At those words, Elise’s eyes widened. When Abel looked at Seiden with a completely puzzled face, he swallowed a small sigh and smiled.

Though the two had regularly sent gifts and letters to Pamela who had greatly helped resolve the incident, they couldn’t resolve their guilt about lying to an elderly woman with dementia. But finally, they had been given a chance to make amends. In the end, all of this was…….

“This will be a long story.”

Clear tears pooled in Bellota’s eyes as she smiled happily.

* * *

After hearing about Pamela and shedding many tears, Elise returned to the orphanage, but only after repeatedly thanking the two people who had not only saved her and her son but also brought news of her grandmother.

After finishing their meal, Seiden and Bellota followed Abel’s guidance to the reception room. After serving them personally brewed chocolate tea, Abel told them to wait a moment and disappeared. Left alone again, Seiden and Bellota sat by the window where the sunset was visible and gazed at the beautiful scenery.

It was shocking for both of them to learn that Pamela, whom Seiden had helped, was Elise’s grandmother, and that this same Pamela had given them crucial evidence. It was a chain of causality that couldn’t have been fabricated. A mix of indescribable reverence and inexplicable emptiness washed over them.

“Was everything predetermined in the end?”

Bellota quietly asked while leaning on Seiden’s shoulder and watching the sunset. At times like this, Bellota felt as if her whole body was being crushed by God’s holy will that she dared not challenge. The realization that everything might be predetermined and humans might not be able to escape the fate set by God made her heart even more reverent.

But if so, what should one live for, was there no need to feel sad or happy about anything, was all of this simply fate predetermined from beginning to end—these fearful doubts and feelings of helplessness washed over her. If everything was predetermined after all…….

“……”

Seiden looked at Bellota, who was leaning against him with a somewhat complicated expression. Seiden knew the answer to Bellota’s question.

Seiden had met God. And he also knew that God had clearly intended to kill him then. And as predetermined, according to his fate, Seiden had died for Bellota. Seiden’s revival was God’s whim. And he knew what had led to that whim. So…….

“What matters is human will.”

Seiden knew. That what had saved him was his love for Bellota. And Bellota’s love for him.

Seiden lifted Bellota’s hand intertwined with his own and whispered while kissing the back of her hand.

“That’s what led us here, and will continue to do so.”

Therefore, he could answer Bellota’s anxiety without any hesitation. That human will is such a sublime and tremendous power that it can even change God’s will.

At this reassuring answer, Bellota slowly raised her head to look at Seiden. Soon a clear smile bloomed on her lips. That’s when it happened.

“That’s quite a moving statement.”

It was Abel’s voice. When Seiden, annoyed at the interruption, turned around, he saw Abel holding something in his arms.

“What is it.”

“I’ve decided where you two will stay. If you go up to the north of this castle, there’s a tower with a view of Selento’s coast. Though the lord of this castle was an unpleasant person, you’ll probably find that tower at least is worth something. You can stay there tonight. And if you want, you can stay as long as you like. Everyone in the village agreed.”

At those words, Seiden and Bellota looked at each other. The north tower with a view of Selento’s coast… The two knew well where that was. While Seiden and Bellota were pretending not to know about the north tower to avoid crushing Abel’s pride, Abel, who had been hesitating for some reason, spoke again.

“And this……”

At that faint voice, the two’s attention turned back to Abel. Abel’s ears were red as he maintained a needlessly brusque expression. Abel held out what he had been preciously holding in his arms.

“It’s a pearl carried by a monster called a veil.”

Hearing that, both their gazes fixed on the pearl Abel was holding out. Bellota and Seiden’s breathing quieted simultaneously.

Abel added, appearing embarrassed and awkward,

“They say it grants wishes or something like that.”

At those words, Bellota and Seiden burst out laughing together and lowered their heads. Abel’s face became puzzled again at their unexpected reaction.

“Why are you laughing?”

When Abel asked curiously, Seiden answered bluntly.

