“Healthy? What part of this old, crumbling body looks healthy to you?!”

I felt no contempt for the Grand Priest who was seriously angry. During his more than 90 years of life, how many funerals had he presided over? Yet one’s own death is different for everyone.

This wasn’t the Grand Priest’s problem, but rather the fear that comes with being human. I gazed at him with sympathetic eyes.

“It was our deity who granted us limited time. Everything must pass, break, and disappear. That is our end. It’s only natural for a body that has lived a long time to weaken.”

“Do you think I know less about such fundamental principles than you?!”

He probably knew them well. I had even heard Grand Priest Arnold preach about death before.

But knowing and living are different. He had preached, but failed to apply it to his own life. As I stared at him intently, hoping he would realize this truth, he clutched my robe tightly with hands like dried twigs.

“My eyesight is beginning to fail! Save me! I cannot die yet!”

Wasn’t it remarkable that his vision had remained good for over 90 years? I calmly patted the back of his hand and replied:

“Aging cannot be prevented with holy power. Nor can lifespan be extended.”

“Don’t lie! Last time you even raised someone who was half-dead!!”

When I silently stared at him, Grand Priest Arnold began pleading again, clutching the hem of my robe.

“Have you forgotten how I raised you? Have you forgotten who brought you to the Central Temple and established you as Holy Maiden?”

“…Was it truly you who made me Holy Maiden?”

Apart from feeling sorry for him, this point needed to be addressed.

I became Holy Maiden because of the holy power God gave me. To attribute even that to human merit and call it a favor would be sinful.

Grand Priest Arnold’s face twisted horribly. I spoke in a calm tone:

“Do not resist your destined fate.”

He had lived his life devoted as a servant of God. I hoped he wouldn’t ruin his entire life now, facing his final death.

“What would a young thing like you know!”

Despite my sincere advice, Grand Priest Arnold shouted with a reddened face. Then he pleaded again.

“There must be a way. A way to become young again. The Holy Maiden knows, doesn’t she? Please tell me.”

“I have no answer within me.”

“After dedicating my life to God… how can my end be dragging around this aging, declining body until death?”

“You will find peaceful rest in God’s embrace.”

I repeated the words I had said like a parrot. There was nothing else I could say. This was the only truth.

“I understand your fear as you face death. However, the answer you seek is not within me. Instead, let us pray that you may overcome your fear.”

“Enough!”

[‘The Dragon Trampler’ grumbles that he’s busy beating his own drum.]

Feeling somewhat tired, I sighed upon hearing the deity’s voice.

‘Right. I shouldn’t complain about enduring this for just a few minutes.’

How much must the deity endure? There must be hundreds of people making such prayers every day.

Looking at the small shoulders of Grand Priest Arnold as he clung to my robe, I thought to myself:

‘I miss Kyle.’

* * *

Though one shouldn’t go against the Pope’s wishes, Richard secretly brought Noel into the inner temple. He greatly wanted to show his only family who the woman he loved was.

‘Once my brother sees Cioranne in person, he won’t be able to tease me anymore.’

So Noel pretended to return to the imperial palace, but instead Richard dressed him in his Holy Knight clothes and brought him back inside. It wasn’t difficult since few people walked the path to Cioranne’s quarters.

After carefully making their way there, Richard knocked on Cioranne’s door, but no one answered. After hesitating briefly, Richard carefully opened the door.

“Cioranne? Are you there?”

But the room was empty. Only the black-furred cat sat on the bed, its yellow eyes gleaming brightly. Richard frowned.

“Strange. She definitely said she would stay in her room today.”

Somehow, he had a very bad feeling. Richard pushed Noel into Cioranne’s room.

“Wait here for a moment. You absolutely must not wander elsewhere. And don’t touch anything…”

“Alright.”

Noel’s agreement was surprisingly compliant for being pushed into a stranger’s room. But Richard, whose mind was about to explode with worry for Cioranne, didn’t notice.

‘Could the Pope have summoned her!’

It hadn’t been long since she was punished, but perhaps Cioranne’s excessively cheerful behavior had backfired.

‘I won’t let her endure such a situation alone ever again.’

Richard bit his lip firmly and strode down the corridor with heavy steps.

After the door closed completely and the footsteps faded away…

Noel, as if his authoritative and relaxed demeanor with Richard had been a complete lie, prostrated himself before the black cat with tears streaming down his face.

“So this is where you were, Your Majesty!”

How he had worried when that tiny cat disappeared! He knew the emperor was alive because the Imperial Scepter still glowed, but there are living conditions worse than death in this world, so he couldn’t be at ease.

Yet seeing him sitting regally on the Holy Maiden’s bed seemed to mock all his grim imaginings.

“Thank goodness you’re alive! Truly, thank goodness! Your Majesty has no idea how anxious I’ve been.”

“…”

“Your Majesty?”

The emperor, who should have snapped something like “Shut up. You’re giving me a headache” when someone was this noisy, was strangely quiet. Noel raised his head, his face pale.

“Could it be just a regular cat?”

Did I just prostrate myself and make a scene in front of a stray cat?

As he looked up, he saw plump white toes wiggling that hadn’t been there before. Above them, a baby’s face with round, fluffy cheeks like dumplings and large golden eyes was looking down at him.

Kyle, transformed into a small child, answered in a childish voice.

“It’s me.”

“Your Majesty!!”

Noel burst into tears again.

“I knew it! That wicked look in your eyes couldn’t be common! I recognized Your Majesty at a glance!”

“You’re still so dramatic.”

“But…”

Without a doubt, the child before him was Kailas.

That is…

Except for being extremely small.

“How did you become a child?”

To Noel’s somewhat dumbfounded question, Kyle frowned and answered:

“I was cursed.”

“C-cursed? Who would dare curse Your Majesty?”

“Who do you think?”

“…The Pope?”

The Pope was the only person who came to mind. Kyle nodded, resolving Noel’s confusion. But despite the emperor’s answer, Noel couldn’t easily believe it.

“How could someone who serves God curse another person? Wouldn’t they die from divine punishment?”

“It’s all true.”

“Well.”

The Pope was apparently more insane than Noel had thought.

But the Pope wasn’t dead, and Kailas was alive. Tilting his head in confusion, Noel asked:

“But why have you stayed by the Holy Maiden’s side? You could have returned to the imperial palace.”

“They say the curse can be broken if I stay with the Holy Maiden.”

“What? Really?”

“God told me directly. By the way, she doesn’t know I’m a beast-folk.”

“What?”

What exactly was going on? The fragmented story didn’t fit together like a puzzle. Noel boldly stopped asking questions. What mattered to him wasn’t the past but the future.

“Well, your life would be in danger if you returned in this state. It’s better to stay with the Holy Maiden and find a way to break the curse.”

If news spread that the emperor had become a baby, people would try to harm him from all sides, so he couldn’t reveal himself anyway.

In that case, staying with the Holy Maiden was better. No matter how clever the Pope was, he would never imagine the emperor being at the Holy Maiden’s side.

“Can you transform into human form at will?”

“It’ll wear off soon.”

“Oh dear. So you can only stay transformed for a short time.”

Though the bad news was significant, there was also good news, allowing Noel to regain his composure.

“Now that I know where you are, it’s fine. I’ll arrange to invite the Holy Maiden to the Empire. Then Your Majesty can come along.”

“Good.”

“And there’s an urgent matter I need to discuss with you…”

Noel quickly conveyed what he wanted to tell Kailas. Time was running short.