sword energy toward the monsters. The sword energy, splitting into twelve branches, slaughtered the monsters, and the ones caught in the strike screamed. Like darkness that has no end no matter how much you cut, the monsters swarmed ceaselessly.

 

Haron pulled out the thorn in his chest, threw it aside, and healed the wound with divine power. The bleeding seemed to stop, but the poison in the thorn itself was something his divine power couldn’t handle.

 

If the Pope used divine power from behind to treat him, such poison would be detoxified in an instant. But Haron knew the Pope wouldn’t do that.

 

Because his dream had shown him over and over again.

 

Knowing this, he didn’t expect it.

 

All he could do was become a living wall and not let any monsters pass behind him. To protect the Pope, to fulfill his duty as a Holy Knight, he only fought.

 

“Haron…. Hold on!”

 

The Pope, who had been retreating while faltering, turned his back and began to flee. Haron swung his sword, feeling pain as if his intestines were burning.

 

He didn’t know what happened after the Pope fled. Whether the Pope survived, or if the world covered in darkness was saved….

 

‘Celestial Goddess. This sinner offers his life in repentance. Please… grant me mercy.’

 

 

***

 

 

Monsters were pouring out from all sides. The Pope, fleeing while leaving his back to Haron, turned pale upon realizing that fact. Before Haron appeared, he had been using divine magic to eliminate the monsters rushing at him and escaping.

 

‘Now my divine power has dropped below half! At this rate…!’

 

His worry for Haron, whom he left behind, was about the size of a single hair. No matter how outstanding a Holy Knight and hero of the Order he was, he wasn’t as precious as his own life.

 

Would the Pope be the Pope for nothing? It was natural that the life of the head of the faith couldn’t be compared to a mere Holy Knight.

 

“Huff, huff!”

 

He ran desperately. His body was that of a man in his prime twenties, but he could already feel his stamina failing. He was a former priest, not a physically trained Holy Knight or priest-guard. The work of a Pope was closer to an extension of a priest’s duties.

 

‘I’m going to be…. caught!’

 

If he used divine magic, he could temporarily shake off those monsters, but divine power wasn’t infinite. In the past, he received divine power from the Celestial Goddess and the two gods as if it were infinite, but he wasn’t like that now.

 

As things he had only felt as fear tightened around his neck in reality, he felt like he was going crazy. Resentment toward the heavens and hatred for why they gave him power in the first place if it was going to be like this welled up.

 

‘Even though they poured such gifts on that useless girl!’

 

The gods who gave him power and the Goddess who gave Leticia power were strictly different gods, but the Pope envied her to the point of madness.

 

Because she was overflowing with divine power.

 

Without ever being tested, ignoring her duties as a bearer of divine power, she lived just as she pleased. While hugging all those gifts received from the Goddess.

 

‘Why did it have to be Entinus’s heart embedded in my chest!’

 

With a face stained with all kinds of hatred, the Pope ran through the alley.

 

He was a man who had lived for hundreds of years. He thought he had let go of emotions like envy and jealousy of worldly people long ago, but he couldn’t do so regarding things received from the gods.

 

Because that was something incomparably special. All clergy of the Order who saw the power the Saintesses received likely felt the same.

 

“Your Holiness!”

 

From one side of the alley that had turned achromatic, Julius and the Holy Knights popped out. Just as the Pope had used divine magic to escape the alternate space, it was clear Julius and the other Holy Knights had done the same.

 

“Julius!”

 

“Your Holiness, I apologize for being late.”

 

A clear bloodstain was visible on his left sleeve, indicating an injury. He probably healed it with divine power. Since the monsters were targeting him, the Pope, it seemed they hadn’t encountered powerful monsters like the ones Haron faced.

 

Haron.

 

He inadvertently thought of the Holy Knight he had left behind and hardened his expression. The young boy who spoke of his sister, whom he had abandoned and fled from even as his hands and feet were frostbitten to the point of amputation, came to mind in succession, but he quickly erased it.

 

‘If he escaped that place, he will return on his own!’

 

“We will escort you. Protect His Holiness!”

 

Seeing the Holy Knights surrounding him, he felt like he could breathe a little. The Pope’s relief was short-lived as a thumping sound that shook the earth was heard. Thump…. Thump….

 

The Holy Knights Julius brought numbered only eight, and three monsters were approaching them. Massive creatures with tails dragging like battering rams, their heads abruptly protruding between the three-story buildings of the capital.

 

As black flames flared from their long, torn maws, Julius shouted.

 

“Your Holiness, dodge!”

 

Here, too, he had to flee. Pale-faced, the Pope ran with the Holy Knights. Seeing the one running at the very rear engulfed in black flames and screaming, he called out to the Goddess.

 

Hell…. seemed to be hanging right at his heels.