Chapter 82
Silas opened his eyes.
The world that greeted him was a gray landscape.
He heard someone crying beside him.
“You almost died, Silas.”
It was Niel Franche.
She was crying.
“Katrina tried to kill you, Silas!”
She cried as if she were feeling the misery of someone struck by an arrow herself.
“Niel, stop crying, you’re making my head spin,” Silas said, staring at the colorless sky.
Now, the black hair that greeted him whenever he opened his eyes had disappeared.
“What exactly happened on that island with Katrina?”
Niel asked. Silas had no one to tell the story of that day to.
“Why did I even win the treasure hunt?”
He could clearly recall the woman’s face as she asked him that while watching the meteor shower.
She had laughed and cried.
Why had he even won? He had only participated in the treasure hunt to find the location of the relic. After that…
He didn’t like the idea of others daring to target her.
That was why he did it.
How foolish. I…
Unable to let go of a single emotion, I foolishly got tossed around here and there.
How naive.
Unable to abandon his foolishness, he kept repeating the past.
“Niel, how’s the outside?”
When Silas asked, Niel lifted her tear-stained face.
“Katrina is going to attend the Wish Stone negotiations soon.”
“Miss, a letter has arrived.”
It was early morning.
Katrina received a letter from Lina.
Oh, by the way, Lina had recently returned. After finishing her vacation, her face seemed brighter than before.
Katrina opened the letter.
[I’ll be coming up soon, so let’s meet. – Hildegard]
Heavens.
“Grandmother is coming?”
Hildegard was coming to Abiche? After leaving here for several years?
Katrina wondered if the household staff already knew this.
“Grandmother is coming; we’ll have a lot to prepare.”
Hildegard was meticulous. There was much to consider and organize.
“I need to go buy her a gift.”
So Katrina went outside.
The first place she headed to was the shopping district. She planned to buy some gifts that Hildegard would like and then return.
Along the way, she encountered…
“Miss Lina!”
It was Priest Helario.
Hadn’t he been imprisoned?
Damian must have locked him up…
“I’m so glad we could meet like this.”
Helario said excitedly, seeing Katrina.
“Is now a good time?”
“Time?”
“Today is the day of the small gathering I mentioned before.”
Helario said happily.
“It would be great if Miss Lina could attend as well.”
Katrina Abiche left the mansion.
Velect watched her through the window.
“Where’s Damian?”
He asked the servant.
“Master is currently… resting.”
Ha!
Velect’s curse on Damian had taken effect.
Damian Abiche sleeping at this hour? Normally, he’d be busy with his duties!
Velect laughed with delight and headed to Damian’s room.
“…Master Velect.”
“Why.”
“Master Damian is resting right now, so…”
“Do you want to get hit? Leave.”
“….”
The servant couldn’t add anything more to Velect’s ferocious words.
Velect pushed the servant aside and moved forward.
He entered Damian’s room.
The room was dark, curtains drawn. Velect grinned as he looked around.
To see Damian like this at this hour…
‘Unlucky bastard.’
He hated Damian.
He had always been annoyed by how Damian thought he was superior since childhood.
His mother was obnoxious too.
Good thing she’s dead.
“When the mind-related curse manifests…”
Reality and hallucinations couldn’t be distinguished.
Velect grinned and whispered into Damian’s ear.
“You’ll be free if you kill Katrina, Damian.”
Velect whispered into the sleeping Damian’s ear.
“Kill Katrina.”
You hate Katrina, right?
Kill her.
Kill her…
Katrina followed Priest Helario to the location of the small gathering.
She quietly sat in the chapel.
“Are you new here?”
A few people approached her when they saw Katrina.
Katrina made sure her veil covered her face well and nodded.
“I’ve heard that Priest Helario would bring a new person…”
They smiled warmly at her.
“Let’s get along well from now on.”
They passed by, leaving her behind.
The place looked like an ordinary chapel.
‘Being here might let me learn the weaknesses of the Solar Order.’
What could that weakness be?
What was happening here?
At that moment, Helario began to speak.
“May the merciful hand of the Sun God guide us, and may the Sun God watch over you today.”
He spoke just as he had before when Katrina had seen him at the chapel.
“Now, we will begin the Solar Order gathering in earnest!”
With Helario’s sudden shout, the atmosphere in the room instantly changed.
What’s happening?
“You may not know, as this is your first time attending, so I will explain carefully.”
Helario took something out from his robes, as if to show Katrina he understood her.
‘That is…’
It was a doll.
But somehow familiar… Ah.
“From now on, we will select a new offering to dedicate to the Sun God!”
“Waaahhh!”
“For the Sun God!”
The crowd cheered wildly.
Katrina finally realized what was happening.
“So… if Damian Abiche is safely led to the God, the next offering will be…”
Priest Helario smiled wickedly.
It would be Katrina Abiche.
“That infamous villainess!”
“She deserves to die!”
“The Sun God will guide her!”
The crowd shouted in frenzy.
Katrina shivered. Next, it’s me?
But at the same time…
They had cursed Damian. They had found another way to break his curse.
‘Then, who among them is responsible?’
Priest Helario? Or someone else?
‘If I catch the culprit, I can lift Damian’s curse.’
After the mass ended, Katrina approached Helario.
“Miss Lina, how was today’s service?”
Katrina looked at Helario with tears in her eyes.
“It was truly moving, Father.”
She acted like a devout believer, sending Helario eyes full of admiration.
Helario’s mouth curled into a pleased smile.
“I have one thing to tell the priest.”
Katrina clasped her hands, pleading.
“My younger brother is sick.”
She forced tears as part of her act.
“I want him to receive the same blessing as I did.”
Helario looked troubled.
“This is a small gathering, so only those recognized as devout by the congregation are allowed, Miss Katrina.”
So, a refusal.
“Do you wish to save this younger brother?”
“Yes, I want to save him.”
Katrina forced herself to look desperate.
“Then how far are you willing to go?”
“Pardon?”
“If you wish your brother to come here, he must show the same sincerity. Is that okay?”
Sincerity?
Katrina didn’t understand at first and furrowed her brow.
“If both of you participate in the ritual, then I will permit it.”
A ritual?
“What does that ritual entail?”
“Oh, I should explain.”
Helario’s smile deepened.
He whispered in a low voice, and Katrina’s expression stiffened.
…They’re insane.
What are they planning to do right now?
“Then, what will you do?”
