“But Kirion has a strong obsession with positions and objects he thought were originally his.”

“It’s not such a simple reason.”

As Rublier and Satin began to argue, the lieutenant felt awkward, like a sack of barley brought in for no reason.

He didn’t know whose side to take, and it felt inappropriate to intervene.

While he was familiar with Rublier, Satin was a much more difficult presence, whom Rublier was treating so carefully as if she might break if he held her too tightly or fly away if he breathed on her.

Having no choice, he played with the paper he had spread out to write down various opinions.

As the topic had reached the sacred artifacts of each family, he folded the paper into a sword shape and cut it into pieces as he had learned.

Then, suddenly feeling a strange gaze, he looked up. Satin was staring at him.

“Ah, I’m sorry.”

His face instantly turned bright red. He put down the paper pieces he was holding.

“I was just thoughtlessly…”

“Del Mare’s sacred artifact doesn’t look like that.”

Satin said coolly. Rublier, whose eyes met hers, asked with curiosity.

“Hm?”

“I told you before. Our sacred artifact isn’t a triangle because its corner is slightly cut off.”

On National Foundation Day, there was a time when they had an animated discussion about sacred artifacts to break the awkward atmosphere. Rublier searched his memory.

‘….Where do you think the tip of this sword is?’

‘When the sword, broken into five pieces, was divided, Del Mare received the tip. But unlike the fragments held by other families, our heirloom isn’t intact.’

Satin had cut off a small piece at the end. Even if others had forgotten, she, as a Del Mare, hadn’t forgotten. The sharp tip of the sword was broken.

The pieces were lined up lengthwise.

The lieutenant unconsciously counted the numbers.

“One, two, three, four, five… six.”

“…What?”

“There are five guardian families. Can’t you count?”

“No, look. There are indeed six.”

Six? Did he say six?

Satin’s eyes widened.

There couldn’t be six. Until now, only five sacred artifacts had been preserved. Five artifacts for five families.

But following the lieutenant’s count, the number was clearly six.

Five large pieces and one small piece.

Satin picked up the small piece she had cut off. There was one more tiny piece that no one had been aware of until now.

“…Wait a moment. We might have been mistaken about something.”

Perhaps the very notion that there were five pieces was a misconception from the start. Because it wasn’t visible, everyone had naturally believed there were five.

However, the last piece forgotten in legend has appeared right here.

Where is that piece now?

‘The tip of the sword always points to where the person holding it intends. Del Mare received the fragment of the Pope’s sword that stood at the forefront against the demons. The part that pierced the demon’s heart.’

Good heavens. Why hadn’t they thought of this until now?

If the sword had broken somewhere, its location was all too clear, wasn’t it? The last place the sword was thrust was the devil’s heart.

“…The devil.”

Satin muttered in shock.

“What’s wrong?”

“The sword. It broke after piercing the devil’s heart, right? It was revered as the sword that defeated the devil, but isn’t it actually the sword closest to the devil more than anything else?”

If so, the meaning of the sacred artifact changes. Everyone thought the sword had saved the country by confronting the devil, but in reality, the sword was closest to the devil more than anything else.

What if the call of the sword that Vitalis didn’t hear was actually the call of the devil?

So… what if the devil was hiding in Kirion’s shadow, taking advantage of his wavering heart to shake him?

Is this too much of a leap?

“The devil…?”

Rublier swallowed a groan. The devil, wasn’t that a being that disappeared two hundred years ago? But with evil spirits roaming around, we can’t dismiss the devil as just a legend forever.

“Even if it’s just one of the possibilities. If we assume that the devil has possessed His Eminence Kirion, it explains why the oracle named His Eminence Vitalis, overturning our expectations.”

“It’s the same reason why the oracle changed but the revelation didn’t. Moreover, Kirion has definitely become stranger than before.”

Kirion is a person who worked tirelessly to fill the Pope’s vacancy. We shouldn’t disparage his past efforts. It’s true that Kirion once supported the country as a pillar.

But now?

Can we really be confident that he’s ruling Caldeblanca properly?

Rather, from some point, rumors began to spread in Caldeblanca, and it rapidly became chaotic.

The guardian families lost the standards they had steadfastly maintained, people only paid attention to sensational issues, and in small villages far from the capital, evil spirits occasionally ran rampant, harming people.

No one would say that the current Caldeblanca is normal. Even someone like Cardinal Conchent felt uneasy and was in seclusion.

Whose, or what’s, will could have caused this result?

“Kirion has been listening to the devil’s voice…”

Kirion was originally confident, proud, and ambitious. He seemed to shine brightly, but the brighter the light, the darker the shadow.

