So she could not continue her embarrassing delusion alone. If he were really Rick, if he were that boy who had promised he would definitely return to her, he wouldn’t have ignored her. Seiden had even denied knowing Rick. Yet now he says he is Rick. Now he says he is that boy who saved her life.

“I could not tell you.”

Seiden offered a calm confession. Even as he spoke, his gaze did not leave her blue eyes filled with tears for a moment.

“Because I did not want you to waver.”

Seiden had watched every moment of Bellota over the past seven years.

Her figure diligently memorizing letters while sitting under the flowering wisteria, and finally mastering reading to stack and read books in the cozy library. Her mixing with apprentice priests to earnestly pick herbs and riding horses to gallop wherever help was needed.

Her looking sadly at the pitiful people and smiling happily while watching devout believers. Her eyes seriously sparkling when seeing rare monsters and curses related to monsters, and her loving gaze warmly sparkling while watching children. Those eyes that contained everything in this world, all those gazes. He knew his heart could not be more precious than those.

“But why now……? Why are you confessing now?”

Bellota asked in a voice mixed with resentment, sorrow, and confusion. Seiden looked at that pitiful face and quietly answered.

“I do not wish to be abandoned by you, Saintess.”

Even confessing everything now was an extremely selfish heart. A petty and foolish greed wanting to beg for Bellota’s heart even like this. He wanted to hold onto a corner of Bellota’s heart even if he had to use what remained to him. He no longer wished to follow god’s will.

No, in truth he had never wanted to follow god for even a moment. Even in his dreams, Seiden had held Bellota in his arms every day, kissed her, confessed his heart, and held onto her. That detestable desire could no longer stay in dreams and had finally burst into reality.

“Ha……”

Sorrowful tears continued to well up in Bellota’s eyes. Seiden slowly reached out to cup her cheek and gently wiped away the tears flowing down Bellota’s entire face.

“Your head will ring if you cry like that.”

Though Bellota did not push away his hand, she looked at Seiden with resentful eyes. Since he had resolved to accept even that resentment, Seiden simply silently wiped away Bellota’s tears.

That moment came. Boom! A massive thundering sound shook the cabin violently. The vibration proved so intense that it shook both seated people, causing Seiden to urgently grab and pull Bellota.

As he lifted his head, he saw a dazzling flash of five-colored light burst through the half-covered window. Seeing this, Seiden’s eyebrows rose in delight.

“It seems Yevar has found us.”

At those words, Bellota’s tear-filled eyes widened. Even in this situation, Seiden slowly raised the corners of his mouth. His darkened eyes flashed with a strange sense of triumph.

Seiden picked up the blanket that had slipped aside and draped it over Bellota’s pale shoulders.

“It’s time to return.”

When Seiden spoke these quiet but firm words, Bellota looked at him with stubborn eyes. They were eyes that didn’t want to hear anything from Seiden who had been deceiving her until now. Seiden reached out and wiped the tears flowing down Bellota’s cheeks. At his unchangingly gentle touch, a pained moan escaped her lips.

Seiden whispered in a gentle voice as if soothing her.

“I have a duty to safely escort the Saintess back to the capital.”

Bellota, taking slow breaths, finally nodded. She had no way to overcome Seiden’s stubbornness that only thought of her. The emotions swirling in her chest held no meaning right now. The most important thing now was simply to return alive.

She only wished for both him and herself to return safely, without anyone getting hurt.

* * *

The Imperial court was greatly shocked by the news that the reconnaissance team that had departed for the north had not only found the source of dark magic in just seven days but had also captured the dark mages who had been hiding there. Since this was completely unexpected for the Imperial court, His Majesty the Emperor didn’t know whether to find fault or praise, leaving him at a loss for what to do.

Since the reconnaissance team had found everything they had planned to find, the Imperial reconnaissance team that was supposed to depart as soon as they returned had become completely useless. Even the costs invested in the reconnaissance team, which had been secretly prepared by mobilizing mages from the magic tower, had all gone to waste. Thanks to this, the Imperial court suffered massive losses, but they couldn’t question it due to the brilliant results.

