The north was vast, treacherous, and dangerous. So if the reconnaissance group were to be suddenly attacked and go missing, it wouldn’t be strange. Or even if the attack failed, they would have to wander in the north for at least several months.

Geril knew that Bellota was cursed, and that during the last full moon night, the curse had manifested but she had barely avoided it with Seiden’s help. Though these sinister dark mages wouldn’t share with him what Bellota’s curse was, treating it like their final card, by this point he couldn’t help but notice what kind of curse she had. Perhaps the unpleasant and filthy rumors he had spread were close to the truth……

Her curse was at least related to Seiden Blackwood. Thinking about it made Geril’s throat burn with anger. If it was true, he could never forgive either Seiden or Bellota. If his suspicions proved true, Bellota, who had dared to defile herself while holding the position of Saintess, would have to pay the price.

So Geril needed to confirm the truth. That’s why he had planned to send Seiden very far away. So that Bellota could never hide behind Seiden again. Once Seiden disappeared from the empire, Geril intended to expose Bellota’s curse, even if he had to use force. He had to see that proud face crumble.

“Please stop insulting God, Duke Lylester.”

Every time he recalled Bellota looking at him with cold eyes, Geril’s insides turned and hot blood boiled up from his core. When awake, the criticisms that had been thrown at his back repeated like auditory hallucinations. He couldn’t get through a single day without drinking. The glaring eyes of those who whispered while staring at him wouldn’t leave his mind.

But that bastard knows the source’s location? Geril sensed that his plans might fall apart again. Before his eyes, he imagined Seiden finding the source much faster than expected and returning to save Bellota from trouble once again.

Now, the obsessive desire within Geril to possess Bellota had disappeared, replaced by enormous vengeance and rage. He had to release these emotions somehow. This time, without failing. For that……

“I’ll go myself.”

When Geril quietly declared his decision, the shadow tried to dissuade him.

“That’s a dangerous decision. We’ll send dark mages to the north, so Duke, you should stay in the capital……”

“Shut up!”

Finally exploding, he swept the lined-up bottles off the table. The shadow silently watched as the bottles shattered and the remaining alcohol flowed across the expensive marble floor.

“Have you ever done anything right?!”

The shadow closed its mouth at Geril’s fury. As Seiden’s indifferent face, who would inevitably find the second source, floated into Geril’s mind, his stomach turned.

Geril knew. He knew what desires were hidden behind Seiden’s face that pretended to be indifferent to everything in the world. The filthy ambition that would steal one by one the glories that should have been his, and finally even take Bellota.

When he thought about who was responsible for keeping him trapped in this cramped castle unable to move, he couldn’t stand it anymore. It would take a very long time to recover from this dishonor. That vast distance drove Geril half mad.

This was all because of that Blackwood bastard. Seiden had ruined all his plans until now. It was certainly that holy knight’s doing that made Bellota realize his holy relic was fake.

Geril knew that he had been frequenting Lady Margaret’s mansion. Now that he thought about it, his absence from the banquet held on the full moon night was clearly some kind of scheme.

He should have eliminated Seiden earlier. Now he couldn’t trust anyone else. If he kept relying on these stupid dark mages, his head would end up rolling. So he had to deal with him personally and watch that smug face become stained with blood. Geril’s lingering inferiority complex toward Seiden completely shattered what remained of his rationality.

“I will kill him myself.”

Uncontrollable rage flickered in his eyes.

* * *

Two days later, the Grand Temple’s reconnaissance group prepared to depart. Since sudden subjugations had been as common as eating meals before Bellota’s curse manifested, preparations proceeded surprisingly quickly. However, they—or rather Seiden—faced an unexpected obstacle. Bellota had arrived at the departure point first.

It was their first face-to-face meeting since that day’s confession. Seiden’s hope that she might have come to see him off was immediately scattered by the stubborn determination set in Bellota’s eyes. Seiden knew what that stubborn look meant.

“No.”

When Seiden immediately said this, Bellota looked at him without so much as blinking, as if she had expected it.