“Your face is funny.”

Bellota quickly stopped laughing and grabbed Seiden’s arm as if telling him not to say such things. However, appearing completely unfazed, Abel glared at Seiden and answered curtly,

“I was originally going to make my own wish.”

“What’s your wish?”

Then Abel lifted his head straight and looked directly at Seiden.

“To become the Holy Knight Commander.”

Huh? Seiden’s lips curled up at that bold answer.

“And?”

Abel shrugged his shoulders.

“I thought it would be more meaningful to achieve that with my own power. And I wanted to repay your kindness.”

After finishing his words, Abel decisively held out the pearl to Bellota. Bellota looked at him in surprise.

“…… You’re giving this to me?”

Abel nodded while needlessly looking elsewhere.

Though Selento was remote, thanks to the two people before him, the village’s situation had improved greatly, and before the walls were built, merchants with quick news would come and go. They often brought stories of the Saintess who had caused such a stir in the Empire.

Because of this, Abel heard the news that the foolish Duke who had come to Selento together had proposed to Saintess Bellota and that the Saintess had rejected the proposal. He also heard that many people were criticizing her because of rumors that she was cursed.

After spending anxious time unable to help her when hearing this news, he finally heard that the Holy Knight had died once but came back to life and obtained the rockdragon’s heart, and thus the Saintess and Holy Knight were getting married. Though all the news came late, the people of Selento were overjoyed nonetheless.

Since then, Abel had searched for a veil whenever he had time. He wanted to give this pearl as a congratulatory gift to Bellota more than anyone else. If they hadn’t visited Selento directly, he would have gone up to the capital to deliver it. Well, though it wasn’t that special, still.

Soon an overwhelmingly happy smile bloomed on Bellota’s lips.

“Thank you, Abel.”

When she suddenly stood up and hugged Abel tightly instead of taking the pearl, Abel’s eyes widened in surprise. Seiden watched the scene with apparent displeasure.

“I’ll treasure it.”

When Bellota said this, Abel opened and closed his mouth not knowing what to do, then forcefully placed the pearl in Bellota’s arms and quickly turned around to flee. Bellota watched his retreating figure with an amused face.

* * *

The two went up to the north tower that Abel had directed them to, carrying the pearl he had given them. Though the room’s scenery hadn’t changed much from then, unlike before, it was now filled with warm air. They must have lit the fireplace with precious magical fuel.

Bellota looked around the room for a while with a peculiar expression. The events that had happened here still felt as vivid as yesterday.

The memory of that day when she had fallen into Seiden’s arms while her whole body was consumed by the curse.

Bellota had never dreamed she would come back here again. Yet fate was so strange that she had returned to this place. Fortunately, she didn’t dislike it at all.

Bellota placed the veil’s pearl that she had received from Abel on the wide bed, and approached the window to look at the spectacular view outside that she had seen once before. Though it was already dark outside with the sun set, it still held a soft glow thanks to the snow covering everything.

The beautifully rippling coast was now frozen white. That created yet another beautiful scene. It was surely a blessing to be able to see such scenery twice in one’s life.

Bellota quietly whispered to Seiden, who had naturally followed behind her.

“Isn’t he admirable? I mean Abel.”

Bellota recalled the moment she first met Abel. The image of that young boy, terribly thin from lack of food and covered in wounds everywhere.

Now Abel had gained a healthy amount of weight and grown so tall that he was much taller than Bellota. He might even catch up to Seiden’s enormous height. Though the scars etched across his face hadn’t disappeared, likely from hunting monsters every day.

But the biggest change was in Abel’s eyes. The hatred and contempt for the world that had been deeply embedded in those young eyes were no longer visible in Abel now. Not holding expectations, not seeking hope. The deep hatred that had considered having such things a sin and betrayal of oneself was gone.

Abel’s eyes were still indifferent, but deep inside them, expectations for the future were curled up. A noble conviction that he could make this world a better place had taken root. That made Bellota’s heart warm and full.