His Majesty realized that someone had leaked information about the source of dark magic to the temple. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to complete the reconnaissance so successfully in such a short time. His Majesty tried to catch whoever leaked the information, but it wasn’t an easy task.

Even Geril had disappeared. The Imperial court had no way of knowing that he had joined the dark mages, chased Seiden to the north intending to kill him, and was now imprisoned in the temple’s basement with both arms cut off. Therefore, His Majesty could only conclude that Geril had run away out of fear of being reprimanded for failing his mission again.

While there was a commotion at the Imperial court, the temple was wrapped in an eerily profound silence. It was a quietness that seemed as if nothing had happened at all.

In that silence, Felton was the most confused. Among all the things Felton had experienced since returning from the north to the capital, there wasn’t a single thing he could understand.

How did Seiden know and bring such a skilled mage to the north, why did they circle around the Rubble Mountains instead of heading straight to the source, how did he anticipate the dark mages’ ambush, why was Geril with the dark mages, and why was everything so quiet as if nothing had happened after their dramatic return? He couldn’t understand any of it.

Finally, Felton decided to visit the Commander’s office after evening mass. However, before he could enter the office, he encountered Seiden who was preparing to go somewhere.

“Commander!”

Seiden, who had been taking heavy steps while fully equipped in armor, stopped abruptly at Felton’s call and turned to look at him.

“Priest Felton.”

“Where are you going at this hour……? And why the armor?”

When Felton asked with puzzlement, Seiden closed his mouth. As Felton scrutinized him suspiciously, he soon discovered the badge attached to Seiden’s armor and furrowed his brows.

“Wait, is that……”

Felton’s face went blank as he confirmed what it was. The badge Seiden wore on his armor belonged to the Pope. This meant that the Pope was temporarily transferring all authority to Seiden.

It was truly an extraordinary matter, since it rarely happened that the Pope would give his badge to someone. In other words, it meant that something tremendous had occurred. Felton, now truly frustrated, poured out the questions that had risen to his throat.

“What is all this? Didn’t you say you would explain everything when it was over! I still don’t understand anything. I……”

“I will explain.”

When Seiden cut off his emotional voice with this simple answer, Felton’s eyes widened. Really?

Seiden spoke calmly while looking at Felton’s surprised face.

“Follow me.”

Then he turned and began walking quickly. Felton, who had been standing there blankly, came to his senses and hurriedly followed behind Seiden.

“Where are you going?”

When Felton asked with great curiosity, Seiden continued walking and answered firmly.

“We’re going to catch a rat that has sneaked into the temple.”

At those words, Felton’s eyes grew even more puzzled. A rat that sneaked into the temple?

Felton’s mouth fell open when he discovered the Holy Knight Order gathered in front of the temple’s back gate. The holy knights of the Kanbremes Temple were lined up with grave expressions, not a single one missing. They were all fully armed as if going to war.

“Are you going to war somewhere?”

When Felton asked in shock, Seiden simply handed him a horse instead of answering. Felton had no choice but to take the reins.

* * *

A man with his face hidden under a thick robe glanced up at the sky. Finally, it was a night when clouds covered the moon completely. After confirming that not even a sliver of moonlight leaked through, the man hurriedly moved forward. He looked back several times to check if anyone was following him.

The place where the man arrived was in front of a large spring located deep in the forest. The spring water, said to be imbued with holy power, emitted its own sparkle and light even without moonlight. The man desperately needed this water now.

Every time the man exhaled his labored breath, a disgusting rotting smell flowed from his mouth. The man gritted his teeth as he watched a rabbit that had smelled his scent run away in panic, having a seizure.

The man’s body was now completely rotting from the inside. Sometimes the pain of his twisted intestines made it impossible to even pretend to be calm. He had finally taken sick leave and secluded himself for four days now. However, the pain showed no signs of improvement.

The man knew he was cursed, and that he needed the spring water before him to break this curse. But there was something more important than breaking the curse. The man bit his lips, hesitating to drink despite having the spring water right in front of him.

“Just who……”

Every time the man muttered painfully, the rotting smell vibrated painfully enough to stab his own nose. Nevertheless, the man remained motionless, lost in anxious questions.