Pamela too seemed to have lost interest quickly, once again staring into space with blank eyes.

“Um, Pamela… I mean, Grandmother……”

Bellota tried to speak first, but Pamela, who had been deep in thought about something, suddenly spoke up and cut her off.

“When I worked at the count’s household, on sunny days like today, we would walk by the lake after lunch. The count’s garden was very vast and beautiful.”

A somewhat lonely and quiet voice echoed languidly through the silent room. Her expression and voice were completely different from when she had been reading their compatibility earlier. Pamela turned around slowly with her bent back and hands behind it, looking out the window.

“How nice it would be if I could go back to those times just once.”

Pamela’s voice scattered forlornly. From her room, a maple tree was visible through the window. The maple tree had turned bright yellow in its season, and whenever the wind blew, handfuls of maple leaves would fall with a rustling sound.

In the old woman’s eyes watching the leaves helplessly falling and scattering in the strong wind was a futile longing for her younger days. Perhaps the reason she remembered only the name of Count Alkeria’s household even after forgetting everything else was due to her pride and affection for her younger days.

Bellota, who had been quietly watching that lonely figure, carefully approached Pamela’s side and gently touched the hand holding the cane.

“May I give you a small blessing, Grandmother?”

At those words, Pamela’s gaze, which had been watching the falling leaves with sad eyes, turned back to Bellota.

“A blessing…… ? That’s something only the priests at the distant temple can do……”

“Yes, I can do a little bit too.”

Bellota showed a gentle smile and slowly gave Pamela a blessing over her hand.

While dementia was a chronic illness beyond the realm of holy power and couldn’t be completely cured, receiving a blessing could at least refresh the elderly woman’s tired body and mind a little.

Seiden leaned steadfastly against the door to prevent Mrs. Susan from suddenly entering the room while watching Bellota give the blessing to the old woman. A blue light flashed and then slowly seeped into the back of the old woman’s hand.

“Ah, what a refreshing feeling. It’s been so long since I felt like this.”

As a pleasant smile appeared on Pamela’s face at that energy, Bellota also smiled happily. After watching Pamela’s expression for a moment, Bellota slowly opened her mouth to fulfill the purpose of coming here.

“Grandmother, may I ask you something?”

Pamela didn’t turn to look at Bellota, too busy feeling the warmth spreading throughout her body. Nevertheless, Bellota continued speaking.

“Do you know anything about the holy relic that was kept at the Count Alkeria’s household?”

At that, Pamela’s face, which had been smiling with closed eyes all along, suddenly hardened. She opened her eyes wide and turned to look at Bellota. There was shock in her trembling eyes.

“Holy relic……”

“Yes. The holy relic that was passed down as an heirloom of the Count Alkeria’s household.”

“……”

“Have you perhaps seen that holy relic? Or heard the people of the count’s household talking about it……”

“……”

“Can you not remember anything……”

At Bellota’s questions, Pamela’s eyes wavered as if confused. Bellota looked at her with a regretful expression but didn’t give up and continued asking questions.

“I need memories about that holy relic. I’m sorry to ask such a favor. But could you please help me?”

Pamela opened and closed her mouth like someone unable to give an answer, then closed it and stared into space.

Bellota looked at her with a pained expression before turning to look at Seiden as if giving up. It seemed they couldn’t draw out any more memories than this.

Seiden also quietly swallowed a sigh. Although they hadn’t come with high expectations, seeing Pamela’s condition with their own eyes made even that single thread of hope sink deeply.

“We should leave for today.”

When Seiden said that, Bellota had no choice but to nod. She turned to look at Pamela, who was still staring into space with a frightened expression, and said,

“Grandmother. I think we should go now. It was really nice to meet you.”

It was at that moment when Bellota was about to turn around after politely greeting Pamela that Pamela’s hand suddenly grabbed her hand. When the surprised Bellota and Seiden turned to look at her, Pamela’s pale lips moved slowly.

