Chapter 75

“Yes.”

“Why were you outside the orphanage?”

“Some strange guy kicked me out.”

“Oh dear.”

Nathan looked genuinely sorry.

“…I’m sorry.”

“There’s no need for you to apologize, Eugene.”

“You protected me! You drove away those dangerous people.”

Eugene felt grateful but also ashamed that he hadn’t been able to do anything himself.

‘I should be able to protect myself.’

Eugene knew that the reason Costance had brought him to the Papal States from Canary Village was to ensure his safety.

“I didn’t particularly protect you.”

Nathan parted his lips.

“Entering this place during the Conclave is a violation of the law.”

“The law?”

“Breaking the law is akin to praising the wicked. (Proverbs 28:4).”

“…”

“I merely opposed the wicked.”

Nathan extended his hand to Eugene as he spoke.

“And tormenting others is against morality. Go and stand against it, Eugene.”

Eugene, caught off guard, instinctively took Nathan’s hand. He saw light pouring over Nathan’s face, creating a faint halo around its edges.

The sacred aura filled Eugene with overwhelming emotion and excitement.

‘This man… is truly, incredibly amazing!’

***

The news was entirely focused on the Conclave.

Reporters broadcasted the heated atmosphere in front of Sassion Cathedral live.

[Smoke is rising from the cathedral!]

Red smoke rose, indicating that the first vote had not resulted in the election of a new Pope.

The second vote produced the same result, with red smoke once again covering the cathedral’s roof.

Despite predictions that a Pope would be elected within a day due to the overwhelming number of moderate Cardinals as candidates, the outcome defied expectations.

The day’s voting ended. Voting would resume the next morning and afternoon.

Costance and she also spent the entire day watching the news in their hotel room.

Anticipating that the Conclave might take longer, Costance extended their hotel stay by another day.

Meals were ordered through room service, and unnecessary housekeeping was declined. The hair dye purchased the previous day remained unused.

〈They’re all considering dyeing their hair or using disguises.〉

Originally, she had planned to dye her hair the previous night, but Costance stopped her.

〈Just pretend. If the agent finds out about our activities later, he will definitely investigate this dye as well. Then they’ll expand their search to include women with long black hair.〉

Costance deliberately broadened the agents’ scope of investigation by exploiting the prevalence of women with long black hair. She admired his cleverness and poured the dye down the sink to make it appear used.

Other than that, there wasn’t much to talk about or focus on. They were considering whether to extend their stay further when…

Bang!

An unexpected gunshot rang out.

“…What was that sound?”

She, who had been stroking Irini, quickly raised her head.

“Damn it.”

Costance muttered in a low voice. Sitting by the window, his face turned grave.

“Benny, we need to leave this town.”

“What?”

She followed his gaze out the window.

Numerous police cars sped past the main road in front of the hotel. One, two, three… Soon, they were too many to count.

Wee-oo wee-oo.

The intense red light of the sirens was more menacing than the nearby neon signs. The sound of the sirens seemed to devour all other noise.

“How did they…?”

Her heart sank.

Her mind went blank, like a white sheet of paper. But only for a moment.

The surrounding noises gradually blurred. It felt as if a giant hand was crushing her body like a piece of paper, squeezing her from both sides.

In those few seconds, a flood of memories rushed through her mind.

“Benny!”

Through the chaos, Costance’s voice reached her. His voice pulled her out of the pit of memories she’d been drowning in.

“Benny!”

“…”

“Benny! They’re not here to capture us!”

Costance’s hand blocked her view. He brought his lips close to her ear and whispered softly.

“It seems something happened at the casino.”

The sirens still dominated the air around them. He calmed her down, breathing with her. Inhale slowly, exhale even slower.

“At the casino…?”

Finally composed, she asked in a trembling voice.

“All the police cars are heading toward the casino.”

“W-what kind of incident could it be?”

“I’m not sure, but if the police are swarming, it’s bound to cause trouble.”

