~Chapter 117~
The group assigned to catch the Shadow Boar entered first, and Riden slowly followed behind with Ethan into the abandoned temple.
She glanced to the side.
Some knights, and Damian, had joined them as well.
‘Ugh, so uncomfortable.’
He was holding a torch, looking around the old temple with curious eyes.
Since he was a priest, she couldn’t exactly tell him not to come.
‘“As a priest, I’m more interested in the temple than the hunt”? What kind of excuse is that? He really does act like a priest. Hmph.’
He looked as if he had thrown himself completely into playing the role of a devout and capable priest.
“It’s bigger than I thought,” Ethan murmured in awe.
“Really. I thought it was just a small temple in the forest,” Riden replied, snapping out of her thoughts.
The temple’s structure began with a huge main hall for worshippers.
Ethan lifted his torch high, and her eyes followed, gazing at the tall ceiling.
The deep scars on the walls and broken pillars told of fierce battles with monsters long ago.
While she was wondering where to start searching, Ethan asked:
“Should we check the relic storage room first?”
That would have been the logical choice—but hadn’t the first relic been hidden away in a random drawer in the library?
If there really was another relic here, wouldn’t it also be in an unexpected place, inside some ordinary object?
The relic storage room felt far too obvious. Still, it would need to be checked.
“I want to try the library first. We can ask the knights to check the relic storage room. Please bring back even items that don’t look important.”
“Yes, my lady!”
Ethan passed on her instructions to the knights. Then Damian cut in.
“This temple was built in the old style. The relic storage room would be at the very back.”
He explained that unlike temples in the capital—where relics were placed in front for easy viewing—older temples hid theirs deeper inside.
The knights thanked him for the information and began their search. Ethan smirked.
“You really do care more about the temple than the hunt. So then, where’s the library?”
“If I’m correct, it should be this way. I’ll guide you.”
Holding his torch, Damian led the way.
Riden blinked at him, but swallowed her irritation and followed along with Ethan.
Though abandoned, the temple’s important books had already been taken long ago.
The library shelves were nearly empty—only useless volumes left behind.
‘Let’s touch them directly. Maybe I’ll feel something.’
She remembered the nausea she had felt when touching the first relic, the brass paperweight, and began brushing her fingers lightly over the spines of the books.
‘Nothing here.’
She looked across at Ethan, who was checking the opposite shelf. Just in case, she had told him to try touching them too.
Feeling her gaze, Ethan turned, and their eyes met.
In the dimness, his black eyes seemed to shine even brighter.
‘Nothing?’ his gaze asked silently.
‘Yes, nothing,’ she replied with a small pout, holding the torch near her face.
Seeing her exaggerated expression, Ethan smiled and answered:
“I haven’t finished yet. Wait a little longer.”
Unlike someone who only brushed the shelves quickly, Ethan was carefully pulling out each book and checking them one by one.
‘So diligent…’
Even though he hadn’t felt anything unusual with the relic before, he still followed her directions seriously. Watching him made her strangely pleased.
‘And he looks even more handsome in the dark…’
His tilted head as he studied a book highlighted his sharp nose and jawline.
Just as she was smiling to herself and admiring her fiancé, Damian approached.
“If you describe the item you’re looking for, I might be able to help more.”
Riden’s smile vanished, and she answered firmly:
“No, that won’t be necessary. Didn’t you come because you were curious about the temple? Please, look around.”
“……”
“I’ll be busy admiring His Excellency’s face, so please step aside.”
At that, Ethan, who had been listening with half an ear while pretending to focus on the books, burst out laughing in the dark.
Damian gave an awkward smile, lowered his head, and turned away.
At that very moment—
Kiiiiieeek!
A shriek echoed from deeper inside the temple.
“They’ve found it,” Ethan said calmly, as if assuring her not to worry. “The knights will handle it. Let’s move on.”
Their next destination was the prayer room.
Damian once again guided them.
“The prayer room should be on the left.”
As he crossed the main hall, Riden followed carefully, torch in hand.
Kiiiek!
The Shadow Boar’s cry rang out again, followed by—
Thud-thud-thud!
The beast’s heavy gallop shook the temple as the knights drove it.
“They’re struggling a bit,” Ethan remarked casually, continuing to walk.
Neither he nor Damian seemed worried, trusting the knights to manage it.
But Riden’s attention was on something else.
Crossing the hall, she glanced up at the ceiling where, earlier, she had seen moonlight pouring through a hole.
‘Wait… where did it go?’
When they first entered, moonlight had streamed through an opening in the roof. But now, it was gone.
Had the ceiling somehow repaired itself while they were in the library? Impossible.
“Riden?” Ethan called, noticing her standing still.
Damian, however, stiffened in alarm.
‘There should be a giant bird’s nest on the temple roof…’
It was one of the dangerous real beasts secretly released by the church.
He recalled what he had learned:
‘The giant bird watches from above, then dives to attack. If it targets the duke or Lady McCurry… I must draw its attention first.’
One dramatic act of self-sacrifice would be enough. The duke was said to be a monster stronger than any beast. If he distracted it once, Ethan or the knights would surely finish it off.
“What are you doing? Come on,” Ethan urged.
Startled, Riden hurried forward again—then stopped beneath the spot where moonlight had once shone.
The hole was sealed.
“Your Excellency, I swear there was an opening in the ceiling here just before…”
She blinked up in confusion—and then the ceiling itself blinked back.
“Uh?”
A huge white eye was staring at her. Every blink sent shivers down her spine, freezing her in place.
Her instincts screamed: don’t scream.
In a trembling whisper, she called out:
“Y-Your Excellency… here…”
“Lady, watch out!”
At that moment—
Kiiiiiiiiiek!
Crash!
The giant bird shrieked and dove through the collapsing roof, debris raining down everywhere.
Riden saw the enormous beak lunging at her—and then felt a violent pain as she was thrown sideways.
She rolled far away, then looked up in shock.
Right where she had been standing—stood Damian.
