Ceres smiled. It was different from usual, a somewhat gaunt smile. She must never interfere, even if what the Saint wanted to do would destroy the Saint herself.

“If the Holy Maiden wishes to punish the world, that too is my will.”

The goddess had said. Ceres felt an ominous intuition. Poor soul. If only I could share what weighs down those small shoulders. Ceres found it unbearable to see Snow sitting alone, clutching her head.

“If this humble person could be even the slightest help to the Holy Maiden, we would be overjoyed. Would you allow that?”

“…Yes. But for now, I’d like some time alone to think.”

Snow said, releasing her grip on Arianne. Arianne couldn’t take her eyes off Snow, who looked as anxious as if she were holding a bomb. A deep shadow fell across Arianne’s face. Ceres briefly looked up at the snow crystals covering the ceiling and then spoke in a deliberately light tone.

“Very well. However, I think it would be better if the Saint stayed in a different room for the time being. This place seems a bit too chilly for you to stay in.”

Snow smiled a melancholy smile.

“Yes, I think that would be best.”

Snow decided to stay in Arianne’s room. Arianne moved to another empty room. Although a regular priest’s room was somewhat smaller and less comfortable than the Saint’s room, Snow didn’t mind at all. Ceres had hoped the Saint would stay in her room, but Snow didn’t want to leave Santarium.

Finally, Snow was left alone as she wished. A quiet stillness settled in. There was no one around. Snow felt the emotions she had been suppressing beginning to burst out again little by little. Fear overwhelmed her.

Her heart still hadn’t calmed down. An anger of unknown origin corroded her.

She was so angry. She hated everything in the world.

Hatred. It was an emotion Snow was experiencing for the first time. She was so angry she couldn’t bear it. Then she immediately thought:

‘No. This isn’t right. I am Bernadette. Saint Bernadette. I love everything in the world, the small flowers that bloom in spring and autumn, the cool breeze that blows at sunset. I promised to be a warm light for people in the coldest and darkest places. I am the Saint. A being of hope. Someone who saves everything.’

‘No, that’s not right. I hate everything. No, I love it. I hate it. I love it. I hate it. I love it.’

“Huu, ugh”

Freia, no, Snow burst into tears with both hands covering her face. Around her, kneeling on the cold floor, coldness began to rise again. A few black withered flowers broke through the marble floor. The flowers soon froze in the cold air and were covered with white ice crystals, becoming snow flowers.

‘Let’s bury everything in a blizzard.’

She thought. But then, startled, she cried out again.

“No, no. I don’t want to hurt anyone. Innocent people shouldn’t suffer.”

Snow uttered with difficulty.

“Ah, what should I do!”

Unable to gather her confused mind, Snow rambled on until she collapsed from exhaustion and fell asleep on the floor. But even dreams didn’t leave Snow in peace. Snow, no, Freia saw Ian’s smiling face in her dream. Large spears were stuck in her brother’s back. Blood flowed from his forehead. Ian collapsed with that smiling face.

♣ ♣ ♣

Morning dawned. Rather than “dawned,” it simply came. The sun showed no signs of rising, and Snow was sleeping sprawled on the floor. She opened her eyes at the sound of soft footsteps approaching as the door opened.

Ceres Martadia stood before Snow. She held two rolled-up letters in her hand. Snow, with a haggard face, twisted her body to sit up from the floor. Ceres knelt in front of Snow. Snow had no intention of getting up, and Ceres had no intention of looking down on Snow in such a state.

“Holy Maiden. His Majesty the Emperor has sent a letter.”

Ceres is the head of the temple. She was certainly not a messenger who personally delivered letters. This was true even if the letter was from the Emperor and the recipient was the Saint.

“…Who?”

“A letter from His Majesty the Emperor.”

Ikanel.

At that moment, Snow froze as if she had heard a curse. Ikanel Riman Akelan. Freia’s former lover. Enemy. And now the Emperor of Akelan.

“Kill him. Take revenge. He killed my brother.”