She grabbed Costance’s arm, which had been blocking her view, and gently pulled it down. Her now-clear view revealed ordinary cars driving along the main road.

Bang!

“Meow!”

A loud gunshot echoed, startling Irini, who raised her tail high.

What’s going on? What’s happening? 

People from other rooms began gathering at their windows, looking toward the commotion.

“Benny.”

At Costance’s words, she nodded.

The moment they decided to leave the town, hesitation became a luxury. She packed their belongings into a bag as quickly as possible.

At one point, she lost her balance and fell, but Costance caught her by the shoulders and reassured her. He emphasized again that the police didn’t know they were there.

‘But what if they find out? What happens to Costance, not just me?’

However, Costance didn’t seem to grasp exactly what she was afraid of.

‘What if they catch you?’

She feared the authorities, but what truly terrified her was the thought of Costance being implicated.

‘What if you become a criminal?’

Costance, the hero, a criminal?

What if everyone in Toramde mocked, scorned, and despised him?

The moment she had feared most had finally arrived.

Costance had already told her that the agency was aware of their relationship.

But if he left her now and returned to the agency, he could face criticism and punishment but eventually resume a normal life.

So before the agency captured him with her, he needed to return on his own.

‘…’

She looked at Costance, who had no intention of leaving her. So if the opportunity arose, she would have to escape from him first.

***

Ding.

As the elevator doors opened, the crowded hotel lobby came into view. The murmurs of the people indicated the severity of the situation.

“They say someone was killed at the casino.”

“Not just that. Innocent townspeople were killed too. There seem to be a lot of casualties.”

“Really?”

Costance wrapped an arm around her waist and pushed through the crowd.

“I’m sorry, Sir, but due to the emergency, leaving the premises is currently prohibited.”

A hotel staff member quickly stepped in front of them as they approached the door.

At the same time, multiple gunshots rang out. Police cars that had gone to the casino roared through the streets, followed by unfamiliar vehicles speeding recklessly.

“What on earth is going on?”

Costance asked the hotelier.

“I’m sorry, Sir. Extremist groups are fleeing. It’s a major incident with fatalities, so the police have locked down the town.”

A town lockdown meant that she and Costance were now trapped. This was grim news, as they had planned to leave the town soon due to the Conclave schedule.

Boom!

“W-what was that!”

A deafening explosion drowned out the earlier gunfire like mere background noise

“Ahhh!”

The hotel lights went out. Thick smoke rose beyond the main road, covering the sky. Soon, flames engulfed a mushroom-shaped cloud. Someone couldn’t hold back their fear and burst into tears.

“Everyone, this area is dangerous. Please return to your rooms and wait…!”

The hotelier shouted urgently.

She looked up at Costance’s face. His expression was tense as he watched the situation outside. Noticing her gaze, he began walking toward the elevator.

“Damn it!”

As soon as they entered their hotel room, Costance turned on the television and switched to the local news channel.

[Breaking news. The extremist group ‘F’ is currently rioting. The large-scale riot, which began at the casino, has resulted in an estimated number of casualties…]

The broadcast showed people lying on the streets and scattered bullet casings.

Outside the window, police cars and black vehicles were engaged in a chase, but it seemed the police were struggling.

The riot was far larger than expected, leaving numerous casualties. The police stated that they had no choice but to lock down the town to capture the perpetrators attempting to escape.

“Locking down the town is the most effective way to catch those bastards trying to flee.”

Costance’s voice revealed his frustration.

“There are many members in this group. The police will try to capture every last one of them.”

“So will the police collect information on everyone in the town?”

“That’s highly likely.”

They had become rats trapped in a cage.

The police would likely gather information on everyone staying at the hotel to identify those using fake identities.

Both she and Costance were using fake IDs.

Even if the Sohare couple they were impersonating were real people, it would be troublesome if those people had been active elsewhere.

“Then let’s leave the town immediately.”

After some thought, she spoke.