The devil seeps into the shadow. That shadow, judging from the evil spirit we experienced last time, was literally a shadow, and in Kirion’s case, it seemed to be a metaphor for a person’s heart.

It sharply dug into his desires and provoked them. Kirion sank into that sweet temptation, not knowing it might be the devil’s voice.

Now they understood why Vitalis was designated as the next Pope. The oracle would never choose a man who was becoming possessed by the devil.

What flashed through the minds of the three people gathered here at this moment was a legend from over two hundred years ago.

The devil constantly lurking near the bloodline of the Papal Palace, the person the devil tries to harm, nobles swaying in pursuit of profit, a country in turmoil.

“We need to bring His Eminence Vitalis quickly.”

Satin, who regained her senses, urged Rublier. There was no time to spare.

“You…”

“If he’s the devil, I’m even more okay. As long as his goal is in my hands, I’ll be even more fine. Besides, His Eminence was originally your friend, right? Shouldn’t we save your friend?”

Her tone was so rational that it hurt his heart.

If he hadn’t fallen for Kirion’s tricks, and had come today without hurting Satin, she would probably have expressed her trust, will, and request in a completely different way than now.

His heart crumbled again.

“Go quickly.”

Once again, it wasn’t ‘come back safely’. Satin no longer told him to come back.

Even after being unilaterally notified that they’ll be apart for a while, she came to see him off and said ‘come back safely’. Today, she said to leave immediately. She urged him to go quickly.

Even though they both assumed he would return, even though they knew this, it felt like she was saying it would be okay even if he didn’t come back, and it tore him apart.

It ached painfully, as if she was remembering him who hadn’t returned. There was no way to undo that mistake.

Satin immediately called a servant and instructed them to help with his preparations. The purpose of saving time was evident.

Rublier packed light luggage with the help of the servant.

Meanwhile, Satin sat in the reception room with the lieutenant. Thankfully, the lieutenant volunteered to stay in this house and protect Satin while Rublier was away.

The travel preparations were quickly finished. It was because the servants were used to their master’s trips and were quick-handed. Rublier, dressed for travel, stood at the entrance of the reception room.

“Satin.”

Satin, who had been quietly exchanging opinions with the lieutenant, slowly turned her gaze.

“Have a safe trip, Commander. You must return safely.”

The lieutenant stood up abruptly and saluted. Even though Rublier had quit being a Paladin, the lieutenant still called him Commander.

Rublier nodded. Then he walked over to Satin, knelt beside the armchair where she was half-leaning.

“I’ll be back.”

“Yes.”

“I will return.”

“…Alright.”

“This is the last time I’ll be apart from you.”

Satin glanced at Rublier.

“You’re in a hurry, so hurry up. Sir Ka Dil—”

“Rub.”

Rublier cut off Satin’s words.

“Not Sir Ka Dillon, but call me Rub once more, like you did earlier.”

Satin closed her mouth at his request.

In fact, it was the reaction he had expected. Rublier smiled quietly.

Still, he thought he might never hear it again, but he had heard it once. It’s okay. He would leave his heart here anyway.

“Satin, you’re the bravest person I know, so nothing will happen.”

His fingers, unable to touch, slowly moved down near her cheek and lips. He spread out the blanket that was messily covering only her knees and adjusted it so her posture wouldn’t be uncomfortable.

Inadvertently, the back of his hand brushed against her silver hair. The soft yet cool sensation settled quietly.

A sudden impulse arose. If it’s just her hair, Satin might forgive him. He won’t see her for a while, so just for a little, just for a moment.

He carefully grasped Satin’s hair and buried his lips in it. It was full of the flower scent of the soap Satin often used. As he took a deep breath, his senses were filled with the fragrance.

Satin didn’t move at all. As she showed neither dislike nor pleasure, he grew greedy. Just ten more seconds. Just ten more seconds.

He counted endlessly, and at some point, he even forgot to count the numbers.

In his heart, ten seconds repeated endlessly. He wished this moment would never end.

He didn’t want to take a step away. But time flowed mercilessly. He knew he couldn’t postpone it forever.

He slowly let go of her hair. Like sand washed away by waves, Satin’s trace disappeared from his hand. He wanted to hold onto even the scent, but nothing remained. It felt empty.

Rublier stood up, straightening his knees. The servant holding his luggage was waiting at the entrance of the reception room.

As he was taking his last look at Satin and walking out with heavy steps, at that moment.

“Rub.”

Satin’s voice was heard.

Rublier unknowingly ran to Satin. Satin, who had risen from the armchair, greeted him with the same face as before.

“Come back safely.”