“Except for His Holiness the Pope, I have the highest holy power in this temple. You need me to end this journey quickly.”

It was a confident statement based on faith in her abilities. Since detecting demonic energy required high holy power in return, it was a reasonable argument. Nevertheless, Seiden’s stern expression didn’t soften.

“No matter what you say, the answer is no.”

Seiden had almost lost Bellota once in Selento. He had vowed then never to put her in such danger again.

Felton, who had rushed over upon hearing about Bellota, looked bewildered as he glanced back and forth between her and Seiden. Kabillon, who stood unable to take either side, approached Felton and quietly explained the current situation. The tense standoff between the Saintess and the Holy Knight Commander continued.

“Rubble Mountains are incomparable to Selento.”

Seiden spoke first.

“And everyone here is voluntarily heading there.”

Bellota shot back without backing down.

The holy knights and priests watched the two, waiting for a conclusion.

“If you won’t allow me to accompany you, then I cannot give you this.”

At those words, everyone’s attention, including Seiden’s, focused on Bellota’s hand. Raising something clutched in her hand, Bellota calmly looked at Seiden.

In Bellota’s hand was the gate permit issued by the Imperial family. Without it, the gate wouldn’t work. Seiden realized she had come fully prepared. He let out an exasperated sigh.

“Saintess.”

“Nothing you say will matter. My condition is to accompany you.”

After making her firm declaration, Bellota tucked the permit back into her clothes. She looked at Seiden with those same calm but stubborn eyes.

While they could get another permit, doing so would let the Imperial family know that Bellota had been obstinate with the gate permit. Moreover, even if they got another permit with some excuse, the determined Bellota would find some way to follow them anyway. In that case, it was obviously better to have her accompany them from the start.

As Seiden clenched his teeth, everyone watching realized Bellota had won this battle of wills. In the end, Seiden’s vow to never again let Bellota accompany them on a subjugation was thoroughly broken.

The reconnaissance group came to include not only Bellota but also Felton, who hadn’t even properly packed his belongings. This was due to Felton’s insistence that he couldn’t let Bellota go without him. Because of this, Seiden felt a suffocating pressure in his throat. Now that Bellota was included in the reconnaissance group, this mission had to be completed faster than planned, without fail.

They rode for a full day to reach the gate location. Then, using the permit Bellota had brought, they finally crossed into the north. After another full day’s journey through the knife-sharp winds of the north, the reconnaissance group finally arrived at the ‘Unfrozen River’ where the mountain range began.

“From here, we’ll travel by ship.”

At Seiden’s words, everyone looked up at the massive vessel with tense expressions.

“We need to stock up on plenty of drinking water. The unfrozen river water vaporizes the moment it’s drawn up.”

Felton warned in a tense voice as he stared at the unnaturally calm water surface.

A river flowed through the Rubble Mountains, and its waters were infused with magical power that prevented it from freezing, but it would dissipate into vapor the moment it was drawn up, making it undrinkable. However, since the gorge was wide enough to accommodate large vessels, taking a ship was a better choice than crossing the mountains. Though traveling by ship meant essentially trapping themselves in the gorge below the mountains, requiring them to endure far more monster attacks than if they had crossed over the mountains.

Seiden provided cover for everyone to safely board the ship while cutting down monsters that suddenly emerged, drawn by the reconnaissance group’s presence. Finally, when everyone was aboard, the large anchored ship slowly began to move.

“Watch above, and don’t neglect scouting below the water!”

At Kabillon’s order, the holy knights quickly dispersed to guard the ship.

“Priests, please gauge the demonic energy from the mountain side. If you sense any energy anywhere, please let us know.”

At Kabillon’s words, the priests also dispersed systematically to search for demonic energy among the aura of the massive mountains surrounding the ship.

“……”

After dispatching a fearless monster that had tried to climb aboard the ship, Seiden looked at the woman standing at the bow who was even more fearless than the monsters. Bellota was thoroughly scanning the surroundings as if truly determined to find the source. Seeing her resolute appearance, an exasperated sigh escaped through Seiden’s lips.