“No, that’s not right. You shouldn’t repay enmity with enmity.”

“My brother Ian was innocent. He was my only true ally. He was kinder and more righteous than anyone. Ikanel killed him. All the innocent household members also burned to death. He should be treated the same way.”

“You shouldn’t kill innocent people. Repaying enmity with enmity only perpetuates an endless cycle of tragedy.”

Voices babbled in her head. Through the distant confusion, Ceres’s low and calm voice was heard.

“He wishes to meet the Holy Maiden. He seems concerned about the weather anomalies occurring throughout the country.”

“…He wants to meet me?”

“Yes.”

“This is a good opportunity. Let’s pay him back. Make him regret it. Make him deeply regret killing innocent people indiscriminately.”

Something mixed between Snow and Freia thought, but then shook her head. She desperately suppressed herself.

“No.”

“I’m sorry, but could you please tell him that I’m not feeling well and cannot see him right now?”

If she met the Emperor, she couldn’t even gauge what she might do to him.

The Emperor’s desire to meet the Saint was ostensibly close to a request, but in reality, it was a notification that “I will come to you.” The axis of power still lay with imperial authority, not religious authority. Refusal was not a very good choice. It could cause trouble for Ceres. No, it would certainly cause trouble.

But Snow had no choice.

“Yes. I will do that.”

Ceres silently put the first letter into her wide sleeve. Then she took out the second letter.

“This is from Prince Elios. Unofficially, he wishes to visit the temple without anyone knowing. He seems very worried about the Holy Maiden’s condition. Would you like to read it?”

At that moment, Snow thought.

The people Ikanel cherishes most are his children. Elios Riman Akelan. Crusis Riman Akelan. Papel Riman Akelan. Galimede Riman Akelan.

“The surest way to make Ikanel suffer. What he did to me. Destroy someone precious to him. Pay him back in the same way.”

A few snow flowers that had bloomed beside the Saint crumbled with a soft sound.

A strange smile, ill-fitting on Snow’s face, appeared. Ceres’s gaze sharpened slightly.

But in the very next moment, with a face turned pale, Snow stammered:

“Ah, no. Please, please don’t…”

“Holy Maiden!”

Ceres urgently called to Snow. As if she hadn’t heard, Snow muttered “No, no” and pounded her chest with her fist.

“Not El. Not Elios. My… friend, yes. A precious friend. No, please.”

Like Arianne had done, Ceres Martadia embraced Snow. But unlike Arianne, Martadia began to pray.

‘Mother. Please bestow your light. Here your closest daughter is suffering, so please bestow your warm embrace.’ Ceres’s voice was faint but clearly trembling.

Despite her heartfelt prayer, Snow’s seizure did not stop. Ceres stopped praying and raised her head.

Instead of the sky she had hoped for, the white ceiling filled her eyes. But it didn’t matter whether it was the sky or the ceiling. Only the meaning of the action of looking up was important. She truly dared to question the goddess.

‘Did you not say she would receive your breath?’

‘You said her smile is your smile, and her anguish is your anguish. Then is the Saint’s seizure, anger, and tears now directly yours?’

Like the prayer that young Martadia had pleaded with tears before the dying previous Ceres, Martadia couldn’t even know if her prayer had reached the goddess.

“Mother, please…”

Muttering thus, Ceres Martadia closed her eyes. A few snow flowers that had spread thinly on the floor bloomed with a soft sound on her skirt as well.

♣ ♣ ♣

After Ceres left, Snow covered her mouth and sobbed. With trembling hands, Snow locked the door.

‘I’m not in my right mind. I need to stop myself. I might hurt Elios.’

The image of him, who could smile more warmly and gently than anyone, appeared in her mind. His orange-gold hair and black eyes flickered in her memory. The thought that she might hurt Elios with her own hands terrified her to death.

Pain, as if her heart was rotting black, engulfed her.

♣ ♣ ♣

Elios was officially in a very difficult situation. Supernatural phenomena that could only be described as divine curses were occurring one after another right before his coming-of-age ceremony.