“Child, you mustn’t. You can’t……”

She held onto Bellota with a regretful and affectionate voice.

“The count’s holy relic…… is something humans shouldn’t possess……”

At the faint voice that came out brokenly, Bellota’s eyes hardened.

“Elise, absolutely not…… That…… that is an evil power…… Though it’s a holy relic, it wasn’t a holy relic…… If that appears in the world again, terrible things will happen……”

“So you have seen the holy relic.”

When Bellota asked desperately, Pamela gripped her hand so tightly it hurt.

“Count Alkeria’s father…… didn’t die…… No, he… was reborn…… I, with these hands, received him as he was reborn……”

Seiden’s eyebrows twisted at words that couldn’t be easily interpreted. Reborn? What did that mean?

“That holy relic did it…… Turned an old man on the brink of death into a sticky newborn…… They marveled at it but I didn’t. It was a horrible sight. He wasn’t a gift from god…… Going against providence……”

Bellota’s breath stopped at the trembling voice that seemed horrified even thinking about it again. Bellota looked at Pamela with shocked eyes as if realizing something and asked slowly.

“That holy relic…… gave two lives. Isn’t that right?”

Only then did both Seiden and Bellota realize what function Count Alkeria’s household’s holy relic served. It gave mortal humans the gift of two lives. Being reborn—that was truly a certain and marvelous function.

Instead of nodding, Pamela trembled her lips while looking into space with even more fearful eyes.

“It was a disaster…… Do you know what the Count did to his father, who lost everything after being reborn……”

Pamela finally squeezed her eyes shut as if it was too horrible.

“He had his father, who even had an umbilical cord, abandoned in a back alley…… And so everything of the father became the son’s…… The count’s household, that enormous wealth, even that terrifying holy relic……”

At those tragic words, Bellota covered her mouth with her hand. Seiden merely stared into space with calm eyes, as if he had anticipated this before the old woman finished speaking.

“God didn’t understand humans. That’s why He bestowed such a thing…… Ah, what a horrible thing……”

Pamela’s grieving voice scattered thinly. Silence fell in the room with just the three of them. That devastating silence was broken thanks to Mrs. Susan, who came with tea and biscuits.

“Oh my, why won’t this door open? Please open the door!”

At the noisy voice from outside the door, Seiden moved his body away from where he had been leaning against the door and opened it.

“Did you have a nice chat? Have some tea.”

“Thank you very much, but we should get going now. It will take a long time to return to Selento.”

Seiden calmly answered while handing over the pouch of gold coins he had kept in his chest. Fortunately, the inner pocket hadn’t torn, so none of the gold coins were lost.

“Please take good care of Grandmother.”

Mrs. Susan received it while acting embarrassed yet looking pleased.

“Oh my, you shouldn’t have! The remaining balance was already paid years ago! Goodness, this pouch is so heavy…… Pamela! Your grandson-in-law must be doing very well!”

Mrs. Susan made a fuss but soon realized she was being too forward and quickly changed her demeanor.

“Oh my, yes. You should hurry and leave before dark. Well then, take care. It must be quite a difficult journey to Selento. Next time, make sure to bring a baby when you come. Pamela would love that.”

“Yes, we will. Elise. We must go now.”

When Seiden called Bellota, she who had been frozen in shock until then finally nodded.

“Grandmother, I have to go now. Thank you so much.”

When Bellota bid farewell with a regretful look, Pamela, who had been blankly staring out the window as if she had completely forgotten about telling the count’s story earlier, suddenly turned around. After looking at Bellota for a moment, Pamela hugged her tightly.

“Elise.”

When her granddaughter’s name left Pamela’s lips, Bellota’s heart sank.

“Thank you for coming to see Grandma. Thank you so much.”

The end of that voice was faintly wet with emotion. Bellota, feeling only sorry, hugged Pamela as tightly as she could before turning away.

Pamela stood by the window and watched for a long time as the two left the village.